At the library, Midnight was listening to Twilight’s latest lecture when he deliberately made a show of not paying attention. Twilight noticed and shot a piece of chalk at him, only for the chalk to turn to dust before it was an inch from Midnight’s face. He’d become too familiar with her tricks.
“Midnight! I believe I was in the middle of a lecture…?”
“Oh sorry, Twilight,” Midnight said spuriously, “I was just reminiscing of the amazing suit Rarity made for me! It was perfect, I couldn’t have asked for anything more, and I didn’t even have to! After all, Rarity was sooooo generous to make the suit for me, don’t you agree?”
“Yes, I’m glad you’re satisfied with your outfit,” Twilight said in a tone that implied her patience being tested, “but I would like for us to get back to our lesson.”
“I mean, how generous can somepony be?” Midnight was ignoring her. “to go through all that trouble, taking time from her busy schedule and her own projects, Rarity is such a good friend, and I was honored with the suit she presented to me.”
Twilight suddenly looked uncomfortable, and Midnight smirked to himself.
Bull’s eye!
Meanwhile, Big Mac found Applejack and Fluttershy at the henhouse where Fluttershy was doing some animal care to make sure the new chicks were healthy.
“So whattya think, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked when it appeared Fluttershy was done.
“All the little chicks, I am happy to say, have earned a clean bill of health, Applejack,” Fluttershy reported with a smile.
“Tha’s dandy, `Shy!” Applejack smiled thankfully.
“Eeyup, an’ y’know what else is dandy?” Big Mac spoke up, earning their attention, “Th’ nice new duds Miss Rarity made fer me.”
“Ah take it she made you just what y’wanted, Mac?” Applejack asked.
“Ah din’t ask fer nuthin’,” Big Mac corrected, “Miss Rarity was just kind n’ generous enough t’ give this ol’ workhorse a nice sumpin’ t’ wear t’ th’ Gala! Don’cha think she’s a sweet mare t’ make me a nice outfit just t’ be nice? Ah mean, only a real pile a’ horseapples wouldn’ `ppreciate such a mighty fine gesture.”
Big Mac discreetly noticed his sister and her friend looking squeamish, and walked away with a smirk.
Thunderlane found Rainbow Dash at Sugarcube Corner, making him sigh.
This is perfect, both my targets in the same place!
In he walked and saw Pinkie just serving a few doughnuts to Dash, who said, “Thanks, Pinkie! That workout made me work up a real appetite!”
“Not at all, Dashie!” Pinkie giggled, “Aren’t you as excited as I am for our dresses?! I can’t wait to see how they turn out!”
“You should see how my outfit turned out,” Thunderlane approached them, Pinkie asking, “Oh Thundy! Did Rarity make you a suit just as you wanted?”
“Oh she made me a suit, alright…” Thunderlane pasued before bursting, “A totally AWESOME suit! It was sooo cool, and she knew exactly what I would like, I didn’t have to ask her to include any details, I couldn’t have asked for anything better than what she gave me!”
“That’s great, Thunder,” Rainbow Dash smiled, “though I bet it will only be about twenty percent as cool as the outfit Rarity makes for me!”
“Yeah-yeah, sure,” Thunderlane dismissed her words before getting into it again. “But really, girls? Rarity is such a great gal, making us these outfits, not asking for anything in return, all because she’s our friend!”
He turned to leave but couldn’t resist adding, “You’d have to be real jerk to take advantage of that kind of generosity!”
Thunderlane didn’t need to look to know that Rainbow and Pinkie were looking kind of guilty, so guilty Rainbow had lost her appetite.
The guys met up at the pizza parlor, where they discussed their actions.
“I think I was able to get the message through to Twilight without breaking our word.”
“Me too, what I said is sure to make Dash and Pinks feel like jerks.”
“And mah words to AJ and Miss Fluttershy certainly hit homebase.”
“Well, let’s hope they reconsider the way they’ve been acting,” Midnight said as he reached to take a sip of his soda. But before he could take the straw in his lips, he gasped!
”Rarity? You okay in there?” Pinkie asked, knocking on Rarity’s bedroom door, the girls behind her all looking concerned.
You haven’t come out for days!”
“I’m never coming out!” Rarity sounded upset and heartbreakingly down. “I can never show my face in Ponyville ever again! I used to be somepony, I used to be respected! I made dresses, beautiful, beautiful dresses! But now everypony is laughing at me, I’m nothing but a laughingstock!”
