72 Dresses
Starring Fluttershy and Rarity
Fluttershy looked up at the clock on the wall of the spa. It was 1:30, and Rarity was now an hour and a half late for their usual spa visit. Fluttershy began to worry; Rarity was never late for the spa. She walked over to the front desk, where Lotus, the pink maned pony that ran the spa with her twin sister, was standing. "Um, could you maybe cancel our appointment for today?" Fluttershy asked. "I don't think Rarity is going to show up."
Lotus nodded, and erased Fluttershy and Rarity's name from the schedule. Waving goodbye to her, and her twin Aloe, Fluttershy left the spa. As she walked back to her house on the outskirts of Ponyville, she began to talk to herself. "I wonder why Rarity didn't show up today. I hope she's alright."
Two days ago, Rarity had made beautiful dresses for Fluttershy and her other friends, for them to wear at the Grand Galloping Gala. Fluttershy hadn't seen the unicorn since they left her boutique that day. Though she was reluctant to admit it, she bore some romantic feelings for her friend, and this naturally caused her to feel more concern for the white mare. The yellow pony's unease intensified; what if her friend had been hurt somehow? Deciding to go to Carousel Boutique to check on Rarity, she changed her path, turning left and walking towards the fashionable clothing shop.
Fluttershy reached the boutique, and was about to knock on the door when she noticed the closed sign displayed in the window. She raised her hoof, and then hesitated, worried that she might disturb her friend. Her concern for Rarity won out though, and she lightly knocked on the door. "Rarity," she said in a low voice. "Are you home?" The yellow pegasus received no answer, so she knocked again. After the fifth time knocking with no response, Fluttershy stopped knocking and pondered what she should do. "Oh, maybe she's not home... Or maybe she is home, but she's hurt! Would she be angry at me if I went inside just to check if she was alright? Oh, I just don't know what to do!"
A couple minutes later, Fluttershy came to a decision. She would enter the boutique, if it was unlocked, to see if Rarity was alright, but she wouldn't touch anything inside. She pushed against the door and it opened easily, allowing the yellow pegasus access to the boutique. She walked inside and looked around. There was no sign of Rarity, but there were various bolts of cloth strewn haphazardly across the floor, and a few of her dress models had been knocked over. "Rarity?" Fluttershy softly said. "Are you in here?" The lack of a response worried her. What would cause her perfectly organized unicorn friend to leave her shop in such a state of disarray?
As Fluttershy advanced into the boutique, nearing the open door to Rarity's bedroom, she became aware of a heavy breathing sound emanating from the room. The pegasus began to panic, wondering what was making the noise. Was it an intruder who would attack her? She considered leaving the shop, but her concern for her friend convinced her to remain. Gathering up all of her courage, she stepped into Rarity's bedroom.
Fluttershy gasped at the sight she beheld. Rarity was lying motionless on the floor beneath the desk her sewing machine rested on. Overcome with frantic worry at her friend's safety, she ran to the unicorn's side. Kneeling down, she reached a hoof to Rarity's neck and checked to see if there was a pulse. Rarity's eyes opened at the pegasus' touch, sparking a realization in Fluttershy that the unicorn had merely been sleeping. It suddenly occurred to her that the heavy breathing had actually been the sound of Rarity snoring.
"Fluttershy? I-is that you?" Rarity groggily asked, confused and tired.
The yellow pegasus blushed and jumped back, embarrassed that she had disturbed her friend's slumber. "Um, I'm sorry... I d-didn't mean to disturb you... Um, I thought you might be hurt or something..."
Rarity, now more awake, though still visibly tired, replied in a puzzled tone. "Why would you think that, Fluttershy?" After a moment of thought, she came to a realization. "Oh no! I missed our spa appointment, didn't I? Oh Fluttershy, I am ever so sorry!"
Fluttershy responded in a kind, forgiving voice. "It's fine, Rarity. I'm sure we can go next week, if that's alright with you..."
Rarity looked over at her desk. "Yes, I'm sure that will be fine. I should be free then. It's just been so busy lately..."
Fluttershy looked at her friend with a concerned expression. "I haven't seen you in a couple days. You must be really busy..."
"Oh yes, I have a big order to fill by Tuesday," replied the white unicorn. "It's nothing to worry about though, I can handle it."
"Rarity, are you sure you're alright? You don't look too well." True to Fluttershy's words, Rarity looked much different from her usual fashionable self. Her mane and tail had several hairs out of place, and there were bags under her eyes.
"My dear, I'm fine!" Rarity responded. She turned towards her sewing machine and looked at the dress she had been working on before she had fallen asleep. "I need to get back to my sewing though. I have a lot to do before Tuesday."
