The Deadliest Kiss (Closed: Chrysalis)

[SteelEagle]

Day three of the auction had went very well. Day four was going to be great!

The first day of the auction had gone so well that after only one bid, Rarity's, the day was shut down. Twenty thousand bits were above and beyond the call of duty. But the auction went on and ponies had set everything up so the second auction would go just as well. That had come to pass as well, and five hundred bits later she was the date of a hunky female Griffon. Talk about a deal! Day three had been a bit lower, but a hundred bits for the cause was nothing to sneeze at. Now it was day four. The stage was pristine and in the small backstage area, little Applejack was looking her celestial best for her potential suitors. Before she had started seeing Carrot Fields and fell in love with his charms, she had been more nervous about this annual event. Seeing all sorts of ponies willing to place money on the table just to take you out for dinner had been a nerve-wracking experience. Now she was used to it and even found the whole thing a lot of fun. Nothing was more enriching than experiencing the odd parts of life with ponies you had never met, because that was the only time you really ever got to know how other ponies really were.

So she sat in the back, waiting for her time to come. Before Applejack was auctioned off there was a lot of donated items that were going to find happy homes. For the past several months Applejack had met with dozens upon dozens of friends and fellow townsponies to find anything worth of being auctioned off for the charity and just as always the reception to her pleas was overwhelming. Fine china to books to all manner of games and clothes were put up. Some fetched a high price but few things went unsold as in the name of charity someone was always willing to plunk at least a few bits down. Heck, even other members of the family were doing the same thing that Applejack was. Apple Bloom went for forty bits to a rich local filly with a devious look about her. That filly had beamed from ear to ear at the thought of drawing that much, especially since the previous night had went so poorly. Big Mac went for around a hundred and thirty, a pretty good deal for him and one that was setting his bar for the year. He was handsome and was stronger than anypony else but his shy attitude gave many an ill impression of him. Their loss.

But the main attraction, as much as Applejack woould fight it in the lead up, was the lead mare of Sweet Apple Acres. She would often fetch around two hundred bits but that had gone up a full hundred times two days previous, making the charity's goals and then twice over even before the other parts of the five day auction were even started. The second auction had gone extremely well, so huzzah! Day three not so well, but they had still crushed their goal. That only made the success of tonight all that much more important, as they could build towards a truly brighter future if everything went well. It was with this very mindset that Applejack trotted onto the stage to some clapping from appreciative auctionees. With all the success that had been trumpeted about last night Applejack had made sure to steel herself for a far lower deal. Anything more than a hundred would be a victory.

"This mare needs no introduction- Applejack of Sweet Apple Acres, and our final auction of the evening! This is a no limit auction with all bids accepted. Can we start the bidding at...thirty-five bits?! Do I hear thirty-five!? Oh, to the pretty mare in the back! What about fifty bits?! To the handsome unicorn up front. Do I hear fifty-five?!"

[RarityDash]

Plans were underhoof. The Roam plan was progressing now that the negotiations with the griffons were underway. Changelings had slowly started to penetrate into Roam unknown to anyone, sewing the seeds for the city's inevitable fall. Meanwhile, Chrysalis was exploring other areas to ensure her success, which ended up taking her into Equestria itself at times. She had become involved with an underground criminal organization with designs on Equestria calling itself WRAITH which she hoped would play the part of valuable allies in ensuring the success of her future invasion plans. She had been meeting some leaders of that said organization in Canterlot, when she happened to hear of a peculiar event happening in the nearby Ponyville.

Though Chrysalis was sure that her plans this time were more likely to succeed--her target being a more realistic one for her, her having reliable allies supporting her and more safety nets--there still were some concerns she had about the threat the ponies posed. A lot of this came in the form of the princesses themselves, most of whom were a match for her in terms of power. Celestia had the most power of them, but Chrysalis had bested her already once before... and though last time it had been the one called Cadance who had expelled her... that princess was far removed from the picture ruling now over the Crystal Empire far to the north. No, the one who seemed to pose the greatest thread of them all was the youngest of them, the princess Twilight Sparkle, who before she had been a princess, had been the only to see through the Canterlot invasion plan. Now she was a princess, and one with enough ability to have even bested that creature called Tirek.

