Chivalry Reborn

Chapter 14:

Fashion Crisis

"Ugh..."

I slowly opened my eyes from the sound of my alarm coming from my cell phone.  It was playing Chop Suey by System of the Down. I found it effective for my phone to shout at me to “WAKE UP” right next to my ear back in freshman year in high school. It saved me many a tardy, and I’ve been waking up at 7 in the morning on free days ever since.

“I get it, already….I’m up....I’m up.” I groaned in a daze, picking up the device from under my pillow case, turning off the noisy tune blasting out of the speaker.

I slowly shake myself into a semi-conscious state, yawning heavily. It was a long day last night, so when I got home, I just bounced out of my clothes and dipped under my covers for slumber’s embrace.

I sat there for a minute, moving the fuzz in my mind away to recall the events of last night. I could recount everything this time, to my surprise. From when I woke up to find Twilight still in my house, to my dream last night. I chuckled to myself, remembering the main fact I learned from Princess Luna.

“Who could have guessed it…?”  I said to no one but myself. “I’m a mix of two worlds. Weird.”

Don’t get my wrong; I still think this is bull. However, considering how many facts are leaning towards it, I can’t really argue with it. The facts that I’m having these weird dreams featuring horses, that the Princesses knew what my dreams were about, as well as my shadow being a horse, are all against me. Not much I can use to counter with. Then again, there’s still insanity….

…

Nah, can’t be. I’m being too rational to be out of my mind.  Worst possible case scenario is that I have such a concussion from tripping in the real world, and I’m dreaming all of this. But this feels too real to be fake. So until I suddenly wake up, that idea has gone right out of the door.

I glanced down at my still-bandaged hand, remembering how difficult it was to applebuck with Applejack. Jeez, maybe it’s a good thing I decided to see Rarity today….maybe she can make me some sort of guard for that kind of work. Wait, Rarity!?

I swing out of bed remembering that fact. I almost completely forgot that I said I would meet Rarity to let her make me some clothing! I hopped out of bedroom, speeding into my bathroom to shower and get ready for the day.

I really hope she’ll be okay if I came at this time. My mind was constantly hoping that Rarity didn’t mind if I came this early in the morning. I look at my wrist watch. 7:40AM. Not too bad, seeing that it was Sunday. I normally lazed about in my bedroom until about eight or nine, but with the thought of my offer to the proper fashionista made me skip that phase.

I had quickly gone into the bathroom to take a shower, wash up, and do my grooming rituals that I had done since I was little. Then after that, hurried back to my room to put on today’s outfit of another black t-shirt with matching black jeans hiding my dad’s knife into a small holster on the belt of my shorts, with my shirt pulled over it to keep it hidden. I do not care where I am, I don’ take my surroundings likely. After all the times I’ve been stalked, followed, and attacked by bullies and thugs during my time in school, I don’t leave my home unarmed. EVER.

I then sped out of the house, skipping breakfast entirely. I’m certain I could grab something at the market with the bits I got from Applejack yesterday.  All and all, I was pretty damn fast at coming out and getting to the town center this fast, considering I usually let myself drift in my thoughts during a shower.

Reaching the boutique, I looked at the “Open” sign that dangled inside the diamond window. Good, I came at a reasonable time.  I tap the door three times lightly, expecting a small wait before anyone answered. Instead, it swung open as soon as I pulled my arm away.

“Oh, well, that was pretty fast.” I muttered, stepping back a little. My eyes shifted to where Rarity’s unique hairstyle should have been.

…Nothing?

“Ah, it's Mister Flash!” A small voice squeaked at me from even lower.

My eyes followed the sound, finding a tiny white unicorn filly. It was the same one who was at the park when my house was landing on the ground. She was looking up at me with sap green eyes, smiling fairly wide. She must be Rarity’s little sister. She seemed to be around my age (or life phase, I should say), and Rarity didn’t SEEM the kind of pony to have children. Now that I could properly look at her, what’s with her mane and the alternating light link and purple? Was it supposed to be edible, like Pinkie’s bubble gum hair?

I crouch down to get closer to the small girl. “Well, if it isn’t one of the three little kids that were running under my house.” I smiled gently. “You’ve been staying away from falling buildings?”

“Yep!” Her response made her voice crack like it did when she was yelling for Apple Bloom to move. She had a voice that cracked almost every time she exclaimed? That’s pretty awkward. “My name’s Sweetie Belle! Nice to see you again, Mister Flash!”

