//------------------------------// // Rarity The Fair Poodle // Story: Fair of Wonders // by Zubric //------------------------------// The morning for Rarity had started very relaxingly. After her warm shower and usual fine grooming. Sitting down for some breakfast, she listened to Sweetie Belle describe the newest song she’d been working on along with her latest cutie mark crusade achievement. The fashionista grinned, always enjoying sister bonding time. It made mornings so soothing.  After waving her sister off to school, she realized the rest of her day would be light on work for a change, having just finished her latest order. The fashion mare hummed, making her way into her workroom and stopping to pick up a small white dog jacket. “I just know that Applejack will appreciate this.” She continued her tune as she applied a few more stitches. She can’t help but picture how cute Winona would be wearing it. The jacket, of course, was simplistic, having white fabric with some blond highlights near the back. A thick and fluffy garment for the winter if it got too cold. Plus, pets always looked far cuter with matching attire. Rarity turned to look at her cat Opel, seeing her wearing the sweater Sweetie Belle had shrunk a few years ago. When the nostalgia had passed, Rarity resumed her work, sticking the last seams into place. Her gaze turned to the window and at her clothesline, realizing she’d forgotten to bring in the towels from the night prior. Making her way outside, she took a moment to breathe in the fresh air while unlatching the clothespins. Suddenly from the open fields beyond the boutique, cane a bright flash. The fashion pony covered her eyes as the magic went off, blinded for a few seconds. As the stars cleared from her eyes, she stared in confusion at the sprawling fairground where the open grassland had been before. She rubbed her eyes to make sure it wasn’t some illusion. “What just happened?” Her curious gaze soon fell upon the large sign over the entrance. “I didn’t know a fair was coming to town.“ She wanted to question the fact it had appeared from nowhere, but an odd tug in the back of her mind compelled her to go check it out. Like a dog pulled by a leash, Rarity trotted her way there, following the small crowd that seemed to be doing the same thing. Many ponies were murmuring about what fun they could have, and she couldn’t help but get swept up at the moment. The closer she got, the more the sensation of glee came upon her. Upon passing through the gates, she peered around and considered her options. Spending some time away from her shop surely wouldn’t hurt, now would it? After all, she might get some new inspirations. The only question left was what to check out first. Checking out a colourful announcement board, she saw all sorts of events on display. While the circus acts intrigued her interest, the schedule said it didn’t start for another hour or so. Looking up from the board, she spotted the tacky pink cardboard castle, hearing the laughter of foals from inside. Despite feeling like not much time had passed, the fair was filling up with guests already. Before she could think about it further, she saw a particular sign advertising a dog show. It was just the sort of thing to occupy her time. Making her way down the row of carnival games, she stopped to watch fillies and colt playing and trying to win things like stuffed animals or a new goldfish. “I really should bring Sweetie Belle here once school is out. She’d love it.“ “ I’m sure she would,” A smooth voice said from behind Rarity. Rarity jumped startled and turned to stare back at who spoke to her, seeing no other than Top Hat himself wearing a stunning red and gold ringmaster outfit. “Don’t sneak up on a lady like that. It’s rather rude!“ “Oh, my apologies. I just can’t help myself,” Top Hat said, smiling while tipping his hat. “I’m Top Hat, owner of this fine fair.“ He reached into his hat and pulled out a lovely red orchid before sticking it into Rarity’s mane.  “My, how thoughtful,” Rarity cooed, smiling further as she adjusted it. “I was just on my way to the dog show taking place. This fair does seem to have it all.” As she talked, she could still feel that odd pull as she thought about the dogs. A quiet suggestion in her mind told her not to question it. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find the Rarest dog to root for first place,“ Top Hat quipped, leading her along the path waving passes towns, ponies and performers. After a while, the stallion breaks off and waves. “Have fun, Miss Rarity. “  Rarity smiled back and made her way around the tent toward the back. She paused midway and raised an eyebrow. “Wait, how did he know who I was?