A stallion stormed out of the boutique, wearing the most bizarre thing. Some thin cloth was woven shut with ribbons, as if to replace stitches. String was placed in odd places around the... suit, as if they were ribbons or a thicker, decorative string.
He stopped outside of the fashion shop, ripping off the bizarre clothing. “Ma’am, you are one of the most loony, intolerable mares in the industry! How you have a business is beyond me!!” he shouted before storming out of town.
The white unicorn just sat in awe, befuddlement, and dismay. Rarity had a number one play actor say she wasn’t good enough. Furthermore, he’d that she was crazy! Sure, she may have been a little fangirly, but it wasn’t anything more than when she saw Photo Finish.
Rarity was lost in thought, until she saw two darling friends. Realization hit. She looked down on the floor. The gems she was going to put on the suit were laying on the floor. Next to where Will, the actor, stood.
This. Was. The. Last. Sraw!
Rainbow Dash was about to dash off, but Pinkie effortlessly stopped her. With a technicolored tail in mouth, Pinkie Pie entered the dressmaker’s home. “Oh, Rarity, we are so, so, very, very super, duper sorry.” Pinkie had released Rainbow, without her dashing off this time. “It was just a prank. We didn’t think you’d work with all your things in the wrong places. Really!”
Rainbow Dash looked up a little ashamed. “Yeah, we’ve done loads of pranks and never had a problem before.” The cyan pegasus rubs her neck. “How could we have seen something like that?”
“All we thought you would do is freak out and fix it!” interjected Pinkie.
Opal came into the room and pawed at the gems. Rarity watched with a twitch in her eye. After a few seconds, she said, “No, don’t worry darlings. It’s perfectly okay. You’re right.” Her eyes stayed locked with the cat and rocks.
Rainbow Dash let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Oh good, I thought you’d be mad or something.”
Pinkie shifted her gaze between the two, frowning, “I’m still upset it went so badly. It was such a funny prank.”
***
Rarity sat waiting for Fluttershy at the spa. It looked like the morning specials were going to end before Fluttershy would make it to the expensive place of relaxation. Rarity really wanted one to calm herself down after the rude awakening she got early that morning, but it felt wrong to not go with her dear friend.
Her patience growing thin, and not wanting to spend more bits than necessary, especially alone, Rarity was about to leave, when she heard a bit of commotion outside. By the sounds of it, a crowd had gathered, and was pressed together.
It didn’t take long for an out of breath, pink-frizzy faced Fluttershy to enter the spa. “Oh, dear.” she breathed. “Please don’t tell me I’m late for the morning deals.”
***
Rarity, as well as the spa assistants, all stare at Fluttershy’s new look. Her fur was frizzy and pink around her face and neck. Her mane was frizzy in some places, and a darker shade of pink. After a few hours, and many different treatments, it was becoming clear that nothing was getting whatever did this off.
Rarity sat in a stupor. Who would do such a ‘thing’. Poor Fluttershy must have been receiving stares on her entire way to the spa. Watching the two spa ponies take so much time and effort attempting to fix Fluttershy’s face made Rarity snap out of her trance.
“Oh, darling. I’m not being a good friend, am I? Tell me, whatever happened to you?”
Fluttershy shifted the best she can, given that she is getting all the attention of both Lotus Blossom and Aloe. “Oh, ah, to tell you the truth, I’m not quite sure.” A sudden tug at her mane made her wince. “Twilight came by, and there was this pink explosion. All I really know is that Twi- Ow! Twilight said that it won't come out for a few days.”
Rarity tilted her head in confusion. “Why was there a pink explosion?” Turning her attention to Lotus for a second, “Can we just stick to the normal. It sadly won’t come out.” Lotus and Aloe sighed, happy to put this behind them.
“Sorry, I don’t know. Twilight was just on the ground and, boof! Pink cloud around her.”
Rarity smiled at how she was now getting pampered. As the realization of what was said hit her, she looked a bit worried. “Hold on darling, are you saying Twilight did this to you?”
“Oh no, well yes, but not on purpose.”
The still fresh memories catching up. “I should hope not.”
“Oh no, no. She was more in the blast than me. I think the center actually.”
Rarity sat there with Aloe grooming her, deep in thought. “Okay,” Rarity said after some time, “we’re going to see Twilight Sparkle.”
***
Rarity and Fluttershy make their way to the library. Rarity made darling little Fluttershy a getup to hide the bizarre look that Fluttershy is now stuck with for a few days. It wasn’t much, a turtleneck, sunglasses, and a hat. Nopony stared at them while they made their way, so it worked. The dress designer was about to knock on the door, when she heard there were others inside.
