A Work of Art

Chapters

Chapter 1 - The Unexpected Choice
Chapter 2 - Nothing Special
Chapter 3 - And The Show Goes On

Chapter 1 - The Unexpected Choice

For once the athletic blue pegasus stood idly among four close friends of hers, her eyes casually sweeping about a room that was decorated in a way she might have described as "too girly" or "gaudy". The walls, painted in deep shades of pink and purple, all appeared to be covered with some kind of detailed ornamentation. Every space she looked was festooned with ribbons, bows, and all sorts of flowery patterns, much to her disapproval.

Of course, there wasn't much to do in a room with so little flying space, as Rainbow Dash realized when her patience began to ebb to dangerously low levels. She began to twitch her messy, rainbow-striped tail anxiously. Just as she was about to step forward and ask if Rarity was ready yet, her question was answered.

"I'm reeeadyyyyyy!" a voice that rang with an overly-enthusiastic tone chimed from behind the door of Rarity's room, which soon after swung open to reveal the fabulous violet-maned mare that Rainbow and her friends knew so well. She smiled at the five ponies that looked back at her, though they mostly wore confused expressions.

"So...what's been taking you so long?" Rainbow Dash asked after a few seconds of odd silence, trying not to sound too impatient.

"Ah, yes, I was hoping you'd ask that!" she said, and took a leap back into the room before emerging once more, this time carrying with her magical blue aura something large--about the size of a pony--draped in a navy blue piece of fabric. She trotted out to the center of the room and set the mysterious object on the floor beside her, in front of her five well-known friends. There was silence for a short moment, a tranquility which was shattered by Pinkie Pie's shouting. "Ooh what is it? Is it a surprise? I LOVE surprises! You just never know what it might be even if it was given to you by your very best friend and even when you think you can figure it out and you sit down and think about it for a reallyreallyreally long time, you can never guess the right answer, or it won't be a super-fun exciting ultra-amazing surprise anymore!" she took a long, drawn-out, overly dramatic gasp and darted over to Rarity's side, her eyes shimmering with excitement. "And you know the very best part of a surprise?"

"Um...what would be, dear?" she asked hesitantly, not quite sure what to expect from this spontaneous party-loving pony.

"Finding out what the surprise is!" she exclaimed gleefully, leaping into the air. "SHOW US WHAT IT IS!" She hollered, still in midair. She then landed softly on the ground, her usual, small smile having politely returned to her face.

Rarity laughed nervously, recovering from the anxiousness that came with Pinkie's spontaneity, she grinned amiably and proceeded to elaborate. "Well, as you all know, none of my recent fashion lines have been very successful in Ponyville."

Her friends glanced at one another tentatively, then gave small individual nods, motioning for Rarity to continue.

She sighed. "... Still, I'm not getting anywhere with my business and unfortunately, money doesn't grow on trees. So I've decided that if these ponies don't appreciate my taste in fashion, I'm going somewhere where they do. Girls, I'm going back to Canterlot!"

Twilight was the first to react, bearing a suddenly startled expression. "But Rarity! Do you know where you'll stay? I mean, I know that the princess let you stay at her castle last time you were there but... I mean, you've planned this out with her, right?"

"Why, of course I have this planned out, dear!" she said, giggling slightly. "You see, when I was in Canterlot that time all those months ago, I was talking to my new friends Jet Set and Upper Crust. Since I’d managed to make a good impression on ponies there, attending ponies’ parties and helping them out with apparel choices and such, they showed a surprising amount of dismay were when I told them that I’d be returning home soon—"

“Aww!” Pinkie Pie shouted with sudden sympathy. “See, you’d almost think that those ponies with how proper and restricted and never-show-emotions-too-boldly about things would never think to do more than nod in their, uh, what's that word?--“dignified” way to respond to you saying you'd be leaving.” Pinkie took note to wrap up her comment swiftly as she glanced over at Twilight and saw her give a look that said “remember, it's Rarity we came here to listen to”. Still she smiled, and took a quick breath. “But I think it’s really sweet how they’re not afraid to show how much they really care about you! Almost like us! Except your Canterlot friends aren't as loud and talky-talkative-ish as me.”

Rarity just grinned warmly, happy to have honest friends, as talky-talkative-ish as they were. She exchanged glances with Twilight, a unicorn who, too, would miss Pinkie’s unrestrained, rowdy nature if she were going to Canterlot. Then the white-coated unicorn continued.

“As I was saying, Jet Set and Upper Crust informed me that I was welcome to stay at their house, for their house is quite spacious and includes an entire guest room. It sounds delightfully comfortable, and by the sound of it there will be enough room for a few ponyquins and such!” She giggled sheepishly at her sudden burst of energy. “So, uh... I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to gain inspiration and to immerse myself in the fashion world."

Rainbow Dash huffed, straightening out from where she leaned against the wall while Rarity narrated a boring tale of city ponies. Not that the rainbow-maned friend hadn't been listening, but that was all she had taken from Rarity's speech. “So they just gave this to you, of their own free will? I mean... it's not like Canterlot ponies are the most charitable of ponies. Like, last time they were all scowling at us at the garden party."

"Rainbow!" Twilight exclaimed. "You know very well these are Rarity's friends, and you should be happy for her that they offered her this!"

Applejack’s rough, straw-colored mane bobbed slightly as she raised her head to speak. “Ya know, Rainbow, y’should speak a little nicer. Ya might think that Canterlot's nothin' more but a prissy ponyfolk city, but Rarity clearly wouldn't enjoy it so much if it were nothin' more." A look of consideration lay deep in the farmpony's emerald eyes.