“ She shrugged, no doubt figuring it had been from her reputation. Resuming her walk, she made her way to the back listening to the various barks and pants of the dogs beyond the curtain. She obeyed the command in her mind again and went inside without question, observing the owners with their well-groomed pets. Despite being more of a cat pony, she’s still able to recognize the numerous pure breeds on display. A few patrons waved at her as she glanced around in a partial daze before stopping at a strangely empty table with her name on the Registry sheet. Upon realization, she felt a sudden sense of vertigo as she fell into the table. When she came to her senses again, she let out a sharp yelp, almost instantly noticing her change. Her black nose twitched as she looked down at her legs seeing finely groomed paws instead of hooves. Her new ears flopped around as she picked up on all the new sounds addicting her senses. Doing little circles, she looked the rest of herself over. At the end of her long tail was a tuff of purple fur like her mane. While she couldn't see it, she could feel a tuft of equally fluffy purple hair forming down her head. Shaking her plush coat, she blushed, feeling like a cotton ball. Rarity was just glad she still had her cutie mark.  When she tried to get somepony’s attention, all that seemed to come out was a high-pitched yip. Her paws covered her mouth in surprise, glancing back down at the sheet, now seeing some new words on the page. "Play along, and you’ll be turned back," It read in fancy calligraphy similar to her writing. Before she could get off the table, a tall, slender mare came over to her.  The mare’s white coat shined, accenting her well-crafted sand-coloured mane. “Aww, let’s get you all ready. Shall we, Rarity?”  Rarity squeaked as the mare’s magic turned her around and began to groom her coat. It didn’t take long for her to stop wiggling as the brushing felt oddly soothing.  Her tail began to sway idly as the strange mare did long, gentle strokes distracting Rarity from the outside world. Soft pants escaped her muzzle as she was groomed, behaving as a proper dog should. Once groomed, she sniffed the air, smelling something tasty as the mare floated over a dog biscuit. Rarity, at first, was hesitant to eat such a treat, but it just smelled so good it was hard to resist the temptation.  “Sit,” the mare commanded, watching the dog follow the order. “Good girl, speak. “  Rarity yipped, tongue hanging out. It was so unladylike and yet natural at the same time. While chewing on the yummy snack, the dog’s new senses picked up on the taste of meat. Of course. Normally ponies don’t eat meat, but for a dog, it’s just natural. “Why does this taste so good?“ She pondered, her fine-turned canine ears picking up on a familiar voice. Entering the kennels, Sassy Saddles looked around and asked around. “Excuse me. Has anypony seen Rarity, I was told she’s here?” Top Hat came over from the shadows, startling the slim mare. “Oh yes, she's here. Rarity is getting ready for a big show!” Sassy blushed. “Well, I need to speak to her about our shop in Canterlot. We’re running out of silk and other fabrics.” Top Hat waved a hoof. “Oh, don't you fret about that. How about you relax and enjoy yourself.” Reaching into his seemingly bottomless hat, the ringmaster pulled out a seemingly Innocent sign-up sheet. “We have a wonderful beauty competition going on. I would love it if you were to sign up.” Rarity barked, trying to warn Sassy not to do it. But Sassy smiled anyway, seeming oblivious.  “Oh uh...that does sound nice. I always wanted to enter a beauty pageant.” She took the quill in her magic and signed her name. As she finished, the page began to glow, the slender mare beginning to shrink before him. Top Hat chuckled. “Well, did I forget to mention what kind of beauty competition it was?” She tried to ask what he had meant, but only a sharp bark came out of her mouth. Her mane began growing puffy along with the hair on her long slender legs. Sassy watched her body change in shock as her muzzle formed into a short snout tipped with a black nose. She lifted a hoof only to see that it was changing into a gentle dog’s paw with puffs of blue fur surrounding it. An elegant purple collar gets secured around her neck along with a leash. She struggled against her new form as an odd-looking mare giggled, taking hold of the leash to lead her. “Oh, it looks like it's your turn to be groomed, Miss.Saddles.” Sassy complied with the mare’s wishes, not having much of a choice to disagree. Once Sassy was brushed and cleaned from head to paw, the mare led the dog to a fancy kennel where another poodle was busy strutting along and working on her posing. The mare cooed, “Good Job, Rarity, what a good dog.” Rarity ran over, barking as the mare threw her a dog biscuit which she quickly snatched from the air. Sassy sniffed the air and whimpered, realizing she wanted a snack too. The mare noticed this and tossed the dog a biscuit. “There you go. That's for being so patient during your grooming.” Sassy blushed, tasting the odd flavour of bacon, but to her dog senses, it was delicious. She swallowed it down and panted as she wanted another. The mare smiled. “That's enough for now. You'll get more after the competition.” The mare pats their heads, leaving the two dogs to stare ahead at the mirrors set before them, letting them take in their new looks. “Rarity?” How did you get here too? Do you have any clue what’s going on?” Sassy asked, watching her employer munch away on a bone.  