Down the street from the market square, a handsome shopstallion was humming in satisfaction as he restocked what used to be a quill display with Pegasus Power Bars. One ear flickered and swiveled towards the market square as the sound of a raspy mare’s voice tickled it. He turned and saw Rainbow hovering above Twilight, with the overflowing basket held between them in an aura of magic. Davenport grinned to himself as he watched the animated exchange. The flying mare clenched her hooves and looked towards his shop.
When Rainbow turned to squint towards Sofas & Quills, she was surprised to see the crafty salespony looking back at her. She flitted over next to the basket and pointed at the bars spilling over the edge.
Davenport knew that look – it was the one many customers gave just before they demanded a refund. He puffed out his chest and squinted back, then pointed at a sign in the shop’s window that boldly proclaimed, “No Refunds.”
Twilight looked down the street, then back up at Rainbow in confusion. “Rainbow Dash, what in Equestria are you doing? Are you trying to sign something to Davenport? You know, you could just go over there and talk to him.”
Rainbow dismissed her words with a hoof. “I got this, Twi.” She squinted harder and pointed at the basket more forcefully.
Twilight’s face lit up with sudden understanding. “Oh, did you get those from Sofas & Quills & Pegasus Power Bars? I suppose I should have realized that, since he just changed the name of the shop. They must be selling really well!” She gave an embarrassed chuckle as Rainbow pointedly looked at her and then the basket of Power Bars. ”Oh, um... sorry?”
As if to prove Twilight correct, when Rainbow looked back up, Davenport was trading bars for bits with another Pegasus, who happily flapped off, leaving several wrappers fluttering down in her wake. The salestallion gave Rainbow a smug grin.
“What?!” Rainbow smacked herself in the face with a hoof, and then glared at Davenport. Slowly and emphatically, she pointed at her basket again.
Unfazed, Davenport frowned and pointed at his sign without breaking eye contact.
“Rainbow, I don’t think this is doing much good. You really should just go over and talk to him.” Twilight was beginning to get concerned; she was nearly out of budgeted ‘Spontaneous Conversation’ time, and she still had a dozen things left to do this afternoon. Just the thought of all the items on her list made her mane shiver.
Rainbow Dash was not about to let herself be distracted. “Nonononono, I got this, Twi.” She grinned her competitive grin and slowly nodded at Davenport. “I. Got. This.”
A clear and elegant voice rang out. “Oh, Twilight! My dear, I hate to say it, but you look positively frazzled!” Behind Twilight, Rarity and Fluttershy had been strolling across the square when Rainbow Dash’s aerial antics caught their attention. Rarity arched an eyebrow and glanced up at the hovering Pegasus, who was still staring at Davenport and pointing at her basket, over and over. “Who could ever have put you in such a state, I wonder?”
Twilight turned at the sound of her friend’s voice, her face lighting up. “Rarity, Fluttershy! I was going to come and see you today!” In her saddlebag, there was a rustling as a compact quill levitated and checked off two boxes on her list. Catching the meaning behind Rarity’s glance, she said, “Oh, no, it’s not her. Well, it is, kind of, but it isn’t, sort of.”
Davenport finally tired of the silent standoff. He lifted his chin, looked away from Rainbow Dash, and then marched into his shop.
“Okay, that’s it! I’m gonna go give that guy a piece of my mind!” The three other mares were startled by Rainbow’s outburst, and Twilight’s levitating aura disappeared with a pop. Rainbow swooped down, grabbed the falling basket, and shot off down the street towards Sofas & Quills & Pegasus Power Bars.
Rarity leaned over to Fluttershy and theatrically whispered, “Are you sure she can afford to do that?” earning a round of giggles from her friends.
“Now, Rarity, you know that’s not nice to say.” Fluttershy gently rebuked her friend, though she smiled as she said it.
Rarity smiled back and gave her friend a quick hug. “Oh, you are quite correct, dear, and of course I don’t mean a word of it. Rainbow Dash is a doll, but sometimes she needs to use her head for thinking, not as one of those... oh, you know, those things? The sort one would ram into a wall, if one wished to batter it down?”
Twilight smirked and said, “You mean a battering ram?”
“Yes, exactly, a battering ram! Terribly unstylish things, if you ask me. All brawn, no beauty, you know.” She shivered, and then turned her attention to Twilight. “ Now, Twilight, what was it you wanted to see us about?”
“Oh! Well, I wanted to make sure you were able to come to tea tomorrow. You can make it, can’t you?” Concern tinged Twilight’s voice; for the visit to be perfect, she needed every detail to be correct, and some details were harder to confirm than others.