Twilight nodded confidently. "That's absolutely right. After all, Rainbow, we listen to you plenty of times when you're telling us about your newest flying stunts, even when you're downright bragging! We all enjoy different things, so let Rarity have this. This is great news for her."

"Thank you, Twilight," said Rarity. "I suppose some ponies don't understand that there are some truly benevolent folks in Canterlot, and that it the city does have its charming aspects." She gave a hopeful glance toward a certain pegasus now hovering in the room of the boutique. The sky-blue pegasus looked on questioningly, her sturdy wings still flapping steadily.

“Ah, right… That part. You see, I had a brand-new dress to bring to me while I was at Canterlot…” An aura of wispy blue magic whipped away the almost-forgotten dark fabric that covered that mysterious and pony-sized object. It in fact was the size of a pony, and fit for a pony, too. In the space previously concealed stood a ponyquin appareled with an sharp-looking dress of black fabric —the base was a simple and sleek form, and from below the hind legs there hung a long, rippled skirt of sorts made of a thin and elegant white fabric. Separating those two kinds of fabric was a wavy black lace trim, another decoration of the same sort creeping up from beneath the sleeves. There were black threads in a criss-cross pattern on a stripe of white down the center of the dress, buttons on each side of this design, and the collar of the dark dress looked like that of a polo shirt.

This new design seemed different from most made by Rarity. Not that it didn't live up to the standards of a gifted designer like her. But perhaps it was the approach that was different—it was a more dark and audacious sort of design. The others may have picked up on this too, though they may not have realized it, the fascination in her friends’ eyes told Rarity that she had done something new and impressive. Even Rainbow, though stone-faced and unwavering in her apathy toward fashion, had to admit that it was cooler than most of her previous designs.

“Wow, Rarity!” Twilight was the first one to speak, and with an interested look. "Is this the dress you'll sell at Canterlot? It's so...bold! And...black!"

“Why yes, dear Twilight! This is perhaps my favorite part of an new fashion line I will be presenting there.” Her eyes swept around the room curiously. “Now, there is one thing I ask from you, my friends… See, it's a different style than I'm used to: flashy, bold... Though I could very well wear them myself, I don’t think these dresses quite suit me. There was only one pony on my mind whom I thought could pull it off. Someone bright, showy, intense, someone who could abandon my typical delicate, feminine standards of fashion. Of course, this would mean accompanying me to Canterlot. But that's all for the sake of presenting my hopefully-beautiful new designs!"

Though none of Rarity's friends were quite as fond of Canterlot as she was, nearly none were entirely repulsed to the high-class city. And of course, anything could be made enjoyable to a friend of Rarity if they were by her side. Needless to say, any of the bunch were willing to go for the sake of their friend. But who would be best suited for it?

Fluttershy, a close friend of Rarity's who did her best to accompany the unicorn on her trips to the spa and other get-togethers, scraped at the floor with an apprehensive yellow hoof. “Well, um, I know you’d appreciate the help, Rarity, but I’m just not quite sure I’d be able to pull of the outfits well. You know…they’re not really ‘my style’, as you might say.”

“Ah, I understand, dear. Thank you so much for the consideration! Although… I do suppose there is one pony here who I have faith would wear the outfit, as well as a few others I have planned, quite well…” Her gaze wandered over to a certain pegasus mare who hovered in midair in all her intense and wild natural look—the strong, sharp-edged wings, the fur blue as the sky, the barely-brushed name that always managed to stay in that same, straight pattern with its jagged edges here and there in the heap of beautifully-colored rainbow-striped hair. Yes, her looks would contrast the deep black dress quite perfectly. This was who Rarity had envisioned modeling the fashion line she’d worked on for weeks. The question was, would she?

~ ~ ~

Of course, though Rainbow Dash had never been the most ecstatic about fashion--in fact, out of those five of Rarity's friends, Rainbow had been the one to most strongly resist wearing dresses and other fancy attire. But she couldn't just rudely refuse such an invitation of going to Canterlot. Though the pegasus might not have realized how important it was that she accompany her unicorn friend had it not been for a reprimanding glare from Twilight that said it all, Rainbow tried to keep in mind that she was doing this for a friend. It would not be her decision to surround herself with the type of ponies who held their heads so high that she was surprised their delicately-curled, paper-thin manes didn't fall off as they trotted without a sound much louder than that of a pin dropping. But apparently that was the plan that Rarity established after a somewhat quiet and polite, yet sort of long, argumentative and with an irritant nature, altogether awkward discussion involving dresses and trips and hints of all that lay ahead of the pair of contrasting mares for the next week.

Now, the reluctant invitee walked carelessly over a dirt path close beside a mare who trotted carefully and somehow avoided staining her snow-white coat with the dust from the ground while her head was held happily high and her eyes closed cheerfully and contentedly. And the pony with the pale blue fur and the smooth yet unstyled, polychromatic mane had to hold back a sigh; yes, instead she had to try to remember for once what Twilight had said about not all favors being your favorite to do. "It will be over soon," she grumbled to herself, otherwise incomprehensibly.

Another thing she didn't keep in mind, as she entered the door of the house where she and Rarity would plan and pack, was how her experiences on this trip might be worth more than she expected.

Chapter 2 - Nothing Special

"Rise and shine, wild bird!"

Those five words were the first to split through silence and semi-darkness only moments before Rainbow Dash felt a layer of warmth and comfort suddenly stripped from her back. Confusing as those words were to her or any listener, it wasn't as confusing as the setting she woke up to.

"Wha...huh?" The slowly awakening mare lifted herself from the cushion of a bed layered with sheets of lavender-colored flower patterns, not a pattern she would've received amiably whether she recognized it or not. And truthfully, she didn't recognize it.

