//------------------------------// // High Fashion // Story: High Fashion, High Noon // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// "Sir, what are you doing here?" "I was about to ask you the same question, Guard." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The place was Canterlot, just outside Hoity Toity's Best of the Best Boutique. The time was just after Celestia had risen the sun into the sky, when the boutique was scheduled to be opening. A small crowd of mostly upper-class ponies were in attendance, eager to see the designs of the young mare - Rarity of Ponyville - that Hoity Toity had been promising to feature. At the head of the crowd was a very curious Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, aka Cadence, who had jumped on the opportunity to meet and greet in Canterlot one of Twilight's fellow Element Bearers. She was personally escorted by Lieutenant Captain Shining Armor, who was staying overtime from his nightshift work at Cadance's request and was also eager to meet an Element Bearer personally - although he was not sure if Twilight had told Rarity about him yet or whether it was appropriate to reveal that information while still on-duty. Unknown to Shining Armor, Cadance had extended an invitation to two of her old highschool friends - the unicorn mare Lemony Gems and the pegasus mare Diamond Rose - to also attend the event, and after the two mares had accepted the invitation assigned as one of their guards the Upper Class Buck Withers, who was also the stallionfriend of Lemony Gems. The concealment worked well enough that neither stallion had any idea they would be encountering the other until the moment of the arrival, hence the surprised lines above. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Princess Cadance, Lemony Gems and Diamond Rose all converge on the two surprised stallions. Cadance was wearing her usual princess raiment while her two friends were wearing appropriately fancy dresses. Shining Armor was still in his armor representing his command of the night shift (a fancier variation of the armor worn by Princess Luna's batpony service) while Buck Withers was in his dress uniform. Cadance breaks into a sly grin at the confused looks of the two stallions, and it seems both Lemony Gems and Diamond Rose are seen trying to stifle giggles. "Did you... plan this...?" Shining asks Cadance when the female group stops in front of him and Buck. The mares pause for just a moment, but when the three start chuckling between themselves - like both Shining and Buck had seen in Canterlot Academy years ago - the answer becomes immediately clear. Mortification spreads across the faces of both stallions, which causes the three mares to chuckle even more. Finally, Shining and Buck look at each other, roll eyes simultaneously and let out one word: "Mares..." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A LITTLE LATER... "Miss Rarity is going to be available here at the boutique all day, so take your time looking around and chatting with her Your Highness." Hoity Toity was explaining to Princess Cadance. "That's exactly what I didn't want to hear." Buck Withers, who is standing beside and behind Cadance as she is conversing with Hoity Toity, mutters out in irritation. "What was that?" Cadance asks, turning to look in Buck's direction as she speaks. "What the Upper Class meant by that statement is that he thought this would be a short visit." Shining Armor quickly states from the opposite side of Cadance, covering for his fellow Guard. "Lieutenant Captain, now you and I both know we've done visits like this before. And I'm sure that applies to the Upper Class and his marefriend too." Cadance gently chides, causing Buck to flush a deep red and Lemony Gems, listening nearby, to break out in snickering. "It was worth a try though..." Shining Armor grits out, rolling his eyes and prompting Cadance to join in the chuckling. "I'll leave the Princess and her friends to their business then. I have a lot of guests to attend to, so if you'll excuse me..." Hoity Toity explains, taking the opportunity to turn away and attend to other guests. Shining Armor and Buck Withers again share a mortified look as they step behind Cadance, Lemony Gems and Diamond Rose toward where Rarity was conversing with other guests. The young mare was surrounded by the copies of her friends' dresses Hoity Toity had previously requested after the second fashion show in Ponyville, and Shining could tell Rarity was weary from the long hours necessary to make the dresses - the Generosity Bearer seemed to be sustained only by the excitement around her and a large cappucino she was levitating with her unicorn magic. Although Cadance could've