The Tale of Raridash - Series 2

"Augh, hurry up!" groaned the impatient pegasus, having to flutter ahead of her slow mate, "I'm missing out on some wicked flying time!"

A trek through the Everfree Forest was dangerous at the best of times, especially with the level of noise the grumpy Rainbow was so keen on making. The whole aim of the trip was to pick up a plant known as 'Sun Lily', with flowering petals that shimmered like the morning Sun. Zecora had shown Rarity a picture of them on a prior visit. She was keen to use these infamous flowers to decorate her new range of summer dresses and saddles, which she had aimed to have out by the following week.

"There's no need to rush, Rainbow Dash! We must be careful out here," warned the elegant unicorn, taking more care not to tread in any mud puddles or dead piles of leaves.

A cocky grin swept onto Dash's face, "Yeah, don't wanna get trapped in a goo capsule thing, do we?"

The rainbow mare swooped down to Rarity's side, letting that grin show her blatant tease.

"I thought we promised never to speak of that again?" snarled Rarity, narrowing her eyes and giving her mate a cold look.

A cheeky grin stayed plastered on Dash's face, "Does that include the time you fell in love with some big dumb rock?"

"Now Dashy," tittered the elegant unicorn, happily striding past her jovial partner, "you shouldn't put yourself down like that!"

It took Rainbow a few moments to register that the response was a little quip at her, giving a deep frown, "Hey!"

It was not long before the two intrepid mares had found what they were looking for. An open glade lay ahead, a snaking stream sat behind that cut clean like a ribbon through the grove. By the water's edge lay patches of flowers, showing the long stamens and plush leaves characteristic of the Sun Lillies Rarity sought after.

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Rarity as she galloped over to begin picking at the stems with her teeth, "Come along, Rainbow Dash! I'll need quite a few for my summer collection!"

"Pfft, the best flyer from Cloudsdale does NOT pick flowers. I'll just sit here and watch," grunted Dash, sat flat on her flank as she brushed her hooves absent-mindedly through her colourful mane.

Rarity gave her a sharp look, "And if the best flyer out of Cloudsdale doesn't want people to know she enjoys wrapping herself up in her girlfriend's dressing gown when she thinks no one is watching, she will help me!"

The threat was credible; how did she know? Rarity must have been hiding in the closet or climbing up a ladder to peer into the bedroom. To further prove her point, the unicorn leaned in, taking a delicate sniff of Dash’s coat, a smirk on her face. The scent was rather obvious, like she had been swimming in Rarity’s clothes! With a worried look on her face, Dash quickly galloped over, snipping up closer bulbs with her teeth and flicking them into the saddle basket. A smug look dominated Rarity’s face as she got her way, the crafty minx that she was! The task was finished in no time, the pair now looking down at the full flower basket between them.

"Thank you so much, Dashy Washy!" cooed Rarity in a babyish tone, a bright grin shining through as she looked down at the basket.

"My pleasure, Rari'" replied Dash, beginning to trot towards the path out of the forest.

Rarity's grin almost melted off her face, giving a loud snort, "Well? Aren't you going to carry these for me? Being the LOYAL pony that you are?"

"Pfft, carry flowers back to Ponyville? Do you not get my image!" grunted Dash, turning over in midair so she could drift lazily on her back, "Plus, it's so nice of you to GENEROUSLY carry those for me!"

It seemed Rarity's once finely whipped Rainbow Dash was rebelling against her! A heavy frown took to her features as magic hoisted the basket onto the unicorn's back, "Hmmph, fine!"

The trot back hadn't taken very long and was as uneventful as the entire trip. Not that the couple was complaining, what with all the nasty beasts and nameless horrors that called Everfree their home. The evening had quickly and slightly rolled in, coating Ponyville in a blanket of blissful twilight. Rainbow hadn't had her chance for a flight, but Rarity was keen to reward her.

"I hate this, you know," snarled Rainbow Dash, fore legs crossed over her chest, eyes looking to the closed blinds of their home to make sure they weren't being peeped in on.

Rarity had laid Dash on one of her luxury recliner seats, the kind used by opulent rulers...or at the spa. Blue magic encircled that file, bringing it closer to the dangling hooves of her girlfriend.

"Of course you do, darling..."

What a night it had been! Dash could get used to this; getting what she wanted and seeing Rarity do all the work. Eyes slowly slid open, tearing her from her comfort and bringing her back into the world.