Again, with the “mister” crap…

“Please,” I make a small pleading smile. “No need to call me Mister Anything. Just call me Winston, okay?”

“Okay, Winston!” She nodded her head smiling brightly. At least this one didn’t try to pull a loophole…

“That aside,” I peered over her head, looking around for Rarity. No one else seemed to be on the first floor except Sweetie Belle. “Where’s your big sister? I had an appointment with her, this morning.”

“Oh, Rarity?” Sweetie looked back behind her, and looked back to me. “She must be upstairs. She was going on about ‘testing new techniques.’”

Oh lord....

“You can come inside if you want, I’m sure she won’t mind.” She said starting to walk around me , a small pep in her step. “I have to get to the Cutie Mark Crusaders tree house! Bye!”

She then hurried past me, dashing towards the park.  I turn around to watch her go, thinking in my mind what the hell’s a cutie mark?  I shrug, dismissing the term for the time being,  as I stepped into boutique.

Walking through the entrance, I glanced around at the main room of the fashion tailor’s store. The room had a  wild berry tone on the walls, shifting into a lighter orchid shade for the areas that surrounded the mirrors. The mirrors were pretty much everywhere, for that matter. From the wall opposite of the platform with the curtain around it, to the hanging frame of said platform.

“Rarity?” I called out to see if she would answer.

Nothing.

I glanced around myself to see if I wasn’t missing anything. All the silks and materials were either neatly stacked on the shelves, or were put away. Nothing was amiss. All I could see on the walls were patterns of diamonds, hearts, stars and spirals all over them. It was slightly disorienting for a moment.  I could see there was a rack of multiple outfits hanging onto it. It had a ton of clothes on it: saddles, coats, cloaks, hats, dresses, shoes and even some skirts. (For people who normally don’t wear a damned thing, they sure do have a selection of outfits…)

I walked across the lobby cautiously, working my way up the stairs.

”Rarity?” I called out again.

….Still no response.

I slip my hand under my shirt, gripping my throwing knife just in case, stepping into a small hallway at the top of the stairs. This doesn't seem good. Did something happen?  It shouldn’t be so quiet. I stop moving at the sound of something shuffling. I turn slowly towards the door it came behind. It’s quickly followed by a few hasty steps and then a dragging of something heavy.

…

“Rari-“

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” I could hear a loud scream come from the other side. That’s Rarity!

I rushed towards the door, unfastening my holster and pulling out my knife. Turning slightly, I kicked the door down, stepping into the room with my left arm revved back, ready to throw the blade into any possible target.

Instead of seeing some stallions in black assaulting Rarity, I was looking at the normally composed lady, lying in the middle of the floor, wailing into her hoofs. I glanced around confused. What’s the big deal? My mind was annoyed by the disappointing reveal. I thought I was going to have to kick some ass with this whole “destined hero” crap I've had so far. Meh, whatever. I’d probably couldn't barely win in a battle, if at all anyway. I return my sight to the bawling mare.

“What’s wrong with you, Rarity?” I asked in curiosity.

“Oh, it’s simply terrible!” Rarity began, springing up to her feet, and then slinging her foreleg over her face. “Just horrible!” She proceeded to stand up on her hind legs, looking at the top of a nearby dresser, a distressed look on her face.

I was a little weirded out by the display. “What is…?”

“The fact that I have ventured through all of my possessions!” She cried, swinging her body around to dash across the room and looking into her counter, looking over it for something. “But I still cannot find it!” She swung back around, looking at what I thought was me, but she wasn’t. She was looking past me. “My faithful working glasses that I need to notice the smallest flaw in my designs have disappeared! Without them, I can’t hope to make a masterpiece!” She whimpered softly, looking like she was about to have another cry-fest.

…..That’s it? My mind was getting ready to go off on the wailing fashion pony. She’s acting like someone had just stole her purse and identity! And she was freaking out this badly over glasses she doesn’t even need!? I sighed, ignoring my dark side’s plan to just bite her head off. Scratching my head, I was about to start trying to reason with her, when out of nowhere, she started back up again.

“By Celestia, this has got to be the. Worst. POSSIBLE. *THING!***” She said that with a very dramatic tone to it, her eyes shrinking after each word. She let out a small squeaking noise as tears began to form in her eyes.

