It was another sunny summer day in Ponyville, with the sun well-exposed by the army of weather-controlling Pegasus ponies. But all that sun was quite welcome on the expansive Apple Family farm, Sweet Apple Acres. The various Ponyville-native Apple family members were doing their usual actions: ancient Granny Smith was asleep in her rocking chair, dreaming of a new hip; Big Macintosh was hauling huge loads of apples to market, while also searching for a new piece of straw; Applebloom had scampered away from her responsibilities to join Zecora in the Everfree Forest; and Applejack was doing her duty, bucking apples from the trees, to later gather them up for Big Macintosh to take away. It was hot, tiring, unforgiving work, but she loved it. She relished the chance to work her muscles and do all kinds of physical labor.
Having just bucked down a load of apples, she was hauling them away in a cart to the central repository, where they could be loaded into the larger market carts that Big Mac hauled day in and day out. She wiped at her forehead with a hoof, and started trudging along again, when all of a sudden, the most deliciously cool breeze blew over her body, making her stop in closed-eyed bliss to savor the sudden turn in her meteorological fortunes. “Well mah goodness. This here sure is refreshing.”
“Just wanted to see if I could get you to stop.” With her usual chuckling tone, Rainbow Dash sped off from her position in front of Applejack to zip around in the space above her head. “You should have seen your face. You were glad to stop and relax. I always knew it.”
“Y'all know very well that it’s hot out here, Sugarcube! It’s not mah fault that a little breeze feels good under all that sun y’all Pegasus ponies put on us. An’ besides, what would y’all know 'bout hard work anyhow? Not like y’all ever worked hard a day in yer life. It’s not fun but y'do it, and if it takes a little breeze break then it takes a breeze break.”
“Never worked hard a day in my life? Are you kidding me?” Rainbow Dash zipped down and hovered right in front of Applejack, flying backwards to follow her inexorable forward motion. “Do you have any idea how much work it takes to be worthy of flying with the Wonderbolts? I have to do turns and dashes and stops until my wings feel like they’re going to fall off! I’ve smashed my face into the ground and trees and water more often than I can count. I’ve done a lot of hard work to get this good, you know. I mean, do you think that mail lady Ditzy Doo can fly backwards? I don’t think so.”
“Huh. So y'all can fly? What’s so special about that in a pegasus pony? I do all kinds of very specialized and technical hard work. Why, ya practically gotta have a technical degree to work here.”
“Come ON, AJ! How hard can it be to buck down apples all day then get your muscle-head brother to haul them to town?” To demonstrate, Rainbow Dash flew up to a tree with apples and gave it a sharp kick. Only one apple fell, straight onto her head.
“Y'all can’t say that kinda thing 'bout Big Macintosh. Sure… He’s not the swiftest pony in the world. But he does a good job! We all do. ‘Ceptin’, o’ course fer Granny Smith but she’s too old fer applebuckin’. And Applebloom on account o’ her spendin’ all her time with Zecora out in the Everfree forest and… What was we talkin’ about again?”
Rainbow Dash softly rubbed her head where the apple hit, then looked over at Applejack. “Ugh… Stupid thing… I, uh, think we were talking about a lunch break. I’m gettin’ kinda hungry. Have you got any carrot-apple fritters?”
Applejack rolled her eyes at Rainbow Dash’s casual dismissal of the main point to talk about slacking off. Again. “Well… ah’m kinda hungry myself. And ah DO love me a good fritter. How did y'all know they’s mah favorite?”
“I didn’t. That’s my favorite too.” Rainbow Dash smiled to Applejack, and flapped her way steadily over to her. “And do you like celery-carrot muffins with cinnamon candies?”
“Ah don’t eat 'em a lot. But yea, when ah needs me a break from apples… What do y’all think of apple tea?”
“Love it. It’s great during the winter. And apple-cinnamon hot chocolate.”
