Rarity counted the sequins on the dress in the corner for what must have been the fiftieth time that morning. There were sixty seven. There were always sixty seven, she knew this by very well by this point, but there was really nothing else to do in her defence.
No one had been to Carousel Boutique in days. Well, that’s not exactly true, no one had been inside to buy anything in days would be a more accurate description. Pinkie Pie had been in and out all week, in an effort to drum up business. Though Rarity was fairly certain that the large sign she’d placed outside the shop was scaring more ponies away than it was welcoming. This was in part do to the fact that it resembled either a beautiful dress, or a hideous manticore depending on how you squinted at it. Rarity had tried to remove it, but apparently the pink pony had anchored it to the ground with cement. Where she got cement led to a whole other series of
questions Rarity couldn’t be bothered to address.
The rest of her friends had also tried their best to bring ponies through the door. Twilight and Applejack gave out flyers with every apple or book, Rainbow Dash had written messages in the sky, even Fluttershy had gone out and tried to spread the word, though in her case it was more or less spreading a whisper. They’d all tired their best, but nothing seemed to help.
She sighed, indeed, there were still sixty-seven sequins on the dress, and it had not in fact mysteriously grown a sixty eighth while she wasn’t looking. Rarity was beginning to worry, if there wasn’t a sale soon she wasn’t quite sure what she would do. Dressmaking was her love, one of the things she knew with certainty she could always do. She’d built her home, and life around it. Failing wasn’t an option, not only for her own reasons, but for Sweetie, whom she had supported since the small filly could remember.
She sighed again, looking towards the front door. Through the glass she could see all the ponies milling about the town square, none of them apparently in need of a dress. Opal sat sleeping on the doorstep, perfectly happy with the lull in activity.
Rarity let herself sink to the ground, tossing her hoofs up dejectedly. “Woe is me, the under appreciated artist! For what is art, without a viewer?”
Admittedly she was being a touch over dramatic, but with Rarity you were lucky if you got a touch instead of a hoof to the face when it came to dramatic.
She got to her hooves, walking towards the back of the store into the workshop eyeing all the lengths of fabric as though this was somehow their fault. Perhaps she just needed a new style? Something to make her clothing shine.
Rarity inspected the nearest mannequin, wearing one of the dresses she had made earlier that year for a royal ball.
“No, no, no,” she said fretfully. “You can’t improve upon perfection.”
It was obvious the other ponies simply had no taste. She would have to try harder to
sway them to her way of thinking. But how? She’d offered sales, put out ads in the local paper, gone out into the streets and asked politely-then later insisted quite a bit less politely. But nothing worked! How was a mare such as her suppose to get her art to the masses if the masses wouldn’t see reason?
She collapsed as delicately as possible into a pile of fabric. Rarity didn’t know the answer to that question. But she did know one thing, she’d better figure it out pretty soon or she’d need help staying open, or, Celestia forbid charity.
“What am I going to do?...” she asked the shop miserably.
“You could stop talking to yourself. In my experience that’s a bad sign.”
Rarity got up with a start. She turned to find a grayish blue stallion standing int he doorway. He was an earth pony, wearing a brown saddlebag his mane and tail were black, a frankly boring color scheme, she noted. His cutie mark appeared to be four four leaf clovers.
She composed herself quickly, smoothing out her mane and tail.
“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you come in. I was just...organizing my fabrics.”
“By laying in them?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Can I help you?” she asked, changing the subject.
The stallion trotted over to some unfinished dresses, poking them lightly with a hoof. “Well, no I don’t think you can. But I believe could be of some assistance, Button.”
She bristled at the name. “The name’s Rarity I will have you know. Miss, Rarity, or Lady Rarity to you. Certainly not ‘Button’ thank you very much.” She walked over, and pushed his hoof away from her work. “Now, just how is it you think that you could help me?”
He backed up a pace. “Oh, well ‘Lady Rarity’, the name’s Lucky thanks for asking.” he chuckled. “I noticed you haven’t had much in the way of business in the last couple of days.”
