Take a look at the description of the story for a reminder of who are the background ponies featured in this story.
***
Pre-reader/editor: MrMinimii
Days like these
When Hairspray woke up and peered past her window to the grey clouds blanketing the skies, she knew it wasn’t going to be an easy day. Bad weather tended to have that effect on her since she was a filly, the only difference being that when she was younger her only obligations were to go to school and do her homework, and if she really didn’t feel like getting up, she could always find some excuse for not going anywhere. This, however, wasn’t exactly the case now that she was a grown-up mare and had had a full-time job for a few years already. As much as she disliked the idea of getting up at the moment, there was simply no way around it: you just didn’t say “piss off” to a day of work, especially not when the one you’re working for happens to be Equestria’s most famous photographer.
Two minutes and then I’ll get up… Hairspray thought and rolled in her bed’s ruffled sheets.
She felt like she had never been this tired before, and the prospect of exposing herself to the bad weather wasn’t the only reason behind it. She had spent most of the night tossing and turning in her bed, either trying to find a comfortable enough position or waking up after unpleasant dreams. She wouldn’t be surprised to learn that she’d gotten only a couple hours of sleep the whole night.
Two minutes, no more. Then I’ll…I’ll…
She merely had time to blink before the two minutes vanished. Getting up seemed to be the most difficult thing she ever had to do, though she managed to keep her eyes open at least. Hairspray grumbled and finally sat up in bed, hair disheveled and eyes still half-closed. She needed a nice, hot shower before anything else. She got up, almost tripping over the tangle of sheets, and made her way to the bathroom.
Hairspray took a look in the mirror and raised a skeptical eyebrow when she saw her ruffled pink mane; it looked as if a squadron of Pegasi flew over her bed that night. If her co-workers were to see her like that, they would probably have something akin to a small heart attack. Hairspray with bad hair was a concept most unheard of in Canterlot’s most famous studio.
She shook her head to prevent herself from dozing off in front of her mirror: better hurry up if she didn’t want to be late and give her boss a heart attack.
Hairspray stepped into the shower and let the water soak her body from mane to hooves. A good shower was usually what took to raise her spirits and prepare her for the following hours of hard work, but it seemed like it wouldn’t be enough today. The warmth actually engulfed her mind in a comfortable sleepiness that made her want to go back to bed and hide under her covers, her pillow being her only needed company today.
Maybe, but that’s not going to happen, she thought while washing the shampoo out of her mane. Move your flank, Hairspray!
As soon as she was done, she stepped out of the shower and dried her coat before taking care of her mane which soon found back its usual style. She put her work blouse on before hurrying to the kitchen where she sat down at the table to drink a cup of coffee and take a few bites of toast. A glance to the clock made her almost choke on her food.
Oh no, I should already be at the studio!
Ooh that wasn’t good at all!
Hairspray rushed out of the kitchen and started looking around frantically for her equipment to protect her from the rain. Panic clouded her mind, allowing her to find the umbrella but lose the saddle that it went with. She galloped to the entry, not bothering to clean the kitchen. She opened the door, took a few seconds to open her umbrella, holding it as well as she could in her mouth, and stepped outside her house. She stopped dead in tracks when a loud splash was heard and her eyes widened.
Wetness and stickiness.
“Dammit!”
Well, that was it. If waking up with a bad feeling after a terrible night wasn’t a good enough reason to resent that day, then walking straight into a muddy puddle of water definitely should convince her.
To have a house right next to the luxurious garden of Canterlot was a fine asset and all, but like most things it obviously had its downsides. Hairspray repressed a sigh, stepped out of the mud, and resumed trotting down the street. Many of the ponies she met on her way were Unicorns who weren’t the least bit annoyed by the rain. Their coat and clothes remaining dry, protected magically by their glowing horns. She wasn’t the kind of pony to be envious of the other’s magical abilities, but right now she’d greatly appreciate a stay-dry spell.
The wind blew and droplets of water fell on her blouse and in her eyes. She probably looked very comical- half-trotting half-galloping against the wind, barely able to keep her umbrella from flying away. Hairspray wasn’t sure, but she thought she heard giggles coming from some mares on the other side of the street, causing her to blush profusely. They were without a doubt laughing at that silly, clumsy Earth Pony.
For a moment, she really hated the Pegasi and their dark, rain-filled clouds.
She passed in front of Hoity Toity’s boutique where she saw the employees getting ready to welcome the customers.
What time is it? Ooh please let me not be too late…!
Why, why did she have to be such a lazy flank and stay in bed? The bad weather had slowed her down and she was quite sure the first model of the day had already arrived. She had already been late once, but was saved from her boss’ anger thanks to the presence of a very new model that had entirely occupied Photo Finish's attention.
A few minutes later and she thankfully spotted the building where she had sunk the last five years of her life. Hairspray entered the small but flashy building, legs soaked and sections of her white outfit dripping onto the floor below. She abandoned her umbrella next to the entry before galloping to the backstage and released a breath she was unaware she was holding when she saw that the first model of the day wasn’t yet there. Relieved, she entered the room and spotted Powder Rouge, whose muzzle was lowered into a box full of her make-up material. Her dark-maned colleague briefly looked at her before turning her attention back to the box.
“Hi there,” she said lightly. “Got stuck in bed?”
“Yeah…” Haispray answered with an unsure smile. “Am I very late?”
“Fifteen minutes late.”
Well, that wasn’t too bad.
“Did Photo Finish…”
“She noticed,” Powder Rouge replied without hesitation, crushing her hopes. “Don’t worry, I don’t think she’ll say anything. She’s very enthusiastic about today’s first model. You know, that Pegasus with a pink coat that she said had the most perfect small and delicate wings?”
Hairspray couldn’t seem to remember her, but Powder Rouge’s depiction of their boss’ behavior came as no surprise. Since Fluttershy had left her (in what Photo Finish called a “despicable act of treason”), the photographer had to resume her frantic search of the perfect model that would bring “De Magics” back on every scene of Equestria. Which was hard to do now that Fluttershy had set new rules in the world of fashion on how to be a perfect model. With Fluttershy gone, they had faced the difficult challenge of finding models that had the same aura, which was what the public was now waiting for.
The lack of totally similar models that would satisfy the public’s wishes had recently been wearing on Photo Finish’s mood - who had always been quite short tempered to begin with- and her assistants had to put up with her constant annoyance.
