Rarity hadn't quite been expecting to be given special treatment upon informing Twilight about an upcoming trip to Canterlot ("for inspiration, mostly." she had told her fellow unicorn). Yet upon arriving in Equestria's capital city, she had been approached by none other than Princess Celestia. And soon, the fashionista learned that she was being given the honor of staying in one of the castle's royal suites.
Seeing the royal suite with her own eyes, Rarity was easily impressed by the elegant style and attention to detail! The bed sheets were even gold laced, that's how glamorus everything was! She could hardly believe her luck! "I actually get to stay here?" She exclaimed as her eyes went wide!
Princess Celestia happily nodded and explained. "Twilight wrote to me telling me that you'd be coming to Canterlot for a visit, and asked if I might be able to accomodate you. Really, it's the least I can do. Especially since I understand I have you to thank for helping my sister to ditch her insistence on talking in the royal we."
"Oh, it was my pleasure, princess. Really," Rarity bowed (as her cat Opal, who had been brought along for the journey, purred in delight). "Thank you so much! You didn't have to do this, but I'm glad you did!"
The sun princess smiled. "You're very welcome, Rarity."
Rarity was far from done showing her appreciation to the sun princess. "No, really. This is so nice of you. Giving me a royal suite all to myself?!"
The alicorn with a coat the same shade of white as her unicorn guest replied. "It's nothing, really."
The fashionista immediately threw herself at Celestia's hooves, all the while stating. "Oh, but it isn't nothing, it's everything!" She proceeded to kiss Celestia's hooves again and again, while saying repeatedly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Princess Celestia tried not to show how... uncomfortable she was with such a display of affection. She didn't want to seem ungrateful.
Fortunately, the frantic panting of a gray coated unicorn stallion in a red uniform with a black collar drew both ponies' attention. The stallion had a two shaded orange mane and tail cut short and styled into stripes, and black eyes. His cutie mark was covered up by his uniform. Resting atop his back was a huge load of luggage, consisting of several brightly colored bags and suitcases. "Your luggage, mademoiselle?" He called, struggling not to be crushed by the weight he was carrying.
Celestia, eager to have attention drawn elsewhere, trotted to the door as she said to Rarity. "I'll leave you to get settled. Enjoy your stay, Rarity."
The stallion carrying the luggage, meanwhile, trotted into the room and finally let all the heavy bags and suitcases fall to the floor. "Where would you like me to put these?" He asked as his legs gave way and he collapsed onto the floor himself.
Rarity chuckled. "Here is fine. I'll sort it out later." She was looking forward to spending time in the city that she hoped to one day establish her dream boutique in. Yet the young fashionista could not have anticipated that her time in Canterlot would truly test her. And in a way that she wasn't expecting.
Since she had planned this entire trip around finding inspiration, Rarity didn't stay at her suite in the castle for very long. She instead opted to explore the city of Canterlot more in depth, something she had not been able to do during any of her previous visits (all of which had been in the company of her friends, Twilight included). She eventually found herself at a lovely cafe. She was now sitting outside said cafe with only her cat Opal for company, while wearing a pink, floppy hat and enjoying a delicious, hot cup of tea.
After taking a sip of her tea, the fashionista smiled. Setting it down, she looked to her cat and said to her. "Opal, my darling, do you know what it is I love about Canterlot?" Without bothering to wait for a reply, she happily proclaimed! "Everything! I may have been born in Ponyville, but I truly am a Canterlot pony at heart. What I would give to be able to live here all year round, opening my dream boutique here would be so much easier."
Opal said nothing.
Unbothered by her cat's lack of enthusiasm, Rarity just went on talking. "I know I said I was here for inspiration, just to pick up a few fabrics and do some window shopping to get more ideas. But after Twilight was nice enough to get me that suite at the castle, I simply must do something to express my gratitude to her. But what?" Then, suddenly, it dawned on her! "Ooh! I know! An outfit for her birthday party this weekend! Yes, that will be just the thing!" Taking another sip of her tea, she then said to her cat. "Don't you just love it here, Opal?"
Just then, two finely dressed unicorns came trotting up to the table where Rarity was sitting. The stallion had a gray coat, dark blue eyes hidden behind a pair of silver spectacles, a dark gray bordering on black mane and tail styled into streaks, and a faintly visible cutie mark depicting three jets of wind. He wore a green and white jacket with a white pendant hanging from his neck. The mare, meanwhile, was a pale, light grayish-olive in color. She had persian blue eyes almost the same shade as Rarity's (albeit with moderate cyan eyeshadow above them), a pale light indigo mane and tail with light gray streaks running through them, and a cutie mark depicting three green symbols of money. She was wearing a pink and white shirt, and wore a greenish-gray necklace.
The stallion was the first of the two to speak up, clearing his throat as he introduced himself. "Please excuse our interuption, miss. My name is Jet Set," He then gestured a hoof to the mare standing next to him. "And this is my lovely wife Upper Crust. We saw you from across the cafe and just had to find out..."
"-Where did you get that simply marvelous chapeau?" Upper Crust inquired, gesturing to the pink, floppy hat Rarity was wearing. "We've never seen anything like it!"
"What? This old thing?" Rarity replied with surprise in her tone of voice. "Oh, I made it myself. Not that I mean to brag, but I'm something of a fashionisita. I design a lot of my own clothes, even more than I sell them," She then giggled. "And my name is Rarity Belle, though most ponies call me Rarity or Miss. Rarity."
Jet Set and Upper Crust seemed to gasp, as if suddenly they had been stricken by something! It was Jet Set who took the lead in speaking afterwards. "Rarity, you say? That name is vaguely familiar to us," He turned to his wife. "Where have we heard such a name before?"
Upper Crust scratched her head with a hoof, before it suddenly seemed to dawn on her! "Oh, I remember! You're one of the ponies Princess Celestia held that big award ceremony for a while back."
The fashionista waved a hoof and played it off. "Oh, it's no big deal. It wasn't our first time saving Equestria. We'd done it all before, I dare say it was old hat to us. If it happens again, we could probably do it with one hoof tied behind our backs. Figuratively speaking, of course." She gave a slight, nervous giggle.