Rarity deflated a bit at this comment. “Well...yes, but it’s just a downswing. Nothing permanent I assure you.”
Lucky peered at the empty storefront. “Oh yes, nothing permanent at all.”
Rarity’s face burned a bit. “Look here, ‘Lucky’. I can manage on my own thank you very much! I don’t need some pompous, and frankly tacky, stallion putting his nose in my business. You can show yourself the door.” She turned her nose up, pivoting away from him.
When she didn’t hear him leaving, turned a bit farther.
“Oh, come on, Butto-
“Lady Rarity.”
Lucky sighed. “Lady Rarity, I didn’t mean anything by it. I’ve just been noticing that you wonderful dresses are going unsold. Real shame if you ask me.”
Her ear twitched a bit at the word ‘Wonderful’.
Lucky smirked a bit. “Oh yes, it is quite sad, that such a wonderful artist should go unappreciated. It’s a down right crime if you ask me.” he turned to leave. “Alas, I spent some time as a dressmaker, and had a gift to bestow upon such a prodigious maker of fine clothes. But it appears I am unwanted, woe is me, I am unworthy. So long, Lady Rarity, as they say in Prance, see you later, so long and good bye!”
“Wait!” she held up a hoof. “Well...I wouldn’t be too hasty...I’ll at least hear you out my good stallion. What is this gift you have to offer?”
“Oh no, it’s obvious I was a fool to try and approach one such as yourself. I shall leave you to your...” He looked around the empty boutique. “Business, and not trouble you further.”
Rarity frowned. “Look, do you want to give me something or not?”
“Oh no! She’s seen through my evil plan,” Lucky said with mock dismay. “Yes, I’d like to give you something. May I?” he asked, nodding towards his saddlebag.
“If you must.” Rarity replied as nonchalantly as she could.
Lucky reached into the front pocket and produced something small and green he set it on the work table in front of her. “Here you are.”
“It’s a...”
“Button.” He smiled. “Fitting ain’t it? Still, this isn’t just any button. Let’s call it a memento from my days in the business. Bit of a good luck charm, eh?”
“It’s....green.”
“Yes, yes it is.” he eyed his cutie mark. “Why, is there a problem with green?”
“Well...not exactly, it’s just a very hard color to match. It doesn’t go with lots of things, like grey.” she looked him up and down. “Or black.”
“Oh, you’ve cut me deep with that one, Button. Very deep, I am wounded!” he staggered comically for a moment.
“Very funny, I say to you again, that my name is not ‘Button’. And I fail to see how an actual button is going to help me.”
“You’d be surprised, let’s just say it’s a good luck charm and leave it at that.” he turned to leave. “In anycase, I’ve got to be moving along. You can thank me whenever you like.”
As he walked out into the store front, Opal sauntered in. Lucky reached down to pet her.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Rarity said with a slight smile. “Opal is hardly friendly towards anyone who isn’t m-”
She was interrupted by the sound of Opal purring as she rubbed against Lucky’s leg.
“There’s a good kitty.” Lucky rubbed behind her ears.
“....B-but she’s never...and you...”
Lucky looked back at Rarity. “Guess I’m just lucky.” he gesture towards the worktable. “But seriously. Keep that button, I really want you to hold on to it. It’s important to me.”
“Then why are you giving it to m-”
He was already out the door. “I’ll catch you later, Button.”
“It’s Lady Rarity!” she yelled, but he was already gone.
“The nerve!” Rarity stomped back into the workshop. “Who does he think he is. Waltzing into my store and telling me how my business is doing. The ruffian! The cad! The charlatan! The.....the.....Something!” she growled with frustration and tossed herself back into the pile of fabrics in the corner. “Button indeed,” she scoffed.
The sound of the door opening interrupted her thoughts.
“Oh, and he returns,” she said getting up. “What, do you want to give me a zipper this time?”
