Wish Gone Awry. Enter Equestria! Enter New Life!

Walking back to Ponyville, Julius and the ponies made their way to the Carousel Boutique. As the group approached, they saw Spike relaxing right by the door.

"Well, I thought you would have been at the library or something," Julius said as he spotted Spike.

"Usually, I would be. But Rarity needed help making you clothes and adapting them for ponies. While things like that tunic were easy, the poofy, fancy clothes were hard. Rarity wanted to add a bunch of things to them, like pleating for the cloak, trim for the cloak, shirt, pants, and hat, design choices, and just general Rarity things," Spike said with a sigh. "Still though, I get to spend time with her," Spike said while smiling while turning around. "Rarity, I'm coming back in with some guests!" Spike happily said as he opened the door and walked inside.

"Alright, Spikey-wikey!" Rarity happily sang from a different room. "Welcome to the Carousel Boutique. My name is Rarity, and I'm," Rarity started to say as she entered the room, "oh, hi everycreature," Rarity quickly said as she saw who was entering the building. "Terribly sorry about the wait, all your clothes are done, well, except for the landsknecht," Rarity unsurely said, to which Julius nodded, "clothes," Rarity said with a slight nod, "still waiting on the metal for those; well, for yours anyways. For the pony version, I have those done. And I've been playing around with their design!" Rarity happily sang. "Follow me!" Rarity urged with twinkles in her eyes.

"Well, she seems really happy about things," Julius smiled as he and the ponies followed Rarity.

"Yeah, she's been happy all while working on the clothes. The pony designs are more bright than what she made for you," Spike started to explain as he led the group into the back room. "She asked a few ponies for their opinions and got some ideas for colors," Spike said as they walked by some ponyquins garbed in ponyesque landskncht clothes.

"Yes, and they were oh so very helpful," Rarity said as she walked ahead of the group. "While some felt that the clothes were a bit much, those who liked them, they loved them!" Rarity sang as her eyes twinkled. "The recommendation for colors was a bit different from what you wanted," Rarity said as she pointed to a ponyquin. "Roseluck requested that one. We talked a while about colors until we settled on this pattern. An alternating floral white and mint green, with blush pink flower designs close to the hem and trimmed with gold thread," Rarity said as she pointed at another set of clothes, these having alternating chocolate brown and erin green. "Lotus Blossom requested that one," Rarity said as she continued to point at other ponyquins and explain who ordered them. "As you can see, they prove to be reasonably popular. I suspect they'll be in high demand for shopkeepers and other professions in which one wants to draw your eye. I may even get orders from Sapphire Shores, or Countess Coloratura, or even some from Canterlot!" Rarity happily squealed.

"Well, I have to go to Canterlot anyway; why not make some for you and the others? They can wear them there," Julius suggested as he looked at the designs.

"I'm already ahead of you there, darling," Rarity chirped as she unveiled eight ponyquins wearing ponyesque landsknecht clothes, each designed for a different pony. And a smaller dragonquin with a much smaller set on it.

"They look great, Rarity! But, we never asked for any of this," Twilight said as she looked at her clothes.

"Yeah, why didn't you ask for our opinion?" Rainbow Dash said as she looked over hers.

"Because you girls can be impossible when it comes to this kind of stuff. The last time I tried to make a dress for Applejack, she wanted to add galoshes. Then there's trying to get you to hold still for a fitting, and how many flames and lightning bolts you'd want to be added," Rarity told Rainbow Dash.

"Hey! I wouldn't be that bad!" Rainbow Dash huffed as Rarity raised an eyebrow at her. "Hehe, o-OK, maybe I would be," Rainbow Dash nervously laughed.

"Exactly," Rarity flatly said, sounding very unamused.

"About the galoshes," Fluttershy started to say. "While they wouldn't go with a dress, you could have substituted them with gaiters. Have the inside be a heavy-duty textile while the outer layer could have been silk," Fluttershy suggested, much to everycreature's shock.