Upper Crust flashed a warm smile. "My my, so modest. It's rare to see that in anypony around here. I know I for one would not hesitate to brag and boast if given such an honor."
Jet Set then added. "You're one of the friends of the princess' student, aren't you?"
"Why, yes, I am," The young fashionista replied with a giggle. "As a matter of fact, it's her I have to thank for being allowed to come here to this magnificent city. I was only planning to come here for a day or two to pick up supplies and get a little inspiration before heading back to Ponyville."
At that, the two finely dressed unicorns gasped as their eyes widened! "Ponyville?!" They exchanged mutual glances of shock, surprise, and apparent disgust.
Rarity was taken aback by the reply. "Why, yes. I am from Ponyville, born and raised. Yet I like to think I own one of the finest boutiques in Equestria, with hopes of someday expanding to cities like these."
Upper Crust frowned and snorted, swishing her tail. "Oh, that would explain it, then. I was beginning to wonder why a pony as famous as you has been strikingly absent from many of the balls here in Canterlot."
Jet Set added with an audible humph. "Weren't you the pony who snubbed his royal highness Prince Blueblood at the Grand Galloping Gala? And weren't you with those... others who made such a mockery of the event?"
"It... wasn't our finest moment," Rarity admitted with a shameful blush. But then she defiantly replied. "But I will not apologize for what I did to the prince. He deserved it after the way he treated me all night long! So what if I was just the latest in a long line of potential suitors? That's no excuse for treating me like common trash!"
The spectacles wearing stallion's frown deepened as he declared. "Well, 'common trash' is certainly a fitting word for a Ponyville hayseed such as you. That backwater town thinks its so special just because the princess' student decided to live there and turn her back on her fine Canterlot roots. Does she not realize how lucky she was to have a family that could send her brother to the royal guard academy and get a princess as a foalsitter?"
The necklace wearing unicorn remarked with narrowed eyebrows. "Talk about ungrateful. To think, she is the student of one of our kingdom's rulers. Then again, if she has friends like you, I can see why she chooses to stay in Ponyville. After what happened at the gala, you all would do us a public service if you never showed your faces in this fine city ever again!"
Jet Set rolled his eyes. "We've wasted enough time talking to you, Rarity," He delivered the last part of his sentence with an audible hiss. He took his wife by the hoof and led her away, while not so softly whispering. "I told you it wasn't something you could get here in Canterlot, dear."
Upper Crust saw fit to add her own two bits. "And I told you that I thought it looked a little bit country."
The fashionista unicorn watched as the finely dressed couple trotted away with their backs turned to her. She could hardly believe how harsh they had been in their put down of her! Was this what all the citizens of Canterlot thought of her? Of Ponyville?
With a disappointed sigh, and with frustration boiling inside of her, Rarity returned to her royal suite. She wasn't about to take this "snob" lying down. Not for a second! She forget all about finishing up her unpacking, instead finding a stand and placing a piece of yellow paper upon it. She promplty used her magic to begin sketching the design for a most ellaborate dress that she would make for Twilight. "'It looked a little bit country.'? 'Not something you could get here in Canterlot'? I'll show them a thing or two! I'll show them something worthy of Canterlot!" With a look of firey determination, she vowed. "Celestia as my witness, I'll prove they were wrong to look down on me if it's the last thing I do!"
It didn't the fashionista long to draw up a sketch that was to her liking. But of course, with such a dress, she knew she would have to gather a lot of fabrics and other materials. She wanted to use only the best to bring her latest inspiration to life. If she ever wanted to have a chance in the big city, she would need to put hecklers like Jet Set and Upper Crust in their place.
After entrusting the care of Opal to the castle staff, the unicorn mare with a pristine white coat went out to start on her shopping. It was a good thing she had budgetted for just such a fashion emergency. Hopefully, the dress she would make as a result would more than earn back all the bits she would spend on fabrics.
Naturally, by the time Rarity had finished shopping, she had filled up several brown paper bags with what she felt were only the finest silks and fabrics that Canterlot had to offer. She was no longer simply designing a dress for a friend, she had a point to prove. Even so, she found herself growing exhausted as she began to make her way back to the castle suite. "I have to get started right away. This new design is very ambitious, and I've already written to Twilight to let her know she'll have something beyond fabulous to wear to her party." She said to herself. So absorbed was she in talking that she forgot to pay attention to where she was going. She ended up colliding with another unicorn stallion, this one having a white coat similar to her own and wearing a finely pressed, black tuxedo.
"I dare say, that's certainly one way to make an introduction." The tuxedo wearing stallion remarked as he brushed the dust off of his coat. It was now possible to see that he had a crystal blue mane and tail done up in a somewhat curly style, and that he had light blue eyes that looked friendly and welcoming. Around his left eye was a monocle, and he had a small mustache around his nose. In addition to his tuxedo, he was wearing a dull blue bowtie. His magic color revealed itself to be light yellow when he used it adjust his monocle. And his cutie mark was of three crowns similar to the one worn by Princess Celestia.
Rarity let out a gasp upon recognizing the stallion and realizing who he was. He was a very big part of the Canterlot elite, every bit of Canterlot gossip and tabloid magazine said so! "Fancy Pants!" She exclaimed as her eyes widened. She quickly used her magic to try to pick up the bags she had dropped in her earlier collision with him, hastily apologizing. "Oh, goodness, I am so sorry. I didn't see you there. I've just got so many bags and I was trying to get back to my suite at the castle and–"
Fancy Pants interrupted the fashionista's frantic ramble by asking a simple question. "-Did I hear that right? You're staying at the castle?"
Rarity nodded afirmatively. "Princess Celestia invited me to stay in one of the suites while I was here."
"You know one of the princesses?" Fancy Pants questioned. Then, suddenly, a lightbulb went off inside his head. "Wait a minute, I believe I've heard of you and seen your face in the papers! You must be one of those friends of the princess' student, the ones who we apparently have to thank for stopping the likes of Nightmare Moon and Discord from wreaking havoc on our fair kingdom."
The fashionista managed to force out a nod. "Y-yes, that's me," She blushed a bit. "I certainly hope the papers haven't given you the wrong impression about me, or my friends. I'm not a hayseed if that's what you're thinking!"