It wasn’t the first time they had to go through this: the days following Fluttershy’s sudden departure had been some of the most dreadful of Hairspray’s entire career as Photo Finish’s employee. Confused and definitely missing some of her usual energy, the photographer had first gone through a few days of brooding over the loss of her most successful model. Her depression unfortunately gave way for another, much more irritable mood, and her frustration of losing the famous Pegasus had repercussions on her appreciation of her assistants’ work: whatever they’d do, it was never to her taste and she seemed increasingly impossible to please. Even though she was now more than ever determined to find the new model that’d shine all over Equestria, it was clear that Fluttershy’s qualities as a model were stuck firmly in her mind.
“I hope she finds that new ‘perfect mare’ real soon,” Powder Rouge finished Hairspray’s thoughts.
“Me too. I don’t know if I can bear hearing ‘Flootershai’ every minute of the day anymore…especially not today. I had a terrible night…”
Hairspray was sorting out her material when the sound of hooves clicking rapidly against the tiled floor echoed from the hallway. It wasn’t long before Photo Finish burst through the door, immediately spotting the hairdresser and running in her direction.
“Hairspray!” she shouted before stopping only inches in front of the assistant. “You are late!”
Hairspray backed off a bit before answering, not knowing if she’d better play it humble and look down at her hooves or lock eyes with her boss - a task made impossible thanks to the presence of the big goggles she was wearing all the time. Instead of choosing one of the options, she went for a mix of the two, eyes darting all over the room.
“I’m sorry for being late, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. I…”
“No excuses!” Photo Finish interrupted with vigor, almost touching the other pony’s face with her large glasses as she leaned over her. “Today isn’t de good day to be late! Ve have to get ready to velcome Top Couture ! Dis is very important, and if you are not able to…”
She stopped talking and seemed to freeze, her head slowly bowing down, which confused Hairspray.
“Vhat is…”
Photo Finish suddenly jumped backwards, as if the floor had burned her. Hairspray looked down and gasped when she saw that the lower part of her front legs weren’t their usual pink, but brown. Her heart missed a beat when she understood that she had just stepped in the studio with her hooves full of mud.
This couldn’t end well.
“I-I’m so sorry,” she managed to stutter. “I had to hurry up, and I walked in some puddles... I will get it cleaned up right now…”
“You better!” the blue coated pony spoke loudly, holding her right then left front hooves high above the floor to examine them. “Vhat if dat disgusting mud had touched any of de costumes or accessories?!”
Hairspray was – for a very short moment – tempted to say that there was no way any of the dresses would have been sullied, since nothing but the usually perfectly polished floor had been stained in some places. And the costumes certainly weren’t on the floor, but in the back of the room where they were supposed to be. But she kept her mouth closed and lowered her head under the scolding of her boss. Now wasn’t the time to start acting rebellious.
“If you are incapable to show up at de right time vith clean hooves, den ve vill have a problem. Ve can’t let anything go vrong today, because Top Couture vill be here and I vill not let him see anything but perfection! Understood?”
“Yes, Photo Finish,” Hairspray answered.
“You vill clean dat mess right now, und if dere is still mud vhen I come back vith de model, you are out of here.”
“Understood.”
Photo Finish trotted outside the room, leaving behind her a deeply ashamed Hairspray and a very uneased Powder Rouge - who had witnessed the whole scene from her corner of the room.
“I didn’t see anything,” Powder Rouge said with a nod toward her friend’s hooves. “Sorry…”
“It’s okay, that’s not your fault.”
That made it all the worse. It was the first time she ever got yelled at by her boss – or rather, the first time she got yelled at because she really messed up. Photo Finish had a habit to continually bark at her assistants, and they were used to it, but it was the first time that she had failed in any way in five years as an employee of the photographer, and it stung. Hairspray knew it wasn’t anything too bad, just some frayed nerves of the fashionista that she plucked at, but then again, Photo Finish never was one to show empathy.
Hairspray washed her hooves in a basin full of water to get rid of the dirt and after that took a rag of cloth in a closet to clean the mess. A few minutes later, Photo Finish was back in the room, this time accompanied by a seemingly impressed young Pegasus. Hairspray knew that look well: every model who got the chance to enter this studio would wear it- it was a look that said: “I can’t believe it! I’m actually here! I’m so happy!”. That was exactly what Hairspray would think too, most of the time, when she thought about her work. But it seemed today was determined to be different.
She shook her head, chiding herself. She couldn’t let negative thoughts invade her mind like earlier. Today was important for the studio.
She trotted next to the Pegasus, scissors and brushes poised, and prayed Celestia for the rest of the day to go smoothly.
******
Celestia obviously wasn’t paying attention, because it actually went from bad to worse: at midday, the whole studio was caught in hysteria with ponies running everywhere. The imminence of Top Couture’s arrival – coupled with the fact that he’d arrive one hour before what had been planned originally – was in everypony’s mind. The preparation-room was now crowded with mares (mostly Pegasi) that waited to get their dresses on and close to three times more assistants than there usually was - most of them called in emergency to help with the additional work.
“Where is the dress Rêve d’été!? It was right there a second ago!”
“Watch where you’re going, you stomped on my hoof!”
“Careful with those scissors, you’re going to blind somepony!”
Hairspray was busy taking care of the flowing long mane of a timid Pegasus, the type that Photo Finish seemed to prefer since Fluttershy, when she noticed that her work was being surveyed by the critical eye of a white coated Earth Pony.
Oh no, not her. Not Pure White!
She tried not to pay the other pony any attention: her mere presence was a new blow to Hairspray’s already low mood. She remembered her well: they had followed the same classes at the Art of the Mane’s school and never managed to get along. That arrogant redmaned mare probably had been one of the ponies called in as a ‘supplementary worker’. Hairspray knew that Pure White had a boutique of her own, though she had already worked with Photo Finished and never hid her aim of entering her team of assistants. As there was a very limited number of ponies accepted as the photographer’s full-time assistants, Hairspray knew perfectly well that Pure White was eyeing her post, but she wasn’t worried: there was a reason she had won the final exam at their school and not Pure White. But that mare had a tendency to unnerve her.
Hairspray gave the last touch on the mane of the Pegasus and stepped back, looking for any imperfection. She had lifted the whole mass of blue hair high in the air, revealing the slender neck of the model. It looked good, really good. Actually, she would even go as far as saying that it was perf-
“Could be better...”
