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Diamonds In The Rough

By Fruit_Of_Boredom
Created: 2025-08-06 04:08:24
Updated: 2026-02-24 03:35:19
Expiry: Never
rarityprincess lunaanonstallion

  1. 1.
    >You really picked the worst day to do this
  2. 2.
    >Taking your shitbox hatchback up this mountain road
  3. 3.
    >No insurance
  4. 4.
    >No good tires
  5. 5.
    >No money to get a better car that might actually get you where you need to go
  6. 6.
    >And the cherry on top, it is now pissing freezing rain
  7. 7.
    >You're praying your car doesn't break down
  8. 8.
    >If a mudslide doesn't get you, the weather will
  9. 9.
    >You're coming up to the last bit of paved road before it becomes gravel
  10. 10.
    >At least it'll be easier for the car to keep traction
  11. 11.
    >You think
  12. 12.
    >Best to keep moving just in case you stop and get stuck
  13. 13.
    >You turn the next bend carefully, don't want to drive off the mountain
  14. 14.
    >Suddenly you catch something in the corner of your eye
  15. 15.
    >Is that a deer crossing the road?
  16. 16.
    >It's really close to the car
  17. 17.
    >Can't swerve in time to dodge it
  18. 18.
    >You lean on the horn in hopes that will startle it to get out of your way
  19. 19.
    >No luck, it's stopped to stare at you
  20. 20.
    >Classic deer in headli--
  21. 21.
    >Wait
  22. 22.
    >That doesn't look like any deer you ever saw
  23. 23.
    >Only one horn
  24. 24.
    >And is it wearing a hooded cloak?
  25. 25.
    >It's eyes flash brighter than your high beams and you can't see a thing now
  26. 26.
    >You brace for impact
  27. 27.
     
  28. 28.
    >You snap awake
  29. 29.
    >Of course it was a dream
  30. 30.
    >You don't even have a car like that
  31. 31.
    >Right?
  32. 32.
    >You're still readjusting to reality after that vivid dream
  33. 33.
    >Time to take stock of your surroundings
  34. 34.
    >The sun's beginning to peek through the window, so it's early morning
  35. 35.
    >This is your room, same as it was last night
  36. 36.
    >Your eyes move to your ha--
  37. 37.
    >Hooves
  38. 38.
    >Oh right, you're a pony for the foreseeable future
  39. 39.
    >You check the mirror in your room
  40. 40.
    >Yup, definitely a green pony
  41. 41.
    >A unicorn, if the horn protruding from your head is any indicator
  42. 42.
    >You've been here for a couple weeks, and it's been a real challenge acting like you've been a unicorn all your life
  43. 43.
    >Which was even harder since they're known to do magic
  44. 44.
    >You, of course, knew nothing of this
  45. 45.
    >You couldn't hocus pocus to save your life
  46. 46.
    >Luckily for you, it didn't come up at all for the first little bit
  47. 47.
    >And for not knowing where you are, the Dazed Amnesiac act has worked wonders
  48. 48.
    >And in this small town you found yourself in, you were able to find yourself a job
  49. 49.
    >Which would come in handy since you've needed to find some way to make a living in this weird place
  50. 50.
    >Speaking of job...
  51. 51.
    >Crap, you're late for work!
  52. 52.
     
  53. 53.
     
  54. 54.
    >You bolt out the door and race toward Carousel Boutique
  55. 55.
    >Not your first choice for a job, but the owner’s been good to you so far
  56. 56.
    >Pretty sure her name is Rarity
  57. 57.
    >You thought she was a bit superficial at first, but with the genuine passion she puts into her work, you can’t help but get drawn into it
  58. 58.
    >It’s infectious
  59. 59.
    >And all you have to do is help her sort inventory, carry the heavier stuff and “look pretty”, as she put it
  60. 60.
    >Not sure how to feel about that last one but a job’s a job, you can figure feelings out once you have a better handle of how things work in this place
  61. 61.
    >As for the heavier lifting, it turns out you have a real knack for picking up telekinesis, no pun intended
  62. 62.
    >Rarity was gracious enough to help you learn that
  63. 63.
    >She says she’s not the best at magic, she’s got a friend who is insanely adept at the finer spells
  64. 64.
    >…she said as you watched her carrying half a dozen mannequins (horsequins?) around the shop
  65. 65.
    >Wait, if Rarity can do that, why would she need you around???
  66. 66.
    >Does she think you’re “special”?
  67. 67.
    >Oh god, are you really just eye candy for—
  68. 68.
    >SMACK!!
  69. 69.
     