Applejack motioned towards the farmhouse with her head. “These apples’ll keep. Let’s have us somethin’ to eat. And talk about stuff we like.”
- - -
While Rainbow Dash and Applejack went off to lunch, Twilight Sparkle was well into the middle of hers. She had a sensible spread of alfalfa salad, carrot sticks, celery stalks and water. Spike, for his part, appeared to have an equally sensible spread of lighter element crystals, low-end diamonds and a few gold pieces as a side, thought Twilight knew that at least some of the alleged azurite spreads were rock candy grown on a stone. She didn’t begrudge him his little nutritional indiscretions. He was a young dragon, after all.
“So it looks like we’re all ready for next Winter Wrap-Up. The mayor just told me that she liked my logistics and wanted them implemented on day one hour one. I’ll write up a few checklists and deliver them, so the team leaders can have them ready.”
“Man, Twilight, when you get into something you always get REALLY into it. I still say we ought to just use magic like we did back in Canterlot.”
“No good. Remember the berserk snowplow incident? Besides, like I told you a hundred times, it’s traditional here in Ponyville to do it in a non-magical way. So as long as that’s how it’s done, we’ll do it the sensible way. With logistics.”
“Alright, alright. Geez, you’re like a broken record.” Spike chewed sullenly on a piece of gold for a moment before saying, “You know, time has passed again and I think I should ask…”
“Spike, I’m still not going to give you a moustache again.”
“Come on! At least give me the soul patch! I looked really good with that thing! I’m sure I could get Rarity’s attention with one of those.”
“Keep eating all that gold and I’m sure you’ll attract Rarity’s notice. She’s over here often enough as it is.” Twilight daintily leaned down to nibble on her vegetation.
“Hi there! Oh my gosh, Twilight! Are you having lunch? Why didn’t you say so? I got so busy over at the bakery I almost forgot, which is weird because I was surrounded by food. But I guess my tummy just didn’t remember to keep up with everything, and then I forgot to listen because it was growling and growling and growling but I thought it was the timer so I kept looking around d and there wasn’t anything going off and I finally realized what it was, so here I am.” Following the intense explosion of rapid-fire chatter, Pinkie Pie stood there, smiling her biggest, Pinkie-est smile at Twilight, whose face at been propelled into the pile of alfalfa.
“Pinkie Pie… I can appreciate your, how do I put this, unbridled enthusiasm for life in general. However, I really, really don’t think it’s…”
“Oh! Twilight, you don’t have to say anything. I know what’s wrong! You’re upset because all you have is that boring alfalfa for lunch. But don’t worry! I made sure to be a good friend and bring you these!” From out of her side-pouch, which Twilight had just noticed, Pinkie extracted several cupcakes, her usual specialty.
“Ahh, err… Th-thank you, Pinkie Pie. That sounds good. But I…” Twilight looked into Pinkie’s eagerly-smiling face, beaming with hope and enthusiasm, trusting her dear friend to eat her super-sweet treats. “Ummm… I…” The smile bored into her soul. And Twilight sighed. “I’ll have a few.”
“Pushover…” Spike muttered, scraping the alleged azurite off the small piece of rock on which it spread.
Twilight made a mocking facial expression at Spike, then smiled brightly to Pinkie, biting the top off of one of the cupcakes, getting a huge mouthful of frosting and cake. Oh, the sugar. She could feel her teeth under assault. “Just like I remember the last few you brought over.”
“Yaaaaay! Oh I just KNEW you’d love love love LOVE it, Twilight! And did you see? Did you see? I was up all night mixing up the colors but I finally got the frosting to be the exact colors of your body and mane! Isn’t that just amazing? It’s like you’re eating yourself, but, you know, less painful.”
“Yes, it’s a very… Attractive mental image…” Twilight finally looked down at the cupcakes and realized that, indeed, they were her own shade. The thought was as creepy as it was unusual.
“Oh! And look! I made one that looked like me!” A bubblegum-pink cupcake tumbled out of the bag, ending up leaning against one of the darker ones. “Awww, how cute! They’re hugging! Now chomp ‘em down!”
“W-what?” Twilight was seldom surprised by any random thing Pinkie said. That was something that passed the normal mark.
“Go on, they’ll be all happy together in your stomach! Come on. Pleeeeeeeease?” The sweet expression was back, the too-wide smile and enormous eyes, pristine teeth gleaming. It was almost impossible to resist such a face.
“Fine…” For Twilight, entirely impossible. She very rapidly munched down the pair of cupcakes, briefly struck, again, by the oddity of coloration.
“Aren’t they just delicious? I used a little flavoring in the frosting and it all goes together perfectly. Doesn’t it? Doesn’t it? Doesn’t it?” Pinkie asked her questions in an increasingly manic voice, jabbing her head closer to Twilight and twisting it more and more, until she was at the limit of her capability.
“Ummm. Y-yea! They’re really great! That was way better than all my other food.” Twilight felt no shame in lying to Pinkie. Primarily because she wasn’t really lying. Better in flavor, of course, though nutritionally dubious at best.
“Yay! I knew it! Well, I’ve gotta go back to Sugarcube Corner. I just wanted to share with you. You needed something nice to eat.” With a final, tremendous smile, Pinkie bounced out of the Library.
“Ugh… How does she manage to talk me into this sort of thing?” Twilight hung her head and shook it a little bit, mutedly munching on the alfalfa and other bits of vegetation still before her.
“How? Duh! The same way Whispering Wind used to get you to do her calculus homework, and how Cinnamon Cider got you to give her your desserts. She smiles, she begs and you cave in. I swear, Twilight, you’re so easy. And this one is even worse! I never believed for a second you really cared about Whispering Wind or Cinnamon Cider, but Pinkie…”
“Stop. Right. There.” Twilight reached across the table and planted a fore hoof on Spike’s lips, glaring hotly at him. “Yes, I’m a sucker for a pretty face. Like my being a filly fooler is unusual. And yes, Pinkie is cute. But I do NOT have a crush on her. Know how many friends I’ve had before I got here, aside from you? None. Know how many times I’ve fallen in love, really? None. The first one, I’ve fixed. But I’m not trying to fix the second. So forget whatever it is you’re thinking. And understand this, I am not in love with Pinkie Pie.”
- - -
Well away from that happening, Fluttershy was feeding her animal friends, leaving out carrots and celery and seeds. She was surrounded by her usual cloud of birds and bunnies, who all waited for another treat to be dropped. “Oh my little friends, be patient. I won’t forget any of you.” Her soft voice was louder than normal, her confidence slightly increased thanks to her proximity to the animals. She was so much more comfortable and confident with them. They didn’t scare her. They didn’t judge her or try to hurt her. Except for that rabbit, Angel, but he hadn’t been bothering her lately.
“Oh there you are! Darling, I’ve been looking just everywhere for you.” With a sudden flash of sparkles and rattle of gemstones on precious metal, Rarity was there, trotting her way from Ponyville out into the nebulous wild area on the outskirts. “I see you’re with you… Quaint… Animal friends once again. Well, I suppose it is a rather charming part of your personality.”
“Rarity!” Fluttershy’s voice scarcely rose above her normal quiet tone as she reacted to the coming of Rarity and the departure of her animal friends. They tended to get skittish around the others most of the time. They only ever seemed calm during the Winter Wrap-Up, when they were ushered back or awakened from hibernation. “Um… What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here? Why, I’m looking for you, of course!”
“M-me? Why would you be looking for me?”
“My dear, can’t you tell? I am designing my new summer line for next year. It’s just the perfect time for it. And, darling, I simply MUST have you.”
“Yo-you must?” Fluttershy’s voice went up an octave, and her body hunched down just a touch.
