“Well, what do you think?” said Rarity eagerly as she pushed me in front of the mirror in her boutique so I could get a good look at myself with the tuxedo she had made me for the Manehattan Moon Mingle. I wasn’t that enthusiastic up to this point, but nevertheless I took a good, long look at myself from head to toe. My mouth and eyes went wide open with shock. Even as a rustic when it comes to self-appearance, I found myself strongly admiring the dazzling suit she just made me. The jacket was made of a shining black fabric, complimented by a perfectly made white dress shirt on the inside, with a bow tie was as red as a rose on the front collar. Holy mackerel, Applejack is gonna love this. I smiled confidently and made some rather childish poses in front of the mirror. “Wait!” she cried, giving me an analytical look from top to bottom. “You need something to go with those light blue eyes. Hmmm… Ah ha!” The tip of her horn lit up and a handsome blue flower landed onto the right side of my chest where the pocket is.

“Well, what do you think of me now Uncle Orange?” I said with a laugh. I turned in the direction of the door to meet Applejack who was waiting outside, but I felt Rarity’s hoof on my shoulder pulling me back. She laughed as though I was plainly forgetting something.

“Darling, where in heaven’s name do you think you’re going?” she said. Wait, what?

“Um, to show Applejack?”  

“Darling, you can’t go to the ball with your hair like that!” she said. I looked confusedly in the mirror and then back at her as though I didn’t know what she was talking about. I certainly thought the tux was enough, but apparently she was going into her super-particular, uptight fashion mode. As an apple farmer, and a male nonetheless, this much lavishness was a little beyond my comfort level, even if I was going to some fancy ball and trying to impress the high class Oranges. “Never fear, my dear, Rarity will do it for you. Wait right there,” she said, trotting over to one of her make-up stations. Oh for goodness- I let an annoyed sigh and looked up at the ceiling as I kept my feet in place. Rarity had done Applejack before me and I was dying to see how stunningly beautiful she was looking. Rarity wouldn’t let me in the room when she was doing Applejack, just like how Applejack was stuck outside now. It was some crazy idea that Rarity had; she claimed it would be the most romantic for us not to see each other until we were both completely finished.

The tip of her horn lit up again and she picked up a brush and a spray-can off the dresser with her magic before heading towards me with them I was quite excited to look “fabulous” as Rarity would say for Applejack, but I despised the process. It made me feel like some uptight pretty boy having a regal young unicorn mare trotting around me with all of her girly make-up toys.

Rarity was seemingly oblivious to my discomfort and loved every second of it. She gleefully galloped up to me and began rather painfully running the brush through my thick locks while spraying it with whatever was in her spray-can. Alright, let’s get this over with already. She made eye contact with me and giggled with delight as I rolled my eyes with annoyance.

“Oh my, you are looking absolutely fabulous! Applejack is going to be so thrilled,” she said, continuing her work. I looked down at the floor smiled gently with a blush at the thought of my pony wife. Human or not, I had overwhelmingly deep feelings for that country mare, and no matter how uncomfortable I was, my heart melted to hear something like that. “Sweetie, you are turning the most adorable shade of red! I swear, you and Applejack are the cutest couple ever.”

“Ok, ok, that’s enough,” I said. Of course, I wanted her to continue. I had a serious soft spot for hearing things like that about us. I pictured Applejack’s sweet, loving smile, the thought of which made me smile with great delight.

The violent stroking of the brush through my hair finally came to a halt, and Rarity levitated her instruments of fashion back to her dresser. Now she was searching through one of her drawers for something. Now what?

“Where is that color?” she said out loud to herself. I couldn’t see what she was going through even though I was trying to get a look from the spot where I was standing in the middle of her boutique. “Ah, here it is.” She turned around with her horn lit up and something floating a few feet in front of her, and she galloped toward me with a big smile. I gasped in horror when I saw that she was bringing make-up over. What???

“Whoa! No, no, no, ok, no. Absolutely not,” I said, as she put out her lower lip and gave me the puppy-face “please!” look. I was not moved, and I crossed my arms and turned my head away defiantly.

“Do you want to win the approval of your wife’s entire family or not?” she said, her voice full of young lady sass.

“Uh, yes! Yes I do, but for goodness sake, I don’t care how fancy they are, I refuse.”  

