CHAPTER 2 - Photo Finish wants........ME?!?
That afternoon, more customers came to Rarity’s boutique than Rarity had seen in a very long time. Her fashion show had brought a large multitude of ponies from Ponyville to see her newest line of clothing that was displayed in the show. She made quite a few sales the rest of that busy day and got so many compliments from the customers. After much was taken care of, Rarity was finally getting ready to close when Hairspray and Roxie arrived in the boutique.
“Oh Rarity, darling, you’ve done such a fabulous job!” she congratulated herself out loud. “That show was certainly a wonderful idea! Business really is booming now!”
“Excuse us, Miss…” said Hairspray behind her.
“Oh, well hello there ladies! You two are just in time, closing hours are upon us! Now, what can I get for you?”
“You are the owner of this boutique, are you not?”
“The one and only!”
“And this is you in this photo, correct?” asked Roxie taking out one of the pictures they took earlier and showing it to Rarity.
Rarity gazed in awe at the photo of her in dress. She wasn’t able to see herself in the dresses during the show, and seeing herself in it now made her feel much better. The quality of the dress seemed even more promising from a photographer’s point of view! It almost made her want to do another fashion show. Even more unexpected, it seemed to make her look better in the dress as well! Almost as if she was a real model for the fashion show even though she was only another fashion designer in quaint little Ponyville. The fashion show must have gone better than Rarity thought!
“Oh my, how beautiful I look in this picture! That most certainly is me, although I never thought cameras loved me quite THIS much!” she giggled.
“Well tell us, Miss Rarity, do you by any chance remember Photo Finish, Ponyville’s finest in photography?” asked Hairspray.
Rarity thought a bit about her last encounter with Photo Finish, how it wasn’t really much of an encounter at all, how Photo Finish took Fluttershy to model for her instead of helping to popularize Rarity’s business. She was a bit disappointed that Photo Finish had never really noticed her back then, but what did these ponies have to say about it now?
“Oh…her? Why…yes, I remember Photo Finish…well, what about her ladies?”
“Well we work for her, and we just wanted to let you know, Photo Finish has seen these pictures and she believes you have some potential for being Ponyville’s next top model.”
“Sh……she….believes….she believes I WHAT?!?” Rarity stuttered in confusion trying to figure out what she just heard until the realization just came to her causing her eyes to widen. Did these two ponies really say what they just said?! Something about her being Ponyville’s next TOP model?!
“You heard right.” Roxie told her smiling “Photo Finish is interested in having you over to the studio tomorrow for a few glamour shots……that is if you aren’t too busy at the time being.”
Rarity still couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She got close up to Roxie to ask her one more time what was going on.
“Wait, you mean to tell me that Photo Finish thinks I’ve got the touch to be a star, and she’s interested in letting me model……FOR HER!?!?!” she screamed moving closer to Roxy and staring her down as if she was trying to detect a lie.
“Uh…yes, Miss, she sure is!” said Roxy nervously backing up.
“ARE YOU SERIOUS?!? YOU HAD BETTER NOT BE LYING MISSY!” Rarity moved even closer to her face and pressed her snout up against Roxie’s trying one last time to see through her.
“NO, I PROMISE, I’M NOT! LOOK!” A trembling Roxie then turned the photo around and a watermark of Photo Finish’s name and logo was on the back of it in several lines moving diagonally. This photo was processed at her studio; it had to be the real Photo Finish!
“Do you believe us now?” asked Hairspray coming between them.
“I…… I CAN’T BELIVE THIS!” Rarity said starting to walk back and forth while Hairspray tried calming down Roxie who seemed a bit scared from Rarity’s fierce interrogation. “ME, A MODEL, WORKING FOR PHOTO FINISH?!?”
“Surprised?” asked Hairspray. “She actually said she regretted not taking you the first time back when she took that one pegasus pony, uh……what was her name, Roxie?”
“Oh….uh, Fluttershy?”
“Yeah, Fluttershy. She needs a new model since Fluttershy left. She really seems to believe you have what she calls DE MAGICKS!!!” said Hairspray putting her hoof high in the air and doing her best imitation of the German photographer pony.
“Ok ladies, listen: I have a bit of a busy day tomorrow, but I can come over at around ten. How long will it take?” Rarity asked frantically.
“Oh, could be less than an hour I suppose. She only needs to take enough pictures of you to help her decide if you’re good enough.” Roxie explained. “Then you can go right back to your job here and she’ll come back later tomorrow and let you know if you’ve been hired or not. Actually, knowing Photo Finish, she might even make her mind up right after you’re done!”
“IT’S A DEAL!!” said Rarity walking over and shaking Roxie’s hoof very fast in her excitement.
“OOOOO-K-K-K-AAAAY!” Roxie said while her entire body was vibrating from Rarity’s 100-mile-per-hour shake.
Hairspray walked over and helped Roxie get her hoof out of Rarity’s grasp. “Uh…..well, ok Rox, our work here is done it seems. We’ll see you tomorrow at ten o’ clock then, ok Miss Rarity?”
“OH YOU CAN BET YOU WILL LADIES!!” shouted the overexcited white unicorn jumping up and down.