The familiar unicorn of long black, eyelashes, luscious purple curls in her mane, and an ever bright and fashionable composition stood before this bed, smiling. Yes, that was Rarity, but what was this room? It was neatly decorated, with paintings of flowers on black shelves here and there, two identical beds, and walls some shade of pink that must have had some specific name that only elite interior designers would know. She stretched her wide, pointy-feathered wings. This mare was used to waking up slowly with a blissful lack of awareness of her surroundings, and much less of a concrete idea how to start the day. The most information her brain could process at the moment was responding to the dialogue at hand. "What's the... Wild bird? ..Uhh...h?" She blinked her eyes in a sleepy state, her face scrunching up oddly.

Rarity couldn't help but laugh at her friend's bizarre, sleepy face movements. "I don't know, dear, but I couldn't waste any more time standing around here trying to think of a perfectly witty nickname--I'm terribly sorry. It's just that we must get moving!" At the words, she herself began a brisk trot toward the door, but not so briskly as to overwhelm her guest.

Moving? "Oh, of course... The trip to Canterlot. Our main...occupication." Rainbow tumbled out of bed. Yes, that was right, she wasn't used to such an elegantly-carved wooden black ceiling fan such as the one above her head as she lay discombobulated on the floor. She wouldn't be used to any part of Canterlot once she got up and out into the city, but having just awoken she wasn't consciously thinking about that. Having just awoken, she didn't want to. Shortly she was up and stepping right after Rarity across the room to start whatever task they were up to.

No need for the kind of preparation that the other mare, so occupied by her own looks, was. Except that today she sort of had to be. Rainbow Dash was reminded of this when Rarity levitated a suitcase from the foot of one bed, into the air where it was carefully opened and out came that sharp black dress she had seen on the day just before. It looked kind of cool, she thought. At least, for a dress. If she were more awake and in the mood to give herself more bad feelings, Rainbow Dash would have more harshly scolded her mind for complimenting a dress.

"Yes, this trip is ever important," said Rarity, using her levitation to take a quick and firm hold of her black dress and a separate hold of Rainbow Dash, accidentally dropping the bulky suitcase in the process, but not noticing the abrupt crash as she twirled the unprepared pegasus mare around and slipped the dress over her face. She received a startled cry from her friend in response to all the actions happening at once. The adroit unicorn made a concerned face, then continued to talk as she moved. "I'm sorry for all of this sudden preparation, as I'm sure you are overwhelmed. I suppose that's how it is in Canterlot; we just always have to be moving."

With all the commotion, Rainbow was now almost fully awoken. It was almost as if she enjoyed it, except she was in a dress. "So I'm going to be wearing this...all day?"

"For a few hours, at the fashion show. Jet Set and Upper Crust are already there, actually; I'd just needed some time to mentally prepare, and you needed your... sleep. It's a few blocks away from this house, at Reticent Pearl's stage. You know, from her name and her looks, most ponies assume that she's quite dainty and delicate, but that's not exactly true. Compared to the other ponies here, I think you'd probably like miss Pearl; I mean, she is quite quiet, but she's also very expressive in other ways, like her outfits! Trust me, they're not the usual, frilly, lovely outfits you see all over Canterlot, which is part of why I brought you to meet her! And she doesn't chatter away like the other ponies do--although I do typically find their topics of conversation interesting myself. Anyway, Pearl's known for being rather intense in her fashion tastes, which is part of what inspired me to make this dress that does so suit you! Oh, how I do hope she enjoys it. So that's why she invited me here, and I am hoping not to let her down--you'll do well, won't you?" After fixing up the dress and adjusting Rainbow Dash's mane frantically while her mouth went on not much differently from the incessant speaking motor of Pinkie Pie, Rarity gave one last tug to ensure that the collar was tightened.

Rainbow Dash looked like a well-appareled deer in headlights. She nodded.

In the silence, Rarity looked on, scrutinizing her own work. "...Do you think a bow to the hair would enhance this outfit?"

"N-no! I look just...uh, splendid! Let's go!" And Rainbow dashed out the door, an enthusiastic Rarity following.

~ ~ ~

Rarity hadn't been bluffing when she'd said that Reticent Pearl was a fan of dramatic things. Or something along those lines. Rainbow Dash actually couldn't quite remember Rarity even saying those exact words, but it must have flown out of the flamboyant unicorn's mouth when she was adjusting and endlessly tightening this now very bothersome dress back at the house.

The flight-loving pony twitched, not used to being so restricted by these poofy-at-the-shoulder-yet-also-elsewhere tight sleeves. It also wasn't a nice to know she was wearing a skirt that she could easily trip over, and a meticulously-brushed mane style that she wasn't supposed to touch or (more or less literally) move by a hair. But after uselessly fiddling with the collar and the buttons before being scolded gently by Rarity, Rainbow decided to occupy herself in the most harmless way she could think of, which was to examine her surroundings. Actually, she was mostly surrounded at the moment by a curtain that she should have been waiting behind and not looking past. But she couldn't help it; everyone else was gossiping or otherwise talking about this city she had no interest in or the boring aspects of life she would never have even bothered to describe in a conversation.

The curtain she gripped was a black, satin-like fabric, with embroidered designs of moons around the bottom edge in bold crimson thread. A long ramp of sorts was connected to the front and center of the stage around her, sloping downwards and with a red carpet that must have been for ponies to walk right through the sea of seats before them. The stage itself was shaped not quite circular, but it jutted out here and there in little crescent-like shapes. It was a dark-ish theme, Rainbow Dash thought, glancing again at her own dress. She wondered if there would be a performance. Something so strongly mysterious had to have some sort of blatant explanation, especially if it was a fashion show, right? Or maybe she was just hoping for some action. Ugh. Well, of course she was looking for action. Some kind of events were necessary. A pony behind the curtain, far to Rainbow's left, could be heard chatting about the weather. Seriously? The impatient pegasus thought. What were the other ponies here doing?

