//------------------------------// // Ch19: Diamond in the Rough // Story: The Magick of Friendship: Spark of Something New // by Harmony Spirit //------------------------------// Winter neared its end and the big Winter Wrap up Celebration was to start, as ponies were making ready for the thaw. Some; warming themselves up for a new year of hard work, others preparing their shops for the next season of fair, and the rest helped clean up the town. Every soul who called themselves a Ponyvillian was busy in this time of the year. Rarity had a shop filled with the garb of winter weather, and now must make ready for the warmer seasons coming and clear out her winter selection. It was one of the biggest sales for the shop, setting up the feel for the rest of the year. The work was hard enough, but her mentor and dearest friend Swanheart, received an urgent message to come home for the health of a relative. The sale would have to be led by Rarity alone, with only the two other designers and tailors to back her up. She loved to shine under pressure, but she never knew when it was too much till it was far more so. The Magick of Friendship chapter 19: Diamond in the Rough "Are you certain?" Swanheart asked Rarity, not looking at her as he packed his bags. Rather plain looking for one in the fashion world, but despite all his accolades, he found himself less into the flashy side of being a designer. "Oh of course dear, I've hooved this shop many times. What is one little sale?" She waved him off even though he could not see her gesture, finishing with a laugh to prove how little she felt the pressure. Rarity had run the store many times in the past, it was practically hers. She had even dealt with big sales before, but Swanheart was always near or one of the other designers. He only had two others, and one was sick. Rarity was down to herself and Mend. He was not much of a designer, only had a gift for sowing. They had many styles ready, but the production was going to be the hard part with just the two. "You have proven yourself countless times to be the one to take on my legacy, but I have never left you with so much to do. Clearing out the old, bringing in the new, and getting all the displays up, and making the shop just so? Oh my little diamond, I worry you'll be overwhelmed. I certainly would be" He did turn now, looking at her with a deep concern. He also held a look, one usually held by a lover. Rarity hated when he looked at her so. It made her ears burn, and her heart skip. They both had a deep love for one another, but they both agreed that it was too much to risk that which they have worked so hard to gain. If their love should fall to ruin, their lives would be wrecked. They needed one another more as partners and friends, than mates. The reason they gave others, was the age gap. It did not matter to them, but it was easier for others to grasp. "Do not worry dear" She recovered some of her composure. "I can take care of things. My friends can help in the decor, and I am sure Mend and I can deal with the work. It is mostly finished, only some little things to do" She lied, and Swanheart knew she was. They needed a whole store of new cloths and fashion wear, and she had only enough to fill one rack with several more needing to be ready in a few days. He sighed and came to her, giving her a hug. They both embraced, longer than a simple fair well. "I know you are best under pressure, but do not allow yourself to crack" She gave a nod. "Do not worry about me. I will shine on, as I always do" "Shine on, you crazy Diamond" Were his parting words, as he made his way to see his family. *** For the next couple days Rarity sealed herself in the shop, making a request to all her friends to not disturb her for the importance of her work. Most respected her wishes, busy anyhow with Winter Wrap Up, but Twilight could not keep away. She was a bit worried about her friend. The violet Unicorn made her way through the shop toward the back room. On the way she noticed that the inside of the store was looking to be in partial construction, half set up, and half torn down. A bit chaotic, compared to the cleanliness and order it usually had. Twilight peered around the door that leads to the shop Rarity liked to work, and saw her hovering over the sowing machine. Hearing the chi-chi-chi sound of the machine running threat through the materials, faster than pony hooves could. The machine had a bit of an advantage as Twilight knew after reading up on the workings, that the machine used two threads to make a seem. The Unicorn wondered the best way to get her attention without startling her, if Rarity missed a stitch because of her she would feel awful, even if Rarity might not show how much it would make her mad. Rarity stopped to move the fabric, so Twilight used it to knock on the door frame. Rarity's ears perked and turned back, her head moved after. She looked to be quite worn out, mane all frizzled, and she had many bit of tailor stuffs draped and poked into her. She looked like a pin cushion after a sowing box blew up. "Twilight, dear" She said, at least sounding herself. She slowly stood, finding it hard to do so. "Oh my flank..." She