Fancy Pants threw back his head and laughed. "A hayseed? You? Why would I ever think, Miss. Rarity? That is your name, is it not?"
"Y-yes, it is," Rarity replied as she stood there in uncertainty, unable to decide whether she should keep talking or continue on her journey that had been interrupted. "And uh... I know I may technically be from Ponyville, but..."
Before Rarity could finish her sentence, a unicorn mare who had been reseting on Fancy Pants' back used her light pinkish-gray magic to pick up some of Rarity's shopping bags and examine them. She was a tall and slender unicorn mare who was not wearing anything on her body, thus allowing her cutie mark of three spade like symbols (two small ones a lavendar in color, and one large one a gold in color) to be easily seen. She also had pale, light grayish-purple violet eyes with similar colored eyeshadow, and a long, loosey-styled mane and tail in locks of light magentish gray with whitish-pink streaks. "Hmm, you're a pony with expensive tastes, I see." She commented.
"It's for a friend, her birthday's coming up this weekend and I wanted to thank her for arranging for me to stay at the castle," The fashionista explained, before eyeing the tall and slender mare. "And, who might you be... i-if I may ask?"
Fancy Pants chuckled. "Why, this is my darling wife Fleur-De-Lis. But I always call her Fleur. She actually used to be my bodyguard, and such is how I met and fell in love with her."
Fleur chuckled back. "Yes. And your idea of courtship was me giving you sparring lessons," She then dreamily sighed. "But I must admit, you are as fine a husband as any other stallion I could've known. You are Equestria's premiere delegate and diplomat. There are few in Canterlot's social circle who outrank you."
The monocle wearing stallion then asked Rarity. "Might I ask who this friend of yours is that you're making such a fine dress for as a birthday present? It must be somepony very important."
"Y-yes," Rarity slowly nodded. "It's for Twilight. And I already promised I'd have the dress ready for her when I returned from Canterlot for her birthday party. So I really should get to it!" She hastily gathered up her bags and tipped her hat to her esteemed guests. "I'm ever so sorry to have bumped into you both."
Yet Fancy Pants saw fit to protest. "I for one am not. Obviously, a pony like you who's friends with the princess' student is a pony worth getting to know better, regardless of where you might happen to come from. Besides, for a Ponyville pony, you seem right at home in the city of Canterlot," Then he cleared his throat and told his new accquaintance. "Listen, I have a VIP box reserved at the Wonderbolts Derby this afternoon. Would you be so kind as to join me and a few of my companions there? If you're not too busy, that is."
The fashionista unicorn blinked in surprise. Was this actually happening so soon after her encounter with two other Canterlot ponies, both of whom had appeared to look down on her for being a Ponyville native? "Me? You actually want me to drop by?"
The finely dressed stallion and his wife both nodded in response. "Yes indeed, Miss. Rarity. If you can't make it, I'll understand. But I feel like my entrouge would be over the moon for a chance to get to know an up and coming talent like yourself."
A complex swirling of emotions filled Rarity's head when she returned to the castle suite moments later. She had everything she needed to get started on Twilight's birthday dress, and knew she had only a few days at most to work on it. She really should get started on it now if she wanted to have it finished and ready for fitting when she returned to Ponyville.
Yet Fancy Pants' offer, though very recent, was incredibly tempting. This could be her chance, her big break. More so than her work with Hoity Toity, Sapphire Shores, or Photo Finish, Fancy Pants seemed poised to be the door that could lead her to the kind of connections she could only dream of. Connections she would absolutely need to cultivate whenever she found the time, money, and resources to open her planned boutique in Canterlot. And that had been her dream since as long as the young fashionista could remember.
These conflicting desires left the unicorn mare to pace back and forth in her suite alone, with only her cat Opal to talk to her dilemma about. It mattered not to her that her cat obviously wouldn't be of much help in this particular situation, she just needed to have someone to serve as a sounding board. Someone with whom to debate the pros and cons of each choice.
"Okay, Opal, pros and cons:" Rarity said to her cat, one eye trained to her sketch pad and the other to the door to her suite. "Pro: Seeing the derby from a VIP box is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one I'd hated to pass up. Con: Going to the derby cuts into the amount of time I'll have to finish Twilight's outfit. Pro: Fancy Pants is the most important pony in all of Canterlot. His stamp of approval could mean big things for me here. Con: Twilight's party might not be as sophisticated as the derby or any other gathering, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't put all of my energy into creating her birthday ensemble."
Try as she might, the young fashionista could not sort out her complicated feelings. There seemed to be no good answer. She threw herself onto her bed in frustration, groaning and kicking! "Oh, I hate having to choose between two very compelling options! No matter what I choose, I will inevitably be disappointing somepony, be it my friends or a very important pony here in Canterlot. What should I do, Opal? Should I just pack it up now and go back to Ponyville so as to avoid having to explain to Fancy Pants why I couldn't show up to the derby? Should I just forget about Twilight's birthday dress and tell her it will be delayed due to unforeseen events?"
Opal said nothing, she just stood at the other end of the bed and looked her owner deep in the eyes.
For how long Rarity lay upon her bed, lost in her thoughts, she did not know. At last, however, she reluctantly made up her mind and rose from her bed. "That's it! I've made up my mind, and there's no use trying to talk me out of it!" She rushed to the royal lavatory so as to wash her face, comb her mane, and put on some perfume so she was smelling her best. Then, she put on her pink, floppy hat again and with a starry look in her eyes she proclaimed! "Opal, I am going to the Wonderbolts Derby as a guest of Fancy Pants! I shall have plenty of time afterwards to complete Twilight's birthday dress, even if I must stay up late to do so." She exited her suite with a spring in her step, excitedly giggling to herself as she headed for the derby.
Rarity soon made her way to the stadium in Canterlot. It wasn't quite as grand as the Cloudeseum in Canterlot, but it was still a fine place in and of itself. The perfect place to host the best performers in all of Equestria: The Wonderbolts. "Oh, if only Rainbow Dash could be here to see this." She thought to herself, and wondered if she should mention this to her Ponyville friends when inevitably asked about her trip to Canterlot. Quickly informing one of the security ponies that she was an invited guest of Fancy Pants, she was led through the back of the stadium and up a small flight of stairs to the VIP box. It was finely decorated and very close to the action, you could already see the Wonderbolts lined up on the starting block, ready to race.