Rarity looked up after a few more bites. “I”m afraid not, darling. But It appears that we have become poodles.” “Well, that was kind of a given, Rarify. But do you have any idea as to why?“ Sassy asked as her hind leg lifted, giving her ear a scratch. “All I know is that we need to play along to be changed back. Whatever unique magic that has affected us has rules, it would seem.”  “I see, so you won’t mind if I win?” Sassy asked with a sly smile.  Rarity gasped, taking that as a challenge. “Oh really? Who’s to say I won’t win?  I’m the fabulous one.“ She puffed out her chest, holding her head up high. Before the two could argue further, the two mares returned to the prep room with big smiles. “Okay, time for the competition. From now on, Rarity, you'll be called Sparkle. Sassy, you’ll be Poof.” The pet names felt so demeaning that it caused them to both blush. Rarity growled, not impressed, while Sassy simply whimpered, covering her face with a paw. Soon they were leashed once more. “Now you two need to be on your best behaviour, no barking or doing anything without a command. Understand?” The mares do one last pass to touch up the dog's coats until they are in pristine condition, and once finished, get led to the main stage. Both dogs barked, rewarded with a gentle brushing behind their ears. Rarity knew what would come next as they lined up with their respective owners. One by one, the dogs passed through the curtain and were scrutinized by the no doubt picky judges. She could hear the announcer introduce each dog with his thick Canterlot accent sounding calm and professional like most dog shows were. Having seen a few dog shows, she’s fully aware this event was about grace. And who was more graceful than herself? She was very confident she’d do fine. Sassy lightly wagged her tail as she made her way into the show floor, taking her spot with the stranger mare behind her. While Sassy takes her turn, Rarity takes the opportunity to glance around at the ponies around her. Most in the stands she knew from around town, but many seemed to be a mystery. Had they all come to see this sudden fair?  Moments later, she felt a gentle tug on her collar and blushed, realizing it was her turn. Rarity straightened her posture and took a breath before making her first steps out into the open. As if walking on shards of glass, the fashion dog made each step regally as she could, just like the princesses. Keeping an eye on the judges, she tried to guess their reactions to each move she made. Seeing how much they were paying attention to her, she’s confident they were impressed. With her head held high, she strutted her stuff, getting into the zone just as the segment had ended. She took her place next to Sassy and smirked.  Her friend, in return, shrugged and gave a confident smirk back. Sassy seemed convinced she would have an easy win. Rarity was dead set on proving her wrong. The next stage of the contest was an obstacle course with an assortment of ramps and challenges set up. Not being exactly the athletic type, Rarity was apprehensive about this segment. The poodle took mental notes while watching the other dogs take their turn through the course, seeing that the more outdoor breeds like shepherds had the advantage. The odds did seem stacked against her, but she refused to let that be a deterrent. She took the time to stay in her regal pose just in case any of the judges glanced her way. Sassy’s turn soon came to her long slim legs giving her quite the advantage when it came to jumping. The landings could use work as Rarity’s fine eye for detail spotted the miss-steps in her friend’s stride. As her turn neared, she gulped. “You can do this, Rarity. Don’t let that magic ringmaster make you look like a fool.”  Once she heard the trainer mare whistle, Rarity looked at the track ahead and followed after her. First up was the seesaw, which was easy enough to master as she strode up and let it tip without Sven a pause. With that done, she sped up, leaping over small barriers, reminded of what Applejack did at rodeos. She never knew how much work it was to get it right, ending up tripping over one of them. No doubt this cost her some points. She’d make sure to make them up during the talent portion. The rings were much the same as the barriers, albeit far easier to get through. By the time she crossed the finish line, the poor show dog was panting, tongue hanging out and needing a rest.  “Good girl,” the strange mare praised, offering the white dog a biscuit.  Rarity munched down on it without a second thought as she waited.  She kept an eye on the judges again, but it was uncertain at this point what they thought. For the briefest moment, the thought of not winning came to her mind. After all, there were other pure breeds here This was also her first and only show. She shook her head as she felt a tingle in her mind. Why, of course, she’d win. There was simply no doubt about it. Soon the talent portion came as Rarity watched Sassy doing a few simple tricks like rolling over or waiting for a treat that sat on her nose. Staring at her trainer, she noticed the small music record next to her. “What’s that for?” She asked while tilting her head.  “You’ll see,” the mare replied, simply leaving her side to head over to the record player near one of the tables. Rarity strode proudly into the center of the room, watching as all eyes fell upon her beauty. Her ears perked as an upbeat jazz song began to play over the room, her feet bobbing to the beat. She lost all control as her body reacted on its own as she rose into two legs and began to dance. Her legs bounced as she did a few spins before dropping to all fours. Panting, she wished it was over as she began to chase her tail, going in a circle for a moment before leaping backward and doing flips across the room. Thankfully as the song winded down, she found herself once more back on all four, striding her way to the judge's table and sitting in the most regal pose she could muster. Her tongue hung out as she panted while the judges looked at their notes and nodded, writing something down as Rarity watched. Several minutes padded as Rarity lay on the sidelines watching the other dogs do their routines. Sassy smiled at her, seeming surprised. “I must say, Rarity, I never knew you had it in you to do all that.” Rarity shook her head, panting. “It wasn’t. It was like somepony else was controlling me.” She said, Observing one of the dogs balancing on a ball. “Regardless, I bet you’ll win for sure. My tricks were nothing compared to such graceful acrobatics.”  “Indeed, let’s hope whatever magic changes us keeps its end of the deal. I’d rather not be stuck as a dog any longer,” Rarity said, scratching her ear. “I’d rather see what the rest of this fair has to offer. Perhaps I’ll even find inspiration amongst the crowds. “ Sassy nodded in reply watching as the judges talked over their choices. It wasn’t long until they moved to the podium, Rarity leaning in to listen. “This year's first prize goes to Sparkle!“ Rarity forgot her pet name for a moment until she felt a light tug on her leash. Her trainer led her up the small stairs before letting the dog sit at the top of the tiered podium. Rarity's tail wagged as she stood herself up straight, the crowd clapping at her accomplishment. The fashionista soaked up all the attention as her eyes scanned the crowd again, surprised to see the crusaders in the stands. Weren’t they supposed to be at school? Rarity reminded herself to be sure to track down her sister and get to the bottom of this once this dog situation was over. As the awards winded down, the two ponies turned dogs were led through the back once more and up to the exit. One of the mares smiled down at them. “You two made such lovely show dogs. Just step through the exit, and you’ll be changed back.”   “Good,“ was all Rarity could muster as she passed through said threshold feeling the magic wash over her. In a brief flash of light, she was back to her well-groomed pony self. Sassy stood next to her much the same. Sassy, however, looked like she was holding back a snicker.  “What’s so funny?” “Oh, the little fashion statement around your neck,” Sassy said, pointing at it. Rarity soon felt her neck and blushed faintly, finding there was a bright pink dog collar with a blue diamond metal tag. “What, this wasn’t part of the deal!” She tugged on it, making it jingle, but no matter what she tried, it didn't come off. “Ugh, I don’t have time for this. I must find my sister.“ “Very well, we can talk later. I think I shall indulge myself a little while I’m here.” Sassy remarked as they went their separate ways.  Meanwhile, Twilight had arrived at the fair along with Cadence, Flurry Heart, and Shining Armor. They all seemed puzzled yet intrigued at what this fair had in store. Just out of sight of the group, Top Hat watched with a smirk. “Oh, this shall be fun.”