Heart-Shaped Horseshoes

The masked pony looked at her reflection,a reflection of strength, assertiveness, justice. And mostly, a fabulous style.

“Magnificent!”, the masked pony said, taking off her mask to reveal the town fashionista. “One of my best designs, if I dare say so myself, and the perfect choice for Nightmare Night.”

Rarity inspected the uniform, searching for any imperfection, no matter how small. Even for a disguise for a chidlren´s holiday, she wouldn't be caught dead wearing a half-made suit outside. “A perfect fit. I wonder if I should be concerned that Applejack´s was the only one that fit me. I mean, dear Fluttershy has a body that´s the envy of the whole town. She didn´pt got that gig as model by accident, after all. But it just didn´t fit…” Rarity comment out loud, a little embarrassed that the costume she made specifically for the bulky farmer pony fit like a horseshoe on her supposedly more slim body. Rarity noticed a few loose threads on the cap and levitated it to the working table.

“I knew these costumes could still be put to good use. The girls were simply not being rational when they insisted on getting rid of them. Even Twilight failed to see the practical value of the design. Her cowl was customized for her horn, a feature that will come in handy tonight. With the hat concealing it and the cape hiding my upper body, I might full the town´s ponies again in that I could be any type of pony, huhu.”

Rarity realized what she had just said and blushed, happy that the Boutique was closed and Sweetie Belle was outside asking for candies.

“That came out rather childish. After all, we didn't made this identity to play a prank on poor Rainbow Dash. Even if we got a number out of her reckless, it was all to teach her a lesson for the better. I wonder if she will appreciate me wearing this outfit tonight. Maybe she still has hard feelings about the whole cindient.”

Rarity returned to the mirror, her previous proud smile gone and replaced by a concerned scowl. She openly admitted that sometimes she didn´t measured her words and may hurt her friend's feelings but it was never intentional. She didn´t want to upset Rainbow or even the girls who called the whole superheroine business done after Rainbow promised to be more careful and less boastful but, in the other hoof, a strong impulse was pushing her to go outside and have fun. She had missed the last three Nightmare Night because of how many request she got for disguises. When she was done for her job, she was usually too tired and it was too late to ask for candy, not that she will do something so childish, although it will be nice to accompany Sweetie and her friends for a little while. She also wanted to hang with her own friends and dance a little at the town square, get a peek at their costumes and even pay a visit to poor Fluttershy and see how she was bearing with the evening. The idea of their hoofmade costumes made her giggle. She truly appreciated the efforts they went to make their own costumes instead of just buying them, even somepony like Rainbow whose work was always covered in stitches and patches. Rainbow probably will make a snide reamker at her but she will surely not be made and instead acknowledge how much effort Rarity put in the Mare-Do-Well uniforms and how proud she is to wear it.

Yes, she will definitely not judge her.

With this idea in mind, Rarity put in the hat and cape and pulled the cowl, leaving the store as the masked protector of Ponyville.

******

Rarity was happy the costume had a full face cowl, otherwise everypony will see her goofy smile. She was enjoying the decorations and the music but mostly, she was enjoying the fact that nopony knew who she was. A few kids looked at her but most didn't bother to approach, she wasn´t the center of attention, she was just another masked pony and Rarity was surprised to see that she was okay with that. It helped that Mare- Do- Well was known for being silent so she only had to wave and nod at other ponies, keeping her identity a full secret. She wasn't Rarity tonight, she was Mare- Do- Well and she was enjoying it.

Rarity turned a corner, searching for her friends. She wanted to see if they will recognize her under the disguise. She even though on playing a little prank on them, jumping from a rooftop or from a first store window, she wasn't as agile as Pinkie to pull that stunt, after all. The problem was that she had no idea what they were dress at that. They left the costumes for last year on their Boutique but didn't come pick them up. She had been all day doing orders and didn't got chance to visit any of them so she was completely on the dark. That zombie pony could be Applejack and that bumblebee pony had a similar mane cut to Twilight but she wasn't sure to just pop in and surprise them, risking being embarrassed for making a mistake. If only she could get a closer look.

