Red Ribbon or the Fire Ruby
Red Ribbon or the Fire Ruby
The boutique was busy this time of year new fashions and trends started right on time. Her two other shops buzzed with new wares and the publics demand pushed for more 'Rarity'.
Fluttershy sang a tune as she guided the patterned cut fabric through her sewing machine. Angel Bunny and Opal raged a small war amongst the scraps of material littering the floor as Sweetie Belle policed the two with no success.
"Angel behave yourself or you get your bath time early!" Fluttershy raised a single eye at the two furr balls fighting.
Angel leapt on the counter his paws out stretched at the cat his eyes pleading 'come on she's the one chasing a poor
defenseless bunny!'
He motioned his paws and thumped his foot to further push his position of a poor victim oppressed by a nasty puss. 'WELL?'
Sweetie Belle charged at Opal with the kitty carrier in hoof the door wide open ready to devour mommys little snookems.
"Gotcha!" Sweetie slammed the door shut with a smile of victory "I'm taking Opal over to Twilights for a special assignment, see ya!"
Angel Bunny giggled racing after the two knowing that a special assignment was to be real fun for all with the exception of poor Opal.
"You stay out of trouble and be back at lunch time" Fluttershy called out after the boutiques door banged shut.
"What was that?" Rarity asked as she carried a new load of supplies from the back store room.
"Sweetie Belle just took our pets to play at Twilights" the pegasus replied taking the material with her wings "you sure are busy today how much more do we have to do?"
Rarity moved the sweat filled mane locks from her face hooking a hoof under her chin "forty three basic units then the flourishes".
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The work continued quietly with little interruption the sewing machines noise filling their ears as the dresses came into being.
Fluttershy took a break and sipped her tea as Rarity hummed along in the zone as it was. Her tasks coming to a stopping point she stretched and held out her hoof "Spike can you fetch me some of that red ribbon over there if you please my precious scales".
Rarity waited "Spikey?"
Her ears perked up waiting for his reply but she was only getting a tittering subdued giggle.
Rarity turned around to see a very red Fluttershy holding her hooves over her mouth as her wings bellowed like sails with
the tips covering her eyes. Her cheeks like a pair of light house beacons glowing in the shadows.
"Oh dear Fluttershy are you all right?" Rarity saw she was caught her cheeks getting warm "Do you need a glass of cool water?"
"No I'm alright" Flutters switched gears "Are you okay?"
The staring match continued both mares turned redder as the unspoken words grew into the fire breathing elephant in the room.
"He's only a dear friend" Rarity paused.
"Yes, only a dear friend who's visiting the Dragon Lord on his mission".
"A very important mission for the princess"
"You miss him don't you?" Flutters teased.
"What, I the lady Rarity miss him?" she turned around her nose held high "I'll do nothing of the sort. Honestly Fluttershy where do you get such silly ideas anyway?"
"Can you fetch me some of that red ribbon?" She shyly hid behind the pink mane of hers watching the display of romantic denial.
"He's just a good friend who helps me here with my work and carries my basket gem hunting, takes out my garbage and on some occasion stays late to cook us a little dinner or other tasks. He's so helpful, kind and..."
"You really miss him" she knew.
"How can you say that?" Rarity turn to face her accuser "he's a squaty purpley scaly lizard that smells like sulfur when he farts he's snarky sneaky squeezey..."
"So you don't miss him?" she smiled a sly shy grin.
"Quite" Rarity huffed her dignity protected "not one minute!"
"Yes so what's next?" Fluttershy gripped the red ribbon spool and tossed it to Rarity who caught it in her magical grasp.
"Flourishes and bows, flourishes and bows my dear"
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They finished the last dress lickity split the batch had a variety of colors shades and shapes all fitting the
demands of a crazy fashion shopper at any of her boutique locations around Equestria only on sale for half off the regular price of seven hundred twenty three and a half bits, no reservation or to be combined with any other offers and discounts.