In the spacious, not only tall but wide room, there weren't many ponies to be seen. Only a few lingered about, but they seemed to be those emotionless staff members who set things up. They just stood and chatted, barely moving. Not interesting. Rainbow craned her neck a bit further, looking this time all about the stage not far from the curtain just in front of her. No one there. She looked up. Those lights along the tall, dark, side walls were too dim. And why did they give off a blue-ish light? It reminded her of moonlight—sort of like those overlapping moon patterns on the curtain. Was this about Princess Luna? She was actually a cool Princess, Rainbow thought, one ponies don’t hear of much. Maybe there would be a show. About Princess Luna fighting off creatures of the night. The idea seemed exciting, and it didn't matter to the awaiting pegasus how out of place the topic seemed for a well-organized Canterlot fashion show.

Without warning, the lighting was affected temporarily, but only by a tiny bit. For a ray of golden light now spilled in from a door swinging open in the distance. More ponies were coming in the entrance. These were fancy ponies indeed. Not too snobby-looking, Rainbow decided; they looked as classy as was expected in Canterlot society, but probably too interested in the cases they lugged around to be looking down on the less classy ponies. In fact, there was something that was almost…comforting about seeing them.

Down the aisles between velvet-cushioned chairs these four ponies trotted. One was an unusually bright purple with a mane that was an almost unpleasantly contrasting bright-cerulean color (but very neatly combed back), this stallion who dragged a large, square case across the floor. Another stallion, accompanied by two helpers, heaved an even larger instrument in his hooves, but not an instrument with a case. No, this was clearly the strings—no…brass? Percussion? Eh, who knows? All that was certain was the name of this instrument, the well-known piano. The dark wood of the piano actually seemed to suit this musician’s appearance. His coat was a dusty sort of brown, a white mane sitting atop his head neatly like a contented, fat bird.

All of these musician ponies carried large instrument cases, but the mare that followed carried over her back what looked like an oversized guitar. The guitar seemed an unusually simple instrument for her dignified looks, but maybe that was just Rainbow Dash being simple and nonchalant Rainbow Dash. This particular string player bore no expression in her lavender eyes, and trotted with exact steps. The puff of her ebony hair was swept slightly sideways over her forehead like a wave in a storm, and the rest of it cascaded down her back as a mystical, rippling waterfall of dark. Her coat was a lackluster gray, though something about the way she walked told the observer that there was more to this pony than a dull, gray-furred mare who occasionally strummed a guitar.

The pegasus awaiting to model, curious and eager to occupy herself, continued to watch that group of musicians make their way to where they were to be for the show. After those few ponies stopped briefly to clear a few questions with the staff, a piano was painstakingly hefted up the stairs that led to the stage and pushed to the side, where the purple stallion eventually placed a large, shining, golden harp. The three ponies adjusted their instruments' position, doing a little tuning as well. As this took place, the giant guitar case was removed from that unnamed mare's back, and removed from it, the true instrument was revealed.

But was it a guitar? The center hole was replaced with two fancy f-shaped holes flanking the four strings, and it had a more elegant shape and deep red-brown, glossy wood. Apparently it wasn't exactly held like a guitar, either, since a pole extended from the end before the concentrated mare propped it up vertically to begin tuning. And when she plucked the string with a delicate yet strong hoof, the sound it emitted was a deep ringing, much unlike the tinny acoustic guitar sounds Rainbow Dash was used to from some traditional Apple family song she was probably forced to hear in the past.

Time passed on the empty and mostly quiet stage, and the instruments were soon tuned and waiting, along with their players, for the time to begin. It was a shame, thought Rainbow Dash, that the instruments had stopped playing. Especially that big fancy guitar thingy. Not that she wanted to hear it more because it fascinated her, but, you know... just because the sound would give her something to listen to. Her head stayed poked out from the other side of the curtain, as it had been since she started watching; she didn't take her eyes off those mysterious musicians, and especially not the one with the big guitar. In the still-bright light, a wandering glance stumbled upon the stealthy face that was bordered with a smooth, dazzlingly brightly colored mane.

Those sharp, lavender eyes may have been concentrated, but even a musician made to appear serious and driven needs to let her eyes wander. And in this mare’s case, it was smart to let her eyes wander. She might have never otherwise guessed that she was being watched by a confused-looking pony from halfway behind the main stage curtain.

The stern-looking gray mare’s eyes darted toward those of the curious facing pony. “Excuse me.” She whispered after a few seconds. But the rainbow-maned mare had vanished with a dramatic rustling of the black fabric. The other few ponies occupying the stage were too absorbed in their own preparations to notice the strange spectacle the gray mare just witnessed. Holding the enormous fancy guitar-like instrument, she took note of this before glancing to her associates to the left. As she predicted, the string players sat still at their instruments with perfect posture and emotionless--if not hiding their status of anxiousness or perhaps peaceful daydreaming--expressions. She sighed calmly, thankful that at least she hadn’t caused a distraction.

Yet, she wondered, why on earth would that pony look at her like that? It hadn’t been a quick glance around the room that happened to land upon her—and not that this poised pony wasn’t used to someone staring superficially at her nicely combed mane or striking eyes—but... It had been a well-dressed pony, a model up on the stage, actually poking her head from behind the curtain. What interest in this quiet musician did one of Reticent Pearl’s models have to distract them from their own importance, from the fabulosity of the dresses they already sported?

