Bring about that silver lining. That thin thread that is on the brink of being snapped in two. Hung right over the edge of a blade. SNAP! The thread finds it’s own demise as a pair of blades cross along that thread, cutting it into two halves. The red strands find their way down held by gravity as a pair of white hooves worked them about in an effort to reconstruct the long fabric. The piece of cloth belonged to the skirt of a dress and those white hooves that clung about on the red seams belonged to none other than the fashionista of Ponyville herself. Rarity.
“Yes! Yeeess! Oooohhhoooo!” Rarity squealed out in a devious flare. Her head low to her sewing table lining her eye to the sewing machine’s needle. “It’ll be grand! It’ll be mysterious! My most cunning work yet! My Vilain et Couth collection is going to stun the crowds! Oh Yeeeesss!” Rarity hissed out as if she were as dark as the dressing she was placing on her more recent design. Catching herself on that strange gesture, Rarity cleared her throat and exhaled out deeply to return to her more mild mannered demeanor.
“Oh my!-Ahem! I seem to be besides myself in my own work,....but it’s just so exciting! Heeee!” Rarity whispered to herself turning from a well mannered Rarity to a giddy filly version of herself. Her hooves working endlessly in her passion of fashion.
“R-Rarity? I’m ready.” Called out a rather timid voice from the entrance to Rarity’s workshop.
“Fluttershy, Darling? How does it fit?” Rarity inquired.
“It’s fine. I just...it’s rather tight.” Fluttershy began to glide into the room. Making her reply with her hooves walking forward.
“Oh my! It’s even more marvelous, than I’d imagined! Fluttershy, you look absolutely gorgeous!” Rarity squealed out sitting on her flank and clapping her hooves in glee at the results. The shy yellow filly was sporting a rather long dress. Adorned with a slip of pink underneath it’s black draping skirt and top as a slit of Flutters’s skirt shown off a bit more leg and room. The shoulder straps with thin pink cloth were hanging loosely, yet were tight enough to hug, over the Pegasus’s shoulders. The waistline was sporting a pink like belt shash that was tight along her midsection.
“T-thank you, Rarity. It is your dress after all.”
“Now now, Darling! It’s not the clothes that make the mare, but the mare that makes the clothing look extravagant! Ooh! Eeeeh!”
“Boy, Rarity you must really be enjoying your work.”
“I admit. I might be getting carried away this time around.” Rarity returned her hooves to her sewing machine running more of the darken red cloth through a fast moving needle. “You must come to Canterlot with me this weekend, to showcase my latest creations!”
“Oh I don’t know…” Fluttershy lifted up a hind leg and watched as the slit along her skirt seemed to open up more. Which made Fluttershy panic and plop her butt onto the floor. The scandelous sight of her own yellow leg seemed to be enough to make the poor pegasus flee in embarrassment.
“Pllleeeeeasssseee!” Rarity tilted her head sideways and got quite close to Flutter’s head.
“Oh. Alright. Anything for you Rarity.” Fluttershy replied holding onto her cheeks as she could imagine what other daring things she might have to wear.
“Excellent! You are just the best, Darling!”
“Oh but! Rarity? Is the other dresses gonna be like this one?”
“Whatever do you mean? Is something the matter?”
“Well. It’s just that…” Fluttershy circle the tip of her hoof along the ground. Struggling to answer Rarity’s question.
“Even though, I’m wearing the dress. I feel...a bit um…’exposed’.” Fluttershy exclaimed. Her eyes finally lifting up to meet Rarity’s gaze. To the pegasus’s surprise Rarity lit up at the sight of those pink cheeks.
“That’s it! That’s the look we need! Oh Fluttershy! You’re brilliant!” Rarity reached out and hugged Fluttershy tightly.
“I. I am?” Fluttershy was confused.
“You and that dress work perfectly together. I must have you present that ensemble.”
“But….why me?”
“That dress was inspired by you Fluttershy. I’m surprised to see that you didn’t see the similarities between your Hallow Eve’s costume and this new dress. It’s still your batpony costume but in a more re-defined manner.”
“Wait. This is the same dress?”
“Of course. The purpose of this fashion line is to show the beauty in the darkness of things as well as show how daring fashion itself can be in it’s most basic essence. I mean all of our adventures. All the crude things we’ve encountered before. And the villains, of course! Made way to my inspiration on designing these dresses.” Rarity made her way over to a large curtain and shot her hoof across the tapestry. Pulling the large covering material out of the way. Showing a hanging line of familiar designs. From Shadowbolts to Lord Tyrek. Rarity had been busy using what her memories and eyes had perceived as “evil” into now beautiful clothing.