“A-ha!”

Rarity couldn't help but say that outloud. A pony was crossing the street, dressed as the famous fictional explorer Daring Do. Rarity had no doubts about the identity of the pony behind the safari hat since this town got the self proclaimed biggest Daring Fan. Rarity sneaked behind  a carriage and took a little shortcut, deciding th surprise Rainbow. She sit in a dark corner, marveling on the fact that her costume was not only aesthetically an achievement, but it was also practical for actual crime fighting. She was literally blending with the shadows. She waited until the hoofsteps of Daring were right behind her and then she jumped

“KYAAA!”

The high pitched scream took Rarity by a surprise and she almost tripped on her cape. Rainbow will never react like that so Rarity thought she had made a mistake. For a second she thought she had ambushed Fluttershy who somehow had gather the nerves to leave her house but a closer inspection changed the suspect.

“Pinkie Pie? Of all ponies why are you dressed as Daring Do?”

“Uh? Pinkie Pie? I´m not...I mean…”

Even with the mask, anypony could tell Rarity was confused by this stuttering pony. She took a second look and noticed that she had made another mistake. Two times in the same night, that was something that ruined Rarity´s mood.

“My apologies, dear. I made an assumption based on your pink coat but know I noticed you´re slightly taller than my friend.”

“You noticed...my coat? But I made the effort of put some glitter to better match the book cover,” the pony said, inspecting her leg.

“Well, I´m sure that you have fooled most ponies tonight but it takes more than a little glitter to fool a fashion expert as myself,” Rarity said, unable to avoid tossing her mane even when it was hidden inside her cowl.

“I´ve never thought that the local superheroine was a fashion expert,” the pony joked, surprising Rarity a third time. “Maybe I should have gone with a full body disguise as yours. You could have fooled me you´re the real deal.”

“Who says I´m not the real deal?” Now it was Rarity´s turn to mock and the other pony responded with a smirk.

“So you're telling that Ponyville´s superheroine goes asking for candies in Nightmare Night?”

“It seems the intrepid explorer does it too. And she also gets easily scared by jumping ponies.”

“I wasn't scared. I was merely..started.”

“It seemed to be a little more than that. Maybe you're out of your element, Mr.s Do? You'll probably be more comfortable at the jungle…”

All the while they were talking, Rarity and the mysterious pony had come closer and close, to the point their nuzzles were practically touching.

“I don't know. I kinda like the city. It has its own set of...dangers.”

“It can be really dangerous. You may need some..protection.”

“I can take care of myself. I´m a big girl, you know?”

“Oh really?”

“Really.”

And just when they were about to kiss, lips connecting with fabric, noth of their hats bumped, ruining the mood.

“Oh my heavens!” the Daring pony said. “What was I doing? I almost...I don't even know you...I just…Oh I´m awful!”

The pony went into a corner of the alley, failing to hold back tears.

“Hey, calm down, dear! What´´s wrong?” Rarity asked, dropping the whole act and acting according to her geneous nature.

“I don't know what came over me. I almost...kis...kiss…”, the pony couldn't even finish the sentence.

“If it´s any consolation, honey. You weren't about to kiss me. Daring do was about to kiss Mare-DoWell.”

“Oh please, like these dumb costumes mean anything! I just should have never come here in the first place. I hate this!” she said, tossing her hat.

“As heartbreaking as being rejected like that is, I have the feeling there´s something else bothering you.”

The pony sighed and admitted, “I...have a fiance.”

“Oh heavens, that's wonderful! The wedding is soon? Have you already pick up the dress? Because I have a lovely collection on my Boutique available at accessible prices and…”

The poyn reasied an eeybreow and Raity blsuehd under the cowl. Again, she just couldn't help herself.

“Oh…”

“Precisely. He proposed just a week ago and here I am, about to kiss with a complete stranger in another town.”

“I take the you´re not from Ponyville then. Canterlot, Ipresumee.”

“How did you noticed?”