Hairspray turned to find none other than Pure White looking over her work.
“I’m sorry?” she asked, unsure if she had heard that well.
The white mare just stayed where she was, eyeing the haircut with a disapproving look.
“I said, could be better.”
“Er…Well, I’m sorry, but I believe this is the style that goes best for her.”
“Maybe you think so, but I know exactly how to make it perfect.”
Pure White trotted towards the model and gave her hairstyle a stern look.
“The mane needs to be let down.”
“Hm…No. This is the best way to show her natural beauty and elegance.”
“What do you say we verify it ? Unclip her mane, and we’ll compare.”
“No!” Hairspray answered with vigor, bewildered by the other mare’s boldness. “We won’t touch it, it’s done!"
“And you’ll just leave it badly done?”
Stuck in the middle, the model looked uneasy, eyes darting between the two arguing hairdressers.
“Badly done? Well, excuse me, but I’m the one here in charge of the manes of the models.”
“I know. Doesn’t mean you can’t mess it all up. Anyway, it looks like we’re stuck. I don’t see any other solution. Miss!” Pure White called out, obtaining the attention of Photo Finish, who was passing down the corridor next to the room. “We seem to have a bit of a disagreement here. Could you please help us? You’re the most qualified to help.”
Hairspray stuck her tongue out in disgust at Pure White’s flattery, but closed her mouth quickly when the photographer came near them.
“Vhat is de problem, ladies? Ve need to get it done, und now! Dey vill be here soon!”
“Miss, I believe we should modify the model’s manestyle, but your assistant here told me that…”
Hairspray had trouble concentrating on what Pure White was rambling on about, feeling the beginning of a head ache. She was destabilized when she saw that Photo Finish was listening, tilting her head on the side as the white mare went on with her explanations.
“So you think her mane should be let loose?”
“Yes. Like that…”
Pure White raised a hoof toward the model’s head and Hairspray reacted in a second.
Oh no you don’t. That’s my job.
She slapped Pure White’s hoof away before it had time to reach the clip holding the mane on top of the model’s head.
“Photo Finish, her mane is perfect the way it is,” Hairspray said with a warning look to the other hairdresser.
Pure White could say all the bad things she wanted about her work, but she didn’t have the right to modify it without her consent. She was the Chief hairdresser here, for Celestia’s sake!
Pure White didn’t seem too impressed by her attempt at intimidation, though.
“Letting her hair down would be a mistake, look at her delicate neck! It needs to be noticed, it reinforces the graceful feel that you always sought after with Fluttershy,” Hairspray stated, hoping the mention of the Pegasus would give her the upper hoof.
“But Fluttershy had a very different natural mane,” Pure White interjected. “Besides, this goes better with the overall look of the dress. It flows, it dances with it…”
“Yeees…” Photo Finish said hesitantly at first, a hoof taping lightly against her chin. “You are right! Unclip her mane!”
Pure White did so and Photo Finish bobbed her head, a large smile forming on her lips.
“Yes! It is perfect! De mane, de dress… Dis really shows…De Magicks!” she exclaimed raising a hoof high in the air. “Now hurry up and finish to prepare her, she needs more blush.”
The photographer walked away and Hairspray remained there, speechless. Not only was that arrogant mare trying to steal her job, she was also successfully gaining her boss’s approval! Had Photo Finish gone blind during the night, or was her work that terrible? No, no, she couldn’t think like that. She was the best hairdresser here and that was a fact. Photo Finish would never have hired her otherwise. She, at least, had been recognized for her talent, not her capacity at kissing hooves (well, maybe a little bit too, in her beginnings).
Feeling her headache getting worse, she walked to the next model, doing her best to ignore the smirk on Pure White’s face whose meaning was very clear: “Today, I’m taking your job.”
******
“Dey’re coming!”
The shout made them all freeze for a few seconds before the assistants started pushing the models behind the curtains and the scene where they’d soon parade. Hairspray peeked through the heavy curtains and saw a group of ponies entering the studio, lead by Photo Finish. Top Couture, one of the most influential ponies in the world of fashion, was walking next to her, expression neutral. Unlike his counterpart, he wasn’t wearing glasses and his blue eyes shone with interest as he observed the room.Photo Finish was talking to him, deliberately ignoring Hoity Toity who had tagged along from his own boutique. The group stopped in front of the scene, the music started, and behind the curtains the first models approached to begin the show.
******
They were only halfway through the show, but the loud music blasting through the speakers only served to worsen the pounding in Hairspray’s head. She took profit of a moment of calm to stay on her side of the room, standing away from the other assistants – and from Pure White, who she could see was still eyeing her periodically. She was massaging her forehead with her hooves when she saw Pinny Cushion standing next to her.
“Are you alright?” her co-worker asked with a concerned look.
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” she said with a smile that must not have been very convincing, for Pinny Cushion still looked doubtful. "It’s nothing bad, really. I’m just having some headache.”
“Oh my, do you need anything?”
“I’ll just take some aspirin. Do you know if we still have some?”
“I guess. It should be in the drawer, as usual,” Pinny Cushion indicated with a gesture of the hoof. “Will you be fine?”
“Of course. Though I could use a few hours of sleep right now…”
Pinny Cushion gave her a compassionate look.
“Tell me if I can help you in any way. It’s no luck you had to feel sick today… If I could-”
She was interrupted when Photo Finish ran in the room, shouting.
“Girls! Be ready to send de Four Seasons models in two minutes! If Top Couture is satisfied vith de show, he might very well decide to introduce de studio to some of his most influential colleagues in de Europonia’s Fashion Group. Dis is a golden opportunity! Now, to vork everypony!”
The photographer disappeared once again and Hairspray sighed.
“Well, looks like the pause is over. Let’s go.”
While Pinny Cushion went back to the models, Hairspray walked to the drawer that contained the medicine that would save her.
What? she thought in confusion when she opened the drawer and found it empty. No way! Where is it? There is always aspirin in it! Don’t tell me somepony else chose this day to be sick too!
The drawer was definitely empty, and she didn’t find anything in the other ones.
Oh come on, is this some kind of a sick joke!?
Well, she had no choice. She’d have to do without it. Cursing her bad luck, Hairspray walked towards a model whose mane needed to be rearranged. Pure White obviously had her eyes on her too, because in an instant she was by her side, brush poised and ready.