Twilight's power, however, was not wholly her own. No, her full power came from her dear friends, those ridiculous five ponies who surrounded her and represented the other five Elements of Harmony. It was through them that Twilight was best disarmed. Even just capturing one of them would be enough for her to remove much of the threat they posed. Suddenly, she found herself with a valuable opportunity to do just that.

The one called Applejack was having a charity date auction in Ponyville. The highest bidder would be able to drag her off and do as she will with her for the night. All Chrysalis would have to do was win and then she'd be able to get the important pony away where she could drain her love and bend her mind to the point where she would be defanged and useless in opposing her.

Enter Iris Limn, a down to earth photographer with a love for the true beauty of the natural world. Growing up on a simple grain farm outside Fillydelphia, Iris left her much loved family when she grew to be an adult to pursue her dream of sharing the beauty of the world with those who might otherwise overlook it. With a keen eye and creative use of technique, Iris took to capturing landscape after landscape in glorious detail, developing a fine following in the art community when she moved to Manehattan and found herself with her own gallery. Coming to Ponyville, however, she happened to spy a mare of such exquisite loveliness that she could not resist--a mare called Applejack.

Iris appeared as a lovely earth mare with a blue-violet coat. Her eyes were bright green while her mane was a vivid yellow like the center of her namesake flower and fell about her face in a mid-length, wavy bob; her cutie mark was single iris set in a frame. She was dressed in nothing but a fashionable green scarf as she was the sort best described as the sort who was beautiful without being showy. Her legs were long, her body shapely, her coat luxurious and well kepy, her lashes long, her smile bright but she was not the sort to call attention to it with fancy clothes, makeup or accessories. Iris was a simple mare, after all, with straightforward principles despite her creative mind.

All of it was affected perfectly after all. Chrysalis took things seriously when she came up with these other selves of her. All of them were distinct and all of them were thought out. The guise had to be perfect, or else she would fail. Failure, of course, was inexcusable.

She stood patiently for a while, allowing the price to go up in the auction to rise steadily. Thirty-five, then fifty-five, then one-hundred, then one-hundred-and-sixty, two-hundred-and-fifty. It was at three-hundred when Iris Limn finally stepped forward to more than double it.

"Seven-hundred bits!" she called out to the auctioneer, holding up her hoof.

​

[SteelEagle]

The biding started to get denser and confined as the numbers grew, the willingness of many of the patrons to shell out that many bits for a simple date weakening as the number started to leap up. Now it was down to this beautiful blue mare, the shy local mare up front, and that odd looking stallion wit one lazy eye who had this strange look about him. That would be an awkward date. The easiest one would be the mare- local, shy, just wanted a bite to eat perhaps. She was on the older side and probably just wanted somepony to be with for a bit. At two-twenty, she buggered out. It sorta hurt to see a nice mare like her go that far, that hard, and with that sort of attitude and outlook and fall short but there were other nights. Applejack nodded towards her and the mare smiled as the stallion made his final bid. She would be willing to put up with him but boy howdy, was she ever glad when out of the blue the blue mare shocked everypony by nearly doubling the bid! And then...BAM!

"Seven hundred bits!" the auctioneer began before a loud voice blasted across the area, putting that roadblock down! The stallion shook his head and all eyes turned at the mare who had made the offer. Applejack did a skip of joy in the middle of the stage. Talk about fresh bits! This mare must've been loaded or desperate for attention or both, and the fillies and colts of Ponyville would benefit from it. What a great auction!

"Seven hundred bits from the beautiful mare. Do I hear seven hundred and twenty? What about seven hundred and ten? Seven hundred going once...seven hundred going twice...SOLD for seven hundred! Congratulations madame, you have bought yourself a date with Applejack, Ponyville's mare! Please meet her in the back. And with that, today's auction is closed," The auctioneer finished with a smile as Applejack trotted into the back, ready to meet her high bidding mare date.

