//------------------------------// // Rarity's Perilous Predicament // Story: The Mares // by PColumbus //------------------------------// “What brings you back to Ponyville?” Pinkie Pie asked cheerfully. “How about you mind your own business, dweeb!” Replied Gilda angerly. “And if you tell anypony I’m here, you’re going to pay!” “Oh, I don’t need to do that.” Pinkie Pie reassured as she took a hoof and waved it across the street where everypony was staring at them, causing Gilda to roar in anger. “You have made a fool of me for the LAST TIME!” She growled. “When I’m finished with you, you will never show your face in this town again!” “What did I ever do to you?” Asked Pinkie. “It’s because of you that Rainbow Dash won’t speak to me anymore!” Said Gilda. “Do you still have her address?” Replied Pinkie. “No, I forgot it actually; you think I could get it from you after we’re done?” The griffin asked kindly, Pinkie replied with a smile and nod. “Thanks!” Gilda smiled. “Well, it’s not my fault you were such a sourpuss when you were here!” Pinkie defended as she resumed her previous stance. “All you had to do was STAY OUT OF MY WAY!” Gilda replied angrily. “And you better stay out of my way now!” She stormed off through the alley by Davenport’s. “Hey, have an apple on me!” Said Pinkie as she chucked a red delicious toward Gilda. With a flick of her tail, Gilda caught it and turned to give Pinkie Pie a wink and the thumbs up. “I gotta invite her on our baseball team!” Pinkie Pie reminded herself as she gathered the apples. Meanwhile, back at the school, Apple Bloom remained stunned as she saw a haystack cutie mark appear on her flank. Then, two worker ponies moved the red background and she snapped from her surprise. “But… that’s impossible!” She said as Scootaloo wiped away what appeared to be makeup from Apple Blooms flank. “Why did you lie to us?” Asked Scoots, still mesmerized by her friend’s cutie mark. “I didn’t… its Diamond Tiara!” Apple Bloom gasped for the words as she grew frustrated that nopony seemed to believe her. “Apple Bloom, how could I make your cutie mark appear? It’s far easier to cover one up.” Diamond Tiara feigned innocence. “Yeah, I mean, it’s not like somepony snuck into your bedroom and painted a fake cutie mark on you.” Added Sweetie Belle. “Poor, Apple Bloom, it’s sad that she has to constantly lie to her friends, I mean, they’d totally understand… right?” Diamond Tiara said with false sympathy. “C’mon Sweetie Belle, we have to get to class.” Said Scootaloo as Sweetie Belle walked with her into the school. Apple Bloom stood there, racking her brain to find something to say, and then she turned to Diamond Tiara. “HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?” She said angrily at Diamond Tiara. “I already told you…” Sneered the spoiled filly as she flicked Apple Bloom’s nose with her tail and walked over to Silver Spoon and walked into class together, giggling and talking among themselves, leaving Apple Bloom in the schoolyard to dig at the ground with her hoof. “What’s wrong Apple Bloom?” Asked Twist. “Oh… Diamond Tiara…” Said Apple Bloom, Twist instantly nodded in understanding. “You know, you’ll never guess who I saw her with the other day.” Said Twist. “Silver Spoon?” Apple Bloom asked nonchalant. “No… Snails!” Replied Twist in a whispered hush. Apple Bloom gasped in genuine surprise. “No way! You’ve gotta tell me more!” Her eyes enlarged as she schemed in her head. “Okay, come to my house after school, I’ll explain everything!” Replied Twist as the two fillies walked into the schoolhouse together. Meanwhile, back in Ponyville, Rarity was working her way through town (no… not that kind of work!); she had to get more fabric for her shop. Rarity trotted quickly with her bags through the bustling market, she was expecting a gem delivery within the next couple hours and if she didn’t get to Carousel Boutique in time, the delivery would get returned to Manehattan. Rarity was planning a fashion line exclusively for the Crystal Empire and was going to make sample pieces to show to various boutiques in the crystal city. The fashionista dodged her way through the busy shopping district and arrived at her shop just as the mail cart pulled up. “Thank heavens I made it!” Rarity said to herself as she saw Derpy Whooves lowering a crate down from the cart. “Are you Miss Rarity?” Asked the cross-eyed Derpy. “Yes, I am Rarity.” She said as she set her bags down. “One gem delivery! Please sign here.” Replied Derpy as she held out a clipboard. “Could you please open the lid, I need to make sure I got they sent the right ones.” Rarity asked nicely. The mailmare replied with a nod and pulled out a crowbar that was inside the cart and pried open the box. Rarity gasped at what she saw, the crate was full of bubble gum. “The order was for gems! Not gum!” Rarity corrected as she sighed heavily. Derpy flipped through her route list. “Whoops! My bad!” Said Derpy. “There was a gum delivery for Miss Pinkamena Pie.” She read off. “Please switch these boxes before Pinkie Pie puts rubies in pies or something!” Rarity ordered the postal carrier, who replied with another salute and pulled the cart back into Ponyville. “This is just perfect.” Rarity said with a flavor of frustration, as she grabbed her bags and went into her shop. She began organizing her purchases, flower prints, stripes, ribbons, and various other fabrics and embellishments went into various drawers and cubbies. Rarity went to place her bags in the trashcan behind the boutique, after she placed the lid back where it belongs, she heard somepony call out. “LOOK OUT!” They shouted, and before Rarity could look, something hit her in the head and everything went black. Rarity woke up to find herself in a dank, dimly lit room that smelled just dreadful. She rubbed her forehead, which was slightly swollen from whatever hit her. Her vision became clearer as she looked in shock to see bars lining a dark hallway. “Hello!” Rarity cried as she rushed to the bars, shaking them. “Is anypony there?!?” She pleaded. She panted heavily as the frightened pony assessed her situation. Did the Diamond Dogs ambush her? As she was searching around the room for a way to escape, her heard a clopping nearby (no, not that clopping.) “Hello?” Rarity called out again. Then, a pony appeared out of the shadows and looked at her with confident satisfaction. “Hello Sugarcube.” Said Applejack. DUN… DUN… DUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNN!