Despite her name, Sunny Day was not a morning pony. Sure, fill her with enough sugar, and just like every foal, she would be bouncing off the walls. The first couple hours of the day were generally a slog for her though.
For this reason, Sky found himself walking down the streets of Ponyville with a somewhat bleary-eyed filly slowly making her way beside him. They had not gotten to sleep till much past her bedtime, and it seemed even waking at eight had been a challenge for her. Still, the promise of friends and a chance to explore the town had proven enough to rouse her, and even as they moved closer towards the boutique, the excitement of today's activities was gradually bringing Sunny more fully into the land of the living.
"Do you think we could go to Sweet Apple Acres today? Apple Bloom told me about the clubhouse they have in the orchard and I REALLY want to see it. They said they had a surprise there too, and I love surprises!"
"I don't see why not. The Crusaders should be waiting for us at Rarity's. When I'm done with whatever it is that she needs from me, we can go see what the girls have for you, hm?"
"Awesome. *Yawn*... Hmph."
"Hopefully whatever the girls have in mind will wipe some of that sleep from your eyes, hmm?"
Sunny grumbled quietly at his ribbing, choosing to continue taking in the town rather than respond. Rounding the corner, they came into view of their destination, the Carousel Boutique standing as the central building of a small plaza. Sunny apparently recognized the shop, likely from talking with Sweetie Belle the night before, and took off ahead.
Catching up to her at the front door and gently tugging at her tail to get her to stop peeking in through the window, Sky politely knocked before stepping back. It was still the weekend after all, and it would be rude to barge in when the store was closed.
"Just a moment!~"
There was a moment of silence, followed by approaching hooves as the doorknob glowed a pale cerulean and the door swung wide to reveal Rarity. The mare took a moment to toss her hair and inspect its curls, and seemingly happy with what she found, turned her full attention to her guests.
"Good morning, Doctor Sky! Oh, and you must be this Sunny Day Sweetie Belle was telling me about, aren't you just a darling! So very nice to meet you dear!"
Sunny giggled at the unicorns antics, offering a hoof which the older mare took with a gentle smile. "Yep, that's me! Sky told us about you in one of his letters! You make dresses right?"
"Among other things, yes. Sweetie should be upstairs with the others doing... something. Its been unusually quiet for a while now actually..."
The two adults looked up to the ceiling with trepidation.
"I'm... sure they are just... enjoying a conversation about all the... non-dangerous and totally normal things they plan on doing today?"
"..."
"Sunbeam, why don't you go upstairs and join the others? And uh... if there's anything dangerous involved, please come down and tell us?"
"Dangerous?"
"Like say... sharp objects, ladders, or gunpowder?"
Sunny looked up at her brother with a mixture of shock and confusion, before it finally clicked for her, and she let out a snort of laughter.
"Your so silly, Sky! I'll see what the others are doing. See ya later!"
As she took off up the stairs, the two adults simply waited for a few moments longer, listening and waiting. hearing the door to Sweetie's room open and close without any loud or disastrous sounds following, they both breathed a sigh of relief before turning to one another.
"Well then, I certainly hope that is a sign for how the rest of the day will go. If you would follow me then, Doctor, we can take this someplace more private."
Without waiting for a response, Rarity quickly made her way to the door at the back of the living space, forcing Sky to follow after. Stepping into the new room after his hostess, Sky looked around at what he could only describe as a picture of absolute chaos. Bolts and swaths of cloth lay scattered all around the room, along with lace, gems, and tools of many shapes and sizes. Piles of seemingly unrelated items lay strewn out together, and life-sized ponyquins with half finished ensembles stood against the back wall. Honestly, it all made the mess from his middle school bedroom seem tame! Looking past the mess, the most prominent features of the room itself lay with the small stage that stood near the center, and a series of thick curtains in the back, blocking the view of whatever lay behind.
"Now then, where to start..." Rarity asked herself, turning Sky's attention back to the seamstress. She was staring at him now, looking up and down with a critical eye that reminded him of when they had first met. "Hmm... yes, this shouldn't take long at all."
