Author's Note: A big thank you to tdreyer1 for the awesome image. If you would like to see the art full size or any of his other work, go to his Deviantart page at: http://tdreyer1.deviantart.com/
Chapter 1 - No Passion for Fashion
Blank, Rarity thought. Blank. Blank. Blank.
She looked down at the clean, white paper sitting before her on the desk. It represented two hours of demoralizing, humiliating failure. With a heavy sigh, she turned away from her desk and walked over to the large window where Opal lay, basking in the sun.
"Oh, Opal, what am I to do?"
The pampered cat cracked an eyelid to observe her owner and then languidly turned over to catch the sun's rays on her stomach.
"Well, I'm thrilled that you can be so relaxed, but this is a crisis!" Rarity turned to the overflowing wastebasket that sat near her desk and regarded it with loathing. "I haven't created anything remotely original in weeks! I'm just rehashing all of my old ideas in new colors!" Trotting over to the discarded sheets, she pulled a particularly large drawing out. With a flourish that implied her disgust with the piece, she sent it drifting through the air. "Just look at it, Opal! What was I thinking? Last year's neckline with peacock feathers and a beaded train? A beaded train?! Ugh!" The design floated briefly through the air and landed squarely on the prim, white cat, covering her. In a flash, Opal shredded the offending paper while hissing her displeasure. "Yes, that is precisely how I feel, my dear. That's the exact sentiment."
The room began to slide out of focus as tears welled up in Rarity's eyes. As she collapsed into sobs on the floor, she missed the delicate patter of Sweetie Belle's hooves. When the younger unicorn stroked her mane, Rarity started.
"Oh, Sweetie, I-I'm sorry. I'm sure I look an awful mess," Rarity sniffed miserably.
Sweetie Bells sat down on the floor before her big sister.
"Are-are you okay?" she asked, voice full of sympathy.
Rarity sat up and wiped her eyes. She didn't like Sweetie Belle to see her like this. It lacked dignity and was a poor example.
Pull yourself together, Rarity! If you can't be a good designer, you can at least attempt to be a good sister!
Rarity looked over at the little filly and tried to force a smile.
"Yes, I-I’m just a little upset over a silly mistake I’ve made," she replied, forcing more casual tone into her voice. "Some materials just weren’t meant to go together, but one must keep trying. Everypony makes a poor style choice once in a while." Everypony except me, she added silently.
Sweetie Belle looked up at her sister, eyes full of concern. She had never seen Rarity like this. Sure, her sister was a little emotional from time to time, but it always been a little more theatrical. This time, Rarity seemed truly miserable.
"What can I do?" the filly implored.
Rarity gathered up her sister in a hug, nuzzling her face into that soft, bi-colored mane. The closeness of their bond lifted her spirits, if only a little. Gently, she set Sweetie Belle back down on the floor.
"You have done wonders already. Now I have to get back to work."
With that, she turned back to her design table and magically gathered up her pencil. Sweetie Belle watched for a while as Rarity stared off into space, barely moving a muscle. Finally, she quietly left the room. If the only thing she could give Rarity was peace and quiet, she was determined to at least do that much.
If only somepony else was here. She thought. I'll bet they'd know what to do. Somepony like Twilight.
Sweetie Belle stopped short.
"That's it! I'll go get Twilight!" Sweetie Belle raced for the boutique door. "She'll have an answer for this!”
The slamming door woke Rarity from her torpor and she looked down at her sheet of designer's parchment. It was still brilliantly white and still devoid of any image. As she watched, the page faded to an ugly grey. A dark cloud had blotted out the sun and all the color seemed to drain from the room. Deprived of her warm pool of light, Opal disdainfully climbed to her feet and slowly sauntered out of the room.
"I can't blame you," whispered Rarity. "I don't want to be here either."
Rainbow Dash looked down at Twilight as she flapped in angry circles.
"What do you mean there aren't any more?" she growled.
Twilight watched as the disgruntled pegasus circled inside her library and smiled internally. It had been unthinkable until recently that Rainbow would have even set one hoof in a library to read anything, but here she was, desperate for a new book.
"I'm sorry, but that was the last Daring Do novel. There just aren't any more," Twilight replied.
Rainbow dropped down to the floor and advanced on Twilight, eyes full of desperation.
"But that can't be! Daring Do and The Cursed Cult of Dressage ended with a cliffhanger! There has to be another one!"
Rainbow grabbed Twilight's head between her hooves and pulled her close.
"Don't hold out on me!"
The unicorn pulled her head out of Rainbow's firm grip with a small popping sound.
"You're just going to have to wait. The new novel is still being written," Twilight offered helpfully. "It probably won't be out for another year"
"ANOTHER YEAR!" Rainbow returned in a panic. "I can't wait a whole year for a book!" She took to the air and turned to regard Twilight, "Okay, here's the plan. If we leave now, we can probably get to the author's house within the day! We'll make her finish that book!" With that, the athletic pegasus zoomed from the library, carving a rainbow colored streak through the sky. Twilight watched it fade with a look of surprise, but was forced to take a couple of quick steps back as Rainbow barreled her way back inside. "Oh, hey, who wrote those books," Rainbow asked, a little sheepishly, "and where do we find her?"
"Rainbow--," Twilight began.
"Twilight? Twilight, are you home?" came a cry from outside. Both ponies turned to see Sweetie Belle trotting into the library. “Oh Twilight, will you come and help?”
"What is it?" Twilight asked. "Are Applebloom and Scootaloo okay?"
