Dragonball Super: Rise of The Super Alicorn God

by UltraInstinctGoku


Filler Chapter 3: Fashion Week

[Manehattan's outskirts, Capsule Corporation - Equestrian Division]

Twenty-nine days have passed since Bulma's arrival in Equus. The capsules she asked Shenron had helped her family to settle in without any complications, but they would eventually need money, as their supplies are finite. There was enough food for one hundred people, or ponies in this case, for an entire year. However, having a Saiyan husband and part Saiyan son reduced the amount of time said food would have lasted. So, she wanted to expand her company's empire in this new world before they ran out of food.  

Taking advantage of the fact that, in Equestria, there was no competition in the technological sector, Bulma wanted to manufacture the firm's trademark product, the capsules. However, her new body was an issue: hooves weren't that useful when it came to using tools like a screwdriver or a welder, let alone for something as tricky as nanotechnology.

She tried to come up with something until she remembered Goku using magic. Not only that, but she also remembered the fact that she was a unicorn herself. She tried her hardest to use it to levitate objects but failed miserably. The scientist needed somepony who could teach her how to harness her magical powers. So, who would have been better than her best friend, Son Goku?

With Trunks' help, she summoned the black-maned Alicorn and asked him to be her master for a while. It took her three days to learn the levitation spell and the rest of the week to master it. After that, she began the capsules' production and wanted to use an upcoming event in the city to advertise them, the Fashion Week. It was a tournament-like competition in which the most skilled dressmakers from all over Equestria would have showcased their best dresses to the most influential figures in fashion.

Now, she was wondering what would have been the best option to advertise her father's invention. Considering that technology in Equestria, as well as the entire planet most likely, was somewhat basic compared to Earth’s technology, she needed to prove how useful the capsules could be. She sighed and said, "Now I know what dad's been through when he started the company."

She was in her laboratory, sitting at the desk as she was playing with a capsule, making it spin over and over. The room featured metallic walls and ceiling, as well as several advanced machines. Suddenly, she heard the automatic door opening, followed by a well-known voice, "Mom, I'm home."

Bulma turned her head to see her son walking toward her and said with a smile, "Trunks, darling, how was your day?"

"Boring as usual," answered the blue-maned colt, who didn't like going to school, but then he said with a smile, "But I've made some friends, so I think it wasn't that bad after all." Then, he asked, "So, do you know how to sell those capsules?"

"Still working on it," she answered, "But don't worry, I'll figure it out sooner than later."

"I wonder how all of this works if we're no longer on Earth," commented the young pegasus as he was looking at all the machinery in the room.

"There's an antimatter reactor under our house, meaning that energy won't be a problem for us," proudly stated Bulma.

"Woah, really? That’s cool!" Trunks exclaimed.

Bulma looked around the room for a while, still thinking on how to start her operations in Equestria, then she said, "You know what? I need a break." she began to walk toward the exit and continued, "Besides, I have to make lunch."

"You mean, me teaching you how to prepare sandwiches, again?" he giggled, but he stopped when he saw his mother looking at him with a kind gaze that was hiding anger.

"Can you repeat that, please?" she asked with a kind yet aggressive tone.

The young pegasus got scared and quickly waved his hooves to calm her down as he said, "I didn't say anything! I didn't say anything!"

"It will be better for you," she replied with a slightly aggressive tone as she walked away, followed by her scared son.


[Training Island, Earth, three days later]

While Bulma was struggling to find ideas to start operations in Equestria, Goku and Twilight were about to complete today's workout. She and Spike delivered milk all across the island, worked the land, and swam in a small-seized lake with a shark in it, for two weeks. Goku also included coordination exercises, meditation, balance exercises, technique, and occasional sparring matches. To make it more effective, the princess wore Goku's old wristbands and carried a turtle carapace, with each wristband and carapace weighing 22.67 kilograms, or 50 pounds.

Spike skipped today's training to help Rarity pack her bags for Manehattan's Fashion Week, something that Twilight didn't like somewhat; the main reason being that the Fashionista seemed to take advantage of his crush on her.

However, Twilight put those thoughts aside momentarily since she was about to start the last exercise, or at least that was what she thought. After finishing working the land of a farmer, she saw the scarlet-eyed Saiyan putting three bowls on a square table. One of them was filled with something she never saw before, so she asked as she pointed at it, "Hey, Goku, what are those?"

"These are dumplings, Twilight, and I bet you're gonna like ‘em," he answered as he was setting a pair of chopsticks on each side of the dish, "It's the farmer's way of saying thank you for helping him plow the fields."

"Oh, I see…"
 
"Why you don't set down the carapace, so you can eat with me?" suggested the Saiyan, "Also, this counts as an exercise, as you’re trying to master your control over your hands."

After setting down the heavy object she was carrying on her back, she sighed in relief as she felt her body lighter than before. Then, she sat at the table and grabbed the chopsticks on the right side of the bowl. "You still remember how to hold those, right?" asked Goku as he grabbed his ones.

Twilight used them sometimes after the morning's training, so she somewhat knew how to hold those sticks, but she still needed to get used to them. "Yes, more or less," answered the princess with a smile.

Son Goku smiled back and said, "Enjoy."

The princess had a dumpling, but before she could eat it, it disappeared. She was confused at first. She looked around to see if it fell somewhere near her, but she didn't find it. Then, she looked at Goku, almost as if she wanted to ask him what had happened, but he was too busy eating one of those things. Twilight decided to let it go and grabbed another one, but as soon as she took it, the scarlet-eyed Saiyan stole it and ate it in front of her.

She was surprised at first, but then she figured out that the vanished dumpling was eaten by him as well. Noticing this, Goku sharpened his gaze and gave her a confident smile, dissolving any doubts of hers. In response, Twilight sharpened her gaze too and said, "You know? I can be pretty grumpy if I'm hungry, and somepony is stopping me from eating."

"Oh, is that so? Well, I don't think I'll let you eat any of these," he replied in a challenging tone, "What are you gonna do, Twilight?"

"This," she said, before slamming down her fist, charged with magic, on the table. The small shockwave generated by the impact sent the dumplings to the sky, but it was a bad move. Goku jumped and ate all of them but one. As it was falling, Twilight used the table to jump on the nearby tree, which was used as a higher platform to reach it. However, mere nanoseconds before she could grab it with her chopsticks, the scarlet-eyed Saiyan used the levitation spell to attract it to his position.

The princess saw that her master was about to eat it, so she used her teleportation spell to appear where she was before. Then, she tried to stop him using her chopsticks, making the dumpling fall into the bowl in front of them. Twilight quickly tried to grab it first, but Goku was faster and didn't allow her to do it. He was using his chopsticks to block hers or to move the contended food from one side of the bowl to another to prevent her from taking it.

He even started to use the bowl itself to block any of his disciple's attempts. To confuse her, Goku overturned it as well as the other ones, hiding the dumpling under one of them. Then, he began to mix them up using his chopsticks. At first, he was moving them slowly, but then he increased the speed to the point it was pretty difficult to tell which bowl was the right one.

Twilight, however, was able to keep up with that speed, and with a quick move, she picked one of the bowls, revealing it was the right one. "Yes!" she exclaimed as she was trying to take the dumpling, but her master was still stopping her from achieving that goal.

