Rarity, Chick flicks, and Minimalism
“I’m telling you darling,” Rarity lightly coated another layer of foundation, admiring herself in the mini mirror on the door of her locker, “you are – or were – like the Regina George of CHS.”
Sunset leaned against a locker, “I rather not be compared to the most prominent icon of the ‘mean girl’ trope, thank you very much.”
“Just think about it, you were Regina: the most feared and popular being at school, until Twilight came to dethrone you, like Cady.”
“Once again, we don’t need to discuss this.”
“And if you think about it, you also got hit by a bus,” her setting spray spritzing everywhere but her face, “except instead of a bus it was a rainbow, a much better way to go down if you ask for my opinion.”
“I didn’t,” either Rarity was too self absorbed into herself, or she chose to ignore the way Sunset gritted her teeth as she spoke.
Closing the locker, Rarity concluded with a ‘well not everyone can be as self-aware as I am’ before having the banner above her fall on top of her, despite the out lookers’ warnings. Tangled up in what seemed to be fabric soft material – the lesser type, if she was going to suffocate, she’d rather it a satin at least – she slipped, crashing to the floor.
It wasn’t until after two hours when she regained her consciousness in the nurse’s office did she tell Sunset that Cady in the end won Regina’s ex boyfriend, something else they had in common. All the sympathy she had for her friend left in that moment, Sunset wishing Rarity got hit by a bus instead.
It was three days after the incident when Rarity made her return to school, her absence much noted. She could have come back in two, but she wanted to know for sure that the whole ordeal shifted from an embarrassing moment to a worrying one. Two days meant a little hiccup, three meant that something tragic must of happened to her, and thus teasing would morph to sympathy.
“I have something to announce,” Rarity said, gaining the attention of the group of her most precious possessions, “I have decided to go minimalistic.”
“Welcome back Rars,” Applejack said, “glad to see there was no brain damage to yer fall.”
“There wasn’t, thank you for asking,” Rarity said, “more importantly, I just want to make sure everyone knows what I mean by a minimalism lifestyle.”
“Yeah, like how AJ or Sunset lives.”
“No, Applejack lives more of an Amish lifestyle,” Twilight corrected.
“I’m just poor.”
“Didn’t you have like golden doubloons from the pony world?”
“Yeah but those are emergency funds for if I apply for bankruptcy.”
“But can you really apply for bankruptcy when you don’t even own a business?”
“My family did when I was six, was one of the lowest points for the rock farm.”
“This isn’t about you,” Rarity interrupted pointing at her friend, her finger shifting to all her friends “this isn’t about any of you. This is about moi and my life.”
“Your minimalistic life,” Dash joked.
“You can never take anything seriously can you?” Rarity said, “but I can understand, I was that naïve once. That was, of course, before the most tragic moment of my life happened.”
“Didn’t you tell me your most tragic moment was when Trender Hoof chose Applejack –”
Rarity didn’t let Fluttershy finish that sentence, “Death changes a person, and I speak from experience. Never again will I distract myself with worldly things, instead I’ll fill my life with meaningful moments and purposeful relationships.” With an almost as dramatic exit, Rarity was soon gone to spread the word of her new religion.
“Well this should be good,” Sunset joked.
“I don’t know, maybe she’ll be able to go through with this, growing from her experiences,” Twilight’s insight was met with laughter from her friends, frowning at their disapproval.
“Alright, but no one answered if they wanted to help me with the Acres tomorrow, there’s suppose to be heavy rain on the weekend and with Macintosh away for the week, we don’t have enough hands to help us gather them apples in time.”
“Ooh I would love to, but the Cakes need me to help them with this huge party their catering with.”
“I would go too, but I promise Zypher I would be there for his new grand opening.”
“To what?”
“I’m not too sure, to be honest I’m actually not sure if what he's opening is ethically allowed.”
“Never mind, I don’t think I wanta know.”
“I could swing over –”
“Not Dash,” Applejack peered at her friend, in a ‘you know what you did’ way, “how about you Sunset?”
“Don’t you think I already go through enough?”
“I’d love to learn more about farming,” Twilight interjected before Applejack could question Sunset about what she meant, “plus with the sedentary lifestyle I have, it wouldn’t hurt to dedicate a day to hard work.”