The small unicorn looked up at Twilight and said mournfully, "It's not them, it's Rarity. You guys have to help. She's so upset, but she won't talk to anyone about it." Her brimming eyes darted back and forth between the two ponies while her lower lip quivered. "I'm really getting worried!"
Rainbow stepped forward, full of concern, "Something's wrong with Rarity? What's going on?"
"You know, she has seemed a little withdrawn lately," added Twilight
"She's falling apart," sniffed the tearful filly, "She can't sleep. The boutique is a mess. I even made her my special breakfast yesterday and she didn't even touch it." Sweetie Belle rose up and placed her two front hooves on Twilight's chest. "Please, Twilight, can you guys go over and talk to her?"
Twilight put her hoof on Sweetie Belle's head and looked down at her with affection. The little unicorn was so concerned about her sister.
"It would be our pleasure, Sweetie Belle." Twilight looked over at the fidgeting high flyer. "Can you get the others and meet me at Carousel Boutique?"
Rainbow Dash took to the air and performed a small loop-de-loop.
"On my way, Twilight. If Rarity's spirits down, we are just going to have to find a way to pick them up, and UP is my specialty!"
With that, she rocketed out of the library. The back blast of air was so great that Sweetie Belle found herself airborne, but Twilight caught her as she flew by.
"Whoa!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "Thanks, Twilight! Thanks for everything."
Carousel Boutique’s dusty windows and carelessly lopsided ‘Closed’ sign told Twilight that Sweetie Belle’s concerns weren’t overblown. There was no way that anypony with Rarity's attention to detail would let that sort of sloppiness get by her.
"She hasn't opened the store for the last two days," Sweetie Belle said grimly.
"Don't worry," Twilight replied, pushing the door open. "We'll find a way to fix this."
Rarity barely reacted as she heard the sound of the boutique door swing closed.
Oh, Sweetie Belle is back. I do wish Mother and Father would turn up to take her home. It's just too difficult to pretend any more.
"Rarity?" came a call from the doorway.
NO! she thought desperately. No visitors!
"Oh, Twilight! Please don't come in! I-I'm feeling ill." Rarity moved to sit more fully in the darkened corner near her desk. "It's probably best if you stay away for a few days."
Sweetie Belle moved cautiously into the room and made her way over to her sister. Sitting down in the shadow, she leaned her body in close, trying to gently turn the miserable unicorn.
"I hope you aren't mad, but I brought Twilight. I didn't know what else to do."
Twilight took in the details of Rarity's workshop with growing unease. It was usually a riot of color and fabric, but where there were generally signs of activity, this seemed more like neglect. Rolls of fabric lay discarded on the floor with Rarity's careless hoof prints on them, and dress-forms lay overturned and piled haphazardly in a corner. Worst of all, her friend's design table was conspicuously bare. In all the time that Twilight had known her friend, she had always been working on at least three or four pieces.
"Sweetie Belle, would you mind giving us a few minutes?" Twilight asked quietly. Sweetie Belle slowly walked out of the room but stopped to whisper to Twilight.
"Is she going to be okay?"
Twilight glanced over at the darkened shape in the corner.
"I'm sure she will," she whispered reassuringly. "We aren't going to let her suffer. Now run along."
"Please, Rarity. We're worried about you. What's going on?" Twilight stepped carefully around the discarded supplies to be near her friend.
"Do you really want to know, Twilight?" came the soft reply. Rarity turned to look up at Twilight and the studious pony couldn't stifle her gasp in time. The usually impeccably styled pony was a wreck. Her once luxuriously maintained coat was unkempt and her usually expertly coifed hair stood out at odd angles. The melancholy pony stepped out into the light.
"I-I can't do it any more," Rarity managed, her voice shaking. "I'm washed up. I'm out of ideas. I have no inspiration. Everything I've made is out of fashion." Tears streamed down her face and fell softly onto a swatch bright royal blue fabric, slowly darkening the cheerful material. "I'm out of fashion."
"Rarity, it's just a little block," Twilight said bracingly. "All you--"
"Oh, just a little block it is?! Well, look at this!"
Twilight took a quick step back from her angry friend, who had suddenly lunged toward the design table. Rarity grabbed the wastepaper basket and threw it across the room where it slammed against the far wall. The discarded designs floated this way and that through the air, settling all around Twilight. As she gazed at them, she had to admit to herself that they were undeniably terrible.
"Well, let's have it!" fumed the designer. "What do you think of them? Are you taken with their bold, new lines? Dazzled by their inspired palate?"
Twilight searched desperately for something positive to point out.
"Well, this one is, uh, interesting."
"Oh, please don't Twilight. You're a terrible liar, which is a wonderful quality most any other time." Rarity hung her head low. "Oh, Twilight. What am I to do now? I've never been out of ideas. Of course, every idea hasn't always worked out, but I've always had a backup." She turned away from her friend and began to pull the curtains closed, shrouding the room in darkness. "Soon my Cutie Mark will fade away and I'll be a featureless, talentless pony. My life is over."
In the darkness of the room, Twilight allowed herself a small smile. This was a little more like the Rarity that she knew. Maybe talking about the problem was helping at least a little. She would take melodramatic Rarity over miserable Rarity any day.
"Rarity, we are not going to let that happen!" Twilight bounded forward and ripped the curtain back open, flooding the gloomy room with sunlight. Rarity shielded her eyes with one leg as she tried to adjust to the sudden change. "All of us have been through too much together! You have always been there when we needed you and now it's time to return that favor." Twilight sternly walked over to the mournful designer and began pushing her out of the room.
"Now really, Twilight!"
"No arguing! I have just the thing for you, whether you want it or not!"
“Oh, Twilight, you didn’t!” Rarity tried to hide herself behind her friend. She could see the rest of their friends rapidly coming down the street.
Twilight turned to regard the cringing unicorn, who was trying in vain to smooth her fly-away hair.
“Oh yes I did! There is no use hiding any more.”
“Twilight,” Applejack’s voice rang out as the 4 ponies approached, “Rainbow here said that somethin’ is wrong with Rarity! What’s all the fuss—whoa Nelly!” The others stopped short as they caught sight of the unhappy unicorn.
“Oh, my!” Fluttershy gasped. “What’s happened?!”
Twilight stepped forward, addressing her friends.
“Rarity has run out of inspiration. She needs our help to get her creative juices flowing again.”
“Oh, jeez! Is that all?” Rainbow Dash flew down and threw her foreleg around Rarity’s shoulder. “You had us really worried! We thought something really bad had happened!” Rarity began to shake with emotion, her eyes welling up.
“This is really bad, Rainbow!” Twilight growled directly into the high-flyer’s face. “How would you feel if you woke up tomorrow and you couldn’t race any more? Rarity has lost her special talent!”
Rainbow Dash looked horrorstruck as she turned back to her friend.
“Is-is that true?”
Rarity swallowed hard and tried not to look at her friends.
“I’m afraid it is. Soon I’ll close this boutique and move away. What use would I be here?”
“Uh-uh, nothin’ doin’!” Applejack consolingly stroked her friend’s shoulder. “Twilight here has a plan to fix ya right up and we’re here to help! We’ll have you workin’ on them fancy duds again in a jiffy!”
“I know, I know!” Pinkie excitedly shouted. “A party! It’s a party, isn’t it, Twilight? No one can be in a funk when it’s time to get funky!” Twilight grinned at her friends’ enthusiasm.
“Well, I had something a little more low-key in mind to start.” Twilight commandingly pointed off into the town’s center. “Girls, this patient needs a spa treatment, stat!”
Rarity signed with deep contentment and had to admit to herself that this was exceedingly pleasant. Her friends had treated her to a full body massage and a new mud mask, with special ingredients imported all the way from Marerocco. Now, soaking in a huge tub with her friends, she found herself reflecting on the recent past.
My, my, my, Rarity, you did let yourself fall to pieces, didn't you? I’ve always said there was nothing a long soak and a hooficure couldn’t fix. I suppose we will be putting that to the test. The unicorn let herself sink deep into the revitalizing water, submerging herself nearly to her eyes. She might be a failure, but at least she was a warm failure.
Twilight carefully noted the changing moods of her distressed friend. At the very least, it didn’t look like Rarity was about to burst into tears at a moment’s notice, but certainly wasn’t her old self either.
“So how are you feeling, Rarity?” Twilight tried to ask in a light, conversational tone. “Getting any new ideas?”
Fluttershy made her way over to Rarity’s side and gave her a gentle, mischievous poke.
“Usually when we are here, you tell me about so many ideas that my flank is all wrinkled when I get out! You always said fashion was 10% inspiration and 90% hot water.”
“This is all very lovely, girls, but I’m afraid that I’m still at a loss. I can’t stop thinking about how I can’t think of anything!” She gave her friends a weak smile. “The spark is gone, but life must go on, I suppose.”
Pinkie smacked the surface of the water with her hoof and sternly eyed her friend.
“Well, if this water won’t ignite your fire then we will just have to find someplace that does!”
“Pinkie, you’re a genius!” Twilight exclaimed, her face lighting up. “When was the last time that you really felt inspired, Rarity? Maybe we can trace this back to the source!”
The designer put her hoof to her mouth, considering for a moment.
“Well, I suppose it was our last trip to Canterlot. We stopped off in that ‘Exotic Plants of the Everfree Forest’ exhibit.”
“Oh yes!” Fluttershy cut in, beaming at the warm memories. “That was a wonderful afternoon! The beautiful, rare flowers were so fragrant and lovely!” The gentle pony's mood began to darken a bit as she looked away from her friends. “It’s a shame we stumbled into those laughodils and had to go to the Canterlot Medical Center with Cackle Cramps.”
“Are you kidding?!” Pinkie interjected. “That was the best part of the trip! I laughed so hard I got hiccups, and then I hiccupped so hard, it made me sneeze, and then all the sneezing made me laugh again! Pinkie started to snicker. “Just thinking about it is making me crack up all over again!” With that, she flipped over in the tub, kicking her feet this way and that as a furious stream of bubbles erupted around them. As each bubbled popped, Pinkie’s distinct laugher could be heard.
“Land sakes, that is one silly filly,” Applejack commented, trying but unable to suppress a grin. “Well, what do ya say, Twilight? Should we take a trip back to Canterlot?”
“I think that would be an excellent start,” Twilight rose to her feet, “because Canterlot is home to the single most inspirational place in all of Equestria!”
Rainbow Dash perked up, interested.
“Really?! Where are we going? The Raceway?!”
Twilight gave her friends an enthusiastic grin.
“No, even better! The Canterlot Royal Library!”
The studious pony stared in bewilderment as groans erupted around her.
Chapter 2 - The Silent Treatment
“Seriously, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash gave a half lidded stare and motioned to the large marble building in front of her. “This isn’t exactly a place where cool people and wear awesome stuff! This is a place for boring eggheads!”
Twilight looked at the pegasus slyly, and gave her a knowing smirk.
