Fluttershy had continued on her way through Ponyville before arriving at the Carousel Boutique. She knocked on the door and waited a moment for her friend to answer. Silence. She gave another attempt, only to bring more silence.
“Oh, I hope she’s okay” she muttered out loud. When Rarity still had yet to come out, Fluttershy looked around before cautiously opening the door.
“Hello? Rarity?” she called out while looking around in the room. Fluttershy noticed that the boutique was in disarray, with string and fabric strewn about over the floor, mannequins knocked off of their stands, and a few lights broken here and there. Soon, however, she noticed that lying close to the floor was a purple mane hidden behind a knocked over table. Assuming this was the place to look, Fluttershy walked towards it.
“Rarity?” she whispered. “Is… is that you?”
Just then the purple mane quickly rose to reveal the panic stricken face of Rarity, frightening Fluttershy. With a shrill alertness to her voice, Rarity said “Fluttershy! Oh, thank Celestia you’re here!” She hopped over the table and put her face right in front of Fluttershy’s. “I. Need. Your. Help!”
Worried, Fluttershy put away her smile and became serious. “What’s wrong, Rarity?” she asked. “I… I’ll help you. Any way I can!”
Rarity gave a sigh of relief and regained her posture. “I’m glad to hear that.” She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts, and then began to pace in front of Fluttershy. “As you can see, I’ve been very, very busy regarding fashion lately.”
“Oh, I can tell” Fluttershy complemented.
Rarity continued. “Well, it seems as if I’ve bit off more than I can chew. A famous fashion designer, Masquerade, has asked for a large batch of fashion designs for a ball he will be having soon in south-east Equestria.”
Fluttershy smiled. “I’m sure you’ll do fine, Rarity. Fashion is your special talent.”
Rarity’s eyes grew wide to accentuate her point. “I know, dear! But the horrible thing is that I’m also working on a dress for Applejack! Her birthday is this Saturday and I want the dress to be special. I already messed up Twilight’s dress for her birthday, and I simply will not do the same to poor Applejack!”
Fluttershy tilted her head. “Applejack’s birthday is this Saturday? She didn’t tell me that.”
Rarity nodded. “She’s not one to talk about such things. Her country girl pride, I suppose. I had to drill her for quite a while before I got that information. BUT… back to the problem at hoof. I’m finding it much too difficult to give both of the products my full attention. The good news is that Masquerade’s fashion line is nearing completion! I only need a little more time to add a few finishing touches. A half hour at most. That is where you come in my dear!”
Fluttershy smiled and leaned in, eager to gain her instructions.
“Fluttershy, I need you…”
“Yes…”
“To do the very important task…”
“Yes…”
“Of-“
“Of finishing Masquerade’s designs for you!”
Rarity stopped for a moment and raised an eyebrow at Fluttershy. “…No.”
Fluttershy flinched and immediately moved her head to cover her face with her hair in order to hide her embarrassment. “Oh... oh, I’m sorry. I thought…”
“You thought I asked you here to help me sew?” asked Rarity. When Fluttershy nodded, Rarity was instantly hit by a wall of guilt. “I’m so sorry, Fluttershy! I had no idea. I mean…If you wanted to… I could-“
“No!” Fluttershy interrupted. “It-it’s okay. I’m sorry. It’s my fault for jumping to that conclusion.” She looked back up at Rarity and feigned a smile. “What did you really want me to do?”
Not having the time to reconcile with her friend, Rarity got to the point. “Well… I wanted you to distract Masquerade for a while, while I finish the last touches on his fashion line.”
“Distract?” Fluttershy asked. “When is he coming to pick them up?”
Rarity winced. “Well…”
Ding-dong
“Now…”
Fluttershy gasped. “Now? He’s picking them up today?”
Rarity nodded. “I said I was quite busy. The pickup date is today, and I figured I’d be able to finish by now. Oh, but Fluttershy, there was just too much work! I overworked myself, and now just look at me! I have BAGS under my eyes, my mane has lost its glorious luster, and I’m HUNCHING! I’m in no shape to go out like this!”