"Pardon me?" Sky asked, not quite following. Rarity blinked at his words, looking up at him as if just now recognizing that he was also in the room.
"Oh! Excuse me, darling, I just realize that Sweetie doesn't know why I called you here. Naturally, you would be just as in the dark as she is."
"I wouldn't mind a little bit of clarification. I must warn you, the last time I worked with a needle was in home ec, so I don't see me being much help in here."
"Oh, posh dear! As if I would invite you over to my home simply to set you to work! No no, this is all about YOU, Night Sky."
"Ummm... me?"
"Why yes!" She responded with another throw of her mane. "I'm sorry to say that I have been terribly busy lately. The boutique has been absolutely swamped with special orders and requests this season. Now I won't complain about the additional clientele, but it HAS left my social calendar somewhat neglected." As she continued to speak, she began to circle him, carrying on with her examination of him. Like when they first met, that feeling of exposure overcame him, and Sky had to fight the feeling that he was now somehow a minnow in a shark tank. "Now that the summer season is OVER, however, I have time to myself before the winter season hits, and I realized that I never did get the chance to properly thank you for all your help with that brutish drakon. I simply HAD to find a way to express my gratitude."
She finished her explanation while closely eyeing his flank, and Sky did not resist the urge to cover himself with his tail like the first time they had met. His eyes widened as the situation suddenly took an uncomfortable turn. He wasn't sure he was ever in control, but he certainly wasn't now. Apparently happy with what she had found, Rarity nodded her head before turning to the table, facing away from Sky, and giving him an opening. Now was his chance to escape.
Unfortunately, the stallion's brain was to busy short-circuiting to capitalize on the situation. Sky simply stared off into the middle distance with a look of shock and mortification. Only when he felt a prick on his flank did he move, giving a yelp and jumping back in surprise.
"Oh! So sorry dear, I shouldn't multitask when dealing with needles."
'Needles?!'
Looking back at the source of his discomfort, Sky was confused to see several pieces of dark blue, almost black cloth draped over his back, held together by pins. Hovering over his back half was a pincushion, a measuring tape, a marker, and a mare, her focus dancing between him and the clipboard floating next to her, and a pair of bright red designer glasses perched on the end of her nose.
With the seamstress preoccupied with her work, Sky was left to watch in confusion until his brain finally caught up with what was happening. Letting out a relieved sigh, the stallion relaxed and let his head hang for a moment. Rarity took exception to this action and extended her magic to him as well, correcting his posture manually as the measuring tap made its way to his chest.
"Now now, Sky, I need you to stay as still as possible, otherwise these measurements come out inaccurate, and you should now I NEVER do anything less than perfection."
"Sorry, it's just... you're making me a suit." Of course she was making him a suit, that was her job after all!
Rarity looked up at this and gave him a questioning look over the rim of her glasses, her lips twitching ever so slightly. "Yes... yes I am. What else would I be doing, dear?"
"Nothing, nothing! It's just... you know, a bit much, don't you think? If the dresses I saw out front are any indication, I'd imagine anything in your shop is easily out of my price range. This looks like the stuff you would see the well-to-do's wear to all the high society events back home!"
The faint smirk turned into a full, radiant smile at the indirect praise. Finishing up the last of her measurements, the mare moved the orbiting cloud of tools away from Sky and over to a workbench, where scissors, threads, and needles went to work on the pieces of what would soon be a tuxedo jacket if Sky was not mistaken. She worked at a blazing speed despite her almost unnatural precision, and Sky could only watch in wonder.
"That's why it is a gift, darling! I can hardly put a price on you keeping my friends and family safe, so please do not try and bring money into all of this. What kind of lady would I be if I let you go on your way with a simple thank you?" She looked over her shoulder at him and nodded towards the series of curtained rooms in the corner. "Would you be so kind as to step into one of the changing rooms back there, Sky? This part should not take overly long, and I will need to do a final fitting afterward."