They both waved bashfully and ran out the door like they were running away from a ferocious beast in the Everfree Forest. They had never seen a hopeful employee react so enthusiastically once they gave them the news! Her excitement was so great they were almost scared of her, but at least that meant that she was definitely willing to take the job therefore making their job with Photo Finish easier. So now it was time to go report to their boss and save the studio!
Soon after they left, Rarity turned around to let out her excitement alone where no one could be hurt or have hearing problems after she was done rejoicing.
“A MODEL?!? ME?!?” Rarity said putting her hooves on her head and squeezing her face in excitement. “THIS IS UNHEARD OF!! Oh could this day get any better?!”
Her pupils grew and bright little stars shone in her eyes. Rarity imagined herself walking down the aisle at another fashion show much like the one from this afternoon. Only this would be inside and there would be dozens…no, HUNDREDS of ponies from across Equestria to see her model in her wonderful dresses!
“Oh this could really help boost my sales! I could model in my own dresses to help market them and bring more customers to the boutique! Of course I would have to manage my time between modeling and then working here at the boutique, but I’m quite sure I can do it, I mean, I’ve managed to get much done on schedule before! Oh, the luck I’ve had today! All the ponies across Equestria will finally witness the art and beauty of RARITY!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!”
She screamed with glee as she closed her eyes and her mouth made a smile across her entire face. Her horn then started glowing with magic and she brought in her handy couch, not to lament over something this time, but to rest herself from the seemingly endless amount of joy she was in. The couch came to a skidding halt right next to her and she threw herself down on it in hysteria.
“Oh Rarity, you really are a charming angel, aren’t you!! Wait till the others hear about this! I must tell them tomorrow morning while we’re all out at breakfast! Oh they’ll be so happy for me!”
Just then, Rarity’s adorable little sister, Sweetie Belle came in on the scene wondering what in Equestria was going on.
“Uh……Rarity, what are you freaking out about this time? Your screaming is enough to bring all of Ponyville in here!”
“Oh Sweetie Belle, your big sister is going to go for some glamour shots tomorrow at the Photo Finish studios! And if I do well enough……I’LL BE A STAR!!!”
“Photo Finish? Isn’t she the pony that turned you down last time?”
“Yes dear, but that was the past! She came to me this time and wants me to model tomorrow!”
“Are you sure about this, Rarity?” she said rolling her eyes.
Rarity reached down and grabbed the curious little filly by her cheeks and lifted her in the air.
“Sweetie Belle, Darling, does this look unsure to you?!” she asked with her eyes as big as saucers with tears of happiness starting to form and the most excited face Sweetie Belle had ever seen her give.
“UH…NO…” said Sweetie Belle in a muffled voice.
Rarity then let her go and she plummeted down to the ground with a thud. She lay sprawled out on the ground with her eyes all dizzy and then got back up to listen to more of the crazy unicorn on the couch.
“Your sister is going to be a star, Sweetie Belle…….A STAR!! UAHAHAH!!”
Rarity flopped herself back on the couch and sighed happily with her hoof across her forehead. She had already started sweating from the all excitement and happiness, but she loved every single minute of it.
“You’re so weird sis…” said Sweetie Belle sarcastically.
The next morning, Twilight and the others were out at the Ponyville Café having breakfast like they usually would when they get the chance. Everyone was there except Rarity and they were waiting to order after she came.
“I wonder what’s taking Rarity so long…” said Rainbow Dash.
“Oh you know Rarity; she’s always busy with something. I hope she didn’t forget.” said Twilight looking around.
“I’m sure she’s on her way girls.” Fluttershy said waiting patiently. “Rarity wouldn’t leave her best friends hanging!”
“I sure hope not. My tummy’s starting to sound like a gynormous grumbly earthquake here!” said Pinkie Pie while her stomach made a rather loud rumble.
Applejack then turned away and saw Rarity coming towards them. “Oh, well whadaya know, everypony, there she is!” she said pointing to Rarity who was carrying several bags across her back.
“Rarity, we’re happy to see you!” said Fluttershy gladly.
“I’m happy to see you all too! Sorry I’m so late; I had to get some things around…” Rarity said putting her bags down under her seat where they couldn’t be seen.
“So Rarity, how did the sales go last night?” asked Twilight.
“Sales? OH! Yes, right, the sales, of course…” exclaimed Rarity just remembering what else had happened yesterday besides her shocking news. “It went very well, everyone! I had more sales in that day than I usually do!”
“So what’s with the bags?” asked Applejack pointing her hoof down under Rarity’s seat.
“Well that’s actually part of what I wanted to talk to you all about…” said Rarity with some excited tension in her voice.
“OOOH!!! A surprise, I love surprises!!” said Pinkie jumping up and down.
“Yes, but, forgive me, I must have my morning coffee first if you don’t mind. Gotta shake off some of my sleep, this is going to be some biiiiig news!”
The waiter then came out and everyone ordered their breakfast so they could listen to Rarity’s wonderful news. While the others were ordering, Rarity took a quick look down in her bags to make sure her dresses were placed nicely and wouldn’t wrinkle. Once the waiter was done, they all turned back to Rarity quickly to listen.
