Mane cut
"Do I have to?" Rarity whimpered from her seat.
"Yeah Rarity, remember, you lost the bet." said Applejack. Rarity started to cry. She was sitting in a barber chair, at Ponyville's mane salon. Applejack was standing beside, trying to hold back her laughter. Applejack had already used her rope to tie Rarity to the chair, because she knew that if Rarity got a chance, even a small one, she would run out of there and never come back.
"Applejack, please." said Rarity, through her tears. "Can't I do something else?"
"Nope." Applejack said with a snicker.
'If only,' Rarity thought to herself. 'If only I didn't make that bet with her, I wouldn't be in this mess!'
It all started 5 days ago. Applejack and Rarity were standing in the orchard at Sweet Apple Acres. "I think this apple crop is even bigger than last year's. No doubt this is the year I'll need Big Mac's help the most. I might even need to teach Apple Bloom to applebuck, because I might need her help too."
"Yes, there are a lot of apples to get. Even with the 3 of you together, I don't think you can pull it off. I mean, you put off applebucking for weeks, and now you have to get them all down in only 3 days. It's impossible." said Rarity.
"I think that together, we can pull it off." said Applejack, trying to act confident. Even if her gut told her that this job was way too big, even for her to do with her siblings.
"Come on Applejack, you can't do it." said Rarity.
"Well, I'll bet you I can." said Applejack.
"What would you bet?" asked Rarity.
"Hm, how about if you win, I own you a year's supply of apple juice. No charge. " said Applejack. She knew that this would cost her family a fair bit of money, but it was worth it to teach this prissy pony a lesson on doubting apple family traditions.
"And if you win, which I don't think will happen anyway..." Rarity said, and started to think. She wanted to prove her opinion was right, so she decided to put in all on for bet. "I will have my mane cut off."
Applejack could not believe what she was hearing. A pony who loved to show her beauty off to others, was betting to get rid of her styled, all around perfect mane for an applebuck season bet. But with an opportunity like that, how could she refuse. "You got yourself a deal." Applejack said, and shook hooves with Rarity.
Back at the salon, the stylist appeared to be ready with her tools lined up. Applejack had invited all her friends to come and watch this historic event with her, but most of them declined. Twilight was busy in Canterlot, Fluttershy had to take care of Angel, and Pinkie was busy hosting a party. Rainbow, however, had accepted Applejack's invite. She burst through the door as the stylist picked up the pair of scissors. "Am I late?" asked Rainbow.
"No, right on time." Applejack said. Rainbow removed a few things that she kept under her wings and in her saddle bags. She pulled out 2 cushions for her and Applejack, and 2 large bags of popcorn for her and Applejack. "You ready for a show?" asked Applejack.
"You know I am!" Rainbow said, as she gave Applejack a hoof bump.
The stylist started her work. A few small snips could be heard from where Applejack and Rainbow were sitting. To Rarity, these small snips sounded more like claps of thunder. She watched in horror as clumps of purple hair fell to the floor. Strands of curly hair were soon snipped off from their placing. She turned her head to see her friends. She expected them to be staring, or laughing. She was surprised to see what their expressions were. Rainbow turned her head away, and Applejack had lowered her hat over her face.
Applejack couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and walked over to the stylist. Applejack whispered something into the stylist's ear, so quiet Rarity couldn't hear anything they said. Applejack and the stylist nodded in agreement, as Applejack walked over to her seat.
The stylist put down the scissors, and picked up a hair straightener. She began to straighten Rarity's hair, removing her curls and replacing it with a soft, silk like mane, flowing to her shoulders. Rarity heard the scissors being picked up again, and heard a few small snips. The scissors were put down, and Rarity was turned to see a mirror.
Rarity stared at her mane for a while. Her purple mane was now straightened, and a blue diamond clip was keeping her hair from falling into her eyes. Most of her hair was laid over her left shoulder, and the rest was in a loose ponytail on the right side of her head. She was stunned. "But-but how? I doesn't look like any hair got cut off." said Rarity.
The stylist spoke up. "You haven't gotten your mane cut in several years. If I wasn't mistaken, I would say this was one of your first mane cuts in a decade. After I straightened you mane, your mane reached almost past your hooves."
Applejack stepped toward Rarity. "You said a mane cut. You thought I meant your whole mane? No, that's just cruel. I just wanted you to get rid of your curls for a day so me and all of Ponyville could see what you look like without them holding your hair back."
"Oh, Applejack." Rarity said, as she stood up and hugged Applejack.
"You know," The stylist spoke up. "We are having a 2 mane cuts for the price of 1 deal right now."
"What do you say, Applejack?" Rarity said, pointing at Applejack's messy mane. "You could get rid of your split ends. You know, I always wondered what you would look like with colour streaks in your mane. Or maybe, curls."