//------------------------------// // Trial by fire // Story: The Supermodel Scandal // by GrassBlade //------------------------------// "Streak, as a photographer, do you know anyone in your community who goes by 'Storm Front'?" questioned Rarity. That was the only information the magazine had offered. After finding the name she had dumped the Playcolt in the trash, but kept the Mare's Life. It really was quite intriguing. She really ought to try her hoof at the double-loop feather stitch- "Um, no. Nope, doesn't ring a bell at all. Sorry!" "How unfortunate. It seems that after the events that took place a week ago, he and Fleur have a score to settle," returned the mare with a flick of her mane. "Uh, actually you've been drawn into this as well, it seems." Streak did his best impression of embarrassment, hoofing her a newer copy of the Playcolt magazine. Rarity ignited her horn, smothering the magazine in a light blue aura. She unfurled it roughly before making a very undignified sound and galloping for the door. The patter of her hooves quickly faded away. Streak sneered to himself. Thank Celestia he had decided use a false name. He was going to get rich off these mares. --- "Rarity? What are you doing here?" "Ack! Oh, hello there Fleur. I didn't see you there." Rarity looked awkwardly up at the confused unicorn. Sitting on a bench at the Canterlot train station, she saw her train approaching in the background. Steam pumped out of its pipe as it chugged its way from Ponyville. She turned her attention back to Fleur. "I'm simply visiting my friends in Ponyville over the weekend. It's been ages since I have last seen them," she explained. A loud honking sound blared out from the train. Fleur winced. "It is really quite loud," said the model. "Yes, I suppose it is. In any event, I must go now. Sorry to disturb you, goodbye!" Rarity gushed her excuses and quickly boarded the train. "See you soon!" called Fleur. Rarity breathed a sigh of relief as the lowered herself onto the plump, cheap seat cushions. Surprisingly, she actually did plan on returning. Her job in Canterlot was very intriguing, and she would not give up this golden oppurtunity. Consequently, she did not see much of Ponyville nowadays. Now that the weekend had arrived, she was glad of the chance to see her friends again. After the recent events, she didn't think she could handle any more scathing looks from the ponies in Canterlot. She needed a break, and her friends would help her. They always did! Rarity thought it was a good argument, and apparently so did Fleur. After she waved goodbye to her friend and co-worker, she relaxed. She truly did need a break. Toward the end of the trip, she turned her attention to the complementary, albeit low-quality treats. Daintily selecting an oat bar and some water, she decided to whet her appetite before the inevitable "Welcome-home-Rarity-from-your-extra-super-special-job-in-Canterlot" party thrown by, of course, Pinkie Pie. "He-e-e-y-y!!!! It's Rarita-a-a-y-y-y!!!" Speak of the devil. Rarity couldn't help but giggle to herself. She peered out the window, ready to greet the girls with a wave of her hoof. "Hello every-" It was just Pinkie Pie. Rarity speedily withdrew her hoof, frowning in confusion. Perhaps the girls were just waiting for her at the boutique, or the library. Yes, that was it. That had to be it. A smile once more plastered on her face, she braced herself a the train stopped with a jolt. Thanking the friendly conductor with a few more bits than necessary, she went to meet Pinkie. The pink mare was jumping crazily. "Hiya there Rarity! It's been, like, waaaay too long, dontcha think? I mean since we last saw each other." "Hello, Pinkie, and yes, it had been quite a while," Rarity responded with barely contained mirth. "What's new in Ponyville?" "Twilight and Dashie and AJ warned me to stay away from you because they didn't know you were 'that kind of mare' and Fluttershy kinda just nodded in her corner. Isn't Fluttershy just the silliest! Teehee!" Pinkie bubbled innocently. "That's delight- wait, they said what?" spluttered the pearly white pony. "What?" Pinkie managed to ask, before she was barreled down by the sheer fury and embarrassment of Rarity as she charged past. "TWILIGHT!!" she roared, stampeding through the dirt roads. Mares and stallions alike gave her a combination of curious stares and malevolent glares. Dust rose up in billowy little clouds as her hooves clattered along. The dirt slowly gave way to cobble and Rarity stopped short, panting. Before her loomed the great oak tree that contained the town's collection of books and scrolls. A single fire spell would mutilate this building, Rarity thought darkly. Crashing through the door - it was a public library, after all - she looked furiously at the four mares. At the sound of her bursting through the door, Rainbow Dash had flinched, Twilight and Applejack had shuffled backwards, and Fluttershy was most likely on the ceiling somewhere. Recovering swiftly, Twilight took a cautious step forward, trying not to touch Rarity as she were some sort of contagious disease. "Please... Get out... Of... My... Library." Twilight spoke slowly, as if speaking to a foal. "What is wrong with you, you traitorous mule?" Rarity seethed. Applejack and Rainbow Dash scurried forward indignantly. Rainbow shouted, "Hey! Don't talk to Twilight like that! What's she ever done to you? Not coo-" "What has she done to me? She refuses to greet me like any pony of etiquette would. She pays me no heed and practically ignores my existence during my stay in Canterlot. She gossips about me behind my back!! And not only that, but she - and the rest of you - scorn me when I