“Oh my! Rarity. This is amazing.” Though her expression dropped after seeing a blend of strange colors of a spotty like dress that reminded her of a certain chaotic being with a horn headband. Being pulled out of the line by white hooves. “And a bit scary.” She added
“That one still needs work!” Rarity tucked the dress back into the fold quicky at Flutter’s reaction. Adding a giggle to lighten the mood. “Trust me, Darling. I was too, at first when I started these designs.” Rarity waved her hoof in abandonment at the concern as Rarity was quite use to channeling her devious flare onto cloth.
“Over time, I felt the need to exhale a couple of things out. Work became therapeutic and before I knew it, I was making dresses on every dangerous creature we’ve come across.” And Rarity wasn’t kidding as Fluttershy tucked her own hooves into the hung line and drew out an orange yellow dress that seemed to have a very fancy yet complex collar that flared out like leaves of a palm tree. It’s midsection featured that of scales tucked away into even more cloth.
“Oh the Ruff Hydra! The collar features the heads of the hydra creature we’ve encountered at the Neverfree forest.”
“Oh...EEEHH!” Fluttershy gazed closer at the circular fluffed out collar and dropped it to the ground as an image of a snapping hydra head seemed to come into her imagination.
“Come now. Fluttershy, Darling. It’s not that realistic.” Rarity told her friend who fell back onto her backside. Taking hold of the pegasus, Rarity lifted her back up onto stable ground before tending the new dress Fluttershy quickly discarded.
“Y-you’ve outdone yourself, Rarity.” Fluttershy admitted finding it heavily uncanny that each one reminded her of the frightful memories they’ve come to experience together. Commenting rather politely even though it downright scared her.
“You think so? I’m sooo excited for the upcoming fashion show in Canterlot! Not only would you get to wear these exciting clothes you even get to meet some of the other models I have scheduled for this weekend too. Aren’t you excited too, Dear?”
“Oh? yes of course Rarity. If it makes you happy, I mean.” Fluttershy replied back just thinking about who else might be in one of these shows.
“Now I’ve had to call on some local help this time around for modeling and found two others who are willing, and fit the exact profile, to show off these masterpieces to the world!” Rarity added flare to the word “world” as if she had made a huge discovery.
“Who might that be?”
“You know of Coco Pommel? We met last year and she’s been doing well in her own fashion line attempts. I’ve also recruited a very particular pony that Aloe and Lotus recommended. She goes by the name of Vera. Both of which have agreed to help me with my lineup in just minimal charging of course. Now Fluttershy, Dear? How much are you asking for the job?”
“You know what Rarity, I don’t know. Being out in a crowd is frightening and I’m just not cut out for it. I mean, after the whole trial with Photo Finish, I could never see myself as one of those kinds of ponies. No offense. I’m just not comfortable being something I’m not.” Fluttershy admitted. Finding her reason for leaving the fashion biz in the first place, from a certain exotic fashion photographer. “I hope that’s okay with you.”
“Sigh! Very well Darling. I’m just happy you like the clothing, I made. It’s all I ever ask for. At the very least come with me to Canterlot. We can enjoy the show together.”
“Oh that I would gladly do Rarity. I’m really reaallyy sorry, I can’t model for you.”
“Oh it’s alright. We’ll just have to find a third model to present my latest work.” Rarity waved her hoof in the air shoving Fluttershy’s worry out the window. Letting her hoof trail along one yellow cheek to help comfort her concerned friend.
“It was nice of you to try out some of the clothing for some final revisions. Speaking of which! Mind trying out a couple more before we call it a night?”
“It would be my pleasure, Rarity.”
“Perfect! First will be the Iron Willow dress, than the Diamond Dogma, and finally the Nightmoon Regalia!” Rarity said in such an ecstatic tone. Tossing a blue dress with a horn like collar, a grey dress that shimmered upon closer inspection, and a dazzling black nightgown like dress that held distinct hints of sapphire upon it’s decor.
Fluttershy held her legs up to receive each dress as they flew towards her direction in surprise. Seeing images of Iron will the Minotaur, three large and mean Diamond Dogs, and Nightmare Moon fill her head.
“A-a-alight.” Swallowing hard the timid pony turned and entered the darkened dressing room. Seeing sights of her images turning larger within her imagination. That thin line that seem to hold Fluttershy together was becoming strained at having to disappoint a friend.
“We’ll see if we can change that decision when we get to Canterlot, Fluttershy.” Rarity whispered to herself as she sighed out with a grimace. She needed Fluttershy to wear that dress. The perfect balance of innocence and corruption all laid out on the line for beauty and fashion. The white mare did not show it, but she was more angered than disappointed at Fluttershy’s decision.
-
It was two days before the scheduled fashion show. Which meant high traffic for all kinds of transportation as ponies gathered from the reaches of Equestria’s corners. The Ponyville Express was no exception as the smoke stacked along the billowing engine of the infamous train. Just within sight of the awaiting crowd was a standing pair of young fillies. Fluttershy and Rarity.