Fluttershy scanned her friend. “Um…you look great to me.”
“Oh you’re just saying that!” Rarity replied with a hoof to her forehead. “But it’s okay now, because you're here!” She enveloped the pegasus with a hug. “Sweet, beautiful Fluttershy, whom a friend in need can always count on!”
Fluttershy cringed when Rarity said that, but she knew she was right. “So, you just want me to… talk to him?”
Rarity let Fluttershy go and let out a nervous chuckle. “Well, that’s where it gets a little more complicated. Like I said, I’m in no shape to reveal the line to him. That being said, I need you to distract him until I can complete the designs, then I would need you to reveal them to him.”
Fluttershy began to worry. “I’m not very good for conversation, Rarity. Maybe… maybe you should get Twilight or Rainbow Dash to do this. I’m not-“
“But they have no knowledge of fashion, Fluttershy!” Rarity interrupted. “You are the only pony I can count on!” She bent down in front of Fluttershy to show her absolute desperation.
Fluttershy let out a soft groan. “Okay… Rarity. I’ll do it. For you.”
Rarity stood straight up. “Oh, thank you my dear! I’ll never forget this!”
Ding-dong
“Right!” Rarity shouted. “Oh… and I may have forgotten to mention that I want it to look like I finished my designs on time, and that I have a good work procedure. He can’t know that they are just being finished. But I also want to be the one to show him my designs, so to speak. And so…”
“So?” Fluttershy inquired.
Rarity sighed. “And so I would like for you… to pretend like you're me!”
“WHAT?” Fluttershy shouted.
“Oh, it’s only for a while, Fluttershy! I need to uphold my reputation in the world of fashion! I can’t show him my line looking like I do, but I want him to think that I am! Please, Fluttershy! It can’t be that hard! He comes in, he goes out, no problem! Right?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “Rarity… I-I can’t, I…”
Rarity moaned “Oh please, my dearest friend!” She topped it off with a round eyed lip quiver to satisfy Fluttershy’s pathos.
“Oh… oh alright…” sighed Fluttershy. At that, Rarity quickly cheered up and ran to a desk where she had some things prepared. When she returned to Fluttershy, she placed a replica purple wig on Fluttershy’s head and blue contact lenses into her eyes.
“Beautiful! Now, Fluttershy, we just need to put this cute little dress on you to hide your wings and that cutie mark.” Rarity helped Fluttershy into a purple dress that fell below her flank which perfectly covered up the butterflies on her side.
“But Rarity,” Fluttershy began, “what about my coat? It’s still yellow.”
Rarity scoffed. “My dear, I am much better known for my beautiful purple hair than my brilliantly white coat. With luck, he will not even think about it.”
“What about your horn?”
“Oh…” Rarity said. She looked around the room and found a plaster mold of a unicorn horn lying in the
corner. “This will do!” Using a string, Rarity quickly tied the horn to Fluttershy’s head and covered it with her hair. “Perfect!”
Ding-dong
Rarity gasped. “Masquerade has waited much too long!” While backing up into the doorframe of the next room, Rarity gave Fluttershy her orders. “Just pretend you’re me and distract him for a while. Okay? I’ll go as fast as I can!” She began waving Fluttershy to the door, to which she complied. “I know you won’t disappoint me!”
Fluttershy walked towards the door full of panic and confusion. Okay, Fluttershy. You can do this. Thoughts began to race through her head. Remember, you took an acting class… She arrived at the door and sighed. When you were four…
She opened the door and looked up at the blue colt that stood before her. He had a prominent jaw and a long, dark blue mane. He had a coat that was a much lighter blue, and he stood with promptness and integrity. When he spoke, he did so with a deeply southern accent while still keeping it proper. “I say! I stood at that doorway for a considerable amount of time, a time in which most ponies would call uncivilized! May I come in?”
