"ExCUSE me," A voice said as the door to the Boutique slammed, a rather fancily dressed unicorn making his way into the store. Rarity gak'd. "Can ah help ya?" She asked, resulting in an unhumored look from the unicorn.
"I should certainly hope so. I am here to pick up my order. A bit early, I grant you, but they tell me you're the best, so that shouldn't be too much trouble.
Rarity turned red. "Ah'm the... of course. Of course not. Wait right there." She dashed towards the workroom, only to be intercepted by Sweetie Belle." "Git outta the way, sister, ah gotta-"
"Don't you sister ME, Applejack."
*blink* "How did-"
"Macintosh told Twilight, and Twilight told Pinkie, and Pinkie told everypony." Well, unfortunately that made a fair bit of sense. Pinkie was known for spreading news like wildfire, so long as the news wasn't designated a secret.
"But that was five minutes ago! How did she... never mind. This uppity dude wants his order right now, and it ain't ready yet! Ah don't know nothin' about designin'!"
"I know! And that's why I'm going to help you. Rarity did all the measurements already, it just needs put together. I'll finish working on it, you just stall him. Hah! See? Stall? Because we're-"
"Sweetie BELLE!"
"Sorry!" She dashed into the workroom.
Rarity sighed, and made her way back out to greet the customer, who already looked rather impatient. "Well? Where is it?"
"It's comin'! We're just makin' some final touches on it, as it weren't quite perfect yet. And y'know me, nothin' leaves the Boutique until its perfect." She pokerfaced.
The unicorn was silent for a moment. "Well. I have to say I admire your confidence, but I've a wedding to attend and time is money. And I do NOT like losing money, Rarity."
"Of... of course not. She smiled weakly, slipping towards the backroom to check on the filly. "Sweetie!" She hissed. "Hurry u-What is THAT?" She asked.
Sweetie stood next to something that slightly resembled a suit, mixed with a dress, mixed with a trash compactor. "She had a bunch of blueprints out and I couldn't find the right one!" She protested.
"What do you mean y'all couldn't find the right one?!" Rarity hissed.
"It wasn't my fault!" Sweetie Belle looked upset. "I did the best I could, and Rarity is always too busy to teach me!"
"What're we going to do?!"
"Easy. We stall him. I think," Sweetie said.
On the Apple farm, things weren't going quite so smoothly either. Apple Bloom was bouncing repeatedly on Applejacks bed, singing.
"Get up, get up, get up!" Applejack rolled out of bed, half asleep. "Alright I'm up!"
"Good! Now y'can get started on yer daily chores!" She threw a scroll from her mouth, and it unfolded across the bed, onto the floor, and out the door.
Applejack gasped. "You've got to be.. let me see that!" She took the list, eyeing over its contents. "Feed the pigs... clear the rotten apples from the orchard... spread fertilizer?! Oh no. No no no." There must be some mistake."
Apple Bloom shook her head. "Oh no, no mistake. Macintosh told me what happened. Ah know yer Rarity, but we still got chores t'do, so yer jes' gonna have to get it done anyway."
This was met with a stern stare. "Aright! Just let me do my coat and hair. I should be ready within a few hours." Apple Bloom shook her head and pushed her out of bed. "Nope! Right now!"
"But I can't go OUTSIDE looking like I just rolled out of bed! Someone might see me!"
"Applejack does it all the time. Y'll be fine." Rarity grimaced and made her way outside, Apple Bloom leading her towards the pig pen. "Jes' pick up that bucket of garbage and toss it in th' pen. They don't care."
"Pick up that bucket of WHAT?" She hissed. She inched her way closer to it as if it was made of fire ants. "Very well, I just need to.. just once..." She gingerly picked up the bucket between her front hooves, and tossed the entire thing, bucket and all, into the pen. The pigs swarmed upon it once.
Applejack backed away from the scene instantly. "That's revolting. I think I might faint."
"Go ahead. Y'dont have yer couch t'summon, so y'll just land on the ground."
At this, the fashion-farm mare straightened up. "I suddenly feel much better." She trotted away towards the next item on the list.
Big Macintosh came up beside his younger sibling, and they both shared an exasperated glance.