Rarity lit up at the mention of the event. “Oh, of course, my dear, it’s been on my calendar from the moment you mentioned it! Surely you received my RSVP? Who could possibly consider not making an appearance at such an event?” Rarity blinked even as she said it, and looked at Twilight, who responded with a silent nod.
Both Unicorns turned to look at Fluttershy. Or rather, at Fluttershy’s mane, for the poor mare had ducked her head and was slowly backing away. She squeaked in surprise as Twilight’s horn glowed and she was lifted back to where she had been standing. Undeterred, she began backing away again until Rarity trotted around behind her and blocked her escape.
“Now, Fluttershy, why in Equestria would you not want to attend?” Rarity smiled gently at her friend, careful to ask the question in a warm voice.
“Oh, I do, it’s just that, well, I was thinking the library might get kind of crowded if there were too many Ponies in there. And of course I know all of you have so much you’d like to talk about with the Princesses, and I don’t think they’d be very interested in what I have to say, so I thought it might be nicer for everypony else if I stayed out of the way.” She made an effort to hold her head up and smile at her friends.
Twilight and Rarity shared a knowing look, and with a grin Twilight said, “I’m not buying it, Fluttershy. You know Princess Celestia would love to talk about Phoenix lore with you, right?”
Fluttershy gave a guilty smile, and tried again. “Well, um, I didn’t want to say it, but I really do need to feed all of my animals, um, right at that time. I hate to think of any of my cute little friends going hungry because I was selfish and went and left them alone.”
This time, Rarity replied. “Fluttershy, you make an excellent point, and I hate to disagree with you, but I really must ask: Whatever do they do when you come to the spa with me?”
Fluttershy looked guilty. “Oh, um, well, I suppose I get Angel to help. But I hate to ask him, it’s so much work and he’s just a little bunny.” She flinched a little when she saw both her friends looking at her expectantly. “Bu-u-u-t, I suppose I could ask him nicely. And maybe I can give him an extra carrot to help keep his energy up.”
Rarity beamed and said, “Splendid, it’s settled! You’ll come and we’ll have a wonderful time!” She paused with a worried look on her face, “It’s just occurred to me – Twilight, whatever are you serving? Will there be catering? Drinks? Dancing? I simply must know so I can come properly attired! Will it be semi-formal? Formal? Partially subordinated formal? C... C... Oh, I dread to even ask... Casual?”
Now it was Twilight and Fluttershy who shared a look and giggled. They both knew that, despite her protestations, Rarity would just as eagerly go to a Hay-B-Que with her friends as attend the Grand Galloping Gala, but they understood that a love of pomp and circumstance went with Rarity’s superb talent for creative fashion. Twilight said, “Rarity, the Princesses are taking a little vacation, so... let’s say ‘relaxed informal,’ will that work? I mean, it’s the Princesses, but they want to get away from Canterlot and have a little fun. I’ve even gotten Pinkie to share her recipe for Party Prandials.”
Rarity gasped in excitement and sidled over next to Twilight. “You did? How did you ever? My dear, you simply must tell me – what is the secret?”
Twilight looked confused. “Secret? What secret?”
Rarity looked at her in feigned shock. “Why, the secret ingredient, of course! I’ve had a regular Party Prandial, but Pinkie does something wonderful... extraordinary... marvelous to them! I must know! You must tell me, darling, please pleaseplease!” By the end, Rarity had her face pressed up against Twilight’s, her hooves grasping the other mare by her shoulders and gently shaking her for emphasis.
Twilight shuddered at the memory of Pinkie’s revelation, and couldn’t decide if sharing it would send Rarity into a fit or shock her into silence. “She... puts a little bit of herself into every one. I’m sorry, I can’t say anymore.”
Rarity looked at her wide-eyed. “You mean...” She slowly lifted a hoof towards her eye, and when Twilight gave a guilty nod, she turned her head and held out a foreleg. “Say no more! I couldn’t stand to cause a friend to break such a promise!” Lifting a hoof to her brow, she struck a dramatic pose and continued, “I’d rather go my whole life not knowing than be the cause of such a breach of trust, the sort of trust only a friend, a true, true friend, could know the depths of. But alas, it seems it shall not be. I shall go on... unknowing.”
Rarity opened one eye and looked at Twilight questioningly. When her friend gave a slight shake of her head, Rarity shrugged and brought her hoof down. “It was worth a shot.”
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