“Dear, why don’t you come back to the shop with me? We don’t have a moment to lose and I don’t know how long it will take me to make your clothing. I’ve never worked with a two-legged lady before.” Rarity said, turning away from the table.
“Um, Rarity I don’t have any money to pay you for clothes.” Teelo said, embarrassed.
“Don’t worry about it, Teelo.” Twilight interjected. “If Discord is free you’ve done all of Equestria an enormous favor by warning us. As of right now we’re on a mission for the Princess, she’ll cover our expenses, she always does.”
“Always does? How many missions have you gone on?” Teagan asked, startled.
“Well, there was Nightmare Moon,” Rainbow Dash said, face screwed up in concentration. “And the dragon, and Discord, oh! and the thing with Chief Whats-his-name. That makes four.” She said, grinning.
“Chief Thunderhooves.” Twilight said, rolling her eyes. “Strictly speaking, Rainbow Dash, the Princess didn’t send us on that one.”
“Oh yeah. But she paid for the train tickets after we got back.” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “So it kinda counts. Besides, she praised us for our part in keepin’ the peace and helping Equestria establish friendly relations with another sovereign power. At least I think that’s what she said.”
“What I recall was how she said she’d pay fer our tickets if’n we promised Pinkie Pie wouldn’t sing at no more diplomatic functions.” Applejack said slyly.
“Hmmf. So I messed up one little song.” Pinkie Pie scoffed. “It wasn’t like it made them go to war or anything.”
The silence was deafening.
“Oh. Yeah, it kinda did, huh?” Pinkie giggled. “My bad.”
Teagan just stared at Pinkie.
“Hey, nobody got hurt.” Pinkie said defensively. “Oooh, butterfly!” And she dashed away in a pink blur.
“That’s our Pinkie.” Rarity said with a laugh. “Coming, dear?”
“One final question. Am I on this mission too?” Teagan asked Twilight.
“Of course. Whatever Discord is up to you’re the key to his plans.” Twilight replied.
“Welcome to the herd.” Teagan muttered too softly for Rarity to hear as she followed the white unicorn into town. “They finally got me.”
The broach had made the towel so secure and comfortable Teagan had all but forgotten it wasn’t a dress. Her appearance in town gave her a rude reminder, as every pony in view stopped in shock at seeing her. Several shied away completely—a couple even turned tail and ran away in a panic.
“Well! I must say that was rude.” Rarity sniffed. “One would think they’d never seen two ladies walking down the street before!”
Teagan chuckled. “A for effort, Rarity, but don’t bother. Can’t say I like it, but I understand how they feel. I’m big and scary looking, right?”
“You’re tall and graceful.” Rarity said primly. “Frankly, I wish I could say the same. You move so beautifully.”
“I do?” Teagan blinked. She wasn’t a klutz, but no one had ever complimented her on being graceful before.
“Certainly, my dear! And on two legs, no less! Dear Spikey walks on two legs of course but he has a tail to help him keep his balance. And those dreadful Diamond Dogs that had the unmitigated gall to abduct me walk on two legs as well, but they clomp along with absolutely no elegance whatsoever. You, on the other hand, are like a slender willow, swaying gently in the breeze.”
“Wow.” Teagan didn’t know what to say. Rarity stopped in front of a door and Teagan realized they’d reached their destination. With a brief glow of her horn and a soft click the door to the shop opened.
“Welcome to the Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique!” Rarity said proudly.
“This is amazing!” Teagan breathed as she drifted around the shop. Rarity closed and locked the door and turned the sign to read Closed, all without moving from where she stood watching Teagan admire her shop.
With a glow from her horn she slid shut the heavy draperies on the lower windows and then opened the upper story curtains, flooding the shop with light.
“Now, darling, shall we begin? Why don’t you take off that towel so I can take measurements?”
“Huh? Um, I can’t do that.” Teagan said, nervously folding her arms across her chest.
“Why ever not, dear?” Rarity blinked in bewilderment. “I can’t measure you properly through the towel you know.”
“Religious duty?” Teagan offered weakly.