Understanding that she wouldn't pass through Goku's solid defense, she hit the side of the bowl, with her left hand, to remove it from the boulder. Then, she quickly kicked the bottom of it, making the dumpling to stay in mid-air, and used her magic to take it. However, Goku stopped her by throwing one of his chopsticks, piercing the dumpling, and sending it to the nearby tree. The scarlet-eyed Saiyan used enough force to make it stick into the wooden trunk.

Goku jumped over Twilight to take it first, but the princess grabbed one of his ankles and forced him to the ground. Her master quickly stood up and engaged her in hand-to-hand combat. He performed a roundhouse kick, but it was blocked by the princess's left arm. So, he attacked by throwing his left punch at her, but the goddess deviated it with her left hand and used her momentum to perform a roundhouse kick. However, Goku dodged it by doing two backward somersaults, reaching the nearby tree.

The dumpling was sliding down the chopstick stuck into the tree, something that Goku noticed. After it fell, he was waiting for it with his mouth wide-opened, forgetting for a moment that Twilight was a few meters in front of him. Before he could eat the falling food, the princess used her chopsticks to close his mouth, making the dumpling to bounce off his face and slide down them.

Her master quickly reacted by hitting her chopsticks upward, making the dumpling go in the air, and tried to make her lose balance by kicking her ankles. However, Twilight dodged his kick by jumping. While in the air, she kicked away the dumpling and used her teleportation spell to go after it. Goku followed her using Instant Transmission.

They appeared right under the falling dumpling and sent it to the sky once more as they restarted their duel. Goku threw a punch, but it was dodged by the princess, who counterattacked with an upward kick. The scarlet-eyed Saiyan sidestepped to avoid it and retaliated with two punches. However, Twilight deviated both of them using her arms and attacked with a punch as well, but her master dodged it with no problem at all.

Twilight kept on attacking by doing a roundhouse kick, but Goku dodged it by ducking and counterattacked with the same move. However, the princess was able to avoid it by jumping backward. The Saiyan attacked with a flying kick, but Twilight avoided it with a rotating motion, placing herself behind him. Using her momentum, she wanted to hit him with her right arm, but her master ducked and counterattacked with another roundhouse kick.

However, Twilight dodged it, performing a backward somersault, or at least that was what it seemed, because instead of using her momentum to complete that move, she pushed herself forward, catching Goku off guard and hitting him with both her feet. The blow was strong enough to push him back for at least three meters, but he quickly recovered with a somersault. However, he saw that his student was approaching him fast, so he tried to punch her, but she used his extended arm as a foothold to jump over him while somersaulting.

She landed a few meters away from him and stabbed the falling dumpling with one of her chopsticks, much to her master's surprise. She trained for just seventeen days, yet her performance was outstanding. He was suppressing his might and was under constant meditation, so his focus in battle wasn't at its best, but the fact that she could counterattack at the right time and exploit that chance was still impressive.

Meanwhile, Twilight ate the food she fought for and said with a smile, "Yummy."

"Hehe," giggled Goku, drawing his student's attention, "Nicely done, Twilight! I'll have to start Ki manipulation lessons soon at this rate."

The princess was happy to have successfully passed this little test, something that could be seen by the sparks in her eyes and her smile. But suddenly, she inflated one of her cheeks and did a cute grunt before saying, "But you could at least avoid eating them all."

"Oh, don't worry about that," he said as he used his magic to move Twilight's backpack to their position. "I knew you would have liked them, so..." he explained as he opened it, and pulled out a pack of dumplings.

She smiled in response, but then she remembered something and gasped, "We are late! We should have met Rarity and the others at the Ponyville Station!"

"Calm down, Twilight," said Goku, "We can reach them in the blink of an eye, even if we miss the train."

"That's no excuse," replied the princess, "When it comes to appointments, being punctual is a duty!"

She hated being late. That was one of the things Goku learned about her during this month, so he didn't want to argue any further and said, "Okay then. Quick, take my hand." Twilight gave him her hand as she grabbed her backpack, then the scarlet-eyed Saiyan used Instant Transmission to teleport back to Ponyville.


[Ponyville Station, Equestria]

The Mane 5, Goten, and Spike were waiting for both Goku and Twilight, but the train was about to leave, and there was still no sign of them. The mares were wondering why they were taking this long, especially Twilight. They knew how much she hated being late at anything. They didn't know it yet, but she was spending her time training with Goku, so they thought they still were at the Golden Oak Library.

However, before somepony could say something, they saw the missing ones appear in front of them out of nowhere, meaning that they used teleportation to arrive there. "Finally!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, "The train is about to leave! What were you two doing?"

"Hehe, we'll explain once on board," answered Goku with a nervous smile. The group boarded the Friendship Express, which mere seconds later, left the station, and headed for Manehattan, Equestria's biggest and most populous city. Once they reached their seats and settled, the Mane 5 looked at the alicorn duo, meaning they were ready to hear their explanation.

"Well," started Twilight, "We were training on Earth and..."

However, she couldn't finish the sentence because of somepony's laughter. It was Rainbow Dash. The speedster thought that her friend was kidding and couldn't help but laugh at it. “Twilight, of all ponies, doing exercise? That’s the funniest thing I ever heard from her since that time she wanted to attend the Running of the Leaves marathon,” she thought as she was laughing and giggling like a hyena. 

Applejack was giggling as well until she also gave into laughter. The only times she saw her friend doing some physical activity was when they had to help out the Crystal Empire in preparing for the arrival of the games inspector, during the Winter Wrap-up event, and the Running of the Leaves marathon. So, just three times in four years, if she didn't count lifting and carrying Tom from Canterlot to Ponyville.

The rest of the group was looking at them while the athletic duo was laughing. "Hahaha! Good one, Twilight!" exclaimed the cyan pegasus as she wiped a tear from one of her eyes.

The lavender Alicorn glared at both mares; once again, they thought that just because she rarely did some exercise and preferred reading and studying over doing sport, she wouldn't be able to do anything related to it. "As I was saying," she continued with her eyes closed and had a very displeased expression, she used her magic to open her bag and pull out the pack of dumplings, "Our training on Earth took more time than expected."

"She's not kidding," supported Spike, "I'm training with Goku too."

"Yeah," confirmed the scarlet-eyed Alicorn with his trademark smile, "And they're good at it."

The speedster stopped laughing and asked in a marveled tone, "Really?"

Goku nodded in response and said, "They're learning fast, especially Twilight."

Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash were surprised by his statement, but then the cyan pegasus replied, "If that's true, I want to see it. What about a challenge, Twilight?"

The princess swallowed what she was eating and asked, "What kind of challenge?"

"Next month, Ponyville's Aerial Team will be at the Rainbow Falls for the Aerial Relay event's tryouts," she began explaining, "I'll challenge you to a race there."

"Ooh, ooh, ooh, I want to be the referee!" intervened Pinkie with a broad smile and a raised hoof.

"Uh, sure," answered Twilight, then she looked at the speedster and asked, "But why do you want to wait so long?"