Fluttershy recognized the dress that Rarity was working on; it was the one that she had sewed for the pegasus to wear to the Grand Galloping Gala. "Uh, Rarity, I already like the dress you made. There's no need to put yourself through so much trouble to change it."
Rarity turned her head towards Fluttershy. "Oh, this isn't your dress. It's one of the ones I need to make for Tuesday."
"But why are you making another copy of the dress you made for me?" asked the puzzled pegasus.
"Hoity Toity liked the dresses I designed so much, he commissioned me for some of them to sell in his illustrious boutique in Canterlot," replied Rarity. "It would give me so much more business, and I'd be able to expand my store."
"Oh Rarity, that would be amazing! But how many dresses does he want?" asked Fluttershy.
Rarity looked down at her hooves. "Uh, just a dozen of each Gala dress. But it's nothing I can't handle."
Fluttershy's eyes widened. "A dozen of each dress? That's seventy two dresses, Rarity. Making the original dresses stressed you out enough. Seventy two is just insane!"
"Oh no, Fluttershy, I can handle it."
"No Rarity, you can't," replied that yellow pegasus. "You haven't spent any time with your friends! You missed our usual spa appointment! I came in here to find you passed out on the floor! You're clearly overworked, Rarity. None of that behaviour is normal for you!"
The unicorn sighed. "You're right Fluttershy; I may have bitten off more than I can chew. But I simply must complete this order. Having my dresses in Hoity Toity's shop would make me one of the most famous designers in all of Equestria. I can't pass up that chance."
"Fine. I can see that you're going to make these dresses no matter what I say." Rarity opened her mouth to comment on Fluttershy's statement, but the pegasus held a hoof up to silence her, and continued. "So if I can't make you stop, I'm going to help you. We'll both sew the dresses, and that way we can get the order done faster."
Rarity looked at her friend in surprise. "Oh Fluttershy, I couldn't ask you to help me."
"You didn't ask me. I offered. And I'm going to help you, whether you want me to or not. I can't stand watching you kill yourself with stress like this."
Rarity considered protesting, but the stern look on Fluttershy's face made her realize that the pegasus would not be convinced to change her mind. "A-alright. If you really want to help, I have a spare sewing machine in the basement. I'll go get it."
Fluttershy relaxed her facial expression and smiled. "Thank you Rarity. That would be lovely."
A few hours later, the pair of ponies had completed a total of fourteen dresses. Added to the sixteen that Rarity had already completed, there were only forty two left for them to sew. It was a lot more work than Fluttershy had expected, but she persisted, glad that she was able to help her friend.
Rarity yawned, prompting Fluttershy to look over at her. "Rarity, perhaps we should take a break. Maybe you could have a nap."
Yawning again, the unicorn nodded. "Maybe you're right. I'll just lie down for a few minutes." She walked over to her bed, and gracefully got in. Fluttershy grabbed the covers with her mouth, and brought them over the white unicorn, tucking her in. Rarity smiled at this kind gesture. "Thank you, Fluttershy. You're such a good friend."
Within a minute, the exhausted unicorn was fast asleep, snoring just as loud as she had when Fluttershy found her lying on the floor. Relieved that her friend was finally getting some rest, Fluttershy resumed sewing. Her earlier worries existed no longer; now that she was helping her friend, she was confident that Rarity was okay.
Periodically checking to ensure Rarity was still comfortably sleeping, Fluttershy managed to complete five dresses over the course of three hours. It occurred to her that Rarity had probably not eaten in a while, so she decided to cook dinner for her.
Rarity woke to a wonderful aroma wafting in from her kitchen. She got out of bed, practically mesmerized by the smell, and walked out of her bedroom and into her kitchen. She found Fluttershy standing in front of the stove, stirring a pot resting on top of a burner. The pegasus turned towards her friend as she entered the room. "Oh, hello Rarity. How was your nap?"
"It was lovely, thank you," replied Rarity. She took a deep breath, taking in the aroma of whatever Fluttershy was cooking before taking a seat at her kitchen table. "That smells so divine, Fluttershy. What is it?"
"Oh, it's just soup. Nothing special," answered Fluttershy. "Um, I'm sorry, but I could only finish five dresses while you napped." She used a spoon to draw some soup from the pot and sipped it. "I think the soup is done. Let me get you a bowl."
Rarity smiled with gratitude as the pegasus placed a bowl in front of her, and then filled it with the heavenly soup. "Thank you, Fluttershy. For the help with the dresses and for the soup. You really are too kind sometimes..." Bringing her own soup-filled spoon to her lips, she slowly tasted it. It really was as good as it smelled! The unicorn, being quite hungry, eagerly ate the soup in her bowl. "This is delicious!"
Fluttershy sat down with her own bowl of soup, still blushing at Rarity's compliments. "Thank you Rarity, but the soup isn't special or anything. I make it all the time."