However, things didn't seem right. A subtle feeling of malaise hung in the air, as of things were familiar...but not the same. Dash slid lazily from the covers, her still rather numb body bringing her to the adjoining en-suite of the boutique's bedroom.

The mare would carefully trot up to the sink, turning on the facet and taking a drink. Eyes would slip to the mirror to make sure everything was fine; white coat, purple curly mane, protruding horn on her forehead. Yep, it all seemed in order.

Wait, what!?

She was Rainbow Dash, she knew that! But the mirror was showing Rarity, with the same fearful face that she thought she was sporting.

"What the hay..." murmured Dash before hooves went to cover her mouth. It was Rarity's voice!

"Rarity!!" cried the frantic Rainbow at the top of her lungs, that softly pitched voice producing a chilling scream.

It took only a few seconds before the changed Rarity was awake and realised what was wrong. Bright, blue coat, ghastly short rainbow mane, thick, muscular wings. And with that squeak of a girl voice, Rarity's reply came out in a loud squeal. Rainbow charged back into the bedroom on her finely hooficured new limbs, meeting herself at the foot of the bed.

They had swapped bodies!

A sudden blue hoof smacked into the white unicorn's flank, causing her to hiss, "Hey! What was that for?"

"I wanted to check if you were sleeping! This must be some horrible dream!" cried Rarity in Rainbow's form.

A white hoof softly rubbed over the spot that was struck, "You're supposed to hit yourself, y'know..."

Rainbow Dash was surprisingly calm about the situation. Sure, it was a shock. But magic seemed to do some strange things, and she had been there for most of them! Panicking wasn't going to help their predicament, so she kept cool and began to think of the causes. Rarity, however, was not taking this so well.

"Oh no! Oh no, no, no! How could this possible have happened!? I'm you...you’re me! This isn't right! What about my summer collection? I need to finish my dresses before the weekend! But I don't have my horn! Just these...wings... How can I possib-"

The Rarity-looking Rainbow Dash jammed her white hoof into her distraught girlfriend's mouth...or her own mouth!

"You make my voice NOT awesome," began Dash, a smile growing on the unicorn's muzzle, "so try and get a hold of yourself, darling!"

The mocking play on her own words caused that pegasus to frown, "You think this is funny!?"

Rainbow Dash was loving this, being the natural prankster that she was. She proudly trotted past herself, a flick of that luscious purple mane as those eyes turned back in pose to her companion, "Now there's really no sense in getting all worked up, is there?"

"Enough!" snarled Rarity, the imitation in her own form obviously causing her more grief, "What are we going to do?"

The question did leave Dash weighing their options. She remembered back to the return of Trixie; Twilight had explained that transformation magic was incredibly advanced. Changing age or gender was close to impossible. So swapping bodies?

"I don't know. We could ask Twilight, she knows everything!" reassured Dash as she peered at the clock, "Oh man. But for me, I got some cloud busting to do!"

Head dipped down into the blue pegasus' side, firmly shunting her to the stairwell, "And that means you! So get to it!"

Before the Rainbow-sporting Rarity had a chance to complain, she had been shunted to the front door.

"My summer collection!" cried Rarity in a very Rainbow-esque squeal, "It's essential they are completely by the weekend!"

"If you haven't noticed, you’re the one with the wings. So you'll need to do my cloud busting," explained Rainbow Dash in Rarity's form, pushing her clear of the door, "Besides, I could make a start before this is all sorted out."

Rarity's gave a very sceptical look through Dash's features, unsure of her girlfriend's competence. Although she didn't seem to have a choice; she lacked her horn and the weather had to be sorted.

"Very well. You may do the capes. One sheet of white fabric with the flowers sewn into the hem. Use the pony mannequins to shape each cape to a flank. Can you manage all that?"

"Sure, sure!" conveyed the white unicorn Dash as she shooed her mate away, “it'll be fine!"

She had been given wings before; Zecora's magic concoctions had allowed her to fly up and surprise Rainbow Dash with a home visit. And the time before then, when Twilight had charmed her with those magnificent butterfly wings! But this was different. This was manual labour!

Rarity was still unsure about all of this, taking a moment to observe her new, blue body. Coat was smooth and crisp, a side effect of Dash's penchant for speed. Mane was messy but charming in its exuberant colour. It could do with a style and condition though. And those wings! Unlike some pegasi who had rather bulky, muscular wings, Dash's were a lot more subtle. Lean muscle weaves so perfectly through each limb, toned but not cumbersome. Feathers were large, splayed out to maximum how much wind they would pick up. Truly, Rainbow's wings were a work of art.