“A slight hint of an accent. I have a friend with the same tune,” Rarity explained, sitting down next to the mare.

“You have an accent too. And it´s not the Ponyville one.”

“I took great pride on my vocal intonation. It helps sells my persona,” Rarity said with a straight face in a mask. “Now, back to you, may I ask why are you visiting our town in Nightmare Night?”

“I have an old friend here. I came to pay her a visit and I thought that it will be nice to surprise her disguising as her childhood heroine. I was her old foalsitter and used to read her the daring novels all the time.”

“That´s lovely. I´m sure she was thrilled to see you again and in that disguise.”

“Well, I wouldn't know bout that. I still haven´t met her.”

“Want me to help you find her? She´s probably in the Town Square in disguise too.”

“I know where she is, I just...I don't want to talk with her right now because, well, she´s related to my fiance and right now…”

The mare went silent agian and Rarity took a wild shot, “Cold hooves?”

Despite the darkness, Rarity was able to see the soft smile. “Is that obvious?”

“I´ve seen my fair share of nervous brides. They always get second thoughts right before the big day, ips perfectly normal.”

“Yeah, except in my case, the big day is still over a month from now and yet, here I am, hiding from everypony in more than one sense.”

Rarity had taken quite a liking for this distressed pony so she decided to stay quiet and lend a helping ear.

“Don't get me wrong, I love my fiance. He´s the most wonderful pony in the world and I´ve dream about our day for years. I was one of those foals who played being a bride…”

“Who wasn't?”

“Well, I know a foal who preferred to pretend she was the Princess and use a lamp like it was the sun and then I had to put down the fire.”

Rarity and the pony shared a laugh at this image.

“Maybe I´m just nervous. It´s going to be a big event, after all…”

“Is he royalty for any chance?” Rarity asked, following another wild shot.

“Yes, something of the like.”

“Good luck with that!” The mare looked at Rarity and she sighed before saying,” I met a member of the Royalty once and he wasn´t any Prince Charming at all. He was selfish, ignored me the entire night and force me to pay for his food!”

“I think I have an idea who you're talking about and no, he´s nothing like him. He´s actually quite gentle and always thinks of me first but still..”

“Sounds like he really is a wonderful stallion and that you really love him,” Rarity said, placing a hoof in her shoulder.

“Then why I am here sitting on this alley?”

“An excellent question,” Rarity said and levitated the safari hat back to her. “I´ll say your adventure here is over, Mrs. Do.”

The pony smiled and put the hat on. “A pleasure working with you, Mare-Do-Well. Hope we get to meet again.”

Rarity remained in character and merely nodded at the mare who let go a more sincere “Thank you” before leaving.

Rarity smiled, feeling once more pride over her costume. She may not be as strong as Applejack or as agile as Pinkie, she may lack the wings of Fluttershy or the magic skills of Twilight but she made this costume, a costume that was more than just a cheap disguise for a prank, it was a symbol, as significant as a Cutie mark or even more.

With that thought in mind, Rarity made a dramatic turn and disappeared into the shadows.

*****

The pony flew away from town, landing in the clearing next to the Nightmare Moon statue, children having already left a sizable pile of candies at the base.

“Princess! There you are!”

A group of night guards approached the pony who sighed.

“Please, don't call me like that. I don't want to draw any attention.”

“Our apologies, your highness!” the guards responded and the pony sighed again, realizing it was useless arguing with them.

“I´m glad the alley was too dark for her to notice my horn. We got a chance to speak sincerely,” the pony said, taking off her hat.

“Do you wish us to search for.Twilight Sparkle, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?”

“No, it´s okay. Twilight si probably having fun at the Town Square, I don't want to bother her. And Princess Cadence is just fine.”

“As you wish, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza!”

Cadence sighed again and asked to be led to her carriage. She placed the only candy she got form a kind filly at the base of the statue and sighed at the glowing moon, wishing to both her aunts for their strength to overcome her fear and insecurities. The words of the masked pony have given her a little more confidence so Cadence returned to the chariot with a soft smile and a desire to see Shining Armor soon.