[RarityDash]

Chrysalis was pleased to see that she won, though really, of course she had. Who possibly would spend more than that on this sort of thing but some rich fool? The amount was important though. It made everything come together. Iris was an acclaimed photographer with a gallery for her art in Manehattan. Money would convince them of that even if they wouldn't know her invented name. More over, it bought her room. It would make them trust her. The money itself was nothing to Chrysalis. Much of it had been provided by WRAITH contacts, but it was also easy for her subjects to find things the ponies would pay big for in the areas in and around the kingdom.She would not miss a single bit of it.

The disguised changeling did as she was told and move to the back to meet with her prize. The one called Applejack was standing there, looking eager. Chrysalis studied her. It had long been her opinion that this was among the weaker links in Twilight's little circle of friends. She had no magic or wings and was simple and straightforward, unlike the pink one. Her greatest strength seemed to be in her resolve, which was something Chrysalis was sure she could break. She just needed to make sure Iris kept the fool of a farmpony good and disarmed.

"Um... hi there..." she said in a soft voice, approaching the orange mare. She affected a blush as she looked at Applejack's eyes and then quickly away. "Gah! This auction thing is jus' so awkward, right?" she said, revealing a very slight drawl.

She shuffled her two front hooves and then looked downward.. "But, well... anyway... I'm Iris Limn, and I guess I'm the pony who's gone and won a little of your time today, Miss Applejack," she said in a warm tone. "Here's hopin' you don't mind the company," she added with a small laugh

​

[SteelEagle]

Applejack of Sweet Apple Acres could samba so fast her hooves blur, though her partners moved with the bumbling tentativeness of a foal taking his first steps. It wasn't all that strange to think that every night was the night where she would meet another great friend but it was equally likely she was meeting another peghole in the cribbage game of disappointment. The roster of failures was a who's who of both the well intentioned and the ill-intentioned yet...equally lame. The winner's circle was really only occupied by a select few and of those they all possessed a certain awkwardness. Its seemed as though that those who had such confidence in their social movements and romantic thoughts were creeps by and large and rarely passed the emotional test that was meeting and dealing with a mare like Applejack. She was easy going but Celestia help you, she'd be blunt about things.

That was why, to be perfectly honest, she was very excited about this date. She knew so little about the mare in question, even less than usual, that it was a wonderful opportunity to share herself with another pony. Most applicants to the charity were either friends, well-known types, regulars, or otherwise easily researched specimens. But this mare was a mystery. That wasn't incredibly unusual. Sometimes a stranger had a big heart and wanted to take part. That was what today appeared to be, and it was easily the most exciting. Hopefully Applejack would live up to whatever lofty expectations were being set by the winner.

The winner came, a beautiful little number who immediately seemed oddly bashful for a pony that immediately went so high on the bet. Most of the time when a pony immediately went that high that was because they wanted that date bad and had ideas as well as a certain element of comfort. She seemed oddly bashful considering, but everypony was different. She was charming and cute and Applejack wasn't gonna think anything negative until she had something to go off of.

"Thanks for makin' such a kind donation ta tha charity! Yer gonna help a lotta little colts 'n fillies," Applejack whispered into her date's ear hot with a hug before pulling away with a smile and a chuckle.

“As fer the auction, well, Ah must be immune to it. Not awkward a lick for me now! And company? Ah never mind tha company, miss...?”

[RarityDash]

"Thanks for makin' such a kind donation ta tha charity! Yer gonna help a lotta little colts 'n fillies,"

Chrysalis affected a deep blush as Applejack whispered into her ear. Iris Limn was not a shy mare, but she was a very humble and unassuming one. Praise could get to her as she didn't feel like the things she did were ever especially special. They were just what felt right.

"I-it ain't no matter. Those bits are gonna do a lot more good for those youngsters than they ever were me," she said with a reserved laugh.

​

“As fer the auction, well, Ah must be immune to it. Not awkward a lick for me now! And company? Ah never mind tha company, miss...?”

"Well, I reckon you're on the easier end of this here thing," the disguised changeling replied with a modest smile.

She nodded slowly at the mare and then gave a short sigh. "Sure, for some ponies, it'd be a real fright jus' standin' up there on that stage as somepony auctioned you off to the highest bidder, but I reckon it's us who actually win the prize who are on the more awkward end of it all, havin' to fret over what you might think."

