Gem Hunt (FINISHED)

[SteelEagle]

His time at Sweet Apple Acres had been interesting, to say the least. When he had first learned he was to spend a somewhat significant amount of time at the farm, he was apprehensive, nervous, excited in an unkind manner. How would he fare in a world so unlike his? Some told him to use it as an opportunity to learn and appreciate a lifestyle so vividly contrasted against his own, walk a few miles in the horseshoe of another. He had decided after about an hour that the people who said those things were ignorant, as despite the patience and kindness of his hosts, he was reminded almost hourly that he did not belong.

Maybe it was when he milked the cows. It was wildly uncomfortable for all parties involved, as he felt as though he was doing something wrong. He knew he was doing *it* wrong, since the cows had no problem telling him so rather forcefully whenever he did. They talked entirely too much and he was blaming that for his consistently small output, as well as the fact that it was naturally difficult for a pony to milk a cow. It required a large degree of trust between cow and pony and while they had that relationship with the other ponies of the farm, they did not have that with Valen. More than a few times, as they sat there gabbing away and he tugged and pulled and squeezed and worked for what seemed like drops of milks, he was reminded by the cows that he wasn't quite ready for it.

Maybe it was whenever he went to go feed the chickens, as horrifying as that could be. Savvanahcock and her compadres had established who was the rooster and who was the hen in this specific relationship from the first go. They treated Apple Bloom with such love and affection but for Valen, it was nearly a fight to the death. Getting eggs would end with them knocking him to the ground and pecking them until he couldn't feel it anymore. Feeding them had the same result with the added benefit that feed often got stuck in his mane and they would chase him. He was sure that a few times at night, one of the chickens had been right outside of the window, staring at him. Maybe it was a dream, but as he would lay there the next day covered in welts from the previous day's feed, he knew that he wasn't quite ready for it.

Maybe it didn't matter that he wasn't very useful in the art of apple bucking or any form of heavy chore or labor: As long as he could contribute in some way, there would be great benefit all involved? No, wrong, because he had no skills that translated. Even basket weaving didn't really help out as the bushel baskets he made, while wonderfully decorative and pretty, were found wanting in terms of structural integrity and strength. A bushel basket wasn't very useful when it broke into a pile of twigs, as Applejack had with exasperation several times moaned. Another avenue of usefulness, out. Truly a blow as until the basket had broken under the strain of six apples and been rendered useless, he had considered it a fine achievement. Another sign that he wasn't quite ready for farm life.

By the time that had failed, it had become clear that aside from his below average bucking and hauling skills, he had few marketable farm abilities. No worry, Applejack had said with a smile. They always needed help at the house. And truth be told, he was more of a help here than he was outside. However, he had started to feel as though Applejack liked having to have a cabana colt to call upon to do everything from washing dishes to scrubbing floors to doing what little laundry they had, and that was often just in the first few hours. It was unskilled labor that didn't really require much in the way of the strength, and sadly was perhaps what he was most qualified for. After all, he wasn't going to be so mean and base as to force an elderly mare to do the work that a fine upstanding healthy colt could do, right? Whether it was their attempts at guilt tripping him, Applejack's sickly sweet manner in which she'd ask, or his own desire to be of some help but he would use the elderly mare as his own fallback excuse.

And he was glad to be of some help, to have some things he could do reasonably well, because his hosts were wholly capable in their livelihoods and it made him him feel lazy. Granny Smith, easily the oldest pony aside from the Princesses he had ever seen, knew more about baking and orchard running than the rest of the land put together. It was a shame it was wrapped up in a package of such irregularity and non-linearity that he doubted even a tenth of her wisdom could be articulated, let alone understood. Big Mac lived up to his name, his strength being unrivaled and his work ethic unnervingly solid and unquestioned, free of drama or issue. He was also quiet so often and for such long periods that it spooked Valen terribly. Apple Bloom was a wonderfully sweet filly, but rough, tumble, bursting energy and a contempt for stillness. Having to share a room with her was by itself exhausting as she was wont to flail around and knock him beside the head. Considering all the other head bumps he was taking during his story, he knew to make an appointment to see a doctor. Applejack was the cause of perhaps three-quarters of his head injuries. She was an affable, terribly friendly pony with good work ethic and morals. She also was a walking disaster zone for everypony around her though never her, a fact which as her unofficial cabana colt spelled doom for him.

It was all a microcosm of their family unit. They were rough and tumble, dirty, close, dawn to dusk workers, the backbone of Equestria. He admired them. Respected them. Loved them. He also knew he didn't belong and his time in the small country city would have been a punishment had it not been for Rarity.

She was a wonderful, wonderful, splendid mare. They shared some of the same interests- fashion, fine personal grooming, being wonderfully generous, avoiding nasty business- and they fared well together. For a colt such as Valen, who lacked that need to test limits, she was pitch-perfect as an older influence. She was kind, gentle, and preferred to be more of a caretaker rather than a playmate. She was more than understanding with his clothing request and stood by his side during his repeated failures during Winter Wrap-Up; Celestia knows that was just the tip of the iceberg. Fact was that in the end, he and Rarity got along, they got along well, and she was an amazing change of pace and breath of old air into Valen's day.

So of course when she had offered to take him gem hunting with her, he leapt at it like it was the last orange in the orchard. Not only was it more time with Rarity, but it was about eight hours of light labor as opposed to nearly twelve of heavy or maddening labor. Applejack hadn't seemed that off-put and the night before, he could hardly sleep, packing for the day and imagining all the beautiful, pretty gems they'd find. The morning of, he woke up, ate his breakfast with more excitement than he had ever since the Ponywalk. That generally meant he talked entirely too much.

"-And then I made sure to get that really wonderful magicfiber towel to get all the dirt and grime off of any gems we find. I have a red one, a green one, a pink one, a purple one..." He rambled on as he had for the last ten minutes about Rarity, gem hunting, and what he was bringing. It was a pleasant topic.

[RarityDash]

Rarity smiled fondly as Sweet Apple Acres came into her sight. Not too long ago she would have snubbed this place. Her and the Apple family just came from different worlds. The old her hadn't had any interest in trying to understand ponies so different from her. New friendships had changed that. Rarity had changed so much since becoming friends with Twilight and the others. She had matured and learned to appreciate what she might have previously written off.