The girls winced as they heard her sob when Twilight insisted, “You’re not a laughing stock, Rarity!”
“She kinda is,” Rainbow Dash quipped, earning a hush from Twilight.
“Please come out and talk to us!”
“Leave me alone!!” Rarity sobbed, in one-hundred percent drama-queen mode, “I want to be alone… I want to wallow in… whatever it is that ponies are supposed to wallow in! Do ponies wallow in pity? Oh listen to me, I don’t even know what I’m supposed to wallow in! I’M SO PATHETIC…!!!”
“Now whaddo we do?” Twilight wondered aloud.
“Uh, panic?” Fluttershy meekly offered.
“That’s your answer for everything!” Rainbow snapped.
“Well we cain’t jus’ leave Rarity here like this,” Applejack insisted.
“She’ll wind up a crazy cat lady!” Pinkie added.
“She only has one cat,” Twilight reminded her in deadpan.
“Give her time,” Pinkie maintained.
…Haystack… HAYSTACK!!!”
“YOW!”
Midnight fell off his seat and onto his back on the floor, Big Mac and Thunderlane looking at him in concern.
“Midnight, y’alright? Ya kinda looked like you were lookin’ a thousand miles away.”
“Uh… maybe we should attend the fashion show,” Midnight had a bad feeling that it wasn’t gonna turn out well.
Night fell and many ponies had turned out for the show. A stage and walkway had been set up right in front of the boutique. Midnight made sure to stand in front, right before the walkway, wanting to make sure nothing went wrong when Thunderlane showed up looking worried.
“What’s up, Thunder?”
“Bad news,” Thunderlane reported, “Spike told me that he mentioned the fashion show to a bigwig fashion critic named Hoity-Toity!”
“Hoity-Toity…” Midnight was certain he’d heard that name before when he noticed Rarity peering from the curtains and saw something in the audience that appeared to give her reason to be wary.
Following her line of sight, Midnight saw who could only be Hoity-Toity approaching the walkway. He was an earth pony with a blue-gray coat, silvery blue/gray mane in an elaborate manestyle, as was his tail, he wore shades over his eyes, a fancy-looking dress collar, and his cutie-mark was a paper fan. He looked very effeminate but walked with a sense of undeserved accomplishment.
He approached Midnight and Thunderlane and seemed to wait a moment before his brow raised. Midnight realized what he wanted and sighed in irritation as he stepped out of the way, Thunderlane doing so as well, so Hoity-Toity could approach the walkway. He then clapped his hooves and somepony brought a cushion for him to sit on and getting his muzzle sat on when Hoity-Toity didn't even wait for him to move.
Midnight looked to the curtains and saw Rarity was beginning to hyperventilate.
Whaddoo I do? Do I stop the show?! Or let it play out? What if I just wind up making things worse?!
The lights dimmed and he heard Rarity yelp before she pulled her head back into the curtains. Bold music got started and everypony heard the announcer, Spike, say, “Since the beginning of time, the elite of Equestria have longed for pony fashions that truly expressed the essence of their very souls. Patiently waiting decades – no, centuries – for the perfect pony gown. Today, at long last, Equestria, your wait is over! Let’s hear it for the breathtaking designs of Ponyville’s own Rarity!”
Midnight suddenly felt a bad feeling and, judging by Rarity’s earlier behavior, he had to act! He cast a spell, knocking out the lights, another to conjure a zipper that closed the curtains, preventing the fashion models from coming out, and teleported onstage, everypony starting to grumble and demand an explanation.
Ignoring the girls from the curtains behind him, Midnight looked to Spike, who was giving him the stink-eye, but telekinetically took his microphone and levitated it to himself.
“Fillies & gentlecolts, my deepest apologies!” he spoke into it, reaching all ears. “But due to some… oversights regarding tonight’s models, I am sorry to say the show must be postponed until tomorrow night. Again I apologize and hope you will attend the show once all matters have been resolved, thank you.”
Everypony grumbled and the crowd started to disperse, Midnight sighing, hoping he’d done the right thing when he felt something yank him backstage, and he found himself facing five angry mares.
“Midnight! Why in the name of Celestia did you interrupt the fashion show?!” Twilight demanded.
“Ya better have a good explanation if y’ wanna keep yer apples between yer legs!” Applejack warned, and instantly Midnight crossed his rear-legs, looking nervous.
“I was looking forward to showing off how cool I look!” griped Rainbow Dash.