"I mean, I know the charity angle softens the weirdness of it all a little bit, since it's for a good cause and all.... but something about me placin' bids on another mare's time still feels kinda bad form in my book," Chrysalis said. She was enjoying herself. Iris was a fun part to play; the thought of slowly drawing more and more trust with her affected down to earth compassionate attitude was just delicious. She would savor this one, she was sure.

She gave another awkward laugh and then started at the ground a moment. "But as we can see, ain't like that went and stopped me. Heard about ya'll and the things you did for Equestria back in Manehattan.That a farmpony like you was a part of all those big things, makin' such a difference in the world... I guess I found it awfully inspiring. I wanted to meet you for a while now, 'specially since you're so pretty..."

Chrysalis shrunk back and shook her bob of yellow mane about as if visibly anxious. "I really hope it don't sound too curious to you, me being a stranger to you and all, but between all I've heard about you, Miss Applejack, and your pretty face, I reckon I've gone and become somewhat taken with you of late," she said, affecting even more awkwardness than ever. "When I heard about this, I jus' had to come up here to Ponyville for it. I know it ain't gonna lead nowhere, but this way at least I can carve a few memories with you for a while."

​

[SteelEagle]

Applejack figured maybe she had the whole auction thing worked around wrong, at least on its face. After all, while she was up there being the prize ponies were bidding on it wasn't her bits on the line, dictating terms of sale and getting all nervous about meting a celebrity of sorts. Applejack. A celebrity. Huh. Who woulda thought of that when she was rolling around in the mud, wrestling her brother and being a giant goof as a foal? On the other hoof, while everything Iris said was technically right, she at least had more control over who she could bid for and how high to go. Applejack had no control over anything in the process. She had no problems with that, but it certainly made her eventual dates a bit of a crudshoot.

“Well, Ah guess that's true. Hadn't really given too much thought ta how weird it must be for y'all who are doin' tha biddin'. Gettin' all nervous for meetin' one of tha Apples isn't somethin' ta worry about though. We're as friendly as pie and willing to help anypony out with anything! No different from anypony else. Ah'm up thar not only being looked over like a piece of meat, but who knows who Ah'll be goin' out with, but what thar expectations are of me? Uggh. You wouldn't believe some of the ponies who've won bids or what they've wanted ta do, but lets just say that while Ah'll never make tha mistake of judging a book by its cover like Ah did Zecora, Ah'm a bit worried about reading what some of these books say...” Applejack laughed a bit muted, shaking her head and trotting along. No sense complaining though- every bit was a bit going to a good cause, even if she had to blush with all the praise being heaped on her.

“Well, Ah don't think Ah'm quite that good lookin', good lookin',” Applejack joked smokily, “but Ah appreciate tha compliment. Ah do suppose Ah have a good form an' all because of mah work here, but nothin' special. And Ah'm not more a hero than anypony else wouls be if they were in mah situation. Why, Ah bet YOU coulda done anything Ah've done that ponies think is special!” Applejack offered up breezily, a frim believer in the natural greatness within each and every pony as they trotted together some more. This mare of hers for a time certainly had a very affective way of speaking, animated and anything but concise. She enjoyed it. If you were going to be anything, be noteworthy. Especially with her being taken by Applejack, which offered a bit of sweet sincerity and oddness to the festivities. It wouldn't be the first or last time a pony with a crush bid and won and they were at the same time the most awkward and interesting of experiences. Hopefully this would prove the same.

“Always nice ta have an admirer!” Applejack joked with a wink to make sure the pony was comfortable with her, “but we shouldn't waste too much time. Ah bet you have all sorts of plans! So, when do you wanna go out on our date and ta where? It's all up ta you!”