The thought of causing a disturbance to the serenity of the room made the slate-maned mare cringe, but another instinct was urging Octavia Melody to do anything that might grab the attention of the unexplained, fleeting magenta glance from moments before. Just something that might temporarily have that bright blue head turned back in her direction.

“Pssst!” Octavia didn’t usually do “pssst”s. They weren’t often well-accepted in Canterlot society, and she didn’t argue that reasoning, as she noticed from quiet observation that it seemed a rather terse and impatient, perhaps thoughtless gesture. But she just had an unexplainable feeling that this pony perceived a “pssst” in a friendly way. This cellist tended to get those kinds of feelings often. She just “knew” things.

At first, there was no response. She could have sworn that she saw the curtain rustle with an unusual amount of movement, but then it stopped.

“Pssst! You,” Octavia whispered gently but forcefully. “Behind the curtain! I’m not upset at you, I just have a question!”
Rainbow Dash shifted nervously again, less drastically now so that the curtain barely moved. What did a Canterlot musician want from a confused and misplaced pegasus like Rainbow Dash? Didn’t those classical concert stars already know everything? Regardless of her fears, she found herself moving a hoof to slide the curtain over for a view of the dark-haired string player.

“Y-yes?” The nervous phrase came from the mouth of a magenta-eyed face.

The dignified, gray pony, still standing in playing position with the cello in front of her, leaned forward after demonstrating the habit of sweeping her eyes across the stage. “What are you doing?”

“Me?” Rainbow Dash made a nervous head shake, her mane whipping around with the vibrant colors of tropical fruit in a blender. Quite a bizarre and undignified movement for just before a Canterlot fashion show. “Me! I-I’m waiting for the time to go on stage. What else?”

A sly smile crept onto Octavia’s face. Not necessarily a smug or mocking one, for her eyes were playful; her expression was knowing of this temporary model’s secret embarrassment, yet still friendly.

Rainbow Dash’s own face told she must have caught the unusual smile, at least.

“Not from here, are you?” Octavia teased, soon giggling at Dash’s shocked look.

“I-I’m… Not used to… Er, I mean, not like I don’t take these jobs all the time—fashion! Modeling! I’m a pro; I can always count on my friend Rarity to make these kind of dresses for me! See how dazzling I look?” She faked a confident tone of voice as she spoke, then striking a sassy pose. When she realized how that pose actually disgusted her, her hooves went down from the side of her head and her hip. “I-I guess I’m just not used to such big events, yeah.”

Octavia held back giggling at the mare's cluelessness. It should have surprised her how intently she listened and carried on the conversation, with eyes as eager as those of her conversation partner. “Oh? What makes you think of Reticent Pearl’ stage as so… significant?”

“Oh, you know! The stage… It’s… All lit up dimly, and… you could say it, uh… ‘carries an air of ominous…ness’. And these… Instruments.” One would have had to make a conscious effort in order not to notice Rainbow Dash glancing intensely at the cello in Octavia’s lap.

Said cellist mare shook her mane, showing subtle pride. Rainbow Dash’s eyes shot right and left, trying to avoid staring at the slate-colored cascade. For a moment she became aware of the rough and unrefined Cloudsdale resident she actually was in the presence of a stunning mare. She probably just offended the present musician somehow. There was silence and one penetrating glance. Rainbow Dash felt a penetrating glance close by, but out of the corner of her eye she didn't see the vague smirk held by that same look.

Sky-blue ears fell flat against her head to protect from the deafening silence. “Heh heh… I’m sorry, it’s just that such a big and fancy guitar seemed like it symbolized, eh…something important!”

There was more silence. And during those seconds of silence, Octavia’s face began its slow transition from confidence to an amusement Rainbow Dash couldn’t understand, until it finally erupted in a fit of laughter. And the earth pony’s laughter was in a rare, brash voice that had a clearly uneven volume and occasional voice cracks, but in some way it did live up to her surname of “Melody”. In all its raw imperfection, her vocal expression of joy flowed together like a boisterous song.

And Rainbow Dash was an awestruck audience member. She did observe these subtle things, subconsciously, about the way such a classy mare laughed. But Rainbow Dash’s reaction, a look of surprise, was caused by not the nature of her laughter but the fact that this contrasting mare had laughed at all.

With one last grin as genuine and goofy as ever to end her laughing spurt, the satisfied mare composed herself and sat up straight from a previous collapsed and slouching position. This transformation back to her almost condescendingly confident nature of the already spectacular mare left Rainbow baffled at all that had happened. She followed her instincts and opened her mouth to speak, because she knew that she had no idea what to say; Octavia was the one who owed an explanation.

“G…uitar. You can’t be serious, right?” Octavia smiled at the beholding pony, who shook her head cluelessly. “Ah, yes, that was why I laughed, wasn’t it?”

She sighed now, plucking the thinnest string carefully, almost silently. It let out a sound that reminded Rainbow Dash not of a rapid guitar pluck, but something more like a waterfall flowing smoothly… if waterfalls could sing like gentle, joyful songbirds.
“This is a cello. A member of the string family, yes, but… Not a guitar. It’s closer to a violin.” She was looking directly now into Rainbow’s eyes. “You know what those things are, right?” Octavia made a motion that mimicked holding the violin, her head tilted, one arm extended past her chin, the other arm moving rapidly side to side and slightly shifting angles in imitation the bow’s movement. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

“That’s a mutated violin, if you ask me.” She laughed afterwards, attempting to make the statement sound more joking and friendly. As always, she hasn’t meant to be so terse.

Octavia gave an offended look for one second, but then just regarded Rainbow’s face undecidedly. Rainbow Dash was grinning nervously, hoping she hadn’t made an enemy again. But Octavia just raised an eyebrow playfully. She looked extremely dignified, bearing a stoic expression as she sat. But she was smiling with her eyes, perceptibly to Rainbow Dash. “You’re really weird,” was all she said.