The bell breaking them apart before any other words can be exchanged the day lingered on with them not knowing what will truly dawn on them. It wasn’t as if they didn’t take Rarity seriously when she said she’d start a minimalism lifestyle; they just didn’t think she’d have bags of old possession ready for them – more specifically Sunset.
So instead of having whatever ‘vegetarian’ version of food they were serving in the cafeteria, Sunset was in the practice room (as she found she was very often in, more so against her will than not) as Rarity placed all her gift bags on the floor. Crouching to read the labels on them, Rarity picked up the white one with yellow embroidery. Giving it to her friend, Rarity shook her arm that was extended for way to long. Reluctant, knowing this was probably the start of something not good, Sunset took it the bag, pulling out a shoe box.
“A few months late, but thanks for the birthday present,” Sunset joked.
“It’s not a birthday present,” Rarity said, “I’m giving away all my things that aren’t essential, meaning I can only keep 3 pairs of shoes. I wanted to give you these ones since they were exceptionally pricey.”
“Uh oh,” Sunset said, opening the box containing black suede shoes with a thick red coat on it’s sole, “Rarity, these are Louboutin heels,” she lost her voice in her breath.
“Precisely Darling, now you know why I had to give them to you?”
Shaking her head, Sunset kept looking between her friend and the shoes, her puzzled look remaining, “absolutely not. Aren’t these worth like $600?”
“Actually, they were $715.”
Shoving the box back to her friend, Sunset refused to accept the gift, “There’s no way I can take these, sorry Rarity.”
“No no no,” Rarity pushed back the gift, “I can’t keep it either, how am I suppose to live a minimalistic life with that in my possession, that’s as clashing as wearing two different animal prints. And I can’t just simply give it to a thrift shop, they’d never do it justice.”
“I don’t know Rarity –”
“Love, think of it this way; every girl dreams of a pair of these and you’re getting them for free, just as I did.” The quick change in expression made Rarity continue, “I once dated this really wealthy guy and he got me one of these as a one-month anniversary.”
“One month and he got you these? What did he give you on your second?”
“Oh, there was no second,” Rarity waved her hand, Sunset letting out a ‘oh’ before Rarity explained how he had to move for his parent’s business and that she didn’t do long distance. Further coaxing her friend, Sunset finally gave in, indefinitely thanking her friend for her generosity. With a light laugh, and saying how Sunset will probably find use for them before she ever got to wear them, Sunset thought that Rarity could actually come through with this whole minimalism lifestyle.
However, Sunset forgot to consider that this was Rarity we were talking about.
In order to get the best of every situation one must be prepared, and that’s why Twilight stayed up all night reading whatever she could about apple cultivation. So, in the barn sitting on the stacks of books she studied off of instead of the hay stack beside her (hay has a bad habit of finding itself comfortable in places it should not be when Twilight sits on it) she listens intensively to AJ explaining today’s tasks.
There’s three of them – Granny tends to do the more sedentary task due to her crumbling bones – and if they effectively split the acers into thirds, they would be able to finish harvesting these apples by nightfall, including proper storage and all. Having the slightly smaller portion closest to the house, all Twilight had to do was twist – not pluck – the apples, palms grasping the body. Be sure not to drop them in the basket, rather carefully place them to prevent bruising. For more ripe apples Twilight would need another basket to separate them in which Granny Smith would use in cooking. It was simple enough, a with her first few attempts being observed by Applejack, Twilight was soon left alone deemed competent enough for the task.
More than tiring it was relaxing for Twilight. Sure, by the time she finished all her trees her arms felt like they’ll fall off, but being up in the trees, the fresh air and soothing feeling of nature really made this job enjoyable. So, Twilight couldn’t think of why Sunset thought of this as any sort of punishment. That was until Twilight said something she shouldn’t.
As Applejack showed her proper way to store the apples, wrapped with newspaper carefully stacked in the wooden crates, Twilight suggested a better way to store the apples. Instead of newspaper and crates, wouldn’t it be better if they used a storing rack so they wouldn’t have to stack them and the rack prevents the apples to touch each other, and makes it easier to rotate them when time needs be.