muttered. "What brings you here?" She entered the room fully, and held up a drink. "I figured that you could use some energy, after such a long stint in the shop" Rarity laughed it off. "Oh, it is nothing to me dear" She took the cup, and drank a bit. "But it is much appreciated. Sorry I've ousted every pony, but I must get this done... It is nice to see another soul, after looking at nothing but thread and fiber" "Can you use any help?" "No, no, I am fine. Our other tailor is busy mass producing all the designs, we should be up and ready in a couple days" She smiled. "Yes, we are doing just fine" "Rarity! Rarity!" Cried out a voice, one of the mare's little sister. She galloped into the room, looking very excited. "I got the position in the next play!" "Oh? That is wonderful!" She said, not with any hesitation or falseness. She knew that Sweetie Belle has wanted to do design work for Ponyville plays for many years. It was a little thing ponies in her school could do to get extra credit. "Yeah, yeah, and it's gonna be awesome! We are doing 'Escape from Midnight Castle', that story of the evil beast who takes Ponies and make them into monsters so he can take over the world! Or something like that. I forget, but the sets and costumes are gonna be awesome! Apple Bloom is getting Spike to play in the role of the baby dragon too" "Really?" Twilight asked with a giggle. "Hard to picture Spike as a baby dragon" Rarity thought about it. "Well, sounds fitting" Twilight thought a bit of the story, recalling some of it. Some ponies were playing around when a group of dragons-like monsters attacked, trying to steal away the ponies, but thanks to the brave efforts of their friends, the fiends were defended off. They would strike again, and manage to capture four. One of the ponies flew off to find help, and came across a strange creature of another world, or something like that. Sweetie broke her train of thought. "Trying to find somepony to play the human" Twilight rubbed her head. "I wonder where they came up with that story? I mean, who thought up a creature called 'human'? They look like ponies do now, or those Anthroids that inspired Unicorns to turn ponies into these forms, but they need clothing and tools and stuff in order to survive. Seems like a crazy world they would be from" The sisters looked at her, and thought about it. Sweetie Belle did not spend much time on it, and was quick to move on. "Don't know, but it's gonna be cool!" She was smiling so hard she had to rubber her cheeks. "Gonna get all kinds of ponies to be in it. Twilight, wanna play the pony named Constella? Your colours are a bit off, but think you'd be perfect! Applejack gonna play a role too, cause a pony is named Apple Brandy looks just like her! It's awesome, like so many of those characters were based on you all" "Uh, well, I guess I could... I've never been in a play" She looked very nervous. "But I would think, being from long ago, we would be more 'based' on them" "You can do it! All your friends will be there! Gonna be AWESOME!" She whipped her body around, and looked at Rarity. "Oh, can you help me out? I gonna need a lot of help making the costumes, and who better than Equstria's number one designer?! Be a Cutiemark Crusader's production, featuring designs by Rarity! Music by DJ PON-3" "You've asked Vinyl?" Rarity asked, studying her sister. "Well... no, but if you're on board, she'll do it for sure!" "Should not abuse my connections, we have them because we know we would not take advantage of them" Sweetie nodded understandingly, least Rarity hopped that was what it meant. "So will ya help with the designs and stuff?" Rarity looked at her piles of unmade fabrics. "Well..." She looked back, seeing her sister playing the pout card. "Oh Sweetie, you cheat" She said, and then muttered. "Why did I teach her that?" "Please sister? I can't do it without you" "Ok..." Twilight looked at her as the little fill bounced around, and galloped out the door. "Rarity? What about all this?" She indicated to all the work she still had, and was well aware of. "As Applejack would say, 'Family comes first'" She picked up some blank pages. "I can do it. I'm nearly done with all this any ways" She lied through a smile. "If you need help, I do not know sowing, but Fluttershy knows some things. She has told me befor. Maybe-" Rarity cut her off, raising her tired hoof. "No no, I can do this. It is a task of Dressing Diamond's employees to be ready for the sale, and a duty as a sister to help out mine" *** A few days past since Rarity took on the added work of Sweetie Belle’s play, the sale was in a couple days and the play that weekend, and she was beyond overwhelmed and over worked. Rarity sat slumped in an Apple Cider's booth, as Twilight stood by patting her on the back. "Come on Rarity, you can do it. You have Fluttershy, and I have always heard how great you are under pressure" She tried to build her confidence, but was not doing very well. "I cannot hoof this much! I have to get the shop ready for our big Spring sale, or else we will be thrown off for the season maybe even longer! I also cannot simply let down my own sister! She has the opportunity to put on the Spring