  70. 70.
    >You’ve slammed face-first into the door to the boutique
  71. 71.
    >Apparently it’s locked?
  72. 72.
    >That’s weird, usually Rarity has the door unlocked beforehand so you can get in, and you were already late
  73. 73.
    >You peek through the window and see you already got her attention from faceplanting into the locked door and is on her way to meet you
  74. 74.
    >You think to yourself there’s no way she’s not convinced you’re dim now
  75. 75.
    >”Oh, Anonymous dear!” Rarity calls as she unlocks the door, “Are you alright? Whatever are you doing here? Did you forget something here yesterday?"
  76. 76.
    “Sorry I’m late Ms. Rarity,” you stammer as you rub your snout, “I was in a rush to get here that I kind of assumed the door was already unlocked.”
  77. 77.
    >She opens the door for you, “Darling I told you at least a dozen times now, it’s just Rarity. Plain, simple Rarity.” She giggles to herself, “Though I suppose there’s nothing plain or simple about me!”
  78. 78.
    >She does have a flair for the dramatic, you’ve found
  79. 79.
    >”Plus,” Rarity continued, “it’s Saturday, I usually keep the shop closed on weekends. Did I not tell you already?”
  80. 80.
    >Yeah, she definitely thinks you fell off the short bus now
  81. 81.
    >Short carriage…?
  82. 82.
     
  83. 83.
    >Rarity locked the boutique again and motioned for you to follow her around the back
  84. 84.
    >”But I am glad you’re here darling,” she continued, “because I could use an extra set of hooves to help me with inventory today."
  85. 85.
    You shrug. "Well, I'm here already and I've got nothing better to do. What's the plan, Rarity? Just counting stock and materials?"
  86. 86.
    >Rarity turns her head to you, "Oh, I'm afraid it's a bit more... extensive than that today. You see Anon, the Autumn season is almost upon us and this is when I gather materials for the new Fall lineup I have planned. I already have somepony fetching the fabrics from Fillydelphia, which leaves us to source--"
  87. 87.
    >There's a large cart with pickaxes and shovels that's WAY too big for one pony
  88. 88.
    >Are you two mining for gold or something?
  89. 89.
    >"--The gemstones!" Rarity finishes
  90. 90.
    >Ah
  91. 91.
    >Close enough, you suppose
  92. 92.
    "Wait, so all those gems on the outfits you make are real?" You choke. "I thought they were glass or rhinestones or something!"
  93. 93.
    >Rarity looks downright offended at this
  94. 94.
    >"Why Anonymous! I wouldn't dream of having inferior product on my pieces when the genuine article is here for the taking."
  95. 95.
    >Rarity gestures to the cart. "Today we're getting our gems from the source. Usually I have Spike helping me. Spike's a dragon who sniffs out the best gemstones for me. Did you know they eat gems? I had no idea until I met Spikey-wikey!"
  96. 96.
    >You had no idea dragons be here in the first place
  97. 97.
    "I guess you learn something new every day."
  98. 98.
    >By now Rarity had hooked you up to the cart. Surprisingly it was easier to move than you thought, then again you are a pony. That's kind of their thing, to move carts around
  99. 99.
    >Plus you haven't filled it with gems yet
  100. 100.
    >The two of you are on the move and headed out of town. You follow Rarity's lead to the mines as she continues to fill you in
  101. 101.
    >"Spike is always such a dear helping me with finding the best gems for my pieces. He's usually more than happy to come along with me but he and Twilight are out of town right now.
  102. 102.
     