She froze as walked into the storefront. There was a tall blue mare standing near one of the displays, she had green mane and tail, done up in curls, and wore a hat that looked a bit like a firework that hadn’t quite finished exploding.
“Oh..oh my I apologize, I thought you were someone else. May I help you?”
“I think you may.” said the mare, looking up from one of Rarity’s dresses. “I was on my way to Cantorlot when my carriage wheel broke. Fortunate accident I must say. I was going to ask if you knew were I might get it fixed, but that is the least of my concerns now my dear!”
Rarity stood shocked for a moment....Blue mare, green mane and tail, opulent hats... “Oh my stars...You’re....you’re...”
The mare smiled. “Fedora, that’s right, and I must say I am in love with your style, child! This stitching is exquisite, and the colors! My dear, this could be the next big thing! You simply must give me a portfolio to bring back to Cantorlot once my wheel is fixed, my colleagues have got to see this! What do you say?
------------------
Princess Luna later attested that Rarity was over the moon with joy. Fedora’s carriage creaked under the weight of all the samples Rarity loaded into back as it made it’s way to Cantorlot. She told Rarity that she would send word of how things went after she showed Rarity’s samples to her peers. She was sure it would be good news, and told the bouncing unicorn not to worry there was sure to be lots of buzz over her designs over the next few months.
Rarity danced around the store, twirling mannequins, and filling her various sketchbooks with plans and patterns for new designs. She told anypony would would listen, her friends, the delivery pony who brought in the fabrics, random ponies walking along the street, she was so happy she didn’t even get offended when some of them ran away screaming. It was all just too much to take in! This was what she had been waiting for, and it was finally happening. It seemed like a dream.
As she waltzed her way into the workshop, something caught her eye. The small green button sitting on the worktable glinted in the light. The four leaf clover adorning it’s face, shimmering slightly. She’d forgotten all about that, and about him after everything that had happened since.
It glowed a faint purple as she picked it up, inspecting it closely. There didn’t seem to be anything special about it. It was really rather garish in her opinion. Buttons should not draw the eye away from the rest of the outfit with any kind of emblem, let alone one as tacky as this. She couldn’t even use it. Some gift.
“I certainly won’t get into Cantorlot using you,” she mumbled. “Good riddance to bad rubbish I say.”
She was about to throw the button away when the shop door opened for the third time that day.
“Rarity?” asked a small voice. “I’m home.”
Rarity rushed to the door, all other things forgotten. “Sweetie!” she hugged her shocked sister, who was not use to this level outward affection. “You’ll never guessed what happened!”
“What happened!?” she asked, still completely bewildered.
“Well, you know how there’s been a tiny lull in sales as of late?”
“You mean how nopony’s bought anything for we-”
“That’s beside the point!” Rarity interrupted. “Our troubles are over my dear sister, for earlier today, I was graced by a visit from none other than the great Fedora, can you believe it?!”
“I can believe it.” Sweetie said smiling. “That’s a good thing right?”
Rarity sighed. “Oh Sweetie, you haven’t been reading those magazines I gave you at all have you?”
“Well....” Sweetie twiddled her hooves. “I’ve skimmed them...”
“Well, in anycase, Fedora is a famous designer to all the stars of Cantorlot! She was interested in my designs!” Rarity paused. “Of course that’s no great wonder, they are amazing after all, I’m just so happy somepony finally noticed my brilliance!”
Sweetie’s smile grew a bit wider. “That’s fantastic!”
“I know!” Rarity squealed with delight. “This is the break we’ve been waiting for, and it’s here! It’s finally here!” She hugged her sister again. “This requires a celebration!”
Rarity and Sweetie booth jumped as the the shop door burst open. There was a flash of pink, and in the space of what couldn’t have been more than a few seconds the entire shop was done up in balloons and streamers.
Pinkie Pie pressed her nose against Rarity’s.
“Hi.” she said.
Rarity made several shocked noises.
“What?” the pink pony asked. “My Pinkie Sense tells me there’s a reason to party. I goes where the Pinkie Sense’a tells me!”
