Second Time Around

Rarity bundled the clothing neatly into seperate brown packages and then set them inside her saddlebags. Though she would not admit it to anyone she had been up all night making a suit and some nice new attire for Mayes. With everything packed away she looked to the clock on the wall and grimaced as she noted her tardiness.

"I certainly hope they don't mind my tardiness." she said to nopony in particular as she left her humble home and made her way to the concert hall in the center of town.

The town was abuzz with ponies as they all crowded around the area hoping no doubt to get a look at Coloratura or One Shot who was an up and coming singer with some strange and albeit, erotic, dance moves. Rarity shook the image from her mind as she made her way to the door where two large Minotaurs stood watching the crowd coldly. Rarity cleared her throat as she did her best to approach in only the most regal of fashions.

"Good morning boys I'm here to deliver some clothes to Mayes." She stated with a dazzling smile.

The first looked to her and raised an eyebrow before looking to a pamphlet in his hands. After what seemed like an eternity holding her smile Rarity heard him huff as he set the pages down.

"Not on the list. Go home."

Rarity felt shock for a moment before she shook her head.

"That can't be, I'm here on behalf of my friend Mayes."

"That's what everyone says. Scram."

Rarity felt her cheeks flush not only from anger but from curiosity. That's what everyone says? Surely Mayes had let them know she would be coming. Wouldn't he?

"Well rest assured I have his clothing ready for him to rec-" Rarity was cut off as the doors opened with explosive force sending the guards to their knees. In a flash of dazzling confetti and light a mare wearing what could only be described as massive piles of metal and garbage stood before Rarity with a pair of obnoxiously large glasses.

"DARLING ZO GLAD TOO SEE YOU HERE COME IN COME IN COME IN." The exuberant mare gushed as she ushered Rarity into the building.

Photo Finish. Only Photo Finish could dress so strangely.

"Oh Photo it is an honor to see you once more." Rarity whispered as she was rushed past stallions and mares running around with equipment and costumes. There were an awful lot of them Rarity pondered as she was led to the seat in front of the stage.

"No shush. You came right in time to see.. ZE MAGICS." She whispered with a flourish as she pushed rarity into a seat and tossing her bags next to her.

Rarity pondered wordlessly what she meant until she heard a familiar voice on the stage.

"No. Come on guys. Chests out plots down then a shimmy with your front arms!"

Rarity felt her neck snap as she looked wide eyed and open mouthed at what she saw. There, standing in nothing but some slacks and a thin sleeveless shirt was Mayes. His arms glistened with sweat as he looked to a few mares and stallions who looked like they just found out Santa wasn't real. His face was the vision of concentration as he went around messing with the manes of the dancers and giving the stallions reassuring slaps on the flank. Rarity couldn't help but grin as they all treated him as their close friend.

"I know you guys can do it. We've gone through this half a dozen times." He reassured as he got on his knees and ruffled the mane of a scrunchy faced unicorn mare. "Now, one more time. One shot! Get over here."

Rarity looked over to the right of the stage to see a tan coated stallion talking to a few of the photographers. His mane was long and jet black and hung loosely over one eye with a curl. On his torso was a simple white frilled shirt that opened to show some fluff coming from his slender barrel.

One Shot. The Stallion with the moves that melted the hearts of mares and stallions alike.

"Of course, one second bud!" He chimed in with a melody to his voice before trotting up to Mayes.

"Bud?" Rarity mouthed as she looked at them bump fists/hooves and shimmy next to each other.

"One more time? Should we use the recording or sing acapella? " One Shot inquired as he brushed the mane from his eye.

"Recording, gotta get the dancers into the beat. Alright guys from the top!" Mayes barked with a laugh as he took a standing position next to One Shot.

Rarity felt her head being pushed down low as Photo Finish giggled like she was eyeing a piece of candy.

"The magics are about to happen!"

The music started with a beat Rarity found hard to ignore as Mayes rolled his shoulders and looked to the ground with other performers in tow.

Tonight
I just want to take you higher
Throw your hooves up in the sky
Let's set this party off right

The song began and Rarity marveled as the left arms of the dancers rose and fell to beat, all of them in sync as if held together with strings. At the center was Mayes as he shimmied and looked to the dancers with complete concentration.

Players, put yo' hoofs up to the moon
Mares, what y'all trying to do?
Twenty four karat magic in the air
Head to hoof so player
Look out!

The dancers all jumped and circled around Mayes and One Shot as they flung one arm out to the sky and traced it down their chests. Rarity felt her breath catch in her throat as they began to strut to the front of the stage in an almost sauntering fashion.