She now could say she genuinely loved this little family. The young Apple Bloom, one of her sister's treasured friends. while abundantly energetic and often as comically misguided as Sweetie herself, was an earnest, sweet young filly who Rarity counted as nothing but a positive influence on her sister. Big Macintosh, was quiet and solemn and frankly Rarity hadn't spoken with him much, but Rarity had learned to respect him for his hard work and dedication to Ponyville. The Apple family matriarch, Granny Smith, though somewhat less than perfectly lucid in her advanced age was in Rarity's view an amazing mare who's contributions to Ponyville could not be understated.

Then there was Applejack. Even after they made mutual friends in Twilight and the others, there had been a rift between the two at first. Applejack's rough and tumble, uncouth, less than cultured nature had made it so Rarity hadn't wanted to get to know the mare better. After the events of a certain sleepover bridges began to get built. Then at the Grand Galloping Gala, Rarity was made painfully aware that there was no link between class and character through an encounter with a pony on the opposite spectrum of both from the affable apple farmer. It was however what Applejack helped her prove to Sweetie Belle though the Sisterhooves Social that stuck out the firmest in her mind. Applejack was a treasured friend who had done so much for her.

However, Rarity wasn't there to see Applejack, or in fact any of the permanent residents of Sweet Apple Acres. She wasn't there for an Apple, she was there for an Orange. Valen Orange was Applejack's cousin who had been staying with the Apples for a number of months. He was the child of Manehatten socialites and it was easy to tell. He had a certain grace and sophistication. He was out of place in Sweet Apple Acres, no, Ponyville altogether. Rarity could relate to that thought. She had felt similarly growing up. She had lamented having to live in Ponyville while dreaming of Canterlot castle spires.

Perhaps it was natural then that Valen had gravitated toward her. Valen certainly fit better at Carousel Boutique than Sweet Apple Acres. Rarity had been quite fond of the colt since he first wandered into her shop. She could recall the events of the previous Winter Wrap Up, and how she had spent much time worrying over the trouble the young colt constantly got himself into. It hadn't stopped there either. Valen visited the Boutique regularly, just to visit, after his work with the apples was through. Rarity didn't mind. He was a helpful colt, and actually knew a fair amount about fashion. He could actually be an asset on days when she was busy.

Rarity was hoping he'd be an asset again today. Her gem supply was near depleted again, and she needed to restore it for a number of orders she had due. However, he usual gem hunting friend, Spike, wasn't able to help her that day as he was attending to other matters with Twilight all this week. Gem gathering was a bit of an undertaking for just Rarity alone. She had been considering who to ask to go with her in Spike's place, when Valen had visited her.

She had decided to go ahead and ask him. Sure, it was a more physical task than one might have thought, especially without claws like Spike had, so perhaps the colt wasn't best suited as an assistant, but Fluttershy would be an even worse choice for that reason, she'd feel guilty asking Applejack considering how busy with the farm work she always was, Rainbow Dash would just complain from boredom and as for Sweetie, Rarity knew from experience that was a bad idea in almost every way that could be imagined.

Valen had been a perfect solution. He was available to her and he made for good company. She just hoped he knew what he was signing himself up for: hours of scouring rocky, potentially dangerous Diamond Dog owned terrain, digging deep into dirt for only a few gems at a time. This wasn't quite like dress making. It certainly wasn't Rarity's favorite part of her job, even if her magic made the job far easier than it was for most ponies. Maybe next to the Apple farm, this was a little lighter work, but Rarity honestly doubted it was by that much.

Finally Approaching the farmhouse, Rarity gave a firm knock on the door. She smiled and waited patiently for somepony, Apple or Orange, to greet her.

[Hippo]

Applejack loved Valen. There was no debating that. Even after a few events that may have come to pass on the farm that may have put Valen into an uncomfortable position, she knew that a cousin's a good enough reason to look after one another. And even if that wasn't enough, she could never put Valen in a situation where he wasn't feeling cared for. Of course, this was all based on perspective. Valen, being from a more highfalutin lifestyle, would need ample time to get familiar with the amount of work and mannerisms and rough and tumble apple orchard can bring. And on top of that, working with what is probably considered the hardest working family in Ponyville.

Today, Applejack could see Valen was in a terrific mood this morning. And why shouldn't he be? It was only the morning he finally got to go on a gem hunting trip with Rarity. It seemed kind of ironic to Applejack that even though Rarity and Valen shared the common ground of attention to detail and presenting everything with style, they both also shared the joys of gem-finding, an outdoor activity in the dirt that involve digging in the ground for colored gems whilst avoiding diamond dogs and other dangerous creatures of the like. It sure didn't sound like a event for someone like Rarity to look forward to. Of course, maybe Rarity hadn't informed Valen yet that he was going to be the one to be doing the said digging. In that case, it might not be any different from a regular chore on the farm.

Applejack was serving breakfast to herself and Valen, and even left an open space as she heard a knock on the barn door. She opened it immediately, as she knew exactly who to expect. "Howdy Rarity!" Applejack dragged Rarity inside, whether she resisted or not and lead her to the edge of the table where the open spot had been. In front of Rarity was placed a plate of apple pancakes, a glass of apple juice, a small bowl of apple sauce, a slice of toast with apple butter spread on it, and at the edge of the place mat, a round red delicious fruit that complimented the balanced breakfast, a fruit otherwise known as an apple. "Eat up Rarity! Y'all are gonna need a lotta energy today to keep up."

"Especially you, young whippersnapper!" Applejack ruffled Valen's hair, a mane in which he probably just got done combing. His teal head hairs was like a daily target for Applejack to mess with. Since Valen was leaving for the day, she needed to get it out of the way. Task completed.

[SteelEagle]

As Rarity was lead into the room, perhaps unwillingly as it was hard to tell with how physical the farm pony was with her, Valen jumped up in his seat and smiled, clapping his hooves together in an immature and all together excitable display. It was time! Or nearly time. Close to the time, in any way f looking at it. When was the last time he was this excited? Probably when the Royal Arts Exhibit had come to his academy. She would have fit well in there too, though whether as an admirer of the arts or as a piece herself was open to debate; she was exquisite.

Before he could speak, Applejack launched another one of her sorties against Valen's mane in her desperate, nearly insane bid to curtail his desire to be stunning. She did it a lot and the glint in her spoke to it being another one of her playful little games that she set out to win, even if others were unaware they were playing, her wide grin making the whole thing infectiously innocent and fun. Valen tried to shake himself loose in time, but she was too strong and fast and all he could in defense was giggle and squirm as she finished her job. Breaking free, he turned back and saw her smile once more. She was a pretty happy pony whenever she wasn't sore from work and even then, she was less mean as she was curt and he if he tried to count how many times she had said sorry to him since he'd arrived he would have had to stop at some point and consult somepony.