  103. 103.
    >She stops for a moment, "I did tell you about my friend Twilight Sparkle, didn't I?"
  104. 104.
    "I think you said she was the one who was really good with magic?" you check
  105. 105.
    >"Oh yes," Rarity admits, "Twilight has quite the magical prowess, did you know she was able to hatch Spike from an egg?"
  106. 106.
    >You have no frame of reference on how dragons are born, so you just raise your eyebrows and look impressed.
  107. 107.
    >Rarity keeps going. "But she often has her nose in some book or another. I suppose that's par for the course when one is Princess Celestia's top student. It's truly remarkable how far she's come since coming here to Ponyville, making friends, and becoming an alicorn princess herself!"
  108. 108.
    >She giggles, "'Princess Twilight Sparkle', it's still so odd to say out loud. But we're all so proud of her."
  109. 109.
    >That's a lot to take in. Rarity is good friends with royalty, but lives in this small town?
  110. 110.
    >Wait, is that crystal tree building at the other end of town a castle?
  111. 111.
    >Is that where "Princess Twilight Sparkle" lives?
  112. 112.
    >How many princesses are there, anyway?
  113. 113.
    >You got a lot on your mind, and as much as you try not to show it, Rarity can see you're slowing down
  114. 114.
    >"Oh dear, are you aright Anon?" she asks concerningly. "Are you sure you're up for this today? I don't want to run you to the bone."
  115. 115.
    "No no, I'll be fine," you assure her as you pick up the pace again. You try to reassure her while not giving away the fact you know squat about princesses or dragons
  116. 116.
    "I had to adjust to a lot this week, but I'm still happy to help. Since I stumbled into town and forgot how to use magic, I've been grateful that you took me under your wing to help me get my bearings."
  117. 117.
    You get a bit more pep in your step, "After taking a chance with a total stranger like me, I’ll help as long as you’ll have me.”
  118. 118.
     
  119. 119.
    >At this point, the two of you were nearly at the mine’s entrance. Rarity had to pause for a moment after hearing what you said. You couldn’t tell if she was touched or even a little flustered by you
  120. 120.
    >In as much time as it took for you to notice, she had put on a straight face again.
  121. 121.
    >”It was the least I could do to help you get on your hooves again,” she hummed. “Plus, it’s been more than a worthwhile investment for myself having extra assistance with gem hunting today. Honestly, it’s so hard to find good help these days.”
  122. 122.
    >You were getting set up now, dropped the cart and grabbed a spade, ax and saddlebag to put gems in between trips
  123. 123.
    >Looking around at the mine, it was shocking just how many gems there were out in the open
  124. 124.
    You let your curiosity get the better of you. “Hey Rarity, how long have you known about this spot? It almost looks untouched!”
  125. 125.
    >Rarity giggles, “Oh darling, I’ve been coming here since I was a little filly. Though the last year or so since Twilight got her castle, I’ve been finding all sorts of precious stones in places I thought were picked clean long ago. And they’ve simply more bedazzling than what I used on my best works up to this point.”
  126. 126.
    “I guess that makes sense, since that castle looks like it’s made of crystal” you conclude. “Assuming it wasn’t there before, maybe some sort of magicking caused other gems to grow all over the immediate area as a result?”
  127. 127.
    >Rarity nods for a second and giggles. “That sounds exactly like something Twilight would say, though I’m fairly sure she’d balk at the term ‘magicking’.”
  128. 128.
    >The more you hear about this *Princess* Twilight Sparkle, she sounds more like an egghead than royalty
  129. 129.
     
