Cryogen

"Your clothes are absolutely filthy darling." Rarity says as I stare at the ceiling, playing with the empty glass by spinning it around in my hands.

"Ya don't say?" I say sarcastically.

"Why don't you just take them off? Like you said, no need for them right?" My cheeks warm up a bit as I pull my pants up slightly by instinct.

"Um, I said no need for you to wear clothes, Rarity. I however, wear them 24/7 unless I'm taking a shower. I don't have fur like you to cover myself up, so I need to rely on clothes to keep my junk hidden from the public."

"Oh, I see... How about I make you a new set of clothes?"

"As much as I'd love that, I have no money to pay for it. I guess I'll just wash them in a river or something. Hell, maybe I'll learn how to sew myself."

"Nonsense! I shall make you a new set of attire for your party tonight. Free of charge!"

"Free? Seriously? Sorry Rarity, but I don't take charity. I like earning and/or buying everything I get."

"But you have earned it darling! You not only helped me to carry my materials into my store, but also convinced me that I don't need a dress to look good." She says as she brushes her hair to the side with a hoof. "I'd say you've done more than enough to deserve this."

"I don't know, I wouldn't say carrying a basket and giving a compliment is really worthy of you making something for me that could take hours to finish."

"Oh please dear, just accept it. I'm more than willing to help out a friend in need."

"...Fine, but I'm going to pay you back with actual money when I have some. I'm not taking this for free." I say as I sit up, the blood rushing out of my head, making me dizzy as hell. Rarity sighs and gives me an unreadable look before turning towards a desk and picking up some tools with her magic.

"If you insist. Honestly Zack, there is no need to pay me back for this... Alright, what would you like?"

"I like white shirts, but they get too dirty too easily. I like the color black, but I don't think I look very good in it... How about a shirt just like the one I'm wearing, but red."

"I think you'd love lovely in a nice red! I shall begin immediately. First, I'll need your measurements. Please step on over here." Rarity picks up a tape measure and levitates it in the air in front of her. I stand up and walk over to her, and stand still with my arms out, waiting for her to take her measurements.

"Shirt off please. I cannot measure accurately with that thing on." I sigh and remove my shirt, and as it passes my nose, I realize how bad it smells from the collected sweat and dirt. I really need a shower after this.

"Just get this over with, it's really cold in here." I close my eyes, but don't hear anything. I open one to see Rarity just staring at my chest with wide eyes. "Problem?" I ask as I open my other eye and lower my arms.

"I-I... thought you were a male." She says quietly, a blush growing on her face. I stare down at my chest, but I don't really see what she's getting at. I'm obviously a guy, like, come on.

"Um... I am? I thought I made that pretty clear already." I retort as I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion.

"Then why do you have those?" She asks while pointing a hoof to my chest.

"Oh, those? Yeah, everyone has those. You didn't know that?"

"Only mares have those honey. And why are they so high up?"

"Because that's how I was created? Seriously, I'm not even the same species as you, so you can't compare me to yourself. Human males have these, even if they serve no purpose. I'm not a female, I'm a guy."

"O-Of course, whatever you say. Now, forelegs out again please."

"They're called arms. Again, not a pony."

"Right, arms. Arms out please." She says with a sheepish smile. I place my arms out to the sides and close my eyes as I feel the tape measure moving around my arms and torso. The thing is freezing, which in turn causes me to shiver, which in turn makes it take longer to get my measurements, which means more touching by the tape! It's like an endless cycle of hell! A very cold hell!

"And, done!" Rarity says excitedly. I sigh as I quickly slip my dirty shirt back on and try to warm myself up. "Now for your lower half!"

"No!" I say rather quickly. "My blue jeans are fine! I don't need new ones." I really wouldn't mind a new pair of jeans, but one, it is freezing enough with my shirt off, I don't want to imagine if my pants were off. And second, I don't feel comfortable just pulling down my pants in front of some girl I just met.

"If you say so." She says as she turns around to begin sketching something on a piece of paper. I look around, and notice another door in the room that doesn't lead to the hallway. I assume it is a bathroom.