He rubbed his cheek with a smile, Applejack motioning to the bounty in front of him. She could make one heck of a breakfast, a fact that he was not aware of before he came to Sweet Apple Acres. She was a famous workhorse amongst the family; after what he had seen, he knew she should also have been a famous cook. Each serving was delicious and perfect, filling and packing the foal with energy. In deliciousness, they reminded Valen of the meals his friends would eat. They preferred large, decadent meals to Valen's smaller, perfectly proportioned meals, yet while his diet had changed so had his workload- unlike his plump friends, he worked his meals off thanks to the Apple Family. It made the trade-off worth it.

It spoke to how much she cared, as her entire life seemed to revolve around her family and friends in one manner or another. It was stunning to see such a big heart relfected not only through a visage given to warm eyes and wide smiles, but near constant action. It seemed symptomatic of the entire family. Despite all of his complaints, their care and love was infectious and it was to be the biggest lesson he would take away from them,

But this day was not about lessons; it was about quality time with the famous Miss Rarity. It was about clear, honest fun. But first he had to get away from the table, which considering his rounded belly may have been a job all its own.

"I've eaten plenty enough for the rest of the day- maybe even two, Applejack," Valen said as he tried to readjust his mane to no avail. Drats, she had won. He turned to Rarity, smiling.

"Miss Rarity! How is your morning so far? I'm all ready to go whenever you are. I brought stuff for a picnic for when we have the time, and lots of little odds and ends. See this magicfiber towel we can use to clean the gems?! Wonderful! And I'm even bringing the scarf my mother got me for Hearths Warming Eve. It should counteract any chilly mountain air, I think. Plus, look at me!" He said as he wrapped the scarf around, looking equal measures adorable and young.

[RarityDash]

"Good morning, Applejack," Rarity replied as Applejack appeared in the door to greet her. She smiled at her friend, even as she started to drag her inside. Applejack's forcefulness was still a little hard to get used to at times, especially since Rarity would have gladly followed her in under her own power. Applejack lead her to a table where a meal was prepared which seemed to be themed around a certain familiar fruit. Rarity almost had to laugh at how versatile apples could be in the hooves of this family.

"This looks lovely, darling. You have my gratitude," Rarity said as she took the seat at the table offered to her. "You're quite right. it's important we eat well today. This work can be quite rigorous. We need to keep up our stamina."

As she sat down, Rarity's eyes found Valen. She smiled at him. He seemed to be in good spirits and enjoying his breakfast. He seemed to enjoy Applejack's playful ruffling of his mane a little less. Rarity giggled, though really she couldn't blame him. She'd hate to have her own mane recklessly disheveled, even if done out of affection, as she was sure was the case here.

"Miss Rarity! How is your morning so far? I'm all ready to go whenever you are. I brought stuff for a picnic for when we have the time, and lots of little odds and ends. See this magicfiber towel we can use to clean the gems?! Wonderful! And I'm even bringing the scarf my mother got me for Hearths Warming Eve. It should counteract any chilly mountain air, I think. Plus, look at me!"

Quite the lot of energy from Valen, Rarity observed. She laughed again. It was good to see him so cheerful. She wondered again if he knew what gem gathering entailed. She hoped he wouldn't be disappointed when he found out.

"It's a delight to see you're prepared for the occasion Valen, and your scarf is just darling," Rarity said with a nod to the young colt. She took a few bites of her breakfast. "As for my day, so far it's certainly looking up. Especially given how delicious this food your cousin has prepared is."

"But we'll need more than just a cleaning towel and picnic supplies for this..." Rarity looked at Applejack. "To start with, I trust you have a quality shovel you'd be willing to let me borrow, Applejack, dear?"

[Hippo]

Applejack looked back at Rarity with a questioned expression. "A shovel? I thought y'all just dug it up with-" Applejack stopped herself and made a ding that vibrated through her body. She then realized that the claws Spike had always had were not going to be a luxury for these two fancy ponies. They would certainly need tools. "Oh, of course! We got several shovels and other yard tools outside restin' on the barn side. In fact, I'd even let Valen borrow mah little sis' crusadin' wagon if y'alls wanted it. It'll help you haul them heapin' piles of shiny gems back home. Apple Bloom wont even miss it," Applejack expressed towards Valen and winked, "as long as you bring it back in one piece."

Applejack pulled out a saddlebag from a living room dresser drawer and started putting various apple products in it, including bottles of freshly made apple juice, a few gala apples, and even a few pieces of apple flavored candy. She then brought the bag over to Valen and dropped in on his back. Applejack then also included in Valen's 'to go' attire, a strong rope that Applejack had spared just for this trip. "And here's a rope in case y'all need to tie up some misbehavin' critters. You just tie that lasso knot like I taught you and you can show Rarity all the rodeo skills you've learned since you've been here." Applejack was idealistic that it would never come to that. However, she wanted to encourage Valen anyways, even if his rodeo skills were obviously less than dependable. Applejack believed that most of her ability to solve a crisis in a dangerous position was mostly about attitude and confidence. And if Valen just had the confidence, she knew that he could put his mind into doing anything.

Applejack turned to Rarity after entertaining Valen with her words of affirmation. "Would you like me to make you a saddlebag full of fixin's too, Rarity?"

[SteelEagle]

"It's a delight to see you're prepared for the occasion Valen, and your scarf is just darling. As for my day, so far it's certainly looking up. Especially given how delicious this food your cousin has prepared is."

"But we'll need more than just a cleaning towel and picnic supplies for this...to start with, I trust you have a quality shovel you'd be willing to let me borrow, Applejack, dear?"

Valen's little heart still beat excitedly and with great earnestness, as he had expected some manner of tool would be required for this job. He had initially thought of using one of the larger spoons but considered it silly for a whole host of reasons, most vividly that it was too small and difficult to penetrate the earth with. He had then taken in hoof the largest and sharpest of the forks, but stopped and gave the image thought. He decided to cover his momentary idiocy by collecting other utensils and plates, and soon, a wonderful picnic set was collected as if it had been the intent all along. Nopony would know of his lapse in all sense. Nopony.

"Oh, of course! We got several shovels and other yard tools outside restin' on the barn side. In fact, I'd even let Valen borrow mah little sis' crusadin' wagon if y'alls wanted it. It'll help you haul them heapin' piles of shiny gems back home. Apple Bloom wont even miss it," Applejack expressed towards Valen and winked, "as long as you bring it back in one piece."