“It’s almost as if you weren’t begging me for a book to read this morning, Rainbow.” Twilight turned to the others as Rainbow Dash occupied herself looking up at cloud formations, red blooming on her cheeks. Rarity cleared her throat and stepped forward.
“Gauche as is to mention, but I’m afraid Rainbow is correct.” She scanned the ponies moving in and out of the monolithic structure. “I’m sure your heart is in the right place, Twilight, but this just isn’t fashion-forward.”
“That’s just it!” Twilight cried excitedly. “We’re going fashion backward!”
“I beg your pardon?” Rarity returned, her eyebrow arched in confusion.
“The Canterlot Archive has records going back thousands of years!” Twilight clapped her hoofs together is unrestrained joy. “If current fashion isn’t inspiring you, then maybe something from days past will! We can research all of Equestria’s fashion history here!”
Rarity looked at Twilight skeptically.
“Well, it is true that everything old is new again one day, but I don’t want to be stuck in the past…” She took a hesitant step forward, and then another, with more determination. “Still, one must start someplace, and perhaps a look at the trends of the past will give me insights into the future of fashion.” She turned back to regard Twilight, eyes shining. “You know, I’m starting to feel positively, well, positive about this!” With that, Rarity boldly strode into the library, and with a cheer, the others followed her in.
Twilight took a deep breath and inhaled that most wonderful of smells: Essence of Tome. As far as the eye could see, books lined shelves from ceiling to floor. The vast quantity of knowledge made her blood race and she found herself being drawn irresistibly toward wing where she knew the study of magic was chronicled. Rainbow’s booming voice broke her out of her reverie.
“I don’t get it? Where are the Daring Do books?” The question echoes back at them in waves as the six ponies cringed. Twilight looked over at the stately head librarian. Giving a stern look to the exuberant pegasus, she pointed to a large sign with neat, golden script. It read:
Ponies of Equestria
We welcome you
To the Royal Canterlot Library
Head Librarian - Paperback
For the convenience of all our guests,
Please follow this simple rule.
QUIET!
Violators will be ejected.
Have a pleasant day!
Pinkie Pie inhaled, but Applejack intervened, clamping her hooves around the excitable pony’s mouth.
“Pinkie, Ah’ve been thinkin’ about how ya said ‘Shh’ didn’t seem like such a hard game. What do ya think about givin’ it a shot?”
"Oh, Applejack," Fluttershy sighed in her quiet way, "Pinkie's great at party games, but she can't beat me at that." The gentle pony moved to pat Pinkie on the head. "It's just not in her nature." Pinkie’s eyes widened and she clamped her jaw down tightly. As she turned to regard Fluttershy, she squinted, trying to judge the resolve of Equestria’s All-Time Quiet champion. Pinkie’s posture screamed ‘Bring it’. Taken aback by Pinkie’s sudden change in demeanor, Fluttershy glanced back and forth between her friends, who were regarding the pair with interest. Title on the line, Fluttershy lowered her head, stepped forward, and radiated an almost eerie level of silence. The others could almost feel the sound around them disappearing. The two ponies locked eyes and maintained a stony calm.
Nodding to the head librarian, Twilight turned back to the group and began a complex series of pantomimes. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash looked on trying to assess exactly what was happening to their friend.
“Is-is she trying to dance?” Rarity murmured to Rainbow Dash, who shrugged in confusion
“Are ya okay, Sugarcube?” Applejack whispered, bewildered as the rest of the ponies.
Twilight stopped and eyed them incredulously.
“Are you telling me that not a single one of you speaks Librarese?” she hissed. When they shook their heads she rolled her eyes and brought them in close. “I learned it in school. It allows you to have a full conversation without talking at all. I guess we are just going to have to be careful, then.” As she surveyed her friends, she had her doubts. Of course, Fluttershy and Rarity shouldn’t be a problem, but Applejack and Rainbow Dash weren’t exactly known for restraint and Pinkie was exuberance incarnate. At least, she usually was. She seemed to be taking this quiet contest seriously. Pinkie was dripping sweat from her silent exertion, and Fluttershy regarded her fiercely, exuding muteness. “Follow me, everypony,” Twilight muttered.
“I still don’t get it,” Rainbow said quietly as they walked. “At the Ponyville library, the Daring Do books are right in front, but I don't see them here.”
“Rainbow, I keep them there for you!” Twilight returned, covering her mouth with a hoof to keep from laughing. “If you want them here, you would need to go to ‘Fiction’ (which is upstairs), then go look in the ‘Contemporary’. Once you find that, it would be in the 'Famous Mare Heroine' subcategory of ‘Pony Pulp’.” Rainbow’s mouth dropped open.
“If they wanted it to be quiet, then why did they put the books that everypony wants way in the back?!” the pegasus exclaimed.
With Rainbow’s cries echoing all around them, the Head Librarian appeared from around a corner with uncanny speed and stared them into submission. Rainbow Dash folded her ears back and mouthed, “Sorry.”
“Come on, you guys.” Twilight breathed. “We better get into the historical archives. They are underground and we have a little more leeway with noise down there.” She glanced around questioningly. “Wait, where are Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie?”
Rarity pointed back the way they came. Following the line of her hoof, Twilight could see the two ponies slowly inching their way up the aisle. Each was trying to move more slowly than the other to reduce the amount of noise they made. Twilight slapped her hoof to her face and wondered why things always had to be as ridiculous as possible with every pony she knew.
Twilight led the others through the labyrinthine shelves of books, pausing much more often than she would like to let the two contestants catch up. Finally, they arrived at a large set of double doors.
