"Dearest Rarity, your presence is requested at the Canterlot garden party tomorrow afternoon. Yours, Jet Set and Upper Crust!"
Rarity let out a gasp, one which nearly caused her bag boy to drop the load he was carrying on his back, "The Canterlot garden party! Why, next to the Galloping Gala that is the premier event in Canterlot!" The squeal of delight from the fashionista was almost loud enough to break glass. Not since Twilight giving her the ticket to the Gala had she been so excited for a party. As fast as her mood went up, though, it whiplashed back down at the thought of Twilight.
"Oh, but if I go, I'll miss Twilight's birthday..." Rarity lamented. "But if I don't go, my new reputation in Canterlot as a Very Important Pony might be ruined! I might never be invited to another high society event again!" The worried unicorn went back and forth over her options frantically. "Friend's birthday...Very Important Pony..." She winced, pained by the decision she had to make. Neither one was optimal, but she had to make one and obviously couldn't do both. The more she thought about it, the more intangibles came into the equation. Upon further consideration, she figured that Twilight was more likely to forgive her than the Canterlot crew. With a heavy heart, she knew she'd made her decision,
"It's just too important," Rarity said softly. She retrieved a quill and parchment, taking a deep breath as she began to write. "My dear Twilight, I am afraid I won't be able to make it to your birthday party tomorrow, because... because poor Opal is quite ill, and she is in no condition to make the long journey back to Ponyville! I do hope you understand. Your friend, Rarity."
"You're not actually sending that, are you?"
Rarity let out a soft sigh as she heard that familiar voice.
"Please set my bags down," she said to the bag boy. She turned around just as she heard the loud thump of suitcases hitting the ground and gave Sugarcoat a look. "How long have you been here?"
"Long enough to hear you making a stupid mistake," Sugarcoat said. "Though I figure that's bound to happen to anypony who spends more than five minutes around you."
"I'll let that slide, darling," Rarity said coldly. "Now, I'm sure you were going to tell me anyway, but let's hear what you have to say on the matter, hm?"
"I can't believe I have to," Sugarcoat replied. "Though given your track record, I shouldn't be. You're actually ditching one of your best friends' birthday parties to go to some fancy-schmancy party full of prissy ponies?"
"I wouldn't use the term ditching," Rarity said. "And I can't help it! Twilight would forgive me much faster, and a soirée like this is a must for my status! If I cancel on them..."
"What?" Sugarcoat shot back. "What'll happen? You won't get an invite to the next one? What a pity."
"But I have a new reputation as a Very Important Pony here in Canterlot!" Rarity insisted. "And all the Very Important Ponies attend these events!"
"You already were a very important pony," Sugarcoat said. "To your friends." Then she groaned. "Ugh, this place is already making me dangerously corny."
Rarity, however, did not find the words as corny as Sugarcoat did. Her reaction was quite the opposite as she felt tears begin to form.
"...You're right, darling," Rarity said. "You're absolutely right." With that, she crumpled up the letter to Twilight and threw it in the trash.
"Thank you, Sugarcoat," Rarity said, wiping the corner of an eye with a handkerchief. "For showing up just in time to stop me from making a grievous error."
"What can I say?" Sugarcoat replied. "You're good at making mistakes."
"Very funny, darling," Rarity said. "But I'll be watching myself more carefully from now on. No more episodes of freaking out and making bad decisions."
"Yeah," Sugarcoat said. "I have a feeling we won't be seeing another Rarity episode any time soon."