“Whatever do you mean, darling? What’s a religious duty?” Rarity asked, honestly trying to figure out what this strange creature was talking about.
“Well, it’s hard for us to be naked in front of strangers.” Teagan explained. “We’re not supposed to do it.”
“But I’m not a stranger, darling! Besides, I’m not wearing anything and that doesn’t seem to bother you.”
“Yeah, but that’s different. You’ve got fur. So you aren’t really naked.”
“Tut. You’re just being silly.” A tape measure floated over to her and hung in mid-air as a notepad and pencil floated over to Rarity.
“The Princess could summon us at any moment. Do you really want to go to Court wearing a towel, even with that adorable broach?”
“No.” Teagan admitted reluctantly. “And meeting a princess in pajamas and bunny slippers isn’t any more appealing.”
“I promise you I’ll be quick, all right?” Rarity offered.
“Nobody else can see, right?”
“No dear, the drapes are closed.”
“I appreciate you doing that for me.” Teagan said, reaching for the broach.
“Actually, I didn’t realize you were so shy. I closed them because I didn’t want anyone to see your new clothes until I was finished.” Rarity admitted, smiling. “I am an artiste, you know, and hate to show off half-finished work. Especially when I have the unprecedented opportunity to be the first pony to ever create clothing for your species! Do you know how priceless that is to an artiste such as myself?”
Teagan had to chuckle, in spite of her embarrassment. She had no doubt Rarity was being completely sincere. Reluctantly she removed her towel and stood on the pedestal Rarity directed her to.
The measuring seemed to go on forever. Rarity asked her to turn several times and change poses. The tape measure slid from one part of her to another, moving as though it were alive. Rarity kept saying hmm and nodding and giving quick smiles of encouragement as the pencil raced over the notepad.
Finally, it was over. Teagan gratefully rewrapped the towel around herself and secured it with the broach.
“There! Now with the measurements and drawings I’ve made I should have no trouble making your new clothes. We should start with a practical—”
“Wait, drawings?” Teagan asked, appalled. “You drew me? While I was naked?”
“Another religious duty problem?” Rarity sighed, raising an eyebrow. “Dear, it’s either that or you spend the next 12 hours on that pedestal while I create the clothes on your body. Would you prefer that?”
“No!” Teagan said quickly. “Just—promise me that you won’t show those drawings to anyone. Rarity, you don’t understand how important it is no one else see them. Please.”
The unicorn studied Teagan, clearly taken aback.
“Well of course, dear! If it’s that important to you then I give you my word. I won’t show them to another living pony.”
“Oh, thank you, Rarity!” Impulsively she threw her arms around the startled unicorn and hugged her, tears brimming in her eyes.
“You don’t know how much that means to me.” She whispered, letting Rarity go. “This whole thing has been really, really hard.”
“Forgive me for asking, darling, but how old are you?”
“I’m fifteen.” Teagan said. “Why?”
“So you’re an adult then?” Rarity asked.
“Um, no. Not till I’m 18. For some things, not until I’m 21.”
“That monster.” Rarity snarled. “To attack a young filly not yet fully grown! Has he no shame? When I face him again I’m going to kick him so hard he’ll be walking sideways for a week! If I don’t turn him back to stone and kick his statue into rubble!”
Just then the door rattled.
“Hey, Rarity, why’s the door locked?” A young sounding voice asked plaintively from outside. “Lemme in! I wanna show Scootaloo and Apple Bloom the new hat you made me.”
Rarity quickly opened a drawer and floated the notepad inside then slid it closed.
“Just a moment, Sweetie Belle, I’m with a client!” She called.
“It’s my little sister and her friends.” Rarity explained.
“Am I going to give them nightmares?” Teagan asked. “You want me to duck out the back?”
Rarity laughed. “Heavens no, darling! You’re no monster! Besides, those three fancy themselves adventurers. Keep them from meeting a representative of an unknown species? They’d never speak to me again!”
Teagan smiled.
“Although—would you mind stepping behind the screen until I can prepare them? I wouldn’t want them to be rude. They’re really sweet fillies but they are somewhat young and thoughtless.”
