Rarity squinted over the dress under her sewing machine, careful to move it in just the right way. She mumbled to herself, careful to keep the dress moving correctly. Her eyes felt heavy, falling over her eyes like shutters. Her eyes suddenly shot open, before sighing. She flipped off the machine, before taking the dress off and examining it. It was mostly done, and she decided that she could finish it later.
She slid the dress onto a hook, before sleepily trotting over to a chair by the stairs. She sat down, sighing and looking up at a clock over on the opposite wall. Ten Forty-five. Another fifteen minutes to when Rainbows... Help, would be arriving.
She still could barely wrap her head around the concept. Rainbow Dash, the least formal and most brash pony she knew, was apparently not only wealthy, but she was an aristocrat! She had spent the whole night after getting back from Canterlot thinking about it. Hence why she was so tired at this time.
She didn't realize that she had slipped into a light sleep until the bell above the door issued a shrill ring. She shot up in her seat, looking around in a panic before spotting Twilight and Pinkie Pie enter the boutique. She stood up, quickly flipping her mane back into place, and asked, "Oh, hello, darlings. What can I do for you?"
"Hi, Rarity", Twilight said. "I was just coming to see how my dress was coming along."
"Oh, yes. Of course", Rarity said, nodding. "I almost forgot. I just got it finished yesterday before I went to attend the opera with Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis. I'll go grab it."
As Rarity went to the small storage closet to retrieve it, Pinkie asked, "So, how was the opera anyway? I heard C.S Pinafore is actually pretty good!"
"Oh, it was a perfectly fine performance", Rarity said, grabbing the dress in her magic and turning back to the two of them. "To be honest, however, I was personally more interested in the other pony we were sharing the box with."
"Who was that?", Twilight asked.
Rarity mulled the thought over in her head. They likely didn't know about Rainbow's secret. Or would it be Silver Rush's? Anyway, it couldn't hurt. "Have either of you heard of one Baroness Silver Rush?"
"A few rumors, but nothing all that substantive", Twilight said.
Pinkie just shook her head and said, "Nope. Was she nice? Did she actually have a lot of silver? Was she another uptight Snobby McSnob-pants?"
"No, she wasn't, and no she didn't", Rarity said, transferring the dress to Twilights aura. "She was actually kind enough to invite me to her family estate in order to work out a few... details."
"What sort of details? Are you making her a dress?", Twilight asked.
"Potentially. Again, it's mostly just to work a few things out", Rarity said. "She's supposed to be sending somepony down to pick me up at around eleven, and I was just finishing up my work before th-"
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Ah, that must be them", Rarity said, slipping past her friends to open the door.
Sure enough, on the other side of the door was the same griffon that she had seen last night working for Rainbow Dash. He still wore the same suit jacket and clothes, however also wore a simple black fedora to protect his face. He bowed his head and said, "Guten Morgen, Fraulein. The Baroness is waiting. This way, if you will."
"That's my cue. I must be going, girls. Please lock the door when you leave", Rarity called back, heading out the door. Outside, just in front of the boutique, was a fine carriage hooked up to a pair of griffons in the same armor she had seen last night, albeit not on the same griffons, with a third on the back in a similar uniform to Gabriel. The carriage itself was a thing of beauty; made of what appeared to be oak painted a dark burgundy, with golden rimmed wheels and a rather aerodynamic shape for a carriage. Although that was a given, considering the fact it was pulled by griffons.
Gabriel walked up to the side and opened the door, holding it open for Rarity. Rarity stepped inside, noting the red velvet seats and the container below the seat filled with several bottles of wine and rolls of crackers. Gabriel entered after her, shutting the door and yelling something to the coachgrif. The carriage took off, flying north and soon leaving Ponyville and Mount Canterhorn as a mere speck on the horizon, before they vanished completely.
+++++~+++++
Around an hour later, Rarity was tapped awake by Gabriel. He said, "Ah, you are awake."
"I, I fell asleep?", Rarity asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
"Jawhol", he said. "The Baroness doesn't like to be awoken from her naps, so I have grown accustomed to letting her sleep. However, we are here, so I should wake you, lest you fall out the door as I open it. Given the circumstances, I have a feeling that would be bad."
Rarity looked out the window, and her eyes went wide. In front of her was a massive cloud mansion, easily ten times the size of the Carousel Boutique. It was styled in the fashion of an Ancient Pegasi fortress, with high columns, narrow windows, and a parapet lining the roof. A large staircase ran up the front, statues of Pegasi in armor lining the edge of the stairs. A sort of garden was around the base of the stairs, enchanted terracotta pots filled with flowers and small fruit trees.