“It looks natural, I promise! No one will be able to tell, and you will look even more handsome then you already are. I know exactly what you want, dear. You and Applejack share the element of honesty and you cannot tell me that you don’t want to look as cute as possible for her,” she said. Rarity is a smart girl, and she knows how to get what she wants. She knew that I wouldn’t be able to resist if she put it that way. I let out an exasperated gasp and rolled my eyes again in a most annoyed manner.

“Fine,” I grumbled. Rarity giggled with delight and began padding away at my face. I turned my head in protest to no avail, as she just used her magic to keep it right on me. She finished when I started coughing violently and walked away from her, swatting away at all the fine power that I was choking on.

I quit coughing when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror out of the corner of the eye. I stood up straight and faced the mirror. I’m not one to judge myself on looks, but one thing I did know was that never in my entire life have I ever looked sharper or more professional then the fellow in the mirror who was gazing back at me with just as much shock and surprise. My thick, dark hair was shining brilliantly in the light and flowed perfectly from one side to other, and I hate to admit it, but the make-up seemed to be a nice touch. The torturous process was finished, and now I was ready to present myself to Uncle Orange, but much more important to me, Applejack herself. I looked up and down with a smile and gave the guy the mirror my look of approval. “Nice outfit!”

Rarity ran up behind me with her eyes sparkling in admiration of her own creation.

“Well, what do you think? I told you I would have you looking magnificent!” I can’t say I was the least bit unhappy with her performance, especially if Applejack loved it, which I had a feeling she would. Even though Applejack is a stunningly gorgeous pony, we’ve only seen each other dressed up once, and that was on the night of our wedding. I did my best to look sharp that night, but I only did as well as I could, which was nothing compared to what Rarity was capable of. Nothing left now but to thank Rarity, go out and show Applejack, and head to Manehattan with my most admirable and most chaste spouse. I turned and faced Rarity with a sincere smile.

“Thanks, Rarity. I guess it’s all worth it if I can win their approval. You know… the Oranges, I mean.”  

“Oh, come on, sweetie, I’m sure they will. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?,” she said, shrugging and throwing her hoof out at me. I stopped and thought for a moment about what might happen later that day/night. I had a lot of hope; there was seemingly a lot of sympathy in that letter they sent, regardless of whether they both actually wrote it or not. I just wanted to be the best husband I could possibly be for Applejack, the sweetest, kindest, most charming wife a human or pony could ask for. For me to be the husband that she deserved, I felt like I needed the approval of her whole family so that she could get the love from them that she so fiercely deserved. I took a deep sigh and looked down at the ground; despite the positive outlook, it was weighing heavily on me.

“I sure hope Applejack is happy in the end. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, is for her to be happy,” I said. Rarity was seemingly moved with compassion at these words, and she gave me a deep, consoling smile that friends are supposed to give.

“Darling, you and Applejack are adorable together. You make her so happy, sweetie! She loves you very much, believe me, she’s told me many times,” she said. I almost shed a tear at that moment as I turned and looked into Rarity’s eyes.  I already knew well, or should have, that this was true; but for some reason, to hear it from one of our friends was uplifting on a very high level. Just when it seemed like I couldn’t love, respect, or adore Applejack any more if I tried, my heart grew, and my deeply intense feelings and affection for her grew as well. I needed her. Having my heart united to hers was really was the best thing that ever happened to me, as we both got all of our life and nourishment from the other.

“Alright, I’m going out there to see her,” I said, walking towards the door. Rarity ran in front of me like a crazy pony, and her high-pitched voice screeched with protest. Enough of this, let’s get out of here. I was very excited to see how pretty she turned out, but I didn’t want to waste any time going to Manehattan. Even though it was almost a guarantee that Applejack and I would have at least somewhat of a good time given as long as we were with each other, I was still a bit nervous. I felt pressure to impress the Oranges, especially Uncle Orange. We’d both be out of our element at this ball, even if we were the most formidable guests. I was still a human and we both were still farmers attending a fancy ball (well, Applejack was a true farmer, and I was on my way to becoming one with her).