“Thanks Twi. Ah can’t tell yeah how much it means ta’ me.”
It was clear who it was by the accent, but why was AJ there?
“Ah know they mean well an’ all, but shoot, this time there’s a problem need’n fix’n.”
What was this?
A faint voice could be heard. “Oh I got it! Here you go Applejack, to detour Dipterapples destruction, dip a danish directly in- salt? Well there you go.” There was a pause, and then Twilight added, “Oh wait, it notes it has to be an apple danish.”
“Thanks again Twi. This’ll save ma’ farm from them pesky things.”
Rarity, having heard enough, barges in. “Twili-” Rarity almost lost it. The hysterical appearance of Twilight was too much. Twilight was pink. Just pink. All her hair, even her coat, was a wild frizz. She almost looked like Pinkie Pie with some extra shades of pink striping through. Rarity had to shut the door to stop from smiling, and help stop herself from laughing.
It doesn’t take long for the door to reopen. Twilight glares down Rarity as the fake Pinkie Pie opens the door. “What is it Rarity? I need to get some studying done. I don’t have all day for laughs.”
“Bwa ha haa haa!! Darling, that’s too funny, stop!”
The pink unicorn sighed. “Well, come in.” The unicorn turns her head and sees the other pony. “Oh, hello Fluttershy.”
Everypony was fairly quiet for a while. Fluttershy, the quietest one, just sat down twirling her hoof in a circle on the floor. Applejack had grabbed the book Twilight was reading from, and was seeing what she could find in it. Twilight groaned at Rarity’s laughs. Finally, Rarity was trying to hold back her laughs, resulting in muffled giggles and snorts.
Spike came down the stairs. Confusion swept his face at seeing everypony so quiet. “What’s with everypony? Are you all trying to see who can be the quietest in a library or something?”
Rarity begins to snap out of her laughing fits. “Oh, right. Heh, I came by to ask why there was a p- heh- pink explosion at dear old Fluttershy’s.”
Futtershy begins to take off the disguise Rarity made for her. “Oh, sorry, I forgot I was still wearing this.”
Spike sees Fluttershy’s new look, and bursts into laughter. This makes AJ look up from the book, and do the same. “Sorry Fluttershy, Ah just didn’t expect ch’ya ta look like that!”
Fluttershy shrinks and tries to put the disguise back on. She’s told by the others it’s okay, and some time later, her to feel at home again. Rarity has to remind everypony why she’s there, and Twilight gives an aggravated sigh.
“Some pony was pulling a prank on me. That’s why.” The unicorn went to a drawer, and pulled out a letter. “Guess who sent me this? Guess who it says it’s by?” Twilight passes the letter to her friends.
“Yeah, Ah’m here do ta a prank also. We lost maybe a tenth of our harvest due to Dipterapples smelling rotten apples miles away. Now t’em bugs are eat’n everything my family works hard for.”
Rarity looked a little puzzled. “Just how did rotten apple stink go so far?”
Twilight was about to answer, but Applejack was faster. “Dipterapples have a good sense a smell. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash gathered bad apples, and put ‘em into a barrel. The smell was awful.”
Twilight pointed to the letter, making it clear that she wanted to answer the question given to her. “Sorry,” said AJ and Rarity.
“The note says:
Twilight,
Come over as soon as you can. If it’s not a problem, that is. I have some sick animals that aren’t responding to what I give them. Do you know any chemical things that may help?
Please Twilight, you’re my only hope to help these poor animals.
Fluttershy.”
The group looks to Fluttershy. She sulks again. “So I gathered all I had, and my chemistry stuff being a bit too heavy, I fell down before Fluttershy answered the door. She began to get close to me, only to have all my chemicals mix and BOOM!”
There was a short pause before everypony looked to Rarity. “Oh yeah, what happened to me, right?” She took in a deep breath, and ranted. “I awoke today to have my most absolutely, positively, most famous client come in. The fabulous play actor known in all of Equestria, Will Nought! He demanded a new suit on the spot, and I was much more than happy to oblige him.
He wanted it made right on him. I didn’t mind the extra work. It was Will! As I worked, I didn’t hear a thing he said. He must have said something, after all. Those prankers moved my things around, and in my glee, I didn’t see anything wrong. Now Will Nought thinks I’m crazy and will tell all the other bigshot ponies not to go to me! I’m ruined!”