"Our team needs to train and is still looking for a third member," she replied, "An Aerial Team must be composed of three flyers, or it can't participate in the Equestria Games," she then looked at Goku and asked, "Hey Goku, are you interested in joining us?"

"Sure, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do," he answered.

"Yes!" she exulted, then she replied, "Oh, and don't worry: I'll show you once we start practicing."

"Well," intervened Goten, "It's a good thing that the rules of the Equestria Games now allow athletes to attend more than just one athletic pursuit this time." He told his father about the martial arts tournament of the said event a week ago and, of course, he wanted to participate. So, if the rules weren't changed, he would have been forced to choose between the Aerial Relay and Martial Arts.

"Changing the subject," spoke Rarity, "I couldn't help but notice your new dress, Twilight."

The lavender alicorn swallowed another dumpling and asked, "Oh, you mean my gi?"

"It's a gi?" asked the fashionista in a surprised tone, "Well, it's certainly an exotic one. I mean, it's simple but sophisticated at the same time. And it even goes with the dresses I want to show during Fashion Week. Where did you find it?"

"Well, it kinda came out of nowhere when I went to Earth," answered the princess, much to her friend’s disbelief, "But, Goku said that it's a traditional gi for mares, or 'women', in the Fire Mountain Kingdom."

"So, it's a traditional Earthling dress? They have pretty good tastes, then," she complimented before looking at Goku, "I would love to see your world's fashion!"

"Hehe," giggled Goku, "One day, we can all go and visit Earth, if you want."

After eating another dumpling, Twilight spoke, "So, Rarity,  how do you feel about this event?"

The unicorn squealed and answered, "I can't begin to tell you how excited I am, especially if you'll all be there with me!" Then, she opened the only suitcase she could bring with her in the passenger car and pulled out nine purple tickets as she said, "However... Perhaps I can show you..."

"What's that?" asked Goku in confusion.

"Those are tickets, Dad," answered Goten.

"These," she began to explain, "Are tickets to the hottest musical on Bridleway!"

While this revelation excited the mares, the scarlet-eyed alicorn was confused since he had never heard of a musical before. On the other hoof, Goten and Spike were surprised, but the former didn't find anything exciting about it. As the trio of males had its thoughts about the topic, Twilight said, "You couldn't mean Hinny of the Hills... because it's been sold out for months! Or could you?!"

"I could," answered Rarity, "I do."

The princess gasped and replied, "Oh, Rarity, you didn't have to do that, but... since you did..."

"Yahoo!" cheered the Mane 5 in excitement as Goku was still wondering what a musical was supposed to be.


[Maneway Station, Manehattan, one day later]

After a long trip from Ponyville, the group of friends finally arrived at their destination, Manehattan. However, they couldn't leave the station right away because of the number of suitcases and bags Rarity brought up with her; there was even a big trunk among all of them. Goku and Goten helped Spike to take them out of the train, but the former told the baby dragon that he should carry all of the luggage alone since he skipped training. Spike wasn't happy at first, but then he remembered why he was training and nodded in response.

The group proceeded to leave the station as Rarity was leading the way. They walked to the Bridleway Theater District and were marveled by its beauty. The district featured several buildings along a long street that was divided into two different sections, by an island of shops and skyscrapers. One of which had three billboards displaying apple juice advertisement, a Wonderbolts' recruiting poster, and a pair of eyes in a black background. On the right side of the road, there was the Theater itself, a perfume shop, and a fast-food restaurant.

They all noticed a pretty long queue of ponies waiting in front of the theater. Maybe they wanted to get the good seats before somepony else. However, they didn't need to worry since Rarity also managed to book some of the best ones. "You weren't kiddin' when you said the show was already sold out, Twilight," commented Applejack as the group kept on walking to their hotel.

"Uh, girls," intervened Goku, drawing their attention, "I know you all are excited about this musical, but I'm still wondering what's that."

In normal circumstances, the mares and Spike would be surprised by something like that. Who in the world didn't know what a musical was, after all? But they knew that Goku was different. He grew up alone in the woods and fought bad guys for most of his childhood, meaning he developed little knowledge about things that didn't involve fighting. They could see it as comparable to the day they met Daring Do and when Fluttershy turned into a Vampire Fruit Bat hybrid. They were even wondering why none of his old friends helped him in this. However, they all, but mainly Twilight, were trying to fill that vacuum of knowledge any time they could.

"A musical," began to explain Twilight with a smile, "Is a play in which singing and dancing play an essential part. Musicals developed from light opera in the early 20th century."

Goku wasn't sure what light opera was, but he understood the first part of her explanation and answered, "Oh, I get it, so we'll watch a group of ponies acting on a stage while they sing and dance, right?"

"Exactly!" exclaimed all of his friends and Goten with a smile. The scarlet-eyed Saiyan smiled back as the group kept on walking.

While they were heading for the hotel, the youngest member of the Son family approached his dad and talked with him, "Hey, Dad, what do you think about this musical? I mean, I appreciate that they invited me, but I think that watching somebody that burst into a song is kind of boring."

Son Goku looked at his son as he started thinking about it. Sure, he was more into action rather than something as static as staying in a place for hours, just to see someone else doing something. However, spending time with his friends was part of the cure to his obsession for battles; and if he really wanted to change, he had to start from things like this one. "I think we should give it a try," he replied, much to his son's surprise, "We already saw Twilight and the others bursting into a song for no reason when those apple-eating bats stormed Applejack's orchard. And they weren't bad at all, to be honest."

Goten was astonished. His father was serious when he told him that he wanted to change. That aside, he was right: Ms. Sparkle and the others, but also the Cutie Mark Crusaders, often began singing apparently for no reason. However, they all were pretty good at it. “Maybe the musical wouldn't be so bad after all,” Goten thought. But, before he could say something, Rarity started to sing all of a sudden, catching him, his father, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack off guard.

Goku and Goten had a giant drop behind their heads as the Mane 6 finished singing. They had beautiful voices, yeah, but they sang for at least two hours. Well, it was mostly Rarity, but the point still stood. "Was all of that necessary?" asked the colt as he was looking at the group of mares.

"Hehehe," nervously giggled the alicorn stallion in response.

After that, the group resumed walking until they reached a dress-shop in front of which they stopped. The reason was that the fashionista appeared to be interested in one of the dresses exposed in the shop window.

However, she wasn't. She was thinking about the competition she would attend soon and the opportunities a victory would bring to her. "To think my dresses could soon be displayed in the most glamorous shopping thoroughfare of the most glamorous city in Equestria!" she sighed, "Oh, it would be my dream come true!"

"Is there anything left to do we can help you with?" asked Twilight with a smile.

Rarity thought about it for a second before answering, "Nothing I can think of; the dresses are all finished, all made from a fabulous new fabric I've been developing for months. Stretchy, but not clingy. Shimmery, but not showy."

Her description of this new fabric confused Goku, who looked at his son to see if he understood something. However, Goten raised his forelegs to say that he didn't get anything as well. The rest of the group but Spike seemed to understand what she meant, but the truth was that none of them was sure of that either. Fluttershy, however, commented, "Sounds amazing."

"There's nothing left for me to do but check-in at the runway with my dresses by two this afternoon," explained Rarity.