Fancy Pants' face lit up as soon as he lay eyes upon Rarity, and happily ushered her forward! "Rarity, jolly good to see you again! So glad you could make it," Clearing his throat, he informed the various stallions and mares in his entourage. "Everypony, may I have the pleasure of introducing Miss. Rarity. She's staying at the castle for a few days, courtesy of a favor from the princess' star pupil."
All the ponies in the entourage let out gasps! All eyes fell upon the fashionista as they crowded round, some of them whispering and chattering among themselves.
Then, a voice recognizable to Rarity loudly proclaimed over the stadium's loudspeakers. "Fillies and gentlecolts, foals of all ages, welcome to the thirty fifth annual Wonderbolts Derby!" A chorus of cheers errupted from the audience, momentarily drowning out the speaker's voice. But when the applause died down, the voice continued. "The competitors are taking their places at the starting line, and the race will begin momentarily! This is the last call: If any of you have any bets you wish to make, place them now and place them quickly!"
Fancy Pants smiled as he held out a sack of bits, approaching his wife Fleur as he hoofed the sack to her and told her. "Go down and place my bet now, my darling," And with confidence he announced his intended bet to all who would hear him. "I'll be rooting for Rapidfire, of course. He's sure to take home the grand prize."
Several ponies in the VIP box seemed to agree, Fleur included.
But Rarity saw fit to object, taking hold of the bits with her magic. "Just a moment, please. You say you want to bet on Rapidfire? Well, I say he doesn't have a chance against Fleetfoot. In a Wonderbolts Derby, Fleetfoot is a sure bet, no matter whom she faces as competition. For a junior member of the team, she's more than earned her keep," Then she gave the sack back to Fleur. "If you hurry, you should be able to place the bet on Fleetfoot. Trust me, you and your husband won't be disappointed."
"What the heck, I like a little excitement from time to time," Fancy Pants nodded in approval. "Run along now, Fleur, and take Rarity's advice. Be quick about it!"
Fleur obeyed without saying a word. She rushed out of the VIP box quick as a flash, and she returned out of breath with the sack now empty of bits. "Got it placed just in time." She panted.
Just seconds later, the sound of trumpets blaring filled the stadium! The Wonderbolts on the track stood at attention! And then, with the sharp blast of a whistle, they were off! When the first race concluded a mere moment or so later, a light arctic blue coated pegasus mare with a whispy white mane and tail zoomed across the finish line at lightning speed!
"And it's Fleetfoot by a nose!" The announcer excitedly proclaimed! "What a stunning performance from the youngest pony yet to become a full fledged Wonderbolt!"
All eyes in the VIP box now fell upon Rarity. Her bet had turned out to be perfect, and all wondered how she had known to bet on Fleetfoot in the first place.
"Bravo, Rarity!" Fancy Pants clapped his hooves in approval. "Even if it wasn't much, I would've hated to have lost a bet in front of all these fine ponies. I would've looked so silly making such a mistake," Then he asked the nagging question. "I say, how did you know Fleetfoot would be victorious? Have you met the Wonderbolts personally?"
The fashionista shook her head from side to side. "Oh no, not me. But my friend Rainbow Dash certainly has, and she simply can't stop gushing about them. She knows almost everything there is to know about the Wonderbolts. And she told me that what Fleetfoot lacks in size, she makes up for in speed," With a wink she added. "And it seems she was right, as I believed she was."
A unicorn mare with a gleaming silver coat then questioned. "And just who is this, Rainbow Dash? How do you know her? Is she a friend of the princess' student too?"
"You... could say that," Rarity slowly nodded. "She's one of the finest flyers ever to come out of Cloudsdale, even if she doesn't call it home anymore. She said she moved out as soon as she came of age, something to do with her parents."
Fleur smiled as she trotted over to Rarity. "Ah, I see now," She remarked with a knowing wink. "Rainbow Dash must be the Wonderbolts' personal trainer, or something along those lines. How else could she know so much about them and what makes them tick?"
"Well, she has admired them since she was a filly," Rarity tried to correct. "And it's been a dream of hers to someday join the team. I believe she made great strides towards that goal when she won the Best Young Flyers Competition. Surely, you've heard of the incredible Sonic Rainboom that was performed there?"
"Oh, that was her?!" Fancy Pants gasped as his monocle briefly slipped from his left eye. "Miss Rarity, you astonish and amaze me with your connections! You not only know the princess' star pupil, but also the only pegasus in history to ever pull off an impossible feat! Aren't you just full of surprises for a Ponyville pony? Dare I ask who else you know?" Regaining his composure, he then declared. "Everypony, three cheers for Rarity, my new favorite party guest!"
The crowd all chanted in unison with a chorus of "Hip, hip, hooray!!" And Rarity found that she didn't have the heart or the courage to tell these Canterlot ponies the truth about Rainbow Dash, that she was just a not-so humble weather pony from Ponyville.
Rarity quickly lost track of the time after the derby as she lost herself in mingling and tingling with Canterlot's elite. In the back of her mind, she knew she should get back to the castle to start work on the birthday dress she'd promised Twilight. But every time she thought about it, something else came up to push that thought away. She even managed to tell a rather funny joke about a fashion disaster she'd once had the misfortune of bearing witness to in real time. The ponies crowding around her all laughed long and loud when the joke reached its punchline.
It was then that the gleaming silver unicorn mare from earlier spoke up. "Oh, you are a delight, Miss. Rarity. Simply a delight. I can't recall another guest who has been as entertaining as you," Then she presented an invitation of her own. "You simply must attend my art gallery opening this evening. I'd be crushed if you were to decline."
Tempted as she was, the fashionista forced herself to shrug off the offer. "Oh, I'd love to, really. But I must–"
A unicorn stallion with a light golden brown coat, a blone mane and tail, and deep blue eyes hidden behind a pair of round glasses then butted in. "-And let's not forget my charity auction tomorrow morning. You can't miss that!"