  130. 130.
    You follow Rarity deeper into the cave. “So what are we looking for today? Seems safe to assume the stuff at the entrance isn’t to your taste.”
  131. 131.
    >”You’re right on the bits darling,” she agrees. “While those stones are fine enough for dragon food, I’m looking for something inspired and to inspire others. Something that will truly take everypony’s breath away as I unveil my work in the fall.”
  132. 132.
    “Well damn,” you feel a bit intimidated, “I hope I can live up to the gem sniffing of an actual dragon!”
  133. 133.
    >As the two of you chuckle, you start to smell something like scorched stone
  134. 134.
    >Suddenly you feel a sharp migraine at the base of your horn. Everything becomes blurry as you lose your balance
  135. 135.
    >You’re able to course correct quickly, though your vision is still off
  136. 136.
    >The light of the gems in the cave feel brighter than before, almost blindingly so
  137. 137.
    >You shake your head to fix your vision, blink a few times, and you could have sworn in your blurry stupor you could see that cloaked “deer” from your dream last night staring at you before turning around a corner
  138. 138.
    >That definitely was a pony, likely a unicorn, but that’s all you can tell
  139. 139.
    >You blink a few more times as your vision goes back to normal
  140. 140.
    >”Anon dear, what’s wrong???” Rarity falters.
  141. 141.
    >Of course she saw you almost eat stone there, and you can only get so many “I’m fine”s before it’s definitely NOT fine
  142. 142.
    >You struggle to find assuring words when you notice something down the way
  143. 143.
    >It’s like a glowing misty trail to a part of the wall
  144. 144.
    >The mist is flowing toward the wall, so it couldn’t be a gas leak
  145. 145.
    You use that to change the subject. “Hey Rarity, do you see that over there?”
  146. 146.
    >She’s not buying it. “Anonymous, you nearly passed out not a moment before. I think we should get yourself looked at while you can still stand.”
  147. 147.
    “No seriously, take a look at this,” your strength is back and you follow the trail to its source. “Rarity please, we can check this out and go back. I don’t want you to leave empty ha—hooved.”
  148. 148.
    >Close one
  149. 149.
    >”Dear, I don’t see anything. I really do think we should—“
  150. 150.
    >You already have a pickaxe in your magic aura, ready to strike the wall
  151. 151.
    >You get a couple good blows and see a sizable chunk of rock that seems to be the source of the light trails
  152. 152.
    “There, do you see it now?” You point to the rock to show Rarity. She furrows her brow and shakes her head no
  153. 153.
    >”Anon, I’m really starting to worry about you now. Forget about today, I want to get you back home—“
  154. 154.
    >The rest of her words get drowned out as you try to crack the rock open like a geode
  155. 155.
    >WHACK
  156. 156.
    >WHACK
  157. 157.
    >CRACK
  158. 158.
    >The rock splits open to reveal a cache of bright multicolored stones, in all sorts of azure shades and patterns
  159. 159.
    >The stones within are rough and jagged, but the gems within swirl and catch what low light is in the caves and amplifies it. Not only do they shift as you turn, they seem to move on their own like glittery paint in water
  160. 160.
    >You’ve never seen anything like it, and you’re pretty sure these aren’t common around here
  161. 161.
    >Rarity’s reaction backs up your assumption. She’s at a loss for words as her eyes widen, completely enamored by what you dug up
  162. 162.
    You’re the first to get your bearings again. “Rarity I’m sorry I completely ignored you,” you speak up, “but I hope this more than makes up for it.”
  163. 163.
    >She’s still in a stupor as she tries to find her words again
  164. 164.
    >”I ahh… I buh-believe I can forgive you this once, darling,” she stammers as she tries to look away from the contents of the geode
  165. 165.
     
  166. 166.
     