"Oh, that's funny," said Pinkie as she approached the fashionista, "Because that clock over there makes it seem like it's only ten minutes from now!" She was pointing at the city's Tower Clock in the distance, as a rumble of thunder echoed across the sky, meaning it was about to rain.

"Oh, my ribbons and threads!" panicked Rarity, "The ballroom is all the way across town! If I don't get there, I'm disqualified!" Then, she desperately started running as she shouted, "TAAAAXIII!"

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Fluttershy in a worried tone, "We've gotta help her find a cab, now!"

"I'm on it!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash as she sped off toward a cab that was 20 meters away from them. Then, she landed on it and asked the driver, "Hey, buddy! Is this cab taken?"

"The line ends back there, 'buddy'!" suddenly answered the passenger, who went unnoticed by Rainbow until he spoke. The speedster looked at where the brown-coated earth pony was pointing and noticed a quite long queue of ponies waiting for a taxi. She couldn't believe it; she swore there was nothing right there a few seconds ago. Even Goku and Goten were confused.

"What? Does everypony in this town want a cab all of a sudden?" she commented in disbelief as she jumped off the cab.  

"I'm afraid that getting a taxi at this time could prove almost impossible!" stated Rarity in a worried tone as she was using a newspaper to cover herself from the rain.

"I can take you there if you want," proposed Goten as he began levitating.

"Are you sure?" asked the fashionista in hesitation. Goten was Goku's son, sure, but that didn't mean he was strong enough to carry her and fast enough to arrive there in time. Those were her thoughts; how wrong she was.

"Don't worry," answered the little Saiyan-hybrid with a smile, "As long as you tell me where to go, we'll be there in the blink of an eye!" After those words were spoken, Goten cast the levitation spell on Rarity, making her fly, as he put himself next to her, something that surprised Rarity. "So, which direction should we head?"

The fashionista shook her head to recover from her surprised expression and said, "Follow this street, for now!" Then she turned her head to see the rest of the group and said, "Ta-ta!" After that, she and Goten left at high speed.

"Whew," sighed Spike in relief as he approached Pinkie while holding a carrot dog, "That was close. Good thing you taught him the levitation spell, Twilight." Everyone agreed with him. Both Goten and Goku still had some problems holding things with their hooves, so knowing that spell could bypass that issue. However, something crossed Spike's mind, "Anypony else got a sneaking suspicion we forgot something?"

At first, nobody could tell what he meant, but then everypony but Goku realized what he was talking about, "THE DRESSES!"

They had to reach their hotel, take Rarity's dresses, and go to the Ballroom within nine minutes, a nearly impossible feat even for Rainbow Dash, considering that they didn't know Manehattan very well and the fashionista was their guide. They knew how to reach the hotel, but they weren't sure where the competition would have taken place; they would have gone with Rarity to see the event after all.

However, Twilight realized something, "Wait! Goku, you're the only one who can make it in time!"

The scarlet-eyed alicorn was confused at first, but then he understood what she meant with that, "I get it! You want me to use Instant Transmission to give Rarity her clothes before two o'clock. Let's hurry, then!" After that, the group started heading for the hotel as fast as they could.


[Fashion Week's Theater, Social District, two minutes later]

Meanwhile, Goten and Rarity landed in front of the building in which she would have showcased her dresses. Then, they entered and headed for the reception, a quite modern-looking room. Once there, Rarity quickly announced herself to the receptionist, "Good afternoon, I'm here for Fashion Week!"

The receptionist, a purple-coated mare, was doing some paperwork with an emotionless expression. Despite seeming like she wasn't listening at all, she answered, "Everypony's gathered in front of the runway and about to start, so you'll just have to bring your dresses along with you and store them backstage later."

Her words, however, caused Rarity to panic, "My– My dresses!" she exclaimed, "How could I possibly forget them?!" Then, she gasped three times with the same emphasis of a drama queen and kneeled as she shouted before covering her face with the floor, "I'M DOOOOOMED!"

Goten was standing next to her with a worried expression. He looked at a nearby clock and saw that there were five minutes left; maybe he could go to the hotel, take her dresses, and come back in time. He was about to tell her, but suddenly his father appeared out of thin air with the said objects.

"Hey, Rarity, I think you forgot these," said the scarlet-eyed alicorn, something that drew the fashionista's attention.

Once she saw all of her dresses there, she quickly got up with a huge smile and said as she hugged him, "Thank you!" Then, she headed for the runway as she was carrying her dresses using her magic. Both father and son saw this with a smile before leaving the hotel reception with Instant Transmission.


[Theater District, Manefair Hotel's Entrance]

Goku and Goten appeared in front of the Mane 5 and Spike, then the black-maned stallion said with a broad smile, "Problem solved!"

The mares and Spike sighed in relief; their friend wouldn't have been disqualified anymore. Now that everything was under control, they began talking about the places they wanted to visit. Rarity showed them the most interesting ones in the area, so it was almost an embarrassment of riches.

Goku let them pick the place, for he had no idea where he wanted to go. The stallion, however, was about to say something, but before he could speak, he sensed Trunks and Bulma's Ki approaching fast.

He turned his head and saw a yellow and white Hover-Truck with the unmistakable Capsule Corporation's symbol on its bonnet. Goku was confused, to say the least; driving was difficult with hands, let alone with hooves. He didn't know, however, that the vehicle was designed without pedals, but with pressure sensors in the steering wheel to accelerate or decelerate instead. The brake was replaced by a mechanism that activated if the driver pulled the steering wheel, making it easier to drive, even with a ponified body.

Goku shrugged it off and raised one of his forelegs to both greet her and draw her attention, something that worked. The Mane 6, Spike, and Goten noticed the vehicle as well, though it was something weird for the former. Once the Hover-Truck was close enough, it stopped and landed. Then, the door of the driver opened, revealing the azure-maned scientist, who got out of the vehicle and said with a smile, "Goku! Guys! What a coincidence! What are you doing here?"

Goku, his son, and his friends approached her as he answered, "Hi, Bulma! We're here to support Rarity in a dress-showing tournament and to visit this city. Also, you and Trunks live here, so I thought, 'Why don't I bring Goten with me?'"

His answer caught her off guard, but before she could say anything, the sound of things falling came from the Hover-Truck, something that made a drop appear behind the scientist's head. Nanoseconds later, the back door opened, and Bulma's son got out of the vehicle. Trunks wanted to go out the moment he heard 'Goten.' As soon as he came in sight, Goten approached him fast to greet him.

Bulma let them talk to each other and focused on her conversation, "I thought you would be training somewhere for who knows how much time. I was surprised when Trunks found you so quickly, to be honest. And to meet you here..."

"Actually," intervened Twilight, "He was training me and Spike on Earth."

The owner of the Capsule Corporation widened her eyes in astonishment, "Wait. So, you're spending time with Goten, you're visiting a city with some friends just for fun, you'll watch a fashion event, and now you're telling me that you didn't train for an entire month to have some students? Who are you, and what have you done to the real Goku?"

"Hehehe," he giggled nervously, but before he could answer, his stomach started growling. Bulma slowly shook her head with a small smile in response; some things never changed.