“I’m glad yer eagar an all, an I appreciate yer enthusiasm, but we’ve been doin this for years so trust me when I say this is the best way.”
“That’s a very valid point,” Twilight said, “and experience is vital way to further one’s understanding and creating new methods. However, with that in mind, there has been a renown research study showing that using the rack for reasons I mentioned before shows far superior results in long lasting apples, and creates a more efficient cycle.”
Applejack placed her hand on her hip, raising her eyebrow – something she subconsciously picked up from Sunset, or maybe she always did it and hanging with Sunset made her more aware – and quizzed her friend, “And was this ‘renowned study’ done by an Apple?”
“As a matter of fact, he was,” Twilight took one of the books from the stack she was sitting on, flipping the pages until she landed on the one in question, “that’s why I knew it had more creditability than other studies in this book.”
“Well no wonder, it’s by Grimes Golden, I’m sorry but his opinions don’t count a bit. No not estranged no opinion.”
“But Jack statistically 35% of your family is estranged –”
“And rightfully so.”
“ – and disregarding figures like these would be foolish just because of traditions. I understand the sentiments behind them, but if we are truly to harvest the apples with the best outcome in mind, we should follow through with what shows the best result, don’t you think?”
“Well I guess my family is now statistically 36% estranged.”
“Wait, if you’re saying I’m estranged now then that’s not how statistics work.”
Lifting the basket of apples Twilight picked, Applejack thanked her for her service but she couldn’t have her apples sullied by non-believers and estranged family alike. Twilight – offended that she was both – lied that she wasn’t like she’s subconsciously picked up from Sunset, and wished her friend well.
Leaving the farm, Twilight learned many things from her experience today; the main one being is that Applejack truly does live an Amish lifestyle.
“And then she gave me these $715 worth heels and I don’t know what to do with them.”
“Sell it on eBay, you can get more off of it,” Dash suggested as she bounced a ball from on ankle to the other.
“I’m not selling the shoes Dash I don’t want to disrespect Rarity like that.”
Catching the soccer ball in her hands Dash sat beside her friend on the bleachers, “Then why are you complaining? Either keep the shoes or not, I don’t know why you have to make a big deal about it.”
“Because it is a big deal,” Sunset burst before apologizing, “sorry that was uncalled for. It’s just I’m not comfortable having something so expensive in my possession that I’ll probably never use. But I can’t just sell it because it used to mean a lot to Rarity and selling it would be selfish for me.”
“First of all, it looks like you have a form of guilt complex, which could have stemmed from after you-know-what, and now its taking form in spending money probably because of your state of income. To fix this you need to believe that you were given this as a present and that you deserve it. Second of all, if you don’t want to have the shoes and don’t want to sell them, then give it to someone who needs them, problem solved.”
Blinking a few times, Sunset broke from her shock, “Where did you learn all that first part from?”
“Twilight made me help her study for her AP Psychology class by reading out flash cards. We went over this topic like five times before she moved on, even though she knew it the first time.”
Nodding, still not over Dash’s sudden Einstein moment, Sunset tried to think of someone to give the shoes too.
“Isn’t it someone’s birthday or something? Maybe a friend’s parent anniversary?”
“When are yours?”
Dash shrugged, “I dunno, every day feels like my parent’s anniversary. Twenty-five years and you’d think they’d tone it down a little.”
“How about Fluttershy’s?”
“I don’t think they have an anniversary anymore.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah,” Dash stretched her shoulders back, “I remember her saying something like her parents decided to stop celebrating it because neither of them really likes celebrations – not in like Pinkie’s family way but in Fluttershy way, like they live a more boring life.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
With both of them either thinking of ideas or not thinking at all, the conversation fell short and the sounds made by the rustling leaves were making up the spaces between the silence. Dash closed her eyes as she leaned back, absorbing the warmth of outside.
“I think I’m going to give these to Pinkie Pie,” Sunset finally said. And like she said in a short time both Dash and Sunset were at the café Pinkie worked at, the gift bag placed on the counter. Pinkie over-ecstatic that Sunset got her a gift bag as a present was over the moon, or at least the moon decoration hanging, when she found out there was more the present.