“Well, this is it,” Twilight said quietly. “All of Equestria’s recorded lore from centuries past is kept down here.” The others looked on as she pushed vainly on the doors. “I’ve never had any trouble opening these before. I-I think they are stuck,” Twilight gasped, turning a deeper shade of purple from all the exertion. “Help me out, you guys!”
Rarity and Rainbow Dash put their shoulders to the door and pushed, but to no avail. Soon all three were panting and eyeing the door with irritation.
“Twilight, are you absolutely certain you have the correct door?” Rarity managed between pants.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake, let me at that door!” Applejack hissed, turning her body to apply her powerful back legs to the task.
Twilight desperately tried to block the doors with her body, but Applejack moved too quickly. With stunning speed and power, she fired her back legs out and slammed them against the obstinate wooden structure. The doors flew open with a booming sound and banged against the stone walls. From beyond the doors, a surprised cry emerged, followed by more crashing.
Instantly, the head librarian appeared and marched forward toward Twilight. The bookish unicorn crouched down and gave her a guilty smile. With just the barest hint of sound, the head librarian leaned forward and whispered into Twilight’s ear.
“That’s two. We have ways of dealing with troublemakers.” She pointed to a set of hulking stallions with security badges that had just crept around the nearby bookcases. With that, she turned silently and disappeared again. The six ponies backed slowly into the hall past the double doors, keeping their eyes locked on the menacing stallions. When they had finally cleared the entry way, Twilight closed the doors as quickly and quietly as she could manage.
“Sorry, Twilight,” Applejack said meekly. “Ah-Ah guess Ah got a little carried away. Ah just meant to give it a tap.”
“Could one of you help me up?” a quavering voice said from beneath a pile of boxes.
Rarity rushed over and began digging through the mass of boxes.
“My word, these are heavy!” she managed as she struggled. The rest of her friends dove in and soon they had cleared away the boxes to reveal an elderly pony who was lying stunned on the floor.
“Dewey Decimal! It’s me, Twilight!” She helped the shaken stallion to his feet. Rarity’s horn glowed as she magically dusted him off.
“Twilight? Why, so it is! Where have you been? Why, you used to practically live in this library.”
“What’s with you and living in libraries?” Rainbow quipped. Twilight shot her a playful warning glance and swatted at the athletic pony with her tail.
“I moved to Ponyville to study friendship for the princess. Everyone, this is Dewey Decimial. He used to be the head librarian here.” Twilight turned and regarded the elderly pony curiously. “Wait, why aren’t you the head librarian now?”
“Oh, I’m getting on in years.” The old librarian sighed, smiling wistfully. “I don’t really want to leave the library entirely, but I wanted a job with a little less excitement.”
Rainbow dash poked at the boxes in front of the double doors.
“I guess we ruined that, huh? What is in these boxes? No offense, but they’re kinda heavy for a stallion like you to be lugging around.”
The librarian pointed to a piece of trim above the doorway.
“That trim is coming loose, and I was just going to glue it back down. With the budget cuts, we’ve been having a terrible time with maintenance, but the princess evidently wants more money to go toward changling defense.” The older stallion began muttering darkly under his breath. Twilight gently prodded him and shook himself from his momentary lapse. “Anyway, Card Catalog and I dragged those boxes of old books here to use as a ladder. Our old one broke last month and we don’t have the funds right now for a new one. So I put a sign outside saying the wing was closed and---hey, wait a minute!” Dewey swelled with irritation. “Why did you come barging in here and ignore my sign! Somepony might have gotten hurt!”
“Ya mean this sign?” Applejack asked sardonically as she grabbed a sign from further down the hallway. It read:
Vital repairs underway.
This entryway closed until further notice
Dewey Decimal blushed and looked away.
“Ah, well, yes. That’s the one. I must have gotten distracted.”
“Well, don’t ya worry none,” Applejack said in a warmer tone. “We can get that thing fixed up for ya lickety-split.”
Twilight handed Rainbow Dash the bottle of glue.
"Would you mind?" As Rainbow applied the adhesive, Twilight addressed the stallion. "Can you take us to Equestria's fashion archive?" She smiled at broadly at Rarity. "I'm sure there will be something here to inspire you again!"
Rarity watched the others move deeper into the Archives and sighed heavily.
I do hope this works out, she thought. Twilight is working so hard, and I want to believe, but what beauty can be hidden down here in this dusty basement?
She looked at each pony in turn. Twilight, so passionate in her environment. She was positively glowing. Applejack trotted dutifully behind, always ready to lend a hoof to those in need. As she turned her gaze to Rainbow Dash, she had to suppress at grin. Always impatient, Rainbow looked like a trapped pony. Still, Rarity knew that Rainbow would rather be grounded forever rather than leave her friends in a time of need.
And oh, do I need their help! Rarity felt a surge of love for her friends and vowed that if she ever found the ability again, she would design them all the greatest series of gowns they had ever seen.
Finally, her gaze settled on Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, who were still locked in a silent battle. They made no sound as they slowly crept down the hallway behind Twilight. Rarity shook her head in disbelief. She would have never believed this unless she had witnessed it herself. Why, this wasn’t like Fluttershy and Pinkie at all.
Trotting up to Rainbow, Rarity leaned in close.
“What has gotten into those two?” she queried, tilting her head over to the competing ponies. “All this… competitiveness. It’s just not like them.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes and coolly regarded Rarity.
“If that’s what you think, you haven’t been paying attention.” She wrapped a leg around Rarity and pulled her in close. “Look, I grew up around Fluttershy. She’s more competitive than she lets on. If you challenge her on her own terms…well, watch out!”