[Fast Food Restaurant, Bridleway, Theater District]

Goku was finally filling his empty stomach with a small mountain of hay-burgers. Twilight chose that place because it was the only restaurant that could provide a large quantity of food in a short time, not to mention that it was also cheap. While he was eating, Rainbow Dash and Applejack asked Bulma about the weird thing she was driving before and how it could fit in that small capsule. At first, they thought it was magic, but Twilight confirmed that it wasn't, saying that Goku's world was more technologically advanced than theirs.

"You see," started to explain Bulma, "My father invented the capsules to move and store heavy objects easier. You can store everything in one of those, even an entire building." Then she said, "That thing I was driving in is the Earth's equivalent of a wagon."

The Mane 5 were amazed by the properties of that item. Applejack was thinking that having one or two of those capsules would come in handy on the farm. Twilight and Spike were interested in acquiring a few of them as well, but before they could ask, Goku finished eating and said, "By the way, Bulma, where were you going earlier?"

"I was heading for the Social District," she answered, "I wanted to see if any of the stylists attending the Fashion Week would be interested in buying my capsules."

"Shouldn't you try with a shop first?" asked Applejack in confusion, "I mean, they would need those things more than the stylists."

Bulma sighed and answered, "That's what I wanted to do at first, but I soon learned that Shopping Centers don't exist here in Equestria. So I tried to sell my Capsules to any shop I found, but some of them weren't interested in it, and others didn't even let me show them its properties." Then, she started spinning the Capsule containing the Hover-Truck with her magic, "The Fashion Week is a notorious event, so it may be the only chance I have to promote and sell them."

"Well, Rarity is attendin' the Fashion Week," replied the orange Earth Pony, "She would be more than interested in buyin' your capsules."

"Really?" asked the scientist with hope in her eyes.

"Yeah," answered Rainbow Dash, "She definitely needs them."

"More like I definitely need them," commented Spike, recalling that he was the one who did all the hard work, even though it was training, making the mares but Bulma, giggle. The scientist, of course, didn't know why he said that.

"I would need some of your capsules too," said Twilight, "My library is reaching its maximum capacity, and I would need some extra space. They will also make Spike's work easier."

"Those things would be useful in Sweet Apple Acres," said Applejack, "I want to buy some too."

Bulma's smile grew after hearing that: Capsule Corporation was about to start its operations after all! She quickly shook her head and said, "Thank you! I'll make sure to go to Ponyville so I can give you the capsules and show you how to install and operate them."

"Rarity will come back at 5 o'clock," explained Twilight, "And we're going to visit some places in the meantime. Do you want to join us?"

"Why not? I have to wait for Rarity anyways."

Everyone cheered at this, and the Mane 5 showed Bulma the map of the area to choose their next destination. They were also wondering how Rarity was doing at the Fashion Week, but they had to wait to know that answer.


[Fashion Week's Ballroom, Social District]

Meanwhile, Rarity was talking with Suri Polomare, an ex-member of the Ponyville Knitters League, after a quick briefing they and the other participants had with the host of the event, Prim Hemline. She was a light-pink coated Earth Pony with grayish-brown eyes, a grayish-violet mane, and a tail of the same color. She was wearing a two-tone blue crossed scarf and a headband holding up her mane in the back. Her Cutie Mark featured three colored buttons in a triangular formation.

"Ooh, it's so good to see you!" exclaimed the Earth Pony with a soft, but distinct, upper-class Manehattan accent as she warmly hugged the Fashionista. "And now here we are, competing!" she added, briefly laughing right after, "You okay?"

Rarity was caught off guard by that sudden hug, but once it finished, she said as she turned around to take her clothes back to the backstage, "Yes, yes. Well, good luck!"

"Oh, I don't need luck," Suri replied, "Would you like a hoof with your things?"

"Why thank you so much!" she said, accepting her offer with a smile.

After that, they reached the room assigned to Rarity for the final touch-ups of the clothes she wants to exhibit in the actual competition. It was a small space with green walls, grayish-blue ceiling, and a dark tiled floor. It featured three ceiling lights, two dark-gray work tables with rolls of fabric on them, and a long desk with two seats and two mirrors, just like those of a theater's dressing room. No surprise, though, as the event was taking place in a theater after all.

Once there, Suri laid her gaze upon the Unicorn's trump card: a collection of five purple dresses made of that unique material she was talking about earlier with her friends. The designs were fancy, as Applejack would put it, but what made them special was the fabric itself, something that the Earth Pony noticed. "My, your collection is gorgeous!" she praised as she was taking a better look at it.

"Oh, now," she said with a modest tone as she was moving a roll of blue fabric somewhere else, "I'm sure your collection is equally lovely, if not more so!"

"It's alright, but nothing like THIS!" she admitted as she kept on admiring her collection's crowning jewel. "Take my culottes, for example," she began to explain, "They are simply crying out for just the right accent, but I haven't the slightest notion where I-" She couldn't finish her sentence when she saw Rarity moving a roll of that purple fabric, gasping as she finally got what her collection needed to be perfect, "Actually... A touch of this fabric could be perfect with it; hey, would you mind if I took a swatch?"

"Oh, not at all!" answered the Unicorn as she gave her an entire roll of it, "Here, I have loads extra."

"You're sure?" asked Suri in astonishment. They were competing in a prestigious event after all, and that made them rivals.

"Positive!" exclaimed Rarity, sure of her decision, "Oh, well, it's been wonderful getting caught up, and I don't wish to be rude, but I must finish my preparations, and I am a bit late as it... is?" She could barely finish her phrase before noticing that Suri wasn't there anymore. Rarity was puzzled, for she didn't hear hoof steps or anything. However, she let it go, for she needed to get ready for the competition.

A pair of hours later, Rarity was once again in the reception of the theater, but this time she was half an hour early for her appointment. All of the participants were in line, waiting for their turn to show their work to Prim Hemline. So, all she had to do was to announce herself to the receptionist and join the queue. However, when she was getting in line, she heard a known voice saying a quite familiar phrase.

"It's stretchy, but not clingy. Shimmery, but not showy," said that voice, something that ignited Rarity's curiosity. It was the same description of her new fabric, so she wanted to investigate, especially because she recognized that voice. She went to the stage to see what was going on and found out something she never thought could be possible. Suri Polomare, the mare that seemed so kind, was displaying to Prime Hemline, dresses that were heavily modified with her new fabric. And on top of that, she was taking credit for it.

"Oh, Bravo!" applauded the host of the event, as Rarity was still processing what just happened before her, "I've never seen anything like it!"

The light-pink Earth Pony was proud and happy of hearing those words. However, the smile on her face would have soon disappeared because of a certain unamused, and pretty annoyed Fashionista, "You stole my fabric!!"

Suri was caught off guard by Rarity's sudden appearance, but she quickly turned her surprised expression into an almost amused one, then she laughed a bit and replied, "I didn't steal it, okay? You gave it to me, 'member?"

She was right, so Rarity tried to elaborate, as the Earth Pony was leaving the stage with her assistant, "I gave you the fabric for ACCENTS! Not for your entire line!" Then she wondered, "And how could you possibly make all of those outfits out of it so fast?!"