"Fluttershy," Rarity said as she walked towards her, "that's brilliant; also, how did you think of that?" Rarity asked as the group, other than Rainbow Dash, looked at Fluttershy.

"Oh,ummm, one of my herd mothers runs a clothing shop in Cloudsdale. Her name is Cashmareshy; she owns the Hoof 'n' Hemline," Fluttershy said as Rarity's eyes went wide.

"Wait, you're related to Cashmareshy?" Rarity yelped as she walked up to Fluttershy. "Why didn't you ever say anything?" Rarity asked as she eyed Fluttershy.

"How didn't you figure that out?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I mean, they both Shys, shy is in their name. Cashmareshy even looks like Fluttershy, an older, slightly different shade of Fluttershy, but still," Rainbow Dash said as Rarity shot a look at her.

"How did you know that Fluttershy was related to Cashmareshy?" Rarity asked Rainbow Dash.

"Uhhh, hello, we grew up together. Also, Cashmareshy has the contract for the Wonderbolts uniforms. Oh, by the way, thank you, Fluttershy, for that favor," Rainbow Dash thanked as Fluttershy softly smiled.

"What favor?" Pinkie Pie asked as she felt the clothes Rarity made for her.

"Oh, when Cashmareshy got the contract, Rainbow Dash was more excited than she was. So Rainbow Dash came over for a few days. She said it was to help, but really it was to try to see a member of the Wonderbolts. Still, Rainbow Dash had a few ideas. I may have passed a few on to Cashmareshy," Fluttershy explained as she looked at Rainbow Dash. "You're welcome, but you don't have to keep thanking me. That was way back when we were fillies," Fluttershy told Rainbow Dash.

"I know, I know. But thanks to that, I got to see the Wonderbolts in pony, up close. I even got to add something to them!" Rainbow Dash happily said as Rarity looked closer at Rainbow Dash. "Right, the lightning bolts by their hoofs, that's me. Well, I suggested more, but still, Cashmareshy added it for me!" Rainbow Dash happily said.

"Cashmareshy took a lot out of it, but she did rearrange it, so a few of the lightning bolts stayed. If she kept everything, then their outfits would have been nothing but fire and lightning," Fluttershy chuckled.

"Yes, I can see Rainbow Dash being like that for clothing design. Furthering my justification in going ahead and just making your outfits. However, I should have asked you since you know so much and have connections," Rarity conceded as Rainbow Dash started to laugh.

"You don't want Fluttershy to give you her honest opinion on fashion. Trust me; she'll tear your clothes apart. We almost got kicked out of a few shops in Cloudsdale because of that," Rainbow Dash laughed as Fluttershy blushed.

"Whatever do you mean?" Rarity asked as she gave both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy a puzzled look.

"Well, when we entered a clothing store, Fluttershy would look at a few things. She'd eventually get to talking with the owners, and they'd ask for her honest opinion, and that never ended well. Every time she'd find something wrong, like something with the armscye, or one of the collars, or the hems, or the pleats, or the fabric, or the stitching, or something else like that," Rainbow Dash sighed.

"I tried to warn them that they didn't want my honest opinion," Fluttershy meekly squeaked as she blushed and hid away in her mane.

"Yes, all that can be quite disappointing to hear. But I can assure you that none of my clothes have those problems," Rarity confidently stated.

"Well," Fluttershy started to say before Rainbow Dash lightly pushed her hoof against Fluttershy's muzzle.

"Come on, Fluttershy, we've talked about this," Rainbow Dash sighed.

"Right, sorry," Fluttershy muffledly said.

"Anyways," Luna said as she looked over all the outfits, "these clothes kind of look a little like the old minotaur mercenary clothes. A little smaller and a bit poofier, but I can definitely see the similarities. If you changed the pants with a plaid kilt and took off the sleeves from the shirt, then it'd look exactly like the old minotaurian creachadairean," Luna said as she looked over the details of the outfits.