Rarity gave each one a flap, feeling the astounding force each one had from performing such a simple gesture. And then those eyes turned skyward, to the clouds high above. Why did they have to be so high?

Meanwhile, Dash had made her way to Rarity's work room, the neatly sorted chamber a temple of tidiness and creativity. Yet Dash was more interested in the body she was trapped in. That plush, smooth coat was pampered beyond belief, springing and luxuriously glimmering from daily cleaning and grooming. The weighty mane above seemed a bit too exuberant, almost getting in the way if it weren't so stylish. A white hoof prodded at the bottom of the curled fringe, watching it spring back up. Weird!

Hooves went to that curiosity above, that bony horn. It felt strange, like a part of her skull was jutting awkwardly from her forehead. Yet, at the same time, a simple touch gave poor Dash the shivers. As if a jolt of lightning surged through her body.

"So this is why she likes me to touch it," mumbled Dash softly to herself as the laid out white fabric came into view on the crafting table.

This magic thing couldn't be that hard, right? If an egghead like Twilight could manage it, so could Dash. All she needed to do was concentrate! Head bowed as that horn pointed to the awaiting fabric, her mind focused on simply picking it up.

This magic stuff was hard! Rainbow's head was already throbbing from the sheer effort she was putting in. It seemed like her mind was rather undisciplined. But slowly, dimly, that white horn began to shimmer with a thin veil of light blue magic. It was working, it was actually working!

The thin layer of fabric began to glow with the unicorn's sky blue magic. It was taking all the mind Rainbow could muster but the textile began to shift, floating free of the table. And soon enough, other objects around her began to pick up the magic aura: scissors, measuring blocks, fabric knives, rolls of thread. Even a nearby mannequin began to shift!

Soon enough, the inexperienced Dash was amidst a swirling flurry of magically charged items. Trapped in the eye of an arts and crates maelstrom wasn't her idea of productive, her new horn having a mind of its own! Before she could work out some control, the items began to violently converge around her. Head had to frantically duck and weave out of the way of cloth coated tubes and sewing kits. In the end, her magic gave out, leaving the poor mare in a mountain of fabric and fittings on the floor.

Getting off the ground had not been the hard part, it had been finding the delicate muscular movements to rise to the clouds. Rarity's first flap of those unfamiliar wings had sent her rocketing into the heavens. Denizens of Ponyville below we're treated to the horrified wailing of the rainbow streak high above.

It had taken some time and a few close shaves with some roofs, but Rarity was finally able to balance herself and stay afloat. She could see why Dash was so capable of her astounding aerial feats! But now was the time for work. She had the pegasus' body, so she had to do the vital work that came with it. Today was scheduled for clear skies and there were many cloud clusters still hanging about. Far off, she saw a few other stray members of the weather crew clearing out the sky. Tentative, the Rainbow-clad Rarity approached a nearby cloud, soft flaps of those wings keeping her in close. A blue hoof out stretched into the fluffy mass, giving a few erratic swipes as if she were shooing the cloud away. Slowly, the tangible white began to disperse, Rarity delicately using her hooves to crumble the form into clear air. A few minutes later and one cloud had been vanquished!

"Good job, Rarity," chimed the body swapped fashionista in an unfamiliar voice. Rainbow's voice made her praise seem rather impersonal even if she was the only one saying it.

Those borrowed pink eyes turns downwards as she took in the view of her regularly visited spa beneath her. A hooficure sure wouldn't go amiss and Rainbow's hooves could use one! But she had a job to do and she was not prepared to let her girlfriend down! Or Ponyville, for that matter.

It had taken Dash almost an hour to clear the havoc her rogue horn had created. All this drama made her yearn for her wings as she righted a few fallen clothing dummies. Lesson learned, she'd use good ol' fashioned horse power!

Carefully the unicorn would lay out a sheet of the bright white fabric on one of the mannequins. Her next task was to retrieve the basket of flowers they had collected. A quick trot to the kitchen revealed the basket upon the table, her mouth taking the handle as she shifted back to the work room. But something was amiss. Dash carefully lowered them to the work surface, eyes looking over the rather unfamiliar flowers.

"Aren't these supposed to be white flowers?" stated Dash to the silence of the boutique. The book had called for white flowers, but these had dark violet petals with sunny yellow stamens in the middle.