Fluttershy was lifting what looked to be something heavy even though upon closer inspection was just a normal backpack. The poor delicate thing was just struggling with handling something that wasn’t just a simple basket of animal feed.
“Thank you ever so much, Fluttershy for bringing your friends to help load up all my precious cargo.” Fluttershy was kind enough to take hold of Fluttershy’s pack with a glow of her horn. The bag followed suit behind a line of several animals that were moving crates and trunks of Rarity’s designs. Bears, foxes, large birds, and more took what they could hold and just staged everything in the confines of the back caboose where cargo was normally stored.
“It’s no problem at all, Rarity. I felt so bad saying no to you that I had to do something to make up for it.”
“Nonsense, Fluttershy. Just you being by my side is enough to make up for it.” Rarity beamed at the Pegasus as Fluttershy took to the ground. (You can apologize, by modeling for me.)
“Thank you all so much for helping us. Now you all be good to each other and behave while I’m gone for the weekend, alright?” Fluttershy watched as her animal friends gathered around her. Catching their attention, as well as the conductor’s as he was baffled that several squirrels and birds just flew out from behind him. “I’ll just be gone for a couple of days. Angel is in charge while I’m gone, okay?”
Fluttershy continued on and on with her companions that she had missed the conductor’s call. “Allll Aboard!”
“There’s extra food by all your homes!”
“Fluttershy, Darling we need to go.” Rarity tried butting in. Though Fluttershy’s kindness and concerns for her friends deafened her hearing.
“Oh! And extra blankets too in case the nights get too cold!” By this time Rarity was pulling on Fluttershy’s leg. “And-and-and! Oh! I’m gonna miss you all!” Fluttershy whined out as she watched the large crowd of animals wave back to her with slight chitters and chirps of a farewell.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine. It’s not the first time you’ve left them alone, Darling.” Rarity assured her as they entered the train with a line of ponies following. The worried yellow filly kept trying to look out from between heads, unhappy to be parting in such a way. All while Rarity cleared her throat and tried to get Fluttershy to focus on more important things. Like changing her mind about the job.
The pair sat down with Fluttershy spending the next few minutes watching as the train rolled out leaving her friends from her sight and Rarity pating Fluttershy on her back, as the pegasus pressed her hooves along the window. Breaking the silence Rarity let out her own concern into the air.
“Too bad the others couldn’t join us. It was much more grand having everypony here with me last time.”
“Well… I guess there’s nothing we can do. I mean, Applejack has her family reunion, Rainbow needed to attend some weather maintainer’s conference, and Pinkie’s house-sitting for the Cakes while they visit far off family for Pumpkin and Pound.”
“Yes, sigh! The only other pony going is Twilight, and she’s got other royal duties to attend to.”
“Last I heard she went ahead days ago to schedule things with the Princesses.” Fluttershy brought her hoof up to her lips to ponder on the thought.
“It’s a shame, really. I wanted to test out a new clothes swapping spell with her new powers. But I guess having her judge the competition is a more important aspect to worry about.” Rarity felt her hoof press along the fabric of her seat and began pondering something else. “Speaking of ‘shames’. It’ll be difficult finding a third model in Canterlot at such a short time.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out, Rarity. After all you do meet a lot of ponies in Canterlot. I mean, the taxi stallion, who appreciated your big tip. The ponies, you gave your scarf and sunhat too. Even the other designers, who I’m sure would gladly give one of their models up for you too.” Fluttershy added thinking she made a great comment about Rarity’s generous nature. Though right now Rarity wasn’t feeling generous. For once she wanted things her way. Sewing those clothes gave her a taste of something she had not experienced in a long time. What’s the harm in nudging Fluttershy just a bit.
“Perhaps. Though I would prefer another pony to take that spot.” Rarity said with a forced filled grin. Her hoof coming up to her chest in declaration of that statement.
“Oh? Who might that be?” Fluttershy tilted her head as her ears perked up at her reply.
“You, dear! Why not model once more? For me, pretty please?”
“Oh no! I’m sorry Rarity. I thought we had talked about it before. I just simply can’t bring myself up on such a stage again.”
“Oh come now! It won’t be as bad as before. And I promise that I’ll make sure that nothing will come of it, if something does. You used to be a highly publicized model. Don’t you miss those days?” Rarity tilted her head towards Fluttershy pushing more on the subject.
“Um...no not really.” Rarity scoffed at how Fluttershy didn’t take one of Rarity’s dreams seriously to heart. “I mean!...Maybe a little?” Fluttershy grimaced at how offended Rarity seemed to be.
“After everything we’ve been through why not just do it for one teensy tiny little showing? Hm? Just one more gallery on the catwalk and I won’t ask anymore of you, Darling.”