They laid the dresses into the shipping boxes affixing postage and addresses for pick up when an argument could be heard outside. It sounded like a couple from out of town where having a nasty spat one voice was a guys gravely Neighjersey accent heavy on the scent and the other a more refined ladylike royal Canterlot voice, demanding not whiney,
stretchy not clingy it could of been Raritys older sister.
"And I told you to shut up! haven't I told you it wasn't my fault she just goes off the deep end with her stupid ideas" NJ said.
"My word you are such an uncouth ruffian it's a wonder how your Misses puts up with your scandalous behavior wait till I tell her about how you pilfered her pantry while she was asleep!" Miss Priss hissed.
"You're just like your boss a prissy spoiled rotten female with utopian ideals without the responsibilities. She can't even..."
The door of the boutique burst open the Crusaders finished with another Twilight time. Angel Bunny lead the way with Opal swaying with his every step they looked like the average Equestrian couple except in miniature with the three foals.
"Hi Rarity we're done for today and Twilight has a few bugs to work out" Sweetie smiled her 'Honest I didn't do it this time' look.
"Ha ha ha yea a few bugs" Scootaloo nudged Apple Bloom as the three watched the two mares like they just committed murder.
"We just stopped by to drop off your pets" Apple Bloom continued "and Twilight wants you to see her in a while... Yes a little while"
she nudged Sweeties hoof as they raced out the door Sweeties last words rang out before the door closed "I really like her mane".
The pets stared at the mares and the mares stared at the pets both looking for that little bit of an answer to what was that?
"Well, what are you looking at? It's like you never saw a talkin bunny before?" a Neighjersey accent rolling out of Angels mouth.
"Rarity why do you torment that dear dragon of yours! It's so unladylike of you to string him along, If I had my way and I was a mare you would find yourself empty hooved I might say" Opal looked at her Momma "If you keep putting off his gentle advances you'll lose him".
Rarity shook her head seeing a fainted form of a Fluttershy laid out on the floor her empty gaze was her calling card to the twilight zone.
The marsh mellow mare turned to watch the two mouthy pets stroll to the kitchen "Opal if you don't mind me sayin your assessment was right on about Spike and Rarity, Lets say we get you some kitty kibbles and shag a while, What's you say?"
"I say lead the way" Opal wagged her tail looking back at Rarity she yelled "COME ON GIRL YOU KNOW YOU WANT THAT DRAGON"
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Spike exited the train after his successful mission in the dragon lands standing on the platform he watched the train move down the tracks his bag at the ready. Seeing nopony he began the long walk to Twilights castle.
His trip of a few paces ended as a familiar aura of blue magic lifted him up into the air floating to the mare of his affections his flight
lasted just long enough for his cheek to softly mash against her lips. Spikes heart did flip flops as she giggled at her 'accident' and his reaction of blushing cheeks and staggering waddle.
"Where's Twilight? Spike wheezed "She was scheduled to pick me up I have some notes on dragon biology to give her".
"Twilights a little indisposed Spikey Boo" Rarity fidgeted "She's helping the Crusaders fix a little pet problem".
"Gosh I bet we can help her" Spike dragged her towards the castle her magic gently stopping them both.
"Oh I'm sure she has all the help she needs" Rarity turned on her charm "surely Fluttershy is all the help Twilight needs".
Spike just shrugged his shoulders "okay if you say so, I'm starving can we get something? I can show you some of the notes too".
"Oh come on! Can't you do anything right and you're a Princess?" Angel scolded the Alicorn "this is the eleventh time! Who made you..."
"Angel please calm down dear it's not like we are suffering Twilight we are truly thankful for your help and having Rarity pick up Spike".
"Help? You call this help? Look at my Fluttershy she's still conked out it's worse then her stuff with that stupid Discord!"
Twilight shook her head as the two pets bickered and argued through the night YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!
