“Miss Rarity, can you tell us where you first found the thing?”
Certainly, I can tell you. I can tell you all the story of my corruption.
It was a very dreary day, like I said. I was pacing my inspiration room, searching for the room’s namesake, when I heard a knock at my front door. Already resigned to not getting my inspiration, I grumbled to the door. Sticking a smile on my face for my visitor, I opened said door.
It was Hoity Toity, and he wanted a new line of dresses for one of his shows at very short notice. He’s a procrastinator, which means more work for me. Of course, I assured him I would be delighted to make those clothes. This still brought me back to the drawing board, so to speak, except that this time I had a purpose and a deadline to boot.
Bored of my own house, I ventured outside in search of something, anything, I could use for Hoity Toity’s request. The first thing I saw were a few fillies playing together. I smiled. Isn’t that lovely, I thought. I moved on, still without an idea. The second sight to arise in my vision was Mr. Cake, taking his two foals out on a walk. Pound was stumbling a bit, but his father was patient and nudged him along. How loving, I thought. The third scene I noticed as I was strolling along was a young couple, Big Macintosh and Cheerilee to be exact. And I thought to myself, They’re so much in love…
Then it hit me. Love. Something so simple, yet so complex. It was a theme, an emotion, an inspiration.
It was time to get back to my room and create! However, I always like to mull things over for a bit, so I kept on walking. As I did, I got a rather unwelcome visitor. Spike, that annoying little fanboy, was running after me with that infatuated glint in his eyes.
I’m sorry! I panicked! I didn’t mean to do it! I was just stressed out, is all!
He called after me plenty of times. I heard him, alright. I just could run faster. It’s just simple mechanics. I have four legs while he has two. He cannot fly, thus, I can cover more ground. That dragon is persistent; I’ll give him that. My little Spikey-wikey chased me all the way into the Everfree Forest. It’s not my favorite place. In fact, on a good day, I hate it. However, certain sacrifices must be made.
For the art of the dress, for example, I would do anything.
In this situation, that was not necessary. I had finally lost Spike temporarily in a thorn patch. I came out unscathed, of course; after all, we have done this before. As I rejoiced in my fleeting relief, I stopped to catch my breath. Always seeking new inspiration, I regarded my surroundings with calm interest.
That, my little ponies, is when I saw it.
Sitting in the middle of a pile of leaves was a familiar-looking doll. At first I didn’t recognize it. Not until I picked it up, at least. After turning it over with my magic a few times, I finally realized it was none other than Twilight’s doll Smarty Pants.
Never mind how the doll ended up in the middle of the Everfree Forest. The only thing I was thinking as I turned it back and forth anew in a cloud of blue was what had happened with Twilight’s Want It Need It spell.
Admittedly, I wasn’t there to witness the effects first hoof, but I had heard quite a bit about it. In fact, the whole incident gave me an idea. The way I saw it, Twilight’s problem before had been that she was overzealous and put too much love into the doll.
I wouldn’t make the same mistake.
Eventually, Spike caught up to me. Panting, he tried to say something which required more breath than he was capable of producing at that given moment. So instead of patiently waiting on him, I shoved the doll into his arms and told him to give it back to Twilight. Without so much as a ‘goodbye’, I galloped back to the Boutique, practically giggling with triumph.
What happened next, my dears, is what made my trip to the Everfree worth it a thousand times over.
Ever since Twilight’s incident with the Want It Need It spell, she’s been working to correct the flaws. All it took was waiting for her to fall asleep again and then getting Spike to sneak the plans to me.
I could make him do anything I wanted, after all.
Then it hit me. I suppose you’d think I’d use the spell on my art. I was just about to when a better idea occurred to me. What if the ponies were in love with me, and me alone? Would I then be exempt from casting the spell on every dress I made? Suddenly, thousands of possibilities came clear before my eyes. In the end, I used the dulled version of the spell, not on my work, but on myself.
I got the first reaction to my ingenious idea when I got my first visitor of the day: a little filly and her mother. As soon as they saw me, little hearts appeared in their eyes. However, instead of blinding them to reason and making them come at me like vultures to rotting meat, they merely seemed exceptionally impressed with me for no particular reason whatsoever. Secretly pleased, I tested my plan a step further; I asked the pair whether they wished to buy anything, hinting heavily that I had made everything that they could see. Just as I expected; they accepted enthusiastically.
And so that mare and her filly were the first to love and adore me. They certainly weren’t the last. Soon ponies from all over came to buy my dresses. They couldn’t get enough of me.
“Miss Rarity, can you tell us what it’s like to be so rich and famous? Is it just as you dreamed it would be? I love you--I mean--your work, by the way.”
I remain silent for a moment, eyes closed, pondering the question. Of course I love the fame and fortune. Who wouldn’t? Of course I love being loved. Who could ask for more? Of course I love the loneliness as well.
Don’t we all?
“Miss Rarity, what, or who, is your inspiration?”
I smile to myself. Nopony will ever truly understand what I say here tonight.
“My inspiration is simply love. That’s all that it’s ever been, and that’s all it will ever be.”