Again, Rarity forced herself to turn down the invitation. "Well, not that that doesn't sound wonderful, but I have to–"
Then a peach coated unicorn mare wearing a tow toned blue hat, a pink sweater with blue around the sleeves, and a light blue necklace added. "-And of course there's a seat for you at my dinner party tomorrow night. You must come! I insist!"
Rarity nervously pushed all the ponies away as they tried to crowd round her and get her to attend their unique social gatherings. It was becoming harder and harder for her to say no to them. "I'm flattered, really. Any other visit I'd attend all of your events in a heartbeat. But I came here for a reason. There's a project for a friend that I promised to have ready, and if I don't get started on it soon I'll-"
The silver coated unicorn immediately protested. "Maybe I wasn't clear. If you don't attend, I might as well close down the gallery. Without you, hardly anypony of notice will attend."
The blonde mane and tail stallion added his own counterprotest. "My acution is for charity, Rarity, my dear. For charity! They say you're a generous pony, or are they mistaken?"
And the peach coated unicorn pleaded. "I'm begging you, Rarity! Without you, my dinner party will surely be a disaster. It's just for one evening, surely you aren't that busy."
With all the elites pressing towards her and giving off the best puppy dog eyed looks they could muster up, the fashionista found her will to resist slowly but surely melting away. She thought she might not get another chance like this to make the right connections in Canterlot. So she relented. "...Of course I'll be there for all of your events. I'm sure I'll find time to work on my project afterwards."
The other unicorns all sighed in relief, some even muttering lines like "Thank goodness!" or "Disaster averted!"
Now having given her word to attend several more events over the next day and a half, Rarity returned to her castle suite once again. But not for long, she just needed to take off her hat and thus change her attire, it would be a major mistake for a pony of fashion to wear the same thing to multiple events. And she was convinced she could ill afford to make any mistakes, not matter how small they might be.
Eyeing herself in a mirror within the suite's bedroom, the fashionista unicorn was looking at her neck as she tried to decide whether or not a gem necklace inspired by her element of generosity necklace would be a good fit for the evening. "Looks like we'll be staying here for longer than we intended, Opalescence," She said to her cat, who kept trying to call her master's attention to the drawing of the birthday dress. "Bumping into Fancy Pants when I did was the best thing that could've happened to me. Now the elite of Canterlot simply can't get enough of me."
Opal again tapped a claw to Rarity's sketch, which was all there was to show for the birthday dress so far.
The unicorn mare with a pristine white coat then opted to discard the necklace, convinced it would not be suitable to wear. She knew what Opal was trying to do, but she ignored her cat while saying. "Of course, finishing Twilight's dress in time for her birthday party is still my top priority, but I can't possibly disappoint the Canterlot elite by rejecting their invitations now, can I? Not after I gave them my word. I'll not only need their influence if I'm ever to open my dream boutique in Canterlot, but this is the perfect opportunity to prove that Jet Set and Upper Crust were wrong to ever look down on me for being from Ponyville!" She then rushed away while boasting! "It won't be long before I'll be the biggest, hottest name in the entire city! How's that for a so-called 'hayseed'?!"
And so, over the next several days, Rarity kept slipping away to attend various social gatherings. With each one, she would change her outfit and even sometimes her mane style (she even managed to find an excuse to reuse her old Grand Galloping Gala dress, and nopony seemed to mind). As she did so, continuiously pushing off any chance to work on or even get started on Twilight's birthday dress, she began humming a little tune in her mind. And it hummed something like this:
I'll be the toast of the town, the girl on the go.
I'm the type of pony everypony, everypony should know.
I'll be the one to watch, the girl in the flow.
'Cause I'm the type of pony everypony, everypony should know!
Becoming as popular as popular can be.
Making my mark, making my mark in high society.
I'm the belle of the ball, the star of the show, yeah!
I'm the type of pony everypony, everypony should know!
See how they hang on every word that I speak.
My approving glance is what they all seek.
I'm the creme de la creme, not just another Jane Doe.
I'm the type of pony everypony should know!
At home, or at the opera, or on a fancy yacht.
I'm becoming the talk, the talk of all of Canterlot.
I'm the creme de la creme, not just another Jane Doe, yeah!
I'm the type of pony everypony, everypony should know!
The days went by in a blur, and before Rarity knew it it was the night before she was slated to return to Ponyville so as to be home in time for Twilight's birthday. She hadn't once worked on the birthday dress for even a moment. And although she knew she had to get started on it if she wanted it ready by morning, the fashionista couldn't bring herself to do more than put the secondary shirt of the dress around the ponyquin. And as she felt her eyelids grow heavy, she wearily sang:
Because I'm the type of pony,
Yes, I'm the type of pony,
Yes, I'm the type of pony everypony should know.
Next morning, Rarity had all her things packed into suitcases and boxes, ready to take down to the train station. She couldn't stay for another day even if she wanted to. Or so she thought. Before she had finished packing, the fashionista was graced with a letter addressed to her. A letter that read as follows:
Dearest Rarity,
Your presence is requested at the Canterlot royal garden party tomorrow afternoon. We have heard nothing but good things about you, and wish to see for ourselves if you are perhaps the one Ponyville pony worth knowing after all.
Sincerely yours,
Jet Set and Upper Crust
The unicorn's eyes lit up like stars! Everything was going well for her! She quickly realized what this meant. "The Canterlot royal garden party! Why, next to the Galloping Gala that is the premier event in Canterlot!" She excitedly squeed, especially since she was thrilled at the prospect of proving Jet Set and Upper Crust wrong once and for all. But then her heart sank as she realized what would happen if she chose to attend that party. There would be no chance of her returning to Ponyville for Twilight's birthday, or the birthday party Pinkie Pie was throwing.
A growing knot formed in the young fashionista's stomach. "Oh, but it falls on the same day as Twilight's birthday. I can't be in two places, let alone two cities at once," She hung her head and pouted. "Why must I choose? I'd hate to disappoint my Ponyville friends after I gave my word I'd be home for the birthday party. On the other hoof," She bit into one of her hooves. "Jet Set and Upper Crust will surely not take my absence lying down. They'll start spreading the word, other ponies will think I'm not trustworthy. My carefully cultivated reputation as a Very Important Pony in Canterlot will be ruined forever!"
