//------------------------------// // A Day for Connections // Story: Violet Lace // by DemonAngel13 //------------------------------// "That's it!" Violet said, clapping her hooves together. "Cloudy, I think you have it down!" She looked towards her friend, smiling from ear to ear. Cloudy, though a little stiff and slightly unbalanced, had completed all of steps without difficulty. "You think so?" Cloudy asked. A warmth filled Violet's chest. The voice Cloudy had used sounded like her own, and not the grumpy pony she had been for the past few days. "I think I should practice a little more-" "You're fine." Violet said quickly. She looked towards the sky. The sun was high in the air and a brisk breeze blew their manes. Though there was no snow on the ground, the pathways were covered by a thin layer of frost and the occasional frozen puddle. "You've learned the dance. The only thing you can do now is not sprain a hoof." Cloudy was hesitant. "But... the first part of the ball is tonight." "Just more of a reason to focus on other matters." Violet said. She started pushing her friend towards the entrance of their cave. "We need to get ready." "But... We have hours-" "What's your point?" Violet asked. She didn't plan for the last few steps to take up that much time. The two of them needed to get moving. "Violet, we have plenty of time. What's the rush?" Cloudy asked innocently. It took all of Violet's will power not to roll her eyes. "'Plenty of time'?" She quoted. "Cloudy, in Canterlot, there's no such thing as 'plenty of time'." The two fillies quickly- but gracefully- trotted to one of the numerous spa's. It was Violet's favorite one. All organic products and a quaint atmosphere. The air smelled of tea and mint. The ponies were nice- if a little insistent on making appointments. "Quick, in here!" Violet quickly pushed Cloudy inside. The three ponies standing at the counter looked up in surprise. "I need two number sevens!" She shouted. "Stat!" Suddenly the ponies were in action. Blurs of pastel blue and yellow quickly donned the fillies with blush colored robes. Violet was yanked from where she stood and harshly placed in a plush orange colored chair. "Oof!" Cloudy said as the same thing happened to her. A cream colored pony with a lime green mane started filing her hooves. "This seems a little aggressive, doesn't it?" "Nope." Violet answered. She nearly shoved her hooves in the spa pony's face, eager to get them filed. "This is perfectly normal- but I wouldn't mind if the process went a little faster..." The spa pony got the hint and filed with vigor. "Violet, you're acting strange." Cloudy said. Violet saw her shoulders relax. The third spa pony returned and started tending to her mane. "Normally you don't like this kind of thing." "I never said I didn't like it!" Violet said in her defense. "I just don't like doing it for the sake of blending into a egotistical society." Cloudy arched an eyebrow. "That...and I might have something planned for later." Violet added. "Ooooh." Cloudy leaned towards Violet, causing the two spa ponies to jerk back in surprise. "What are we going to do?" Violet turned and came face to face with Cloudy's loud and bright smile. "You don't have a dress, do you?" Cloudy sat back and waved off her friend's statement. "I figured I could wear my old dress from Ponyville." Violet grimaced. "No way in Celestia's rainbow-colored mane am I letting you go to one of the most prestigious balls in all of Equestia wearing something 'old'." "What do you mean? You've seen the dress and you said you liked it." Violet had seen the dress, and Cloudy was right, she did like it. The dress was a pale sea green with a bright blue sash. It ruffled and flowed nicely. It also went smashing with Cloudy's complexion. "I know, and it's lovely." She consoled. "But Canterlot is a harsh place when it comes to this kind of thing. Your dress has to be new, and it has to look amazing, or even the nicest of ponies will eat you alive." "...Really...?" Cloudy whispered. Violet's ears twitched with guilt as she heard Cloudy whisper 'There's still so much I don't know...'