  167. 167.
    >A few hours later, you’ve managed to find a handful more caches of stones. Thankfully you don’t get any more dizzy spells or headaches
  168. 168.
    >You didn’t have to dig too deep for any of them either, it’s as if they wanted to be found by you
  169. 169.
    >You and Rarity exit the caves with a good haul of the stones along with a few other choice gems she picked out along the way and got you to dig out
  170. 170.
    >The sun was still out, but just beginning to set
  171. 171.
    >You take a look at the stones in the cart behind you, only to realize they’ve started to lose their luster
  172. 172.
    >They’re almost dull in the sunlight
  173. 173.
    >You wonder what that’s all about
  174. 174.
    >You also realized in hindsight that you ended up doing all the digging and heavy carrying, you don’t think she even picked up a shovel the whole time
  175. 175.
    >You’re not too bothered by this though, always happy to help. Plus she mentioned along the way she was gonna pay you triple for your work today
  176. 176.
    >”I’m ever so gracious for your help today Anon,” she admitted, “and I don’t want your good work to go unrewarded.”
  177. 177.
    >Sweet payday for you
  178. 178.
    >Although you’re so new to all this you’re not sure what to spend the money on
  179. 179.
    >What do ponies do for fun, anyway? Do they even drink?
  180. 180.
    >A nice steak dinner sounds good, but horses are herbivores
  181. 181.
    >God you miss meat, but you need to keep up appearances
  182. 182.
    >The walk back to Rarity’s was quiet. The two of you were dog tired
  183. 183.
    >…And you were still the one to carry everything home
  184. 184.
    >Triple pay, Anon, triple pay
  185. 185.
    >Rarity is vain for sure, but she definitely sees the value in those around her based on her actions
  186. 186.
    >And she said Spike was a *baby* dragon?
  187. 187.
    >How the hell did HE carry this stuff???
  188. 188.
    >You’re back in Ponyville now, just about back to the boutique
  189. 189.
    >You must look more exhausted than you think, because Rarity took the reins of the cart and sent you home
  190. 190.
    >”I can take it from here darling,” she assured you, “you’ve already done plenty for me today. Go home, clean yourself up and get some rest. Remember tomorrow’s Sunday, so do try not to crash through my door again.
  191. 191.
    >Rarity continued, “Also, you should take Monday off as well. It’s a slow day and the fabrics I ordered wont be in until Tuesday anyway, and I’ll definitely need you in top shape to help me with that!”
  192. 192.
    >You give yourself a moment to think about today, those stones…
  193. 193.
    “Wait a second,” you blurt out. “About those rocks. You said you couldn’t see the trail leading to them, but I could see it clear as day. I know I didn't want us to leave without SOMETHING, but do you think that's weird?"
  194. 194.
    >"Hmm," Rarity ponders, "you may be onto something. It might be best to wait for Twilight to get back to Ponyville to look these over. It's odd, it feels like every week or so there's some dilemma or another. One can get desensitized to it all."
  195. 195.
    >She laughs softly. "Don't worry darling, I won’t toy with them until we know what they are. Now see yourself home, get some rest!"
  196. 196.
    "That's the plan. Thanks for taking everything the last leg back," you say tiredly.
  197. 197.
    >"Think nothing of it, Anon. Ta ta!" Rarity chirps as the two of you part ways
  198. 198.
    "Y-you too," you stammer. As Rarity turns to leave, you notice the stones you dug out are starting to get their radiance again as the sun is almost out of sight
  199. 199.
    >Weird stuff, hopefully it isn’t anything dangerous
  200. 200.
     
  201. 201.
    >Only now do you realize how truly beat you are
  202. 202.
    >Good thing your place isn't that far away, carrying everything to the boutique and THEN walking back would have probably done you in
  203. 203.
    >Gotta shower off all this rock dust and sweat
  204. 204.
    >Thank GOD they have working plumbing here, because the pony coat you now have would be hell to clean without it
  205. 205.
    >That’s a whole other world you’ve learned about. As far as you’ve been told Ponyville was a small backwater town until fairly recently, but they have shops with all manner of soaps, shampoo and conditioners. Hair products, brushes, even a whole day spa or two
  206. 206.
    >It’s not just Rarity, these ponies take their self-care seriously
  207. 207.
    >As for you, you’re cleaning up with some basic 4-in-one shampoo you bought
  208. 208.
    >You remember when you got it, the pony behind the counter looked at you like you grew horns
  209. 209.
    >Well, a second horn
  210. 210.
    >As you dry yourself off, you recall seeing somebo—somePONY else—walking off with this big barrel of what you swear said “18-in-1”
  211. 211.
    >This pink pony had some crazy out of control hair and was talking your ear off about what that stuff does
  212. 212.
    >This was like your first couple days in town so you didn’t know what to make of what was going on around you, what was normal
  213. 213.
    >Back to the present, you flop onto your bed as your mind wanders to what “18-in-1” would even do
  214. 214.
    >Shampoo, mane conditioner, body soap, coat conditioner, motor oil, egg substitute, stain remover? Dietary supplement?? Wiper fluid…?
  215. 215.
    >………….
  216. 216.
     