“No problem. Oh, and if I haven’t said it before, thank you for doing all this for me.”
“You’re quite welcome, darling.” Rarity smiled at her.
Teagan stepped behind the screen, having to kneel because the screen was intended for a four-foot tall pony.
“Come in, Sweetie Belle.” She heard Rarity call and the door open, followed by the unmistakable sound of multiple hooves running in.
“Girls, I have a special treat for you.” Rarity said in a bright excited voice.
“What is it, Miss Rarity?” The filly’s accent reminded her of Applejack.
“Sis, didn’t you say you were with a client? Where is she?” Sweetie Belle asked. Teagan chuckled silently, enjoying the game.
“She’s here, but before you meet her I want you to make me a promise.”
“Sure!” Sweetie Belle said quickly, but Teagan could hear the question in her voice.
“You three are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, are you not? Brave, adventurous, afraid of nopony?” Rarity asked in ringing tones.”
“Yes ma’am!” The three fillies chorused.
“Well, my client is a filly who isn’t quite a mare yet.” Rarity confided. “But even so she has a very big secret!”
“Really?” Apple Bloom (Teagan guessed) asked excitedly. “Did she get her cutie mark yet?”
Rarity hesitated, but only for a moment.
“That’s part of the secret. You see, she isn’t a pony at all!”
“Not a pony?” Scootaloo asked, puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you all know Spike, correct?” Rarity asked.
“Sure, he lives with Twilight Sparkle, Miss Rarity. We talk to him all the time.” Apple Bloom said.
“Is she a dragon, Sis?” Sweetie Belle asked, delight oozing from every word. It was plain she desperately hoped the stranger was a dragon.
“No, Sweetie Belle. Even better.”
“Better than a dragon????” Scootaloo asked in disbelief. “Whoa!”
“But you have to promise me you’ll be on your best behavior.” Rarity said sternly. “My client is a very important guest. In fact she’s going to visit Princess Celestia very soon. Do you promise to remember your manners?”
“Yes ma’am.” Apple Bloom said eagerly.
“On my honor as a Cutie Mark Crusader!” Scootaloo declared, making Teagan smile so widely it nearly hurt.
“Me too!” Sweetie Belle chimed in.
“Very well, remember you are Cutie Mark Crusaders! Brave and adventurous and kind to all.” Rarity said.
“We are!” They chorused in perfect sync.
“Teelo, dear, would you please come and meet my sister and her friends?” Rarity called out. Teagan slipped to her feet and straightened, hearing the fillies gasp as they saw her head rise above the privacy screen.
With as much dignity as she could muster wearing a towel and bunny slippers the girl walked around the screen and stopped about five feet from the four ponies.
“Hello girls. My name is Teelo. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Teagan said softly, being very careful to stand calmly and make no sudden moves.
The three fillies’ eyes got wider and wider and their pupils dilated.
“This is so cool,” Scootaloo breathed. Teagan couldn’t help but smile at the orange bodied pegasus with a fuchsia mane and tail. The color combination almost made her eyes bleed, but she had to admit the little filly was cute.
“You’re Scootaloo, right?” Teagan asked.
“Yes ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Scootaloo said, suddenly feeling shy.
“No need to be nervous, Scootaloo. I promise I don’t bite.”
“Howdy, Miss Teelo. My name’s Apple Bloom. Pleased to make yer acquaintance.” Apple Bloom said with eyes still wide.
“Hello Apple Bloom. Teagan said, studying the light yellow filly. Her mane was a pinkish red color that Teagan couldn’t put a name to and she had the most adorable hair bow. “Are you related to Applejack by any chance?”
“You know my sister?” Apple Bloom asked eagerly.
“Yes, I met her this morning at Fluttershy’s house We had breakfast together.” Teagan replied.
“So that’s why Rainbow Dash came and fetched her afore breakfast!” Apple Bloom said with satisfaction. “She was in an all fired rush too.”
“So you know Fluttershy?” Sweetie Belle asked innocently.
“I met her in the forest yesterday.” Teagan said carefully. “I got a bit hurt and she let me stay with her last night.”