[RarityDash]

“Well, Ah guess that's true. Hadn't really given too much thought ta how weird it must be for y'all who are doin' tha biddin'. Gettin' all nervous for meetin' one of tha Apples isn't somethin' ta worry about though. We're as friendly as pie and willing to help anypony out with anything! No different from anypony else. Ah'm up thar not only being looked over like a piece of meat, but who knows who Ah'll be goin' out with, but what thar expectations are of me? Uggh. You wouldn't believe some of the ponies who've won bids or what they've wanted ta do, but lets just say that while Ah'll never make tha mistake of judging a book by its cover like Ah did Zecora, Ah'm a bit worried about reading what some of these books say...Well, Ah don't think Ah'm quite that good lookin', good lookin', but Ah appreciate tha compliment. Ah do suppose Ah have a good form an' all because of mah work here, but nothin' special. And Ah'm not more a hero than anypony else wouls be if they were in mah situation. Why, Ah bet YOU coulda done anything Ah've done that ponies think is special!"

Iris shook her head and blushed profusely. "Oh, no, no, don't get my wrong. I'm not here as some wide-eyed gawkin' fanfilly here to gush. I know well enough how uncomfortable and right embarassin' that kinda thing can be for a mare to deal with. I don't believe in ruffling anypony's mane, which is the very reason why all this is so awkward..."

"But by the same token, I don't think you need to be quite so modest, Miss Applejack, as you really are a special mare," she said, nodding. "It wasn't actually the exploits of you and your friends that first had you catch my eye after all; I just became interested in all that stuff after the fact. No, I first really noticed you after I watched you compete in the Equestria Rodeo in Canterlot. Though you didn't take first in any of the events, I don't think there was anypony in that whole competition who showed as much spirit and determination as you did out there. That's the kinda thing I really find attractive in a pony. That sort of can do attitude just can't be found in every mare, and it's the sort of thing I'm sure is irreplaceable to your friends."

Chrysalis refrained her urge to smirk. Irreplaceable was right. The six ponies who represented the elements of harmony were strongest together. With this silly pony removed from the picture, they would most certainly suffer as a whole. It was amusing to think that this pony claimed to think so little of the part she played.

​

“Always nice ta have an admirer! but we shouldn't waste too much time. Ah bet you have all sorts of plans! So, when do you wanna go out on our date and ta where? It's all up ta you!”

"Well..." Iris started tentatively. "This might sound like an odd request... and I do hope it's not too much to ask... but I was hopin' you might come away with me for the night."

Iris looked away slightly and then gulped down some air to feign nervousness. "I have atn airship prepared. I'd like for you to go with me to Roam. I'd jus' love it if you were to pose for some pictures for me in front of some of the famous landmarks in the city... and share supper with me at one of the most acclaimed Itailian restaurants in all of Equestria..."

Almost immediately, Iris turned flush and kicked the ground gently. "And I know how all that might sound, like I'm trying too hard to impress. I may have lived my last few years in the big city, but I'm a country filly like you at heart too. Really, this isn't me as much as it isn't you... but, well... I've always been of the opinion that we gotta live life to the fullest, and well, if it's for a mare like you, Miss Applejack, I feel a little extravagance is more than justified."

​

[SteelEagle]

"Oh, no, no, don't get my wrong. I'm not here as some wide-eyed gawkin' fanfilly here to gush. I know well enough how uncomfortable and right embarassin' that kinda thing can be for a mare to deal with. I don't believe in ruffling anypony's mane, which is the very reason why all this is so awkward. But by the same token, I don't think you need to be quite so modest, Miss Applejack, as you really are a special mare. It wasn't actually the exploits of you and your friends that first had you catch my eye after all; I just became interested in all that stuff after the fact. No, I first really noticed you after I watched you compete in the Equestria Rodeo in Canterlot. Though you didn't take first in any of the events, I don't think there was anypony in that whole competition who showed as much spirit and determination as you did out there. That's the kinda thing I really find attractive in a pony. That sort of can do attitude just can't be found in every mare, and it's the sort of thing I'm sure is irreplaceable to your friends."

