It was just a morning like all other mornings for Rarity.
The mare was getting ready for work. There was not much to do: eat her French toast, wake up her younger sister and send her to school with her breakfast, put on her red glasses and go in her office. There were pieces of fabric everywhere, tools everywhere on the table. "Organized chaos", she called it. Rarity didn't mind. She was herself in all this mess. She usually loves having a clean and organized house, but her workroom was an exception.
Rarity became a famous designer. And she wasn't only known as a designer, but as a sophisticated pony who was fabulous enough to gain Fancy Pant's, Sapphire Shore's, Photo Finish' and Hoity Toity's friendship. She was even an Element of Harmony, so knew all the princesses! In a word, she was popular. That day she ran out of ideas. Where did her creativity go? No idea. She didn't know what to design. She decided to go outside to clear her mind. It was Autumn, so she wrapped a blue scarf around her neck. The grey unicorn locked the door and walked towards the fountain and saw Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy, dear!", she called.
The startled pegasus dropped some bread she was giving to the ducks and turned around.
"Hello, Rarity...", she murmured.
"I ran out of ideas, today! It's a black hole. Do you want me to sew anything?"
"Oh... no thank you...", she giggled. "There's no event coming up for me."
"Maybe Twilight would like something! Since she's a princess and everything, she must have a request to make."
But the Princess of Friendship didn't request anything. She liked her old dress for the Grand Galloping Gala and wore it at each special occasion. It still fit her, even if she was taller and they had to cut holes for her wings. When Rarity came into the sparkly eyesore castle, Twilight was reading a book.
"Hello Twilight. Want a dress? I ran out of ideas."
"Mmm, no thank you. I'm kind of busy. Studies."
"I... uh, okay then. Since you have Spike and all, mind sending a letter to all of our friends?"
She didn't mind. Spike, take a letter! The scaly assistant came in with a quill and scroll. He looked at Rarity with dreamy eyes, his mouth opened a bit. Rarity was beginning to find that a bit... weird.
"Watcha want, Rarity?", he asked.
"Send a letter to each of your acquaintances if they want a dress from me, please, my Spikey Wikey."
Spike wrote it one one scroll, that Twilight made duplicate with her magic. It was a new spell she learned, that only worked on paper. Spike sent them all to the ponies they knew and leaned a bit over Rarity.
"Done, Rarity!", he said.
"You're such a sweetheart."
She gave him a warm hug and a kiss on his nose and cheeks. The dragon's heart beat so fast he thought it was going to explode. He smiled a big goofily and pinched himself to make sure it wasn't a dream. It wasn't. Rarity trotted out the door, and Spike could have a good view on her flank, which made Twilight chuckle. Spike blushed.
"This time, don't wash me! I had a hug, and... th-three whole kisses from Rarity..."
"Spike, you'll need to have a bath sooner or later."
"NOOO!", and he hid in his little bed.
Meanwhile, Rarity was on her way home, humming "Art of the Dress" on the way. She was finally going to design something. Her friends were the most inspiring ponies she knew, and give them gifts and nice things always made her happy. Yeah, she really was the Element of Generosity, and she felt proud of it.
She opened her door and sighed. She felt nervous for some reason. She really needed to relax. Fluttershy joined her for lunch. Rarity cooked a very fancy meal, and Fluttershy wasn't used to so much attention. They were at the table and chatting.
"Spike is really adorable, Fluttershy. He does everything we say! He's so sweet and everything."
"Are you saying he's useful?", Fluttershy's eyes widened.
"Of cooouuuurse he is! He's useful, helpful, sweet and caring. I'd dream of an assistant like him!"
"Oh. Okay... Just, don't 'use' him in that way."
"I would not 'USE' him! Besides, I don't ask for too much, and he does it with heart."
"He sure does", smiled the yellow pegasus.
"Say, how about we go to the spa?"
"Oh, no, I'm fine."
But fifteen minutes later, the two ladies were in a hot water tub. Stallions gave them not really discrete looks, which made Fluttershy blush a bit.
"Those looks they're giving to us...", she whispered, hiding her flank and between her legs with her long tail.
"Oho, come on, Fluttershy! Relax a bit. Learn how to be a lady. Let the danger approach like he wants, but when he reaches you, bam! You hit him."
"HIT him? Oh... no, I would never..."
"Then what you're gonna do? Let him do? There are some stallions you can let do", she giggled. "But protect yourself the lady way. And there's no point of hiding all that, darling! You're beautiful!"
Fluttershy blushed and mumbled a faint 'Thank you'. She still hid her flank with her tail, pushing in deep into the water each time a stallion gave her a look. But she couldn't tell if he was giving a look to Rarity or her. After all, Rarity was the most fabulous pony in town. Plus, she wasn't hiding anything. She was a true lady. Fluttershy would like to act like that, sure of herself, walking and doing everything and style. No wonder Spike had a huge crush on her! But Fluttershy was just to timid to do all that. The yellow pegasus stood up and shook her tail, head and wings.
"I have to go... It's teatime for the animals. See you later!"
"Bye, darling!"
The unicorn stood up as well and wrapped a towel around her body in style. Every move, every step she made was about perfection. She was always sure of what she was doing! And the dress she was going to design, to whomever she'll give, was going to be as perfect as her. She walked home and saw a letter in her mailbox. Even her mailbox looked sophisticated! She took out a scroll. She opened it, and her eyes widened so much her nose and mouth looked tiny.
"oh. My. CELESTIA."