“Indeed I must! Why, who else in this little village SCREAMS summer quite as much as you? Nopony, that’s who. So come along, and quickly. We have so much to do and so little time to waste. Can you imagine having the summer line ready while it’s ACTUALLY that summer? Unthinkable!” With that, Rarity clopped around behind Fluttershy and began pushing her rump towards the dress shop.
“No… Really, Rarity. I’m telling you that I’m entirely the wrong pony for this kind of thing.” Fluttershy’s protestations fell on deaf ears. And were rather well beyond redundant, because while she was making her soft-voiced objections, she was already in the dress shop, with a bright yellow slip on her, while Rarity used her magic to hover several different Victorian-style yellow-ruffled monstrosities before her face.
“Now, now, now, none of that! I’ll have no pouting and no shrinking from my primary model. You will be the cornerstone of my entire collection, everything tailored to your body and your look. And if all the rest of them can’t pull it off, well… That’s just their problem. My goal is to turn you into the “IT” pony of the year. Again. After all, you look spectacular.” The dress which was slipped onto Fluttershy was a medium-collared yellow-and-blue number in soft, subtle shades that did not intrude too much into a mixture that created the horrible green which Rarity disliked. “But I can make you look like a goddess.”
Fluttershy gasped loudly, her ears perking up and her tail flagging lightly as she bounced. “D-do you mean it? Um… I mean…” She went back into herself again, lowering her ears and head, and dropping her tail. “I don’t think I can do it. I’m not really beautiful.”
Rarity pulled at various pieces of the dress, fluffing the ruffles and lace, or adjusting the collar, before her magic brought in a lovely embroidered corset to wrap tight around Fluttershy’s middle and squeeze in tightly. “Don’t say things like that. I can assure you, you’re absolutely beautiful.” She went back to pulling and adjusting. “You just need some confidence and the right style. Trust me, I will bring out your inner beauty queen.”
“Um…” Fluttershy blushed deeply, and hid behind her hair at the thought of spending so much time with the elegant Rarity. “Th-that sounds like… It will be nice.”
- - -
“… With a dozen apples flying through the air and all the limbs flailin‘ all over. Eventually, Granny poured somma her “medicine” on the roots and Big Macintosh chopped it down. And that is why the Apple Family don’t do graftin’ no more.” The Apple Family homestead was a strangely perfect example of the Ship of Theseus, though no one in the family could appreciate that. The roof was original, though well-patched, while the rest of the house had been entirely replaced following the parasprite attack. But it had been replaced exactly as it had been, and it was thought of as the same old homestead. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were sitting at the new old kitchen table, each faced with the remains of a few carrot-apple fritters. “There’s also a story ‘bout why the Apple Family don’t do no more GRIFTIN’, but we don’t talk ‘bout uncle Bad Apple in polite society, like Granny says.”
“Wow. I never realized that the life of an apple orchard owner could be so awesome!” Rainbow Dash went from a face of transfixed awe to one of excitement, a hoof clopping down on the table a few times. “You’re really surprising, AJ. I mean, I knew about rounding up stampedes and all that, but I didn’t think you did that kind of stuff a lot.”
“Well, maybe not a lot. We’re not as magical as, say, Canterlot. But I’ll tell ya, Sugarcube, with the Everfree forest just over yonder, and all them unicorns about, and all them other critters what come through, I keep purty busy.” Applejack was casually leaning back, seeming quite pleased with herself. It was a real feat to impress Rainbow Dash. And a great pleasure as well.
“I’ve still gotta hand it to you, AJ. You kick tail.” Rainbow Dash slurped a big mouthful of apple juice through a straw and sighed right after. “Well, back to work for me. We’ve had clouds drifting in from the Everfree forest all day, and I’m the only one willing to put in the time to handle them. And, I guess you need to get back to work, too.”
“Oh, right. Work.” Applejack sucked down the last of her apple juice, and got up from the table. “Back t’ applebuckin’. Gotta get them apples ready fer market day, so’s Big Macintosh can jes gather ‘em up in his big market carts and haul ‘em away.”