Following her orders, Sky silently nodded and made his way over, snaking around the creative carnage strewn about. True to what she had said, by the time he stepped into the first stall she was already done, giving it a final look over before floating over the drape to him. Sky allowed himself a moment to admire the soft silk inner lining, the subtle floral design on the lapel and sleeves, and the nearly invisible breast pocket, marked only by a small, intricate 'R'.
'Easily a few months salary.' He thought to himself before carefully putting it on. Once he was sure everything was in its proper place, he stepped out to once more face Rarity's piercing gaze.
The seamstress looked up and down at her work, lips puckered and eyes squinting, before allowing a self-satisfied smirk to appear.
"I dare say you've done it again Rarity," She said quietly to herself, giggling and clapping her hooves together lightly. "I must admit, Sky, I was somewhat worried about the choice of color, but I think that oxford and your cobalt ended up doing quite well together. If you wouldn't mind stepping up on the stage, I can get that finale adjustment done under the lights."
Sky simply nodded, understanding how this next part would work. Stepping under the lights, he straightened his posture and stood as still as possible for his host, as once more measuring tools were brought to bear on him. Rarity hummed quietly to herself for a moment, seemingly caught up in her work, before a loud call from outside the open door interrupted her tune.
"RARITY?! SKY?! WHERE ARE YOU?! WE'RE GOING TO THE CLUBHOUSE NOW!"
"We're back here, Sweetie Belle, no need to be so loud! I have no problems with that so long as Sky is okay with Sunny going."
Sky gently bobbed his head in agreement, careful not to move too much as Rarity had a measuring tape around his neck at the moment.
"That's fine, I know where that is. So long as you all stay together, its no problem. Just be sure to be back before dark!"
"We won't be gone that long. Thank ya' Sky! Let's go girls!"
A cheer rang out from the gathered fillies, followed by the pounding of hooves and the slam of the front door. Rarity flinched at the sound, frowning slightly.
"Honestly, I TRY and put some propper manners into those four, but nothing I say ever seems to stick! I understand that they are young, but that does that mean they can't act with just a hint of decorum every once in a while?"
That drew an amused snort from Sky, to which Rarity gave him a questioning look.
"You mean as a foal you weren't running around, looking for adventure? I'm sure you enjoyed getting a little loud and rambunctious just like the rest of us. Maybe just a little dirt?"
"Dirt?! Never!... Well, not intentionally at least. I will admit, I wasn't ALWAYS so ladylike. Applejack was perhaps not the best of fillyhood influence for that. Oh, she dragged me into more than one little escapade. The memories we made... Lift your forehooves out for me would you, darling?"
"So, Miss Rarity Belle wasn't always so prim and propper, huh? Care to share a tale or two?"
"Oh, I suppose it couldn't hurt. So long as you don't mind sharing some stories of your own. I am quite curious to hear what kind of misadventures one could get into in Canterlot. National emergencies non-withstanding. And not a word of this to the others, this is purely between us!"
"Of course."
"No!"
"Yes! There was paint absolutely everywhere, oh Alla Prima was absolutely livid! I thought for sure Quick was going to faint on the spot from the look on his face!"
"So what did the two of you do?"
"The two of us? I took the chance to get out of there the moment she started on him! Discretion is the better part of valor, and I had every intention of living to see tomorrow."
Rarity had to stop mid-sip and set her tea down, covering her mouth with one hoof as she attempted to resist laughing at Quick Write's expense. An attempt she appeared to be failing at.
"O-Oh my, I can't imagine he was all that pleased with you afterward."
"He held it over me for months! Of course, I didn't get away with it. At this point, we lived just a couple of streets away, and his mom and mine were already well acquainted. We spent days scrubbing that studio clean together. I'm sure Quick was so terrified of ink for the longest time afterward, its a miracle he ever found his talent for writing."