“You got me black heels!” Pinkie squealed, “uh best gift ever award goes to Sunset,” and Sunset thoroughly believed she meant it, as she hugged them like her life depended on it.
“I’m just glad you like it,” Sunset said.
“Like them? I love them and you know what makes them better is that these are a bit roomy on my feet so now it’s a surprise to when I actually get to wear them it’s like a never-ending possibility of getting a new gift Sunset do you know how this feels!”
“It was all part of the plan.”
Sunset had no plan, so this was just a bonus.
On the contrary, Twilight had a plan. It was simple, clearly Applejack and her didn’t see eye-to-eye most likely because they have strikingly different beliefs and in order to move pass this, they needed the insight of someone in the middle. Unfortunately, they were stuck between Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, and Twilight concluded two perspectives were better than one.
So, when Twilight was discussing what happened the other day over the cafeteria table, Fluttershy listened attentively and Pinkie’s attention switched between her friend and the mash potatoes with gravy and whip cream.
“Well, maybe Applejack doesn’t like change when it comes to how they harvest apples,” Fluttershy said, or at least that’s what Twilight deduced because her voice was drowned out by the Snips and Snails mixtape that was being played loudly in the background.
“I understood that much.”
“Maybe its because change is uncertain so if there is something goes wrong then her whole crop could go wrong.”
“But it won’t because science proved it works and science is the closet thing we have to physical proof we can get.”
Fluttershy sunk in her chair as to hide from her friend’s enthusiasm as Pinkie took over the conversation, “but can science explain our magic? There’s evidence that it exists but science can’t prove it.”
“But we have tangible proof of it so we don’t have to rely on studies done to see it exists or not,” Twilight countered.
“But Applejack has tangible proof of how her method works which to her is far more effective than numbers,” Pinkie ended her point with a scoop of her lunch straight to her mouth, with some of it finding it’s place on her face.
Fluttershy nodded, “and even if it doesn’t make sense to you, it makes sense to Applejack. This is also Applejack’s whole livelihood; it wouldn’t hurt to do her method after all.”
Twilight took a moment to process this theory, both of her friends do make a good point. There are somethings in life that it’s better to stick to experience rather than statistic, like saving the world from destruction and maybe even apple harvesting. Perhaps she was too adamant with her pre-notions that she didn’t listen to her friend’s. As she slowly came to a realization, the room too started to go quiet, mainly because Vice Principle Luna confiscated the speakers and gave Snips and Snails detention.
Calling her back to reality, Pinkie’s phone alarm went off as she excitedly pushed away her empty tray. Squealing as she rummaged through her hair, she pulled out a pair of black heels to wear as a replacement, kicking off the shoes she was wearing. Pouting as the shoes still didn’t fit, Twilight questioned her friend’s behavior.
“Sunset gave me these heels as an amazing gift yesterday but she bought a size bigger so when I finally grow into them it’ll be like a new surprise. So far they still don’t fit so I don’t get a new gift today.”
Twilight wanted to tell her that feet don’t grow as fast as she thought but upon seeing Pinkie’s quivering lips, she decided to tell her that leafy greens can help grow them faster. Shoving the shoes back into her tangled locks, Pinkie rebounded back to her gleaming disposition as she took a huge bite from Fluttershy’s salad. Later that day Twilight took a surprise trip to the Acres, a stack of newspaper in hand.
“Hey Applejack, I thought about what you said and you were correct, maybe experience is better than statis – is that a shelf rack?”
Applejack cleaned the sweat from her forehead as she got up from the new instrument she built, “y’all can bet yer glasses that it’s a shelf rack. After taking to Granny about the study and turns out that Grimes Golden ain’t so estranged after all. When I found that out, I started to think about what y’all said and thought it was pretty silly for me to get my knickers in a twist fer somethin’ so small.”
Hugging her friend, Twilight asked if she this meant she was forgiven.
“Does the Apple family being 34% estrange answer yer question?”
“Still not how statistics works.”
Sunset had never seen anything as naked as the bare bedroom walls in Rarity’s house, as she sat down on the mattress on the floor. With a plastic cup half filled with water – she didn’t want to deprive Rarity with the five ice cubes she owned – she waited for her friend to come back upstairs. When she did finally come, it was with a plate with two apples cut in quarters.