“Do you know? Have you heard the news?” Jealous eyes glared hotly at Applejack as she emerged from the homestead right behind Rainbow Dash. “No, of course you don’t know. I’m not going to tell you how completely I’ll ruin you…” Harsh, hateful words rasped out from a bitter mouth, while the eyes fairly glowed with malice. “You don’t know anything. You don’t know about pain. But I’ll teach you, Applejerk. I’ll make you share my suffering.”
- - -
“No, no, with CONFIDENCE, darling. Almost all of modeling is sheer, pure confidence. Do that, and the audience will just fall at your hooves, stunned and unable to resist.” Rarity, done with her designs, was leading Fluttershy through her paces in one of the outfits she had created. She led the shy pony up and down her small runaway, trying to get her to strut like a proper model.
“But Rarity, um… I just don’t have that kind of confidence…” Fluttershy once again tried to hide behind her hair, her head slightly tucked down, her nervous legs trembling each time she took a dainty step. “C-can’t you just use one of those mannequins to show off these clothes? Why do you need me?”
“Why, I told you. You’re the only one who could possibly make these designs shine! But, it will require a little confidence on your part. I’ve thought for a long time, that you could be a real beauty, almost as stunning as me, if I could just bring out the shining glory I know is in you. Remember, it’s all about attitude.” Rarity clopped along the floor below the runway, reflexively adjusting things on the outfit Fluttershy was wearing with little flashes of her power.
Fluttershy began to breathe quickly, tucking her head down more, blushing hotly and scarcely able to believe what she was hearing. Such kind words, from somepony she had always admired. Rarity’s beauty and her strong sense of confidence were both attractive traits. But to actually hear the object of her adoration speak to her in such a manner was beyond words. “Can you make it happen?”
Rarity nodded firmly and smiled her most radiant smile. “Darling, just let yourself fall into my capable hooves. Why, when I’m done molding you, you will be the most radiant beauty in all of Ponyville, next to me, of course. You will be my finest project, and everyone will be in awe when they see you.”
Fluttershy’s heart leaped in her chest, and her wings fluttered just enough to get her hovering over the runway. “Then… Do whatever you need to.”
Rarity prepared to say more, but was distracted by the sight of her clock. The face was made of a single large piece of opal, with hands made of delicately carved obsidian. Rather than numbers, a precious stone was inset at the proper spot, each shaped in a beautiful diamond. “Oh dear… I’m such a flighty girl when it comes to attempting perfection. I let time just slip away. I have a prior engagement to which I simply MUST attend. You are most welcome to keep the outfit. Should anything happen to it I will be only too glad to repair it. Just please be sure to come back tomorrow. Early. Bright and early.” She winked at the hovering Pegasus, and flashed a shining smile.
Fluttershy slowly lowered herself back down to the runway, and shyly nodded her head with a deep blush on her cheeks. “Alright. I’ll be here.” Still blushing, she slowly clopped out of the shop, just ahead of Rarity, who seemed to be smiling just for her.
- - -
“So, I guess I know what’s been going on out here.” The same bitter voice, the same jealous eyes. All belonging to a gryphon that dropped smoothly from the sky in the secluded apple orchard, right beside Applejack. With no one else around, leaving them alone. Isolated. “What you’re doing behind your family’s backs.”
“What are y'all talkin’ ‘bout? And who..?” Applejack turned around quickly, and found out who it was. “Wait an apple-pickin’ minute. Ah know you. Yer that “friend” a Rainbow Dash’s. The one that didn’t like us ponies here in Ponyville. That wasn’t very neighborly of ya.”
“Oooh, I wasn’t “neighborly”, was I?” Gilda affected a mocking tone, superficially attempting to mimic Applejack’s drawl. “That’s not my style. It’s not what I’m here for. Wasn’t what I was here for. I was trying to get back in touch with Dash. But you little ponies wouldn’t let up. Especially that pink one…” Gilda snapped her beak at the memory, but returned to the present. “Anyway, that’s old news. Now I’m here for something else.”