. She should have warned her about these things. She should have prepared her. Of course Cloudy would think so innocently about these things. She's from the outskirts of Ponyville. Violet mentally facehoofed herself. She had never been to Ponyville, and though she was sure it was a nice place, it was considered below Canterlot society. Granted, for stupid, conceited reasons, but that didn't change the fact that it's still judged. She should have thought about this sooner. "You know who would like this?" Cloudy asked. "Sea Strike." Violet smiled. Sea Strike was a character in a small short story she had made Cloudy one afternoon. She lived in a civilization under the sea, forever tempted to leave the large dome that surrounded the city she lived in. Because of her constant wanting to leave, she was known for her cold, slightly self-centered, and rash attitude. But Violet, who strongly believes that every good character needs to have a bad trait, wrote her off as 'charmingly cocky' much to Cloudy's amusement. Due to her personality though, it was a running joke between the two girls that she needed a "spa day". "Yep," Cloudy continued. "I can just imagine her, sitting exactly where you're sitting, getting a hooficure." Violet looked down at her hooves, and she started to wonder what it would be like if Sea Strike really was sitting right where she was. δαντέλα στη θάλασσα χτυπήματα ... Violet's ears twitched. The fillies had their hooves scrubbed clean, buffed, and polished. Violet stuck with a safe silver, Cloudy went with a bold aquamarine. A small spark of jealousy appeared unexpectedly. "Huh?" Violet said quietly. The spa pony looked up. "Is there something you need, Miss Lace?" She asked. "No, no... I'm good, thank you." She said in a daze. "Hey, Violet?" Cloudy asked, forcefully dragging Violet's mind out of the clouds. "I think it would be really cute if you put one of those on your hooves." Violet looked towards where Cloudy had been pointing. On the wall were several decals for hooficures. Flowers, rhinestones, other designs in a variety of colors started back at her. "W-which one?" Violet said, her mind still in a fog. "The lace one, obviously!" Cloudy smiled. The spa pony was putting rollers in her mane. She looked ridiculous, and Violet couldn't help but crack a smile. "A-alright... if you think I should." She requested the spa pony to place the decal. Only one, though. There was no reason to go overboard, here That was their life for the next hour or so. They chatted and told jokes. Violet apologized for her brutish behavior earlier that day. But Cloudy understood that Violet was just looking out for her. The entire situation left the spa ponies, Dripping Springs, Strawberry Marmalade, and Daisy Fresh, in a fit of polite giggles and Violet with a small blush coating her cheeks. "I'm sorry, it's just..." She tried to explain. "This is the first time I'm actually looking forward to going to a party like this. It's almost surreal." "What do you mean?" Cloudy said as Dripping Springs unrolled her mane. "Your parents drag you to these things whenever they can, don't they?" "Well, yes." Strawberry was currently trying to smooth out Violet's mane, which was tediously flat ironed. "But I never found myself enjoying the experience." The spa ponies, pleased with there work, rolled in a large mirror for the two of them. Violet's mane was beautifully straight and shiny, almost looking like a wall of silver. Her coat was shiny and soft and her lavender-gray eyes twinkled. Cloudy's teeth were whitened even further and her mane draped her neck in soft waves. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with glee. "I just want everything to be alright." Violet said, looking at Cloudy's reflection. "I don't want anypony to upset you." They hugged. The spa ponies, being the eager Canterlot service that they are, quickly tried to fix their manes again. The fillies quickly grabbed onto them as well, and they all enjoyed heart-warming embrace. "Hope you two girls have fun!" Strawberry called after them. With a quick glance, Violet saw that she had pulled out a pink colored hankie and was delicately dabbing her eyes. The other two spa ponies joined her on bidding the girls farewell. "Now, to Nightingale's shop. Quickly!" The two girls trotted carefully. Violet kept blowing her mane out of her face as she ran, fearing touching it with her hoof would cause damage to the decal. Cloudy was having even more trouble, after deciding to put tiny white rain drop shaped stones on her hooves. At last they made it through the shop's doors. Rosie, who was eagerly waiting for her, took a moment to gush at their appearance before quickly taking Cloudy to the back. Her friend look frightened. After reassuring her that Violet would be there once she had changed, Cloudy