  217. 217.
    >The rain is coming down hard on the windshield as your wipers are working overtime to give you some semblance of clarity on the road ahead of you
  218. 218.
    >You realize you’re back in that shitbox hatchback on the mountain again
  219. 219.
    >It does not look good out there, you can barely see past the hood of your car
  220. 220.
    >Looking down to your hands at the wheel—
  221. 221.
    >That’s interesting, you’re human again
  222. 222.
    >Looks like your subconscious mind still sees you in your most familiar form
  223. 223.
    >It’s at least a little more light out than last time
  224. 224.
    >As you chug along the dirt road, you try to figure out what time of day it is
  225. 225.
    >While there’s no chance of seeing the sun, you can see strands of azure waves of light trying to break through the fog
  226. 226.
    >You realize the light is the same colors as the stones you dug up with Rarity
  227. 227.
    >These dreams sure have been vivid lately
  228. 228.
    >You continue your trek up the road when you hear something break from the back
  229. 229.
    >And now your car is lurching to the right
  230. 230.
    >Son of a bitch what now
  231. 231.
    >You stop and get out of the car to see what happened
  232. 232.
    >Your rear passenger tire is shredded to bits
  233. 233.
    >Damn it all, now you gotta get the spare in this weather
  234. 234.
    >At least it’s not freezing rain anymore
  235. 235.
    >Just the usual, still very wet rain
  236. 236.
    >Hopefully you have the tools in the back to get this thing off
  237. 237.
    >You pop the trunk to see a lump of stuff hiding under an old crochet blanket
  238. 238.
    >Mama ‘Nonymous always said to leave a blanket in the back, because you never know
  239. 239.
    >Under the blanket you find exactly what you’re looking for
  240. 240.
    >Lug wrench, jack and a shiny new wheel
  241. 241.
    >Wow, not even the usual spare tire you find under the trunk or something
  242. 242.
    >Silver linings, you suppose. Better a full sized tire than the usual tiny spare wheel, especially in this terrain
  243. 243.
    >You get the jack under the car and start lifting it, muttering to yourself about the rain
  244. 244.
    >The lugs finally come undone after some physical “convincing” and you get the other tire lined up
  245. 245.
    >As you grab the last lug to screw back in, it slips out of your hand and rolls under you
  246. 246.
    >You turn around to try and see where it landed, only to be stopped by a quadruped body that seems to have been standing behind you not a foot away this whole time
  247. 247.
    >It’s the same cloaked “deer” from before
  248. 248.
    >You jump back in shock, how the hell did it get so close without you knowing? Probably the rain, you suppose
  249. 249.
    >It hasn’t run away, just like the last dream
  250. 250.
    >It just keeps standing there
  251. 251.
    >Menacingly
  252. 252.
    >At least you can get a closer look at what the hell this thing is
  253. 253.
    >It's definitely not a deer
  254. 254.
    >Looks like a unicorn, with a longer horn than most you've seen
  255. 255.
    >Standing about shoulder height, cloaked with glowing white eyes
  256. 256.
    >With the low visibility it looks like it's a dark blue?
  257. 257.
    >It's wings are stretched out imposingly from behind the cloak
  258. 258.
    >So definitely an alicorn
  259. 259.
    "Princess Twilight...?" You take a guess. She's the only alicorn you know about
  260. 260.
    >The apparition seems stunned for a moment, and takes a step back
  261. 261.
    >It begins to open its mouth, only for the ringing of an alarm clock to come out
  262. 262.
    >BRRRRRRRRIIINNNNNNNNG!!!
  263. 263.
     