“That was just mean!” Pinkie added.
“Forgive me, Midnight, but that was rude,” Fluttershy scolded.
Midnight looked to Rarity and she looked unsure of what to say, when Big Mac and Thunderlane both turned up.
“Wha’s goin’ on back here?” Big Mac asked.
“Midnight stopped the show!” Twilight explained, Rainbow saying, “And Rarity’s so upset she’s speechless!”
“I’m not upset…”
Everypony looked to Rarity as she went over to Midnight and hugged him, saying, “Thank you.”
“Rarity?!” Twilight was flabbergasted, as were the other girls. “Midnight just stopped the show, how can you be thanking him?”
Midnight and the guys were suddenly gaping at the girls as Midnight commented, “Maybe it has to do with what you’re all wearing.”
“Come again?” Applejack looked ready to applebuck somepony’s fruits off.
“Uh, girls? No offense but…” Thunderlane didn’t quite know how to put it lightly so he was blunt.
“Those outfits are just wrong!”
“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed with a solemn nod.
“What’re you talking about?!” Rainbow Dash demanded, “We look… awesome!”
“And Rarity worked so hard on these!” Pinkie added.
“Rarity?” Midnight looked to her, “I don’t wanna break my promise to you, but if you don’t say anything I will.”
“Say what?!” Twilight demanded, Rarity just couldn’t come out so Midnight took a deep breath.
“Girls…” Midnight stepped up. “I’m being honest here when I say… Twilight, you look like a supernova gone wrong, Applejack, you look like a rodeo-clown, Rainbow, you look like a rainbow-colored crash-test dummy, Pinkie, you look like you got barfed on by a party store, and Fluttershy, you look like a dying flower garden turning into a compost pile.”
The girls were all dumbstruck by Midnight’s words but before they could retort, Rarity spoke up, “He’s absolutely right, girls! I hate those dresses, I’m ashamed that I made them!"
Now the girls looked at each other and were finally realizing how ridiculous they looked. Rainbow, Fluttershy, and AJ removed the headpieces they wore, Twilight and Pinkie took off the tail accessories, and they slipped out of the dresses entirely.
“I… can understand why you’d be embarrassed to show these off,” Twilight said sadly.
“Please forgive me, girls,” Rarity apologized, “I was trying to satisfy you all with just the dresses you wanted but-”
“Nah, Rarity, it’s our fault,” Applejack spoke up. “Y’wanted to make us nice dresses and were just tryin’ t’ be a good friend and…”
“Girls,” Thunderlane spoke, “didn’t you catch our hints earlier today?”
“We din’t say nuthin’ cuz’ Miss Rarity asked us not to,” Big Mac added.
“Well, nothing about the dresses that is,” Midnight amended, “But we mentioned to you all how generous Rarity was to go through all this trouble to make us outfits, and she didn’t even have to do that! She was just being a good friend.”
“And we had the nerve to turn down the amazing dresses she originally made for us” Twilight realized shamefully, “and took advantage of her generosity.”
“With these as the results,” Rainbow Dash muttered apologetically, kicking at her dress.
“Wer’ mighty sorry, Sugarcube,” Applejack offered.
“I was too judgmental in the design,” Fluttershy added shamefully.
“We were meanies to turn down the dresses you made,” Pinkie cried.
“It’s alright, girls,” Rarity felt a great weight lift from her shoulders, “I’m just glad you all understand.”
“Y’know…” Midnight spoke up, “If you still have those original dresses, maybe the girls would like some men’s opinions.”
The girls all perked up and smiled hopefully at Rarity.
“Why of course I still have them! And I can’t wait to see you all in them.”
“And I have an idea of how we can show you our thanks and apologies,” Twilight said while looking at the girls.
The girls all started talking and laughing, while the boys smiled at each other and bro-hoofed.
Midnight was relieved, and glad that things seemed to be turning out for the better. He looked at these ponies and smiled at how plain it was to see the friendship they all shared. They weren’t just friends. They were a family, and he couldn’t ask for a better one. Suddenly a thought crossed his mind.
“Oh girls, everypony?”
They all looked at him as he reminded them, “The fashion show isn’t cancelled, remember? I postponed it for tomorrow night!”
“Then we’d better make sure we’re ready,” Rarity said with a determined smile that the girls mirrored with nods.
“And… I think I speak for the guys when I say,” Thunderlane added, “we wanna piece of that action!”
