I am not jealous, Rarity told herself firmly. I am simply... curious.
Yes, that was le mot juste. Curious. About how Tempest Shadow managed and maintained her simply fabulous looks with hardly any effort. Day after day, morning, noon, and night. Even after a hard workout against her army of looming, ape-like soldiers. Or a lengthy stretch in a stuffy Canterlot conference room, standing for hours in the background, scowling at anyone who looked likely to give Princess Twilight Sparkle any trouble. Or a rough-and-tumble adventure, like their trip to Seaquestria and back.
As Twilight's self-appointed bodyguard, Tempest's day could be long, it could be hard, it could be tedious. Frequently, it was all three. Yet no matter what happened, the maroon, plume-maned pony always looked fit to kill.
And Rarity simply had to know.
How does she manage it? What's her secret?
Rarity trotted through the corridors of the Friendship Castle, hunting for the particular guest room that Tempest occupied, whenever she wasn't staying onboard one of the airships that she'd taken charge of after the Storm King's invasion.
I am not going to pry, the violet-maned fashion pony told herself. I'll just start a pleasant, social conversation, that's all. And I'll gently try to lead it round to the subject at hoof. Nothing wrong with that... just two new friends having a nice chat, getting to know each other better.
And if Tempest saw fit to tell her, then Rarity would be satisfied. If not... well... she'd think of something. A top-notch designer always knew how to improvise.
Locating the proper door at last -- the one with the light scorching around the knob, just as Twilight had told her -- Rarity took a sharp, cleansing breath, then rapped lightly with a forehoof. "Tempest?" she called out. "It's Rarity, darling! Nothing urgent, I just thought we might have a pleasant little chat. That is, if now's a good time?"
"Come on in," Tempest replied laguidly. "It's open."
Rarity pushed open the door, opened her mouth to speak...
And then froze in astonishment.
Tempest was lying on a soft navy-blue cushion in the middle of the room, where the natural light coming through the windows was best. The pony had her armor and shoes off, the armor hung neatly on a small rack close by. Her forehooves were crossed, and she held her head high, her expression carefully neutral.
And standing on a small footstool in front of the pony was Grubber, Tempest's white-maned hedgehog assistant. He had a small, fine-haired paintbrush in one paw, and a pot of fine eye shadow in the other.
Fuchsia, Rarity's designer eye automatically supplied. Yes, definitely. With just a hint of bubblegum.
The hedgehog eyed his employer's face with the stern intensity of a landscape painter confronting a potential masterpiece. With one eye shut, he held out his paintbrush and tilted it, this way and that.
Tempest glanced sideways. "Something on your mind, Rarity?"
"Oh!" She bit her lip nervously. "Well, I was going to be all circumspect and cagey about this... but I see I might as well be honest and ask straight out. It's Grubber who's responsible for your simply di-vine looks?"
Tempest snorted amusedly, while being careful not to move as Grubber leaned in to lightly touch up the arc over her right eye. "You don't think I could manage this kind of look on my own, do you?" she asked, motioning a hoof. "Even with the exercises Twilight's having me do, my magic's nowhere near stable enough yet."
Rarity trotted into the room, her own horn flaring to discreetly shut the door behind her. "Well, I must say!" she marvelled, "I would never have expected it. No offense, Grubber, but you simply didn't strike me as being the, ah... artistic type."
"Eh, I wouldn't say I'm a real artist," Grubber admitted sheepishly. "I've just been doin' the boss's looks for so long, I got a routine worked out, so I know just what to do. Especially if it's just a touch-up job like this."
"And I've never been fussy about how I look," Tempest said. "So long as I look presentable. But Grubber knows my tastes, and he's got a good eye for what works. And he's just about the only creature I trust with pointy objects anywhere near my face." She eyed the hedgehog narrowly. "Plus, he also knows that if he screws this look up, I'll bite him."
"Yeah, yeah," Grubber retorted. "Promises, promises!" Corking the pot of shadow, he set it on a stand nearby, and brought up a small vial of dark liquid and an applicator. "All right! Time for the piece de re-sis-tance! Eyebrows!"
Tempest obligingly shut her eyes, and waited as Grubber gently applied the inky fixative. His paw confidently stroked the brush, in small motions just so, producing the arching, blade-like, serrated-edge look that simply defined her face.
"Ahem," Rarity asked, even as she marvelled at the hedgehog's steady paw and remarkably keen eye, "you do know those are eyelashes, right?"
"Yeah, sure! But the boss doesn't really do eyebrows," Grubber replied. "She thinks they make her face look weird. So we keep 'em plucked and build up the lashes instead, and call 'em eyebrows."
"Really?"
Grubber gave her a look. "You gonna argue with her?" he asked.
"I take your point. And the lashes are real, then?" Rarity asked. "Erm, if you don't mind my asking?"
Tempest spoke patiently, without opening her eyes.
"Fake eyelashes? When I might have to defend myself hoof-to-hoof? I don't really think that would work, do you?"
"Ah, no... you're probably right," Rarity agreed, a little uncomfortably considering her own overlong extensions. "It really wouldn't."
"And a dab more here..." Grubber said, "and there... and... that's it! All done!" He nodded proudly. "Open em' up!"