“Move away, I’ll be doing her mane!” Hairspray commanded, not in the mood for more bickering.
But arguing seemed to be exactly what the white Earth Pony wanted.
“Let me do it, Hairspray, you don’t seem able to work today.”
“What? This is ridiculous!”
“It’s not. Even Photo Finish agrees that I have better ideas.”
“That’s not true!”
“It is! Come on, let me do it.”
“That’s out of question. Move.”
“Really, let me do it. You don’t look so well. You should just go back to your place for today, you look like you could use some sleep.”
“What are you…”
Hairspray looked at her in disbelief.
Oh no she didn’t.
But she did. Pure White had eavesdropped on Pinny Cushion and her. It was indeed a sick joke, after all.
“Give me the aspirin,” Hairspray ordered in a low tone.
“What are you talking about? I don’t have any,” Pure White said with a faked innocent look.
“You lie. I know you have it, it couldn’t have just disappeared.”
“Think what you want, I really don’t see what your problem is.”
“You heard me talk with Pinny Cushion and you took it. Now give it to me!”
They both stared at each other for a few very intense seconds, though Hairspray understood it was a lost cause. She growled and tried to get access to the model but Pure White got on her way.
“Go. Away.”
“No,” Pure White replied before she took a step forward, almost clashing their snouts together.
“Now vhat is going on?”
They both turned to see Photo Finish looking in their direction, and started to speak at the same time.
“She keeps getting on my way!"
“She doesn’t want to let me do her mane!”
They stopped and glared at each other until Photo Finish intervened, flailing her hooves around.
“Dere is no time for arguing! De work needs to be done, und done fast!”
“Oh, I’m trying to work, but she won’t let me go near that model,” Pure White said with contempt.
“Are you kidding me?! You’re the one who just got on my way!”
“I don’t vant to hear it!” Photo Finish shouted. “Just do vhat you have to do!”
“Do you even know what she-”
Hairspray interrupted herself.
She couldn’t tell her about the unfortunate disappearance of the aspirin. She didn’t want Photo Finish to know that she was sick. That would mean taking the risk of being sent back to her place like a weak filly unable to do her job, and she couldn’t abandon her post: that would make Pure White way too happy. She had to gain the upper hoof against that nosy mare.
Hairspray took her scissors in her mouth, but Photo Finish held a hoof in the air and stopped her.
“No. You let Pure White take care of her. I don’t know vhat it is vith you today, but you are behaving inappropriately. Go buy a box of mint chocolate in de Royal Candy Boutique. Dey are Top Couture’s favorite. Und I vant some coffee.”
“What?! But I–”
“Go!”
Hairspray was dying to tell Photo Finish about Pure White’s mischief, but she restrained herself. The unfairness of the situation revolted her, but there was no way she could explain the situation without revealing her weak physical condition, which would just worsen things for her. She resigned herself and trotted away, painfully aware of the stares of Pure White and the other assistants.
Pinny Cushion came to her and whispered, “That Pure White… You want me to make her pay? I can make her trip in front of everypony.”
“No, don’t do anything; I don’t want you to get in trouble,” Hairspray replied with a stare that showed she was serious, but also grateful for the support.
It was time like these when you knew your co-workers were also your friends.
“You sure?” Pinny Cushion asked with a raised eyebrow. “‘Cause I heard her, and she’s getting on my nerves too. I could just prick a needle right in her big –”
“No! I’m sure. Go back to work before you have to come with me and become the new lackey,” Hairspray said, trying to contain her disgusted tone.
The other Earth Pony shrugged and walked away, leaving Hairspray alone to go through the corridors of the studio and back to the entry hall where a nightmarish sight awaited her: rain was pouring outside, showering the streets with what looked like a very cold flow of water.
And she thought she had it bad this morning.
She took her umbrella, opened the door and gulped when she heard the loud noise of the falling rain.
Okay…You can do it. Your mane will be ruined and you’ll be soaked to the bones, but you can do it. One, two…
Hairspray bolted along the now desolate streets of Canterlot; many of the others had long since abandoned the rain-filled streets in favor of their comfortable homes. How she envied them. The cold wind that blew against her face only accentuated the hot pounding in her forehead, and if her mouth hadn’t been full with her umbrella, her teeth would’ve been chattering. Fortunately, the Royal Candy Boutique was only a few blocks away and she could already see its facade behind the curtain of water. She jumped inside the shop, opening the door wide and causing it to almost hit an unfortunate customer that stood in the way.
“Be careful!” the unfortunate pony shouted in an indignant tone.
Hairspray ignored him and took her place in the queue. The longer she was kept away from the studio, the more Pure White would make damages. She had to make it fast: take the chocolate, the coffee, and go back as quickly as possible. Obviously the others had decided to take sides with Pure White, for the seller was taking his sweet time and talked to each customer that got to the counter. She started getting impatient and stomped her hoof nervously.
Why can’t he go faster? Does he have to make small talk for ten minutes? Stop laughing, I need to go back, somepony here actually has work to do! Come on come on come on COME ON!
But the seller kept talking and talking with that silly mare who obviously didn’t even know how to dress with taste. The outrageously clothed pony finally took her order, letting the next customer take her place.
And here he goes again! Close your mouth and do your work!
Hairspray couldn’t help but imagine how it was going at the studio. Pure White taking all the opportunities to do her work; putting her hooves on manes that were supposed to be prepared by her. Photo Finish deciding that she didn’t need her anymore and would replace her by P-
“Hurry up!”
Her outburst caused a pause of all discussions as everypony in the boutique suddenly turned to look at her, eyes widened and mouth opened in a perfect “o” to match their shocked and dumbfounded expression. While at any other time acting like that would’ve made her blush shamefully, at the moment she couldn’t care less.
“Lady, this is barely an appropriate behavior,” a stallion with a curly mane said with a disdainful glare. “Please, show some distinction!”
Hairspray needed all her willpower not to bark at the ignorant pony.
“Excuse me, but I’ve been waiting here for more than fifteen minutes and I need to get back to work!”
“That is unfortunate, but we all are waiting and I see no pony else complain.”
“Yes, because no pony else here knows what it’s like to risk losing your job,” Hairspray grumbled between gritted teeth.
She forced herself to wait, and the silence that had filled the room was slowly broken by the whispers of the other customers.
“Have you heard what she said? How rude!”