Pop pop, it's show time
Show time
Guess who's back again?
Oh they don't know?
Ya'll tell em
Oh they don't know?
Ya'll tell em
I bet they know soon as we walk in showin up!
Wearing gryphic links
Designer minks
Canterlots finest shoes
Don't look too hard might hurt ya'self
Known to give the color red the blues

As the next verse started Mayes and One shot dropped to their backsides and while tracing a hoof/hand up their chests and across their face to move the mane from their eyes. Rarity found her chest getting hot and she did her best to hide the glowing blush as she watched them dance.

Oh shit, I'm a dangerous stallion with some money in my pocket so keep up!
So many pretty mares around me and they waking up the rocket, keep up!
Why you mad, fix ya face, ain't my fault y'all be jocking

Players only, come on
Put your hoofs up to the moon
Mares, what y'all trying to do?
Twenty four karat magic in the air
Head to hoof so player
Uh, look out!

Again the dancers circled and rolled their shoulders to the beat, sweat flying as manes became whipped around from the sheer heat of the dance. Mayes kept face as he mouthed the lyrics and One Shot sang along with such excitement it was almost contagious. Rarity looked to her side to see Photo Finish snapping discreet photos while biting her lower lip.

Second verse for the stallions
Bad mares and ya ugly ass friends
Can I preach an I preach
I gotta show 'em how a pimp get it in
First, take your sip, do your dip
Spend your bits like bits ain't shit
Whoop, whoop!
We too fresh
Got to blame in on Celestia
Hashtag blessed, they ain't ready for me!

The song drew to a close as the performers lined up directly behind Mayes and One Shot before triumphantly throwing their heads and a hoof to the sky. Glistening sweat poured from the dancers and Mayes in particular which made Rarity suddenly question why her face was so hot. Must have been One Shot the stupid sexy stallion she chided to herself.

"MARVELOUS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING SO MUCH MAGIC!" Photo screamed as she leapt from the seats to the stage with a gleeful prance.

Mayes looked at her and rolled his eyes as he got to a knee and ruffled her cyan and lime green mane. The smile on his face was wide and kind and the way he laughed was full on from the chest Rarity noted.

"You must have done so much more for your viewer." Photo whispered as she pointed directly at Rarity.

"R-Rarity!?" Mayes managed to ask as he tripped on a cable falling off the stage in a loud yell.

The resounding crash drew the combined grunts of sympathy from everyone within eyesight. Rarity felt her hooves carry her over as she magicked the wires and cables off of Mayes as best as she could.He pulled himself to his knees with a sigh and shooed the cables away while looking away from Rarity.

"Mayes darling are you okay?" Rarity asked as gently as possible.

"Yeah I'm fine I just wasn't expecting you to see... that." He stated as he motioned to the stage.

"See what? That you dance for One Shot?"

The dancers began to laugh which caused Rarity to pause in confusion.

"That's what it is right?"

Mayes looked away as a blush crept across his face.

"Dance for me? Oh honey May-may isn't my dancer," One shot chimed in as he jumped off the stage to lend a hoof to Mayes, "He's my personal dance instructor. In fact he's Rara's instructor as well. His moves have shot my music videos to top of the charts." He added with a sing song voice.

"Don't call me that One shot wonder." Mayes reacted with a snarl.

Rarity herself was having trouble imagining that her idols dance moves all came from the man she had turned away. How had she not seen or known about his talent?

"Alright enough gawking, Every pony get ready for the next song." One Shot yelled with a laugh as he waltzed passed Rarity.

"By the way, great job getting him riled up." He added with a wink and a raspberry.

Mayes stood to his feet and sighed while laying the cables back where they were. The entire time he ignored Rarity as she stood beside him completely stuck in her one train of tormented thought. A sigh tossed Rarity from her spell and she looked up to see Mayes still blushing and rubbing the back of his neck once more.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you or anything I just figured when you were late that you weren't going to show. That's all."

"Well of course I'd be here I had to bring your clothes didn't I?"

Mayes looked confused for a moment before his mouth formed an O.

"My uniforms! I completely forgot for a second with the fall and utter embarrassment."

Rarity giggled and covered her mouth with a free hoof before setting the clothing in his hands.

"Enjoy. I hope I get to see how you look in them."

As Rarity made an attempt to escape she felt Mayes take his hand and put it on her mane.

"Please. You already saw me make a fool of myself, maybe you could..." His voice trailed off as his fingers massaged the top of her head.

Rarity felt a purr begin to form in her throat but pushed it down as quickly as it had come on.