  264. 264.
    >You jolt awake and turn off your alarm
  265. 265.
    >Looks like you forgot to turn it off entirely last night and it woke you right at the most pivotal part of your dream
  266. 266.
    >Between being a recurring character in your dreams and seeing it during that dizzy spell back in the mines yesterday, there has to be some sort of connection
  267. 267.
    >You thought it was that Twilight Sparkle character, but you really don’t have any other frame of reference
  268. 268.
    >There were other princesses here, right?
  269. 269.
    >At any rate, you’re wide awake now with no hope of falling back asleep to find out
  270. 270.
    >Time to seize the day, you suppose
  271. 271.
    >But what to do…?
  272. 272.
    >Explore the town?
  273. 273.
    >A good idea as any, its not like you’ve had much time to do that since you got here
  274. 274.
    >Should you try and track Rarity down and tell her about your dream?
  275. 275.
    >Nah, you don’t want to really think about work right now
  276. 276.
    >You already worked an extra day yesterday
  277. 277.
    >You take a step outside your door and start wandering
  278. 278.
    >Where to? Wherever the day takes you
  279. 279.
    >As you walk around, you try to keep a mental note of where places are
  280. 280.
    >You already have a good mental map between yours and Rarity’s place, so why not try another direction
  281. 281.
    >You decide to start walking toward that crystalline eyesore of a castle
  282. 282.
    >A shame there isn’t a map of Ponyville or something
  283. 283.
    >Walking down the road, you take note of the landmarks around you
  284. 284.
    >Town Hall, bakery, sweets shop, spa...
  285. 285.
    >You're so absorbed in thought that you almost don't see the tire roll by right in front of you
  286. 286.
    >Wait a minute
  287. 287.
    >Why does it look almost exactly like the spare tire from your dream?
  288. 288.
    >You hear someone yelling from the direction the tire came from
  289. 289.
    >"Somepony stop that wheel!!!" You hear what you swear is a southern drawl
  290. 290.
    >Do they have a South here?
  291. 291.
    >A lot of planets have a South, you figure
  292. 292.
    >Wait, there's still that wheel
  293. 293.
    >You snap back to reality and gallop after it
  294. 294.
    >You close the distance pretty quickly
  295. 295.
    >Four legs really are better than two
  296. 296.
    >But how are you gonna grab--
  297. 297.
    >Oh right, magic
  298. 298.
    >You haven't tried to lift a moving object, let alone while galloping full tilt
  299. 299.
    >Guess there's no time like the present
  300. 300.
    >It's headed straight for a flower shop at the end of the street
  301. 301.
    >You concentrate around where the wheel is going
  302. 302.
    >You feel a snag
  303. 303.
    >Feels like your horn is grabbing an invisible lasso and pulling back
  304. 304.
    >Almost like a muscle
  305. 305.
    >Your "grip" on the wheel starts to waver as it's momentum slows down
  306. 306.
    >You're losing 'er
  307. 307.
    >You concentrate more, "holding on" for dear life
  308. 308.
    >Now it's pulling you along as you try to stop it
  309. 309.
    >The wheel slows down a lot more now but could still do some damage
  310. 310.
    >You try "pulling back" like your horn is a fishing rod, lifting the wheel off the ground
  311. 311.
    >The momentum flings the wheel straight into the air as you fall flat on your back
  312. 312.
    >You're too exerted from running and magicking to move
  313. 313.
    >Which is bad news because the wheel you launched is coming back down in your general direction
  314. 314.
    >You close your eyes and brace for impact
  315. 315.
    >WHAM!
  316. 316.
     