That last word made Suri stop, "Fast? Hah!" Then, she pointed at the off-white coated Earth Pony that was carrying her dresses, "Coco Pommel here took practically forever. Nearly got me completely disqualified."

Those words made the two-tone, cyan-maned mare feel bad, but she quickly tried to justify herself, "Well, I wanted to make sure you'd win, so I took the extra time to -"

However, she couldn't finish the sentence, as she was rudely silenced by Suri, who said, "I pay an assistant to sew and get coffee, not talk. 'Kay?"

How degradant; she was nothing more than a two-purposed machine that had no right to speak. However, that was how Manehattan worked, and if she wanted to be, one day, a freelance dressmaker, she had to endure all of her whims. At least, that was what Suri told her.

Rarity, though, was more concerned about the fact that now she couldn't show her dresses anymore since they could be labeled as Suri's line rip-offs. "How could this happen?" she wondered in a worried tone as she was trying to think about a solution.

Suri noticed it, and in mockery, she said, "Aw, sweetie, don't blame yourself. It takes some small-town fillies a while to learn it's everypony for herself in the big city, m'kay?" This act revealed her true intentions. Suri knew that she couldn't win as long as Rarity was competing in the Fashion Week, so she planned to see her work and modify her dresses to even up the score. However, she didn't think that she would have given away her trump card just like that, so she took advantage of it.  

Rarity felt like a naive filly, who was easily tricked, and to be kicked out of the competition by another contestant like that was a humiliating defeat for a dressmaker. She couldn't help but cry in despair, as she left the building, galloping.

After getting rid of the most dangerous opponent in the Fashion Week, Suri Polomare proudly approached her assistant and said, "Hope you realize how fortunate you are to have me as a mentor." Coco wasn't sure about those words. She considered this kind of behavior anti-sportive and immoral, but she couldn't think about anything else as she heard her boss' order, "Now get me some coffee!"


[Room 67, Manefair Hotel, Theater District, 4:20 p.m.]

The Mane 5, Spike, Bulma, Trunks, Goku, and Goten were engaging in conversation as they returned from their tour of the city. They visited the park, the Flea Market, the Ice-skating rink, Bulma's house, and other places. Of course, Spike had to carry everything his friends bought, but Goten helped him out, so he could enjoy the trip as much as the others.

Some were talking about how fun the afternoon was, while the others about how weird Earth's houses were. However, the Mane 5 were more excited about the fact that the enjoyment wasn't over yet. A salon appointment, a fancy dinner, and, most importantly, Hinny of the Hills, still awaited for them. They just had to wait for Rarity, something that the azure-maned scientist was already doing.

Twilight looked at the clock and noticed that they still had forty minutes before Rarity's arrival, so she wanted to take a shower in the meantime. She couldn't take it earlier because she was late, but now she had plenty of time for it. She removed her wristband first and asked, "Hey, Rainbow, can you hold these for a moment, please?"

Rainbow Dash, flying next to her, nodded with a smile and extended one of her forelegs to grab the wristbands. However, once the princess gave her the objects, the pegasus fell all of a sudden, due to their weight. The speedster was caught off guard as she never thought that a piece of clothing could be so heavy. Those things had to weigh at least 50 kilograms, yet Twilight was wearing them as if they were ordinary wristbands.

While the Element of Loyalty was recovering from that little surprise, Twilight took off her gi and went to the bathroom. Right after, Rainbow stood up, then she said, as she held the wristbands with a bit of effort, "What the hay?!"

"What's the matter?" asked Applejack, who didn't notice what just happened since she was talking with Fluttershy. The rest of her friends began to pay attention, for they wanted to know it as well.

"What's with these things and the weight?" she asked, still shocked.

"Weight?" asked Applejack in confusion as she was looking at the wristbands. She grabbed them to see what she was talking about and felt like she was lifting iron ingots instead of fabric. Unlike her friend, she had no problem holding them, but they sure weighed too much to be ordinary clothing. "These are the heaviest pieces of fabric I ever held in my life, that's for sure."

"And guess what?" replied Rainbow, "Twilight wore those all day!"

The apple farmer realized this fact, but before she could say or think something, Pinkie Pie grabbed the wristbands from her hoof and commented, "Oh, you're not kidding! These things are as heavy as the MMMM!"

"The what?" both Bulma and Trunks asked in confusion.

"The Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness cake!" she joyfully said as she hoofed the wristbands to Spike, who was holding Twilight's gi. A drop appeared behind Bulma and Trunks' heads because of her enthusiasm and the long and weird name.

"Is she always like that?" asked Bulma. Pinkie Pie's hyper activeness and more than joyful and childish personality was something impossible to go unnoticed, especially if she spent the afternoon with her and her friends.

"You have no idea!" answered Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Spike, Goten, and Goku all at once.

They laughed a bit immediately after, but Goku's son heard hoof-steps behind him, so he turned his head and saw Rarity. She was standing near the room's door and was on the verge of break-in tears. To see somebody that sad was something new for him; his mother was the only one he ever saw crying, but that was just her overreacting as always. Rarity's expression showed real sadness, and he was feeling uneasy because of it, so he asked, "Is... everything okay, Ms. Rarity?"

Upon hearing that, everyone noticed the Fashionista and her current emotional state, something that made the laughter fade away. Pinkie Pie, however, tried to ease the situation with her joyful personality; she happily approached Rarity and asked, "You got the dresses Goku brought you and everything, right?

Rarity didn't answer and just walked toward the nearest bed, much for Pinkie's worry. The Fashionista jumped on the said bed and started crying. Everyone approached her in worry as they wondered what could have happened for her to be like that. Bulma, Trunks, and Goten had no idea while Spike and the Mane 4 believed that it had something to do with the dresses. Goku, on the other hoof, thought that somepony hurt her, for it was the only thing in his mind that could make someone cry like that.

Meanwhile, Twilight left the bathroom and noticed that everyone was gathered near one of the beds; she saw that Rarity arrived, but she was crying, something that worried her and made her approach the group fast.

"Did someone hurt you, Rarity?" asked Goku with a serious expression.

"No," she answered in tears.

"Is it because of the dresses?" asked Rainbow Dash, "But we're sure Goku brought them in time."

"I can confirm that," supported Goten.

"Yes! And then Suri COPIED them!" she exclaimed right before starting to breathe fast, then she explained, "I let one of the other contestants use some of my one-of-a-kind fabric and then she turned it into a wardrobe just like mine, only now it looks like I AM the one copying HER! My generosity has ruined me, I tell you, RUINED!"

She started bawling after that explanation as her friends were processing the said information. "So," said Bulma, "You created a new and special fabric for your best dresses?"

"Yes," answered Rarity.

"And you shared it with one of your rivals?" continued Bulma.

"Yes."

"You were kind of naive, you know?"

"Bulma!" exclaimed Goku, much to the scientist's surprise. Someone telling her what she did wrong was the last thing Rarity needed at the moment.

"What?" she said, trying to defend herself, "Everyone knows that one shouldn't share his secrets with other contestants during a tournament, a contest, or whatever. And since when you have common sense?"