“If Fluttershy vouches for you, that’s good enough for me.” Sweetie Belle announced, marching forward and offering a hoof. Teagan carefully took it and gave it a single shake before letting go.
“Fluttershy’s a really nice pony, but she’s afraid of her own shadow. If she’s not afraid of you it means you wouldn’t hurt a fly.” The young filly said in satisfaction.
“Sweetie Belle!” Rarity exclaimed, scandalized.
“Sis, you know it’s true. I love Fluttershy to death but she’s so timid it’s ridiculous.” Sweetie Belle said calmly.
“I think you might be surprised.” Teagan said, thinking of the look in Fluttershy’s eyes at breakfast. “I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side.”
Apple Bloom burst into giggles. “Oh, I’m sorry for laughin’, but this is Fluttershy we’re talkin’ about! She don’t got no bad side!”
Rarity chuckled suddenly. “Are you so sure, Sweetie Belle? I seem to remember a certain incident in the Everfree Forest where three young fillies bit off more than they could chew. Wasn’t it Fluttershy who pulled your flanks out of the fire? Along with Twilight Sparkle, as I recall?”
“You never said she told you about that.” Sweetie Belle said uneasily. “You won’t tell Mom and Dad will you?”
“No. Young fillies like you three will never learn unless you touch a hot stove occasionally.” Rarity said with a sigh. “I do not approve, mind you, but I am a realist.”
“Thanks Sis, you’re the best!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed happily.
“So what did Fluttershy do, Rarity?” Teagan asked curiously. She couldn’t imagine what the gentle pegasus could have done to impress the three fillies so.
“Can I tell it, Rarity? Please?” Scootaloo asked eagerly.
“Certainly, since you were there and I wasn’t. Fluttershy was very—understated—when she told me. I imagine she left out quite a bit.”
“Well, Fluttershy’s chickens got out of their henhouse.” Scootaloo began. “It was late at night but the moon was up, so there was enough light for us to see. The tracks went straight into the Everfree Forest. Well, we knew they wouldn’t last too long so we went after them ‘cause Fluttershy would have grieved herself sick if anything had happened to her chickens.”
“We’d just caught up to ‘em and was gettin’ ready to round ‘em up and head home when one of the chickens flew up in the air and came face to face with a—” She paused dramatically.
“Cockatrice.” She hissed.
“What’s a cockatrice?” Teagan asked curiously.
“It’s a monster. Looks like somepony crossed a rooster and a snake.” Apple Bloom broke in.
“Yeah, but that ain’t the worst part.” Scootaloo grinned evilly. On her it was cute, not scary.
“See, a cockatrice has a magical power. Any creature that looks it straight in the eye is—turned to stone.”
Teagan shivered. From the calm way Rarity was listening she had a sinking feeling the cockatrice was just as real as the manticore she’d met.
“That chicken squawked once and then it fell out of the air and nearly hit us! Sank halfway into the ground cause it had been turned to stone in mid air!”
“Then the cockatrice started coming after us.” All three fillies shuddered.
“But suddenly there was Fluttershy! She told us to get behind her and then she stared that monster straight in the eye and started giving it a piece of her mind. It was awesome.”
“Yeah, until the cockatrice started turning her to stone.” Sweetie Belle said somberly.
“That part’s even more awesome! See the monster started turning her to stone, first her rear legs, then up her body past her wings. By that time she was threatening to find the cockatrice’s mother and tell her what it had been up to.”
“And then, she leaned down and said do you understand me? That’s when the stone started cracking and a light shone from under it and it exploded, leaving Fluttershy completely untouched! And the cockatrice squawked and nodded, then turned Twilight Sparkle and the chicken back to normal. Then it ran away.”
Teagan felt her mouth fall open.
“Fluttershy did that?” She asked incredulously. The three fillies nodded solemnly.
“She never mentioned it starting to turn her to stone.” Rarity said thoughtfully. “But you know I once saw her stare down a dragon. She actually made it cry.”
“What? Like Spike?” Teagan asked. “That doesn’t sound too hard.”
