this will take forever to dryclean
"Didn't Rarity say she would be here?" Sunset asked. She stood with her other friends outside the gym at Canterlot High. All of them were in costume. The annual Halloween Ball was starting in a few minutes.
"She's probably caught up by the rain," Applejack suggested. Her cowboy/vampire costume was unconventional, but at least her hat had kept her makeup from running.
"It sucks about the weather," Pinkie lamented. "The first full moon on Halloween in I don't know how many years and it had to rain."
"It happens once every nineteen years," Twilight provided.
"Yeah, a costume that can't take the rain sounds like Rarity," said Rainbow. The plastic dome of her astronaut helmet had kept her dry, though it was starting to fog.
All their cell phones made a noise just then. For most of them, it was a standard beep, but Pinkie's went into a round of Dare to be Stupid. She was dressed as Weird Al tonight.
"Oh, it's Rarity," said Twilight, the first to read the message. "She's going to be late. Too bad, I knew she wanted to see this princess costume she helped me make."
"Has anyone seen her costume?" Fluttershy asked. She had gone as a druid, which was basically just her normal self but with brown clothing and a crown of leaves.
"Knowing her, it's going to be something we've never seen before," said Sunset. "I wish I had her creativity." Sunset herself had merely added black jeans and a headband to her usual leather jacket to create a biker outfit.
"Well, she would want us to enjoy ourselves." Applejack gestured through the doors.
They all agreed on that and headed into the party.
Most school events revolved around some kind of dance, but the Halloween Ball was different. Spooky music wasn't as easy to dance to. Plus, there were more refreshments and games.
The group of girls hung out together, occasionally getting a text message updating them on Rarity's progress. She seemed to be nearby, but didn't say exactly what was holding her up.
"She'd better get here soon, otherwise there won't be any cupcakes left," Rainbow observed.
"She knew the risks," Pinkie said, muffled through five cupcakes.
Spike the dog stuck his head out of Twilight's backpack. She couldn't wear it with her outfit, but they were keeping it close so he didn't feel lonely. Spike himself was wearing a cat ears headband. It didn't work very well.
"At the risk of sounding weird, I think I smell Rarity," Spike said, sniffing the air. "Though, to be fair, she does smell kind of weird tonight, not how she usually smells, which is nice. I mean, she usually smells nice, not weird." He paused, considered speaking again, and decided that he'd already made it weird and shut up again.
"Well, maybe that means she's here but in a really elaborate costume," Twilight suggested.
"If she was here, why wouldn't she find us?" said Rainbow. "It's not like we're all costumed to the point that she wouldn't recognize us."
"I've got an idea," said Sunset. "Everybody spread out. I'll send a text and we'll see who checks their phone."
The group of them dispersed throughout the room. Sunset's plan worked perfectly, and when the text came in, Applejack spotted someone who resembled a purple wolf checking a phone. She snapped a picture and sent it to the group chat. Sure enough, the wolf promptly looked around to see who had spotted her.
"Is that you, Rarity?" Applejack said as the other girls converged on them.
Rarity sighed but came clean. "I was hoping you all wouldn't find out. It's...embarrassing."
"Rarity's a furry?" Rainbow said as she arrived.
"I...yes, let's go with that."
"Wow, this is a really intricate costume," Twilight said. "Now I see why you were in such a hurry to finish the one you made for me. I can't imagine the kind of effort this must have taken."
"I would swear this fur was real," said Sunset, reaching forward, but Rarity pulled back.
"Oh, sorry," said Sunset. "I should have asked."
"Perfectly okay, it's just a little...fragile," Rarity replied.
"You really did the research with the body shape," said Fluttershy. "Despite the bipedal posture, I almost can't tell where the human influences are."
"Did you want some punch?" said Pinkie. She started to grab for a cup at the nearby refreshment table, but stopped. "Actually, I think I'll let you get it. It would probably stain if spilled."
"You didn't have to stay away from us," said Applejack. "One of our friends bein' into this kind of thing is hardly the weirdest thing we've seen."
"Unless the costume is just a cover for you having a bad hair day," Pinkie laughed.
"Well, something like that," Rarity said. "Honestly, I really shouldn't have come. Because of the weather-"
"We can get some trash bags and make you a poncho to protect the costume," Twilight suggested.
"No, that isn't it." Rarity shook her head. "Girls, I must apologize, but I really should go home. Please don't think I'm running away. I do want to discuss this with you further, as it's a very important topic to me, but not tonight."
"Well, okay," said Applejack. "Shame to not show off a costume like that, though. I can't figure out how you get the mouth and eyes to move."
"Later," said Rarity. "Please." She headed for the exit.
"I know she didn't want us to go after her, but we should at least see that she gets home," said Sunset. "With protection from the rain if nothing else."
The group of them headed after Rarity, Twilight pausing to pick up Spike. Pushing open the exit door, they emerged into the darkened parking lot. It seemed that the rain had stopped.
Rarity turned in surprise that she had been followed. "What are you doing!?"
"We just thought-" Sunset began.
"No! You need to-!"
Just then, the clouds parted and the full moon emerged. Rarity suddenly tensed, and then an enormous canine creature clawed its way out of the costume, shredding the purple fur with its claws. It was easily six feet tall, with a bushy tail and with a huge maw of teeth.
The girls all took defensive stances as the wolfishly transformed Rarity threw her head back and howled at the moon.
"It's okay everybody, stand back, I got this," said Spike.
Author's Note
Happy Halloween