It was all pretty true, Rainbow thought to herself as the above lights were fading on and off to signal the show was to start soon, and as she suddenly noticed the ponies that were already filling the seats. In all of her eager questions and brusque, impulsive, she probably looked very clumsy and non-elegant.

And yet the well-accustomed Canterlot cellist hadn’t seemed indignant, hadn't turned her head away dismissively or scoffed at the out-of-place model. Yes, this naturally bold loud pegasus had poked her head in, with her colorfully-striped mane and audacious turn of phrase, and found interest in this composed and elegant musician. The unwanted pegasus guest hadn’t even known what a cello was! Absurd! Yet this pony by the name of Rainbow Dash had gone on and actually made Octavia laugh. And not many ponies of Canterlot had what it took to unlock a sincere laugh from Octavia Melody. Yes, it was all a very strange conversation, really. What a way for ponies to meet, if only for a brief moment.

Chapter 3 - And The Show Goes On

The stage was dim. Whether it must have been dim in the audience as well, Rainbow Dash couldn't quite decide. It could have been that most of the light was being blocked by the formidable curtain in front of her and the other models.

So many ponies surrounded her, all in a line in front of and behind her (but mostly in front of), waiting in the secluded and hidden area before strutting across the same wide stage, and yet Rainbow Dash felt completely and utterly alone. It wasn't often that she was given the chance to stop and actually think to herself fully, and ask the sensible questions that had been hiding in her mind all along. Where was she? Why on earth was this particular pegasus at a fashion show? But had she asked that question before? It probably didn't matter--it still was something she wondered. She didn't like the nature of the place, she had no experience here, no right to be here. And no one here liked her, she thought.

Well... that much was almost true. There was that one pony she talked to who wasn't rude. Maybe things weren't that bad in Canterlot.

...Nah, the cellist she'd met before was just weird. All over her gray fur was written: "weird". No doubt about it, Rainbow decided dismissively.

And standing there, that was the only thing the nervous modeling pony could decide. Dresses as impressive as the one black one she wore, with its subtle, black frills and sharply contrasting white skirt, would usually give a pony a sense of importance, but Rainbow Dash just felt awkward. Suddenly, there was a sound coming from the front of the stage, of hooves clacking confidently across the light wood. They weren't hoofsteps Rainbow recognized, and she found herself holding her breath anxiously. The sound stopped, proceeded by that booming sound, the tapping of a microphone.

"Welcome," said a voice that was dull yet smooth, echoing powerfully. It seemed to lack enthusiasm but not confidence. "To another fashion show hosted by Reticent Pearl! Prepare to immerse yourself in the mysteries of the sky as you observe this beautiful display! Simple but powerful, these designs were made by Miss Rarity, a humble but talented designer from Ponyville!"

Beyond the curtain, the announcer whisked away swiftly. The audience's applause filled the room like a torrent of water. Most of the audience looked pleased or intrigued. Rarity, seated next to Jet Set and Upper Crust, shook her amethyst hair proudly from the positive attention granted by the speaker. All eyes of the ponies seated were glued to the yet unrevealing curtain. The string players sat poised and ready, the pianist bearing a solemn expression with his hooves resting on the black-and-white keys. A dark-haired cellist at the side of the stage nodded approvingly, wearing a grin curved like the crescent moon as the show began.

All of this was hidden by Rainbow Dash's eyes; she never did see how the show begin. As the clapping died down, nondescript Canterlot ponies passed before her, vanishing beyond the secretive curtain as she monotonously followed the line forward. And then it was her turn, and on an entirely unprecedented cue she burst through the curtain to a bright and more liberating space-- the platform of the stage beneath her. Before her swept a vast sea of ponies, a dark and mysterious body that might swallow up and tear to pieces any model who failed to live up to its standards. It was Rainbow's time to step behind the stunning, confident-looking mares who trotted up to and across the edges of the stage.

One who observed this elevated display might have bared an expression awe, wonder, or even a gleam of pride like a particular few ponies who watched Rainbow pick her head up and try her amateur best to become absorbed in her surroundings. The rainbow-accented head tipped to the left in confusion before its owner consciously seized control, guiding sky-blue hooves forward upon the path indicated by a long, thin stretch of red carpet wound oddly across the stage. There was no wind whipping past her, and no liberating, airborne feeling. This was no time for the midair flips and barrel she could perform on her own stunt course to which she'd become accustomed. On a quiet, slow-moving stage, it was time to wow the audience in a different way. Rainbow Dash tried to contain her audacious, adventurous streak within her apprehensive heart.

As ponies looked on, they would see not a whirlwind, nor a creature of savage action. As Rainbow Dash mused to herself, she realized this. Those observing saw a calm pony, appareled in a sweeping black dress, strutting across the stage. Like the others, she held her head tall, and as she walked on there was an unnatural sense of firmness, of tension, in her neck, one which she had never experienced before. Her feet were placed meticulously one after the other, and the once-cocky athlete realized that this kind of walking was one she had never before practiced.

It seemed like it was the first time that all eyes were on her and Rainbow actually felt uncomfortable. And for the first time, at least in years, a feeling of crushing inferiority descended upon her, settling like a block of lead in the bottom of her stomach. In that moment, the discombobulated pegasus didn't think, didn't try to figure out from where this humbling feeling originated. Her body, once presenting unparalleled agility and maneuverability, now felt clumsy and useless. All her acquired thoughts and skills were incompatible with her environment. Though headed in the right direction and with eyes wide open, she walked forward lifelessly like a drone.