“I know, who does she think she is? Everypony has obligations.”
“Oh, but I think I do know who she is; I believe she works for Photo Finish, I saw her at the last show two weeks ago…”
What had she just done to her reputation?
When her turn finally came she took her order: a medium size box of chocolate and a large cup of coffee. The seller didn’t do any small talk with her, and she was glad for it. She put the orders in her saddlebag and rushed outside. As she galloped in the streets a violent gust of wind engulfed itself under her umbrella, making her almost lose her hold on it.
Okay, you’re almost done, girl. Almost there…
Water splashed against her as she walked in a puddle on the ground, the pounding in her head increasing with her physical efforts. She kept going, she wouldn’t stop, she’d go on and as soon as she’d be back at work would show that impertinent mare –
*BUMP!*
Hairspray ran straight into somepony that was coming from the other side of the corner of the street. The impact sent them both tumbling to the ground and her umbrella rolled away, leaving her at the mercy of the grey sky. Dizzy, it took her some time to get back on her hooves and she immediately looked inside her saddle-bag to be sure that the box of chocolate and the coffee hadn’t suffered from the collision and her fall. No damages.
Hairspray then drew her gaze to the pony she had briskly encountered; a mare, who was currently rising up on slightly shaky legs before she brought a hoof to her muzzle, frowning as if it were painful. A bit of blood was oozing from a light scrape on one of her foreleg, tainting the white coat.
“I’m so sorry,” Hairspray said with a contrite look as she approached the pony. “Are you alright?”
“I am fine, but you should really be more cautious.”
The mare didn’t seem angry, just a bit shaken. Hairspray got the sudden (and frightening) impression that she knew this pony – Unicorn, to be precise, judging by her horn who lit and placed back a magical field around her. Yes, yes she did know her! That smooth, perfect white coat and this long, rose mane – a mane that she now was sure she once had to take care of….And this lean body, those long, thin legs that gave the Unicorn a much more graceful stance than most ponies… Finally, it struck her.
“F-Fleur de Lys ?” she asked in a strangled tone.
“Why yes,” the Unicorn answered. “May I enquire of your reasons for such haste? With that weather, it is hardly a commended behavior. Perhaps you should…”
Hairspray wasn’t listening. She had just sent Fleur de Lys flying on the ground. Fleur de Lys, wife of Fancy Pants, known by everypony as the most important pony in Canterlot. And Fleur de Lys was never seen away from Fancy Pants, which meant that he was there too, or would be there in a few instants and would see what she had brought upon his delicate wife. This time she didn’t even want to complain or get angry about her terrible day.
She felt defeated.
“Dear, are you alright ?” Fleur de Lys inquired with genuine concern.
Hairspray did the only thing she could think of at the moment: she babbled another apology and took off running, desperate to hide herself.
She galloped so fast her chest and throat started to hurt with every painful breath. Once she was back inside the studio, she fell on her haunches and wiped the few tears she wasn’t able to hold back. Fortunately, there was no one else in the hall, and the only sounds that broke the silence besides her sniffles was the muffled music coming from the room where they were all still gathered to watch the end of the show.
After regaining her composure, Hairspray walked down the corridor to go back to the preparation room, involuntarily catching a glimpse of her appearance in a mirror that was placed on the wall. Disastrous. Not only did she feel more pathetic than she had ever felt, she also looked worse than she ever had. Her work blouse was completely soaked, and her mane hung in wet bangs, dripping water everywhere. She double-checked to see if she didn’t have mud on her hooves and entered the back room, deciding to disappear as soon as possible. There was always the possibility that Top Couture or Hoity Toity would make an appearance, and she couldn’t let them see her like that.
Maybe I’ll hide in a closet until the show is over.
Didn’t sound like a too bad idea.
The preparation room had emptied itself from most of its previous occupants. She spotted Pinny Cushion, who was talking with some others assistants a bit further away, but didn’t see any sign of Pure White. Good. She took the chocolate box – in a miraculously good shape, considering everything it had gone through since it went out of the boutique – and put it on a nearby table with the coffee cup. Somepony else would have to give it to Photo Finish. There was no way she was going to show herself in such a pitiful state. Hairspray was about to go wait the end of the show some place where she could try and soothe her headache but Destiny decided it wasn’t done with her when she turned around and found herself facing her Nightmare of the Day.
Pure White stood right in front of Hairspray and her neutral expression slowly turned into a grin as she observed the appearance of the other pony. Hairspray felt herself blush as she was being examined from head to hooves by the mare. At the same time, something started twitching inside of her.
“Oh, well look at you!” Pure White mocked. “Bad weather outside, isn’t it?”
The twitching sensation grew bigger. A remote part of her brain registered voices getting closer to the room, one among them being Photo Finish’s. But the rest of her brain told that part to shut up. Nothing mattered but the mare that kept taunting her.
“Looks like new job opportunities are opening to you: you’re actually doing a better job fetching supplies rather than being a hairdresser. Maybe it’s time for you to give your life a new direction.”
Oh, you’d love to take my job, wouldn’t you? You impertinent, smug, arrogant…
“Your mane is in such a mess, this simply won’t do!”
…liar, stealer, sadistic mare!
“You definitely should get a new haircut.”
Pure White probably didn’t see it coming, and Hairspray had to admit she hadn’t planned it at all; it just came like that. She turned around and, with calm and the assurance that she was doing what the universe intended for her to do, took the plastic cup of coffee on the table and poured its content on Pure White’s mane. The liquid ran down the white pony’s face, droplets circling her widened eyes before dripping on the ground.
“That makes two of us.”
The look of extreme shock and horror on Pure White’s face was all it took for Hairspray to feel her spirits raise. She was still furious, but her anger was now mixed with the sweetness of victory and the satisfaction of a good deed finally pursued. And to watch Pure White tapping her hooves lightly all over her head as if to take away the coffee with a panicked look made it all better. The mare opened and closed her mouth several times before managing to articulate a few words.
“But…No…How dare you?!” Pure White screamed.
She looked somewhere between attacking her and fainting on the spot. Hairspray heard whispers and gasps coming from the other assistants who had been alerted by the white pony’s shouts, and were now witnessing the whole ordeal.
“What?” Hairspray teased. “Feeling a bit messy?”
“You ruined my mane, you crazy-”
“Yes, I did!” Hairspray announced, raising her voice to overshadow her adversary’s. “That’s what you get for getting on my way all day long!”