Applejack wished she could take her hat off and hide behind the developing blush that spread across her. This mare knew her well! It'd be a bit creepy if it wasn't sort of adorable. Well, it was still creepy but Applejack knew creepy by this point. You didn't put yourself up for auction without having some creepy stuff happen. At least this mare's subtle creepiness was far more on the fawning admirer side than anything else, which made it all sorts of adorable. Everypony who knew Applejack knew she was devoted to her stallion and she didn't fear any complications from her dates and that went twice over for mares like Iris who knew her so well. That meant their date would be on the fun side of the somewhat out there spectrum and Applejack was all about having fun on that side of the spectrum. Ofcourse the blush didn't hide very well on her orange coated cheeks, making Applejack have to shake her head to cover it. It was nice somepony had followed her rodeo 'career', such as it was. She wanted to do more and had some things lined up but getting second place to fourth place in just about everything was as fun as getting last in just about anything to a competitive mare. Of course she knew that wasn't the case and that her performance had been exceptional but it was hard to see that at times. Having an admirer point it all out helped a little, though.

“Hehehe, well sugarcube, Ah can't say ,ah performance was really all that remarkable. Ah mean okay maybe a little bit but truth be told you find something Ah do, somepony else'll do it better. Calamity Mane was nice enough ta offer me a spot on her wild west show but...err, anyway, that should be...something. Ah do try mah best an' thats tha most anypony can be asked ta do, Ah think. Speakin' of little miss Iris, what do you do? Been in the big city for a few years but yer a country gal if Ah ever saw one, an' Ah see three of 'em a day. Where'd ya grow up?” Applejack asked as she trotted forward, only stopping when the prospect of a fully loaded airship came up.

"Well...This might sound like an odd request... and I do hope it's not too much to ask... but I was hopin' you might come away with me for the night. I have an airship prepared. I'd like for you to go with me to Roam. I'd jus' love it if you were to pose for some pictures for me in front of some of the famous landmarks in the city... and share supper with me at one of the most acclaimed Itailian restaurants in all of Equestria. And I know how all that might sound, like I'm trying too hard to impress. I may have lived my last few years in the big city, but I'm a country filly like you at heart too. Really, this isn't me as much as it isn't you... but, well... I've always been of the opinion that we gotta live life to the fullest, and well, if it's for a mare like you, Miss Applejack, I feel a little extravagance is more than justified."

Woah. That was unexpected. Yeah, where'd she grow up and what did she do for a living to afford that? And Roam? A bit far for Applejack's tastes but she figured she would be good on her word to go anywhere at any time for these dates. She'd never been to Roam before- sounded like a fancy type of place and fancy type of places were suited for a night like tonight, she reckoned. But really, an airship? This mare must be quite loaded, as if her bidding didn't say that already.

“Shoot, an airship? Roam? Woooeee! Ah can't say no ta that, but that only makes me even more curious about whatcha do ta earn all of that, 'cause Ah know h ain't worth all that effort! A simple train ride'd be enough for me most times, but an airship sure sounds fun! Twilight has her own airship but that's on account of royalty. Don't know a pony alive who owns one privately! How much does one of those things cost and where is it?” Applejack asked, her eyes wide with amazement. It was a bit odd but heck, the whole thing was odd. She couldn't help but be blown away by the elaborate nature of this plan. Take her all the way out to Roam just to pose at some famous landmarks? It was a mite unusual and sorta weird, but she wasn't here to judge or disparage the intent or well-being of the auction ponies. She'd never been to Roam under any account and Applejack would be lying if she didn't admit she was pretty excited by the possibility of going!

[RarityDash]

“Hehehe, well sugarcube, Ah can't say ,ah performance was really all that remarkable. Ah mean okay maybe a little bit but truth be told you find something Ah do, somepony else'll do it better. Calamity Mane was nice enough ta offer me a spot on her wild west show but...err, anyway, that should be...something. Ah do try mah best an' thats tha most anypony can be asked ta do, Ah think. Speakin' of little miss Iris, what do you do? Been in the big city for a few years but yer a country gal if Ah ever saw one, an' Ah see three of 'em a day. Where'd ya grow up?”

"Oh, me? Well, I was born on a quaint little patch of farmland in northern Mustangia, a stone's throw south of Fillydelphia," said Iris with an affected blush of modesty. "Like most mustangs, I grew up surrounded by wide open spaces and the beauty and splendor of nature. I was different from most though, I s'pose, because I wanted to take that beauty and show it to everypony I could. Funny how it goes, but this little mustang traded the wide open plains for a high rise studio apartment in Manehattan, where I make a livin' for myself as a photographer," she added with a giggle.