That sounded just fine by Valen. He figured that if anypony in town would have a strong shovel, it'd be his cousin Applejack and as far as the wagon was concerned he would take better care of it than Apple Bloom. Valen swore that the filly woke up every day under the misguided belief that each and every inch of Equestria existed for her own personal brand of innocent destruction. While there was a certain amount of charm to that and he could detect within her a strain of active, brimming, a corny colt may say blooming, intelligence, both of those things were wasted when her wide and joy-filled eyes seemed to reflect all manner of broken objects.

Further thoughts on the subject were curtailed by the heavy, apple-laden saddlebag that almost broke his back due to the sheer unpreparedness of his form. His eyes bulged out as it was tied on and it took a second to correct himself. If it had been the first week he was here, it'd take a full minute. Whether or not getting used to his body being beaten in minor matters was a good or bad thing was open for debate. Valen smirked awkwardly, as he had already packed essential items and other foodstuffs. Better to be over-prepared than under-prepared, he guessed.

"And here's a rope in case y'all need to tie up some misbehavin' critters. You just tie that lasso knot like I taught you and you can show Rarity all the rodeo skills you've learned since you've been here."

Valen gave a weak chuckle. Yes, skills. He had them, but not in anything to do with a rope. He was more liable to tie himself up or somehow start a forest fire with it than tie up the intended target, even with Applejack's patient and consistent efforts to teach him. Still, he guessed some manner of protection was superior to none.

But he really hoped it wouldn't come to that. He would be useless and though he was sure they'd both try their hardest, he didn't exactly peg rarity as being the most effective against the creatures of the wild either. In short, if they ran into something rather than somepony, it was likely their best option was to run really, really fast. In Valen's case, run really fast, slow down, panic, run fast some more, and then cry. Sounded about right, which made him only slightly nervous. Not too nervous, since any negativity was being overridden by thoughts of finding pretty gems with a pretty mare.

"Maybe..." Valen began as he loosened the saddlebag, wheezing his way through the next sentence, "Miss Rarity can take this one?" The saddlebag finally came off, allowing him to take a few deep, quick breaths.

"I've already packed for the trip, Applejack. Still, we can always use more...apples...and a rope, of course. Thank you very much, and tell Apple Bloom that I'll take very good care of her wagon while it is in my possession," The colt said politely as his chest slowly puffed back out as if before it had been crushed quite literally by the saddlebag.

[RarityDash]

Rarity smiled as Applejack offered not just a shovel, but use of Apple Bloom's wagon, rope and saddlebags full of her apple treats. It was all quite courteous of her to allow them such things for this little excursion. Rarity appreciated what her friend was willing to do for her.

"You have my gratitude for everything, Applejack, dear," Rarity said with a quiet nod.

"And I must say that I am quite curious to see these 'rodeo skills' of Valen in action!" she added somewhat teasingly. Maybe he'd prove her wrong, but she somehow doubt Valen had learned much in the way of complex lasso maneuvers of the sort Applejack could so effortlessly perform.

"Maybe... Miss Rarity can take this one?" Valen choked himself through these words, clearly exasperated by the bag Applejack had slapped onto him.

Rarity smiled gently and nodded. "I wouldn't mind taking it for you, Valen darling," she said, lifting the heavy bag off Valen with her magic and placing it on her back. It was indeed heavy, but not so much for her to take. She looked at the other mare. "And I think we'll only need one bag of your 'fixings', Applejack. Between one bag and what Valen has packed we should have more than enough to sustain ourselves."

"Now then," Rarity started with some excitement. "Shall we ready the wagon then?"

[Hippo]

Applejack watched Valen as he so cutely expressed his confidence by trading his bag off to Rarity. Applejack just stood there pensively as she tried to muster up what could be an interesting pair of ponies in search of gems. If she hadn't already planned on tossing her hat through some of the golden delicious apple trees to see if they needed pruning, she would have volunteered to come along for the ride.

"Come outside, lemme show you where the stuff is." Applejack grabbed on of the shovels she referred to and lead the ponies to Apple Bloom's wagon that she had left upside down next to the well. Applejack flipped it over to see that it had several dents and scratches to represent all of the times Apple Bloom and her friends had decided to play evil ponevil. Applejack rolled the wagon to make sure that it still worked, and tied the handle of the wagon to a girth that belted around Valen's waist. "There ya go, Valen, Rarity!" Applejack tipped her hat in the direction of her cousin and friend and proceeded to walk back to the house to clean up breakfast.

After Rarity and Valen finished getting ready, Applejack popped out of the house. "Oh! Before you guys take off..." Applejack walked over to Valen and gave him a satisfying smooch on his left cheek. "Mmmmwwa!" Applejack waved to them as they left.

[SteelEagle]

"I wouldn't mind taking it for you, Valen darling,"

She was always quite generous, made plain as day when she took the burden off of the colt's shoulders and put it on herself. She may not have been the strongest mare around, but she was a mare and by definition he was much weaker than she. Plus, she simply had more experience with saddlebags. As for her lilting laugh regarding his rodeo skills, it was something he himself would laugh at when the time came. He was more liable to tie himself up or her than the target.

Soon, Applejack moved the two gem hunting ponies out and into the farm, where after a short jaunt they found Apple Bloom's wagon, upside down. Valen didn't really give any thought as to why the wagon was the way it was, as knowing the filly who used it, the possibilities were endless yet the result was predictable. He was just happy it was in working order, impressed as he was by Applejack flipping it right side up and inspecting it. Valen could spot only the customary dings, dents, and scratches of filly-fueled adventures. It was to be expected, as was what followed. Applejack tightly attached the girth around his waist, the handle of the wagon tied and now attached firmly to him. Initially, he was going to protest another pony having her hands so rudely on him for any reason. Then he realized that Applejack was Applejack, and only she could get that on properly.

"There ya go, Valen, Rarity!" His cousin tipped her hat and sauntered back to the kitchen. They were ready, for the most part. The combination of saddlebag and wagon was heavy, but if he had learned anything, he had learned that the only thing complaining got him was a slight, awkward delay in having to do it anyway. He placed one hoof in front of the other, grunted a tiny little grunt, and after a few seconds he was moving ahead with the wagon. A few seconds after that, and he was moving around with some fluidity.

He started trotting in a circle, taking in some deep breathes as he started but generally feeling stronger. He slowed down and smiled at Rarity.