Rarity laughed.
“Oh no, darling! Spike is a baby. This was a full grown dragon, at least a hundred feet long. It was so big Fluttershy landed on the tip of its nose and had to march up to its eyes. Its eyes were taller than she was.”
Teagan felt her stomach clench. “You really have hundred foot dragons here?”
“Oh yes. They’re not very common, of course, but I personally know of two in the vicinity of Ponyville.”
“Dragons.” Teagan said flatly.
“Yes, dear. Don’t you have dragons where you’re from?” Rarity asked.
“No. We don’t have cockatrices or manticores either.”
“Must be nice, not havin’ monsters around.” Apple Bloom said.
“Well, we do have monsters, I guess. Just not those kinds.” Teagan said, thinking of the monster that had kidnapped her.
“But let’s get back to Fluttershy for a second. You’re telling me she actually made a dragon cry? A hundred foot long, fire-breathing dragon?”
“My dear Fluttershy can be very surprising.” Rarity said with satisfaction. “You don’t seem all that surprised, however.”
“Well, this morning at breakfast when—” She saw Rarity shake her head minutely, but quickly. “—she was saying that nobody hurts her friends she looked at me and for just a second I was scared of her.”
“Scared of Fluttershy.” Sweetie Belle said flatly. It wasn’t a question.
“Yeah. Tell me something, Sweetie Belle. Do dragons cry easily?”
All three fillies snorted in amusement.
“Ok, do cockatrices normally run away from ponies?”
“No.” Apple Bloom admitted reluctantly.
“I believe you’ve made your point, my dear Teelo.” Rarity said with a chuckle. “Sweetie Belle I have to start working on an order and you know how I get when I’m lost in my work. Go show your friends your new hat. Ten minutes, and then I really must get to work.”
“Ok, Sis. It was really amazing meeting you, Teelo!” The filly said as she and her two friends dashed up the stairs.
“Nice kids.” Teagan said, smiling after them.
“They are.” Rarity said fondly. “Oh, I almost forgot! You said your other clothes were still drying? Would you mind terribly if I were to examine them? It would give me some idea of how your clothes should fit.”
“No, go ahead.” Teagan sighed inwardly. It looked like she was going to be wearing this towel for the foreseeable future. Still, Rarity was right. Teagan did want the clothes to fit.
Teagan and Rarity started talking about clothes, which brought up the subject of layers, which reminded Teagan she was going to need underclothes as well, and probably a jacket.
And shoes. Rarity wasn’t sure she could manage shoes but asked to see Teelo’s feet, just in case. She made some more drawings, and by the time she was finished the girls had come back down stairs.
“We’ll see you later, Sis. Teelo, it was great meeting you!”
“Oh, Sweetie Belle I need you to do me a favor. Would you be a dear and go over to Fluttershy’s and tell her Teelo said I could borrow her clothes to examine? Bring them straight back here please. It’s all a bit of a rush.”
“Sure Sis. Hey, is she going to wear one of your dresses when she meets Princess Celestia?” Sweetie Belle asked eagerly.
“Yes, dear. Now off with you. No time to waste!”
The three fillies bolted out the door, making Teagan smile.
“What do you suggest I do now?” She asked Rarity.
“I don’t know, darling. Why don’t you go see Twilight? Perhaps she’ll have some suggestions. I’m sure she has lots of questions she’d like you to answer.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Teagan said with a rueful smile. “Twilight’s the leader of your group, isn’t she?”
Rarity cocked her head. “Well, darling, she does do the planning but I wouldn’t say she’s the leader. It’s more of a consensus, really.”
“So how do I find her?” Teagan asked. “And am I going to get mugged on the way?”
“Pay no attention to those rude ponies, darling! They’re just skittish around newcomers. But they certainly won’t attack you!” Rarity said dismissively. She gave Teagan some directions to reach the library.
It sounded simple enough, but Teagan repeated them carefully just to make sure she had them right. She dreaded the thought of being lost in a strange town, especially this strange town.
Once she was confident she knew the way Teagan bid the unicorn goodbye and went to find the Ponyville library.