"Photography is more than just takin' pictures you know, it's art. You capture a moment for eternity, a moment which can evoke deep and wonderful emotions in a pony. It's not easy to get the right pictures, and sometimes I gotta get real creative, but ponies seem to appreciate my work okay. I don't have an especially huge gallery or nothing, but there are a fair number of ponies always stopping by to see my pictures."

The key to a good ruse was always being believable. This meant detail. Lots of detail. The details all came from things Chrysalis had read-- Equestrian travel guides, newspaper stories. In this case she had decided to use a guise based on a real pony. Iris Limn was a real photographer who had had a profile written about her in the Fillydelphia Inquirer a month or so back, a pony just obscure enough that there was little risk of her being known to anyone there. Using a real individual was good as it saved Chrysalis much of the work of dreaming up the meaningless details. She could just play an already defined part. The problems would only emerge when and if she met someone familiar with the pony she impersonated...

​

“Shoot, an airship? Roam? Woooeee! Ah can't say no ta that, but that only makes me even more curious about whatcha do ta earn all of that, 'cause Ah know h ain't worth all that effort! A simple train ride'd be enough for me most times, but an airship sure sounds fun! Twilight has her own airship but that's on account of royalty. Don't know a pony alive who owns one privately! How much does one of those things cost and where is it?"

Iris shook her head slowly. "Ah, no, no, you misunderstand. I ain't selling out art shows or anything. I make out well for a silly little mustang with a camera, I s'pose, but I certainly don't have the money to own my own private airship like your princess friend," she said with an awkward laugh. "I just mean to say that I bought a pair of tickets for a commercial passenger airship. It's one of those griffon owned ones, on route from Talonopolis to Roam. It'll just be stoppin' off in Canterlot t'night and that's just a quick carriage away from Ponyville, ain't it...? Figured we could board it then..."

She looked away shyly for a moment. "I mean, if that's okay with you. I don' want any of this to be any weirder for you than it is already, Miss Applejack." To really get this pony to not suspect her, it was important to make it seem like she wasn't being forced. "If you don't wanna come with me all that way, I'm sure we can have a plenty fun time right here in Ponyville."

​

[SteelEagle]

Mustangia, eh? Applejack had never had the pleasure of going there. She'd heard of it and it was one of those good old fashioned western towns that dotted the map and seemingly only ever came up for good or unusual reasons. Those were the best places to have a good time with the right kind of ponies on account of a pony knowing to let her mane down after a hard day's work. You had to work hard to party hard and while she wasn't going to say that the ponies in big cities didn't work hard, but if you weren't sweating from head to hoof, then you wouldn't party as hard as a western mare would. Mustangia...she'd have to go there someday, no doubt about it. Strange she didn't want to go there but heck if you had an airship you probably needed a place to dock it.

But the ore she spoke the more the litted pathways of personal relationships started to link some pieces of news together. Applejack herself wouldn't have ever known about anypony involved in photography. Her interest lived and died with photos she took for familial or crop consistency issues. Cameras were too expensive and specialty for her. She had much better things to spend her money on. But for all of that there was a little niggling voice in the back of her head that told her this pony was familiar to an extent. Whose voice was that? It was Rarity's. Rarity knew the photographer. She knew all the photographers who were involved with all the designers who were involved in the whole industry. The name was ringing a bell but it was a small service bell in the corner of a busy store. Nopony was listening.

Of course, Applejack should have known she didn't have her own airship. Why would she think that? Applejack was really, really tired Before the auction she had made sure that all the farmwork was done and she had been up late the previous night on a date as well. Day after day of dates and work were running her ragged and thin. Luckily this was the last one and the only one that had her traveling far. All she'd have to worry about was twelve hour days and not twelve hour days plus all this extra hooey. Hehe. Good. Yeah. Good. Applejack shook her head and laughed. “Gosh, Ah feel so dang stupid. Been one of those days. Ah work so hard so long an' been so worked up over all this donatin' that Ah've hardly got a wink of sleep. Not that Ah mind it, though. Ah love Ponyville and Ah love mah family so much! Worth it no matter what,” Se replied as she took a turn towards a back alley.