Play!" She cried out. "If only Swanheart was still here, but his family needed him..." "Yo, what's wrong with Rarity?" Rainbow Dash came in, with Gilda in tow. "Couldn't hear her?" Gilda said, sitting down across from her. "I could hear her from outside" Rarity peered up glaring at the Gryphon, she had not spent as much time with her as the some of the others. "Rarity needs to set up shop, finish some designs, and get everything set for the big sale. She also needs to help out Sweetie with that play" "Why doesn't she just pull out of the play? Mean it's only a silly thing" Dash asked. "That we've both been pulled into" Gilda added. "I could not allow her to do that!" Rarity sat up. "She has wanted to do a play for years, and now she has her chance to put one together. She will also get extra credit, and be a little star of her school. What kind of sister would I be, if I failed her in this moment?" Applejack came up and took the orders from the two new comers. She already tried to help Rarity, but she was a field sower not a cloth one. She left with a sigh, feeling bad she could not aid her friend now. Dash scratched her head. "Then, put off the sale?" "I could not do that either, we need this sale to pay for the season and besides, the ponies are coming from all over to be here. One cannot push back such an annual affair" "You sound pretty damn screwed" Rarity slammed her head onto the table. "Y'all gonna do damage do'n that" Applejack said, bringing drinks for Rainbow Dash and Gilda. "And I ain't talk'n about my table" Rarity did not respond. "Try to stop her next time Twi" She finished, looking concerned. "Why not ask Flutter? She can sow, and she's helped you before" Rainbow Dash went on, trying to give options. Rarity muffled something, not lifting her head to speak. So Twilight took over. "Fluttershy is helping, but all the work that she needs requires more hooves than that. She needs about two others, but none of the other ponies are very skilled for the level she needs, in either project" "The shop has a high standard, and I cannot allow my sister to be victim of subpar talents" Rarity rolled to one side, to speak clearly. "Tried every one? And I mean, every ONE?" Gilda asked, stressing the last word. "What do you mean?" Twilight replied. "Said 'everypony' I know your kind uses that to group everyone together but do you mean it, or do you mean just ponies? You all know a few other species after all" Rarity thought about it. "I suppose I had not thought of that. Hmm" She sat up, gathering names in her head. "Well, of the ones I know; I do not know if they are capable. I mean, Spike really does not strike me for the dress maker type" "Well, sometimes folks don't show all their talents" Gilda said, drinking her hard cider. "Don't suppose you know anyone?" "At least one who has done some work, not professional but think they could manage" Rarity threw herself across the table, gripping the other’s shirt and looked up at the Griffin with begging eyes. "Who?!" Her voice was scratchy and deep, as she whined from deep in her throat. Gilda looked down at her and calmly took another drink. "Me" They all went silent, even Rainbow Dash looked at her funny. "When in Everyfree, did you learn?!" "Picked it up, I get bored and found sowing to be interesting. Made this jacket, hell I've fixed your crap. Ever wonder why your cloths get all torn up and are fixed? Ain't no damn fairy" "You know me, I never cared enough to notice. If it ain't stinky or rags, I'll put it on. If it is, I still might" She laughed. “You ever gonna replace that patch by the way?” “No” Dash looked very serious about it. Rarity clung to Gilda. "Please say you are telling the truth" "I am. She ruins more cloths than Parasrpites, least What Pinkie tells me when I've talked about it" *** Rarity was still down one body but with the aid of Gilda, who turned out to be very skilled, she was able to pick up a lot of slack. She had all the shop's master designs done, and let Mend and Gilda have run of doing the mass production. Pinkie was doing the decorations in the shop as well as the ones in the play, she promised not to use anything crazy and follow Rarity's designs. The over worked unicorn made her way to the play house where a rehearsal was scheduled for that afternoon. They had most the costumes made between Rarity and Sweetie Belle, though Apple Bloom seemed more capable with the design work. Despite all the work and little help available, everything was turning out. Twilight and Applejack; the former already set with her lines but needed more stage time, and latter was just the opposite. They helped Rarity carry the costumes and materials over, as they had the time to do so. The Production was small, at least for the costumes that needed to be made. There were a number of extras for some big dragon type scene, those proved more difficult to pull off. Spike kept on being a bit too picky on their look, as the resident dragon. Rarity found herself missing that short time he was tripping over himself to please her, he was far less of a pain then. Twilight had offered to use her magick to change pony's colours, but being an Earth Pony play they felt it was not in