“Really?” replied a shocked Rarity. “I had no idea!”
“What do you mean? You were there!” Rainbow stopped in her tracks and looked at Rarity incredulously. “Don’t you remember the Gala?! That animal stampede?! Fluttershy wanted those animals to love her and she wasn’t about to give up! When Fluttershy wants to win, she gives it her all!”
Rarity was taken aback by this sudden revelation. She had never thought of her gentle friend in this light before, but it did fit. Fluttershy had shown a level of tenacity finding Rainbow a pet and trying to help Princess Celestia’s phoenix that Rarity hadn’t really credited her for in the past.
“Well, what about Pinkie?” asked Rarity. “She’s usually so fun loving.”
“That one’s a little tougher,” admitted Rainbow. “You just don’t know what’s going on with her. I think maybe she’s just a little tired of being underestimated, though.”
“But she’s worked so hard recently at being responsible! She shouldn’t feel insecure!”
Rainbow shrugged.
“Look, you know that, and I know that, but the rest of Ponyville still treats her like a filly. You need to leave that boutique more often, Rarity. Everyone in Ponyville loves Pinkie, but they don’t respect her.”
Rarity turned back to regard the two ponies as the slowly crept up the corridor. Had she really missed so much of what was going on around her?
“Rainbow, you are very shrewd!” Rarity breathed, admiringly.
“Hey, when you coach a team, you have to know what makes players tick, and when you compete, you have to know yourself and your opponent inside and out. You don’t get to be the best without knowing a little something about pony nature, and I think we all know who the best is!” Rainbow bumped Rarity playfully and sped up to catch up with Applejack, leaving Rarity deep in thought.
Maybe Rainbow is right. Maybe I do need to get out of the boutique more often. I’ve become a workaholic. She sighed sadly, and Rainbow gave her a questioning glance. But did the price have to be so high? What am I to do if my creativity doesn’t come back? Rarity gazed around at her friends and set her jaw in determination. It seems like everypony is improving and it’s high time I did too! Maybe this is a blessing in disguise! I’ve rested too long on my laurels. It’s time to shake things up and…and…what?
Rarity stopped and tracked Twilight’s progression as she faded into the gloom of the hallway.
And…trust! Together, we will find a way through this.
Rarity trotted quickly forward to catch up with the main group, glancing over her shoulder and smiling at the serious expressions on Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie’s faces. Never had two ponies been so locked in so quiet a battle.
“Oh, this is so exciting!” Twilight turned slowly in place to take in the vast quantity of knowledge around her. Everywhere she looked, pony lore through the ages sat, awaiting rediscovery. “I-I don’t even know where to start! There is so much potential here!”
Dewey Decimal laughed and pointed to a worn table in the middle of the room.
“Why don’t you girls settle in there and Card Catalogue and I will trace down some relevant material?” With that, he made his way into the stacks, leaving the ponies in the flickering glow of the lamps. Applejack surveyed the room with a touch of apprehension.
“Twilight, are ya sure about this? Ah don’t mean to nitpick, but this place seems kinda… neglected.”
“Yeah,” Rainbow chimed in, “it looks like this places hasn’t been cleaned in centuries! When was the last time anyone even touched these books?”
Twilight gazed levelly at her friends and assumed her traditional lecturing pose. She ignored the eye rolls that followed.
“Just because the archive is rarely used doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Once or twice a year, some pony makes their way down here to solve a problem or complete their research, and when they do, they have the collected works of thousands of ponies before them. Later, their work is added to this archive for future problem solvers to discover. This is a unique treasure!”
“Indeed it is, and we are happy that others can recognize it!” The ponies quickly turned to see Dewey Decimal returning with a small cart filled with books. With him was a stately older stallion with a long, graying mane. “Everyone, this is Card Catalogue.” Dewey turned to his companion stallion. “Do you remember when I told you about that filly that was so exemplary? Well, this is her! Twilight Sparkle!”
Card stepped forward and gravely shook Twilight’s hoof.
“My dear, it is so good to hear the younger generation have such an appreciation for what we do here.”
Noting that this might take a while, Rarity stepped over to the cart to examine the books it contained. Despite the disheveled nature of the Archive, she was burning with curiosity. Could the ponies of the past really hold the key to the future of fashion?
“Let’s see,” she muttered quietly. “A Stitch In Time: Pony Styles through the Ages. A Visual Encyclopedia of Canterlot Fashions. From Beads to Ballgowns: Movements in Clothing Design.” She had to admit it. These sounded like interesting reading.
“Applejack, dear, could you help me with these books?” she called.
“Ah’d be happy to!” Applejack trotted quickly over. “Ya know, there is only so much talkin’ about books Ah can take!” she whispered to Rarity.
Rarity looked over at Twilight. She was beaming as she spoke with the two stallions about their jobs. Behind her, Rainbow sighed heavily and flapped her wings absently. Applejack and Rarity shared an amused glance between them.
“Ah give her five minutes before she loses it!”
“Come now, Applejack!” returned Rarity. “She’s made great strides in patience since her wing was hurt and you shouldn’t sell her short. She is good for at least seven minutes.” Rarity tried to give Applejack a cool, superior stare, but couldn’t hold it as they both descended into giggles.
“Ah guess your feelin’ better, huh?”
Rarity sighed and motioned to the pile of books.
“I’m hopeful. If anything, this is an interesting diversion and it’s no good moping around the boutique. I’ve needed this change of scenery and who knows, maybe Twilight is on to something here. I must say, these books do seem fascinating!”