"Common what?" asked Goku in confusion, something that made appear a drop behind Bulma's head. The scarlet-eyed alicorn, however, turned his head to see Rarity and said, "Don't cry, Rarity, it isn't the end of the world-"

The stallion couldn't finish his sentence because of the Fashionista, who grabbed Goku's head and shook it as she said with an angry but sad tone, "What do you mean by 'it isn't the end of the world'?!"

The ponified Saiyan felt a bit dizzy, but he quickly recovered himself, removed Rarity's hooves from his head, and explained, "What I want to say is that this is just an opportunity to improve yourself."

"Eh?" was the only thing Rarity could say. “What do you mean by that?”

"This Suri copied your best work ever using your best fabric, right?"

"Yes."

"Think of it as a chance to do something even better than that," he said with a confident smile, "Twilight said that you always want to improve as a 'Fashion designer' and there's no better way to do it than trying to top your best work. Just break your limits!"

"Hehe," giggled Rarity, "What a darling little catchphrase." He was right; this was just an opportunity to grow. Goku's way of thinking certainly put things in perspective.

"Come on, Rarity, buck up!" supported Applejack, "All we need is some fabric, and you'll be back in business!"

"Exactly," joined Rainbow, "If this Suri could make an entire wardrobe in an afternoon, you can do it as well."

"And we're all here to help you get through it," said Twilight, "No matter what it takes."

"And I just happen to know a thing or two about fashion," said Bulma, "I can help you to redesign your original work."

With her friends' support, Rarity began to look at the curtains, carpet, and even the blankets as if she was analyzing what she could do with them until the enlightenment crossed her mind. Bulma noticed it and had the same idea as the fashionista, "That's daring."

Rarity looked at Bulma and asked in surprise, "Did you think what I've thought?"

"As I said: I know one thing or two about fashion and yours is a daring idea," she replied with a smile, but then she asked, "But, are you sure we can take all of that from the hotel?"

The Element of Generosity smiled and said, "Oh, don't worry about that."

After that, they turned the bedroom into a temporary Carousel Boutique. Rarity had no problems with the owner of the hotel in that regard; he owed her a favor after all. Both Rarity and Bulma worked together to redesign the original dresses and make them compatible with their new theme. They were like old friends, doing something they both liked.

The scientist talked about the capsules and their purpose, something that impressed Rarity, especially after the demonstration. She asked if they could install them in this new line to improve the practical department and, as a favor, explaining that she intended to use said item as a source of income. Rarity accepted as she wanted to help her new friend. Not to mention that easily transportable dresses were something innovative in Equestria, and that could make her earn more points.

Once they finished the new designs on paper, the rest of the group started working. Twilight and Fluttershy were sewing, Goku, Spike, and Pinkie Pie were extracting sewing threads from the curtains, while Applejack, Goten, and Trunks were rolling and folding pieces of fabric, and Rainbow Dash was working with a spinning wheel. They worked for hours as Rarity was looking after them all, and Bulma was preparing the capsules in her Hover-Van.

Goku, Goten, and Trunks wondered when they could stop and have dinner, something that crossed everyone's mind. They were supposed to have dinner at the Far-Afield Tavern, but Rarity said she would have ordered a meal for them if they kept working. However, the dinner was taking forever to arrive. "Hey, Rarity," said Goku, "When is dinner supposed to be here? I'm hungry!"

"We too!" exclaimed both Goten and Trunks. The Mane 5 and Spike turned their heads to see the fashionista, meaning they were hungry too and wanted an answer.

"Don't fret," replied Rarity with an unusual expression, almost as if she was annoyed by the question, "It'll be here in an hour. After all, I ordered enough food to feed an adult dragon. That's not going to be a problem, is it?"

"Well," said Rainbow Dash with a tone of hesitation, "We're supposed to be watching 'Hinny of the Hills' by then..."

"Forget the show, food is more important," stated Goku with a sad expression as he was looking at his empty belly.

Rarity, however, seemed to be offended by Rainbow's statement, "Oh! I see! I go out of my way to get you tickets for a show, and this is how you repay me? By abandoning me in my hour of need?"

"But we aren't abandoning you," stated Trunks, "We're just saying that we were here sewing and dealing with fabric for four consecutive hours."

"You said that the qualifications for the next stage of the Fashion Week are tomorrow afternoon, Ms. Rarity," intervened Goten, "I don't think this musical will last that long: we could go there, maybe eat something, watch the show, and then restart working."

The Mane 5, Goku, Trunks, and Spike agreed with him, but Rarity saw this, as if they didn't care about her and her problem, "Oh, oh, oh! FINE! Go and see 'Hinny of the Hills' tonight! And then tomorrow morning when you come to see my fashion show without any fashion to show, you can have more entertainment!" Then, she approached Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash from behind, put her forelegs around her necks as if she was hugging them, and pretended to be her friends witnessing her defeat, "Oh, why look, there's our friend Rarity going down in flames! ISN'T FRIENDSHIP JUST MAGIC?!" She said the last part with anger as she was looking at Pinkie Pie, who just smiled nervously.

"Rarity," intervened Twilight as she approached her, "Calm down. What's gotten into you?"

"What's gotten into YOU?!" she retorted, still convinced that they didn't care about her, "Oh, go ahead! See your little show and eat whatever you want! Congratu-pony-lations, my friends! Sounds like, you've all figured out already that it's 'everypony for herself' IN THIS CITY!" After that outburst, she ran away from the room, frustrated that her friends didn't want to help her. She left the hotel and headed somewhere else to calm herself down.

The room was silent. The group of friends was still processing what just happened. But then, they looked at each other and silently agreed to keep working. They wouldn't enjoy the show anyway, knowing that their friend was mad at them. However, that didn't mean they weren't sad that they would miss the musical and have to wait for dinner for one hour.

The adults worked all night until they finished all the dresses in the morning, and Bulma installed the capsules in them to complete the work. Said action was all what the Fashionista waited for, as she took her new wardrobe and headed towards the host theater of the Fashion Week, "Finally!"

Twilight, however, didn't like it at all, for it was almost like she didn't care that they didn't even sleep to make those dresses. She at least owed them a 'thank you' at least, "You're welcome!" she exclaimed with a slightly mad expression. Then, she sighed and closed the door, but when she turned herself, she saw that everyone fell asleep, so she decided to join them.


[Fashion Week's Ballroom, Social District]

Meanwhile, Rarity arrived at the Ballroom and showed Prim Hemline her brand new line. To say that the host of the event was impressed was an understatement. The hotel-themed designs alone were unconventional but outstanding, to say the least. However, what really blew her mind was that the said dresses were easily transportable in small capsules. It was something totally new in all of Equestria, and it assured Rarity's qualification for the next stage of the event.  

Some hours later, the single-elimination phase of the Fashion Week started. All of the top fashion designers of Equestria were present, as the judges were choosing the winner among the novices and select those who would compete with them later. All of the contestants' wardrobes were amazing, but Suri Polomare's line was the frontrunner. Rarity's one-of-a-kind fabric was the main reason for that, and she was proud of it. Coco, however, wasn't that happy of showing a copied piece of work in such an event, but what could she do?

After another round of applause, Suri started leaving the catwalk, followed by Coco Pommel. The pink-coated earth pony saw that Rarity was waiting for her turn, so once close enough, she mocked her again, "Well, look who's here. Here to show off your copycat collection, hm?"