“It’s a nice change, isn’t it? I can’t believe I hoarded so many unnecessary things before.”
“I mean it’s great you’re dedicated to this whole new lifestyle, but don’t you think you could’ve kept your bedframe?”
“Absolutely not,” Rarity shook her head, “lying on the floor is much better for both posture and chiropractic health.”
“Okay, but a desk or table of some sort wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
“Anyone but my pride. How can you call yourself a minimalistic and still have one of those?”
“Rarity I’m telling you this because I care for you but I think you’re doing this whole ‘minimalism lifestyle’ wrong.”
Rarity countered Sunset’s point, insisting she had this whole thing wrong. She read exactly what applied, and of course she couldn’t show Sunset the book because she couldn’t keep it, hypocrisy is a big no-no for minimalistic people like her. It was a sad sight to see, really. Rarity sitting on a small cushion nibling on a tiny slice of apple as she stared out the window.
That’s why when Rarity came to school the next day with the newest designer bag, she got last week, Sunset was almost glad Rarity couldn’t commit to anything that was so selfless. Explaining how Jesse McCartney came to her in her dreams and telling her that it’s okay to want things in life, and that having all she wants isn’t all to bad – how else could she live her life to the fullest?
“And I know this is very tacky of me, but I really would appreciate it if you gave me back my Louboutin heels. Like you said, you’d never wanted it and those shoes truly meant something to me.”
Sunset could honestly tell her she gave it to Pinkie and either Rarity would feel offended for maximum a day as she got her shoes back from their mutual friend, the process doing so upsetting poor Pinkie Pie who has done nothing to deserve such betrayal as taking back a gift, or she could lie.
Sunset chose to lie, “Sure, I’d just need to fetch them from home, but I’m pretty busy so I’ll drop them off when I have time, does that sound fine to you.”
Sprinting to where ‘Challenge and Change’ was taking place, pulling her friend aside before she entered her class. Thrilled to have an excuse not to go to class, and even more thrilled to see her friend, Pinkie Pie lend 70% of her full attention to Sunset.
“Listen Pinkie, there’s something I need to tell you,” Sunset laid down the base work of an apology, “its about those shoes I got you.”
“You mean these ones?”
“Yes those,” Sunset ignored the fact that Pinkie just pulled the shoes out of her hair, “there seems to be a little mistake.”
“Oh?”
“It’s just that I gave you the wrong shoes,” Sunset said, still choosing to lie, “you see, I meant to give you these awesome shoes – that are nothing like the shoes you have right now – but somehow there was a mix up. I didn’t want to tell you at first because you were so happy, but I have to do what’s right.”
“Okay dokie,” Pinkie said handing back the shoes, “I totally understand mix ups when it comes to presents, one time I accidently gave Gummy an electric whisker that was for Mrs. Cake, rather than the manual whisker.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Hey accidents happen,” Pinkie shrugged, “I mean its not like you re-gifted me a present that you need back, I mean that would be upper lame.”
“Yeah, upper,” Sunset laughed awkwardly.
It was safe to say that in two days timing, both Pinkie and Rarity had a new pair of shoes, and thank Celestia that Rarity refuses to ask Pinkie about her fashion sense, or else there would have been consequences.
“Okay, but it’s safe to say I’m like the Cher of CHS,” Rarity said, reapplying her lip balm, “I mean think about it, I’m fashionable, I’m helpful, and you can bet I can debate pierrotites around anyone, if needed.”
“But didn’t Cher get together with her ex-step brother.”
“Okay, minus that part. But think about it Darling, who else could pull off yellow plaid like me?” Rarity left behind a heavy trail of perfume in the air; Sunset was pretty sure she almost choked on the lingering particles.
Rarity continued, “You just have to pay attention to the details in life,” and then proceeded to slip on the wet floor that was recently mopped.
“You know what,” Sunset said, “I think you’re right after all. I think you’re absolutely clueless.”
"That was a bad pun, and you know it!"
Author's Note
I feel like this doesn't have a proper ending, but it's the ending it's getting. Minimalism lifestyles are actually really fascinating and if I had any self-control I would probably try it. Also, shout out to my sister who like four years ago re-gifted me the same gift I got her the very same year, which inspired this fic.