Suddenly, the opening of the front door and the ringing of the door bell made her smile. It was probably Rarity! That white coated Rainbow Dash happily trotted to the hall and down the staircase, eager to find 'herself' waiting in the shop below. It wasn't her, it was a customer! That silverfish coat and darkened mane looked quite familiar. She had seen the mare working at Sofas and Quills when she went to pick up some supplies for Twilight.

Dash was nervous. Her first instinct was to act the brute and ask the pony to leave. It wasn't her shop and she wasn't a dress maker! And yet Rarity was doing her job, clearing the skies for her. Dash knew she had to try and make a sale. Every little helps! Hesitation allowed Dash to formulate her words, hoping to mimic her girlfriend.

"Welcome to the Carousel Boutique!" chimed Dash in the fitting flamboyant voice, "How may...I be of assistance?"

The other mare seemed to shy away at the sudden attention as Dash's exuberance kicked it. A hoof softly pawed at the floor beneath, a sheepish smile fitting the young filly's quiet demeanour.

"H-Hi, I'm looking for a cape...with a hood? Like a...shroud?"

Fortunately for Dash, Rarity had many types of shrouds about, used as the basis for raincoats and dresses with protective hood wear of exaggerate collars. The white unicorn unveiled a display curtain, showing a rack of the different colours and designs.

"Here we are! These borrow the famous...petite chaffleur stylings. All the rage!" said Dash with a nervous grin on her face. This act was becoming difficult!

The timid little mare would look at all the different designs and choices. It seemed her taste was a little more minimalistic as she picked out a plain white design from the lot, her magic carefully laying it across her back.

"This one please. How much is it?"

Dash slipped her head to the end of the rack to check the label, that unsure grin never fading, "Eight bits, please!"

It wouldn't take long for the unicorn customer to check her saddle bag to find herself short, a disappointed frown on her face, "Oh, sorry for wasting your time..." as she would turn to the doorway, intent of leaving the rather awkward situation.

"Hold on!" retorted Dash almost immediately, trotting over to check the saddle bag. It seemed she only had three bits, less than half the price. Not that Rarity was short of cash. And with her summer line coming up...

Dash made sure that garment was laid securely to her saddle, a warm smile on her face, "Three bits is plenty. Enjoy your new garment from the Carousel Boutique!"

It had been a long, exhausting day; Rarity clopped through the boutique door, absolutely shattered from the cloud busting.

"Ten seconds flat, my flank!" grumbled the tired mare before she called to the seemingly empty shop. The soft hum of a sewing machine could be heard upstairs, "Dash? I'm home!"

A clattering of hooves could be heard from the room above as the pseudo unicorn clambered down the staircase, a covered up mannequin magically in tow. It was clear Dash was deep in her concentration, her tongue stuck out to the side as she delicately placed the item down.

"You've got a hang of my magic I see?" mocked Rarity playfully as she moved closer in.

"Hmm? Yeah, kinda… Just got focus and it’s pretty easy-" replied Dash slowly as she was split between her tasks, turning about to get a look of herself. What she saw was a finely groomed and shampooed rainbow mane, glimmering and primmed hooves, preened wings and a glossy coat.

Rarity was treated to the sight of Dash in her red work glasses balanced delicately at the end of her muzzle and a strip of measuring tape around her shoulders.

"You're right. I do look cute in glasses!" came a snigger from Rarity, moving in for a hug.

"What have you done!?" blurted Dash in a gasp, her eyes wide open to take in the sight of the spa treated pony, "My mane. My wings! My hooves!?"

Rarity knew she was in trouble as silence fell, her own face displaying an angry scowl against her, "You went to the spa, didn't you?"

Eager to change the subject, the blue pegasus trotted up to the sheet coated mannequin, "Let's see your work!"

"Answer the question, Rarity!"

"Yes!" cried the unicorn in a sudden, dramatic outburst, "I did it! I went to the spa! I had to, you must believe me! Your hooves were so uneven and your wings...and the spa attendants were so thorough!"

"How many people saw me...I mean, you?" demanded the enraged Dash.

"Just the spa staff! ...and a passing weather crew. Oh, and those pegasus track flyers when I asked for directions. They were ever so helpful! They seemed to be quite amused by something!" The longer she went on for, the more guilty Rarity felt, a delicate frown emerging on that blue muzzle. As good of a plan as it was to visit the spa, Rarity had forgotten she was representing Rainbow Dash. With all the sideways looks and unfamiliar stares, everything was beginning to fit into place...

Dash made Rarity's jaw hit the floor, her image and reputation crushed in the short expanse of one afternoon. Again, an uncomfortable silence flooded the scene, Dash giving a plain look on her borrowed face as she headed to the door.