tradition. It would be a pain for Twilight; her role as a pony named Constella, her coat was a between pink and violet, her hair would be the true trick for Twilight. Where hers was dark purple, Constella was white with a purple stripe like Twilight's own magenta. Lightening her coat was an easy trick, with the right materials, but fading her deep purple mane to white was pretty hard. She wanted to respect the Earth Pony ways, so she did not use magick. She could not figure out why Applejack looked at her funny each time she saw the mare in her new colours. She had no idea that her love had a little pony toy that was a newer version of the same character she played now, with "Shine" added to her name. Applejack's role was much easier to get into. Apple Brandy was not much different than herself. Found it a bit odd she was one of a couple ponies in this who either had a clone, or was not too far off from their character. Spike was dead on, aside from his age. Rarity went on helping the other ponies in their costumes. She spotted Apple Bloom, the only one of their little trio actually acting in the play. Scootaloo was more interested in pyrotechnics. Rarity was a bit nervous, not recalling too many explosions in the original play that she remembered but easily recalling too many accounts of the little pegasus blowing something up. It was the Cutie Mark Crusaders, so it was lucky they had not made it into some futuristic space battle or something over the top. The Apple filly was now purple coated, was a faded kind of to the tint of grey with a pink mane. She was playing the role of one of the few young fillies in the act, Ember. Was odd too; since she tried so hard to act older that she would take on a role like that, but it hit her when she noticed that her and Spike were doing lines together. She had recalled it now from when she saw the play before, it had seemed like Ember and Spike seem to become close in the prison scene. Young love she figured, that filly saw it and wanted to keep her dragon to herself. Rarity giggled weakly to herself, in her place the unicorn would act just so if one she loved was playing a role opposite to her own. She looked around, seeking out Rainbow Dash. She agreed to the show but the whole time acted a bit indifferent to being in the play. Her role was a leading one and suited her perfectly, Sky Fire. She was flashy, feared nothing, and was willing to do whatever it took for her friends. It was a hero's role, and one perfect for a pony who loved to be number one. Rarity turned around a corner, and headed to the main dressing area. She could hear some voices in the mare stalls and put down her stack of costumes, heading back to the door. "Come on Dash" She heard Gilda first. She thought it odd, since she swore Gilda was back at the shop. "I'll do it. I promised I would, but doesn't mean I gotta like it" This time it was Dash, more clearly coming through. Rarity peered in seeing Dash hunched over the sink, with her Bay-B sitting by her. "Can't believe you agreed to it if you feel so shitty about doing the role, better not back out. I've busted my liony ass for everypony. All your friends have" "I know G... It's just so hard to think about her. It's like they are the same pony, Sky Fire and-" She stopped, hearing Rarity coming in. "Can't even say her name Dash? I know she left us but-" Dash shushed her. "Rarity, what's up?" She said loud enough for Gilda to hear. "Heard you talking, wanted to make sure you are ok" She looked genuinely concerned. Dash turned back to the mirror, to make sure she was in order. "Yeah I'm fine, stage fright or something..." Tossing the idea of the mare being any kind of afraid out of hoof, she pressed on. "I heard a bit of what you two were talking about" "Don't worry, I'm still working" Gilda said not so much guilty she was not, but to try to divert the topic. It was not working. "It's ok Gilda, I trust you are" She spoke honestly, it surprised her too. She turned concern toward the one here in the room. "Rainbow Dash, if you do not wish to do this, I'm sure I can get Sweetie to find somepony else" "No, it's fine. We have only a week, and I promised Scootaloo. I won't break my word" She grabbed her Bay-B and started for the door, looking ahead with fire in her eyes. "I won't abandon those who need me" Rarity watched her storm out, and sighed. She glanced at herself in the mirror, her curly mane, straighten a bit and a solid shade of purple in place of her two toned. She was already set for her part as Glory. She did rather like the name, but her taste was not much for the Unicorn playing her. The Pink bow in her tail was simply appalling. The pony in the mirror was not looking at herself, as she was hoping to see the lingering reflections of her friend. She looked deeply affected by something, but she did not know what nor seemed any other pony close to her was willing to talk about it. Outside Pinkie, now hardly looking herself in the yellowish orange coat and blue mane. Her mane itself was even different, looking almost tame. How, in all the years Rarity has tried to calm it, she managed too now the unicorn could not even guess. To finish the transformation, Pinkie