"Haha! Why, Miss Rarity, I think we are quite ready to go hunt some gems!" He said, inadverntatntly giving out a squee of delight as his grin grew wide enough to shut his eyes, flank down in the ground.

"Oh! Before you guys take off..."

Valen didn't open his eyes immediately, even as he heard his cousin draw close.

"Mmmmwwa!"

Applejack gave Valen a big 'ol smooch on the cheek, which shook his eyes open. He gave an embarassed giggle, sheepishly pawing away the wetness of his counsin's kiss as he stood back up.

"Well, cousin Applejack, that was...unexpected of you!" Valen said, eyes shifting from Applejack's fading form to Rarity and then back. It was a little embarassing, though he didn't know why. After a few seconds, it was all done and he started trotting away from the farm, returning Applejack's wave.

[RarityDash]

Rarity followed Applejack outside with a simple nod. She grabbed a shovel and then lead them to where the wagon was stored near the well. It was a beat, up tired wagon that had clearly seen much use from its current owner, but it seemed serviceable and the size was just right for Valen to pull it. It would be perfect for moving gems. Appljeack proceeded to fasten it to her cousin, who seemed a little discomforted.

"This will do perfectly, Applejack," Rarity commented with a steady nod. "Extend my thanks to your darling little sister for allowing us to use it!"

"Haha! Why, Miss Rarity, I think we are quite ready to go hunt some gems!"

Valen said, but before Rarity could reply, Applejack stepped toward him.

"Oh! Before you guys take off... Mmmmwwa!"

Applejack placed a kiss at Valen's cheek. Rarity laughed aloud as she watched the colt's adorable embarassed reaction. She smiled. It was good to see that their relationship was strong, even as different as these two were.

"Well, I suppose we'll be off then," Rarity said, still giggling. "Good bye Applejack, dear! I'll make sure to return with your darling cousin before it gets too late!" she called after her friend as she started to move away.

Nodding to Valen, she started to move ahead again. "Alright, Valen. The hills to the southeast of town are our destination. Let's make haste so we can find as many gems as we can!"

[SteelEagle]

Valen smiled broadly and kicked his hooves in the air with the greatest of excitement, neighing absurdly before leaping forward to start the journey. Well, he wanted to start the journey, anyway. He leapt forward before being mindful of the weight of the wagon and his saddlebag and fell back to the ground without his hooves stable beneath him. He immediately got back up and, with an embarrassed smirk and blush, pulled the wagon appropriately. Well, he figured he was allowed one moment of foalish foolishness before they got into the nitty gritty.

Hopefully there would be time for talk, though. Rarity was an immensely exquisite and charming mare, well-spoken and read ad knowledgeable in manners unrelating to the running of a farm. While Valen most certainly appreciated such things, at least from the perspective of an admirer of the work that went into it if not necessarily a fan of the work itself, he did not think he could have lasted as long as he had were it not for an outlet. And Rarity, being of a generous nature and intelligent and fluid mindset, was one of his outlets in Ponyville. Truly, a remarkable coincidence that he was allowed to meet and in some ways befriend a mare of her stature. It made him giddy. Nervous. Appreciative. It was not, however, responsible for his slow gait that he had a habit of slipping into when lost in thought. He shook his head and pushed himself faster, ending up in a nice trot as they made their way down the winding path next to Sweet Apple Acres. Both paths looped back into Ponyville, but small trails broke off from the path and led to places outside of town. A few minutes after leaving Sweet Apple Acres and on the other side of the forest that it straddled, they reached the turn to the southeast and the hills that poked off in that direction.

Valen slowed, being less aware of the land beyond this trail. He bowed and moved out of her way.

"After you, Miss Rarity. I believe you know more of this area's routes than I do; at least, I hope so, or else we may find ourselves in a spot of trouble," The colt said with great cheer, assuming for the sake of hope that she was well-versed in the area. He took position behind her.

"So, Miss Rarity, how exactly do we find the gems? I've never been on a hunt before," He asked with all the wide-eyed curiosity that the youth could muster.

[RarityDash]

"After you, Miss Rarity. I believe you know more of this area's routes than I do; at least, I hope so, or else we may find ourselves in a spot of trouble,"

Valen spoke as they continued from the farm toward their destination, finding the trail that lead out of town. Rarity gave a firm nod at the colt's questions. "Why of course Valen. I visit these hills outside Ponyville frequently to collect gems. I know them almost as well as I know Ponyville itself to be honest. Why, I even found my cutie mark out here in these roughs." Rarity gave a small giggled and nodded once more.

"So, Miss Rarity, how exactly do we find the gems? I've never been on a hunt before,"

Valen now asked. Rarity smiled. "Oh, well that's simple. I'm not sure how much you know about us unicorns, but each of us has a magical skill which we're naturally attuned to perform. That is, of course, unless you're name is Twilight Sparkle, in which case you can pretty much do it all when it comes tomagic, but I do digress..."

Rarity laughed a little before continuing. "You might assume my magical talent has something to do with fashion design, but au contraire my dear, that is not so. One look at my cutie mark should make it perfectly clear. My magical skill allows me to effortlessly locate buried gems."

[SteelEagle]

"Why of course Valen. I visit these hills outside Ponyville frequently to collect gems. I know them almost as well as I know Ponyville itself to be honest. Why, I even found my cutie mark out here in these roughs."

That was more than a little wonderful to hear, seeing as how the entire hunt depended on it. More importantly, she had got her cutie mark outside of town, which was something that Valen could admit to some shock at learning. He had figured her for the type to have learned it while making some sort of dress- the fact it had happened out of town engendered some curiosity.

"Oh, well that's simple. I'm not sure how much you know about us unicorns, but each of us has a magical skill which we're naturally attuned to perform."

Valen knew a fair bit about Unicorns. One of the few things he could stamp as a truth was his education being of a high caliber, and it would be simply silly for a pony school to not explain the difference between the species.

"That is, of course, unless your name is Twilight Sparkle, in which case you can pretty much do it all when it comes to magic, but I do digress...you might assume my magical talent has something to do with fashion design, but au contraire my dear, that is not so. One look at my cutie mark should make it perfectly clear. My magical skill allows me to effortlessly locate buried gems."

That blew Valen away, visibly as well as internally. If she had gotten to this stage of her fashion career without it being tied in directly with her special talent, that made her abilities and success in that field far more impressive. It was rare to meet a mare who held such an arena of success about herself in a field that was only tangibly related to her pony-given talents, as without those innate gifts, one's desire, drive, dedication, and hoof-taught skills had to be the bulwark of success. Here, she had achieved such success without the aid of her cutie mark, at least directly, nor from what he knew any sort of advantage gifted her by birth. More inspirational as he thought about it.