Pinkie was off like a rocket, and in the space of a blink there was a cake on the table then she was out the door, presumably to deliver invitations.
“She scares me a little...” said Sweetie.
“Me too...” said Rarity. “But I must say she has excellent taste in decorations.
They jumped again as Pinkie’s head popped back into the doorway.
“Oh, and you never told me if the sign helped.”
------------------------
The party was in full swing by the time the sun went down. All of Rarity’s friends were there. Pinkie served the punch while Twilight Applejack and Rainbow Dash danced in the corner. What Fluttershy was doing couldn’t necessarily be called dancing, as she never seemed to move more than one leg, and when she did she quickly pulled it back in fear she was doing it wrong.
Sweetie sat at a small table with Applebloom and Scootaloo, apparently planing their next scheme to get a cutie mark. Something involving Nurse Redheart and possibly a scalpel, which while deeply troubling, was not to be worried about tonight. Tonight Rarity wasn’t going to worry worry about anything.
“Congratulations again Rarity!” said Twilight, “We’re really happy for you.”
Rarity chuckled. “Why thank you Twilight. But really, I would like to thank you all for your help as well. You all tried your best to help when I needed you, and I won’t forget you when I’m rich and famous. Well...more so anyway.”
“Oh Celestia...she’s gonna be insufferable” Rainbow Dash whispered.
Applejack gave her a sharp hoof in the side. “What she means to say is, thank you kindly sugarcube. We were happy to help.”
“Yes...” said Fluttershy. “Anything for a friend.”
“Oh...You girls are going to make me smear my makeup.” Rarity wiped the side of her eye with a tissue. “Really, from the bottom of my heart, you’re the best friends I could ask for.”
“Group hug!” yelled Pinkie.
She embraced the six of them, and the party continued throughout the night.
-----------------------------
Sweetie shifted a bit on the floor, having fallen asleep during the party. Rarity paused fastidious cleaning to collect the small filly from the floor, and head up the stairs to deliver her to her bedroom. She stirred slightly, but didn’t wake up.
Rarity smiled at her little sister, she looked so peaceful. She carefully layed the small filly onto the bed, and tucked the covers snugly under her chin.
“Goodnight Sweetie.” she kissed her on the cheek, and headed back down stairs as quietly as possible to finish cleaning.
The shop door opened as she reached the bottom.
“Hello Button.” said a familiar, if somewhat muffled voice.
Lucky walked into the store, holding a small daisy in his mouth.
“Oh dear Celestia.” Rarity sighed. “Not you again.”
“Aw, Button, can’t we be nice? I really am trying here.” He offered her the Daisy.
“Well, it would be ‘Nice’ if you could call me by my name for once.” Rarity turned her nose up at his small offering. “Now, state your business, and be on your way, Mr..what was it?”
For the first time since she’d met him Lucky’s ears drooped a bit. “Lucky,” he said. “But not with you apparently.”
“It will take far more than luck to sway me, Lucky.” she said curtly. “Now, do you have a reason to be here?”
Lucky opened his mouth, the daisy fluttered through the air, when a gust of wind picked it up, it twirled around for a few moments before landing in a nearby vase.
“That was lucky” he remarked. “Well....I just wanted to congratulate you on your success. I heard you got a visit from none other than Fedora herself very swanky. I must say, if you get in with her then you’ll go places Butto-”
Rarity eyes shot daggers so sharp they might have drawn blood
“I mean Lady Rarity.” he corrected. “It seems that button I gave you is a bit of a good luck charm eh?”
Rarity was taken aback. She had completely forgotten about the button sitting in the workshop. She’d meant to throw that awful thing away.
“I’ll have you know, that you’re little button had nothing to do with this! It was my designs that earned this, nothing less.”
