Second Time Around

Rarity looked over her newest line of dresses inspired by the last Nightmare Night her and Twilight had spent with the princesses for a royal sleepover. She had taken the time to admire the old fashion of Princess Luna long before her banishment and thought she could bring it back with a little Rarity Twist. The bolts of fabric in royal navy blue and eggshell white were strewn and hanging in the air as she dexterously cut out the corresponding segments with her magic grip tightening on the scissors.

It had been quite some time since she had been able to dive into a project since she had opened her second shop in Canterlot and an offer for another in Seaddle. With a huff and a sigh the unicorn set down her materials and smiled at the fourth project she had finished in a day. Surely, she began to think, she had earned that glass of wine.

She smiled to herself and trotted with a hum to her kitchen where she was just about to pull the bottle from the cabinet when she heard a knock at the door.

"Who in the world could that be?" She whispered to herself as she walked to the front of the shop and adjusted her mane accordingly.

"Welcome to the Carousel Bouti-" She began as she found her voice catch in her throat as she immediately recognized the earth mare standing at her door.

The mare had a white coat and a gray mane with cyan streaks which immediately established her identity to Rarity. Her kind eyes closed as she flashed a smile at the star struck mare with a light giggle.

"You must be Miss Rarity. I have heard so much about you."

Rarity froze and felt her mouth fall open as she stuttered a response.

"C-countess Coloratura!" She all but screeched as the mare laughed openly and kindly.

"I see you already know who I am. Sorry to make such an abrupt appearance." She stated as she flicked her mane from her eyes.

Rarity collected herself with some effort and bowed slightly.

"But of course! Your reputation far precedes you Countess." She gushed with a smile so wide it threatened to take her head off.

"I'm flattered! But... I'm not here for myself but for my partner over there.. Where did he go?" She asked as she turned and began to look around with an exasperated expression.

Rarity beamed at the possibility of gossip from the pop star singer. A partner? Did she find a stallion, a mare? Had she developed feelings for Applejack, her old friend? The possibilities were endless. She looked around too until the mare shook her head and stomped her hoof into the ground.

"MAYES YOU GET YOUR FLANK OVER HERE THIS INSTANCE OR I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD!"

Rarity faltered momentarily at the volume but also at the name. She had heard it before but where? Her question however was soon answered as a tall bipedal creature rounded the corner with his hand clutching a small bag emblazoned with gems and ribbon. His strive was precise and wide, each step sure of itself in a way that made Rarity falter once again.

He stopped and looked down at Rarity with a sheepish grin and a hand massaging the back of his neck which tousled his well cut and neat chestnut mane, if that is what it was called.

"Sorry Rara, I was catching up with Fluttershy around the corner and lost track of you." The creature spoke softly in a tenor voice that also seemed unfitting for him.

This was not the same creature that had... was it?

Rarity beamed and stood perfectly still as Coloratura scolded him and pushed her hoof into his leg.

"You know better than to get sidetracked. We need to get you a new suit before rehearsal and we don't have time for you to absentmindedly be wandering like a lost dog." She chided with a soft smile beneath her scowl.

Finally the creature looked down at Rarity and his smile faltered. Rarity saw the look in his eye and was immediately filled with memories of a similar face, a similar expression.

"Miss Rarity. It's... been a while."

Rarity felt panic grow deep in her chest as flashes of flowers, grizzled hands holding cakes and gifts, and a soft spoken creature that hadn't a bit to his name let alone the means to shower her with the gifts she had graciously turned down. She felt her mouth go dry as she looked down at the ground and attempted to recollect her thoughts.

"Mayes, darling, you look... absolutely handsome! What have you done with yourself?" She gushed as she tried to generously compliment him to hide her apparent panic and shame.

The man seemed to take a hit from the sudden compliment and blushed as his hand reached to rub the back of his neck once more. Rarity had met the man a few times and recalled that he was... human. He had appeared in Ponyville and had been mistaken for a creature from the Everfree but within a few weeks ponies had begun to see him as just another oddity that became a normal thing in the town. Months had passed and he had begun to work at the pub in town cleaning tables but had developed an infatuation with the clothing designer.

"I've um... I've been on a diet, been on the road with Rara and Sapphire for the last few months touring around." He sheepishly admitted as his blue eyes fell back on the unicorn.

Rarity had her turn to look shocked as she pieced together that he had been traveling with Sapphire Shores and Countess Coloratura.

"On the road? Doing what? When did this all happen?" She questioned as Coloratura smiled gently and let the two speak.

"You... didn't notice that I was gone? I figured you'd at least hear about it but I guess not." He asked as his entire body seemed to deflate.

Rarity bit her tongue and suppressed the urge to scream at herself.

"I left a few months ago. Rara here found me singing during closing hours at the pub and offered me a gig headlining her next performance. A show or two later she asked if I wanted to tour with her as the Singer from beyond the stars."

Coloratura laughed and nudged him with her side.

"It was a much better title than what you had picked out."

"Hey nothing wrong with The Great and Exuberant Mayes!"

Rarity felt her mind screaming so loud she had trouble actually hearing the two shoot back and forth. Pure unbridled shame and panic filled her gut as she recalled the times he had left gifts and asked to go out for a bite to eat in the past. A few months ago he was shaggy, a strange growth of fur on his face and clothes that almost seemed to fall apart. If Twilight hadn't asked her to make him some fresh clothes he might have wandered without them.

"Ugh. Regardless of your terrible sense of titles we are here to get some clothing made for you."

Rarity snapped out of her inner turmoil to flash one of her patented Rarity smiles. She had to quell the rising astonishment in the humans transformation. He had become lean, almost muscular beneath his black shirt and denim pants. His scraggly face fur was trimmed to almost non existence outlining a strong jaw, and a once tousled and knotted mane was cut to medium length where a bang or two hung over his strikingly blue eyes. Was it really the Mayes she knew?

"Of course, please step in and I'll draw up some designs. Can I offer either of you two a drink or anything?"

Coloratura politely declined and Mayes merely kept quiet, a far off and hesitant look in his eyes as he walked into her boutique. Rarity quickly cleared her scraps and mannequins from the ground as she began to try and gather her thoughts. Why would they be asking her to make his wear after all she had done to shoot his interest down, and why now was it bothering her so?

"Oh! What budget are we working with? I am more than happy to give a friends only discount if you like." Rarity added with a smile as she began to shoot measuring tape around the shocked and speechless Mayes.

"Friends? I didn't assume we were friends Miss Rarity." He added coldly as he set the sack in front of Rarity.

Again the screaming and hurt inside the unicorns mind almost made her break character. Luckily she still had control of the situation.

"Mayes of course we are. You are a friend and family member to all of us here in Ponyville."

Mayes smiled only slightly as he reached down and opened the sack for the designer to see.

"I uh... hope it's enough for a suit and maybe some day to day clothes."

Rarity looked into the bag and felt her body go rigid. There were enough bits for an entirely new wardrobe. How had he made so much in a few months, was it saved up, was he making that much performing for Coloratura and Sapphire, how had she not heard of his performances?

"Mayes this... This is way too much for just a suit and some clothing. I could fill a new wardrobe for you with this!"

Mayes smiled faintly and rubbed the back of his neck once more.

"Consider the majority of it an apology for how I um... For how I was always following you around and stuff. I know you were just trying to be nice to me before and I know you'd never be interested in some strange creature." He added the last bit almost too quietly for her to hear.

She heard it.

"Mayes I'm sorry for how I acted before. I was under so much stress when I was doing the royal wedding and then the changeling attack..."

Mayes sighed and looked away from her.

"No I get it, no hard feelings alright?"

His voice was controlled but the tinge of hurt made Rarity wince visibly.

"Now you must tell me why you need these clothes dear. I will make an attire that will make the mares want to be with you and the stallions wish they were you." She added with a fake smile as she pulled out bolts of her best black fabric.

Surprisingly it was Coloratura that spoke up.

"Well we have a date with Photo Finish and the the press from Mare Vogue to get some pictures for the centerfold. I thought with One Shot and Mayes here doing dress rehearsals for the Canterlot Show we needed the most gorgeous clothes to make him pop." She said as she bumped him gently with her flank, "Not that Mayes needs it."

Rarity froze as she watched Countess Coloratura flirt with Mayes. Was she flirting with him? Was she into him?

"Rara I told you I'm not posing for Mare Vogue. That's for stallions and mares not... me."

Rarity thought for a moment about Mayes wearing her line for Mare Vogue. That would bring in even more clientele and even open up a world of fashion to other bipedal creatures.

"I think it's a wonderful idea." Rarity added with a dazzling smile.

"I'm sorry but what?"

Rarity finished her measurements and wound a thin bolt of green fabric around his neck like a scarf.

"I think you'd be quite the fetching stallion in Mare Vogue. I think a lot of ponies would be very interested in seeing more of you."

Mayes had such a fierce blush that Rarity almost felt a sense of pride.

"Y-you really think so?"

Rarity merely smiled and took the bag of bits to test it's weight.

"I do. Now in regards to this payment it is FAR too much. Though if you insist on paying I'm sure I can create quite the ensemble for you."

Mayes smiled she noted his hand holding the fabric still held in her magical grasp. Slowly she felt his pressure on her magic and felt a heat rise in her face as he gave her the first genuine smile she had ever seen.

"Thank you Miss Rarity."

Rarity coughed and pulled the fabric from him as she shook the feeling of giddiness from her head. Surely it was the stress or having the Countess in the room.

"Yes well I should get started. Will I be expecting a messenger coming to pick up the order?"

Coloratura smiled and waved a hoof.

"Nonsense why don't you come on by tomorrow morning to rehearsal? I'm sure a mare of your skill would like to see how Mayes moves in your attire." She put emphasis on the word moves.

Rarity smiled a fake dazzling smile and nodded.

"Of course I'll be there, nine sharp?"

Coloratura smiled brightly and nodded her head.

"Did you have to ask her to the rehearsal?" Mayes asked with an edge of annoyance as he and Coloratura walked away from the boutique.

Coloratura merely hummed joyfully as she bumped the grumpy human with her hip.

"She's your muse is she not? You have written many fantastic songs thinking of her and when she looked at you I could see that predatory hunger in your eyes." She added teasingly while blowing a raspberry.

"She's not my muse. just somepony that I used to know."

"Now that's a name for my next hit." She mused as she chuckled gently.

"Only if I get half royalties." The human laughed with a wicked smirk.

"What happened between you two? If I can ask once more yet again."

Mayes frowned and walked on ahead of the mare with a heavy step.

"It's nothing and that's all it will ever be."

Images played in his mind like a super 8 film roll. He had been in a world that was not his own, thrown into politics and magic and even war where he wasn't ready for it. He had spent a maddening time trying to find a way out of the worst time of his life and in the end he had stumbled upon a unicorn that offered a room for him to sleep in and a hot meal.

"No frowning, come on champ let's go meet Photo Finish and One Shot for some drinks.