“Well, whatever it is, do it somewheres else. I’ve got apples to buck. Y'know, some of us work fer a livin’.” With that simple, but firm, comment Applejack went back to kicking the trees and knocking the apples into baskets.
“Oh yea. You work hard for a living. Except when you’re in your family’s house. Doing things.” The gryphoness narrowed her eyes and leaned in closer to Applejack, as though imparting a secret. “Filthy things.”
The statement made Applejack miss the tree completely, sending her backwards into a heap. “What in the heck are y'all talkin’ about? We was havin’ us some lunch and that’s all! I think it’s time fer you to leave. Imagine, comin’ ‘round here and sayin’ stuff…”
Gilda smiled. “You didn’t deny her being there. You wouldn’t, would you? I know your type. You pretend to be close-knit. Very friendly. Sure, you could be alone with her, but nothing was going on. And your family will believe you. I believe you. I just wanted to hear it for myself. Go back to work if you want. But just remember something, Applejerk: You’re not special.” Before a comment could be made, Gilda flapped her wings and bolted through the air.
While Applejack was still contemplating Gilda’s form, she was suddenly joined by Ditzy Doo, with her mailbag bulging. “Mail call! I had a big package and didn’t want to leave it by the mailbox.” From out of the oddly deep bag she pulled a huge box wrapped in brown paper. After handing it off, one eye popped out of position and she said, “Sometimes these kinds of things are a lot of trouble. But something good comes of them too. Derp.” The eye popped back into place and she ran off with all speed.
Applejack was having quite an odd time with people making statements and running away. But she just ignored it and opened up the package. It was her new hat! It looked exactly like her old hat, down to the tiniest detail. But, it was brand new. And that’s what mattered. She tried to put the incident with Gilda out of her mind and just plopped the new hat onto her head and tossed the old one onto the handle of her cart.
- - -
“Ok, lunch, check.” Twilight checked lunch off of her daily scroll and brought it close to her face for more examination. “Next it looks like I have to… Give Spike… A big moustache…” Below her neatly-depicted lunch was a crude, smudged drawing of Spike’s head, sporting an almost comically-oversized moustache. “Nice try.”
“Darn it!” Came the reply from elsewhere in the library.
“Sorry, Spike. But I’ve got this all planned down to the tiniest detail. An entire day of carefully structured and regulated activity, without a single piece of random interaction or an unexpected inter-”
“HelloooOOOoo!” All of a sudden, Rarity burst into the library, carrying several bolts of cloth across her back and two saddlebags presumably full of sewing equipment.
“Rarity?” Twilight lost her concentration and dropped the scroll to the ground.
“Rarity!” Spike, in a bit of a panic, looked down to his still-unfinished lunch plate and saw a large lump of gold he had been saving. Thinking fast, he quickly squeezed it into passable moustache shape, breathed a little fire on the middle portion to get it melty and then pressed it to his upper lip, the cooling metal adhering to his fireproof scales. “Fancy seeing you here. I guess you heard all about the new ‘stache.”
“No, actually, she’s here for her, ahem, totally random and completely unexpected pop-in visit to try and dress me up in some new zany creation. See, it’s right here on the schedule.” Twilight levitated the scroll to show Spike that right underneath his crudely drawn picture was Rarity, carting a collection of items. The box next to it was swiftly checked off. “Glad that’s out of the way. You can head back to your shop, Rarity. I’m sure you’ve got lots of work waiting and I really don’t want you to put any of it off any longer than you have to.”
“Oh, Twilight, how quaint you are, with your little schedules and frightening ability to plan for surprises. Now, come on. I brought in some all-new materials. No need for the measurements this time. I remember your sizes well. And… I know you’re still a bit wary after the odd incident with the measuring equipment.”
“It still stings when I sit down wrong.” Twilight noted, flatly, trying to ignore Rarity as she stocked the bookshelves.