Rarity scooted over to the other side, looking out the window on the opposite side only to be greeted with the open sky. Looking down, she could make out a sprawling marsh, dotted with trees and places where the waterways collected, below the cloud cover. A small house sat in the shade of a large forest, with a small farm snaking around it like a large horseshoe.
"Before we go any further", Gabriel said, pulling out a small box made of silver. He opened it, revealing a small, carved bone pendant on a golden chain. "You should put this on. It is enchanted with a cloud walking spell. She insisted that this be given to you, as opposed to the Butler casting a spell on you. Something about magic wings?"
Rarity giggled lightly at the recollection, before taking the necklace and putting it around her neck. Gabriel then opened the door and exit the carriage, stopping and holding out a paw for her. She took it, stepping out onto the clouds. After a heavy sigh at her not falling through the clouds, she followed him up the stairs and into the foyer.
Rarity was once again amazed by the interior. A large golden chandelier hung over a red Saddle Arabian carpet. A few mahogany tables stood at various points around the foyer. Several doors lead to various wings of the mansion, with a large staircase leading up to both the second and third floors.
In front of them were two ponies. The first was a pale yellow unicorn with an orange mane, wearing a similar coat to Gabriel. Next to him was a pegasus mare, with a pink coat and a blue mane and tail. The latter wore a simple spring dress, a darker shade of pink than her own coat that contrasted against her coat.
"Ah, Hallo Gabriel", the Mare said, a warm smile on her face. "And you must be Rarity, no?"
"Ah, yes. I am. And, you are?", Rarity asked.
"Oh, where are my manners?", she said, before grinning. "I am Baroness Firefly, wife of Baron Blitzwing. And, of course, mother of Baroness Silver Rush."
"Right", Rarity said, still growing accustomed to her friend having that name.
"All due respect, Baroness", Gabriel said. "But her excellency wishes to meet with this ponyage post haste."
"Well, don't let me stop you", Firefly said, shrugging. "I'm just going to stretch my wings. You have a good day, Miss Rarity." With that, the two of them walked past them, heading for the door.
"Right this way", Gabriel said, motioning for Rarity to follow him.
She followed him up the staircase to the second floor, before turning to the left and entering one of the doors. This lead to a long hallway, lined with busts and paintings of various pegasi, many wearing circlets or helmets. Near the end of the hallway, and past several other doors, was a simple wooden door with golden inlays. "This is the Baroness's drawing-room", Gabriel said.
"She draws!?", Rarity almost shrieked.
The door opened, and Rainbow Dash opened the door. She was wearing a purple bathrobe with a fluffy white lining, and also wore a deadpan expression. "No, I don't. That's just what it's called. Now, come in, before the Butler has an aneurism."
"Isn't Gabriel your butler?", Rarity asked.
"No, he's my Valet", Rainbow said. "The butler is a yellow unicorn. Now, are you gonna come in or not?"
Rarity simply nodded, following her friend into the room. It was a simple, almost spartan room. A simple table sat in the middle room, a few chairs around it, along with a small desk on the opposite wall. A small window shot a ray of light onto the desk, revealing the dust that floated above it.
Rainbow slumped down onto one of the chairs, sighing. "Yo, Rares. Want some coffee?"
Suppressing a yawn, Rarity said, "Yes. As, as a matter of fact, I would."
"Trotish or Equestrian?", Rainbow asked.
"Eh, Equestrian?", Rarity asked, somewhat unsure of the difference.
"Gabriel!", Rainbow called. The griffon entered, before bowing and awaiting his commands. "Ein Trab und ein Reitkaffee. Bringen Sie Sahne und Zucker mit*."
After the griffon left, Rainbow sighed. "Anyway, I assume you have a lot of questions. So, ask away, what do you want to know?"
"Why didn't you just bring your own dress to the Gala?"
Rainbow adjusted herself in her seat, raising an eyebrow. "Of all the things you ask, you ask that?"
"It is not the only one, but it is the first", Rarity said. "So, why? If you can afford all this, then why didn't you provide your own dress?"
"Well, if I recall I didn't ask for one. You wanted to make one for me as you did for all the others, and who was I to stop you?", Rainbow asked.
Rarity opened her mouth, only to clamp it shut and put her hoof to her chin. She said, "Ok, that is a good point. Now, onto my second. What's your real name?"
"My real name is Silver Rush", Rainbow said. "But, you can call me Rainbow if it makes you more comfortable."
"Why do you even have all of... of this, anyway?", Rarity asked.
"You mean the two identities and the magic disguise?", Rainbow asked, to which Rarity nodded. Rainbow sighed, sitting up in her seat before leaning back. "You want the long version or the short version?"