"Hah, funny you should say that. These are landsknecht clothing worn by the Landsknechts; they were German mercenaries. Excellent ones, and very flamboyant, but make sure they get paid; otherwise, you'll lose control of them, and they might go sack a city," Julius said with a light laugh.

"I'm guessing that's happened before," Luna hummed as she felt the fabric.

"Yeah, it was one of the most complete sacks possible without completely destroying the city. It took Rome years to recover, but the mercenaries got paid, so, cash money?" Julius said with a shrug.

"Hah, that's always the case with mercenaries. In an odd way, it's comforting that it's the same in your world as in this world," Luna dryly laughed. "Though the flamboyance is very different from the minotaurs. Minotaurs prefer darker earthy colors; I'm guessing these Landsknechts wore many different colors," Luna said as she lightly tested the fabric.

"Oh, they wore all kinds of colors in all kinds of fashions. Rarity, Fluttershy, you might want to cover your ears for this," Julius said as he quickly turned to them. "Landsknechts even wore stripes with plaid and horizontal stripes with vertical stripes," Julius said as Rarity's and Fluttershy's eyes went wide. "They got your attention in every way possible. Though, to be fair, you have to be very self-assured and bold to wear stuff like that," Julius laughed.

"Yes, you do," Luna smiled. "I remember back in the day, smaller dragons, about your size," Luna said as she pointed at Julius, "would also wear such bold and outlandish clothes. Both to announce themselves on the field and to attract mates. It worked quite well even inspired the look of the Jinetes of Cloudsdale," Lune smiled as she reminisced.

"You remember how the Jinetes looked? How did they look?" Fluttershy asked in surprise.

"Right, no remaining records," Luna sighed. "I believe I saw some younger dragons wearing the same clothes as way back then. If you go to the badlands, you might be able to see them, though it'll be dangerous. There'll be younger dragons there, so there'll likely be older dragons," Luna warned.

"And these clothes, they're similar to what the Jinetes wore?" Rarity asked.

"Very much so, yes," Luna assured the two ponies. "When flying over the area, I was surprised to see such accuracy. Though I did encounter a few elder dragons while flying over the area, I even encountered Torch, the current dragon lord. So if you go there, be very careful," Luna warned.

"What happened when you met Torch?" Julius asked as he listened.

"Oh, well, we talked for a little bit. Torch and I go way back. So we chatted, caught up a bit, and I went on my way. Even dragons want places like that cursed place sealed," Luna lightly huffed.

"What place?" Julius and Pinkie Pie asked.

"It's an ancient place, older than even Celestia and I. I'm not sure what it used to be, but what it was when we came was nothing short of horrifying. Celestia and I purged that place before we even tried to unite Equestria. Unfortunately, we could not destroy that place, so we kept it physically and magically sealed. The magic in that place is strong, so we have to refresh the magical seals now and then," Luna told the group.

"Wait, is that the same place that you and Zecora were talking about some days ago?" Julius asked as Luna nodded. "OK, really, what is that place?"

"It's a place where a truly disgusting practice took place. A truly evil cult carried out those acts. Now, that cult and those acts are best left long forgotten. The ponies have not seen acts nearly that bad in many lifetimes, and we'd like to keep it that way. But you," Luna said as she looked at Julius, "if your history is as dark as you say, I might say more, but if I do, please, don't tell others. It'd be for the best if such things are forgotten," Luna told Julius.

"Hah, if you want an example, I'll tell you about Vlad the Impaler. You'll never guess what he did," Julius lightly joked.

"I don't see how that's bad. You impale ponies all the time," Pinkie Pie jokingly said.

"Yeah, but in a different way," Julius laughed.

"I see," Luna said as she took a few deep breaths. "That sounds like a discussion best kept for a different time and in private. Until then, though, let's continue to look around. Rarity has made some fabulous clothes," Luna said as the group looked around Rarity's workshop and storage.