pushed her way to the head of the line, she decides to hang back and chatter excitedly with her friends about the merits of the design of each dress. Boredom was already setting in for Shining Armor and Buck Withers, both of which were only interested in one dress out of the colorful display around them - the star-themed dress that was intended for Twilight Sparkle to wear at the next Grand Galloping Gala. "Pardon me sir, but aren't you going to see your sister at the Gala in the dress? Why see it now?" Buck Withers naturally asks. "That snooze-fest? Give me a break, Celestia gives Cadance and me a free pass to do a far more fun 'date night' during the Gala." Shining explains with a chuckle. "I'll probably be on duty this year though, so I won't even get a chance to see her much, if at all." "Oh, I see..." Buck replies, trailing off as he looks around with a neutral expression. When Shining returns his attentions to his surroundings, he sees that the mares have congregated around the dress meant for Rainbow Dash, chattering even more excitedly than before. He also notices that Rarity's attention has been drawn to the group, and moves to Cadance's side at the same time Rarity stops in front of her. "Oh this is all so exciting! All these high-class ponies I'm meeting and getting to show my work to! I'm hoping Fancy Pants comes by later..." Rarity was commenting to Cadance as Shining stops besides the latter. "This was such short notice Fancy Pants won't be able to make it out here - preexisting engagements, you see." Shining pipes in before Cadance can responds. "I thought Royal Guards weren't supposed to talk while they were on duty..." Rarity comments, giving a curious stare at the fully-armored Shining. "My special escort here has authority to give out whatever information is deemed appropriate." Cadance replies. "Of course, Princess... uh..." Rarity starts to reply. "Cadenza. Mi Amore Cadenza. Considering how often I've been away from Canterlot doing my Aunt Celestia's work, even the elite sometimes forget who I am." Cadance replies, with only just a touch of irony in her tone. She was forced at the time, by Celestia's orders, to use the fancy name in public and her real name in private - something that would only change after the Canterlot wedding. "I understand, but I still feel the need to apologize, as well as compliment your special escort. I'm sure he's quite handsome under that armor - can't be as handsome as Prince Blueblood though..." Rarity comments, looking up wistfully afterward. Shining and Cadance exchange strange looks - both of them had vaguely heard of Rarity's attraction toward, and hopes to meet, Blueblood during the coming Gala, but did not know how smitten Rarity was with him, or whether it was a good thing or not. Shining was debating about speaking about the topic when Rarity started talking again. "Apologies Princess, got lost in thought. Is there something I can do for you besides just conversation?" Rarity helpfully asks. "Yes, my friends and I were drawn to the dress you made for Rainbow Dash, and I wanted something like that myself." Cadance eagerly answers, the excitement returning to her expression. "Of course, of course. I'll just, uh, get some measurements and we'll go over the colors and the fabrics and all the little details." Rarity replies just as eagerly. Shining has to hold in his desire to gag as Rarity escorts Cadance over to the replicas of the Rainbow Dash dress, where Lemony Gems and Diamond Rose were still by, giggling and chatting eagerly. To Shining, just about any place would be better than being here - a comic book store, looking at Oubliettes and Ogres models, even the Craftspony section of a Steer's store would be better! Boredom sets in again with Shining as Rarity pulls out a measuring tape, notepad and pencil using her light-blue unicorn magic - a kit she had brought with her for the purpose just in case she got the opportunity to take dress measurements. Due to a combination of tiredness and the bright swirls of color around him, he feels a migraine starting to come on - groaning internally, as he hated when his migraines flared up and now was a really bad time for them to do so. Before the migraines could get too bad though, his attention is drawn to the sounds of breaking glass coming from the other side of the boutique. The conversation buzz around abruptly stops, and a mare is heard screaming in the same general direction as the broken glass sound! "What was that?!" Cadance exclaims to Shining, still frozen in the pose she had assumed to let Rarity measure her. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out!" Shining exclaims, turning and speeding off in the direction of the sounds...