It felt like altogether too long before the line of ponies trailed out the door, and even when that happened, the muffled uproar of clapping that followed from the other side of the wall almost wasn't caught by the humbled pegasus's ears at all. It was almost like a phantom or an illusion, a faint, hollow reminder that she was still in the same building. Rainbow jolted her head upright from where it had been sinking slowly to face the ground in discouragement. She soon realized this movement was abrupt and uncalled for. She didn't have to look behind her to see the nasty looks she was receiving--the other models' eyes were burning holes in the back of her head.

"Where are we going now?" came Rainbow's raspy half-whisper that she knew would not be well-received.

"Backstage, of course." spat one of the mares in her vicinity, a periwinkle-coated mare who had just turned around from whispering to one of her well-dressed acquaintances. At any other time, Rainbow might've been taken aback by that kind of response to a simple question, but her mind was clouded and it wasn't as if she'd have lent any courtesy toward these particular folks anyway. Though she'd never admit it, she sort of couldn't blame them. And she started to get another feeling even deeper down—it was hard to detect, but very painful and very much present—it was regret. Though there was no rational reason that it should hurt, it felt to Rainbow Dash like the whole city wanted her to never set hoof in Canterlot again in her life.

As Rainbow Dash reluctantly followed the other six or so mares down the hallway, there was no longer that forced, perfect model posture, and there was no longer a pressure to make the best impression on the audience. There was only a crushing defeat. She didn't bother wondering why this happened, why she let herself be hurt so badly, but if she had it would've been only for a short moment like the blink of an eye before she jumped to the conclusion that there was simply absolutely no chance for her in that stage to begin with. Canterlot was brutal, its inhabitants were brutal, and as the defeated pegasus made her way to the door that left backstage, she thought about how truly unimpressive Reticent Pearl and her stage was.

~ ~ ~

"Lovely designs, Miss Rarity!" an upper-crusty voice proclaimed, that voice just happening to belong to Upper Crust herself. "I must say, they're something... outside of your usual repertoire, but they're still just as stunning as expected!"

Jet Set, the accompanying gray-furred unicorn, nodded. "I enjoyed the iridescent-looking white one. It was simple, made with uniform material, but shone like a spectrum! Brilliant! I imagine it caught everyone's eye."

"Oh, thank you so much, darlings. It's been such a wonderful experience. Thank you a hundred times over for allowing me to stay here, and again for all your lovely compliments." Rarity smiled, heart swelling with joy. She had meant every word she said.

Upper Crust giggled. "You're welcome dear. You're a pleasure to have as a guest, you know." In the auditorium, the lights were now brighter than just moments before, and there were no spotlights on the big red carpet, nor on the grand stage. The crescent-moon-patterned curtains were drawn and remained still and steadfast; it was almost hard to believe the show had come and ended so fast. But Rarity's designs had caught the eyes of and wowed the audience, which assured her she had done a good job. She appreciated that much.

Still, though... There was something that worried her. Her friends looked happy, and they would soon leave after exiting the auditorium like they began doing and picking up their blue pegasus friend. But what about Rainbow Dash? Perhaps it was really Rarity's fault to begin with. Perhaps she should've guided Rainbow Dash, given the mare tips on how to walk properly down the carpet, practiced in advance to ensure that her technique was perfect. It must have slipped her mind in the past hectic days of preparation. Of course Rainbow Dash was unaccustomed to that kind of presentation. That must have been why she looked so odd and stiff.

Looking around her as she got up and telekinetically lifted her stylish hat and shrug onto her, Rarity was overwhelmingly tempted to inquire Jet Set and Upper Crust about how Rainbow Das had looked up on stage, but she held back for fear of receiving a puzzled look, and because she knew they wouldn't have any strong emotional response to her Cloudsdale-raised, winged friend. That was the one problem with these Canterlot friends, Rarity noted pensively before adding some pep to her trot and following her accompaniment out the door with a raised and expectant head.

~ ~ ~

She had meant it when she'd called her weird. Just...not in a bad way. It probably had sounded rather mean, though the way she had just abruptly said it. She shouldn't have just let those words slip out—she'd been taught by her parents, instructed by everyone surrounding her when she was brought up, to be reserved, and do anything but just speak her opinion freely and blatantly. Yet that structure seemed to just fall apart when she talked to the polychromatic-maned mare. It had been, for that moment, as if there was no one else surrounding them. They just talked. And it was weird. No one in Canterlot could she remember just talking to like that.

But evidently she had said something wrong to the eccentric, modeling pony, Octavia realized as she recalled the words she had used. And evidently, she thought, it had a negative effect on the sky-colored mare that remained with her as she walked down the carpet to display her dark dress. The poor thing had looked so awkward, so insecure, so disconcerted, rather than proud of her appearance in what should have been her time to shine. Never before had Octavia witnessed a model with that sort of demeanor.

And she needed to apologize for how she had wronged that erratic pegasus, the one now standing across the room from her. Would this sky-blue mare dash right out of the room in the blink of an eye? Would the cellist be deprived of the opportunity to speak to her again? Octavia puzzled over her own internal conflict as she knelt on the floor to pack up her large instrument. As the last lock of the black case "click"ed shut, she rose to her hooves, steadying herself with the hard cello case. Then, she froze. Across the room, a pair of familiar magenta eyes was aimed at her.

Before the dark-maned musician could ask herself, "how?" or "why?" the eyes darted away again. But after they had, she asked herself those things just the same.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash looked at her hooves. She felt another stab of guilt, as obviously any other Canterlot resident wouldn't be caught staring at another without a proper greeting to break the awkward silence. It didn't cross her mind, of course, that most silences in Canterlot were absolutely deliberate and not at all awkward. It hadn't even been a rude or disrespectful gesture, she thought rationally. It had just been that she thought she had felt a subtle glance or two in her direction, and not a scornful or indignant one. And curiosity may have killed the cat, but it had certainly never killed the Dash, at least not in any of her experiences to date.

