//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4 
// Story: The Pony Version's Better: Maiden in the Moon 
// by Sunset Reed 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 4


Tania and Kyle walked back up the street, looking out for the convention hall. Now that it was past noontime, the town had become busier once more. A young girl on a scooter nearly toppled Tania once again before scooting off into the distance. The girl did, however, topple a nearby vegetable crate. The owner hurried to grab the carrots before the bundles rolled onto the street, causing some chaos as she did so.
“Wow. Everyone is really going at top speed today.” Tania remarked. 
“It’s probably because they only have an afternoon left before the sun goes down. When it comes back up again, the celebration starts. They’re all running out of time.”
“Time!? WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME!” shouted a male, British voice behind them. 
They turned around just long enough to see a brunette man wearing a tie over an hourglass-printed vintage t-shirt. The man grabbed the arm of a nearby mailwoman and the two ran into the crowd. The woman crashed into at least three people before they were both out of sight.
“So…that happened.” said Kyle.
“Here’s the Convention Hall!” said Tania. 
They walked past the double doors and entrance hall into a vast room. The space was completely decked out in luxurious banners and ribbons. Shields hung from upper banisters and white bunches of flowers spilled out of their pots.
“Decorations. Beautiful.” said Kyle dreamily. Tania had never heard the boy get quite as excited over decorations before, but let it slide.
“Yes. The decor is coming along nicely. This oughtta be quick. I'll be at the library in no time. Beautiful indeed.”
“Not the decor, her.”
On a small stage at the far end of the room stood another woman about Tania’s age. She was picking delicately from spools and lengths of various ribbons. The woman had long black hair styled into large, perfect curls at its base. She was wearing a white dress with a wide purple belt. At the center of the belt was a large diamond-shaped gem. Over her shoulders the woman had draped a white and extremely plush wrap despite the warm day. Tania thought the overall effect was rather like a large marshmallow.
“How is my hair? Is it straight?” asked Kyle, patting back the untamed locks. Tania glanced at her charge and rolled her eyes. He didn’t notice.
“Good afternoon.” said Tania, feeling better about her introductions.
“Just a moment, please. I'm "in the zone" as it were.” The woman picked out a large and sparkly red piece of ribbon.  “Oh, yes. Sparkle always does the trick, does it not? Why, Rarity, you are a talent.”
“So” thought Tania. “She calls herself Rarity then.
Rarity turned. “Now, how can I help youuuuaAARGH!” Her eyes widened at the site of Tania. “Oh my stars, darling, what ever happened to your mane?”
“Oh, you mean my hair? Well, it's a long story. I'm just here to check on the decorations 
and then I'll be out of your hair.”
“Out of my hair? What about your hair?”
Rarity got around to Tania’s back and happily began pushing her to the exit, much to Tania’s protest. 
Behind them Kyle followed, rehearsing to himself. “Hello, my name is Kyle, but you can call me Spike. My name is Spike. Hi! I’m Spike.”


*	*	*


For the next hour Tania spent most of her time staring at her ever-changing appearance from the depths of a mirror: a green dress, a yellow dress, a poofy dress, a frilly dress, a shiny dress. It was obvious her captor was a dressmaker. At least her hair was normal now, or at least mostly. Rarity insisted on constantly changing that too.
Ugh, mirrors. Tania had always felt weird around mirrors.
She had repeatedly tried to make an excuse and escape, (“Oh! But you simply must at least try this one on!”) but to no avail. By the time she was dressed in a lacy summer dress encrusted with various gems, Tania had given up and stood listening to Rarity’s attempts at conversation.
“Now go on, my dear. You were telling me where you're from.” Rarity said as she began pulling at the waist of the dress to tighten it.
Had Tania been speaking at all? Either she was being fooled into giving a response, or else she just couldn’t remember anything anymore.
“I’m Spike.” Spike said quietly from a bench for the twentieth time that hour.
“I've” Tania grunted as the waist of the dress shrunk, and her voice increased its pitch. “been... sent... from Celestalot... to-”
Rarity had stopped tugging at the strings, and the loss in force made Tania tip over onto the floor.
“CELESTALOT! Oh! I am so envious!” Rarity squealed. The glamor, the sophistication! I have always dreamed of living there. I can't wait to hear all about it. We are gonna be the best of friends, you and I.” 
Tania looked away.
“Emerald!” said Rarity, pointing to the central gem on Tania’s dress. “What was I thinking? Let me get you some rubies.”
Rarity disappeared into a back room. Tania didn’t hesitate a moment scurrying back to the change rooms. It took her less than a minute for her to reappear again in her shirt and slacks.
“Quick,” she exclaimed to Spike and then ran towards the door. “…before she decides to dye my hair blue!”