“No! Stand over there behind the curtain, I shall bring her in now,” she said demandingly, pointing her hoof in the direction of a stage-like area where the curtain was. Well, I can always go for a particularly romantic moment with Applejack. She told me later that this was the same place that they and their other four best friends (the elements of harmony) had take two of fashion show where they all showed off the spectacular dresses Rarity had made them for the Grand Galloping Gala.

I stood behind the curtain and waited as I heard the sound of hooves coming from two ponies approaching. After a few seconds without any noise, Rarity closed the blinds of the windows with her magic to block the sun’s light so there was nothing but darkness throughout her boutique. I heard the curtain open, and Rarity, who did her own special affects, partially opened the blinds so that the sun’s rays were shining directly on the both of us, but nothing else.

Only one other time have I ever seen anything so magnificently beautiful, and that was Applejack at our wedding. She stood before me, clothed in the sun’s rays, wearing a glorious dress that was color of the brilliant green of an apple tree. It was smoothly fitted across her entire body, and holding the dress together at different parts were glittering pins that looked exactly like red apples in the shape of hearts. She had the most incredibly gorgeous mane-style I had ever seen. Same as always, it’s golden blonde color was beautifully luminous in the light of the sun, but it was done in a way so that it flowed down freely over head above her eyes. On the side of her head and down her neck, her mane was done in beautiful curls that were similar but they seemed looser. To my wonderful delight, Rarity brought back a personal favorite of mine from the wedding; a crown of roses sat atop her head, each one a perfect red. I would’ve loved Applejack if she was the ugliest creature in Equestria, but there was no doubt in my mind that what stood before me was the above and beyond the polar opposite.  

We walked forward slowly, as Rarity adjusted the blinds so that light followed each of us toward the other so we couldn’t lose sight. It was only now as I walked forward that I finally got a look at Applejack’s face. I finally smiled as I got a good look at the loving smile she had on her face. I found my eyes locked so that they couldn’t look anywhere but directly into hers. I didn’t need to see anything else, I could tell you the state of her heart simply by looking into her sacred green eyes. At first she was staring at all of me, with deep adoration. The word I loved her to call me the most was cute, and that was exactly the word I saw in her eyes as she looked on at me. It wasn’t long before she too had her eyes locked on mine, when we stopped right in front of each other, like our most special moments, we engaged in a staring contest of love where we told each other everything we felt about the other by remaining silent.

A gentle smile came over my face as I remembered everything I had thought about with Rarity a few moments ago, and how all I wanted was for her to be happy. My spirit rejoiced when I saw the happiness in her eyes as she looked at me. I rested the inside of my hand on her cheek and I laughed softly.

“I... I don’t know what to say,” I said. She just smiled and put her hoof on my mouth, without taking her eyes off me. This was a special moment, and given what happened with almost all special moments, I knew that she was about to kiss me on the mouth. Even after being married to her for six months and having kissed her before then, and despite how much I deeply enjoyed her kissing me, and despite the fact that our hearts were united to the other, there was still a very small part of me that objected to it that never objected when we hugged or snuggled. The only reason this tiny objection existed was simply because she was a pony, and I was not. This objection had gotten weaker and weaker as our love had grown, until it was almost gone when I kissed her while she was on top of me in the barn the other night. She was a different creature then me, but she was still a beautiful creature, one that I could not disrespect. I loved her and I needed her golden heart united to mine, and I think looking at her and seeing the same affection in her eyes was enough to destroy it completely at that moment.

When I talk about the pure heart of Applejack and how much I love her for it, I mean more than just she doesn’t say bad words, or that she’s a really nice pony. She has a pure heart in the sense that she’d never do anything for pleasure, only love. The only reason she would ever kiss me was because she loved me, and she wanted to show me that. I respected her purity too much to ever kiss her without her permission, so I just kept my eyes shut and my mouth half open. I won’t lie; I was really in hoping it would come so I could experience a first kiss without any objection whatsoever. Just when I thought it wasn’t going to come, I finally felt her lips touch mine, and the joy of my first kiss with my wife that had no guilt whatsoever had begun. The only words in my heart at that time for my most beloved country mare were I love you and I need you. What started out as the usual gentle kiss between the two of us became a little less gentle as I wrapped my arms around her neck again and squeezed tightly for a hug, and the joy of kissing the one to whom my heart truly belonged had never been stronger.