Tempest languidly opened her eyes and smiled, first at him, and then sideways at Rarity.
"Oh yeah!" Grubber said proudly, giving her a thumb's up. "Now you're lookin' like a million bits, boss!"
"Thanks, Grubber."
"No problem! Now, time ta do the mane!" Grabbing a brush, he hopped down from the stool and ambled around to climb up on Tempest's back. Steadying himself with a paw pressed to her neck, he expertly applied the brush to Tempest's plume-like mane, gently teasing it into the tall, fin-like frill that looked at once completely natural, yet subtly sculpted.
"You have unexpected talents, Grubber," Rarity said. "In both maquillage and coiffure!"
"Er..." Grubber peered at her confusedly. "You mean the mane-styling? I basically just do hers the same way I do my own, 'cept from behind, like." He motioned with the brush to his own saw-toothed plume. "The style works well when the boss wears the helmet with the armor. And over time she just got used to wearing it like this always. And me, well... I kinda sorta started doin' mine the same way, so I'd fit in as her sidekick."
"And... how do you get it to stay so well?"
"Heh heh!" Grubber grinned. "Secret ingredient!" He exchanged a bear-trap grin with Tempest, then he waved a paw. "Nah, not really! It's basically just corn starch and a few other things. We've kinda figured out a recipe that works. I can make up a batch every now and then, and that'll last us for a while." Turning around, he began carefully styling Tempest's tail as well.
And the Commander eyed Rarity, head tilted to one side.
"You really like this look?" she asked. "It's just something I and my partner in crime here threw together. But they say you're the expert on style, Rarity. So if you approve..."
"Oh, I do, my dear!" Rarity said, relievedly. "It's simply gorgeous! And you wear it so well! I was just wondering how you managed it. And here it turns out you have your own in-house beautician, as it were. I'm impressed!"
"Thanks." Tempest smirked. "Nice knowing I can rock the look, so to speak. And it's all thanks to Grubber here. A slice of cake every now and then, and I walk around with nice looks all day."
"Heh! All part of the service!" Grubber hopped down from her back, and putting the brush back on the stand next to the other cosmetics, he hustled over to the rack and tugged down the body-armor. It all but fell on him, and he nearly collapsed under its weight.
"Oh, here, Grubber!" Rarity said quickly. "Do let me help with that!" Her horn singing, she kept the armor levitated as Grubber walked it over and spread it out over Tempest's back. Then, as the pony stood up and stepped off the cushion, he moved to loop the straps and tighten them down.
Tempest eyed Rarity.
"You really came by just to ask? About how I manage my looks?"
"Oh!" Rarity blushed. "You've caught me out, my dear," she replied. "Well, as a designer I'm always on the lookout for new ideas, new styles to consider, in both fashion and coiffure. But personally... well, I have occasionally wondered..."
"Whether this look might work for you?" Tempest tipped her head, considering it.
"It's silly, I know!" Rarity waved a hoof. "One pony's individual style simply doesn't translate well to another."
"Oh, I don't know about that. We could certainly do the eyes, at least. But knowing you, we probably wouldn't want to mess with the hair. But that should be all right. Best to start small, anyways..."
Rarity stared. "You mean it? You wouldn't mind?"
"Why should I mind? I'm not the one who'd be doing the work. And Grubber?" She turned her head to eye him coldly. "He does what I say... or else..."
Grubber shrugged cheerfully. "I aim to please!" He trotted back over to collect two of Tempest's armored shoes. "After all, I live longer that way. So, when would ya like to do it?"
"Oh, my!" Rarity said. "Well... no time like the present, as they say. If that works for the two of you as well?"
Tempest nodded. "I was thinking of doing a little sparring with the troops, but... I'd actually like to see this. Grubber, how about you?"
"Heh! No problem, gals. But if ya got a favorite color of eye-shadow, Rarity," he advised, "ya might want to go grab it. I only got the boss's colors, here."
"Absolutely!" Rarity replied, "I'll just go grab my kit, and be right back!"
Turning, she raced out of the room, not even bothering to shut the door behind her.
And Tempest eyed Grubber warningly.
"You mess up her looks, mister, it'll be no cake for a week..."
"Aw, geez, boss!" Grubber winced. "You really know how to twist the knife!"
Later that afternoon, Twilight convened an impromptu round-table of the Element Bearers, in the map-room of the Friendship Castle, in order to fill them in on plans for the forthcoming Summit in Saddle Arabia.
And she found herself staring wordlessly across the table at Rarity. Who eyed her back, coolly and collectedly. There was a familiar arch, imperturbable expression on her face.
"Ummm, Rarity?" Twilight asked. "There's something... different about how you look... isn't there?"
"Oh, my dear," Rarity replied, "isn't it obvious?"
The fashion pony grinned, and glanced around at her equally stunned friends. Then she exchanged a smile and wink with Tempest and Grubber, standing behind Twilight's chair.
"Basically," she said, "it's the eyebrows..."
The End
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, its characters and indicia are the property of Hasbro.
No infringement is intended. This story is a work of fan fiction, written by fans for fans of the series.
Author's Note
And yes, that is a Doctor Who reference.
(Sorry, apparently the YouTube video isn't there any longer. You'll just have to check it out in the episode: Time Heist.)