Fluttershy froze in place. After a few intense moments she was able to whisper out “Um… yes… c-come in…”
Masquerade raised his manly brow. “Miss Rarity?”
Fluttershy shut her eyes and scolded herself for a moment. Rarity, Fluttershy! Rarity! Remember you’re doing this for Rarity. What would Rarity do?
Fluttershy quickly stood up straight, gained perfect posture, and raised her head up high. Behind her, Rarity was peeking out from the doorway to see how her friend was doing.
And then, Fluttershy spoke.
“Well hello, DAHling! You… uh… SIMPLY must come in!”
Rarity cringed. “Oh no…”
Masquerade looked down at the pony with a confused look on his face. “Um… excuse me?”
Unwavering, Fluttershy said “I said, MY DEAR, that you SIMPLY must come inside! There is… uh… tea, and… FASHION… that dwells within my… domain?”
Rarity face-hooved. Oh, Fluttershy she thought. What are you doing? I DO NOT talk like that!
Masquerade tried to hold in a chuckle. “Uh… whatever you say, madam.”
The two walked inside the boutique as Fluttershy quickly noticed that she had to explain the mess.
“Uh… I’m quite sorry for the mess, Mr. Masquerade. It’s just that… I’ve been very busy on my clothing line and I haven’t been able to… tidy up?” Fluttershy gave a yearning face to her company, hoping he wouldn’t find her speech to be revealing.
“Well, Miss Rarity, they say true geniuses have the messiest dwellings. I only think more highly of you because of it.” Fluttershy sighed in relief. “Now, let’s have a look at that clothing line!”
Fluttershy gasped inwardly. “Um… no, no, no, no, no, MY DEAR!” Again, Masquerade’s eyebrow rose curiously. “We-um, I must show you around first!” Fluttershy quickly nudged him in the opposite direction of Rarity’s workroom and into the middle of the entrance hall.
“Miss Rarity, I say, I do not have much time” said Masquerade. “In fact, I stood at your doorstep for so long I feel quite parched!”
Fluttershy began to grasp at straws. “Parched! Yes, yes, of course! You’re thirsty! Um…l-let me go get you a drink!”
Masquerade began to follow Fluttershy as she walked to the kitchen. “So Miss Rarity, tell me about the clothing you’ve designed for me.”
A bead of sweat dropped down Fluttershy’s forehead as she began to come up with an excuse. “Oh… I… um… it’s a surprise! And you don’t want to be surprised while you’re thirsty. It can cause high blood pressure.” She smiled and trotted into the kitchen, leaving a frustrated Masquerade in the hall.
“Well then,” he said, “I suppose I’ll have a scotch.”
“A scotch…” said Fluttershy. “Of course.” She began to look around the kitchen, looking for a source of where Rarity kept her glasses. “Would… you want that in a glass, Mr. Masquerade?”
Masquerade huffed. “Of course! Would you have me drink it off the floor?”
Fluttershy winced. “Of course not… dahling.” She made her way to Rarity’s refrigerator and began to scan the contents. “And… um… Mr. Masquerade… how do you make a scotch?”
Masquerade was beginning to become impatient. “You take the bottle… and pour it into a glass… Miss Rarity.”
Upon saying that, Fluttershy came across the small bottle of unopened scotch in the door of Rarity’s fridge, causing pink to flush to her cheeks. “Oh… um. Of course” she mumbled. She looked through the drawers for a bottle opener, but could not find a single one in the mess she was making.
“Miss Rarity,” Masquerade sternly said, “just pop off the cap with the counter!”
“Oh, um, sorry” said Fluttershy. She began to weakly tap the cap against the counter, but to no avail. Beginning to become frustrated at herself, Fluttershy raised the bottle high and slammed it against the counter, shattering the bottle and sending scotch and shards of glass everywhere. Including Masquerade’s leg.
“Aaah!” he shouted as glass pierced his shin. “You imbecile, look what you’ve done! I’m bleeding! And I’m thirsty!”