had a white spot on her nose. Rarity had to admit, she looked rather charming in her role of Bubbles. Rarity was hoping the once pink mare could tell her something, since she and Gilda were now together, and she seemed to be in the loop. The mare just shook her head, saying that she had "Pinkie Swore" not to tell. The last hope was Fluttershy. She heard that they lived in Cloudsdale together. Rarity was glad she did not have Fluttershy's role of Melody. The off shade of blue was one thing, but the green mane would be too much for Rarity to take. She turned out to be a dead end despite the fact Rainbow Dash helped her out once when they were fillies, they never really spent time together and before she moved to Ponyville Dash seemed fine. The dress rehearsal was nearly ready, and Rarity was out of time. Gilda came in looking about the same, as she ever did. Besides the blond dyed feathers, refusing to wear a wig, and dressed like Applejack might have in something of a farmer. It was fitting she play the role of Megan the human girl, being the only other species in the play besides Spike. It was also fitting, like Spike and Ember, Megan and Sky Fire had a bond in the story. They were two different species, and close friends. The assembled players were; Megan, Spike, Constella, Ember, Bubbles, Melody, Sky Fire, Apple Brandy, and Glory. Roles filled by the circle of friends. There was Bow-Tie, an Earth pony with a blue coat and darker pink mane, with more than one yellow bow-tie in her mane and tail. Spun Sugar, a role Pinkie should have taken for their colours were nearly the same. There was also Moondancer, a white unicorn with a fiery red mane. Rarity wished she had that role, she thought about changing her mane to red after seeing the mare in the role. There were more, but mostly background and filling roles of the nameless in the roles of background ponies, and the flocks of dragons that would come into the play a couple times. Sweetie Belle had wanted to get Big Macintosh for the lead villain, Tirac, but he seemed uninterested. The idea of turning his sister into a monster and having his youngest sister dragged off to a cell was not something he wished to even pretend. The role would be filled by an actual Centaur. Adams Apple caught wind of the play, and when Apple Bloom asked him he was more than willing to help. Though Centaurs and Ponies do not get along, Adams' had a friend in one and they were willing to help in the play. The centaur-like creature that he played was frightening and dangerous, claiming the four ponies for his chariot to bring about darkness to the land and rule over a twisted reality. He would find that Ember, one of the four caught, was too small and sent her to prison and punished his minion Scorpan for failing a second time in getting him the needed four. Adams Apple would take the role of Scorpan. Would take some work, since he had no wings and despite the uneasy feelings Applejack still held, he was not at all scary. He played it well, and even in the moment when Tirac mutated the three ponies into monstrous creatures a fate to befall the fourth pony, he would show his reluctance toward this whole evil plot but would go on to obey his lord by going out to capture the last pony. This would also show his underline good by saving the human girl from falling to her death. His final moment, after the defeat of Tirac, he would return to the charming King, a role far more suited as many felt for the pony of Everfree. After rehearsal, they all were instructed by their young director to keep in role as much as possible. "Live the role, be the pony you are in this play... er.. what ever you are!" Rarity had to break that, even though she felt Glory was not too different, so she had little problem. Gilda was off putting, being so different than her usual self. She was bold and strong willed, but not at all rude or harsh. Adopting the role so easily, seemed to put Rarity and most of the ponies off most, those who have not spent so much time with the changing Gryphon. The sale came and Rarity threw herself into that for the couple days it went on. Gilda moved to working on the Play finishing up the work there. The cast was set, the lines learned, and nearly all the props and sets were ready. Everything went fine for her sale and how Rarity cleaned up, and managed herself through it after being worked non-stop for two weeks, no one knew. Some of that good old Unicorn magick, and Applejack's "Buck'n strong Apple Energy Juice" She would accredit her friends for coming together and keeping her going. Like her sister; Sweetie Belle's big project went over well, the whole cast worked perfectly and much of Ponyville was impressed by the story they have all seen many times before but never with such a diverse cast. With all the attention she earned, it went without saying that Sweetie earned much extra credit and praise. The one drawback, as the three young fillies would find... They came out of the dressing room after inspecting their flanks and being disappointed. "Darn it, no cutie marks!" Scootaloo remarked. "What's next?" Apple Bloom asked, and all three of them wondering what to try next for their marks.