“So what happened, Rarity?” Spike asked eagerly. “Are you having another fashion show?”
“Well……sort of, but this is quite possibly ten times better than that, Spike!” Rarity said sipping a bit of her coffee and then preparing to tell them all. “This is perhaps the greatest news I’ve had in years!”
“Yeeeees?” they all said listening closely.
“First of all, I’m sure most of you remember Photo Finish……well, two of her assistants came to the boutique last night and showed me some photos they took of me at the show yesterday. I was surprised because I looked so wonderful in the photos and I had no idea I really had it in me! Well, anywho, they said they both worked for Photo Finish and then they said……” she paused quickly to take another sip of coffee, “wait for it……and then they said, that Photo Finish has seen those pictures and she is interested in me modeling for her at her studio and IS OFFERING TO HAVE ME COME OVER THERE THIS MORNING FOR A GLAMOUR SHOOT!!!”
They all stood there open-mouthed and speechless for a few seconds until Twilight broke the silence.
“PHOTO FINISH WANTS YOU?!?” she asked rather surprised.
“I KNOW, RIGHT?!? THAT WAS MY REACTION TOO!” Rarity squealed.
“THAT’S AWESOME RARITY!” Spike exclaimed in excitement which caused everyone else to finally release their enthusiasm.
“WOOHOO RARITY!!” said Pinkie lifting her hooves in the air.
“I was just so excited when they told me! I can’t believe that Photo Finish actually wants me to model for her! Do you all know what this means?!? I could use this opportunity to help market the dresses I just made!” she then took her bags out from under the table that had some of her new dresses in them to bring to the studio later. “These dresses are some of the best I think and I’m going to use them in a couple of minutes over at the studio!”
“Wow, Rarity, Ah never thought this day would come! Ah sure am happy for ya, girl!” Applejack congratulated her.
“Yeah, lucky you, you’ll be living large if Photo Finish hires you!” Rainbow Dash added. “What do you think, Fluttershy?” she said turning to ask the somewhat quiet pegasus pony.
“Oh, um……I’m happy for you Rarity, really I am.” she said delightedly and then turning to a more concerned tone of voice. “But, are you sure about this? I mean…not saying Photo Finish is a bad pony or anything, but things didn’t go too well back when I modeled for her you know…”
“Oh I know, Fluttershy, but that was because she was too hard on you because you didn’t really know how to model, no offense. And besides, I was the one who encouraged you to stick to that, and I shouldn’t have, but this is something that I can actually do! This is something that could get me through my career! Plus, I’ve always dreamed of this sort of thing happening, and now it’s finally coming true! I know Photo Finish was a bit unfair last time, but she said she regrets not hiring me then so who says she and I can’t just bury the hatchet and make amends?”
“I think it sounds pretty good Rarity!” Twilight encouraged her friend.
“Yeah, and everypony will just love you on the stage!” said Spike making Rarity blush a little.
“Just try to not get too into it, you know what I mean?” Twilight advised.
“Oh of course not, darling, I know exactly what I’m doing. A lady does not get ‘too into it’ if she knows exactly what she’s doing.” Rarity said confidently with her head held high and her hoof placed gracefully on her chest. “Well everyone, I really should get going now, I’m sorry if our meal was cut a tad bit shorter than usual.”
“It’s alright, Rarity.” said Fluttershy. “This is important to you, so we understand.”
“Yeah, you go show those photographers what you’re made of!” Rainbow Dash cheered her on.
“Yeah, you go make those cameras melt with your prettiness and stuff!!” said Pinkie with her random words of wisdom like always.
“Oh I’ll make them burn with PASSION!” said Rarity doing her own little stance to prepare for what was to come ahead in a few minutes. “Well, it’s off to the studio now, wish me luck everyone!”
Everyone then waved good bye to Rarity as she trotted off joyfully down the road towards the studio nearby. Then it was time for them all to discuss what they had just learned. Nearly all talking at once, they stuck their heads back in over the table.
“Wow, Rarity got lucky everyone!” Twilight said happily.
“I know, I’m so happy for her, she’s living the dream!” Pinkie said taking a big sip of her espresso.
“I’m happy for her too, but…” Fluttershy said not being able to finish her sentence.
“But what, hun?” Applejack asked.
“…but…do you think she’ll end up like I did?”
“Nah, Rarity’s got this, Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash said leaning back in her chair while munching on a little bagel she ordered. “She knows this modeling fashion nonsense like ya wouldn’t believe; I’m sure she can tackle it pretty good!”
Spike then decided to send a little reassurance to the worried pegasus. “Yeah, Fluttershy, she’ll do great. She is Rarity after all, and no one can do it like her!” he started looking up dreamily in the air letting his lovestruck lips run like usual. “She’s beautiful, charming, charismatic, beautiful, smart, elegant, beautiful, graceful, beautiful-“
“Ooookay, Spike, we get it.” Twilight said sarcastically.
“Oh……right, right, yeah, sorry…” he said blushing while everyone else let out a little giggle.
TO BE CONTINUED…