The Fashionista just glared at her and waited for her summon. "And now," announced Prim Hemline, "Rarity from Ponyville with her brand new line, and I mean 'brand new' Hotel Chic."

The models that wore Rarity's dresses came out of the backstage and were almost immediately met by a round of applause. However, the judges and the rest of the spectators applauded even more once they saw them removing their dresses with a mere touch, and getting dressed again after activating a small item. That was the capsules' new settings that Bulma created.

Witnessing this, Rarity was getting excited to the point she wanted to celebrate with her friends. She was the frontrunner now! However, she realized that they didn't even come to see the Fashion Week event. Just then, she remembered what had happened the previous night and understood why they didn't even bother to come, "What have I done?"

Only when she realized her mistake and knew what she had to do, her irises turned rainbow-colored for a moment. She quickly left the building, much to Prime Hemline disbelief, and headed toward the hotel to apologize to her friends. Fortunately, the Taxi driver she helped saw her and transported her for free to the Manefair Hotel as an act of gratitude.

Once there, she asked the porter if she saw her friends leave, and he answered that they left a while ago. Rarity was sure that they probably used Goku's Instant Transmission to go back to Ponyville, so she had to talk with Prim Hemline first and then take the first train to go back home. But before she left, she thanked the porter with a ruby and an amethyst.

After a while, she arrived at the theater again and talked with the receptionist, " I need a moment with Prim Hemline. I have to rush back to Ponyville, but I just wanted to thank her first for-"

She couldn't finish the sentence because of Suri, who entered the reception with her assistant, "Uh-uh-uh, you'd best steer clear of Prim for a while. She's pretty furious." Then, she wanted support from Coco and asked, "Isn't that right?"

"Um... yes," she answered with a guilty tone, something that went unnoticed by the Fashionista.

Suddenly, all of her friends, including Bulma and Trunks, entered the reception as well, much to the Element of Generosity's surprise. "There you are!" she exclaimed with a hint of happiness, "I can't believe it, I thought you went back home!"

"No, we just overslept," said Goku with a neutral tone. The Mane 5 and Spike, however, had sad expressions because of that.

"And Suri told us you lost," added Twilight with a sad tone and expression, "I'm really sorry."

"I lost?" Rarity asked in a sad tone, but then she said, "You know what? I don't even care. I'm just happy you're all still here after how I treated you. Taking advantage of your friendship the way I did. How could you ever see past it?"

"Last night, we may not have seen you at your best," explained Twilight, "But we know you. And we would never let one thing like that change how we feel about you." After that, the Mane 5 and Spike hugged her to prove that there was no grudge. Then, they saw Goku, Goten, Bulma, and Trunks smiling at them, and they smiled back.

"Maybe I can make it up to you all," said Rarity, who still felt that she needed to apologize somehow. They all left the building while Suri was laughing. Unbeknownst to them: her plan was a success. Her assistant, however, felt like the worst being in Equestria; first, copying and now sabotage. But she saw the bond Rarity had with her friends, so she started to think that another way was possible.


[Bridleway Theater, Theater District]

Rarity was able to make the actors and actresses of 'Hinny of the Hills' do an extra performance in exchange for making all of the costumes for her costume designer friend's next show in Manehattan. That would have kept her away from Ponyville for a while, but she still wanted to do it for her friends.

The show was amazing for the Mane 6 and Bulma, but Trunks didn't know what to think. They started commenting on the performance, and Twilight wanted to ask Goku if he liked it. However, she noticed that he fell asleep, and Goten was trying to wake him up. Bulma noticed it too and just shook her head as she thought, "Goku..." The others saw it as well, and started laughing, but not in a malicious way.

After that, they heard the doors opening and a voice saying, "Mind if I join you?"

They turned their heads and saw that it was Coco Pommel, Suri's assistant. "Sure. Come on down," answered Rarity. She was wondering why she was there. Coco approached Rarity and pulled out of her bag a well-known trophy. "This is the first place trophy for Fashion Week," commented Rarity with a surprised tone, then she gasped and said, "With my name on it! But I thought I lost!"

"You didn't," she answered as she gave her the item, "You won!" Then, she explained, "Suri was hoping that, if you didn't claim your prize, the judges would consider it a forfeit and first place would go to her. So, she lied to make you, and your friends to make them go away, and, well, I lied too." Then she added, "I've worked for Suri for so long, I started to believe that it really is 'everypony for herself' in this city. Until I saw how generous you are with your friends and how generous they were with you. It made me start believing there was something better for me out there. So, I– I quit." After that, she pulled out of her bag a gift, "I brought you something to say thank you."

Rarity accepted the gift with a smile, but then she immediately realized that she was jobless now. But suddenly, an idea crossed her mind, "I suppose you'll need a job now that you're no longer with Suri. How would you like to work for my friend, making all the costumes for his next show?"

Coco was surprised at first, but then she joyfully smiled. She was offering her a job and a new beginning, one without lies and where generosity reigned unmatched? She gladly accepted the offer.

"So, you're going back to Ponyville in the end," said Bulma, putting herself next to Rarity.

"Yes, darling," she answered, "But I want to tell you that it was fun working with you last night. You have talent: you should be a fashion designer."

"Oh, no, hehe," replied Bulma with a smile, "I mean, I love fashion, but I'm a scientist at the core."

"It's a shame, though. You would’ve been amazing."

"That doesn't mean we can't work together again, you know," said the scientist with a smile, something that made Rarity smile as well.

"I'll be looking forward to it!"

After that, Goku finally woke up, noticed that the show had already ended, and saw everyone gathered two meters away from him, "Eh? Did I miss something?"

All of his friends just laughed at this, much to Goku's confusion.


[Manehattan's Outskirts, Capsule Corporation - Equestrian Division]

A week later, Bulma woke up and did her usual routine before starting her work in the laboratory. However, someone rang the bell of her house, so she had to interrupt what she was doing. When she opened the door, she saw a pony with a bag full of mail; he probably was the postman or post-pony. "Good morning, Ma’am. Is this Capsule Corporation?"

"Yes, it is," answered Bulma. Once she confirmed it, the Post-pony gave her a lot of mail. Fortunately, she could use her magic or else she would be in trouble.

"Have a nice day, Ms. Bulma."

The scientist wondered why she received so much mail, so she opened up one, and started to read it. It was a local company that was interested in her capsules, much to her surprise. Then, she read another one, and it was the same thing. All of them were companies that heard about the capsules, thanks to the Fashion Week event and wanted to do business with Capsule Corporation. A huge smile appeared on her face: finally, the company was starting its operations!


[Carousel Boutique, Ponyville]

Meanwhile, Rarity was writing what she learned during Fashion Week on the Friendship Book. She learned that one should never let others abandon his or her generous spirit, even if they took advantage of it, and that nothing felt worse than taking advantage of the giving nature of one's friends.

Once she finished, she opened Coco's gift, revealing it to be a rainbow thread. She smiled and put it among other threads on a shelf as a reminder of the last week. Then, she went away, but once she did it, the rainbow thread mysteriously shined for a moment.