The one thing that stopped her from acting upon her curious impulses was the threatening atmosphere. She was, after all, in no authority to do anything out of the ordinary without being regarded as an uncouth and undesirable plebian. The very notion was unsettling, and for once she longed for some familiarity. When would Rarity arrive?

Surprisingly, what seemed to ultimately surpass anyone's misgivings was Octavia's own curiosity. As her carefully calculated footsteps guided the dark-haired mare toward Rainbow Dash, Rainbow tried to tell herself it was a mistake. Her wings tingled, resisting the urge to propel her out of the door along with her legs. Though it was painfully true that everyone around would judge harshly, and perhaps even say something so awful as to make her regret even breathing in Canterlot air, there was nowhere for her to run to.

"Um, hello, Miss..." Octavia stopped, at a loss of two words that were her conversation partner's very name.

"Rainbow Dash!" the tense pegasus responded, trying to appear more relaxed as Octavia continued.

"Rainbow Dash." The elegant, gray mare stopped again, as if making a mental note to herself, but as Rainbow Dash observed, the cellist's expression was not one of pride, nor even condescending amusement. It might've been something akin to pleasant surprise, perhaps softer. "If I might ask, did you enjoy the show? I might note that... Er...I..." she hesitated. "How was it?"

"It was... fine. I..." Rainbow Dash tried to stay confident, tried to look unfazed, but it was no use. Unlike all the other models, she was a fish out of water here. "Actually, I had never really done anything like that before." She hesitated to ask the next question, half not wanting the humiliation. "How did I look? Did I do alright?"

"The truth is... You did all right. You walked behind the other models at the right pace, following the right path..." Octavia's lavender-colored eyes were facing the ground, but they darted up toward Rainbow's for a moment. If it weren't Octavia that this Pegasus were talking to, she would have gotten the impression she just received a look of sympathy. Rainbow Dash looked away, perhaps out of habit.

"Well, that's, uh... Well, that's good." Maybe, Rainbow Dash thought, she should just take a compliment, however incomplete it sounded. She shifted her hooves nervously, but Octavia jumped back into the conversation like a swooping hawk.

"But as I thought about it... More and more I thought, something doesn't look right." Rainbow tensed as Octavia spoke. Of course, this wasn't to criticize your performance, because you really did do just what you were supposed to. Rather, it was something less easy to detect but still clearly off, something almost beyond your control."

Rainbow Dash blinked, wanting to fathom why the musician was saying all this but not wanting to miss a word being spoken.

"See, as I looked across the stage at all the models, I realized that each display was brimming with personality. For example, the mare with periwinkle fur wore a studious-looking gray and indigo dress with translucent ribbons trailing mysteriously behind... It showed a sense of cunning that even shone in her sharp-edged eyes. The saffron-eyed pink mare wore an iridescent-looking white dress; with her sweeping white hair she was the picture of dignity and grace. The personalities not made obvious by their outfits they made up for in their expressions and the way they carried themselves. The white-coated mare with dark-blue tendrils in her mane and a puffy, mottled blue and white dress, she had a gentle, benign expression. Her appearance was delicate, fragile. But you... I wasn't sure what to think of you. Maybe tense, unpredictable, like a thunderstorm. But if anything, you looked... not quite comfortable. Your hoofsteps were stiff, forced, like you were holding something back... Anyway, that was just my impression."

Octavia had stopped her brief monologue, and Rainbow looked on in bewilderment. She would never have expected to listen to a stranger attempt to give an in-depth analysis of how she merely walked across a stage. Then again, in most cases she wouldn't have expected to ever be part of a fashion show. And since it would be rude not to respond to someone who put so much thought into their words, she had to open her own, usually-loud-and-impulsive mouth. "A-aren't fashion shows designed so that you're holding back? No one wants a model to be sprinting across the auditorium, right?"

Octavia was smiling, eyes sparkling as Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously. Her voice took a kind but authoritative tone. "I suppose not. Then again, I shouldn't be bombarding you with all these words so suddenly after you finished your first fashion show. You worked hard, didn't you?"

Rainbow nodded vehemently, or at least in a way that gave the impression of vehemence.

"Well then I don't want you overthinking it. That's what makes us thinking badly of our own choices. You made no wrong choice—In fact, you made the excellent choice to display yourself and your brilliant, multicolor mane." Rainbow Dash glanced up at a strand of her namesake hair slipping toward her eye. Her mane was looking ever so slightly less neat and smoothly-combed than it had when it began. "Will you be participating in another show sometime? You know, for practice?"

Rainbow's eyes widened. "F-for practice? Oh, um, well... !" She suddenly felt like there was something she needed to resolve. She needed to right this horrifying mistake of humiliating herself and the designer. As the door swung open behind her, Rainbow Dash glanced back to see her fashionista unicorn friend trotting toward her.

Another fashion show, to improve her presentation. That would, in turn, be another chance for Rarity to display her simple but powerful designs. That's what her friend would want, right? Rainbow Dash turned toward Rarity, and the bowtie-clad mare behind her raised an eyebrow.

"Hi Rarity!--Oh! Octavia," Rainbow added hastily before she prepared to leave, "This is my friend Rarity. From Ponyville. She's the dress designer!"

Octavia gave a grin like the crescent moon.

Author's Note

Hi I finally finished this chapter and now I feel like I really desperately really badly need to revise the preceding chapter? I feel like I rambled a lot and sort of lost my sense of purpose as an author in chapter 2. Idk. I promise to look at that again and to get this story moving (toward ch.4)