Applejack picked up a book and stared at it doubtfully.
“If ya say so. Concerning Fashion: A Doctoral Thesis on Equestria’s Second Taffeta Movement seems a mite dry to me.”
“This whole afternoon is dry! I need to get outside! Twilight is driving me crazy!”
The two ponies jumped. Rainbow had descended suddenly and was regarding them with a slightly crazed expression. “Seriously, how long is this going to take, Rarity?!”
“Applejack, I concede defeat . Two minutes.”
Rainbow Dash stared in confusion as the two ponies collapsed into laughter, holding on to each other for support.
Examining the stack of books before her, Rainbow screwed her face up in disgust and pushed them away.
“Twilight, I can’t read through all of this stuff! This is way too boring!”
Twilight opened her first book and settled in.
“We are doing this for Rarity, Rainbow,” She explained patiently. “I’ve already told you. You don’t have to read the books. Just skim them and show Rarity anything that might interest her.”
Rainbow sighed heavily and took the first tome from the stack. With cheek rested in hoof, she listlessly began turning the pages.
“I just don’t see why this place doesn’t have anything cool. I mean, the history of the economy of Equestria might be great reading for the Mayor or something, but where are the interesting books? There should be, I don’t know, a history book on pegasus sky racing!”
Dewey Decimal drew his head up in surprise.
“Oh, but there is, young lady. We have archives are nearly everything noteworthy.” He motioned of into the corridors of books. “Why, just down this aisle, we have archived many volumes on the various sports in Equestria.”
“Really?!” Rainbow Dash flew suddenly into the air. “Now those might be some awesome books!” Gaining momentum, Rainbow zoomed down the aisle.
“Rainbow, come back here!” Twilight called after her. “We aren’t here for you!”
“Oh, don’t worry about it.” Rainbow’s scratchy voice drifted back. “I’m not abandoning Rarity, I just need a little diversion before I sit down to all that fashion stuff. Just give me a minute.”
“Ugh, that pony!” Twilight gritted her teeth in frustration.
“Aw, just let her go, Twilight. Ya know Rainbow. She’s just gotta blow off a little steam. She’ll help out in the end.”
“I sure hope so, Applejack. There is so much material here to go through. We’ll be here all week if we don’t get down to it. That means you guys, too!” Twilight looked across the table at Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Neither had touched their books, lest they rustle a page. Under Twilight’s stern gaze, they both very slowly picked up a book and gently opened them, turning the pages with extreme care.
Finally satisfied that everyone (except Rainbow) was on the job, Twilight settled in for some invigorating research. As she began to read, she felt a warm, comforting glow fill her.
Now this is a great way to spend a day! She thought.
“You guys, you guys! Look at this stuff!”
Twilight was suddenly jerked back to reality as Rainbow’s voice echoed down the aisle toward them. The friends looked on in shock as she came into view so loaded with books that she could barely fly and Twilight was uncertain how she could possibly see.
“They have the entire history of the Wonderbolts, and a bunch of books Cloudsdale’s greatest flyers! I’ve never even heard of some of these races! There’s a whole book here on races that were so difficult that they were banned!”
“Rainbow, watch out!” Twilight looked on in horror as the excited pegasus flew straight into the overhead chandelier.
“Watch out for wha—oof!”
Books rained down and the ponies had to step back suddenly to avoid being hit. As the books slammed into the table, a huge cloud of dust erupted from the long unused pages and Twilight looked on as Pinkie Pie’s nose began a series of violent twitches. Her eyes watered as she tried in vain to control herself, but she finally succumbed and sneezed mightily, launching herself backward.
Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief and put a hoof out to help her friend up.
“Oh Pinkie, that was… ah…ah…ACHOO!”
Fluttershy rocketed up into the air, sneezing uncontrollably. She slammed into a nearby bookshelf, and managed to knock out another huge plume of dust. Now the ponies were all sneezing and stumbling around. The dust was so thick and the sneezing so intense that none of them could see how to get out anymore. Twilight tried to make for the entrance, but ended up running headlong into another bookcase, which rocked threateningly. In her haste to get away from it, she slammed into another.
Applejack was fanning the air desperately with her hat and cleared the air just long enough to see Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy fly straight into archival stack behind their table. Slowly, like something in a nightmare, she watched as the shelf tipped back. At the last second, Rainbow noticed the problem and tried to pull it upright again, but it was far too heavy. The wooden shelves dragged her along as it fell, slamming into the next row of shelves.
All around, the ponies watched helplessly as rows and rows of lore crashed deafeningly to the floor. Mercifully, the dust was so thick that all they could do was cough and sneeze, driving the disaster from their minds for a few minutes.
“Dewey… I’m so sorry!” Twilight choked out. “We’ll clean it up.”
“No. No you will not,” intoned a cold voice. Through the haze of dust, figures emerged. Paperback and her guards stood before them, furious. “Did I not tell you? Didn’t I give you chance after chance? No, you will not spend another minute here.”
“Ow, they didn’t need to literally throw us out!” Twilight rubbed her sore flank and gazed sorrowfully at the library, wondering if she would ever be allow in again.
Rainbow walked cautiously over to the studious unicorn.
“Sorry, Twilight. I just got a little too excited, I guess. They won’t hold a grudge with you will they?”
“No, probably not,” replied Twilight. “I’ll come back and see what I can do to help out.
Rainbow kicked at the ground with her foreleg, trying not to look at her.
“Well, let me know when you do. I-I might want to come with you.”
Twilight smiled at her friend.
