Until this afternoon, I hadn't actually met Fluttershy. I had heard of her through the grapevine, of course. Photographers and designers adored her because she had the look that Manehattan designers were looking for this season.
Models on the other hoof were less ecstatic about the new girl in town. In a way, I could understand. Fluttershy was Photo Finish's protegé and like Hoity Toity, her word in fashion goes far which is why it is so rare for fashion photographers (or anypony else in the fashion industry who isn't an agent) to specifically endorse a model, especially one that hadn't already been working on the modeling circuit.
My agent had warned me about her from the moment she stepped onto the scene, constantly reminding me that she was my biggest competition because of Photo Finish's influence.
I had never even met the girl, but she cast a huge shadow that seemed like it was slowly suffocating me.
“Who lumped these clothes here?!” Hoity Toity cried out, breaking the silence of the afternoon slump.
I turned my attention to where he stood, the girl, who I assumed was Fluttershy based on where she was standing held her gaze directly at the floor in font of her, ignoring the piles of fabric strewn across her little changing area. The other models nickered at the “faux-pas.” I wouldn't be surprised if a few of the other jealous models did this to her in the hopes that Hoity Toity would fire her on the spot.
After all, if Hoity Toity fired you, you probably wouldn't work in this town again.
“Fluttershy?! You cannot do that! They must stay on the racks or on you, but never ever on the floor!”
“Oh, but...” she started to protest, blinking several times, likely to stave off tears.
“I tried to tell her,” one of the models said as she shook her head mockingly. “Poor thing is just not used to nice clothes. It's not her fault she doesn't know how to handle nice clothes, the little two bit town she's from isn't exactly known for its haute couture.”
She was a sweet little thing, one who was out of her element especially in the cut throat fashion industry.
“But I didn't mean to...”
“It's fine,” he sighed, putting his hoof to his forehead in frustration. “Just don't let it happen again. Now everypony get dressed, the fitting begins in five minutes!”
The group that had been watching the entire thing happen disappeared as soon as Hoity Toity did, leaving Fluttershy alone to pick up the dresses that had been haphazardly thrown about. From where I stood I could see her desperately try to keep from sobbing right then and there.
You were right to be worried. She's prettier than you.
But... nopony deserves to be humiliated like that.
I walked up to Fluttershy and gave her a light smile before helping her to hang up the dresses.
“Don't worry about it. The girls who did this are just jealous and foalish, you'll blow them out of the water on the runway.” I smiled.
“Thanks,” she squeaked out.
Don't feel bad for her. She has a natural grace that mares like you take years trying to perfect. She will take jobs away from you and probably already has.
I gave her a wan smile then made my way over to my changing room where I would finally get to try on the dress.
* * *
Runway is real life, there is no retouching. They want you to be perfect so the clothes hang on you perfectly.
That had been my mantra for the past week, the mare in the mirror constantly reminded me of it whenever I took a bite of food or thought about skipping out on the gym. Hoity Toity's show was important for my career and if I didn't look stunning in that final dress, I would never forgive myself.
So, as I stood in the tent in my little dressing area, staring at the mirror, I tried to reason with myself that, for today, I was perfect. All the calorie cutting and exercising I had done this week worked and I was going to fit into this perfect dress my agent has been raving about since I booked the job.
But the problem with mirrors is that they are unforgiving in what they show you. They reflect every part of you as you are with no regard to your feelings. For a moment, I thought that I was perfect, but the mirror showed otherwise.
The dress barely fits you, you are in no way out of the hot water. The show is tomorrow and if anything goes wrong, you'll only have yourself to blame.
Hoity Toity is merciless when it comes to his Fashion Shows. He demanded perfection, even if that meant running through his show over and over again until he deemed it perfect. When he finally let us go, I felt relief. Finally, I could be away from the hot spotlight that was making me dizzy. It was a miracle I didn't stumble on the runway.
“Would you like to go get something to eat with me?” Fluttershy asked, intercepting me as soon as I grabbed my bag. “I'm starving and I don't really know anypony in Manehattan...”
