//------------------------------// // For the First Fraulein in Forever // Story: Appledashery // by Just Essay //------------------------------// “Nein nein nein!” Photo Finish spat, galloping up towards a bodyguard and waving her hoof wildly. Several stallions paused in the midst of moving furniture across her apartment to turn towards her. “Stoppen sie! Zey is no need for ze rope! Vat is ze matter with you?!” The suited stallion pointed at the metal poles in question and their dangling velvet barriers. “It's to better facilitate hoof-traffic as party-goers enter your apartment, Ms. Finish.” “Vat is zis place?! A prison?! Nein, ze ponyfolk schould feel at home in meine home! Vat is ze point of appreciatink meine art magiks vhen ze soul feels konshtricted in ze shpace?!” “Beg your pardon, ma'am, but even the most famous art museums have line queues, don't they?” “Bah! No vonder zey are kovered in dust zese days!” Photo barked, “Taken sie ropes avay! Zis vill be a night to remember, not to komplain about!” The pony sighed and started hauling the metal poles away. “I'm a bodyguard, not an interior decorator.” “You vill be glue if you d-don't march right!” Photo teetered slightly, her muzzle growing slack beneath her shades. “Liebe Güte... I schould just be usink ze Hanzes' vhistle...” “Uhhhh... Photo?” “Vhat do you vant?!” Photo spun, frowning. In an instant, her features relaxed. “Ah, Fraulein!” She smiled. “You are komfertable, ja?” “Er... 'yahhhh', I guess.” Rainbow fidgeted and fidgeted, shaking her rear hoof like a wet dog as she fiddled about in the poofy emerald gown that she was in. “But, for real, all that's going on right now is party preparations. Why do I have to be so gussie'd up?” Photo beamed. “So you kan better preparen sie to be schon when it is time for ze open house itself!” Rainbow blinked. “... ... ... riiiiight.” “Ach, Fraulein Firefly! None of ze frownink!” Photo leaned in to nuzzle the flinching pegasus. “Zis is a happy okasion! Ve schould be all shmiles and rainbows!” “Heh... I kinda got half of that down, don't you think?” “No no no!” Photo shouted over Rainbow's shoulder, making the mare wince. “Ze chairs schould be facink around ze gallery! Not towards ze windows! If ponies vanted to enjoy Manehattan, zey'd go gallopink outside and get mugged!” She tossed her head in such a motion to suggest she was rolling her eyes beneath her shades. “Imbeciles...” “Did you shout for us, mutter?” “Nein, Jaeger, Gustav! Back ze suit fittink!” “Ja, mutter.” “Photo... uh...” Rainbow fidgeted. “A quick question.” “Hmmm? Vat is it, Fraulein?” “When was the last time you saw a doctor?” “Hmm? Vhy do you ask?” “I mean... you're spending an awful lot of money on this party and all,” Rainbow said, fumbling with her skirts. “Maybe—I dunno—you could be saving some of those precious bits for getting an operation done or something.” “Ach, Firefly.” Photo patted Rainbow's shoulder and trotted off to adjust the placement of a pedestal against a wall. “You are too, too shweet. If you vish to be concerned about anysink, concernen sie yourself vith meine art magiks. I plan for zis evenink to go off visout a... how do you call it?” “Hitch?” “Nein! I am not gettink married! Nefer again!” Photo jerked to a stop. She chewed on her lip. “Mrmmm... Photo Finish got ze vords mixed up, didn't she?” Rainbow smirked. “I'm afraid so, girl.” “Ach, it doesn't matter.” Photo adjusted a statue, her face quiet and contemplative. “Tonight, I express my full heart to ze ponyfolk. As far as Photo Finish is koncerned, after tonight I life forefer.” “Yeah, but, for real, don't you think you should plan for—” “And it fills meine heart with great joy to be scharink ze magiks with you, Fraulein,” Photo said, turning around to smile in Rainbow's face. “Zis night is yours as much as meine, so—rejoice! For ze magiks shtart and end here!” She trotted off to inspect what the rest of the stallions were doing. Rainbow sighed, leaning back in her dress. “That's what I was afraid of...” She turned and gazed across the studio. A certain statue peered in through the outside window while nopony was looking. He charaded a croaking frog, followed by opening a combination with his talon. Rainbow frowned and raised her hoof straight up and towards him. Her eyes darted down, blinking at her forelimb. “Hrmmmf...” She got up and marched back to her guest room. “Sometimes, what I wouldn't give for an odd number of digits...”