"Long, if you don't mind."
"Eh", Rainbow shrugged. "Fine by me. Alright. Anyway, I was obviously born here, and named Silver Rush. I actually didn't spend all that much time in Cloudsdale."
"Really?", Rarity asked. "Then why did you end up there and meet up with Fluttershy?"
"Well, when I was a foal... I was... a bit of a brat", Rainbow said rubbing the back of her head. "Like, Blueblood level brat. However, unlike when whatever kind of home life that he had, my parents had enough sense to try and get me out of it."
"So that's how you met Fluttershy?", Rarity asked.
"Yeah", Rainbow said. "Rainbow Blaze, the guy who I said was my uncle, actually just works for my parents as a courier. I was given a magic earring, they came up with a story about me being his niece, and boom! I spent a year in Cloudsdale. They tricked me by saying that they were renovating my wing of the mansion, and the bits that they sent with me for him was my allowance. After that, of course, I found out their plan and that the bits was his pay."
Rarity nodded and said, "Huh. Obviously, it worked."
"Yeah. I got my cutie mark a few months into my visit, and stopped being such a jerk", Rainbow said, before blushing and giving a slight chuckle. "Well, as much of a jerk."
"I see", Rarity said. "So, why'd you come to Ponyville?"
"A few things. Course, I wanted to be near my best friend. You've only been around other Aristocrats for a few months, so you have NO idea how boring and stuck up noble daughters are. I also wanted to be a bit more independent of my family, which they fully supported. And, besides that, I also wanted to keep a bit of a low profile."
"From the nobility?", Rarity asked, which earned her a nod. "Whatever for? Fancy Pants, Fleur de Lis, and several others are rather nice!"
Gabriel entered the room again, holding a pair of mugs and small cups on a silver tray. He set it down on the table, before retiring from the room. "Danke, Gabriel!", Rainbow called after him. She picked up her cup with her wing, taking a big sip, and let out a sigh. "Ah, that's good. Anyway. Rares, remember what you told me about what happened at the Wonderbolts Derby? With the stares?"
"Of course. Very uncomfortable", Rarity said.
"Yeah. Now, imagine that at all times. The stares, the condescending questions, the chatting behind your back about 'Rustic' hobbies? I do want to join the Wonderbolts, for the record. Beyond that, I don't want to mess up my parent's reputation. My older brother-"
"You have an older brother?", Rarity asked.
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah. Dusk Raker. He's currently in Trottingham with his marefriend, but he's the 'Public Heir', if you will. Anyway, I don't really want my family to be attached to the 'Rebel' who wants to join the Wonderbolts."
Rarity took a sip of her own coffee, before asking something that had been bothering her for a while. "Then, why have you never told our friends."
"I have reasons for each", Rainbow said. "Applejack has a bit of a bias against the upper class, and I thought it might affect our relationship."
"Relationship?", Rarity asked.
Rainbow cocked her head in confusion, before her eyes widened in realization. "Not that kind of relationship. Our friendship, let's put it that way. Anyway, Pinkie can't hold a secret to save her life, and would blab it to the world. I don't have a real reason for hiding it from Twilight, but I just have a feeling that she might tell the others. And I didn't want to tell you because you're really into the upper class, and I thought you might blab too."
"And, what about Fluttershy?"
"Oh, she knows. I couldn't exactly hide it from her for all that long, and she agreed to keep my secret", Rainbow said. "So, you can see my points?"
"I can understand it", Rarity said. "But I think you might be underestimating our friends."
"We both know I'm right about Pinkie", Rainbow deadpanned.
"Ok, that's fair", Rarity said. "But, still, I still expect that it won't be as bad as you think."
Rainbow took another sip of coffee, before setting it back down on the table. She said, "You're probably right. I can tell them in a few days, ok? I told them I was visiting my parents, and wouldn't be back for a few days. Now, in the meantime, to business."
"Business!?", Rarity balked. Rainbow snickered, and Rarity realized that she was kidding with her. "Oh, ha ha ha. Very funny, Rainbow."
"Oh come on. You gotta admit I got you", Rainbow said, grinning. "But, in all due seriousness, I do wanna get a dress. I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind either."
"Perhaps... first, I mean, we can do that later. Perhaps...?"
Rainbow asked, "You want me to show you around?"
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble", Rarity said.
"Alright. Let's go", Rainbow said, standing and heading for the door. Rarity followed, eagerness welling up in her. She had a feeling that this was gonna be the start of a new understanding between her and Rainbow Dash. Or, well Silver Rush. Not that it mattered much. They were still friends, afterall.