The sun was shining down on a seemingly normal day in Ponyville. Normal, that is, for the month leading up to Hearts and Hooves Day. The day itself was still weeks away, but signs of it were everywhere. Ponies traveled as couples from place to place or sat together for long periods at a time. All the shops were beginning their promotions and sales for hearts and hooves day. Even Sugar Cube Corner was having a special couples’ discount going on, judging by the sign Pinkie Pie just placed outside. The impending holiday seemed everywhere, and everypony seemed eager for it as usual. Everypony except for the one seen galloping around back and forth through the windows of Carousel Boutique.
Rarity was rushing this way and that way through her work area, her keen eyes desperately searching one spot before she darted off to set them on another. The sounds of her hooves clambering over the floor were only matched with her anxious voice repeating “where is it” over and over again. Feeling exasperated, she was about to give up when she finally came upon the blue silk she’d been looking for. She gave a relieved sigh, “There you are! Now I can – Oh, dear.”
She pulled the silk out to find that there was hardly any of it left. She gave a hefty groan and let her face slap down against her working table. She stayed there for a few moments, and finally moved at the sound of knocking on the Boutique’s door. She jolted up and gave a rather harsh “What now?!” as she hurried over to answer. She opened the door to find a particular purple and green dragon waiting patiently on the other side.
“Oh, it’s you, Spike.” Rarity relaxed again, giving him a half-hearted smile, “I appreciate the visit, but I’m rather busy at the moment.”
Spike nodded, “I know. Sweetie Belle told me you were really backed up, so I figured I could come and help.” He looked up at Rarity, and his smile faded to a look of concern, “Though it looks like you need a break more than anything.”
Rarity turned her head to look at herself in one of the many mirrors she has, and gave a small gasp. The usually fabulous looking mare was quite disheveled from the workload she’s been keeping up with. Her mane was frizzled and messy, beads of sweat running down her face. A tad bit of make-up had begun to run as well. Rarity beckoned Spike to come inside with a tilt of her head, and rushed up to her bedroom to repair the damage.
“I appreciate your concern, Spike, but I’m so busy at the moment that the best I can do is make myself presentable before getting back to it. There’s just so much I have to do still, and who knows what I’ll be getting next.”
Spike stayed at the bottom of the stairs, casually talking up to her as he waits for her, “Even twilight admits too much work is bad for you every now and then.”
“That’s fine for her, but being behind in her studies doesn’t mean she loses business, Spike.” She returned from upstairs with her mane neatly brushed and the running mascara wiped away. “I must get these orders done. I do admit I could use an extra pair of hooves, though. Or claws, in your case. I was just about to start on this blue dress –” She stopped as she looked down at the small amount of fabric that she had been eager to find, and frowned.
Spike followed her line of sight to the blue silk. “Kind of hard to make it if you don’t have all the stuff you need.” He smiled at her.
Rarity gave a small huff, “Oh, fine. Go get the gem wagon, Spike. There are a lot of other materials and supplies that I need as well while we’re out and we couldn’t possibly carry it all ourselves.”
Spike nodded and grabbed the wagon. Soon they were out in the warmth of the day heading towards the other shops. Spike tried once more to convince Rarity to relax a bit, “You know, going out to get more stuff to work on isn’t much of a break. I know you’re busy, but overworking yourself isn’t going to help.”
“And neither is sitting on my rump and doing nothing. I have to get them done as soon as possible.”
“But why the sudden rush of business? And why is it such short notice for it all?”
“I’ll explain later. We’re here.”
Here meant the supply store that Rarity always used for her business. She was such a regular customer that the pony that ran it could find exactly what she wanted before Rarity even finished her order. It took a while longer than usual to gather all the supplies, and by the time they were done the wagon was towering with different colored fabrics, including the blue silk at the top.
After paying the hefty price of bits, Rarity and Spike headed off for the Boutique. Figuring he lost the battle about taking a break, Spike decided to at least give Rarity something else to think about.
“The hearts and hooves decorations are all coming along nicely, but they seem to be lacking something. I’m surprised that you aren’t helping with them, Rarity. You’d probably add that sparkle they need.”
“I’m far too busy to worry about such frivolities, Spike.”
Not expecting such a cold response, he tried again. “That’s a shame. I’m sure you’d know a number about making this holiday look perfect. I mean, you are a mare of beauty and passion, so the holiday that surrounds such should be easy for you to-” He suddenly stopped as Rarity turned around, her expression and words like ice to him.
“Thank you for your assistance, Spike. This little break was exactly what I needed, but now I must get back to work.” Her horn glowed and her magic snatched the wagon’s handle out of Spike’s grasp. Then she and the wagon of sewing material suddenly rushed into the Boutique and the door slammed shut behind both.
Knocked down by the wagon hitting him, Spike slowly stood up. He was rather bewildered by Rarity’s mood, and he cautiously opened the door again. “Um, Rarity…?”
“Yes Spike?” She asked sharply, having quickly gone back to work by cutting up the blue silk she was desperate to get.
“I…I thought I was going to help you. You know, since you’re so busy.”
She stopped and looked over at him for a moment. Her expression was hard to read, but Spike felt there was a bit of animosity behind it. “Thank you, Spike, but these orders are short and easy. I just need to get through them as quick as I can.”