  317. 317.
    >You expected to feel pain, but nothing.
  318. 318.
    >You didn't even feel the impact
  319. 319.
    >You cautiously open your eyes and turn your head to see the wheel landed mere inches away from you
  320. 320.
    >Bullet dodged, that could have been nasty
  321. 321.
    >On closer inspection, it definitely looks like the spare tire from your dream
  322. 322.
    >You stare at it for a good long moment, still too winded to move and too tired to fully process what's in front of you
  323. 323.
    >That southern voice brings you back to reality
  324. 324.
    >"Land's sakes, I've never seen anypony keep pace like that! Y'alright there, mister?"
  325. 325.
    >You are not alright, but you'll manage
  326. 326.
    >The world is still spinning, but you can make out two blurry figures standing over you
  327. 327.
    >Orange and pink
  328. 328.
    >The orange one extends a hoof to get you back on all fours
  329. 329.
    >As the world comes back into focus, you realize those blurs are ponies
  330. 330.
    >The orange one helps you back on your hooves. "That was some fine wrangling you did there! I have no clue how you were able to keep up with that wheel."
  331. 331.
    "Barely," you wheeze. "Definitely barely."
  332. 332.
    >The orange one introduces herself as Applejack
  333. 333.
    >You recognize the pink one from when you were getting shampoo earlier this week
  334. 334.
    >Pinkie Pie
  335. 335.
    >At least now you have a name to the mare
  336. 336.
    >"We're mighty grateful you grabbed that wheel that fell off my cart. I musta hit a bump or somethin!"
  337. 337.
    >Wait, cart wheel?
  338. 338.
    >You look at what you thought was a tire from the car in your dream
  339. 339.
    >Nope, just a wooden wheel now
  340. 340.
    >What the hell?
  341. 341.
    >Best to keep that to yourself for now.
  342. 342.
    >You walk with Applejack and Pinkie
  343. 343.
    >Turns out they were bringing supplies to the castle
  344. 344.
    >Which you now know for sure belongs to this Twilight character
  345. 345.
    >So at least you're all headed that way
  346. 346.
    >You learn they're all good friends along with Rarity and a couple others
  347. 347.
    >Pinkie is doing a great job info dumping without you having to show how much you don't know about this place
  348. 348.
    >"While Twilight's still in Canterlot catching up with her friends she toootaly didn't forget about when she moved here, she asked us to set up the guest wing for a secret urgent visit from Pr--"
  349. 349.
    >Applejack interjected. "Uhh Pinkie? Didja forget the 'secret' part there?"
  350. 350.
    >"WHOOOOPS I shouldn't have said that!!! Anyway we don't even know why she's coming, Twilight only said it was something about--"
  351. 351.
    >"PINKIE."
  352. 352.
    >She slaps her mouth shut. "Sorry!" she muffles
  353. 353.
    >Applejack sighs. "Look Anon, it's a pleasure to meet you, and thanks again for that save with the wheel, but we should probably get goin' before SHE blabs to the whole town."
  354. 354.
    >She grabs a bottle from the cart, "But here's somethin' for your trouble! Apple family cider, the good stuff. Think of it as a 'Welcome To Ponyville' gift--"
  355. 355.
    >"Ohhhhh my GOSH I forgot to throw you one of my Pinkie Pie Patented Welcome To Ponyville Parties!!!!!" Pinkie looks aghast.
  356. 356.
    >"I've been so busy getting things ready for--"
  357. 357.
    >"AHUM" AJ loudly clears her throat
  358. 358.
    >"Foooor that that I TOTALLY didn't have time for yours!"
  359. 359.
    "Trust me Pinkie it's fine," you assure her. "I've been busy working and settling in anyway, we can figure it out later."
  360. 360.
    >Pinkie relents, "I guess you're ri--" She stops in her tracks.
  361. 361.
    >"Wait." She turns back toward you. "Something about you smells... Different."
  362. 362.
    >Her tail is pointing straight and twitching, like a hound dog's
  363. 363.
    >"Pine needles, fresh rain when it hasn't rained here in days..." She gets uncomfortably close to you. "...Some burning smell?"
  364. 364.
    >Is she somehow getting the smell of the mountain road in your dream???
  365. 365.
    >Even Applejack looks confused. "Pinkie I dunno how you can smell anythin' like that."
  366. 366.
    >Finally Pinkie steps back, confident she's figured it out "Huh, that soap you bought the other day smells REALLY weird!"
  367. 367.
    "Whuh--?"
  368. 368.
    She giggles. "You know, the 4-in-1 shampoo you got from the store when we first met? I got the 18-in-1 because you never know when you might need shampoo, mane conditioner, body soap, coat conditioner, motor oil, egg substitute, stain remover, dietary supplement, wiper fluid…"
  369. 369.
    >Applejack drags Pinkie away as she continues to list things off. "I'll take care of her, sugarcube. We really gotta go but don't be a stranger, y'hear?"
  370. 370.
    "Y--you too" is all you can get out, still a little confused that Pinkie might have some sort of dream scent sense...?

Diamonds In The Rough

by Fruit_Of_Boredom