“Wow. They did a lot in the last day or two, ha?” asked Spike.
Applejack tipped her hat. “It must’a taken ya a long time to get things back’n order Rar.”
Rarity’s eyes lit up. “Oh no! It’s still a mess from when I was trying to fix things. It was frustrating me so much I needed to leave for some fresh air! It’s all still there!”
Fluttershy placed a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “It’s okay, I’ll help you.”
Applejack gave an agreeing nod. Twilight said, “We can all help you, after we straighten up the farm problem. The longer we wait, the more Dipterapples will gather.”
“Thanks girls.”
***
Applejack had gotten the danishes from the Cake’s bakery. The others got the salt ready for the danishes to be dipped in. It didn’t take long after AJ got back, that they were done with protecting the farm’s apples.
Rarity’s boutique, that took some time. They made it easier by dumping sections out onto the floor, and then properly organizing them. Rarity has a lot of stuff.
When they were done, Rarity insisted on making something for them to eat. Everypony was about call it a night when Rarity and Fluttershy saw the worst. Possible. Thing! Opal was about to eat from her litter box!
“Opal! Bad kitty!” shouted Rarity.
“Now Opal, you know where your food is. That’s no place to eat,” scolded Fluttershy.
In an instant, something clicked in Rarity’s head. Everypony could see it on her face. “What?” asked Twilight.
“That’s it!”
AJ took a step away from Rarity. “Eating dung?”
“No, we can make our own prank.” Rarity turned to AJ. “You can back more than pies, and- whatever else you make with apples, right?”
Sounding offended, “Yeah!”
“Can you make cakes?”
Now AJ was confused. “Yeah?”
“Fluttershy dear, can you decorate cakes and make them look like almost anything?”
Perkily, Fluttershy answers, “Yes, I can.”
“Twilight, can you learn how to make cakes from Applejack?”
Confused like her earth pony friend, the unicorn responds with, “I’m sure I can. Where are you going with this?”
Rarity gives a twisted smile. “Oh, darling, I can tell you girls that in the morning.”
***
Everypony waited for Rarity to make her big reveal at Fluttershy’s. Angel eyed each of the intruders of his personal space. Not knowing what to expect... other than a cake, the three sat waiting for Rarity to join them.
The door flung open. Rarity had her saddlebags and a big smile.
Everypony looked at Rarity. Not Angel; he looked down in defeat. “Okay girls! I got it!” declared the designer.
“Got what?” asked AJ.
“The plans!”
“What plans? What are we doing? Making a cake?” prodded Twilight.
“Yes! Oh Celestia yes we’re making a cake!”
“Does that mean, that it’s a good cake?... If you’d pardon me asking,” weekly asked Fluttershy.
“Ohh, ha hah ha haa! Darling, that was the best question!” Rarity laughed as she pulled out two things she bought.
“Ah Rare?-” began AJ.
“What are those for?” continued Twilight.
“Are they for the cake?! Play say you washed them,” concluded Fluttershy.
“They are for the cake dear. And would I really use something like this for a cake if it wasn’t clean?” Rarity got closer to the coffee table everypony was at. “We are making a prank cake designed as kitty litter!” In a fluid motion, Rarity got her forelegs on the table and pulled out a list of what will be needed for the cake. On the list, two things were scratched off: Kitty Litter Pan, and Kitty Litter Scooper.
Some weird looks later, Twilight asks, “Why?”
“PAYBACK!” Rarity sees that the other three are taken back by her reply. “I mean, it’ll be fun darling. Can you picture their faces as we ask them for some, they say no, and we eat some? It’ll be a blast.”
Fluttershy giggles, “Okay, I don’t mind.”
“Wonderful!”
Rarity explained her cooking plans to the others. She does have a few problems that need to be looked at. “As I was thinking about how to make the cake look like kitty litter, I couldn’t think of how to get the texture just right. AJ, Shy, do you have idea? All I came up with is mush.”
Fluttershy and Applejack look at each other for a few seconds, as if they were having a chat in each other's minds. “Well, how ‘bout put’n?” the farm pony said after some time passed.
“I think that would work,” interjected Twilight.
“It helps with the texture, I guess, but not so much the looks. We would need something more for the look - the feel of the cake. It’ll need more”
“What are you talking about?” asked Fluttershy.
“We need the odder crystals. How do you imitate them?”
Several hours go by. The four debate what would work best for what looks and aspects of the cake, as well as how to make the effects. The plans for the cake were now done. All they had left to do was make it. Tomorrow though, it’s late now.