“Eeyup!”
The next day, Hoity-Toity was standing in front of a stage inside the boutique, tapping his hoof as he said, “Take Two!”
Spike closed the curtains so the daylight wouldn’t ruin the effect and Rarity began the show, a light intensifying from her horn before she released a nova-effect of blue and white stars that cleared to reveal Twilight posing in a blue star-themed gown with an outer space background that shimmered with stars.
“Hello…!” Hoity-Toity’s interests had been piqued as Twilight spun her gown, the room being plunged into darkness.
At first, it was pitch black when slowly but surely a silvery-white moon appeared, first as a crescent that waxed into a full moon, then waned to reveal Midnight in his dark blue suit with its own stars, as well as moons a background of a crescent moon brightening the night sky behind him as he posed as well with relaxed smile.
“Ah, eldritch!” Hoity-Toity commented.
But then a bright sun blinded him and midnight was gone. In his place appeared an apple orchard, a bright shiny red apple getting lassoed and whipped as Applejack twirled it away and she posed in her green and brown ensemble, her tail braided, her front legs crossed.
“Simply magnificent!” Hoity-Toity awed.
Then there was a rumble as a meadow appeared and out galloped Big Macintosh in his suit, before he spun `round and applebucked a tree that rained apples as he posed in his own humble way.
“And now I suddenly have a craving for…” Hoity-Toity muttered as he droned, “Dutch apple pie, candied apples on a stick, apple turnovers, apple cobbler…”
But then a light purple and pink mist clouded up the stage, before they were actual clouds that rained sweets, some of which alighted themselves onto Pinkie Pie, who caught a gumdrop and happily ate it before smiling as she posed in her dress, which had a candy-store theme to it.
“Brilliant!” Hoity-Toity cheered but gasped at the sound of thunder and flashes of red, green, blue, and yellow, the same colors as the lightning bolts when a stormcloud appeared and colored rays of light pierced its thickness, an array of colors shining before revealing Rainbow Dash who posed in her rainbow-colored gown, hemmed with cloud-like material, her forehooves in golden sandles, and she wore golden laurels in her mane
“Oh spectacular!” Hoity Toity cheered.
Suddenly, the clouds all suddenly swirled, forming a hurricane-like formation, as lightning struck, almost forming an electric cage, when a bolt struck the center and there was Thunderlane in his suit, posing with a cocky smile.
“Oh, so bold!”
Then he gaped to see vines rise up, flowers blooming and petals falling, and from the fluorescent shower appeared Fluttershy, looking meek but hopeful as she was garbed in a trailing green gown with butterfly accessories.
“What a fashion show! These dresses, these suits, all truly amazing!” Hoity-Toity clapped before demanding, “Who is responsible? Step forward, show yourself!”
He was blinded for a moment and there was Rarity, garbed in her own dress. It was what the girls had worked on, to both thank and apologize to Rarity. It was an amazing ball-gown, pink, magenta, purple, yellow, jewels sewn in just the right places, and a radiant tiara rested upon her head.
“Brava! Brava!” Hoity-Toity cheered and clapped. “Magnifico! Encore!”
“Oh thank you, thank you” Rarity was so happy, that Hoity-Toity liked her designs, happy with the dress her friends worked together to make for her, that her show had been a success and not a disaster.
“Thank you all so much!”
Once the excitement settled, everypony started complimenting and discussing each other’s ensemble while Twilight and Midnight did the new friendship report.
“Dear Princess Celestia,” Twilight began. “This week, my very talented friend Rarity learned, that if you try to please everypony you oftentimes wind up pleasing nopony, especially yourself.”
“And I think some certain mares learned,” Midnight interrupted, “that when somepony offers to do you a favor, like making for you an amazing ensemble, you shouldn’t be so critical with something generously given to you.”
“In other words,” Twilight gave him a good-natured stink-eye, “you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Spike finished the letter and sent it on its way as its ashes zoomed out the window, Hoity-Toity approaching the fashionista.
“Rarity, my congratulations to you on a most impressive fashion debut! Would you do me the great honor of allowing me to feature your couture in my Best of the Best Boutique in Canterlot?”
Rarity gasped at such an opportunity but then Hoity-Toity added, “Now, I’ll need for you to make a dozen of each dress and suit by next Tuesday.”
A thump on the floor earned everypony’s attention as they Hoity-Toity looking confused at the fainted Rarity.
“Was it something I said?”
Everypony just laughed.