//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Dresses and Desire // by One True Thrond //------------------------------// It had been a week. Rainbow Dash stood before the door to the Carousel Boutique, contemplating what she’d gotten herself into. She wasn’t afraid, of course. Nothing to fear about some dresses. She just didn’t really like them. Rainbow always found dresses to feel restrictive and to not allow for much movement. They weren’t something she regularly chose to wear. So how is it that this is the second time in the past couple of weeks that she’d found herself at this doorstep, about to be fitted into one? Then she remembered. Rarity had accused her of being afraid. Her? Afraid? The thought made her laugh. She wasn’t afraid of dresses. Fuelled by this thought, she walked into the boutique. She was almost immediately greeted by Rarity’s presence. Rarity could hardly contain her excitement. She’d thought she’d never get Rainbow all dressed up, yet here she was again. “Rainbow, darling! I’m so glad you showed up! Shall we wait for Applejack?” she blabbered excitedly. “Sure,” Rainbow replied. Her apple-farming friend was sure to show up. She wasn’t one to go back on her word. Surely enough, the door soon opened to reveal the mare in question entering the boutique. At the sight of her friends, Applejack’s expression broke into a small smile. “Hi, Rainbow. Hi, Rarity,” she said, not entirely enthused. Rainbow could relate. Rarity piped up. “Alright, girls, I’ll get you to your change rooms. Rainbow, since you arrived first, I’ll attend to you first.” With that, Rarity showed Rainbow to a dressing room. Before she knew it, Rainbow was dressed up. The outfit was surprisingly loose, and Rainbow felt she’d have a lot of room for movement. Rarity showed her a mirror, and Rainbow saw how she wore the dress. Her mane was trimmed and short, falling just above her eyes and neatly along Rainbow’s neck. The dress itself was buttoned up just below her neck, with strong pieces of fabric wrapping over her shoulders to bring the buttons to the holes. The pattern was one of a rainbow spiral - something which would look very good in the air. The dress had a lightness to it almost like a cape. Rainbow’s tail, too, was trimmed and combed. No longer was it a scraggly mess. Now it was something more presentable. “So, what do you think?” Rarity asked. “It’s awesome!” Rainbow replied enthusiastically. She’d expected something more girly, perhaps more constricted. This was a pleasant surprise. “It’s like a cape!” “Now, Rainbow, don’t get too carried away. It may resemble a cape, but it isn’t one,” Rarity said. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” “I’d better get to Applejack now. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” Applejack was waiting patiently in the foyer. Alone with her thoughts, she considered her current predicament. She didn’t really like dresses. A practical pony like herself rarely had much need for them. She didn’t really like the idea of wearing something so girly either. It’d make her look ridiculous. That said, Rarity had challenged her. She didn’t want Rarity to think she was afraid of something as frivolous as dresses, and she especially didn’t want to look like a coward next to Rainbow Dash. Applejack’s thoughts were interrupted by Rarity calling her name. “Would you follow me to the dressing room?” Rarity asked. Applejack nodded and was led to the room in question. After a few minutes had transpired, Applejack looked in a mirror at Rarity’s work. The outfit had a somewhat humble appearance, seeming less designed around frills and lace than around simple colours and bands. The predominant colour was red, with bands of gold at the bottom and top of the dress. In addition, one gold band was at a more diagonal angle and stretched across the dress like a sash. Applejack’s bangs were neatly pinned to the side, while her mane and tail were braided. “So, what do you think?” Rarity asked. Even if Applejack didn’t care much for wearing dresses herself, she could at least appreciate the designs. “It looks nice, Rarity. I like it.” “Thank you so much. Now, if you could wait in the foyer for just a moment, I’ll get Rainbow Dash.” Applejack returned to the foyer, watching Rarity enter the other room. Rainbow walked out. Applejack thought she looked pretty nice. Perhaps more than pretty nice, even. As Rainbow got closer, AJ realized just how well Rarity had brushed her up. Rainbow’s trimmed mane and tail complemented her sleek, athletic body. The dress itself also caught Applejack’s eye, its stunning spiral pattern making a striking impression. Applejack continued to take a look at Rainbow’s outfit, until realizing she was staring. She looked away and blushed. Rainbow found AJ’s outfit similarly striking, but her attention was drawn to AJ’s blush. The thought crossed her mind that her friend looked cute while blushing, but she hastily dismissed it. She didn’t think of her friends as “cute”. That was uncool. Rainbow felt a heat in her cheeks, and she saw Applejack’s blush deepen. Rarity left the room Rainbow was using, having been briefly distracted by a mess Rainbow made in her impatience. She was prepared to ask her two models about each other’s dresses, when the sight of their reddened faces answered her question before she asked. “Enjoying each other’s company?” she asked. Rainbow and Applejack jumped. “I… um… uh…” Rainbow stammered. “Yeah. Can we get on with our lives now?” Applejack interjected. Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Well, if you’re so eager to leave…” she mumbled. Just put the dresses back on their hooks. But, wait, you HAVE to let me take a few pictures first.” Rainbow and Applejack merely nodded simultaneously. About an hour later, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were leaving the boutique. Rainbow decided now would be the best time to bring up what happened earlier. “Hey, Applejack, what was that back in the boutique?” “What was what?” Applejack asked. “You know. You were totally checking me out.” “Ah don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Applejack, you’re a terrible liar.” “Ah was fixated on Rarity’s dress.” “Then why the blush?” “It was embarrassing to be caught staring. Besides, you were sporting quite the blush yourself.” Rainbow remembered what had caused that. She had thought of Applejack as ‘cute’. She still didn’t have any idea where that had come from. “Oh… right,” Rainbow said, “Well, um, see you later, AJ.” Applejack noted Rainbow’s sudden change of topic, but let her be. “See you, Rainbow,” she said. However, as Rainbow flew off, Applejack noticed something strange about her face. Rainbow was blushing again.