"That's stunning, Miss Rarity! I thought your cutie mark meant you were blessed with the ability to make beauty. It seemed only right, seeing as that is what you do so effortlessly! Wow, to know finding gems is your special talent, that would make fashion your passion. That would also mean you have no natural gifts IN fashion, meaning it's ALL because of your hard work. I know plenty of fashion ponies who would kill to have your fashion sense and skills, and they have cutie marks more directly related to it! It appears that you are even greater at your craft than I had previously thought, Miss Rarity. I do apologize, sin-cerely!

You look absolutely stunning, your smile is wonderful, and you work so hard to produce such beauty, I had thought it all tied into your cutie mark but no! It's just you, and that makes all of it even more impressive, which is hard considering how impressive you were before anyway. How'd you earn your cutie mark, if I may be so bold as to ask? I hope to get my cutie mark soon, though if I were to be honest I would prefer it not being doing farm labor," Valen spoke in a rapid, almost breathless tone as his tail excitedly swished around. The sheer excitement of his speech also propelled him forward down the path, settling down to a healthy trot.

[RarityDash]

"That's stunning, Miss Rarity! I thought your cutie mark meant you were blessed with the ability to make beauty. It seemed only right, seeing as that is what you do so effortlessly! Wow, to know finding gems is your special talent, that would make fashion your passion. That would also mean you have no natural gifts IN fashion, meaning it's ALL because of your hard work. I know plenty of fashion ponies who would kill to have your fashion sense and skills, and they have cutie marks more directly related to it! It appears that you are even greater at your craft than I had previously thought, Miss Rarity. I do apologize, sin-cerely!

You look absolutely stunning, your smile is wonderful, and you work so hard to produce such beauty, I had thought it all tied into your cutie mark but no! It's just you, and that makes all of it even more impressive, which is hard considering how impressive you were before anyway. How'd you earn your cutie mark, if I may be so bold as to ask? I hope to get my cutie mark soon, though if I were to be honest I would prefer it not being doing farm labor,"

Rarity had to laugh. She had triggered some genuine enthusiasm from the pony. A flood of words left his mouth the size of which might even impress Pinkie Pie. She listened with a smile, blushing a little at his sweet and sincere compliments.

"Well, when it comes to Cutie Marks you can find them when you least expect it. That's how it was for me. Looking back, I think it's exactly because I avoided places like this, full of dirt and rocks, as a young filly that I ended up getting it later than some ponies. My magic, my ability to find gems, it probably would have triggered sooner had I been more open minded," Rarity said with a sigh. "Fashion is indeed the passion of my life. I've been utterly enamored with it since I was a foal. Before I got my cutie mark I lacked confidence however, and that materialized in my designs, none of which satisfied my own rigorous demands."

"A school play was coming and seeing my interest in fashion, my teacher selected me to make the costumes. I tried my hardest to produce something of quality, and though everypony seemed to think the designs I produced were fine, I knew they were really quite lacking. I was chagrinned. I knew not what to do. That's when it happened! A sudden surge of magical power hit me! Twilight says something similar happened when she got her cutie mark, so maybe its common in unicorns. As I said before, my magic lets me find gems, so this surge of power, it grabbed me by the horn and forcibly pulled me out here until I was face to face with the biggest bunch of gems you'd ever see in one place outside of a dragon or diamond dog's hoard."

Rarity gave a small laugh before continuing. "I however didn't recognize it for what it was. All I could see was an ugly, oversized rock. My magic can help me find gems you see, but there's a reason we need that shovel. I can't extract them myself. I might have turned my back on my own destiny then and there, but at that very instant, by some magical stroke of fate, another dear friend of mine was finding her own destiny in the sky above. This unrelated event sent a shock wave toward my rock and before my eyes it then split in two! As I gazed upon the fabulous gems before me I got my cutie mark."

The unicorn nodded quietly before finishing her story, "I then returned to school with the gems, and using them, I made costumes that shined! Well, literally at least,"Rarity laughed and then sighed. "Looking back, I'm not sure I didn't just make them all kind of gaudy. Ah, but that was youth, I suppose. The important part was that my cutie mark and those gems, they gave me confidence. That confidence is what helped me follow my dream to get where I am now."

[SteelEagle]

"Well, when it comes to Cutie Marks you can find them when you least expect it. That's how it was for me. Looking back, I think it's exactly because I avoided places like this, full of dirt and rocks, as a young filly that I ended up getting it later than some ponies. My magic, my ability to find gems, it probably would have triggered sooner had I been more open minded," Rarity said with a sigh. "Fashion is indeed the passion of my life. I've been utterly enamored with it since I was a foal. Before I got my cutie mark I lacked confidence however, and that materialized in my designs, none of which satisfied my own rigorous demands."

That made a whole heap of sense, as far as Valen was concerned. Rarity didn't seem like one to have ever willingly ventured out into the wilderness half-cocked for reasons not directly related to her desires. It would come to pass that she hadn't thought of finding her cutie mark out in the wilderness! She was a mare of distinction, and seemingly was a filly of taste as well. It struck Valen as somewhat heartwarming that she had remained the same in a personal sense for her life, giving credence to the belief that one is destined to be a certain way. Comforting, if perhaps a bit disquieting at first.

"A school play was coming and seeing my interest in fashion, my teacher selected me to make the costumes. I tried my hardest to produce something of quality, and though everypony seemed to think the designs I produced were fine, I knew they were really quite lacking. I was chagrined. I knew not what to do. That's when it happened! A sudden surge of magical power hit me! As I said before, my magic lets me find gems, so this surge of power, it grabbed me by the horn and forcibly pulled me out here until I was face to face with the biggest bunch of gems you'd ever see in one place outside of a dragon or diamond dog's hoard."

Valen was suddenly very happy to not be a unicorn, as the possibility of being led around unwillingly by any part of his body for any length of time. Did Pegasi, when they first learned how to fly and found their cutie marks, have their wings act independently of any thought? That held no appeal to Valen, and he found himself thanking Celestia for his status as an Earth pony. He doubted his hooves would move mysteriously of their own accord.