“Oh, that sounds just so delightful!” squeed Rarity in delight.
“And delicious,” added Applejack and Fluttershy.
“Well girls it’s late and I need my beauty sleep.” Rarity yawned. The others caught the mental disease, known as yawning, and made farewells for the night.
***
Rarity woke up and left early the next day. On her way to Flutteshy’s cottage, she spots Rainbow Dash coming in for a landing near her. It didn’t take long, before Rainbow even touched the ground, that Rarity had came up with an idea.
“So, ah, Rarity, how are you?” Rainbow Dash began nervously. “Me and Pinkie didn’t really ruin things for your shop, did we?”
With a fake smile, “Oh no, it’s going great!” Dash didn’t seem to believe it. “Oh, yes! Yes. It is. Going great. For now, though, I’m looking for things to try out.”
With a tilted head, “Try out? Out here?”
Smile looking more genuine, “Yes, yes. I’m looking for some new things for my pallet. It seems to be a tad bit off, so I’m looking for new things to test with.”
After taking a step back, “Oookay, what do you mean?”
Giggling, “Oh darling, to eat. My taste pallet seems to be going out of sorts, and I’m trying to see what I can now eat.”
After taking another two steps back, “What are you looking for now, ah Rarity?”
A determined look sweeps Rarity’s face. “Snails! I think that if I fry them they would be oh so divine. I’ll have to call them something fancy though... Escargot!”
A dreadful expression hits Rainbow Dash. This has to be it. The two had to have made Rarity lose her mind. She has to find a way to fix this, but how? “Don’t worry Rarity, I’ll help you!” said Dash, as she vanished into the sky.
That may have gone too perfectly.
***
The group started to work as soon as Rarity got in. Every cake was made from scratch, as to keep with Rarity’s desire to be as homemade as possible. They still thought there might be some problems, so many tests were done in small scale. They add or reduce things, even take them out entirely to see if it worked. By the end, they had made several things of putting, a dozen cakes, several dozens of cookies, rock candies, and chocolates.
“Fluttershy, what do you think?” asked Twilight.
“It looks better. I’d think it’s real,” said the unsure pegasus.
“Not good enough. These two might see through it,” said Rarity, making her way to work on the next cake.
Getting in closer to the cake, AJ says, “Ah’d have ta agree. Those two know how to pull a prank. If anypony could see through it, it’d be them.” Applejack gestures to the cake, “Ah’d like to see the looks on their faces when we try and serve them this. So Ah want it to be ma best work.”
Twilight looks a little worriedly at Rarity. “Can we use pre-made materials? It looks like we’re running low, and we could try more faster if we didn’t have to make pudding, or a cake, or cookies.”
“Ah’d have to agree with her sugercube.”
“I, um, would like it if there was less of a mess, too. That is, if we used store bought goods, there would be less to clean up. Ah, if you don’t mind me saying,” stated Fluttershy.
Rarity sighs. “Okay, it’s getting late. I’ll go get the cakes and rock candy. You girls get something and come here again tomorrow.”
~~~
Pinkie Pie was getting things going in the bakery. Her mind was elsewhere though, well not that it wasn’t in her head, but that her thoughts weren’t on baking, silly pants. She was worried about Rarity. Pinkie hadn’t seen Rarity in a few days, and the prank that she and Dashie pulled had a bad ending.
Almost on cue, Rarity walks in just as Pinkie was thinking about going over to see her. “Hello Rarity. What can I get you this morning?”
“Okay, for you Pinkie dear, this will be a tall order. I need two plain cakes. One German Chocolate cake, and one vanilla. Keep in mind, honey, that there is to be no icing on them. Just plain old cakes,” Rarity said, sounding as if there was no chance that Pinkie understood this.
“Okie dokie. But why? Wouldn’t it be so much tastier with icing? We can make it like a cream filled donut and put the icing inside the cake? If that helps any? Oh-” Yeah, Pinkie didn’t get it.
Rarity tried to wait and see if Pinkie would stop, but there was no end. Every time she tried to stop her bouncy friend, it didn’t get through. Rarity got more and more frustrated with the pink earth pony, until, “Pinkie Pie! I said no icing! Now darling, I understand you like to decorate cakes as much as you like to eat them, but I just want two plain cakes! Okay?!”
“Um, okay, I’ll get right on it,” Pinkie nervously said.