“Me? Why?”
“Well... uh... you're the only pony here who has been nice to me and I noticed you don't really talk to any of the other girls...”
I struggled to think of an excuse to go home. Under any other circumstances I would gladly join Fluttershy, but this was Fashion Week and I was afraid that if I went out to eat with her, I wouldn't be able to control myself. What if I ate too much and didn't fit into that dress tomorrow? I would never forgive myself.
“I just thought it would be nice to get to know some ponies here... it might make this whole experience more bearable I guess.”
I fidgeted. “Well, I mean I would love to, it's just that I ate before the fitting...”
“Oh ok... well you don't have to eat anything, if you don't want to. I just thought it would be nice to just go out and do something that isn't this... I mean if you don't mind.”
“Sure... I know a place.”
* * *
I wasn't in the mood to deal with photographers and reporters, who thrived on reporting about models during Fashion Week. So Fluttershy and I donned large sun hats and glasses as we made our way through the tourist-ridden parts of the city to a tiny diner I knew.
There was no such thing as a bad meal in Manehattan, especially for somepony who has never really been around Manehattan before. Even the diners offer some of the best food around and they don't judge if you spend over an hour staring at the large portion in front of you as you slowly pick and choose the parts of it you'll eat.
I could tell choosing a tiny, near empty diner was the perfect spot for her too. She didn't seem to like the fanfare that had followed her around since Photo Finish first discovered her. I can't say I blame her, it's bad enough hearing from agents and photographers what's wrong with how you look, why bring the rest of Equestria into it?
I glanced over the menu, mentally calculating how many calories I would be putting in my body with every order. Fluttershy eagerly put the menu down within minutes claiming she wanted a hayburger.
Isn't it sad that she can eat anything she wants and still look gorgeous?
I could eat anything I wanted, I reasoned. Probably not a hayburger, I didn't want to put over three hundred calories in my body because I would just spend the rest of the night exercising to make up for my moment of weakness.
I skimmed the menu, looking for something, anything I could at least nibble on without feeling guilty.
She never said you had to eat something.
I didn't want Fluttershy to have to eat alone, that's rude.
Everything was going to be at least three hundred calories, but perhaps some ice water would suffice? After all, ice cuts down on cravings maybe I could trick my stomach into thinking it's full.
Ponies will get suspicious if you just get water. They will think there is something wrong with you.
There isn't anything wrong with me.
Try explaining that to them.
When the waitress came to take our order I smiled and went with a green tea, after assuring myself it didn't have many calories and it would make my headache dissipate and assuring Fluttershy that yes, this was all I wanted because I ate earlier and I felt a cold coming on.
“Thanks so much for coming here with me. These past few weeks have been kind of difficult for me,” Fluttershy said after she handed the waitress our menus. “I guess I'm still kind of surprised by all the commotion around me.”
“Of course.” I smiled. “Anytime. And don't worry about the commotion, it will slow down after Fashion Week is over. It's really one of the few times of the year that ponies care about what models are doing.”
“Thanks. I just hope it all ends soon. I would really prefer to be back home with my friends and my pets.”
You're just a stand-in, she doesn't really want to be friends with you. And why would she? Nopony else does.
We spent the time waiting for our orders, talking about our lives and where we were from. It was the most conversation I've had with anypony in a long time that wasn't about work and it was amazing, but when her food and my tea came down she looked at me pityingly.
“Are you sure that's all you want?” She asked, pushing her plate slightly towards me.
“Of course, I had a huge lunch earlier and I'm still full from it.”
“Oh okay, well would you like one of my hay fries?”
I hesitated, I didn't need one, but I wanted to be polite, so I nodded and picked out the smallest fry I could find.
Are you really going to eat that?
Just one wouldn't hurt, I reasoned, besides it was too late to put it down at this point. Fluttershy was watching me.
I popped the fry in my mouth, the grease permeating my taste buds. I tried to tell myself it was just one small fry, it couldn't have had many calories in it, but the damage was done.
At least the hunger pain subsided slightly.