"Can I use your shower? If you didn't notice, I smell like hell."

"Oh, um, I did notice. I just didn't want to say anything." She says with a sheepish smile as she turns her head to face me. I smile a little and nod as I walk over to the closed door. Much to my luck, it is the bathroom. I let myself in, and lock the door behind me. I immediately throw my shirt off, tired of how dirty it feels.

Rarity's shower is much large than Fluttershy's and is actually tall enough for me to stand comfortably in. Thank God it is, because I don't think I could wash my entire body in a fucking sink.

I run the water at it's hottest setting, and sit down on the toilet while I wait for the water to get hot. I'm gonna regret that decision when I get out because it'll feel like Alaska out there, but for now, heaven on earth is that shower.

I pull my phone and wallet out of my pocket and place them on the sink. I pull off my jeans and underwear, and jump into the shower. Immediately I feel a hundred percent better than I had before getting in. Words can't describe the sensation of finally being clean.

Stepping out of the shower has to be the worse thing I've ever done. The air is still pretty warm in the room, yet I'm still somewhat chilly. Once I slip on my clothes, I feel a little better, though I leave my shirt off because it would just undo the effects of the shower.

Okay, stepping out of the shower was one thing, but stepping back into Rarity's room is another. It feels like I'm standing outside instead of inside of a building.

"Don't you a heater or something?" I ask rather loudly as I rub my hands up and down my arms to try to warm myself up.

"Ah!" Rarity yelps as she spins around to see me rubbing myself like an idiot. "Oh, you startled me darling." She says as she holds a hoof up to what I assume is her heart. Still don't know much about their anatomy.

"Oh, sorry. It's just freezing in here."

"Is it really? It seems fine to me." She says as she turns back to her work.

"Well yeah, you have a coat of fur, I don't... Hey, how's the shirt coming along?"

"Just finishing actually!" She says as she turns around to reveal an almost finished red t-shirt. My jaw drops at the fact she was able to actually complete this so fast. It would take a profession that had been doing this for years at least an hour to get even close to something like this!

"H-How did you-"

"Finish so fast? It's all in the techniques darling. It is also my greatest talent, see." She says as she turns to the side to reveal three diamonds on her side. I'd noticed it earlier, but never really put any thought into it.

"That's incredible! I was in there for like fifteen minutes, and you made an entire shirt, and- Wait a minute, you used magic didn't you?" I ask accusingly.

"Maybe a little." She says with a smile. "So, try it on." She says as she tosses the shirt over to me with her magic. The thing is smooth a silk, yet tough like cotton. How she managed that, I have no idea, but I'm not going to question it. I slip the shirt on and admire it in a mirror. It really matches with the rest of the colors on my body. My brown hair, blue jeans, and red and black sneakers match all too well with the red shirt.

"Why the little diamonds? Is this your trademark or something?" I ask as I notice three diamonds stitched on the top left of the shirt.

"Of course it is! That is my cutie mark after all." I have to hold in my chuckle when she refers to the symbol as a "cutie mark". It still sounds kinda stupid in my opinion.

My stomach takes that very moment to decide to growl, which catches both of us off guard.

"Heh, I haven't really eaten anything in like four days." I say as I smile at her sheepishly.

"Four days!? My, what have you been up to dear? Come with me, we shall get you some lunch." She says as she puts down her tools and trots over to the door.

"Alright, what do you have?" I ask as I follow her downstairs.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I'm not much of a cook myself anyway. I'm going to take you to this little cafe near by that is just to die for! You'll love it."

"Oh... Yeah, I can't really afford that. Like I said, no money." I say as I place my hands in my pockets and pull them inside out for dramatic effect. Forgot my phone and wallet were in there, and they both hit the floor rather loudly. It causes both of us to laugh, though I laugh more to hide my embarrassment.

"Oh please, I WANT to buy you lunch Zack. And I will not take no for an answer. Now, come along." She says as she trots to the front door.

"But, I-"

"No but's! I'm buying you lunch and that's final." I sigh as I begin walking again, following her outside into the cool air.

I guess I'm going to be spending a good portion of my day with literally my only friend on the entire planet.