"It still tastes absolutely amazing," replied Rarity. "Would you be willing to give me the recipe later?"
"Of course, Rarity. I'd be happy to." The ponies continued chatting as they finished their meals, something that made Fluttershy quite happy. She really enjoyed the unicorn's company and conversation.
As she put her spoon down in her now empty bowl, Rarity glanced up at the clock on her wall. It was nearly midnight, and she was beginning to feel tired again, despite having napped only a short time ago. Sensing this, Fluttershy spoke up. "Maybe you should get some more sleep. It would really help with your stress."
"I think you're right. But you ought to get some sleep too. I wouldn't want you to stress yourself out either," responded the unicorn.
"Oh no Rarity, I'm fine," Fluttershy said, not wanting to be a burden to her friend. "I can stay up and work on dresses while you sleep."
"Nonsense, you wouldn't let me refuse your help, and I won't let you refuse my offer of sleep. When we wake up in the morning, we can work on the dresses. We both need sleep."
Unable to find a way to object to Rarity's suggestion, as she really was tired, Fluttershy nodded. "Okay."
Rarity walked back into her bedroom, followed by the shy pegasus. She motioned to the bed. "I'm terribly sorry Fluttershy, but I only own one bed. Sweetie Belle's is much too small for a fully grown pony. I hope you don't mind sharing my bed for the night."
Fluttershy blushed at this remark, unable to believe that the object of her affections was suggesting that they sleep in the same bed. "Um, isn't sharing beds with somepony usually for ponies who are, um, more than friends?"
Rarity's cheeks also went red upon hearing her friend's comment. "Well, usually... But I've shared beds with friends before. It's not exclusively reserved for lovers. Of course, I could always take the floor, if you're uncomfortable with us both being in the same bed."
"No, that's not necessary," replied Fluttershy, not wanting to ruin the chance she had been given. "I'm sure we can both be comfortable in your bed."
The white unicorn got into the bed first, followed by the pegasus. They each rested on separate ends of the bed. Fluttershy had to admit that Rarity's bed was quite comfortable, much more comfortable than the modest bed she usually slept on. The warmth and comfort of the bed and the proximity of her friend helped Fluttershy to soon fall into a deep slumber.
The sound of birds chirping woke Fluttershy the next morning, but she refrained from opening her eyes, wanting to stay in bed for just a while longer. She had experienced an extremely pleasurable dream, and the bed was very comfortable. There was also a faint scent of flowers. She decided that she would wait until Rarity woke up before getting out of bed, it was simply too soft and warm.
A few minutes later, she heard a gasp. Wanting to identify the reason for the gasp, Fluttershy opened her eyes, only to realize that she was lying directly behind her friend, the white unicorn's withers pressed up against her chest. She panicked and nearly jumped right out of the bed as she discovered that her left leg had been wrapped around Rarity's barrel. To make matters worse, the pegasus' wings were now rather stiff.
Rarity turned over to face her friend. "I must say, I certainly didn't expect such...intimacy." The pegasus did not respond, rendered silent by her embarrassment. "Fluttershy, are you okay?" All Fluttershy could manage was an embarrassed squeak, her face as red as a tomato. "Fluttershy, it's fine. I'm sure you didn't mean to do it. No need to be embarrassed, dear."
The words of her best friend were enough to calm Fluttershy down enough for her to speak, albeit in a nervous and ashamed manner. "Um, t-that was an, um, a-accident, Rarity... I'm sorry, um, I d-didn't mean anything by it... Can you forgive me?"
Rarity got out of bed and walked over to her mirror. She began brushing her mane as she replied to Fluttershy. "Of course I forgive you. You are my best friend after all." Staring directly at her pegasus friend, she posed a question. "I just want to know one thing: why?"
The question brought back some of Fluttershy's panic. "Um, what do you mean?"
"Why were you pressed up against my back? Why was your leg wrapped around me? I'm not angry, I'm merely curious." Fluttershy did not speak; she just looked down at her hooves, her face burning red. "Come on Fluttershy, don't be shy."
Fluttershy managed to find her voice. "I had a dream... A romantic one..."
"Oh, you dreamed you were with a wonderful stallion, and you were cuddling with him in the dream, and ended up doing the same thing in reality! No need to be embarrassed about that, Fluttershy. I've had those dreams too."
Fluttershy shook her head. "No, it wasn't quite like that."
"No? What did I get wrong?" asked Rarity.
It took all of Fluttershy's courage for her to admit as much as she did. "It wasn't a stallion... It was a mare..."
Rarity dropped her hairbrush in shock. "You're a fillyfooler?" The pegasus nodded. "How interesting... So who was it that you were cuddling in the dream?"
"I'm not sure," lied Fluttershy. "I don't think it was anypony in particular, just a beautiful mare..." She looked at Rarity with a worried look on her face. "There's nothing wrong with liking mares, is there?"