Well, there was only one thing to do in the fashionista's mind. Much as she hated to do so, she would have to cancel her plans to return to Ponyville tomorrow, even though she knew her friends would be upset. Looking back to the unfinished birthday dress, she got an idea about a convincing "excuse" she could give so as not to make her friends suspect she was turning them down in favor of a more lavish party in Canterlot. She would be hard pressed to give them all the details they'd need to know about why she had to stay.
Despite her guilty conscience knawing at her from within, Rarity willed her horn to spark and summoned quill and parchment with which to write a note to send to Ponyville. She had to pause frequently to make sure her horn writting didn't seem sloppy, least she give her friends reason to suspect something was up. At last, she composed her message and read it aloud to ensure it was to her liking:
My dearest friend Twilight,
I regret to inform you that I will not be able to make it back to Ponyville for your birthday tomorrow. I wish more than anything it were not so, but unforeseen circumstances have unfortunately left me with no time to complete your dress. It is currently in an unfinished state, and the birthday girl deserves only the best.
I promise, I will be back in Ponyville as soon as possible after my unexpected delay is taken care of. And I hope you will forgive me for not being able to fulfill that promise I made to you. If you are upset with me, I understand. But I do not wish for you and our friends to be left wondering when I fail to show up for your birthday party.
My sincerest apologies for the delay,
Rarity
She then sealed the letter in an envelope, and instructed one of the castle staff to deliver it to the post office for immediate delivery to Ponyville. Then the fashionista turned her attention to the process of unpacking her things. Since she would now be staying in Canterlot through tomorrow, there was no need to leave everything packed up.
The next day, Rarity spent her time in her suite deciding what she should wear to the garden party. She wanted to look presentable and fashionable, but didn't want to overdo it and be seen as desperate. "What do you think of this, Opal?" She asked her cat while a simple yellow gown with a ruby medallion in the center, and with fake flowers attached to her tail. "Too much?" Upon seeing her cat frown at her, the fashionista declared. "You're right. Too little. But I can fix that," She quickly levitated over a yellow hat to match her gown, said hat having blue ribbons tied in the back and flowers on its front. "Ah, much better. Garden party, here I come!" She declared and trotted to the door.
When the door was opened, six very familiar voices (and the faces to match them) suddenly appeared as they all yelled at once! "Surprise!"
Rarity was, needless to say, very surprised to see all of her friends had shown up unannounced in Canterlot! Their presence was going to make attending the garden party a lot more difficult. She at once felt light headed and wished she had her trusty fainting couch at the ready. Alas, it was not with her, and so she fainted right on the spot. Fortunately, she recovered very quickly, though the shock of her friends' unexpected arrival was slow to wear off. "What are you– How did you– Why are you–"
Applejack couldn't help but chuckle. "Bet you're surprised to see us here in Canterlot, huh, sugarcube? I know, it was kind of a last minute decision on our parts."
Shaking her head to regain her focus, Rarity swallowed hard and asked. "What I mean to say is, what are you all doing here? I thought the birthday party would be in Ponyville, like we all agreed."
Twilight smiled as she gestured a hoof to her pink coated party planning friend. "We were, but when Pinkie Pie got your note, she decided to move the party here to Canterlot. That way, you wouldn't have to miss it. And it's okay if you didn't have time to finish the dress you were going to give me. I don't need a bunch of presents, just spending time with my friends is present enough."
Pinkie Pie then beamed. "It helps that balloons are super easy to pack!" She demonstrated this fact by opening a small purse, and several balloons in different colors flew out from it.
Rarity couldn't help but feel guilty, even as she tried not to show it outwardly. How was she to break the news to her friends about the real reason for her inability to attend Twilight's birthday party? "Oh, Twilight, I don't know what I did to deserve a friend like you," She declared as she fought back the tears. "First you got me a suite in the castle, and now this. And I don't even have a pretty dress to give you as thanks."
"Hey, it's okay, these things happen," The studious unicorn insisted with a sincere smile. "I appreciate you being honest with me, Rarity. I know how fondly you've spoken of Canterlot in the past, it's no surprise you'd find it hard to find just one source of inspiration," Then in a somewhat more unhappy tone, she added. "I was hoping that moving my birthday party to Canterlot would mean my brother could show up. But he said he couldn't, he has a 'pressing engagement', whatever that means. I just wish he'd be honest and say he couldn't get the day off, not even for me. He doesn't have to lie."
Rainbow Dash then asked Rarity. "Not to change the subject, but why exactly are you wearing that get-up, Rarity? Were you going somewhere? Like to some sort of ball?'
"Oh, don't be silly!" The fashionista waved a hoof, dismissing the suggestion. "Why would I be doing that when I obviously needed to spend all my time working on Twilight's birthday dress? I just..." She struggled to think of a good explanation. "...Thought that maybe dressing up would help give me some ideas."
Fluttershy then eyed the little studio Rarity had set up within her suite. It looked to the pegasus as if there was something resting on a small stand. "Say, what's that you have there, Rarity?"
Horrified, Rarity hastily crumpled up her sketch via her magic and tossed the paper into a wastebasket. "Oh, just an idea I had that wouldn't work. It was far too complicated to pull off, especially with the lack of free time I've had."
But Twilight had already spotted the unfinished dress. And none the wiser about Rarity's intentions, she looked at it with a smile. "It's so simple. So practical. So me!"
"What?! B-but it... it isn't finished yet! I haven't even really begun to work on it!" The fashionista insisted as she threw herself at the dress on the ponyquin.
The studious unicorn just giggled. "Rarity, I learned my lesson from the last time you made me a dress. It doesn't have to be overly complicated. A dress is a dress. What matters most is how it feels when I wear it. And I'd say it's perfect as it is! I can't wait to wear it at my birthday party!"
The unicorn mare with a pristine white coat sighed in relief. "Oh, Twilight, you don't know how happy I am to hear you say that. Now I feel really silly for having wasted all that time trying to turn it into something else," She then asked. "Where exactly is the birthday party being held, then?"
