Tales of the Lunar Consort: Volume X

Chapter Four: A Rarity at the Boutique

6:30 A.M. The same morning, The Carousel Boutique, Ponyville

Vworp...Vworp...Vworp...DOON. Creeeeeeeak.

Enoch and Dinky stepped into the morning air. "Thank you for the lift, Doctor!" Enoch said.

"By all means! Just tell me what you need that part for next week!" The Doctor shouted back.

Creeeeak. The TARDIS doors shut. Vworp...Vworp...Vworp...

A short silence followed the TARDIS's departure. "He's not a bad fellow, just... he can be arrogant, hotheaded and impulsive at times."  Enoch felt the need to excuse his friend for displaying two of those three characteristics. "His other qualities more than make up for those three, in my opinion."

"Uh-huh."

"I do hope Rarity is in now."

"Yeah."

"Dinky?"

"Yes?"

"Still trying to figure out how that box was really bigger on the inside?"

"Yes. My mind is... um... blown."

"I had the same reaction when I first went inside it, too. I couldn't figure it out either. I'm still trying to. And now, I think I've gotten the Doctor back for a really mean practical joke he played on me when I traveled with him; I've managed to stump him!"

"...Stumped him."

"...Let's go in."

The bell above the door tinkled as Enoch pushed the door open. Rarity's younger sister Sweetie Belle was standing at the register, (reading a magazine with a bored expression upon her face) as she did on occasion before she left for school. She looked up when she heard the bell, and she kept her attention on the stallion who had entered. Partly because a stallion had entered her sister's shop, (Males rarely entered boutiques in general, much less Rarity's Carousel Boutique, the home of the best seamstress from Ponyville to Canterlot!) and partly because she had a fondness for this particular stallion.

"Good morning to you, Sweetie Belle." he greeted her with that smooth, unplaceable accent of his. He's actually speaking to me! This is- Oh sweet Celestia, he's looking at me!

"G-good morning, Professor."

"Is your sister in?" He asked. How he spoke kind of without saying some of his 'R's- what did Rarity say it was? Non-rhotic? Wow.

"Y-yes, yes, she is." Sweetie stammered. Since when did the temperature go up? Did Rarity set thermostat higher this morning?

"May I see her, please? If she's not busy, that is."

"Yes sir! I'll... go get her. Be right back!" She turned around and practically bolted up the stairs behind her. She seemed to be doing her best to get away from him just as fast as she possibly could. As she fled, Enoch looked down at Dinky. "Did I say something to offend her? I hope not."

6:33 A.M. The same morning, The Carousel Boutique, Second floor

"Rarity! We have a customer!" Sweetie knocked on her sister's bedroom door.

"...AND YOU'RE INTENTIONALLY KEEPING THE CUSTOMER WAITING?!" Rarity's angry and shocked reply came from behind the door, almost blowing it off it's hinges and flattening Sweetie. "It's the Professor. He's asking to see you." The door flew open, swinging very close to Sweetie's snout. She quickly backed away from the homicidal door and (just a bit fearfully) looked at her sister. Or at least, the blur her sister had become, since Rarity was on her way down the staircase faster than Sweetie had come up.

6:33 A.M. The same morning, The Carousel Boutique, First floor

"...AND YOU'RE INTENTIONALLY KEEPING THE CUSTOMER WAITING?!" Enoch heard Rarity's 'angry voice' on the first floor, loud enough to make anyone jump. As it was, he dropped the issue of Cosmoponytan he was holding (he was reading an interesting and informative article on bad first dates and how to avoid them), Dinky stopped pondering the TARDIS's interior, and the lights on the second floor of the house of Berry Punch (who ran a juice shop next door) came on.

He barely had time to think 'What in Equestria?' when Rarity came barreling down the staircase and nearly collided with the register in her haste. She looked about, spotted him, and immediately retreated into the small forest of dry-cleaning orders, muttering ''A-U-R-O-B-O'' to herself and looking for a matching order. "Ah! Here we are! 'Aurobolosai, Enoch, A.L.!'" She brought a number of items of textile nature and ensembles (all covered in plastic) to the register and lovingly laid them upon the counter.  "Have you brought it?" She asked, an odd, hungry gleam in her eyes.

"Good morning to you, Miss Belle. Yes, I have brought the item." He stood and approached the counter, leaned in close, "Your payment: one of only twelve known white-point star diamonds. Keep it secret, Rarity. Keep it safe. Many ponies would kill for the chance to even see that stone." He dipped a hoof in his pocket and brought out the most beautiful diamond Rarity had ever seen or would ever be likely to see again. He put it in her hoof and covered it with her other hoof. "Where-" Rarity's voice failed her for a moment. She cleared her throat and tried again. She whispered, "How in Equestria did you obtain this diamond?"

"It was given to me by a certain Special Agent Pendergrass of the Royal Equestrian Investigative Service as thanks for my assistance on a case." Enoch replied. He straightened. "Is the payment satisfactory?"

Struck dumb, Rarity nodded. The Pegasus leaned in again. "Try selling that stone at an auction.

To me, the things you have done for me over the years is worth every carat of that stone. I will not accept it back." he said.

"But, it was given to you! A gift, you said." Rarity said, trying to return the stone to him.

"A gift that I could do what I chose with it. And I am paying you with it, and I will not accept it back.

After all, love is immaterial; it has no attatchable price tag. Even Time cannot destroy love. That diamond is fiddly bits compared to love." He straightened. "Good day to you, Miss Belle. I have a filly to deliver to Fluttershy, a friend to rouse, and a Canterlot train to catch."