“I don’t know. Well I guess if it’s for you.” Flutters swallowed hard back any denial and crumbled under the pressure. Her kind heart giving into the request. “I’ll face the crowd, then.”
“Excellent! I promise to treat you to something good. Probably a visit to the premium spa there. Vera, tells me it’s to die for! Or maybe a fancy dinner from one of their prestigious restaurants. Oh! We are going to have so much fun Fluttershy!”
“Yeah, fun.” Fluttershy couldn’t help but frown staring out at the window. Hating how kind she was to Rarity’s charms. Her head laid upon her hoof as she kept wondering how often Rarity would use such things to control others.
The conversation continue on about what to expect on Rarity’s trip. The white mare having a very brighten attitude while Fluttershy was filled with concern. More comments about the wonderful cafes to try during the day and the bars that would light up the streets at night. Even the shopping districts and sights to behold.
“I’m not one for jewelry but I just adore the gems!”
“You know Rarity? I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.”
“Beg pardon, Dear?”
“Your gem hunting, um...more specifically your gem digging. Ruined a couple of animal burrows. They asked me to talk you about it. If you can dig a little less, please?” Fluttershy brought her hooves up into the air pinching both tip into one another to emphasis her notion.
“Please Fluttershy! Let’s not be silly here. I need the gems for my work.”
“But the critters…!”
“Pardon me Ladies but I need to see your tickets.” Cried a conductor who barged into their conversation. The simple stallion held his hoof up and waited to inspect the lovely pairs’ proof of purchase.
“Oh yes! Of course, of course. I have them right….where is it? Where are they? No I’m sure they were!” Rarity smiled and held her hoof up as she reached into a saddlebag. In which her hoof failed at finding the tickets. Forcing Rarity to look into her bag. Tossing end pulling it into her seeking eyes. “I can’t find them!”
“I’m sorry Ma’am, but we’ll have to escort you out on the next stop.”
“But you can’t! Getting tickets to Canterlot at this time would be extramental in price range!”
“Sorry ladies. That’s the rule. No tickets no ride.” Rarity pouted and yet something dinged into her mind as she felt a familiar taste press along her lips.
“Well kind, sir maybe I could pay upfront for a ride straight to Canterlot.”
“Are you bribing me?” The conductor wasn’t please with that reply.
“Maybe a little something for your bag as well?” Rarity held up an array of gems. Blue, green, and red gems fanned out along her hooves in display.
“Rarity just listen to him.” Fluttershy added not wanting anymore trouble.
“Bup bup bup!” Rarity held up her opposite hoof to silence her friend. “Please Sir. I need to get to the city. I can’t afford to lose any time before the big fashion show.”
“Look, Miss. I’m just doing my job. If I take your bribe, I’d be jeopardizing my position here.” He crossed his arms and didn’t seem to budge on the choice to kick the two innocent mares out. Just as he thought he held a firm grasp on his authority Rarity did something that he never would have expected. Throwing herself on the stallion and getting really close to his face. Her hooded eyelids hinting as what might come next.
“Well then, sir. What are we to do? Oh woe is me. Perhaps we can discuss more of this in a more private place, hm?” Rarity pressed her hooves along the older pony’s chest. Who was baffled by how this turned out. The outcome causing him to be speechless as Rarity shoved at his chest. Moving away from Fluttershy who just seemed to scoff and could not believe what Rarity just did. Though the fashion show was important to her. She was offering too much. Through her flushed expression Fluttershy couldn’t help but be angry about Rarity’s methods.
She didn’t have to do it. She didn’t need to go that far. She didn’t need to manipulate that conductor. They would have found a way. Rarity had made her choice and Fluttershy continued to just ask blindly to Rarity’s choices. Sure she was acting strange last night when they met. Was her work really affecting her this much? after what felt like 30 minutes, Rarity came trotting back to her seat with a big grin on her face and something extra.
“Fluttershy dear. Sorry for keeping you waiting. I just had to explain to him why it was surely a mistake on our part and why we should be allowed to ride the train.”
“Um, Rarity. You got a little something on your cheek.” Fluttershy said sighing out at what just occur.
“Oh, dear me!” Rarity wiped her cheek clean and remained quiet for the rest of the trip hoping Fluttershy didn’t know what that exact mess really was. Which was finally putting Fluttershy at some level of peace and easiness. How would this trip turn out to be with these conflicting feelings. It felt like Fluttershy's nerves were hanging straight off a sliver lining. Caught between a good Rarity and one she wished she would have never seen before.
Author's Note
Yes I did mention a little something adult like in this story. Though it's only to show how somepony like Rarity can get what she wants with a simple favor. While being generous is good and all. It can also be bad, depending on the levels of it. This can lead to struggles with others who have had their pride broken or just simply do not want the generosity. Either way giving can become too much and Rarity must make a choice here. Continue exploring that dark side she's tasted or learn to know when it is enough.