Spike was happy to explain. "The castle ballroom, of course. We were thinking of having it in the garden, but it's been booked for a more formal event. I think it's called the Canterlot royal garden party... or something like that," In a tone of voice that sounded almost interrogative, he added. "Surprised you didn't know about it. I would've thought an event like that would be right up your alley. You've always been one for formal gatherings."
The young fashionista protested. "And miss out on Twilight's birthday party?! Perish the thought. I would never put something like that over the birthday of one of my nearest and dearest friends. Especially not after all she's done for me in just this past week."
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Pinkie Pie excitedly chirped! "I've already got the ballroom all decorated! We'll have the whole place to ourselves for Twilight's big birthday bash!"
Indeed, Pinkie had covered every inch of the ballroom in streamers, banners, bunting, balloons, and table coverings. There was even a large banner that read "Happy Birthday, Twilight" in clearly visible letters. It was truly a sight to behold.
Rarity was speechless! Pinkie's Ponyville parties had always been grand, but never to this extent. Dare she say it, it was almost par with something like the Grand Galloping Gala.
With a bright smile, Pinkie Pie pressed her face up to Rarity's and said to her. "Isn't it fancy, fancy pants?"
"What?! Fancy Pants?! Where?!" The fashionista looked all around, as if suddenly afraid to be seen! As all eyes fell upon her, she coughed into a hoof and quickly corrected. "I mean, was that just an expression? I've never heard of a 'Fancy Pants'."
Twilight grinned. "I'm surprised you haven't, Rarity. He's a very big deal here in Canterlot from what I've heard. Equestria's premiere diplomat and delegate. They say not a thing goes on in this city that he doesn't know about," She then put a hoof to her chin. "Come to think of it, I think he's supposed to be one of the guests for the garden party today. Maybe we should introduce you to him really quick?"
Rarity's eyes went wide as she hastily protested! "No no! That's not necessary! This is your party, Twilight. You're the guest of honor I'm here for, not anypony else," And then she asked. "However did you get all of this done so quickly if you just decided to have the party here today?"
At that Pinkie pulled out a small cannon with a pink button atop a fuse and said. "Oh, I never leave home without my party cannon! I always take it with me in case of party emergencies when we're not in Ponyville. It makes parties and party decorating a blast! Watch!" She pressed the button, causing the cannon to shoot off a shower of confetti (the blast sounding more like the blowing of a party blower than the firing of a cannon). "Ta-da!" She exclaimed afterward.
"Enough chit chat!" Rainbow Dash insisted. "Are we here to talk, or are we here to party?!" And with that, the birthday party began. Music began to blare from a small record player, and Twilight began happily dancing in her new birthday dress, unaware that her attempt to dance was very awkward and really showed her lack of experience.
With the birthday party underway, Rarity's wandering blue eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the scene right outside the ballroom. The garden party she'd promised to attend was about to begin. "Really should just make a quick appearance." She said to herself, and seeing her friends distracted, she decided to silently slip away. She would attend the garden party briefly, bow out with apologies, and return to Twilight's birthday party without anypony being the wiser.
However, the unicorn mare's withdrawl from the birthday party did not go completely unnoticed. Just as she turned a corner to leave the ballroom and head outside, she was surprised to be confronted by none other than Spike. "Rarity, wait!" He called out to her. "Where are you going?"
"Oh," Rarity commented with surprise, and quickly tried to think up a good lie. "I er... need to... to... use the little fillies' room, that's all."
Spike wasn't fooled for a second. "You've been acting strange all day, Rarity. Something's up, I can tell," And he questioned further. "Where are you really going? What's the real reason you can't attend Twilight's birthday party? Do you think our friends won't find out?"
The fashionista sighed, realizing she'd been caught. "Spike, please don't take this the wrong way. It's not anypony's fault, really. It's just... I have a prior engagement that I already gave my word I'd be at. It'd be rude of me not to show up to it, even just for a little bit."
The little dragon began to realize what Rarity was saying. "You're attending the Canterlot royal garden party? Then you must know Fancy Pants after all," A gasp escaped his lips! "Have you just been hanging out with him and everypony who associates with him? Is that why you couldn't finish Twilight's birthday dress in time? Is that why you sent that letter yesterday?"
With a guilty look in her eyes, the fashionista unicorn reluctantly confessed. "I... I had no choice! Fancy Pants and his associates are very important! If I'm ever going to open my dream boutique here in Canterlot someday, I'll need to start building the right connections now. I may not get another chance like this!"
"So, just tell our friends that. They'll understand." Spike firmly insisted
Rarity shook her head from side to side. "I'll only be gone for a moment or two at most, before our friends even know I'm gone. I'd already have been there and back by now if you hadn't stopped me," She desperately pleaded with the little dragon. "Please, Spike! I hate to do this, really I do. But you have to cover for me, just for a little bit."
Reluctantly, the little dragon relented. "Fine. But I'm telling you now in case it doesn't work, you don't have to hide this from our friends. Attending social gatherings like the garden party isn't something to be ashamed of, it happens. We could've easily waited and held Twilight's birthday party after you got back." Then he slowly walked off, back to the ballroom.
With the crisis averted (at least for the time being), Rarity breathed a small sigh of relief. Checking all over herself to make sure she looked presentable, she then stepped out into the castle garden, ready to put in her brief appearance at the Canterlot royal garden party.
Jet Set and Upper Crust quickly spotted the fashionista, and in contrast to their last meeting with her, they now seemed happy to see her. "Darling, so glad you could make it." Upper Crust commented with a smile.
Jet Set added. "My wife and I were beginning to think you might not show up after all. We thought we saw your name on the guest list, but we feared you had declined our invitation."
Rarity waved a hoof. "Nonsense! I wouldn't have missed this party for the world!"
Fancy Pants smiled as he adjusted his monocle. "I too am delighted you showed up, Rarity. When I heard that the princess' student was having her birthday party in the castle ballroom today, I had thought for sure you would be there. Had I not already given my word to be at this garden party, I probably would've attended the birthday party. It's not every day a pony like me has the chance to see the heroes who have twice saved all of Equestria from terrible fates."