hesitantly took hold of Rosie's hoof and let her lead the way. "Do not worry!" Rosie said. "You 'tu shall be de' bells of de' ball!" Violet quickly slipped into her purple dress and trotted to meet them in the backroom. Before she pushed open the door however, she could hear them talking and decided to listen. "How come all of you ponies are lending such a large hoof?" Cloudy asked. "Violet has... she is special, no?" Rosie answered. Violet heard Cloudy laugh. "She's my best-pony-friend." Violet smiled."I knew we would be friends from the start!" "I bet she did not 'tink dat." She heard Rosie say. She nodded, knowing her behavior was cold in the beginning. "She es... not a very compassionate filly, es she?" "Compassionate? Violet's crazy compassionate!" Cloudy nearly shouted. "Have you seen her write, or draw? I swear, if I wasn't there, she would be stuck there for hours on that typewriter of hers." "Zat es why we are helping you 'tu." Rosie explained. "When Violet came to me, saying zat she had a friend- it was amazing! I had never seen her so happy!" "Didn't you two just meet? Cloudy asked. "Mmh-hmm! But with her.. family life... 'tu can see zat she does not have many opportunities du be happy." Cloudy stayed silent. Violet could feel the sting of tears and the harsh lump form in the back of her throat. She knew that Cloudy was a ray of sunshine in her life, but she didn't know that anypony else had noticed a change. When she went to Rosie and the spa ponies, sure they seemed happy, but she figured it was the typical Canterlot, this-pony-can't-see-me-frown-because-that-would-make-me-look-bad kind of attitude. Now she saw that she was wrong. Horribly wrong. After gathering herself together and wiping her eyes, she used her magic to turn the door nob. She walked in to see Cloudy wearing a navy blue ball gown. Ripples of deep blue ocean water seemed to cover her from mane to hoof. Tiny sequins looked like stars, and the bottom teir was the purest white Violet had ever scene. She had matching bracelets on each hoof, and a tiny blue necklace around her neck. "You look pretty." Cloudy said. Violet looked down at her. She had added an obsidian cuff and tiara. Rosie took it upon herself to add a few tail-lengths of fabric to the bottom of her dress, making it drag along the ground regally. "I should say the same to you." Violet said, bowing her head. Cloudy giggled. "You 'tu look lovely." Rosie said happily. She was about to open her mouth again to overwhelm the girls with compliments, but a tiny bell rang near the door. "Oh! Customers! I have du go! You 'tu go ahead, quickly!" Rosie quickly headed out the door and shouted her typical greeting. Violet and Cloudy spent the next few minutes looking each other over, making sure that everything was in place. Violet used her magic, making sure Cloudy didn't damage her carefully painted hooves, to open the door. "You stupid mare! Speak normally!" A voice echoed through the hall. Violet knew the voice. Cloudy knew the voice as well. She saw her friend shrink back subconsciously out of fear formed by habit. Violet's anger steamed, shrieking in her mind like an angry kettle. Shimmering saw them. "Why, if it-" She saw the fillies, in all of their glory. Violet felt a smug satisfaction seep in as the looks on Shimmering's friends' faces went from shock to awe. Even Iron Wing, Shimmering's 'special-some-pony' (Though, Violet had a feeling Iron Wing didn't know what that was just yet.), looked at her with clear shock. "You two..." Shimmering stuttered for an insult. "Could almost pass for decent." She held a smug look, but with everypony else's facial expression, the remark went flat before it could even leave her tongue. Suddenly, Rosie stumbled into the main room carrying a large bag. "Here you go Miss!" She said. Her breathing was heavy and her mane was disheveled. "Finally!" Shimmering shouted. "I can't believe my father ordered my dress from this place." She looked around in disgust. "The service here was awful." She looked towards Cloudy and Violet. "As well as their products." The group of ponies, after tearing their eyes from Violet and Cloudy's appearance, nodded in agreement. They started walking towards the exit, at which Violet could hear a distinct: 'I'll be sure to make my father shut this place down. Anyplace that sells things to the likes of those two deserves to fall to ruins.'