Her anger was slowly returning, but it did feel good – and well deserved – to finally be able to put that mare down a peg or two! Not even the shouts coming from Photo Finish, who had just arrived, could destabilize her. She tore her gaze off the white mare, who was desperately trying to get rid of the coffee in her now sticky mane, and watched the three ponies standing a few meters away. Photo Finish’s usually unreadable face now expressed something between shock and disbelief. Standing beside her, Top Couture looked unsure about the whole ordeal while Hoity Toity had a hoof raised to his mouth to hide his smirk.
“My my, Photo Finish,” he said to the photographer on a tone that barely hid his enjoyment. “Is that how it works in your so called ‘most famous studio of Canterlot’? I have to say, I am impressed... by the sheer disorganization of it all!”
Photo Finish looked ready to bite him, but surprisingly managed to contain herself and instead sent the fashion pony what must have been a deadly glare through her glasses.
“I am quite confused, if I may say so,” Top Couture said with his slight accent. “Is this how you all do it in Canterlot ? The show was stunning, but the backstage seems to be a bit out of control…”
“Oh dis is nothing,” Photo Finish announced flatly. “Time to go meet de models.”
How she had managed to regain her usual poker face so quickly Haispray didn’t know. Although the photographer made a very good job at dismissing seemingly without second thoughts the incident, the cyan mare still hurried the others out of the room. When Hoity Toity showed sign of wanting to enjoy the “sheer disorganization” a bit longer, she pushed him outside forcefully.
Pinny Cushion walked to Hairspray and gave her a concerned look.
“You better run, girl.”
“Why ?” Hairspray asked a bit too aggressively. “She deserved it,” she stated with a nod toward Pure White who wasn’t paying any more attention to them and was currently trying to put some order in her mane while small whimpers escaped her.
“Right. Still, good luck. I’ll back you up…if I can.”
Pinny Cushion smirked as she could see Pure White’s distress.
“Have to say, you did show her. Bet she won’t show her face here again.”
“She better not.”
Galloping could be heard from outside and they both knew what it meant; Pinny Cushion promptly retreated to the back of the room and gave Hairspray a sorry smile for letting her deal alone with the fury. Even co-workers’ compassion had its limits. Barely a second later Photo Finish ran back into the room and started complaining while moving her hooves in the air dramatically.
“Dis is terrible! Top Couture is confused and Hoity Toity, dat idiot, is doing nothing to help. Vhy did you have to mess up today?! Vhat do you have to say for your defense before I throw both of your sorry flanks out?” she shouted and pointed a hoof towards Hairspray and Pure White.
The latter seemed to finally get out of the near catatonic state the “accident” had pulled her in.
“Have you seen what she has done to my mane?! I have never suffered such a disgraceful act! Such humiliation!”
“And you took the aspirin knowing very well I needed it,” Hairspray spat.
She saw behind Photo Finish that Pinny Cushion was encouraging her silently while expressing with explicit gestures her displeasure of Pure White’s behavior. She was currently mimicking a decapitation, one hoof slashing under her throat and the other one directed to Pure White. “Get rid of her.”
Pure White, who hadn’t noticed anything, gasped and raised a hoof dramatically at her chest. “I never took anything. That is an absolute lie!”
“That’s not true!”
“It is!”
“No!”
The two ponies almost knocked foreheads and were interrupted by Photo Finish’s laments.
“I do not care about your foalish argument! Have you any idea of de delicate situation you have just put me in? De humiliation! Now he thinks I am surrounding myself vith ungraceful ponies! I, Photo Finish, have too much of an important career to put it in jeopardy over some ridiculous conflict!”
As the photographer kept on complaining, that same twitching that Hairspray had felt minutes ago during her argument with Pure White made a sudden reappearance.
“I ought to fire you!”
That was the last straw.
Oh, that was it then? Pure White might have been the diabolical brain that had set her up, but she wasn’t the one who actually asked her to leave and do a lackey’s job. After years of hard and diligent work, that was how she was rewarded? That was all the credit she was given for? Oh well, she wasn’t going to take it anymore!
“You want to fire me? Well fine, do it!”
There was a collective gasp in the audience and Pinny Cushion froze in the middle of her imitation of a strangulation, mouth agape. Even Pure White looked at her in disarray.
What? Didn’t they think she would have the guts to say something? She didn’t care about impressing them, or shocking them. She was just going to be honest. Brutally honest.
“Vhat…Vhat did you just say?!”
Photo Finish sounded positively stunned and Hairspray could almost see her eyes widen behind her thick glasses. She probably couldn’t fathom that somepony was talking back to her like that.
“I said do it if you want to. Although most ponies fire an employee when he has been doing a very bad job, which wouldn’t be my case since you didn’t let me do mine. No, you instead sent me out... to fetch chocolate!”
While talking she stepped forward and finally got so close that Photo Finish had to step back so they wouldn’t knock each other’s head. Hairspray noticed that Pure White, too, had put some distance between them, though whether it was out of fear of any backlash from the photographer or because she was scared by her rival, Hairspray couldn’t tell.
“I’m warning you, if you keep going on like dis I’ll…”
“Yes, I know, you’ll fire me!” Hairspray went on, dismissing the threat without a second thought. “Are we going to talk about it all day long? Because I’d rather not. And since I’m obviously such a bother today, I’ll just leave you to it now and go home.”
She was about to turn and go, but stopped when another thought popped into her mind.
“By the way, you owe me twenty bits for the chocolate box and the coffee; the chocolate is on the table and your coffee is on her mane. Enjoy!”
Everypony in the room must have been too stunned to utter a word, for nothing but silence answered her as she walked away. No pony had ever dared to speak to Photo Finish that way - or if they had, they weren’t around anymore to talk about it - which was probably why no pony in the room - including Photo Finish - did anything other than stare at her, mouths agape in disbelief.
Hairspray was done. Done. And still not entirely freed from her rage, but she knew that for the next few minutes she would be spared the anguish that would overcome her soon enough. In a few minutes she would get her hooves back to the earth, her mind would be emptied of all anger and she would truly understand the perilous situation she had put herself into with her outburst.
But for now, Hairspray was quite satisfied with herself.
Just as she was about to leave the room she heard Photo Finish getting over her initial shock at last and speak with a slow, extremely confused tone.