Lucky nodded. “Oh, but of course. If your designs weren’t good she wouldn’t be interested...but it was pretty lucky she happened upon them wouldn’t you say?” he noticed her expression, which did not bode well for the conversation. He sighed. “Look, I swear I didn’t have anything to do with the carriage thing.” He looked her in the eye for a moment. She nodded briefly, and he continued. “Did you ever wonder why my cutie mark is four four leaf clovers?”
“Excuse me if I don’t spend my time wondering about you Mr.Lucky.”
“Fair enough, but just in case you were, my mark looks like that because that’s my talent. I’m lucky. When I’m around...things just happen. Like a bit on the street corner, or winning a contest. That kind of stuff just follows me around. I generally try not to let anyone know for obvious reasons...but I had a good one this time. You following?”
“Yes, but I’m hoping there’s a point soon.”
“Well....A couple days ago, I see a mare in a shop. I think to myself, ‘Oh look, it’s the nob-’ if you’ll excuse the term. ‘who runs that boutique, I bet she’s stuck up.”
Rarity’s eyes shot several more daggers at Lucky’s hide.
“Wait! Let me finish!” he held up a hoof. “The thing is, I see her around town some more, and each time, she’s doing something nice. Like helping her sister, or giving something to someone who needs it. And I think, maybe I was wrong about this mare, maybe she’s different than I thought she was.” He looked up at her. “And...well, then I noticed you weren’t doing so well. So I thought, ‘There’s a pony who deserves a little luck.’ so...I came in. Because, I you’re a good person. I gave you that button, and you know why?”
Rarity shook her head.
“Because it’s my good luck charm, and if I’m lucky, it is too. It’s magic of sorts I always had. Though I’m not a unicorn or anything. Figured you could use it, and...perhaps if, you know I did something nice I might be lucky enough to get to know just how badly I misjudged you at first?”
Rarity was silent for a moment.
Lucky stared at her, hoping her reply might be something good.
When she finally did open her mouth, she was interrupted by a knock at the door. She closed it, and walked over to answer. There was a small exchange between her, and a pony in a dress suit. When she returned she was reading a letter.
“What does it say?” asked Lucky.
“It says they love my designs...” Rarity said quietly.
“That’s great!” said Lucky.
“But....”
“But?”
“But it says they want me there...with them...in Cantorlot. They have a studio all set up for me with all the materials I could want.”
“Oh...” said Lucky,
“Indeed.” Rarity looked up from the paper. “I’d have to move away.”
“Well...isn’t that what you wanted?”
Rarity looked around for a moment. “Why yes....yes I suppose it is. Yes, this is exactly what i”
Lucky sighed. “You may not be as bad of a nob as I thought at first. But you’re a terrible liar.”
“Well what do you know!” she yelled. “I always wanted to be a famous fashion designer, and with this I can be!”
“Yep, that’s certainly true. It’s your lucky break I suppose.” he said quietly. “But luck doesn’t always give you exactly what you want.” he turned to leave. “I know that better than anypony.”
Suddenly there was another knock at the door.
“Oh, who could it be this time?” Rarity asked angrily.
There was another knock, louder this time.
“Oh no.” said Lucky.
“What, it’s just a visitor, probably Fluttershy, she’s always forgetting things.” Rarity started towards the door, but found Lucky blocking the way.
“Look, you know all that stuff I said earlier?
“Yes...” she said slowly.
“Well you know how I said I don’t normally tell anyone about that whole luck thing?”
“Yes, I didn’t believe a word of it.”
“Well even if you didn’t, let’s imagine for a minute it’s true. Some might want that kind of luck.”
Rarity pushed passed him. “Stop your rambling, I have enough trouble without you adding to it. Let me answer the door”
“No!” he said quickly. “Look, fine don’t believe me but please, don’t get mixed up in this.”
“In what?”
“See you later, Button.” he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
Rarity pulled back in shock. “How dare you!”
Lucky just smiled. The door flew off it’s hinges. Two large ponies barged their way inside. Lucky pushed Rarity out of the way, as they grabbed him. Before she knew what was happening they were out the door and into the night.