. Violet felt her rage boil over. After everything; the insults, the tricks, and the overall dreadful attitude, she had finally had enough. Her mind went blank. She watched as though separated from her own body as her hoof grasped onto a paper weight on Rosie's counter. She watched it fly through the air and graze against Shimmering's side. The filly screamed. Not out of pain. Violet never intended for the object to hit her. Not only that, but the weight itself wasn't even all that heavy. Instead, Shimmering was screaming at her own reflection. "Look at what you did! Look!" She said as she pointed her hoof at her necklace. Violet, after snapping back to reality, found her eyes falling on a dent in one of Shimmering's neck plates. The filly looked as though her face was going to turn the same color as her mane. She ground her teeth and her pupils shrunk down to crazed pinpoints. "You- you little..." She screeched like a wild animal. Shimmering looked around. She wanted to find a way to retaliate. Her crazed eyes fell on Violet's pack, or more specifically, the piece of lace cloth that was sticking out from under the flap. Violet couldn't stop her, she was still in a daze over what she had just done, as well as everypony else. No one tried to stop Shimmering as she aggressively pulled Violet's shawl out of her bag and sprinted out of the store. It was only until the door slammed shut, and a small chime sounded did anyone actually break from their trance. "You...did you just...?" Cloudy asked Violet silently. Violet, feeling numb and slightly hollow, simply looked into her eyes. She felt the overwhelming sensation of tears. She felt the tickle as the fell down her cheeks, as well as an intense wave of embarrassment. She ran after Shimmering. She couldn't look at Cloudy's face anymore. She ran and ran until her lungs felt as though they were going to burst and the tears stopped falling. "Violet!" She heard in the distance. She was too tired to continue. "Violet!" Cloudy ran up behind her. Her breath wasn't even as remotely heavy as her own. "What...what was that?" Violet remained silent. She couldn't look her friend in the eye anymore- if she even still considered herself a friend after the display she had put on. There was a long, brutal pause. "I understand." Cloudy said. Violet perked her ears in surprise. She turned around, and met Cloudy's eyes. They were watering, but no tears fell. "To be honest, the fact that you held back as long as you did was amazing." Violet furrowed her brow. "...What?" She asked. "Cloudy, I-I'm so sorry!" Cloudy chuckled. Though it was gruff, to Violet's amazement, it still sounded genuine. "For what? Doing something that everypony and their mother has wanted to do ever since Hoity Toity spawned her from the gates of Tartarus?" She wrapped a sincere hoof around her friends shoulder's. "Me, nor Rosie, blame you for what you did. Even some of Shimmering Ruby's friend's don't seem all that upset about it." "Really?" Violet asked, here eyes wide in awe. Cloudy nodded. She then looked down. "Such a shame though, your hoof polish is chipped." Violet snorted. "That's the Violet I know and love!" She said, holding her tighter. After a few moments of embrace, the two friends simply held each other. "So, what do we do now?" Cloudy asked. Violet looked at her in confusion. "We need to get your shawl back." She clarified. "And we are. No doubts about it." Violet raised her eyebrows in shock. Cloudy, one of the kindest, most happy-go-lucky ponies in all of Equestria, was suggesting something devious and down right criminal. Violet was about to shoot her down, say that whatever happened to the shawl was well deserved given her behavior, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized she couldn't live without the piece of lace. "When we were little..." She began, gnawing on her hoof in concentration. "And I made her angry... she would... take whatever I was playing with and store it up in her closet." "Her closet?" "That place is the size of your bedroom." She explaned. Cloudy's ears dropped in annoyance and jealously at that statement. "Not only that, but that place is sealed tighter than Celestia's jewelry vault." "Well, then how do we get in?" Cloudy asked. Violet grew smug. "I may have found a secret passage leading directly to the place in question... just maybe..." Cloudy's smile grew. "Alright." She looked towards the sky. The sun was still high, but a few clouds were being moved for the night. "I say we have a few hours- let's get moving."