Rarity let out a dainty laugh and raised her cup once more to her lips, enjoying her tea. Sky took advantage of the companionable silence to take another of the muffins she had set out. While he felt somewhat cheated out of his limited time with Sunny, she was having fun with new friends, and Sky could hardly complain about the current company. Today was proving to be very relaxing all things considered.
"Are you seeing anyone, Sky?"
It took all of the stallions willpower not to choke on the muffin he was in the middle of enjoying. Instead taking a sharp breath and closing his eyes for a moment, Sky schooled his expression into a calm, hopefully, unreadable one, before finishing his bite and looking at the questioning unicorn.
"Why do you ask?"
"Just making conversation, dear, that is all," She said with an evasive look, gazing up at the lights instead of directly at him. Sky stared in confusion until it clicked for him, his eyes narrowing.
"You're messing with me, aren't you?"
"... Perhaps just a bit," She replied after a moment of holding her silence, a sly grin forming. "From what Twilight and Applejack have said, you fluster quite easily when uncomfortable, and I simply had to see for myself. It is quite endearing if I am honest."
Rolling his eyes, Sky slumped slightly in his seat.
"So glad I could be of some amusement to you."
"Oh don't be so dramatic, doctor, it was all in good fun. Besides, friends tease each other all the time, do they not?"
Friends? Not that he was opposed to the idea, but they hardly knew each other. Sure, their social circles overlapped quite a bit, and as one of the elements he knew her to be of the upstanding sort, but friends after a single lunch? It seemed a recurring theme that the ponies of Ponyville were all so eager to make close connections.
Though, was that really a bad thing?
"... I guess you're right," he finally said with a grin of his own. "And I told you, you don't have to call me doctor, I bearly finished my internship before being assigned here, it makes me feel... well I've hardly done anything to earn it."
"Well, if you have the credentials somepony must think you have earned it. Not to mention that they sent you out here all by yourself, so they certainly must think you reliable enough to handle yourself."
Sky puff up slightly at the implications before a sudden bought of confusion hit, causing his brow to furrow. She was right, he HAD been chosen out of all the staff to be the one in charge of the new facility. Night Sky, the junior researcher only a few months out of his studentship and into an employed position. Clockwork had told him when he first got the job that they were lucky to have him, that he was just the kind of pony the institute was looking for. He had also been the one to sponsor his enrollment and had personally gone to PRINCESS LUNA to set him up at the Ponyville observatory. Looking back though, how many times had Clockwork been involved?
An unwelcome feeling settled in Sky's stomach. Had he truly EARNED anything? Perhaps seeing the dark musings in his expression, Rarity politely coughed to bring him back to the present.
"Anyways, why don't we get back to my earlier question. While I admit it was in part in the spirit of some light teasing, I am indeed curious, and gossip has always been somewhat of a vice of mine. Is there a lucky mare out there, hmm?"
Thoughts of a particular raven maned beauty successfully derailed his brooding thoughts, and Sky had to fight down the blush that was worming its way onto his face.
"No! Well I mean, there is but I... It's complicated."
"Mhmm. Complicated how?"
"Can we talk about ANYTHING else, please?"
"Oh, but we're having so much fun, aren't we?" Rarity asked with a wink.
"Maybe you are," Sky grumbled, looking down at the half-eaten treat in his hooves. "Look I... there is a mare, but she... she's not really interested in a relationship at the moment. We've known each other for a while, and I'm not willing to lose her friendship over a crush, so it's for the best if things just stay this way for now."
A muffled squee of excitement jerked Sky's attention back to his hostess, looking up to see her covering her mouth once more, this time in barely contained joy, of all things.
"Oh, unrequited love, held back for another! Sky, that is SO romantic! Wait, tell me, does she even know how you feel?"
The blush fought its way back into prominence at her enthusiasm as Sky fumbled with what to say.