“Well, if you wanna get to tha train station faster, Ah can show you tha way. There ain't a place in this whole town Ah don't know like tha back of mah hoof,” Applejack beamed proudly before her date's consistent pointing out of the weirdness forced her to chuckle. This filly needed to have some really odd kink lined up for them if she was this worried about it. “Sugarcube, calm down. Ah've dealt with all sorts of crazy an' if you had any real surprises in store for me, Ah'm sure Ah'd sniff it out. As long as Ah don't wind up out of my mind on some Unyasan wheatgrass doing somethin' that'd make mah Granny scream in terror, Ah'll be fine. This date's fine.”

[RarityDash]

"I totally understand, dear. Hard work is in my blood after all," Iris said with a giggle. "Trust me I've gotten pretty darn silly for lack of sleep before myself."

 

"That you're willing to push yourself so hard for the sake of family... I actually find that really beautiful," she added fondly. "It shows that your heart is full to brimming of love, and for me there ain't nothing I love to see in a pony more than that."

 

Chrysalis withheld her laugh. She loved it when she was allowed to say something true while still in character. Indeed, all the delightful love within Applejack's heart was what made her desirable; it was only in a different way than Applejack likely assumed from sweet Iris Limn.

 

When Applejack proceeded to mention how she would surely sniff out surprises, Chrysalis couldn't help but break into a grin--something Iris' awkwardness would cover for.. Oh the delightful irony. Poor, silly farm pony. If only she knew. Chrysalis anticipated the eventual reveal with delight. She was going to destroy this pony when she shattered the illusion.

 

"It's a relief to hear you say that, Miss Applejack. You're really an amazing pony being able to brush it all to the side as nothin' like that, but me, I just can't seem to get it out of my mind that you wouldn't be doin' any of this if I hadn't forked over all them bits..." Iris said, keeping the grin on her face to make it look forced.

 

"hehe. Look at me. Perhaps that wheatgrass isn't a bad idea. Might help calm these frazzled nerves of mine," Iris joked with a little giggle.

 

She then sighed and shook her head. "I should really stop worryin' so much and just let what's gonna happen happen. Lead the way that station, Miss Applejack," she added then with a smile.

​

[SteelEagle]

 

Applejack felt like she had given off a rather odd vibe based on how iris was responding, but she couldn't deny that her newfound friend was a little odd herself. She seemed to have these unusual flights of mental fancy directed at a self-deprecating sense of worth that was troubling to the farmer. Surely a pony such as she had to see that she was worth all this, bits or not, and it was simply her good nature and willingness to help others that had put her with Applejack this fine day. Of course part of it was her donation, that helped form one central tenet of today's expedition. Applejack wouldn't lie to her but she also wouldn't let her believe it was pure monetary reasons that had brought them here. That had simply been how, not the who or why and that was just as important.

“Yer right to an extent, Ah guess. If ya hadn't shown up ta that auction an' went ahead and bid on me, well, we wouldn't be here right now. But guess what, Sugarcube? Nopony in this wide world of ours is responsible for you being here other than you. Nopony forced you to donate or decide ta pick me and you earned yer bits and yer ability ta spend them as ya please,” Applejack gave the mare a side hug, chuckling to herself, “ah mean, that was one heck of a donation thar! You must've had it in mind for a good cause, right? That ain't nopony but yerself at work thar, Iris. Ah ain't here 'cause of some donation, that's just how it happened. Who did it? You. An' why? 'Cause yer good, an' that's why we're here. No reason else, Sugarcube,” Applejack said as she gave her friend good pat on the head and trotted towards the train.

Wasn't long before they boarded, and in good time too- the train started quickly and they were on their way. Applejack took her hat off and pulled her mane out of its bindings and let it flow along both sides of her neck, a deep and relaxing release of pressure as she sighed, looking out at Equestria as it traveled past and her hometown as it sped away. Then her stomach growled and Applejack smiled. “Wanna get something ta eat? Ah dunno about you, but Ah'm hungrier than three griffons with only one steak. Ah'm sure they have some nice eats here.”