//------------------------------// // An Elegant Lapse of Reason // Story: Appledashery // by Just Essay //------------------------------// “And then after a charming tea party held at the exquisite Porcelain Hall, we proceeded towards the Alabaster Marketplace in Central Canterlot.” Rarity smiled warmly as she telekinetically sewed the frayed edges of Rainbow’s gown back together. Her voice rang deliciously across the walls of the Carousel Boutique. “There I found the most adorable little white purse--studded with natural pearls! It would have been the absolute best thing to carry to a festive soiree during Hearth’s Warming! Well out of my financial reach, of course, but even Twilight agreed that it would have looked positively flattering if complemented by a cream-colored gown and pearl earrings! Though I couldn’t take the thing home, Twilight was resourceful enough to use her felicitous charm and convince the shopkeeper to let me hold it for a while!” Rarity’s teeth glinted brightly as she squeaked with joy. ”Squeee!” Rarity paused to rear her front legs, then returned diligently to restoring the gown before her. “Ahem. Sometimes, I swear, we are undeniably blessed to have the very apprentice of Princess Celestia for a friend. I’ve tried for a long time not to let it get to my head, of course, but whenever Canterlot comes up… well…” The elegant fashionista fluffed her mane and sighed. “But I’ve certainly improved my demeanor over the past year!” She upturned her nose to the polished ceiling. “I have moved far past trying to flatter Twilight for favors! Having these delightful excursions to Canterlot are… erhm… simply f-fringe benefits of friendship! Yes! That’s right!” Silence. Rarity glanced up at the hovering blue figure above her. “Rainbow?” “Hmm? Huh?” The pegasus fought back a yawn as her eyes tiredly blinked at the unicorn. “Wh-what?” “Though I shudder to ask…” Rarity smirked as she moved on to another part of the gown. “Did you find anything that caught your fancy at the Alabaster Marketplace?” “Oh… uh… you bet!” Rainbow Dash smiled crookedly. “I saw lots of… uhm… dresses! And… uh… crystal jewelry… n’stuff…” “Hrmmmm…” Rarity tapped her muzzle thoughtfully with a dainty hoof. “I certainly don’t recall seeing you around that much.” “Yeah, well, something tells me you had your attention elsewhere, Rarity,” Rainbow muttered. “Horses for courses, darling.” Rarity squinted up at her. “You most certainly appeared to be distracted during most of our stay at Twilight’s.” “I… did?” “Indeed.” Rainbow Dash flexed her forelimb before running it through her colorful bangs. A shiver reverberated through her tail and shot back up her spine. “Like… in what way?” “Well, you tossed and turned all night as we slept in Twilight’s room. I felt oh-so-terribly sorry for the beating you gave your sleeping bag.” “Uh huh…” “And then the next day, I could have sworn you flew into at least three building fronts!” Rarity exclaimed. “My stars, dear! Was it something you ate the night previous?” “Erm… m-maybe?” Rarity paused, tilting her head at a contemplative angle. “You… do remember the events of the past weekend… do you not?” “Pffft! Jeez, Rarity, what do you t-take me for?” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, then pivoted around so that the mare couldn’t see the fresh sheen of cold sweat forming across her pale face. She hovered over towards a wall of shelved fabrics and pretended to be interested in studying the various spools of yarn and silk that lined the stored materials. “I’m a weather flier, for crying out loud! I gotta use mimetic memory to know exactly when and where hot or cold air currents mix to make storms! I’d have to be a total effin’ loser to let my head get away from me!” “And we all know how terribly much you hate losing, darling.” “Darn straight!” Rainbow Dash took a deep, deep breath. She glanced forlornly over her shoulder. “So… uhm… you d-didn’t see me at all during most of the weekend, huh?” “I should say not!” Rarity fluffed the armbands of the gown and squinted inquisitively at the damaged material. “Which was fine by me, of course. Not that I didn’t desire your company of course, Rainbow Dash, but I knew that you’d be absolutely miserable if you were forced to trail me, Twilight, and Fluttershy as we window-browsed from one shop to another. Nay, I’d say I was quite happy to know that you were away doing far more interesting things for the interim.” “Heh…” Rainbow sighed as she gazed dully at her reflection in the Boutique’s elaborate mirror. “Yeah, I guess…” “Besides, I knew the two of you would be perfect company for one another.” Rainbow Dash went pale as a sheet. “The… two of us?” “Why, you and Applejack of course!” Rarity sing-songed. “Me… and…” Rainbow’s voice grew thinner than a gossamer thread while her ruby pupils shrank. “...Applej-j-jack?” “Mmmmhmmm. Pray tell where did the two of you go, darling? You were gone nearly all day.” “Uhhhhh…” Rainbow fidgeted in mid-air. “Uhmmmm…” She squirmed and squirmed and squirmed and-- “Oh… you know! What rough’n’tumble ponies always do! Eheheheh…” She beat her fuzzy blue chest and took a deep, deep breath. “We’re strong gals! We have no time for dainty dress-shopping or tea drinking, y’know!” Rarity chuckled airily. Rainbow Dash bit her lip, then slowly tilted forward in mid-hover. “Well… do you?” “Do I what?” Rainbow clenched her eyes shut and hissed inwardly. Rarity glanced at her. “Oh! Uhm…” Rarity chewed the end of her lip. “To be honest, I didn’t keep track of the time. I didn’t see you or Applejack for hours, and by the time we got back together, it was well after nightfall. In fact, I didn’t get much chances to chat with the two of you for the extent of our stay.” “That’s… freaky…” “Erhm… in what way?” “Uhhhh…” Rainbow Dash furiously shook her head. “Forget what I said!” “Hard to forget what a pony doesn’t know, darling.” “Unnnngh…” Rainbow groaned as she rubbed her own skull. “Yeahhhhh…” Rarity’s eyes sparkled with concern. “Rainbow, are you quite alright? You seem particularly out of sorts.” “I guess the Gala just stole a lot of my thunder.” Rainbow pensively rubbed the ends of her forelimbs together. “You understand, d-don’t ya?” she squeaked. “Oh, most definitely,” Rarity said with a nod. “To think that I invested so much of my heart and soul into that event, only for it to be dashed to pieces!” She took a shuddering breath but quickly recovered with an elegant smile. “Alas, it’s a good thing that I have such marvelous friends as you girls. All the pieces got put back together. I’m certain that’s what Applejack did for you.” “Huh?!” Rainbow snapped. “What about Applejack doing me? I-I-I mean…” She winced. “Her doing stuff for me?” “Why, I suspect that she was a shoulder to lean on. I assumed you and her spent the entirety of the weekend together.” Rainbow bit her lip. “Did you not?” “Oh! Of course! We totally did!” Rainbow Dash stammered. “I just… uh… can’t seem to recall…” “Recall what?” The petite pegasus dryly gulped. “...when it was that we told you guys that we’d be… y’know… out and about?” “Again, I knew very little. Distracted or not, it simply wasn’t my place to know,” Rarity remarked. “Twilight, of course, is a different matter.” “Twi… light…?” “Yes, darling.” Rarity tilted her fuzzy white head up and smiled beneath her glowing horn. “You and Applejack spoke to her last before departing for another part of Canterlot.” “We did…?” Rainbow Dash blinked. She hovered close towards the ceiling, rubbing her chin in thought. “Hmmmm…” Her wings flapped harder. “Rarity, thanks for working on the dress, but I gotta--uhh--go check on something quick!” She spun about, only to slam head-on into a ceiling beam. “Owie!”