“Come on Spike just knock on the door already!” Pinkie whined.
“Maybe, she isn’t here. We should drop by another time.” Spike stalled quickly.
“Time is not on your side right now Spike. The sooner you get the hot air balloon, the better.” Twilight said.
Spike tried to find a clever excuse to avoid knocking on Rarity’s door, but none was available. Slowly, almost hesitantly,
Spike gave the doors of Rarity’s boutique store a feeble knock. No one answered.
“See? She isn’t here.” Spike quickly said. He was already walking back to the girls when Applejack shoved him back.
“Knock harder.” Applejack instructed.
Spike returned back to the door and, yet again, gave a feeble knock. Applejack rolled her eyes and pushed Spike aside.
“If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself.” Applejack muttered, giving a glare at Spike.
Applejack knocked the door with authority. An audible gasp came from within the Boutique and soon, Rarity’s head popped from in between the two doors.
“Hello girls, how are you all on this fine day?” Rarity asked with a smile.
“Just dandy, Rarity we need Pinkie’s hot air balloon.” Applejack asked quickly, knowing time can’t be wasted.
“The hot air balloon, you’re in luck. I just finished giving it the proper finishing touches-“ Rarity started to say when Applejack cut her off.
“That’s great Rarity, but we need it now.” Applejack said, stressing the word now as much as possible.
Rarity pursed her lips, “Now? I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“You’re kidding.” Applejack said in disbelief.
“I kid you not. The hot air balloon is my only means of travel now if I plan to go with Fancy Pants to Note Theater in Canterlot today.” Rarity informed.
Spike grit his teeth slightly. The words Fancy and Pants were like taboo to him. Any mention of these two words would make
him angry and slightly moody.
“So, Fancy is taking you to Note Theater then?” Spike asked with a strained smile.
“Yes, he is. I must say, he really is a true gentlecolt-“ Rarity started to babble. Everypony soon started to daydream while Rarity went in depth about how great Fancy Pants was.
“And then we had a romantic dinner near a waterfall! He really is a charmer.” Rarity said with silly smile.
“Huh, oh, that he is.” Twilight barely muttered, finally snapping back from her trance.
Applejack shook her head a little bit before speaking “What Twilight said.”
Pinkie didn’t hide her boredom, drool dripping down from her mouth. Rarity took notice to this.
“Pinkie, were you even paying attention?” Rarity asked, slightly scandalized that Pinkie did not care much for hearing about Fancy.
“I lost you at gentlecolt.” Pinkie replied with a shrug. She sucked back her drool and looked slightly embarrassed.
“Anyway, couldn’t Fancy come here and pick you up?” Spike asked.
“Fancy probably could, but we might be risking the chance of running late.” Rarity replied thoughtfully. She didn’t want to admit that entering in a hot air balloon always made her look grander in front of Fancy and his friends.
“What are you going to do with the balloon anyway?” Rarity asked, interested in the sudden desire for the balloon.
“Spike has to go the Note Theater as well.” Twilight replied.
“Why don’t we go together then?” Rarity suggested.
Spike would have jumped at this offer in a heartbeat last week. But now, the desire wasn’t in him anymore. After meeting Octavia, Rarity seemed less wonderful to him. Yes, she was still pretty but he didn’t grow obsessive over it anymore. If anything, Octavia was his new found obsession. And honestly, at least with Octavia, he had a chance with her. Unlike with Rarity when the chances of them getting together was slim to none.
“Alright, I guess I really can’t say no.” Spike said with a forced smile.
“Good. Now if you don’t mind, I need to get dressed for the occasion.” Rarity announced before disappearing behind the doors.
“How long do you think she will take you get dressed?” Spike asked anxiously.
“Knowing Rarity, she will spend a few hours gettin ready. Half of which, will be wasted looking for just the right dress mind you.” Applejack said with a sigh.
“Just perfect, I’m going to be fashionably late.” Spike said with a groan.
“Darling, it’s better to be fashionably late to the theater, then to be on time wearing nothing but rags!” Rarity called out form
within her store.
“Twilight, can you tell Rarity to hurry up? Unlike her, I actually want to be on time.” Spike pleaded.
“Sure can do Spike! I’ll help you out sugercube.” Applejack answered with an encouraging smile.
And with that, Applejack and Twilight left Pinkie and Spike alone as they entered Rarity’s boutique store.
“Okay, their gone, show me the letter.” Pinkie demanded, placing her hoof in front of Spike’s face.
“But, but.” Spike began to babble before Pinkie cut him off.
“Would you like me to demand the letter when we are on the balloon with Rarity around?” Pinkie asked with a devious smile.
“You wouldn’t.” Spike said in a terrified hushed whisper.
“Oh, but I would!” Pinkie replied.
“Fine, take it. But when you’re done give it back quick!” Spike said, offering the letter to Pinkie at last.