“Vhat…has just happened?”
******
Back outside the cold rain seemed to act as a wake-up call for the angry mare, making her suddenly aware of what had just happened. She shook and regretted the absence of her umbrella which she had most likely forgotten after she ran away from her encounter with Fleur de Lys earlier. She walked at a slow pace and tried to forget the whole ordeal.
Once I’m back home, I’ll make some tea. Yes, tea sounds nice... Then I’ll go back to bed, put myself under the covers and sleep for the rest of the day. And maybe the day after.
It wasn’t like she’d need to go back to work anyway.
Lost in her thoughts, it took her a few instants to notice the absence of rain pelting her back, and when she turned her head on the side she saw Powder Rouge standing next to her, smiling. A large umbrella was joined on the saddle she wore, and prevented Hairspray from getting any wetter.
“Hey. Saw you running away and thought you could use some company,” Powder Rouge said gently. “Nice mane style.”
“Oh please, don’t mention it,” Hairspray spat.
She sounded greatly annoyed, but she was actually relieved and grateful to see her co-worker.
It was good not to be alone.
“Bad day, huh?”
“Yes. No, actually, worst day ever,” Hairspray admitted with a sigh. “I just want to forget it all.”
“Now now…It wasn’t so bad,” Powder Rouge encouraged her with a very light tap on the shoulder.
“Not so bad? Do you even know what I went through? Pure White has been on my case all day; Photo Finish wouldn’t take into consideration what I’d tell her about the manecuts and she sent me buy chocolate for Top Couture! And do you even know who I ran into on my way back to the studio? And when I say ‘ran into’, I mean literally ran into.”
Powder Rouge shrugged.
“You tell me.”
“Fleur de Lys.”
That didn’t seem to impress her friend.
“Fleur de Lys,” Hairspray repeated, in case Powder Rouge didn’t understand. “Fancy Pants’ wife?”
“Yes, I know who she is. Honey…Don’t you think you got a bit worked up over nothing?”
“Nothing?!”
“Come on, today wasn’t so bad. For someone who was feeling sick, you did well with the manes.”
“You mean, the very few I got to do?” Haispray said with a bitter snort.
“Why, yes. True, there weren’t many, but they were just as good as usual.”
“That’s not what Photo Finish thought. You should have heard her: ‘Ooh, yes, dis is perfect, dis is de magics!’” Hairspray claimed theatrically with a hoof raised in the air before adding, “In case you didn’t understand, she wasn’t talking about my manecuts.”
Powder Rouge rolled her eyes.
“And you let that disturb you? Pure White isn’t the one who’s been working for Photo Finish for years, you are. That’s what she can’t bear. She’s no match for you.”
“Maybe, but she isn’t the one who got sent away..” Haispray mumbled.
“Yes well… I think Photo Finish was so ecstatic she didn’t think clearly. Don’t get upset over it.”
“That’s not the only thing I’m upset about… You’re forgetting about Fleur de Lys…I mean…Of all the ponies I had to run into!”
Powder Rouge sighed.
“Did she seem angry to you?”
“Er… I don’t know…I didn’t really stay to be sure.”
Hairspray thought about it and realized that for what she’d heard the Unicorn say, she didn’t seem half as upset as herself.
Maybe I did overreact a bit…
Powder Rouge seemed to read her thoughts.
“So... Was she mad?”
“I guess she wasn’t… Not really…”
“Well, see? That’s not so bad. So, you still think it was the worst day ever? Or don’t you think that you overdramatized it a bit?” Powder Rouge asked with a neutral expression. “Don’t you think you may have…you know…”
“Blown it all out of proportion?” Hairspray completed with a slight hesitation. “Yeah… Maybe.”
She was starting to feel that Powder Rouge may be right. Maybe it wasn’t so bad. After all, she was feeling sick and suffered from lack of sleep so it wouldn’t be surprising if everything had felt so bad today.
Hairspray’s spirits began to rise ever so slightly, until she remembered what happened not twenty minutes ago: then they just fell flat and left the mane-stylist feeling even worse than she had that whole day. She groaned and bowed her head.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s something I didn’t tell you. Bumping into Fleur de Lys or shaming myself in public wasn’t the worst part…You weren’t here, so you can’t know, but…I kind of…I kind of screamed at Photo Finish,” she ended barely above a whisper and with a side-look at Powder Rouge, feeling too ashamed to lock eyes with her.
Her co-worker didn’t react as she was expecting.
“Oh, you’re talking about your little incident with Photo Finish?”
“You know about that?”
“Well…you were shouting pretty loud. I was in the showroom with Top Couture and Hoity Toity – I had to keep him out of the backstage. Pinny Cushion told me what happened after you left.”
Powder Rouge gave her a fake accusatory glare.
“You could have warned me you were planning to give Pure White a special shampoo. I regret not being here to see it. Judging from the screams, it must have been quite a sight!”
“She was,” Hairspray said and tried to smile without conviction. “That’s not the problem. Pure White got what she deserved, but after that, I don’t know what came over me, it’s like I thought I’d also give Photo Finish what she deserved… I lost it and I screamed at her. This is…”
She stopped talking, unable to go on, a lump forming in her throat. Oh no, she wasn’t about to…Not again?! But unfortunately she was, and Powder Rouge noticed it immediately.
“It’s okay, honey.”
“N-No it’s not,” Hairspray choked and failed to hold back the tears that started to fall.
It felt like if a dam had broken inside of her. She’d known from the start she’d regret her boldness, but she didn’t expect it to come so suddenly.
“I-I lost it, I blew it all over something st-stupid and…and now I lost my job.”
“You didn’t lose your job…”
“Not yet, but it’s going to happen! W-what am I going to do? The only thing I’m good at is being a hairdresser! A-And now I’m…”
Her voice cracked and she turned her face away from Powder Rouge’s gaze, trying to muffle her whimpers behind a hoof. Why? Why did she have to blow it all? And how pathetic was she, crying like a filly for the second time of the day at that! She was so ashamed she considered running away, but a hoof on her shoulder prevented her from going anywhere. She felt Powder Rouge extend a foreleg over her shoulders and was pulled in a one-side hug.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled through her tears.
“It’s all right. But you’re doing it again,” Powder Rouge scolded gently.
“W-What?”
“Blowing things out of proportion.”