“Now, honestly, that was not my fault. Something distracted me to such a degree that I simply could not keep focus on the ruler. You act like I did it on purpose.” Rarity carefully laid her fabric on one of the library tables, arranging it by dominant shade. “Come now, Twilight. Don’t be difficult. You know well that you absolutely NEED the magnificent creations that I can produce. Darling, it’s quite undignified to go around as bare as you do. How utterly common. Can you imagine! No, no. Someone such as you must be attired in only the finest, head to hoof.”
“Don’t mean to burst your bubble, Rarity, but I’m a scholar, not a fashionista. I leave that kind of thing to you. And Fluttershy. Sure, sometimes I need to wear robes for formal magical events or a dress for an especially important meeting in Canterlot. But besides that, what I wear is all about the weather and how I feel, not about fashions and trends or even art. Do you understand?”
Rarity paused in her work, having used her ability to manipulate multiple objects simultaneously to stretch out several of the bolts of cloth, with pins and scissors ready to trim and shape them. “I’m sorry, I was working on my preparations. I think I’ll go for an understated fall evening gown. What did you say?”
Twilight shook her head and gave Rarity a strained grin. “Really, Rarity, I appreciate the effort. But it’s not in my nature to be so showy. Please let me continue with my work. I’m sure you’d like to continue with yours.”
“Yes, exactly! Which is why I need you to hold still for just a moment…” With a flurry of activity, the cloth and pins and threaded needs flew at Twilight as though they were attacking. In a flash, the rough outline of a gown was set with small stitches, pins and cloth seconds. It was flowing, and pleated, dark purple with black trim, magenta lace at the throat and the trim of the sleeves. “Perfect! It’s dark, mysterious, and stunning. In the bright light of a banquet or gala every eye will be upon you!”
Twilight had no mirror ready to hoof, but her magic was always ready to provide her what she needed. The table before her became an ornate mirror with a flash of her horn, revealing what Rarity had done to her. It was about what she expected. “And let me guess, you’re going to refine this, aren’t you?”
“And add a corset, high boots and some variety of hat. Or perhaps a snood. I’ll decide as I go. And don’t worry, darling, I’ll be sure to work all manner of stars into this. Don’t you trouble yourself about a thing.” The dress slid off of Twilight and carefully floated back over to Rarity, who placed all the floating objects back into their proper place. “I’ll work my heart out.”
“And that’s what I was afraid of…” Twilight sighed, the mirror turning back into a table. “At least she’s gone.”
“And she didn’t even notice my ‘stache.” Spike drooped, his gold moustache dropping from his lip to the floor.
- - -
Back at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie was doing her thing, desperately loading up boxes of treats as they popped off of Mr. and Mrs. Cake’s complicated treat machine. All the couple had to do was pour batter, frosting, liquid or semi-liquid base product or whatever else they had ready into appropriate input hoppers, push a few buttons and relax as the numerous metal forms, coal-fed ovens and steam-driven arms took the material and turned it into a colorful assortment of treats. It was the only way to keep up with demand, though they still made the odd thing by hoof, for the sake of appearances and tradition.
It left them very free to experiment with different flavors and varieties of familiar products, while keeping up production of “The Usual.” But it also left their single employee, Pinkie, responsible for collecting the finished products, adding any needed touches such as names or additional decorations, boxing them or setting them on counters, and then arranging everything for later shipping. And shipping later in the day. It was hard work. But Pinkie’s relentless, sugar-and-hot-sauce-fueled energy made her the only pony in Equestria that could actually handle the job.
Rainbow Dash made her way into the back room, using her normal, cool, casual attitude to make it look like she belonged back there. Even if Mr. and Mrs. Cake had noticed, they wouldn’t have cared; they knew Rainbow Dash was Pinkie’s friend, and was often in to see her. “Hey Pinkie! They got the machine on high again?”