"...Dash?"

That front door slid open with a burst of magic.

"Dash, sweetie?"

Silently, the white unicorn clopped onto the grass out front...and towards a rather nasty looking mud puddle.

"Dash, darling. Don't even joke about that!"

But this was no joke. With a stomp, those two front jokes sank deep into the thick, sopping wet mud with a sickening squelch, utterly smothering those finely kept hooves in slop. And when Rarity galloped in to stop her body from being ruined, Dash dipped that fine violet mane to the grimy surface. Rarity stopped Dash's hooves in their tracks.

"No!! I’m sorry, Dash!"

"I'll do it, Rarity! Believe me, I'll do it!"

"Rainbow Dash, you get my gorgeous mane away from that filth this instant!"

"What does it matter? You've already ruined mine!" The very tip of that violet curled mane was barely touching the tip of the goop, like the fine ends of a paint brush softly skimming over the murky surface.

"Brushing through your mane isn't a death sentence, Rainbow! I said I was sorry! I'm serious, step away or...or I'll trot around town in the most elegant, frilly ensemble I can find!"

"Oh yeah? I'll roll in this mud until I'm coated in it. And then I'll let it dry!"

"You wouldn't dare!!"

This outburst had attracted quite the communal attention, and plenty of perplexity! To those looking on, it seemed as if the to locally famous mares had gone insane, screaming their own names and empty threats!

"Rarity, my elegant dame. To drench your hair would be quite a shame!" came a voice from the passing crowd.

"I'm starting to understand the bother. Both of you are each other?" asked the rhyming zebra having dragged both bickering mares back into the privacy of the shop.

Each mare gave a shameful nod, as if the whole situation could have been avoided. Curiosity would take hold as Rarity headed with Dash's body to the still hidden mannequin while Dash carried on with Zecora.

"Please tell me there's a fix for this!" pleaded Dash, looking behind her to her wingless back, "Flying is my life!"

Zecora gave a grim look, "I am sorry Rainbow Dash. I know how you like to zip and flash! But I am in need of something more. Without knowing the cause, I have no cure."

Rarity was busy in her wonder, a hoof tugging that sheet off to show the flowing summer cape. Dash had done a very fitting job; the hems were cleanly sewn and the material was flat. But the trim was off, combined with strange, purple flowers.

Zecora took immediate note in the strange petals, "A cause might be upon us yet. These are not the flowers I told you to get!"

The blue pegasus was just as confused, looking over to Dash, "Were they not white when we picked them?"

"I dunno, it was dark. It's always dark in the Everfree forest!" added Dash, more concerned with her entrapment than a colour clash.

"These are not the Sun Lillies of which I spoke," began Zecora as she trotted over to carefully examine the flowers, "they are similar to the Poison Joke!"

She would go onto explain, approaching the baffled pair, "Petals purple and stamens gold. Stay away from 'Minds Unfold'. A plant that takes two of kind heart. To make their minds and bodies part. And soon enough, their souls will switch. Which leaves the ponies in quite a stitch!"

Both seemed rather perplexed about the whole thing! Rarity's appraising gaze had done nothing in distinguishing the real flower from the rather indistinguishable copycat. They had collected the flowers together, and this switch was the result.

"Is there a cure?" hummed a rainbow coloured Rarity through the pause the pair had taken.

"Making a cure is simple and fine," began to mystic zebra, pointing a hoof to the ready made cape, "but I would remove them from your clothing line!"

"A whole night?" gave Rarity in a snarling voice, still trapped in Rainbow Dash's form.

"Chill Rari', she can't make it brew any faster," called out Dash from the sofa, laid out on her back as she bounced a ball up with her hooves.

Rarity took a glance over as to how her body was being treated, "Will you please sit up now? You're going to mess up my mane!"

A coy looking Dash with Rarity's smirk pulled herself from the plush sofa and onto her hooves, clopping daintily over to her companion, "But doesn't it look divine? I mean, a true work of art, don't you think? Très magnifique!"

Meanwhile, Rarity kept her own glum look on Dash's muzzle, "I do NOT sound like that..."

With a rather dashing turn, the white unicorn headed for the stairs, a warm smile on her face, "Come Dash. I'll boss you around but make it up to later by doing that thing I do with my horn."

That comment had those blue cheeks turn a rosy red as Rarity galloped up behind the cheeky mare in her form, "You're in a lot of trouble, Mrs!!"