//------------------------------// // The Manehatten Omniconvention (Rarity, Fluttershy, Spike, SoL, NUUUURDS) // Story: Sunflower Seeds // by Rune Soldier Dan //------------------------------// Manehatten was… ‘eclectic’ on the best of days, but that was exactly what made it special. A city in a never-ending renaissance of invention and progress, the place one naturally turned to find the cresting wave of The Next Big Thing. To a fashionista, it was the holy land. Rarity’s store there actually lost money on the obscene rent, but the publicity and anticipation it evoked made Manehatten a keystone in her growing business. The train door opened. She pranced out alongside her companions, a song in her throat that died before she hit the pavement. The billboards had changed, with endless movie and Princess-Cola ads replaced by posted itineraries and sword-swinging stallions. The mix of hobos and dilettantes were gone, and in their place was an army of ponies in black T-shirts and cartoonish costumes. Vendors and carts crowded the streets, shouting out their wares: foam swords, ‘health potion’ energy drinks, and more black T-shirts. And dice. So many dice. Couldn’t one have enough dice? “Darlings.” Her nonplussed voice arrested the other two. Spike’s excitement, at least, was understandable. That Fluttershy clearly felt the same – with a high eeeeeee building in her like a tea kettle – was the surprise. “You said there was a fashion show.” “Right! A costume contest.” Spike blurted. “It’s so great that you’re here, Rarity! The Manehatten Omniconvention only happens every other year. Look – over there you can put on stickers and swim through a dice vat and keep all the ones that get stuck! And there’s a boxing match where the Asuka and Rei fans can continue their endless war.” “I’m so happy you decided to come with us,” Fluttershy said demurely. Ah, yes. Spike said something about ‘a dress-up contest’ and Rarity had latched on with both hooves. She really needed to stop zoning out when her friends talked. Well, she could check on the store while she was here. With pressed lips and a flat expression, Rarity marched resolutely through the crowd while her friends ‘ooohd’ and ‘ahhhhd’ to each side. Neighponese cartoons, superheroes, board games… Spike’s enthusiasm at least made sense. He was a child, after all, and this was kid’s stuff. What an entire city plus Fluttershy saw in it she couldn’t fathom. Also… Suri Polomare? Rarity’s head snapped to the side, watching her one-time rival pose in what was admittedly an expertly-made Saddle Rager outfit – turquoise suit and mask, purple scarf, flower-themed bracelets. She was a ‘one-time’ rival because Rarity’s career had long since left Suri’s in the dust, thank you very much. Perhaps cosplay was her niche. Hopefully Suri would do well, specialize in it, and thus be removed from Rarity’s orbit forever. It took Rarity an extra block or so to realize her friends were still walking alongside. “Darlings, you don’t need to come with me. I’m going to check in with Coco. Business never sleeps, and all.” “We’re going there, too!” Fluttershy squeaked happily, rearing back to clap her hooves twice. “I need to pick up my costume.” “Costume,” Rarity said, not quite as a question. Fluttershy bobbed her head. “Oh, yes! Miss Pommel made my cosplay for the contest. It’s going to be incredible, see, Spike will be Humdrum which is canonically appropriate because Humdrum and Saddle Rager have a spin-off series where they...” “Saddle Rager?” Rarity asked tightly. Fluttershy gave her patented adorable little ‘squee.’ “Yes! I’ll be Saddle Rager and...” Rarity tuned her out, though this time she had a good excuse. A bad feeling, which surely was misplaced. She had passed multiple Saddle Rager costumes on the way – it was not so strange that Suri wore one herself. Surely, just a coincidence. Surely. Surely enough, they arrived at the boutique to find Coco utterly distraught. The storefront had changed for the Omnicon, now highlighting ‘One Bit’ and ‘Neighruto’ outfits which left Rarity annoyed until she saw the literal pile of money behind the counter. None of this alas was of comfort to Coco, bawling so hard that Fluttershy began crying in sympathy. “I thought she had turned a new leaf!” Coco wailed. “Suri came in, but was very nice to me. We talked about the new Celestia’s School for Gifted Superheroes season, she asked if I had anything for it in the back, and when I returned she… I…” The poor thing buried her face in her hooves. “I saw her admiring the Saddle Rager and said it was for your friend, Rarity! This is all my fault!” “No, it is hers,” Rarity said blandly, no to avail. Coco kept weeping, now embraced by Fluttershy. Spike sat on the counter with his head bowed. “I guess that takes us out of the contest, huh?” Of course not. The answer was obvious, though Rarity waited for a moment to admit it. She made tea, took a sip. Closed her eyes and silently prayed no one would ever learn what came next. Making a cosplay would be a double blow if word spread – the fashion world would mock her, and others might ask her to make more. “Let me see the sketch.” Coco fetched it at once, sped by sudden hope. Rarity studied the drawing and notes, swirling the tea while Fluttershy watched from over her shoulder. She felt, rather than saw, Fluttershy open her mouth, inhale, then snap it shut. “Speak, Fluttershy.” “Nothing,” Fluttershy mumbled. “It’s fine.” “I said speak.” Inhale… “The turquoise mask should be purple like the scarf because her miniseries with Humdrum didn’t occur until after she changed costumes during her adventure on the moon, she should have yellow butterfly bracelets because in the Doctor Darn arc she changed from the flowers after learning to control her anger, and the turquoise should look more blue than green because the manga spin-off drew it that way and it was so popular the artists made it permanent.” Entirely reasonable, all told. “On it. Coco, the supplies. You two, come back in half an hour.” The others gazed at her in shock and admiration, with Spike speaking for them all. “You’ll really be done by then?” Rarity downed her tea in one gulp. “Yes darling, I am that good.” “And the winner of the Manehatten Omnicon cosplay contest is… the dynamic duo off on their own kid-friendly adventure, Fluttershy and Spike as Saddle Rager and Humdrum!” The crowd cheered. Except for Rarity, who sipped a new cup of tea, and Suri Polomare, who seethed beside her. “Why!?” the mare hissed, grinding her hooves into a black T-shirt on the ground. Rarity smiled vaguely as her friends received their prize – a barrel full of dice – and did not turn her head. “Turquoise is a complimentary color for gray, who I’m told the character is, and yellow. It does not go bad with your own pink, but the purple in your scarf and hair makes it all clash horribly.” Sip. “Also the outfit has holes for pegasus wings, you idiot.” “So?” Suri snapped. “Saddle loses her wings in issue 134, duh! I would have won for sure if the judges knew the first thing about 30 year-old comics!” “Sweet Celestia, I’m in the eye of the storm. Good-bye.” And with that, Rarity sauntered off. Overall an unpleasant, stressful day… yet she found a spring in her step as she walked. Children’s stuff, yes, but it made her friends so happy. She slowed, and turned around. Trotted back to them as officials hauled their loot to the hotel. What better way to spend a trip to Manehatten than with her friends? “Alright, darlings,” Rarity announced, nose to the air. “Where do we go next?”