"Oh, it couldn't be helped. I had no way of knowing they'd move the party to here," The fashionista said with a sheepish blush. "I had been led to believe it was being held in Ponyville."
Upper Crust seemed to frown ever so slightly. "But aren't you from Ponyville, Rarity? And aren't you a friend of the princess' student? How could you not know of the plans for her birthday party, or that it would fall on the same day as this garden party? Now my husband and I risk being upstaged by the princess' star pupil."
Fancy Pants just chuckled. "I doubt Twilight and her friends intended for any of this. It is but a happy coincidence."
Fleur, meanwhile, sniffed the air as she picked up a faint whiff of a scent coming from Rarity. "My word. Is that cake frosting I smell on you, Miss. Rarity?"
The fashionista gulped. "It must be my new perfume," She declared as her blush deepened. "You know what talcum powder does to you, and lavender is so overrated."
The tall and slender unicorn mare was silent for a moment, blinking her eyes. Then she finally found the words to speak. "Ah yes, such a bold choice for a pony like you. I might just have to look into obtaining some of that cake frosting perfume. If a pony like you uses it for an occasion like this, it must be important."
"Y-yes, well," Rarity commented with a gulp. "All this talk about cake has made me famished. Think I'll go and see what's on the hors d'oeuvre table. If you'll excuse me... " And she took advantage of the opportunity to rush away. Only when she was certain no eyes were looking upon her did she slip back into the ballroom as quietly as she could.
Rarity was quite surprised upon her return to the ballroom to be confronted by her friends, all of them looking at her as though they were casting daggers. "What? Do I have something stuck in my teeth?" She questioned and blinked in innocence.
Applejack took the liberty of telling Rarity. "We know what you're up to, sugarcube. You can drop the act."
The fashionista's composure did not change even as her tone of voice began to fill with worry. "Whatever are you talking about? I have no idea what you mean. I was simply taking care of some personal issues, that's all."
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Come on now, Rarity! We're not dumb! Even Pinkie Pie knows what's going on."
"Yeah! We know you've been sneaking away to attend another party." Pinkie Pie pointed out. Surprisingly, it didn't sound like she was angry or upset, even though you'd think she would be given the circumstances.
"What?! How did you know?! Who told you?!" Rarity gasped, inadvertently realizing she had just given herself away.
Spike came forward with something of a guilty look in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Rarity. I just couldn't lie for you. Twilight and the others started asking and," He swallowed hard. "I talked. I'm not good with interrogations."
"It really wasn't that hard, we just asked him one question and he told us everything," Fluttershy pointed out. "He even told us about your original plans for Twilight's dress."
Rarity blinked her eyes rapildy, and then rubbed them just to be sure she wasn't somehow hearing or seeing things. She wasn't. None of her friends seemed the slightest bit offended by what they had learned. "I... don't understand," She commented in confusion. "You all know I've been lying to you so I could attend a different party, and that I've been spending all my time in Canterlot associating with the elite of society. So why don't you sound upset about it?"
Twilight giggled. "Oh Rarity, you didn't have to lie to us. We understand completely. What you're doing is very smart. You want to establish connections and ensure you have loyal customers to count upon when you open your boutique in Canterlot. If it means having to skip out on a birthday party with us, we understand. We'd have been happy to let you stay in Canterlot to your heart's content."
The fashionista hung her head in shame. "But I must confess I began to have something of an alterior motive for attending all those parties, and auctions, and other gatherings. There's a reason why I wanted your dress to look drop dead gorgeous, Twilight. It wasn't just because I wanted to thank you for what you'd done for me. I'd begun to feel ashamed about who I was. About the fact that I'm not a Canterlot pony, I'm a Ponyville pony. And there were some ponies who shall not be named," She briefly glanced out the ballroom windows. "Who made me feel like I had to prove myself. Prove that they were wrong to look down on me. That I could be just as sophisticated as them."
"Rarity, you don't have to be ashamed of who you are or where you come from," Twilight reached out a hoof in sympathy. "So what if someponies look down on you for being from Ponyville? I was from Canterlot when I moved to Ponyville, but you never saw anypony judge me for that. And if they had, I wouldn't have cared. True friends like you and I don't care about where you come from. What matter most is who you strive to be. There's nothing wrong with wanting to feel more like a Canterlot pony. But deep down, you know you'll always be a Ponyville pony."
"I see that now," Rarity commented as she slowly lifted her head. "Still, I feel so sorry for stringing you, our friends, and all those elites along like this. I tried to fit two lifestyles into one pony, and in the end I didn't have to," She let out a sigh. "I can only hope Fancy Pants and the other elites will forgive me for unintentionally snubbing their garden party. I would've been better off politely declining and leaving it at that."
But just then the familiar voice of Fancy Pants declared. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Rarity. I understand completely that your heart was never into the garden party in the first place. Besides, I could see you interacting with your friends from the other side of the ballroom windows. It was easy to tell why you were so late in showing up to the garden party."
Rarity spun around, surprised to see Fancy Pants all by himself in the ballroom! "You... you really mean it?!"
The monocle wearing stallion nodded. "But of course. You and your Ponyville friends are... charmingly rustic, I believe is the term. From what I've observed of you, you are a Ponyville pony worth knowing. Not because you are friends with the princess' student or because you're a big hero, but because you are true to yourself. You've more than earned your reputation as an up and coming pony in the world of fashion," He bowed to her. "Alas, I cannot stay long. I still have my obligations to the garden party. But I do hope we'll have the pleasure of meeting each other again someday, with or without your friends." And with that, he departed.
Once Fancy Pants had left the ballroom, Rarity turned to her Ponyville friends and said to them. "I hope it's not too late for us to continue this birthday party. It would be a shame to let all these decorations and party supplies go to waste."
"Now you're talking, Rarity!" Pinkie Pie excitedly exclaimed! "Now we can make this a birthday party to remember! Even better than my own surprise birthday party, and that's hard to top!"
And so Rarity joined with her friends in celebrating Twilight's birthday in Canterlot. She knew now that she was wrong to ever deny who she truly was. She was Rarity, a talented fashionista from the town of Ponyville. Always had been and always would be.