“Oh hi..! Rainbow Dash… I don’t really… Know what… Speed they… Have!” Pinkie smiled at Rainbow Dash, but only managed to speak when she was placing a box of treats near her. She was moving at a fair clip, and seemed to be keeping up very well.
“Oh man. I may be fast but there’s no way I’d ever be able to do your job. How do you even keep up with that thing?” Rainbow Dash sat on her haunches and watched the pink blur in action, astounded by the perfect box stacking and occasional set-aside item destined for personalization.
“Oh! It’s… Easy! I just… Push all… The buttons… And it just… slows down… For a minute!” Saying that, Pinkie quickly hit random buttons beside one of the output hoppers and was rewarded with a reduced noise and generally slowed gears, which gave her time to pack up boxes of cupcakes and get ahead of the machine, still not looking all that stressed.
The machine, however, was clearly stressed by the combination of buttons pushed, or perhaps by the accumulated effect of all those buttons being repeatedly pushed. Not long after it resumed a normal operation, there was a hideous grinding sound of metal-on-metal and a wicked screech from deep within the iron heart of the device. All of a sudden, with a great shuddering heave, the thing gave out and simply stopped.
Though Rainbow Dash looked utterly shocked by the spectacle, Pinkie never batted an here. She simply hopped her way over to a cord and pulled it with her teeth, a faint tinkling sound heard not that far away. A moment later, a familiar figure trotted into the bakery. He was a chestnut stallion, with a pocket watch Cutie mark. He had heavily-laden saddlebags which clanked slightly as he moved; a strange contraption on his head that contained many lenses on metal arms that could, it seemed, be lowered into position one before another; and six watches on each leg, all of them ticking in precise unity. It was Tic-Tock, the Ponyville clockwork repair and construction specialist. “Ahh, yes. Miss Pinkie Pie. Causing harm to my devices again. Very well then. Mainspring. By the way, you rang for point-oh-five seconds longer than necessary. Try to be more efficient. Flywheel. Time is valuable.”
“I can’t get over that weird word thing…” Rainbow Dash whispered to Pinkie, watching Tic-Tock open a panel in the device and trot inside. “So, does this mean you’re off for the day?”
“Nope! Once he fixes the machine I’ll get back to work. But thanks for stopping by, Rainbow! It was really great of you.”
“Hey, no problem. I’ve gotta jet anyhow.” With a wink, Rainbow Dash zipped out of the bakery, leaving a rainbow rush in her wake.
“Come now, little ones, that’s right. You can stay with me tonight. It’ll be ok.” Fluttershy floated down the street, still cheerful from her time with Rarity, leading a family of chipmunks away from a tree which had blown down. “And tomorrow, we’ll find you a new…” Suddenly, there was a rush of wind and a sound of roaring, the chipmunks chittering in fear and climbing onto Fluttershy. “Oh my!”
The colorful blur halted further on and then zipped back, revealing Rainbow Dash. “Sorry about that, Fluttershy! But I’ve gotta do my speed runs every day if I want to be ready for the Wonderbolts.”
“Oh, it’s ok, Rainbow Dash. I understand. Just, please watch out. You could have hurt the little chipmunks.” Fluttershy lifted a wing to show off the shivering family. “If you like, I can go out and cheer for you while you practice.” She sucked in a quantity of air and let out a tiny, almost inaudible, “Yay.”
“Yea. That’s… That’s great, Fluttershy. You keep trying that out. I’ve gotta head out. See you around!” Rainbow Dash shot off suddenly, zipping through the forest and around trees fearlessly.
“Wow, she’s really good.” Twlilight came up from behind Fluttershy, who had been looking at Rainbow Dash with some impressed admiration.
“EEP!” Fluttershy responded as she normally tended to, going stiff and curling her legs under her, to become like a yellow rock.
“Oops, sorry. Didn’t mean to… Uhh… Fluttershy?” Twilight nudged Fluttershy with a hoof, while the Pegasus pony trembled in natural fear.
To be Continued