“How can you say t-that? Haven’t you heard what I told her? You just d-don’t understand: the way I said it, I was literally b-begging to be fired. And that’s what’s going to happen. And that’s exactly what I d-deserve.”
“Stop talking nonsense, you’re not going to be fired,” Powder Rouge said with conviction and shook her slightly.
“B-But…”
“No, listen to me,” Powder Rouge interrupted with enough force to gain the attention of the distraught mare before softening. “This isn’t going to happen because I’ll support you. Same for Pinny Cushion. I’m sure she’s already talking to Photo Finish as we speak. Now…”
She turned to face Hairspray and lifted one hoof to carefully wipe the tears on her cheeks.
“Don’t worry so much; it will be fine. Trust me.”
“I want to…but…”
“What if I told you that you’re not the only one who ever messed up during your job with Photo Finish? Have I ever told you about that time when I got that… “incident” with my make up box?”
Hairspray considered it for an instant and the answer appeared to be negative. But surely, if Powder Rouge had ever had this sort of problem, she would’ve known about it since they were always working together, right? She then remembered that her co-worker had started working for the photographer a year before her own arrival in the team. Maybe that was when it happened.
She shook her head no and waited for Powder Rouge to go on.
“And did you know about that one time when Suity Voyage forgot Photo Finish’s camera in a fashion studio in Manehattan? Yes, I know,” Powder Rouge said while Hairspray’s eyes were widening “That was pretty bad. But she’s still working for her, and so am I. And it will be the same for you.”
“But I talked back to her,” Hairspray said feebly. “She isn’t going to forget about that.”
“We’ll see. Anyway, Pinny Cushion will defend you. She’ll tell Photo Finish that you weren’t in your right mind and a victim to a sudden madness.”
Hairspray gave her a hurt look.
“…Or more likely she’ll say that it was all Pure White’s fault and tell her she had been making your life hell since this morning. But it’s going to be fine, you’ll see. So, tomorrow you’ll come at the studio, like any other day…”
“Oh, I can’t do that !" Hairspray replied with a vigorous shake of head. “As soon as I’m going to show my face Photo Finish is going to kick my flank!”
“Well then keep your flank very close to the wall.”
Hairspray laughed through her tears and Powder Rouge dried her cheeks once more. She breathed deeply a few times and sniffled, slowly regaining her composure.
“I’m sorry. I’m not that emotional usually. I’m just so tired...”
“It’s all right, honey. What do you say we keep going now? The weather doesn’t look like it will get any better and you’ll probably want to go home and rest.”
“That would be lovely,” Hairspray admitted with a dreamy look as they started walking again. “All I want is to put myself in bed and sleep.”
“Then do it. You’ll need to be well-rested for tomorrow. Lots of work incoming, like usual.”
“Oh that…”
Hairspray’s eyes shifted.
“I don’t know… I feel really sick. I might still not be well enough tomorrow, so maybe I won’t be able to come.”
“Oh no, you don’t,” Powder Rouge warned. “I won’t have any of it. Tomorrow you’ll come to the studio. If I don’t see you there, I’ll track you down at your place and I’ll be the one to kick your flank.”
“But… I’ll never dare show myself after what I said! This is going to be so humiliating! I’m going to be so…so ashamed!”
Hairspray could feel her cheeks burn at the simple thought of it.
“Maybe, but once it will be done you’ll be rid of it.”
“But it’s going to be so horrible!” Hairspray pouted, giving the other mare what she hoped was a very pathetic look that would gain her some mercy.
“I guess if you’re whining, it means you’re not feeling so bad anymore…Good,” Powder Rouge said with a satisfied nod.
“Hey, I’m not whining!”
Okay, maybe she was. And she sure felt better. Much better, actually. Crying did help release her pent up emotions but she was still anxious when she thought of what was inevitably going to happen the next day. She sighed and tried to think positively, which proved to be difficult in her current state of mind.
“How do you know she won’t fire me?”
“I know. We’re her best team, we’ve been working together for years. We’re used to each other’s way of functioning and she knows it. Besides, it’s the first time you’ve messed up…Except for that one time with the cookie…”
“Oh no, don’t make me think about that now.”
“All right. Anyway, she’ll keep you, but she might make your life hell for a few weeks…”
“Guess I’ll have to keep humble then...”
“Hm. Keep a low profile,” Powder Rouge advised.
“Go whenever she asks to?” Hairspray tried.
“Exactly. And accept every of her whims.”
“That…sounds a lot like a usual day of work,” Hairspray noticed matter-of-factly.
They looked at each other and shared a smile before giggling.
“I can’t thank you enough”, Hairspray said once they calmed down. “It…it really means a lot to me.”
“Please, that’s what friends do.”
They walked in a comfortable silence for a minute and finally stopped in front of Hairspray’s house.
“Well, I guess this is where I’m leaving you, honey.”
Hairspray should have been thinking with delight of her bed that was now so close, but something was bugging her. It was still raining outside, the wind was still ruffling leaves around the streets and she was about to enter her house and leave her friend outside? By Celestia, no!
“Do you want to come in?” she asked Powder Rouge who narrowed her eyes.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude.”
Powder Rouge sounded unsure. They might have been working together for years and were certainly close enough to call themselves friends, but they had never visited each other’s place. It was a step they hadn’t gone through yet.
Well it was time for their friendship to take that new step.
Especially after what she has done for me today.
“You won’t intrude,” Hairspray assured her with a smile.
“Didn’t you say you were so tired you just wanted to sleep?”
“It’s fine, I’ll take some aspirin and make us some tea. I’m not going to leave you on your own in the cold! Now come in!”
“If that’s really okay with you…”
This time she sounded grateful.
“Thanks. I wasn’t looking forward to going back so soon.”
“As you said: that’s what friends do. Besides,” Hairspray added with a grin, “That will give you some time to tell me about that…incident with your make up box.”
“Oh please…,” Powder Rouge said and rolled her eyes.
“Come on!”
“And here I thought you had forgotten about it…”
“What, are you joking?” Hairspray laughed. “Please!”
“Ruining Photo Finish’s coffee, forcing me to tell you about my biggest secret…You’re absolutely mischievous today,” Powder Rouge teased with faked indignation.
“What can I say?”
Hairspray opened the door, smiled to her friend and with a gesture of the hoof invited Powder Rouge to go first. She could already feel the warmth of the house welcoming her.
“It’s just one of those days…”