Pinkie opened the invitation as soon as Spike handed her the letter. It was funny to watch her facial features react to what was in the letter. At first, she looked disappointed by probably how bland the invitation looked. However, this soon changed because Pinkie’s face made an o-shape with her lips and blushed slightly. She handed Spike his invitation back quickly.
“No comments?” Spike asked, slightly surprised that the part pony was quiet.
“Oh, I do, but I’ll save them for later,” Pinkie replied simply. “You’re little Romeo,” Pinkie went on to tease.
Spike blushed a bit, but said nothing more.
“You won’t say anything, will you?” Spike asked, almost with a tone of pleading.
“Nah, I Pinkie swore. That means I have to stay quiet,” Pinkie simply replied.“Never knew you can pick up ladies picking by playing the piano,” Pinkie teased.
“Hush you.” Spike replied quickly.
Suddenly, Applejack pushed the doors to the boutique open and had a piece of rope in her mouth. Slowly, Applejack managed to drag Rarity outside. This didn’t mean that Rarity wasn’t still making an effort to escape and voicing her discontent. Rarity was wearing a rather feathery purple gown, looking like a peacock spray painted purple.
“Let me go Applejack! Can’t you see your ruining this dress? I said, let me go!” Rarity complained.
“It’s just a dress.” Applejack snapped back through grit teeth.
“JUST A DRESS, THIS IS NOT JUST A DRESS!” Rarity yelled, in shock that Applejack would suggest such a thing.
“THIS DRESS TOOK ME AGES TO MAKE AND I WON’T LET YOU-“ Rarity started to whine until Twilight magically zipped her
mouth shut.
“I would have said that was fairly rude. But, this is an exception.” Applejack muttered darkly, Hog tying Rarity as she said this.
“At least she won’t complain through the whole trip.” Spike said with a strained smile.
“I doubt it. Either she will magically undo my spell or it will wear off.” Twilight replied.
“Come on Spike, the balloon’s all set to go!” Pinkie yelled out.
Spike turned to found were Pinkie was and noticed she was already in the hot air balloon, floating freely around the boutique store. Twilight was about to ask Pinkie something but Spike just shook his head. Never question how Pinkie does something.
There just was never a good explanation.
“What are you guys doing?” A voiced asked.
No one could find the source of the voice, until Twilight’s horn sparked violently and an outline of a pony was visible in the
clouds.
“Aw, that wasn’t fair!” Rainbow Dash called out, poking her head over her cloud.
“What are you doing up there Rainbow? You’ve been eavesdropping this whole time?” Applejack demanded.
“What? I’m not here! It’s just a cloud.” Rainbow said, hiding back in her fluffy cloud.
“We can still see you.” Twilight said.
“Alright, fine, I have been eavesdropping this whole time.” Rainbow finally admitted.
“Pinkie, you’re right. Privacy doesn’t exist anymore.” Spike joked.
“Didn’t I tell you?” Pinkie said.
“So, are you going to make me take you with us?” Spike asked.
“Well, I did hear the Wonderbolts will perform after the orchestra plays…” Rainbow said thoughtfully.
“I take it as a yes?” Spike asked.
“Yep!” Rainbow Dash replied.
“Fine, but you have to pull the air balloon there. At least then, we will make it there quicker.” Spike offered.
“I can’t pull that heavy thing all the way to Canterlot, maybe half way through but no more than that.” Rainbow Dash said, eyeing the hot air balloon.
“Well, every little bit counts. You got a deal.” Spike said, holding out his hand to shake.
Rainbow Dash glided down to Spike and shook his claw. Pinkie had the hot air balloon land neatly next to them.
“You know, Dashy if you get a little tired I got something here that will make this balloon zip through the skies quick as a hiccup!” Pinkie exclaimed.
“I would like to see that! I bet I am faster than those things though!” Rainbow said with a confident grin.
“If you say so, come on guys we need to go!” Pinkie said.
Spike got into the hot air balloons basket, it was bigger than he expected. Rainbow Dash had a harness strapped to her and was prepping for flight. All was left was the hog tied Rarity.
“I got it!” Applejack said, rolling Rarity into the hot air balloons basket.
Rarity’s face looked angry, but her rage was mute.
“Good luck Spike and hope yall make it on time.” Applejack said, waving her Stetson hat as the hot air balloon began to rise.
“Thanks, and see you guys soon!” Spike called out.
Soon, Applejack and Twilight began to look like to small blurs of color as the balloon floated its way high into the sky.
“Hold on!” Rainbow Dash called out before flying as fast as she could.
Spike fell flat on his back at the sudden speed. Pinkie was standing perfectly up and had a captains hat on.
“Keep your hands, feet, or claws inside the basket at all times! If you fall over well…the lack of parachutes is self-explanatory. But, yelling and flailing your arms is highly suggested! That way, someone who does have a parachute might help you!” Pinkie advised.
“Other than that, have a nice flight!” Pinkie finished with a happy smile. She pulled out a bubble blower and let the rushing winds form her bubbles for her.