Pinkie was at first hurt by Rarity’s outburst, but started to think about it. When was the last time the others got a cake order. Pinkie is the one that normally brings the cakes. Maybe they want the cakes plain, so they can decorate them in secret.
A party!
***
Rarity didn’t think about it until she got to Fluttershy’s, but she forgot the rock candy. They’d just have to try without it. Maybe Rainbow and Pinkie would think that Rarity doesn’t get the odorless crystal kitty litter. Maybe they would just not see the difference. Hopefully-
“Hold on. Ah have an idea.” The farm pony looks at the cakes and the kitty litter pan. “What if we cut ‘em in half?”
Everypony had just gotten the things together, and was eager to try making the first batch of the day. But AJ’s idea didn’t seem quite right to the others.
“Look, we need to crumble the cake right?”
“Yeah, that’s why I don’t think that would work,” acknowledged Twilight.
“It’s better than some of the ideas we had yesterday, at least,” Fluttershy encouraged.
“Look, we can use the top as halves as a way to make everything look more level. And this way, we don’t have cake and cookie crumbles falling all over the place. It acts more like icing.”
“Okay, let’s try it.” Rarity took in the looks of confusion. “I think it might work. The pudding helps with keeping the crumbs from falling all over the place, and it would make it more cakey.”
So the girls made the cake. It took some time, but it finally turned out right. They all tried it, and made another. The cake was ready, but there was still some problems with the plan.
“Wait a minute sugarcube. How are we go’n to tell which is the fake? Or for that matter, make them think it’s not fake?
Rarity was a little shocked. She didn’t think of the biggest part of the prank, not having things backfire. “I’m not sure.”
“Oh, if we do the prank at your boutique, you can have Opal and her litter box here,” voiced Fluttershy.
Everypony looked at the yellow pegasus. She didn’t know if what she said was good or bad, so she shrunk back. Everypony smiled, and this made Fluttershy feel uneasy.
That was a good and fast fix.
***
Everypony was at Rarity’s. She was showing her new dress design, trying to get everyone's opinion on it. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie made comments about how Fluttershy and Twilight looked. The two chemically changed ponies were getting better, but it was still very noticeable.
“Um, Rarity? Is this your new dress?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“It’s a bit... plain,” said Pinkie.
The other three murmured. “It’s not that bad.” “I’d buy it.” “Is this the base you’re using for more complex designs? It’s nice.” The three not talking, were unable to tell what said what.
“Well thanks. I’m looking for as much support as I can get. This helps a lot.”
Rainbow gets closer. “Did you make this like, I don’t know, ten minutes ago?”
Rarity looks around nervously. “No no no. Don’t be silly.”
A few hours pass with the six friends talking about the dress, and what can be done to improve it. As everypony was about to leave, Rarity gets in front of the door. She has a big toothy smile plastered on her face. “What’s the rush? Oh, come on everypony, we must go and try some of the delicacies I’ve made for us.”
Rainbow Dash looked to Twilight and whispered, “I think Rarity’s lost it. Don’t try whatever it is she has made for us. It has to be horrible or gross or something like that.”
“Oh no way. I’m sure it’s good. Why would Rarity give us something bad?” replied Twilight.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Pinkie Pie begins to bounce enthusiastically. “Oh, I hope it’s cake. I love cake!”
They all made their way to Opal’s litter box. Everypony look around. Rarity placed herself next to the litter box.
“Where are the delicacies you made for us?” asked Pinkie.
Rarity looks down to the litter pan. “Here sillies. This it it. It’s really good.” Rarity serves herself a piece with the scooper. “It’s to die for!”
Pinkie looks at the litter pan in confusion, while Rainbow Dash is about to gag. AJ gets closer to the crazy pony, and tries a piece of the food. “Mmm, this is good.”
Twilight began to inch closer to the cake, only to have Dash try and stop her. “I’m curious as to what it taste like.” She takes a little bite, “Mmm.”
Rainbow gasped as Fluttershy got a whole piece. “Mmm, this is delicious.”
Pinkie Pie inched her way to the cake. The half fake and half genuine smiles on the others began to fade, with the exception of Rarity. She could see this was more likely a good thing. Pinkie takes a bite.
“Mmm! Dashie, you have to try this. It’s the most delectable, tasty treatiest treat ever!”
Everypony had a big smile and a slice of kitty litter cake, offering it to Dashie. She looked at her crazy friends, and flew off in a panic.
Pinkie turns to her friends, “I knew something was up, but I didn’t expect this! A prank Party!”
The End