"This is gonna take forever innit it?"
"Ee-yup."
***
Twilight was hard at work, studying body switching spells. Pinkie was right alongside her.
"Didja find it yet?" "No." "How about now?" "No." "Oh.... now?" "Pinkie! I need absolute quiet so I can study!" "Oh! Okay! I'm gonna make sure you get absolute quiet then, yessiree, noponys gonna be going on making noise while you're trying to study, not if I can help it!" She gigglesnorted. "That reminds me of something! This one time, at band camp, I-"
"PINKIIIIIEEEE!"
The pink mare silenced herself instantly. "Mmmph!"
Twilight sighed. "Alright, I think I found something, but it's a doozy."
Pinkie broke her silence. "Can't be THAT much of a doozy, my alarm isn't going off."
Ignoring her, Twilight's horn began to glow a bright orange, brighter and brighter. With a fierce, otherwordly bang, it fired from her horn and shot out the window. At that particular moment, Rarity and Applejack were both in rather serious predicaments. The orange light split into two in the sky, and went racing towards each of the aforementioned ponies.
Sweetie Belle saw the light coming throught he window and dove underneath the bed. Applejack just stared at it. "That IS a fabulous colour, I must say. I absolutely must add it to my clothing line." The light flew down and struck the two mares, knocking them both senseless.
Sweetie Belle peered over Rarity. "Applejack?" The mare stirred. "Sweetie Belle! What are you doing here, darling?" Her eyes shot open. "Rarity?"
"Sweetie Belle!"
"Rarity!"
"Sweetie Be- WHAT IS THAT?" She yelled at once, jumping to her hooves. "Is that my... no no no! That's all wrong! Move aside at once!" She pushed Sweetie Belle out of the way, and set to work. Within a few minutes of hard labor, she had restored the outfit to its proper glamour, and returned to the front of the store.
"I do apologize for the wait, sir. Your order is complete." The unicorns eyes lay upon it with delight. "I must say, I was getting worried there. Rarity you've done it again!" He took it with his magic, exchanging the outfit for a pouch of bits.
At the farm, Macintosh was looking over his sister, who lay upon the ground. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were running up behind him.
"Y'okay?" He asked, breaking his usual verbal silence.
Applejack rose, shaking her head. "Ah jes had th'weirdest dream. Y'all were in it, and y'all were in it, and y'all were in it." She grabbed Apple Bloom, noogying her. "But ah think ah was gonna miss y'all most of all."
"Get off! It weren't no dream, you went all fashion pony on us! And ah'm done with mah chores before you, so y'owe me five bits, y'lazy pony!"
Applejack looked serious. "Ain't no pony gonna call Applejack a lazy pony!" She declared, and raced towards the barn.
Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom. "Is she always like this?"
"Ee-yup." The filly said.
With the two mares properly recoordinated, it seemed only appropriate to pay a visit to Zecora. The zebra had, after all, kindly offered to help them for the small price of patience. As it turned out, her assistance was no longer required.
"Ah'm real sorry t'put you t'all that trouble fer nothin'." Applejack insisted, with Rarity following suit. "Quite right, I know how upset I become when I needlessly waste material."
The Zebra shook her head. "Between the trials you have faced, and the troubles you endured, my ingredients did not go to waste towards friends with hearts so pure." Rarity turned red. "Well thank you again, darling, you were most gracious." She departed, with Applejack right behind her.
Zecora paused in the doorway, and waved them off. "Whenever troubles rise anew, I will always see what I can do." She promised, and closed the door.
***
"Ah'm gonna beat you!" Applejack yelled, barreling around the corner of the forest loop upon which they so often raced.
"Never!" Rarity exclaimed, taking a tight turn to attempt to cut her off. The two were neck and neck, jumping over a fallen log. A large mud puddle lay straight ahead. With a yelp, Applejack raced around it, and Rarity plowed straight through it. The two skidded to a halt, and looked at each other with mild amusement, and slight worry.
"You don't think..." Rarity asked.
"Side effects?" Applejack shook her head. "Nope."
Rarity tossed her mane back. "Let us never speak of this again."
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Ee-yup."