come back to visit. So, Rainbow, the correct question here is what have I ever done to you!?" Applejack narrowed her eyes. "Ah don't like tha way yer talkin to Twilight here, Rarity," she scolded. "Ya got a point there, truly, but it's hard ta see yer jutis- justic- justification after what ya did." Somewhere above the white fashion pony a small whimper wavered down from the ceiling. Slowly, Fluttershy lowered herself to the ground, standing between Rarity and the door. Her head was lowered, and hidden behind a strand of hair was a single, damp, turquoise eye. "Um, Rarity, I don't want to be mean, I mean, I really just want us all to be friends - if that's okay with you - but I am just the teensiest, tiniest bit curious about how long you've, uh, been doing this kind of thing... If you don't want to tell me, then, um, it's okay, I guess..." she whispered shakily. Rarity opened her mouth to respond when a great clattering arose from the kitchen, and she spotted a stray pot rolling noisily across the doorway. In an instant all five mares were running forward the source of the sound. In an effort to get there, Rarity accidentally brushed shoulders with Applejack, who automatically flinched and shied away from her. There was no time to dwell on it, however. They could already see inside the kitchen, and the poofy, curly, pink tail sticking straight up from inside a drawer. Finally, Pinkie withdrew herself from the cupboard, brandishing a frying pan with a big smile on her face. A soft thud behind Rarity told her that Fluttershy had fainted in relief, and beside her Rainbow sighed, releasing her pent-up energy and fear. "Uh, too bad it was just you, Pinkie. If you were a thief, I would, like, totally fight you. I would have beat you with my awesome kicks and totally punched you in the eyeballs with my awesomeness..." Rainbow trailed off nervously. "What are you doing here, Pinkie?" Twilight asked with one of her trademark goody-goody smiles. "Scratch that, darling," Rarity practically snarled at Twilight. She turned back to the cheerful pink mare. "How did you even get here? I just arrived, and I was running." It was more of a rhetorical question, of course. Nopony really understood Pinkie in general. "I was just getting ready for the Welcome-home-Rarity-from-your-extra-super-special-job-in-Canterlot party, and I figured that since you guys were all here it'd be a super great idea to just invite you all at once! But then I totally saw this package that Spike left open and they were carrot cupcakes and well you know how I love my carrot cupcakes and so I tried one and they were super, duper, oober, glooper, jooper, woober good! And so I just HAD to make more! Like, no doubt about it! So I grabbed some pots but they fell and made a crazy loud noise! And then you guys came in and started talking and then Rarity asked me how I got here and then I started explaining how I did. And when I got to the part about the carrot cupcakes I got kinda hungr-" "Thank you for that insightful analysis, Pinkie. But really, I'd just like Rarity to get out of the library. We'd lose all our guests if she stayed, and then the library would be forced to close down, and I know Scootaloo wants to check out the latest Daring Do book right after Rainbow Dash finishes it," Twilight said pleasantly. Rarity took an angry step toward the lavender mare. Immediately, Applejack and Rainbow Dash stepped up, preventing the fashionista from taking a single step closer. "What's wrong?" asked Pinkie. The poor party pony was bewildered, and a faint wheezing sound slid out from her mane, which had lost a couple centimeters of volume. Her eyes were round discs of cerulean, imploring the mares before her to tell her why her invitation was being ignored. "Rarity here has become one of them models for Playcolt," Applejack accused. Gasping, the mare of interest exclaimed, "Well, I never! For the Element of Honesty, you sure are spewing a lot of lies! Somepony has been sneaking pictures of me!" Fluttershy took a timid step forward, her head dipped as she inhaled. "Well, um, Rarity, if you're okay with it I would like to point out, um, I've never seen you in that kind of position in public..." Rarity practically screamed. "Perhaps they used something along the lines of photo editing!! Besides, I don't even own clothes like that!" Twilight cleared her throat, still smiling sweetly, although her eyes had a harsh glint in them. Pulling out a different magazine with her magic, she opened it to the page with Fleur wearing a very revealing outfit. "THOSE ARE SWIMSUITS!!" Fluttershy was taken aback at the sudden outburst, shriveled back into a little ball. Rarity shook herself and continued at a lower - but still loud - volume. "Twilight. This is so like you, to gather evidence and be all scholarly about everything. This is how you do everything!!" Rarity was back to yelling now. "Fine! Let's make this a Canterlot court case, just like you did at your school being the prissy adoptive daughter of Princess Celestia! You've stockpiled your evidence, gathered witnesses, and look!" she turned to Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "You even have your own personal bodyguards! How CUTE!!!" Twilight Sparkle frowned. "So, your honor," Rarity continued, voice dripping with malicious sarcasm, "what are my charges?" Twilight said, "You've been charged with intentional immodest appearances, degrading yourself, us, and the entirety of Ponyville with your scandalous modeling." Blinded by fury, the accused screamed, "I can't believe you're going through with this!" And with that she left, battering the roads with her hooves as she sprinted to the safety of high-class society.