"Oh of course not, Fluttershy," replied her friend. She smiled fondly, thinking of her past. "In fact, I've my share of crushes on mares; mostly childish schoolfilly things, but attraction nonetheless." Fluttershy's embarrassment faded away, now that she knew her best friend accepted her for the way she was. A bit of an awkward silence filled the room, but it was broken by Rarity deciding to change the subject. "So, by my calculations, we have a little more than half of the dresses. Do you think we can finish them all by tonight?"
Fluttershy nodded. "Of course. The two of us shouldn't have a problem finishing them together." The pegasus got out of bed, and the ponies resumed working on the dresses.
By noon, they had completed eight dresses apiece. Deciding to break for lunch, the pair headed to the kitchen, where they finished the rest of Fluttershy's soup.
As she ate, Rarity was unable to think of anything besides the fact that her friend was a fillyfooler. Part of her wanted to ask a question that had been on her mind since she found out, but the other part refrained, not wanting to offend her shy friend. However, her curiosity eventually got the better of her. "Fluttershy, I have a somewhat personal question to ask you." Fluttershy looked up from her bowl, a questioning look on her face. "Uh, well since you like mares and all, I was just wondering... do you think I'm attractive?"
Fluttershy blushed furiously, and she looked away from her friend. "Um, yes... Very much so..."
"Why didn't you ever tell me? You know I'm your best friend."
Fluttershy looked at Rarity, tears beginning to form. "I was afraid we'd stop being friends if I told you. And you were always going on about how you wanted to marry that prince, and I just thought you only liked stallions! I didn't want to lose you!"
Rarity got up from the table and walked over to her pegasus friend. She wrapped her arms around Fluttershy in a caring hug. "Oh Fluttershy, I could never stop being your friend, no matter what happened." Fluttershy returned the hug, comforted by the fact that her best friend was okay with Fluttershy finding her attractive. The unicorn spoke again. "What do you find attractive about me?"
"You're beautiful Rarity, I don't see how anypony could not find you attractive! I've never seen anypony with such beauty. Your mane is always impeccable, and the dresses you wear are without equal! You're also the most kind and generous pony I've ever met."
Rarity blushed at the compliments, her face going just as red as Fluttershy's. "Really? You think I'm that beautiful?" Fluttershy nodded. "Oh my, I don't know what to say, Fluttershy. Thank you." She glanced up at the clock and noticed the time. "Perhaps we can get back to dressmaking now. Can we continue this conversation after the dresses are done?"
Fluttershy, eager to get through the work and continue her chat with Rarity, agreed. They returned to Rarity's bedroom and resumed working on the remaining dresses. The time seemed to pass faster than before, and by nine o'clock that night they had finally finished the last dress. Hanging it next to the others, Rarity looked upon them with pride. She had actually managed to sew seventy two dresses for Hoity Toity with the help of her best friend.
Fluttershy looked at the unicorn with a huge smile on her face. "Well, you actually did it, Rarity. I'm so happy for you."
"No, Fluttershy," corrected Rarity. "We did it. Without your help I wouldn't even have half the dresses finished. I simply can't thank you enough."
Fluttershy shook her head. "You don't need to thank me Rarity, I was just being a good friend."
Rarity looked at her, a slight smile on her face. "You'd like to be more than friends, wouldn't you?"
Nervously, Fluttershy nodded her head. "I've always thought you were the perfect mare. I can understand if you don't feel the same though..."
Rarity walked up to the her friend and pressed her lips against Fluttershy's, making the pegasus' eyes go wide in surprise.
Rarity's tongue penetrated deep into Fluttershy's mouth and the pair fell onto Rarity's bed. Rarity broke the kiss to whisper into Fluttershy's ear in a seductive tone. "I think you should be able to guess my answer..."
The next morning, the two awoke in the same position as the morning prior, but this time neither pony felt shame or embarrassment. Fluttershy lovingly rubbed Rarity's shoulder with her hoof, making both smile. "Oh Rarity, last night was incredible..."
"I know exactly what you mean Fluttershy..." replied the unicorn.
Fluttershy's smile briefly faltered. "Um, what are we? Are we dating now?"
"I'd like that very much Fluttershy. I don't think I could find a better mare in all of Equestria..."
"Can we just keep it between us for a while? I'm not sure what Twilight and the others will think of us, and I'd like to wait a bit before telling them."
Rarity rolled over and kissed Fluttershy on the forehead. "Whatever you want, Fluttershy. This will be our little secret..."
The End, at least for now.
Author's note:
This was originally written back in September and posted on DeviantArt, but I'm only getting around to uploading it here on FIMFiction now. As implied by the final line, there will be a sequel of sorts, but it won't be done for a while. Thanks for putting up with my awful writing!