"I however didn't recognize it for what it was. All I could see was an ugly, oversized rock. My magic can help me find gems you see, but there's a reason we need that shovel. I can't extract them myself. I might have turned my back on my own destiny then and there, but at that very instant, by some magical stroke of fate, another dear friend of mine was finding her own destiny in the sky above. This unrelated event sent a shock wave toward my rock and before my eyes it then split in two! As I gazed upon the fabulous gems before me I got my cutie mark."

That story would have been unbelievable if told by most other ponies, but Valen was well-aware of the status of Rarity and her friends. There were truly few things one could chalk up to pure happenstance, and it appeared as though Rarity's cutie mark was not one of them. Plus, now he knew why a well-weathered mare would have need of a small colt in such an endeavor; she didn't want to get dirty! Valen laughed a small bit at the realization. He was the cabana-colt, as usual!

"I then returned to school with the gems, and using them, I made costumes that shined! Well, literally at least. Looking back, I'm not sure I didn't just make them all kind of gaudy. Ah, but that was youth, I suppose. The important part was that my cutie mark and those gems, they gave me confidence. That confidence is what helped me follow my dream to get where I am now."

As most cutie mark stories were wont to do, this one ended happily. Perhaps he had to take back some of his asserion that the cutie mark was completely unrelated to her success as a fashion designer, seeing as how the acquisition of it had led directly to her surge in confidence. He smiled up at her and gave a happy one-two clap of his hooves, but was still trying to take in the totality of her story as he trotted down the increasingly bumpy road, the wagon behind him rattling appropriately as he picked up the pace.

"So, up until then, what did you think you would get your cutie mark in?" Valen asked before slowing down to an eventual stop. Ponyville was still in sight, but they had moved into an area where the trail was increasingly rocky and has lost any sense of active town-inspired cohesion. Covered with rocks and variations in elevatation, surrounded by rock formations that were now just starting and in the distance grew to considerable size, they were safely away from town.

"Is this the sort of place we can find gems, Miss Rarity?" Valen asked

[RarityDash]

Valen listened well to her story, looking quite engaged. Sweetie and her friends hadn't been nearly so interested in her story when she recounted it to them. He even went on to ask a follow up question.

"So, up until then, what did you think you would get your cutie mark in?"

Rarity thought back for just a moment and then gave a reply. "I was convinced it would be something more directly related to my passion. Sewing needles, a spool of fine cloth, a fanciful hat or dress. Something like that. I was sure it would come and then I would be gifted all the talent in the world along with it."

The unicorn mare gave an amused laugh as they continued away from the town, soon reaching the rocky roughs.

"Is this the sort of place we can find gems, Miss Rarity?"

"Yes, but it's probably best we continue a little further. We won't find as many gems still this far out though. We should continue until the rocks and hills get far taller and we can no longer see Ponyville in the distance. The further we go, the more abundant the gems will be," Rarity answered the other pony steadily. "Of course, the likelihood the local Diamond Dogs will appear will also increase, but that's a risk we'll have to take."

[SteelEagle]

"I was convinced it would be something more directly related to my passion. Sewing needles, a spool of fine cloth, a fanciful hat or dress. Something like that. I was sure it would come and then I would be gifted all the talent in the world along with it."

Valen would be lucky to have his cutie mark match his fantasy. He knew of nopony who had such fortune, however, not even the mare next to him whose life seemed mark by events of great fortune. How would his parents react to a cloth and spool cutie mark?

"Yes, but it's probably best we continue a little further. We won't find as many gems still this far out though. We should continue until the rocks and hills get far taller and we can no longer see Ponyville in the distance. The further we go, the more abundant the gems will be. Of course, the likelihood the local Diamond Dogs will appear will also increase, but that's a risk we'll have to take."

Valen's ears perked up as Rarity made her orders clear. He picked up his pace and set his mind on focusing less on his surroundings and more on the rhythm of the wagon's various squeaks. As they traveled further and further down the trail, his mind failed to find reference for one thing she had mentioned.

"Miss Rarity, what's a diamond dog?" Valen asked as they found themselves slowly making their way vertically. Each step was now a degree harder than before, the cart weighed down increasingly by the slowing of hooves and momentum.

[RarityDash]

"Miss Rarity, what's a diamond dog?"

Rarity had to laugh at this question. She shook her head and smiled a little. She honestly hadn't really known about them until a certain run in with a gang of them not too long ago. "Oh, so you haven't heard of them then?" she started.

"They're a race of intelligent-- er, well, that's not quite the right word," Rarity stopped herself a moment to think of a more appropriate descriptor. "They're a race of sentient dog like creatures who live in various mountainous regions of Equestria. Their entire society is apparently built around gems of all kinds, for which they have downright insatiable greed."

Rarity sighed quietly before continuing. "They're a rather odious sort. Filthy and unrefined. More than anything however, they're just not very smart. They're easily lead and manipulated with only the slightest of efforts."

"They took me as their prisoner once," the unicorn said with a laugh. "In only so long I went from behind bars to having all of them at my beck and call!"

Rarity laughed but then shook her head and sighed again. "Of course, with the right numbers, they still might pose... if not a threat, at least an obstacle."'

[SteelEagle]

"They took me as their prisoner once. In only so long I went from behind bars to having all of them at my beck and call!"

Valen had been listening intently, finding it odd and yet amazing that such creatures existed. What relation were they to house pets like Winona? If they did have any relation, what caused them to become sapient machines of greed? These two questions were overriden swiftly by the notion of Miss Rarity's seizure by such types. The image of her being caged like some animal by beast-types was heart-rending in many fashions. But the knowledge that she was able to turn the tables on them set his heart at ease.

If it had been that easy, that meant that the Diamond Dogs were not naturally prone to much violence and were easily defeated through wit. That meant that Rarity alone, as she had proven previously, was more than a match for them and with the addition of Valen, who did consider himself something of an intelligent colt, they were sure to be safe from such troubles. He let go of the breath that had been held since she started speaking and nodded.

"Well, they certainly sound unpleasant. Hopefully we shant run into them out here- today is too beautiful a day and I am spending it with too wonderful a mare for such insidiousness to take place!" He said with charm and excitement, trotting further and further up the increasing vertical climb that was the pathway until Ponyville was hidden from view by a rock outcropping

[RarityDash]

"Well, they certainly sound unpleasant. Hopefully we shant run into them out here- today is too beautiful a day and I am spending it with too wonderful a mare for such insidiousness to take place!"

Rarity smiled at the colt's kind words. Valen was such a sweet little guy. Kind of rather like her usual gem gathering helper in that manner. Of course, he was a little more refined and polite than Spike was, so it was still a little different. He also lacked the natural digging implements of the young dragon. Yet in either case it was delight to be on the receiving end of such earnest admiration.

