"Healthy" Competition

“Ta dah! Well Opal, how do you think it looks?” Rarity emerged to show off her new outfit. Despite only having a few hours, she put everything she had into making her ensemble shine. It was a light blue gown, complete with magenta lacings and studded with the finest gems she had to offer. To her, it was perfect. Opal glared at it, looked to Rarity, and then wandered off.  Well she didn’t give me a hiss, so it can’t be terrible…

She walked over to her counter to pick up Fabrica’s original invitation, and checked the address one more time. Two houses east of City Hall… Yes I think I remember that location being up for sale some time ago. Rarity placed the letter back with the rest of her mail, and prepared to leave.

“Opal, please be a dear and watch over things while I’m gone, mommy loves you!” There was a time where she couldn’t trust Opal on her own, but she was definitely mature enough to be left alone for a short time. Especially considering she would spend most of the day napping anyway. Rarity left the boutique, and locked the door behind her, before beginning her walk to Apparel Avenue.

It wasn’t a long walk, considering how the Boutique itself wasn’t terribly far from the center of town either. To Rarity, however, the walk felt like forever. She never had to deal with someone else opening a clothing shop in Ponyville. First impressions were a key thing to develop this relationship.  Soon enough, Rarity made it to Apparel Avenue. It was a small establishment, a yellow building with some amateur signs, and a big one that read ‘GRAND OPENING!’ Well, she did just open it, I suppose I can’t judge too harshly on appearance at this moment.

Rarity trotted up to the building, and rang the doorbell. The door swung open, to reveal a slightly pudgy Pegasus with light green fur. Sure enough, she matched Fluttershy’s original description.

“Well hiya there! My name’s Fabrica! Come on in!” She gestured to come on inside, so Rarity stepped inside the establishment.

“Thank you most sincerely.”

“Now, what would your name be?”

“My name is Rarity. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine!” Fabrica then looked at Rarity’s ensemble. “Well… you certainly took things way too formally, didn’t ya?”

“Well, I do run the Carousel Boutique not too far from here. I took note that you too ran your own boutique, I thought I should at least dress to impress a fellow pony with a passion for clothing!”

“Well you can consider me wow’d, Rarity! I remember dropping off the invitation at your establishment, I think I met your friend, Flittershy?”

“Fluttershy.”

“That was it! Yeah, you have a nice establishment! Real high end stuff, doesn’t really seem fit for such a town though. They don’t seem ‘into’ that, not nearly as sophisticated as you are!”

Rarity couldn’t help but take a bit of insult at that. She knew that chances were that Fabrica didn’t mean to sound hurtful, but she couldn’t help but take a little offense. This was, after all, her passion. And the way Fabrica put it kind of made Rarity feel that she was the odd one out for that. Just ignore it, she thought to herself. She probably didn’t mean it like that.

Fabrica continued to talk. “Well, it seemed okay then to open up a bit more of a casual clothing shop, ya’ know?”

Rarity looked around the establishment. Fabrica was right, in comparison to Carousel Boutique, Apparel Avenue was certainly far more casual. In contrast to her own extensive gowns in the Boutique, Fabrica’s store had simple clothing, like sweaters on racks, not displayed on mannequins as Rarity would have it set up.  It certainly fit the atmosphere of Ponyville more than the Boutique did.

“Yes, I do believe I understand what you mean.”

         “Now don’t be so shy, I’ll show you around.” Fabrica stepped behind Rarity’s gown to nudge her inside, when suddenly-

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP

         “What… what was that?” Despite asking the question, Rarity knew all too well what happened. Even those who aren’t in the fashion industry know that sound, and fear it too.

         “I’m… I’m so sorry, my hoof got caught up in your dress and when I guess I jerked it too fast, and…” Fabrica walked to the front of Rarity, and held up the torn-off fabric too her face. “I’m so sorry.”

         Rarity took in a deep breath. “It’s not a problem. It happens.”

         “You’re not upset?”

         “No, I’m not.” She gave a warm smile to Fabrica. “It’s okay.”

         Fabrica breathed a sigh of relief. “Phew! I thought you were going to blow a gasket at me!” She chuckled, and placed her hoof. “Well, I guess it was after all your fault for wearing something so over-the-top, eh? Bet that won’t happen again, you wearing something so crazy for nothing!”

         With that comment, Rarity’s feelings changed from pity for Fabrica, to embarrassment. Her white fur shifting into a slight shade of red. Is she really making fun of me for this? After she just tore it?

         “Come on upstairs dear, we’ll take that nonsense off of you. I’ll see if I can repair it and get it back to you.”

******

         Fabrica took Rarity upstairs to her workroom, and had her remove the outfit. She then took the gown and walked to the other side of the room and placed it on her workbench. Rarity took a seat across from the workbench, so as to not get in the way of anything Fabrica already set up. Celestia knows how Rarity would feel if somepony messed up her work area, she didn’t want to get in the way of some other pony’s.

         “I’ve never really done any work on something like this before,” Fabrica continued to examine the dress, continuously picking it up and putting it back down. “But if you give me some time, I can have it good as new in no time!”

         “It’s really not necessary dear, please-”

         “I insist, I insist!” Clearly finished with her inspection, Fabrica turned around to face Rarity. “I’ve always wanted to do some work on some formal wear. This is a perfect opportunity.”

         “Do some work, what do you mean? I thought you mainly specialized in casual attire?”

         “I do, but seeing the area, your shop, I dunno, maybe it’ll be good to give it a whirl! I might as well get something done. I’m sure I can make at least one formal line!”

         Rarity froze in her place. Another clothing shop, specializing in casual and formal wear? What am I going to do? With this location closer to the busiest part of town than my shop, there’s no doubt- With that, she cut herself off from that train of thought. Any pony has the right to do as they please, and I know this isn’t going to turn into anything severe. Business has never gone down for you, this is no exception.

         “You alright there sweetie, you got quiet for a second. I don’t suppose your kind is separable from your ensemble, are ya? You take it off and lose all traces of consciousness.” Fabrica chuckled at her comment, as if she thought she just made one of the funniest lines of the year.

         “Ha ha, I assure you I am fine without it.” Though I do wish she’d tone down the joking a bit, Rarity thought, I don’t get how one second she could be saying that she wants to make a formal line, then the next second ridiculing me for wearing such an ensemble.

         “If you say so!” Fabrica began to step forward. “Now why don’t you stick around for a bit, it’s nearly 1 and I’m having some other ponies over and-“

         “I apologize darling, did you just say it’s almost 1 o’clock?”

         “Yes, why?”

Sweet Celestia, I’m going to be late! The clients! Rarity scrambled up to get herself together. “I’m so sorry, I wish I could stay but I need to be running back, I have some business and I really need to be on my way and-“

         “Slow down, slow down! Okay, we can chat again another time, I’ll come by later this week after I’ve repaired your gown okay?”

         “Thank you so, so much, and you have my deepest apologies!” With that, Rarity ran down the stairs.

         Fabrica shouted down the stairs, “I said not to worry about it, see you soon!”

Oh I hope I can beat the clients to the boutique, I don’t want to keep them waiting. Making it downstairs, Rarity opened the door to outside, and bolted out.