Masquerade made his way to the kitchen table and sat down. He looked upon a stunned Fluttershy, who had frozen in place with a hoof to her mouth.
Fluttershy carefully surveyed the situation and tried her best to provide a Rarity-styled reaction. “Uh… of all the bad things that could take place… this... this is one of them!” Oh, Fluttershy she thought to herself, you are not doing very well.
Masquerade coughed in order to gain Fluttershy’s attention. “I could use some assistance here, Miss Rarity!”
Fluttershy snapped back to reality and looked around for a towel. “Oh! I’m so sorry my little... Masqueradey... wadey... let me help you!” She found a soft towel and some tweezers in a drawer and ran over to her patient.
ooo
After a while of painful treatment for Masquerade, Fluttershy was making the finishing touches on the stitching of his leg.
“There you go, Mr. Masquerade. All better” said Fluttershy as she patted his wound with a towel.
Masquerade couldn’t help but smile. “I say, Miss Rarity, you have quite the talent for fixing the injured.”
“Well it is my special talent” replied Fluttershy.
Masquerade tilted his head. “I thought fashion was your special talent?”
Fluttershy began to choke due to her not even noticing the mistake she had made. “Oh…um, *cough* I-I meant… other… than sewing… and designing… Helping injured animals… that is.” She had stopped her coughing and looked Masquerade in the eyes to see if he took the bait. Surprisingly, she caught him looking at her with wanting eyes.
“Miss Rarity,” he began, “I must say I find your purple mane and your deep, gorgeous blue eyes to be absolutely mesmerizing.”
Fluttershy blushed at the compliment, even though it wasn’t to the real her. “Oh, um… thank you, Mr.-uh, darling, sir.”
Masquerade suddenly gained a suspicious look on his face. “Hey… I thought I had heard that you had a brilliantly white coat…”
Fluttershy’s heart began to beat faster than ever before. “Oh, I-I-I-no! What? My coat has always been… been yellow. Where did you hear it was white? You must’ve misheard. I’m sorry. I-I’m sorry.” Her head sunk to the ground so she didn’t have to face his judgmental stare.
“Hmmm” muttered Masquerade. “If you say so.” Fluttershy sighed. “So, may I please see the designs I’ve come so far for, Miss Rarity? I really must be going.”
Fluttershy’s eyes went wide in fright. “Well, I-um…” She looked over to Rarity’s workroom door and was relieved to see that she was standing in it and was waving Fluttershy in her direction. “Yes, Mr. Masquerade, I believe we are ready” she said with a smile.
“Excellent” he replied.
Fluttershy happily trotted over to Rarity’s workroom, glad to be almost done with the whole ordeal. As soon as they made it into the main hall, however, the front door of the boutique swung open.
“Rarity!” shouted the small filly as she entered the room owned by her sister.
Fluttershy panicked but impressively improvised on the spot. “Oh, hello Sweetie Belle. How wonderful it is to see you home” she said with a smile, hoping Sweetie Belle might get the hint.
Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow at her friend. “Home? But you don’t live here, Fluttershy! It’s just me and Rarity! And Opal!” she said with a proud grin on her face.
“Fluttershy?” asked Masquerade while eying down his host. “What is this filly talking about?”
Now was the fastest time Fluttershy’s heart had beaten in recent memory. She froze like a deer again for several seconds, trying to come up with an excuse. “Um… my darling sister is just… playing a little game. Aren’t you Sweetie Belle?”
“A game?” Sweetie Belle asked. “I don’t get it.” A sudden understanding grin emerged from her face. “Oh, I get it! We’re playing dress up! I wanna play Rarity, though! You can play as Applejack!” Without warning Sweetie Belle ran up to Fluttershy and tore her wig off then proceeded to place it on her own head. “There,” she said with accomplishment, “now I’m Rarity!”
All eyes focused on Fluttershy as she sunk her head low to the ground and hid her face in her hair. “Oh, Sweetie Belle…”