"Yes dear?" She managed to ask quietly.

"Maybe you could... stay here. See how the clothing looks under stress." Mayes tried to say matter of factly but the feeling of Rarity's locks in his hand betrayed his voice.

"I'd like that." Rarity found herself cooing gently.

"Come on May-may we need to boogie!" She heard One Shot call out from the stage.

"Yeah yeah I'm coming."

Rarity didn't move for a moment even after his hand left her mane. She cared not if he messed it up because for a few moments it felt like heaven had descended on her head. Shaking her head and dispelling the thoughts she sat in the chair next to Photo Finish and tried to enjoy the performance as platonically as possible.

"Iz good performance no?" Photo cooed as she let her eyes wander on the dancers with a wide grin. "One never knows what lies inside the mask we wear for others."

Rarity smiled and nodded her head as Mayes showed One Shot how to walk backwards with the illusion he was moving forward.

"I can see why he's a success." She told herself as she cocked her head to the side.

"I'm a disaster." Mayes said to himself as Coloratura packed up her equipment into a neat box.

It had been a week since they stopped in Ponyville for rehearsals and a break. One week since he had seen Rarity and made a complete and utter dolt of himself. Now however was infinitely worse than any of that.

"What's a disaster hon?" Coloratura asked as she walked to his side to see what was in his hand.

There on the front cover of Mare Vogue was a picture of him in the middle of a pose with One shot next to him. Not in the costumes provided to them but as they were when they rehearsed 24 Karot Magic in front of Rarity. His face was glowing with a triumphant smile on his face, fist in the air, hips out, and his body had been touched up to show the muscle he had accumulated along with the glimmer of sweat. Mayes groaned and sunk his head into his hands while his compatriot laughed gently.

"I think you look strikingly handsome" Coloratura added with a light tease in her tone. "Maybe even sexy." She whispered immediately after.

Mayes grumbled into his hands apparently not hearing the final remark.

"Read page sixteen."

Coloratura hummed quietly as she picked up the magazine and flipped it to the desired page opting to read it aloud.

"Equestrias newest bachelor isn't who you think it is. An in depth look at the man, not pony, that makes all the mares blush. We sent our top photographer to get the magical scoop on the up and coming human that has mares fawning over him."

Coloratura laughed and wiped a tear from her eye.

"I don't see what's so shocking aside from you making cover."

Again Mayes grumbled.

"Keep reading."

The mare raised an eyebrow and turned her attention back to the magazine.

"In an unprecedented reveal the human known as Mayes is not only Equestrias most eligible and exotic bachelor but also the brilliant mind behind One Shots tantalizing dance moves. In the words of our own Photo Finish his moves were found to be spicy, like a flow of magma that trails to the..." Coloratura stifled a laugh and choked as she looked at Mayes with a raised eyebrow, "Groins of all the mares that look upon him."

"Keep going."

"But what is it that makes this man so tantalizingly unobtainable? A local florist came forward and said it is because of his divine obsession to a local mare that will go unnamed. But what does that spell for Mayes? Only time will tell. For now we wait as Mare Vogues number one bachelor makes his way to Canterlot for the Tri-concert featuring himself, One Shot, and Countess Coloratura."

She dropped the magazine and began to laugh so hard she fell onto her side. As she laughed Mayes continued his almost melting action into his hands. He wanted so hard to just go away and fade into nothing. Nothing could possibly make this day any worse he thought.

"Mayes, dear?"

Rarity called out from behind the stage as she walked out carrying a few briefcases. Much to the confusion of him Coloratura raced over and giddily embraced the unicorn. Rarity looked very well. she wore a gray knitted turtleneck that Mayes noted accented the curve of her barrel very well. Shaking his head quickly he looked again to see Rarity looking at him with one eye poking out from her white sun hat. The eyes shimmered like the ocean and a small smile crept along her face.

"Mayes, you're staring hon." Coloratura called out shaking the man from his gawking.

"Sorry. You just look... incredibly lovely today Miss Rarity." He quickly replied with a nervous laugh.

"Well thank you darling but I assure you this is merely my travel wear." Rarity remarked with a closed eye grin.

"Travel? Where are you off to?"

Rarity looked at Mayes with a confused expression before brightening up and letting loose a laugh that could have lit the faces of anyone near.

"Mayes I'm coming with you. You really didn't expect me to let some ruffian do the touch up work on my designs did you?"

Mayes had a smile that twitched at the edges and with the movements of an automaton he stood, took the chair he was holding, and quickly smashed it against his own head.