Rarity stood there, stunned for a moment. Behind her, she heard something on the staircase.
“Rarity?” asked Sweetie. “I heard a noise.”
Rarity turned, heading into the workshop. She returned with a green button, wearing a saddlebag, and a large sunhat.
She turned to her sister. “Go back to bed Sweetie,” she said calmingly.
“I’ve got an errand to run.”
Then she ran out into the night, running after the sound of a wagon disappearing in the distance.
-------------------------
Rarity hurried down the road, her hooves clipping sharply against the coblestones. The wagon came into view, speeding towards the everfree forest. Rarity was terribly out of breath, but she kept going. She could see the sack Lucky was in sitting in the bed of the wagon, one of the ponies who grabbed him sitting beside it while the other pulled.
“Give him back!” she yelled.
The one in the back turned to look. Upon seeing who it was, he tapped his companion, who glanced over his shoulder. He stopped short and they both stared for a moment.
“Are you seein this?” asked one.
“Yeah, but I ain’t belivin it.” said the other.
They both broke out into fits of laughter.
“And just what are you going to do darling?”
“Well, first, I was going to ask politely that you return the pony you have in that sack. He may be annoying, but that does not give you the right to kidnap him.”
They stifled a laugh. “And if that doesn’t work?”
“Then I’m going to have to make you give him back.”
They stopped laughing and stared at the small unicorn in front of them. “You are going to make us give him back?” The one who had been pulling the cart tapped the other one the back “She is going to make us give him back.”
They burst out into new fits of laughter.
“Look miss.” said the one sitting in the wagon bed. “This here pony is very lucky. You know what we could do with luck like that?”
The other one chimed in. “We won’t have stop goin’ round stealin’ things.”
“Yeah! We could stop stealin’.” he paused. “We’re not really going to stop stealin’ are we?”
“Well...no, We’ll just be a lot better at it. But we could stop. It’s the principle of the thing.”
“Oh yes, the principle’s important that is.”
“Indeed.” The one in the wagon turned to Rarity, bending down to look her in the eye. “Now little missy, it’s against my...what is it?...”
“Moral code” said the other.
“Yeah, that’s right, moral code, to go hurting ladies, so just find your way to going home, and I won’t have to break that code. Got it?”
Rarity put a hoof to her chin in thought. “Oh, oh yes I got it. But you see my dear gentlemen, there’s something you’re not factoring in.”
They looked confused for a moment. “And what’s that miss?”
Rarity smiled slightly. “My moral code.”
Rarity’s horn glowed for a moment. A length of thread shot from her saddlebag and tied itself around both of their hind legs. The two thieves yelped with surprise, falling flat on their faces. Before they could react further Rarity sent another length of fabric hurtling from her bag, and tied it tightly around their mouths and eyes. Rendering them blind and mute.
“Now, I hate to ruin my manicure...but I doubt this will hold you brutes long.” Rarity turned, and delivered two sharp bucks to each of their heads. Their bodies slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Quickly she hopping up into the wagon, and with a pair of scissors made quick work of the sack holding Lucky.
“Wow....” he said quietly.
“Lucky thing I came.” Rarity said with a slight smile.
“Yeah....lucky thing...”
They hopped onto the ground. Turning back Lucky eyed the two ponies who had kidnapped him.
“What do we do with these two? They’ll try again you know.”
“Let the guards take care of them. I happen to know the Princess, I doubt they’ll be bothering you again any time soon.”
“Oh...thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
They headed back towards ponyville.
Lucky was silent for a moment. When he finally opened his mouth he asked. “So, what are you going to do?”
“About what?”
“About the letter?”
Rarity sighed. “Fedora will simply have to find someone else I suppose. My friends are in Ponyville.” she turned to him. “Among other things.”
“Oh....” he paused. Then a smile spread across his face “Oh. You mean it? Lady Rarity?”
“That’s Button to you.” she returned his smile. “And besides. Who knows, I might get lucky.”
The End.