“Why, that’s very kind of you Rainbow. It’s going to take a while to clean all those books up, and I’m sure Dewey Decimal and Card Catalogue will appreciate our help.”
Rainbow raised an eyebrow in confusion.
“Who said anything about cleaning? I want to read those books!”
“And how will you find those books under the thousands of others we knocked down?” Twilight coolly replied.
“Oh. Right.” Rainbow looked slightly deflated as she contemplated the wasted days she would spend cleaning the archive.
“Shoot! Shoot, shoot, shoot! Usually I think a good sneeze is the bee’s knees, but that dust just busted my hush!”
Pinkie stomped around in a small circle. Fluttershy watched her, gently smiling.
“Pinkie, that was the best ‘Shh” match anypony has ever given me. You were great, and that last bit didn’t rhyme.”
“Oh, well!” Pinkie returned, eyes sparkling with merriment. “Being quiet really isn’t my style. Actually, I don’t exactly know what my style is.” She turned to Rarity, who was desperately trying to clean her coat. “Rarity, what would you say my style is?”
Rarity looked over the exuberant pony. She was nearly black from the dust of the archive, with two wide, blue eyes.
“Right now,” replied Rarity, “I’d say Nouveau Dustbunny.”
Applejack bent down and retrieved her hat from a nearby fountain and deftly flipped it onto her head, where it landed with a soggy splat. Rarity shuddered, turning away from the sight of her friend’s rumpled and damp chapeau.
“So how ya feelin’?” Applejack asked, scooping more water from the fountain onto herself in an impromptu shower. “Did any of those fancy books give ya some new ideas?”
Rarity surveyed the hopeful expressions of her very dirty friends. She hated to let them down, but the truth was see still didn’t feel any creative spark.
“Well,” she started, trying to stall for time. What was she going to tell them? “I appreciate all that you girls have done. I really do. It was a lovely trip, and excepting some, well, a lot, of dirt, and some questioningly uncouth behavior from the library staff, it was a fine distraction. However…“ Rarity looked down at the ground and scraped her hoof along the cobblestones of the road. “I’m very sorry to say that I’m still at square one.”
The ponies groaned in unison and hung their heads low. Twilight melancholy was palpable as she glanced at the library.
“Maybe if I go in, I can talk them into helping them clean up and we can get back to studying.”
Rarity shook her head and moved to comfort her friend.
“Twilight, I’m afraid my answers aren’t in books. Fascinating as the experience was, no don’t give me that look!” Rarity could see that Twilight believed she was just trying to make her feel better. “The reading was lovely and I do intend on following up one day, but ponies move away from fashion trends for a reason. The classic looks are still with us, but I don’t believe I’ll be bringing back the conical hats of the renaissance period any time soon.”
Pinkie bounded forward, full of enthusiasm and secretly happy to be talking again.
“Sister, what you need is a real change of pace! Maybe a—“
“Not a party, Pinkie!" the ponies all groaned in unison.
“It was just a suggestion…” Pinkie replied, slightly hurt.
Applejack set her hoof to her chin and thought for a moment.
“Well, Ah know of a real change of pace, come to think about it. Hmmmm…”
Twilight perked up, suddenly full of interest.
“Well, what is it? Don’t keep us waiting!”
“The only thing is, well, it ain’t very…Rarity.”
Rarity was suddenly wary of this. Thoughtful as Applejack was, any activity she might be interested in was probably the exact opposite of polite discourse and proper social decorum. She thought it best to steer the conversation in another direction.
“Oh, but look at the time! We really must be heading back to Ponyville or it will be very late-“
“It’s an ol’-fashioned barn-raisin’!” Applejack continued, her enthusiasm growing. “My cousins, Bartlett and Bosc, have a farm not too far away from here and they wrote to tell me the other day that they are finally tearin’ down that decrepit ol’ barn they’ve got in the south field. They wanted to know if Big Mac could lend them a hand. Ah’ll be if we head on over, we could help too!”
“Oh, but really, Applejack!” Rarity said, exasperated. “How is toiling on a farm and getting all sweaty going to help me with my business?”
Fluttershy piped up, smiling gently.
“Oh, but Rarity, this might be just the thing! Last week, a beaver came to visit me and he was so sad.” The others glanced at each other questioningly at this, but Fluttershy continued. “He was so depressed because he felt like he was stuck building the same dam over and over. He was in such a rut.” Warming to the story, Fluttershy absently flapped her wings, blowing Applejack’s hat back into the fountain. Rarity tried to pretend that she didn’t see Applejack shrug and continue to use the soaked hat as a bucket to pour water on the rest of her filthy body.
“So I brought him inside and made him a strong bowl of Oak soup. They love that you know, and we talked.”
“Fluttershy is this going somewhere?” Rainbow cut in, ready to be on her way to anywhere that wasn’t a library.
“Why, yes. That’s what he asked. He wanted to know if his life was going anywhere. I told him we all struggle sometimes and that maybe he should try a new lake, with a new view, and some new friends. Maybe just for a little while, he should build a raft, or a chair, rather than a dam.”
“Can beavers build chairs?” Twilight asked, genuinely curious.
“Oh, my, yes! They are quite skilled!” breathed Fluttershy. You should see the inside of their dams. They are very tasteful. Anyway, I think Applejack has a good idea. We should take Rarity to a new environment to do new things.”
“Then it’s settled!” Twilight spoke resolutely. “Applejack, take us to that farm!”
The rest of the Rarity’s friends scooped her up and they galloped ahead. The residents of Canterlot watched them, baffled, as Rarity’s cries of protest faded into the distance.
