//------------------------------// // Forever Fabulous // Story: Forever (And Ever) // by RarityEQM //------------------------------// The Carousel Boutique, as always, was the cornerstone of beauty in Ponyville. It was rich in luxurious fabrics, ostentatious headwear and only the finest in glittering baubles and accessories. Truly, no other place in Ponyville could hope to match the refined class and sophistication the Carousel Boutique provided. A ritzy bastion to the (charmingly) rustic denizens of Ponyville. It was one of the few places a pony could go to take in high society and glamour when in ponyville. It had been at least. Where once, a painstakingly, and perfectly aligned trio of ponyquinns had been standing, (modeling the latest fashions to come to ponyville), was a cyan pony. A little blue pegasus who was giggling wildly and 'riding' one of her ponyquinns back and forth like a cheap amusement ride one might find in front of a supermarket. She was droning on and on and on about 'legendary tricks' this and 'Scootaloo's wings' that. Instead of a wall of dresses and beautiful hoof-crafted designs, was a little purple alicorn that was prancing in place. She had ushered the latest trending clothes out of the way, to make room to draw complex configurations on the carpet in rich black ink that would take weeks to treat. She was darting about this way and that, screaming about all the extra room Rarity was going to need if she wanted to expand the Boutique. "Rarity!! Rarity, I predict a tremendous boom in your popularity in the next forty years, especially once you've ascended with us! The sales will go through the roof! I've been crunching the numbers (I've got the time) and I think we'll need to knock out the far wall over there to make room for the new hallway. I've been thinking we could make this into a sort of semi-castle for you, you know, while we wait for you to get your own! I've already ordered the construction ponies, and they'll be here shortly to help! Oh, this is going to be so amazing! I've been putting together a new design for the boutique! You'll see! You'll love it!! There's so much you can get done when you stop going to sleep! Who needs sleep!? We've got forever, Rarity! Forever!" Twilight babbled happily, prancing in place. Her ears perked in alarm momentarily and she sat upright with a terrifying speed. "I NEED A CALCULATOR!" she announced, paused and started giggling wildly. "WAIT! Nevermind! False alarm! I AM a calculator!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! FOREVER!!" Twilight laughed, sat down, crossed her legs and closed her eyes. Rarity didn't know what Twilight was 'calculating' but felt a specific sense of urgency to get her out of the boutique before she was finished. She was, however, distracted by the presence of Pinkie Pie, who zipped by with a lengthy scroll of parchment waving about behind her. She bounced to the remaining dresses, wrapping the parchment around, and around, and around the dresses that were still held captive by Rarity's ponyquinns. Something Rainbow would soon rectify, Rarity was sure. "Rarity won't need these old dresses, now that she'll have forever to work on new ones!" Pinkie giggled gleefully, and only now did Rarity realize the word SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE written across the scroll in bright bold ink. Pinkie was putting her dresses on sale? Twilight was talking about knocking out the walls? Rainbow Dash was riding a ponyquinn like it were prom night all over again? Were they trying to drive her out of business?! The little gray unicorn sat at the base of the stairs, mouth agape, watching the madness unfurl around her at a horrifying pace. Next to her stood a purple dragon who was wearing the same exhausted expression on his face that he had since he came in with the rest of them. It mimicked hers almost perfectly. "Err....should we....get somepon-" Rarity began to ask, but Spike silently shook his head and gave a sigh. "Tried that," he muttered, jerking a thumb towards Applejack. Applejack was standing in the kitchen, twirling a lasso around in perfect circles over her head. She wasn't planning to lasso anything specifically (at least, Rarity hoped she wasn't planning on it) and instead she simply twirled it over her head around and around. Practice she kept saying. Practice for 'forever.' whatever that meant. Sadly, Spike shook his head and rested a claw on Rarity's side observing the fashionista's own plunge into madness. This, as far as Spike could tell, was a very different kind of madness. One that silently insisted he take a step back from the trembling designer. He'd never witnessed a murder before, let alone a massacre. "Darlings? Darlings, please. Rainbow Dash, stop molesting that ponyquinn, Twilight, you're getting ink on m- Applejack don't lasso Rainbow Dash in the house, AND PINKIE I SWEAR TO CELESTIA THAT IF YOU FIRE OFF THAT PARTY CANNON INDOO- "FOREVER!" Pinkie exclaimed happily, pulling the cord to her Party Cannon with a brilliant squeal. There was always time for a party, and a party might be just what Rarity needed to cheer up! Gleefully, Pinkie peered over her Party Cannon, looking for Rarity's smiling happy face. 'Happy Rarity' was not in the room. "ENOUGH!!" shrieked Rarity, certainly loud enough for everypony in the room to stop what they were doing. Everypony in the room, the room next door, and every room down the street for that matter. "Enough! Just what is the meaning of all of this! I have half a mind to take you all to Ponyville General to have you committed! What has gotten into all of you?! Did you all vote that today simply seemed a splendid day to go mad? Did you all decide you wanted to see how angry Rarity gets when she misses her deadlines?!" Rarity snarled in blazing fury, even as Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, and Applejack shared a twinkling smile. "DEADLINES!?" Rainbow Dash howled as if the concept was somehow the funniest thing she'd ever heard. Twilight doubled over laughing, and Pinkie Pie descended into a giggling abyss Rarity was sure she'd never escape from. "You all drank the same kool-aid, didn't you?" asked Rarity flatly. It did nothing to counter Applejack's infectious smile. "Settle down ya'll! Rarity! Rares, ya'll don't fret 'bout none of this. I got an explanation that'll set everything right as rain, but first, lemme ask ya'll this; how would ya'll like to be a princess?" Applejack grinned. Rarity raised an eyebrow... *********************************** They pronked along like Pinkie Pie. Bouncing gleefully through Ponyville's streets in a wobbling, hopping line of perpetual, radiating happiness. The townsfolk had never seen them so happy before; Twilight leading the party, with Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack. Behind them, was the loudest member of their party yet. "AND THE DRESSES! I COULD MAKE EVERY DRESS IN MY SKETCH BOOK! EVERYONE! AND THE HOMELESS!? WHY NONE OF THEM WOULD EVER BE COLD AGAIN- OR UNFASHINONABLE! I WILL MAKE THE WORLD BEAUTIFUL! BEAUTIFUL AS ALL OF US!! HAHAHAHAH!!!" Rarity cackled, joined in by the rest of the group. Spike was the only one not laughing. He was far, far to busy praying to Celestia that Fluttershy could knock some sense back into his friends. He gazed longingly at the tiny cottage near the Everfree Forest and wondered just how long 'forever' could last.