"Umm, yes, I may have asked her out on a date once. It was a while ago, but-"
"And she refused?!" Rarity tisked at this, shaking her head. "That simply won't do at all. Sky, I promise, the next time you see her, you'll be sweeping her off her hooves! We just need to work a little on your confidence, and with that new piece you now have in your possession, you can-"
"W-Woah there! I mean I... T-Thank you, Rarity, very much for the offer but... I don't think this is something I really want help with. This is a personal matter just between the two of us, and I would like to keep it that way. Can I ask you to forget about it for me, please?"
Making an unladylike harumph at this, Rarity gave a little pout but after a moment of consideration, lightly nodded her head regardless.
"Oh very well. In any other case I may have put up a fight, but I know how delicate matters of the heart can be. You have my word to leave you be on the topic, Sky." That mischievous glint made a reappearance in her eyes as she grinned widely at him. "But I cannot say I will extend her the same courtesy."
"Well... It's a good thing she lives in Canterlot then. Also, I never told you her name."
"Yes, a shame that."
The two of them carried on for a few minutes more, the conversations mercifully not centered around Sky and his personal life until they heard the bell to the boutique's entrance chime.
"Sky! Sky! Sky, come and see, come and see, quick!"
Sunny's voice rang out from the other room, the joyous tone reflecting a more positive surprise than was normally attached to a CMC outing. Setting down there respective china and snacks, the two adults left the kitchen and made it into the foyer, where waiting was the four usual suspects where standing back by the door grinning. Sunny herself stood front and center, a whole other league of smile on her happy face, and across her back a new addition.
"Look! Isn't it so cool?!" She asked spinning in circles to show off her red and gold cape, a yellow filly rearing up in the middle of a blue crest at its center. "They let me join there club! I am the first official member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Canterlot branch! That's so cool, right? I have my own branch!"
The other fillies finally broke their silence and joined Sunny, laughter and excited babbling filling the room as they talked among themselves. Sky simply watched with a smile of his own as the five fillies pranced around and welcomed their newest member. After some time, the group had finally settled down, and Sky took the opportunity to step in.
"That's great, Sunbeam, I'm glad you're making friends here. I take it you all went on a little tour of your own while you were at it? You were gone for a while longer than it takes just to get to the treehouse and back."
"Yep! Just around the farm though. Apple Bloom showed me her house, and the barn, and the pond, and the orchard, and we had some fresh apple right off of the trees, they were SO GOOD!"
"Hah, I bet they were. Maybe next time we can get Granny Smith to make you one of those amazing pies of hers. You up for a little more adventuring around the town? There's a lot to see, and not a lot of time to do it." Some of the cheer left Sunny's face at that proclamation, and Sky shook his head softly while ruffling her mane a bit. "Oh don't be like that. You can still see me as often as school allows, and now you have a ton more reasons to come and visit, right? Now come on, my friend Fluttershy mentioned last time I saw her she had a family of badgers staying with her that just had a cub. Never seen a baby badger myself, it'll be fun. The girls can come too if they like."
With spirits once again lifted, Sunny and the others gave their assorted agreements before making there way out back out the door. Sky turned his attention back to Rarity, bowing his head. "Thank's for having me over, Rarity, I had a great time. Maybe we should do this again sometime when I'm not playing host myself?"
"Absolutely, darling, it was my pleasure. Oh, don't forget your suit, and might I suggest taking that back home before visiting our dear Fluttershy?" She said, lighting her horn and laying it neatly across his back. "As well mannered as she may be, some of her furry friends are less so, and I am rather proud of the work I put into that one."
"Of course. All right, girls, let's stop by the observatory, then we'll head for the cottage."
As he stepped outside to join the others, Sunny noticed that her brother had his own new clothing as well. Her eyes sparkled at the sight and she giggled to herself.
"Wow, Sky, that looks so nice! I bet Miss Octavia will LOVE it!"
"Ack!"
Sky felt his heart stop. After a moment of shocked horror, he looked back through the door to see an evil smirk had begun to form on Rarity's face. Her horn glowed as she slowly closed the door behind them all, and called out in a sing-song voice.
"Ta-ta Sky! Have a good rest of your day!~"
The door closed and there was a moment of silence.
"... Who's Octavia?"