“...Um…”

Suddenly, before I could even finish my stunned rebuttal, Rarity’s horn glowed for a moment, dragging forth a couch right behind her (Where the hell did that come from!? It wasn’t even in this room when I looked around!), before falling back, flailing her arms back against the cushions wailing.

“Oh why!? WHY!? WHYYYY-HY-HYYYY!?”

She should trade her sewing machine for a drama play script…My mind grumbled to itself. I put my hands in my pockets, looking around calmly. “So you were freaking out because you can’t find your work glasses..?”

“Y*EEESS-HE-HESSSS!*” She bellowed, tears already flooding out of her eyes. She began flailing her arms against the random piece of furniture. “How can I possibly make works of art if I CAN’T FIND IT?!” She lamented through the waves of water steaming from her eyes.

I rolled my eyes at the crying unicorn’s complaints, continuing to search around the room. I noticed that there was something yellow underneath a small table that had a small pile of costume design sketches on it, it’s full form hidden within the shadows. I kneeled onto my knee, picking up the partially concealed object.

“Wouldn’t these be those?” I plainly asked, holding the slightly dust covered eyeglasses towards Rarity.

Her eyes suddenly glistened with glee at the sight of her missing possession. “Yes, these are just the thing!”

She leapt from her couch, walking towards me. Looking at her face now, all traces of tears were suddenly gone, and only an appreciative smile and shining eyes remained on her face. She made her horn glow once more, levitating the spectacles from my grasp.

“Oh, I can’t thank you enough, darling!”  She thanked me with a great sincerity in her voice.  “I wouldn’t dare even begin an article of cloth without these!”

I blinked, wondering just where the hell the whole bawling went. “So, everything’s fine now?”  I asked.

Rarity was already off, collecting fabrics and utensils “Mhm.” She answered me with a pleasant wind, her horn shining as numerous sheets of paper gathered into a stack next to her.

“And now you’re back to normal, getting ready to work…?”  I pressed her, just to make sure.

“Yes, dear.” She replied again, casually, turning around to walk towards the door. “So, with all that settled, let’s start making some ideas for your wardrobe, shall we?”

I made the best frown that basically read “are you fucking kidding me” behind her back. I quickly cover it up with a blank expression, responding to the apparent drama queen with a simple “sure.”

“Splendid! Let us be off, then!” She chirped with a tinge of anticipation, walking down the stares and leaving the place she had been making such a scene in as though nothing happened.

I groaned silently, following her. This town had really odd characters. Maybe I’m not the one insane around here…

As we made our way back down to the showroom, Rarity placed the items that she had floating around her on a nearby stand. She turn around to face me, narrowing her eyes at me. Her deep azure eyes were once again shifting along all my features.

I slightly shuffled my feet, feeling more than just a bit awkward from her gaze, shifting my eyes to the side of the room to avoid it. The way her eyes took every minor detail into consideration, new clothing and all, just made me feel like a mutt under the judging eyes of a dog show judge. It made me feel actually shy, I suppose. I sigh to myself, rubbing my right arm with my hand, lightly.

I blinked slightly, noticing that I wasn’t being looked at all over anymore. I looked back to the snow white unicorn, wondering if she finished. She had her eyes focused on battered hands, having a small pout on her face. Is she wondering what happened to my hands...?

“What, these?” I look at my left hand, chuckling nervously. “I was applebucking with Applejack.” I opened and closed my hand, checking if it still hurt to use it. “As you can tell, I pushed myself a bit too much.”

Rarity just continued to pout, still looking at my hands with disappointment. Could you *please** stop making that damned duckface at my hands?* My mind is in a really bad mood, apparently.

She finally spoke with a small sigh. “You really must take more of yourself, dear.” She took a small pencil in her veil of magic, starting to write out directions. “I was planning to give you a manicure for your fingers, too.." Her pout got noticeably bigger after saying that.

She quickly finished, passing the paper to me. “Here, this should lead you straight to Fluttershy’s cottage.” She spoke evenly, much like a doctor does to a patient.  “Go here once you take your leave. She should be able to help speed up the healing faster they normally would.”

“O….kay.” As I took the sheet, slightly confused, Rarity lifted some measuring tape to her side. I slipped the directions into my back pocket, wondering what that shy pegasus could possibly do to help me.

“Now that that’s settled, let’s begin.” Rarity smiled once more, walking towards a piece of fabric.

“All you need to do is simply hold still for a little while….”