Spike entered the shop and closed the door behind him, looking at Rarity more closely than he had earlier. He couldn’t help notice her eyes were a little puffy and tired looking. “Rarity? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, Spike.” She said, not even bothering to look at him.
The usual scent of body lotions and perfumes that came from her was absent. Her mane was also becoming untidy rather quick, implying she wasn’t using her usual hair products to keep it in shape. Taking all this into account, Spike’s concern for her grew, “You certainly don’t seem alright.”
Rarity gave another huff like the one before, “I told you before, I’m just too busy to be over-conscious about my appearance.”
Spike rubbed his dragon chin as he eyed her some more. He moved up to the table and stared at the pony at work. While she refused to look at him, he can’t help but notice one other thing was off. When Rarity usually worked her magic on outfits, so to speak, she had this dazzling glint in her eye. But now, it wasn’t there at all. “No…it’s something else.”
“There’s nothing else, Spike. Now please, go…go help Twilight or something.” She muttered, starting to pin the clipped blue fabric together.
“Rarity, talk to me.”
“Go home, Spike.”
“At least look at me.”
“Please, Spike, leave me alone.”
“You aren’t acting like yourself.”
Ignoring the dragon, Rarity moved away from the table and over to her sewing machine. Spike glared at her, his temper starting to rise.
“RARITY!”
The white mare stopped what she was doing. Unsure of whether it was because he shouted or the fact that he was still there, Spike didn’t know. But he took the silence as an opportunity to try once more. “What…is wrong?”
Rarity stood there for a few moments, leaving Spike standing in suspense. Finally she let go of the fabric, “What’s wrong..? You want to know what’s wrong, Spike?” She seemed to be shaking a little as her horn glowed, and she floated a long piece of parchment over to Spike. “This is what’s wrong…”
Spike read over the parchment that he was given. It was a list of the orders Rarity had. He eventually looked back up to Rarity, “I…don’t get it.”
“You don’t? Well then, let me enlighten you.” She turned around, seemingly content but Spike noticed she was very tense. She pointed to the list, “This…is only the order list that I’m working on today. I got most of those orders almost a week ago.” Her horn glowed more, and she pulled no less than five more parchment pieces over to her, “This one was completely filled out the day after that one. And this was filled shortly after that. And I’m nowhere near to doing out the most recent one, which I probably won’t get into until next week, at best. But, if you would, look at the date they’re all expected to be done by…”
Spike noticed that almost all of her body was shaking by now. He nervously looked down, and noticed that they were all asked to be done before Hearts and Hooves day. “Are these all orders for-” He didn’t even get to finish.
“OF COURSE THEY ARE!” Rarity cried out, now starting to pace back and forth in front of him. Spike could practically feel the fury of her words as she spoke, “It’s the same thing every year! Everypony’s out there, meeting with their special somepony,” She said the words akin to a schoolfilly mocking something, then continued her pacing, “While I’m trapped in my boutique for almost an entire month, slaving away!”
She stopped at the window and glared out of it, giving a rather vicious snort that’s very unlike her, “I make fine art out of my dresses for almost every mare in Ponyville! And I tailor the best suits for stallions ever seen! I bust my rump, working day and night, doing my part to ensure a perfect Hearts and Hooves day to everypony who enters this shop! Everypony…except for me!”
Spike was taken aback by that last comment. He looked at her in mild confusion, “You can’t tell me a mare like you never had a single Hearts and Hooves day date…”
Rarity turned her head from the window to look back at him. She had a glare that made him instantly regret saying that. “Oh, there have been suitors. Each one as abhorring as the last! I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve been left sitting there like a lump waiting for them to show up! Or just standing beside them while they show me off like I’m some kind of…some kind of ornament that goes with their outfit! And there are quite a few faces I’ve left my hoof mark on, I can tell you that!”
She started approaching Spike, making the scared dragon back up a bit as she drew closer. “They all asked me out, but none of them really meant it! They just wanted to be seen with Rarity: the famous fashion maker! Sometimes they care about Rarity: the Element of Harmony! Or, by far the worst, Rarity: The pony I’ll have in my BEDROOM TONIGHT!”
“But did any of them care about me?! Did any of them care about Rarity the Unicorn?! Of course not! Nopony cares about me! I’m nothing more than a phase! A fashion trend!A TEMPORARY INTEREST! THAT’S WHAT’S WRONG!”
She seethed at Spike as she had him in a corner. He could see all the pent up rage in her eyes, but they were also swimming with the tears that were begging to come. She was shaking all over, and for a few moments it seemed she was finished. But before Spike could do or say anything, she spoke again.
“YOU are no better than the rest of them! Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you fawn over me! How you gaze until you’re drooling to the floor! You pretend to be nice and sentimental, but we both know differently, and it’s high time we stopped pretending otherwise!” Once again her horn lit up, and Spike found himself lifted off the floor by his tail. He was carried to the window Rarity had been looking out of. “Now, as I’ve told you before, I’m quite busy. So, I ask for the last time, Go Home!” She unceremoniously chucked the dragon out the window and snapped it shut behind her before trotting away from it, leaving the dragon face-first on the ground outside.