"I wouldn't worry yourself over it," Rarity said with a reassuring nod. "I would think those dogs would think twice before crossing me again after what happened last time."

She giggled and continued up the inclining path, until Ponyville was no long visible. "Okay, just a little bit more, and then we begin the hunt!" she declared, about satisfied with how far they had come.

[SteelEagle]

"Okay, just a little bit more, and then we begin the hunt!" Rarity's voice boomed loud enough for Valen to sense the excitement building in her as well.

He neighed excitedly and with an added burst of colt-aided energy pulled ahead of Rarity, the wagon behind him causing quite the racket but being drowned out comically by the sound of hooves on dirt as he pounded the earth beneath him to make good time. It didn't take long for the surroundings to change from the rocky yet familiar to the utterly alien to hooves born in a city, wild and pockmarked with boulders and stones of all sizes. Valen slowed his gait down considerably, taking a deep breath as the burst of speed had proven less than amiable to his condition. Still, few complaints could be lodged- it was a stunning day to be out of the shade of a couple thousand apple trees.

He looked around. The rock faces had grown in height and depth, seemingly surrounding them, and the ground underneath seemed to rise in elevation randomly, though the difference was often no more than an inch. Several birds flew overhead, keeping an eye on the strange ponyfolk below. It was quiet otherwise, an unnerving situation for a colt of city flavor. He turned back to Miss Rarity.

"Ah, it's really very pretty out, though I think too quiet. It's sort of...weird!"

[RarityDash]

"Ah, it's really very pretty out, though I think too quiet. It's sort of...weird!"

Valen said, looking a little worried. Rarity gave a quick nod.

"I see what you mean. It is unnaturally quiet, even for these lands... Usually there are at least a little more wildlife sounds. It does seem quite still," she said. This wasn't necessarily a good sign. Something dangerous could be lurking nearby, which might have scared away the other creatures. Still, Rarity didn't want to worry herself or her young friend just yet. It could be nothing. Still, they had better get started.

"We'll stop here, Valen darling," Rarity said as they came upon a relatively open stretch of land, as she lit her horn up to work her spell. "Now let us see..."

She looked around for a while, until, out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted a pocket of colorful gems buried a few feet under the ground. She walked toward it. "Right here, Valen!" she said, stomping over where the gems were located. "You think you could dig here?"

[SteelEagle]

"I see what you mean. It is unnaturally quiet, even for these lands... Usually there are at least a little more wildlife sounds. It does seem quite still,"

Valen nodded his head along with her, feeling a slight twinge of worry eat at him. It would have been simply dreadful if on his first expedition some unfortunate happenstance took place, though that had in some ways become a running theme with him. First day on the farm, he had suffered a chipped tooth and bruised his entire body and likely suffered some sort of brain damage. First winter-wrap up, and he had run into poison joke, a grumpy bear, and likely suffered some brain damage. Now out here was the possibility of running into some diamond dogs and, if his luck held up, suffering some more brain damage. The fact he still had a brain was something he was thankful for, though maybe the brain itself considered it a cruel and unusual existence.

Rarity asked for Valen to stop and he did so, reaching over and gripping the shovel with his mouth right as her horn glowed. A pony got used to the glow of a unicorn's horn, but for Valen the memory of his first unicorn horn glow experience played over and over again. His uncle had been playing with him as a foal and he lifted the little Valen up with his horn. Valen loved getting held and tossed up and down and all manner of sillyness, but the horn glow had scared the little one. That small tinge of fear had stayed with him, as it stayed with most foals of his caliber, until they were able to socialize with unicorns in school and learned what they were all about. The glow of a unicorn's horn became magical to that, and so was Rarity's horn glow; magical, entrancing. Still a little scary.

A small collection of gems appeared underneath the ground and Rarity exclaimed and trotted over. Within a moment, Valen was on the case as he cantered about to the location with shovel in mouth.

He threw it so it stuck into the ground, then jumped on the top of the steel blade, which made it sink into the ground. He then pushed down with all the strength he could muster with his two top hooves on the top of the handle and it went down some more. He did this two actions, jiggling it about at times, until with a grunt out came a collection of multiple pretty gems. Taking out the small magicfiber towel, he gently wiped each one clean in an action that took a full minute and placed them on the wagon.

"I guess maybe it is quiet even for the wilderness, but I meant purely as someone used to a more...chaotic environment, I suppose would be a polite way of terming it. Even on Sweet Apple Acres you have other ponies about, Ponyville is a town, and I've grown up all my life in Manehattan. This much silence is...deafening!" The young Valen said as he made sure each gem was safe, beaming with pride by the end.

"Ha, well, that was certainly different. Very pretty gems, Miss Rarity. What orders do they fill?"

[RarityDash]

Rarity smiled. Valen was able to dig up the gems pretty easily. She had expected him to struggle a little more. To be fair, she supposed these particular gems weren't that deep. She was happy to see him successful though, and looking hardly much worse for ware. She wondered how long it would last before he became exhausted.

"I guess maybe it is quiet even for the wilderness, but I meant purely as someone used to a more...chaotic environment, I suppose would be a polite way of terming it. Even on Sweet Apple Acres you have other ponies about, Ponyville is a town, and I've grown up all my life in Manehattan. This much silence is...deafening!"

The unicorn nodded. She supposed Valen wouldn't be very used to quiet. Manehatten was a busy, noisy city and Sweet Apple Acres was populated with busy, noisy ponies (excepting Big Macintosh, of course). Valen wouldn't have much experience with more peaceful environment, so an even more still than usual stretch of wilderness would come as quite the strange thing to him.

"That's only natural, for you I suppose," Rarity said as she started to examine the recovered gems. "Peace and quiet can certainly be rewarding, but if you're not used to it, I suppose it can be a struggle to adjust to it the same as anything else."

"Ha, well, that was certainly different. Very pretty gems, Miss Rarity. What orders do they fill?"

Rarity smiled at the question. She gave a nod and pointed to some medium blue, high quality gems in the mix. "These are fine sapphires; they'll probably be used on an order for a dress from a wealthy Stalliongrad bussinessmare who's become a regular customer of mine." Rarity pointed next to a few purple gems. "These amethysts I'll need for a dress ordered by a casino heiress in Las Pegasus." Rarity finally pointed to the remaining green gems. "As for these emeralds, I believe they'll stay local here in Ponyville."