//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Scenery // Story: In One Month // by Cadencebutterfly //------------------------------// “Oh no, no, that color simply is not right. No, absolutely not. Hmm. Oh, Opal, do you think this dress needs something? No, no, I'm all wrong. This is all wrong. I need to try this again. Oh, where did I put the pin cushion? Never mind that, I have to open these seams and start again.” The sound of pacing hooves filled the air. It was hot and stuffy, thick enough to choke a pony who was not prepared. “Oh, I just don't know. Maybe I should play it safe with an analogous color scheme. It seems like complimentary just doesn't seem to fit the ticket here. Wait, should her dress be stylish or classy?” The inspiration room of the boutique was cluttered again, with color palettes scattered about and fabric laid across furniture. “I just don't know. Does this dress call for sequins? Or some sort of trim? Oh yes, of course, a trim, I'd be foolish not to include that. I must be careful, however. I can't let them look too similar to last year's. Opal, deary, can you move please?” “Rarity?” “Wa-a-ahh!” Rarity was quick to whip around. Her mane was frazzled and her eyes bloodshot. When she turned to see the voice that called for her, she discovered Twilight standing at her door. Twilight, all seeming normal besides a bag slung across her back, stood there with an eyebrow raised. “Rarity, I'm very concerned. You haven't left your home in two days.” The white unicorn paused in her tracks, unable to pull together a fathomable response. She looked behind her, glazing her eyes over a calender briefly. She took a heaving breath and looked over to her friend. “W-why yes, dear. It would seem that way, would it not?” She followed her sentence with a nervous chuckle. “Well, you see, with the Gala coming up as quickly as it is...” “You took it upon yourself to make our dresses?” Twilight asked, giving a distressed exhale as she spoke. “Can't we just wear the same dresses as last year?” “No! No, no, no, that would be just tacky.” Twilight took the moment to examine the six mannequins that were standing. Shreds of fabric lay pulled across the backs, necks, and heads of the ponies, none of which seemed remotely close to being finished. The designs were sketched and taped to the wall next to their designated model. She invited herself to get closer, taking a peek at each design, and frankly, they were not pleasing. “Are these your designs?” “Oh, w-why, yes.” “Well they're... um...” “I know. It's terrible.” Rarity released a heavy sigh. “Oh, it's just dreadful, Twilight. I have lost my inspiration! My muse! It's all gone! I am so lost without it. You see, I tried to start this the moment I got home from the party but I... I...” Twilight quickly accommodated her friend as she started to break into (arguably over-dramatic) tears. Rarity resisted the urge to wipe her face, lest she worsen her makeup, and looked up to her friend. “I have no talent anymore!” Rarity's blue eyes looked up to Twilight, sparkling with the tears that lingered. “I haven't been able to sleep, haven't been able to do anything because it just won't leave my mind! I simply cannot think of dress designs!” “Rarity, it's not that bad.” Twilight cooed softly. “You have a month until the Gala is here. You'll think of something.” “That's just it, Twilight!” Pushing herself off of her friend, Rarity backed away. She approached a desk and pushed some clutter to the side. Picking up a book, she returned to Twilight's side. She flopped the book on the ground, the collision causing it to flop lifelessly open. On the pages was sketch after sketch of nothing but lines and doodles, most likely design ideas. Some were colored and some were not, however, all of them looked awful. They were clearly attempts as dress designs for her five closest friends, but the sheer quantity of them was overwhelming. Using her horn, Twilight flipped a few pages, only to find countless more. It seemed endless. “O-Oh my.” “You see, Twilight? This is my problem! Usually inspiration simple pours over me! But in two days, this is all I've done. I'm going to be a laughing stock!” “Aren't you over exaggerating a little bit? How are you going to be a laughing stock?” “You're going to need dresses eventually, darling; how am I supposed to represent? They know me in Canterlot! I've had my name there before! If you all show up in badly made dresses, they'll know it was me who made them!” After a moment she paused, her hoof eventually rising up to her lower lip. Stuck in contemplation, her eyes lowered to the ground. “Oh my, that's it!” “I don't follow.” Twilight said lowly. Rarity quickly approached her, grinning. “Canterlot!” Rarity placed her hooves on Twilight's shoulders. “A change of scenery! Oh, this is a wonderful idea! Oh, I need to pack. I have to take my designing supplies too, of course.” “A change of scenery?” “It's such a grand idea. I shouldn't bother the princess to reserve a room for me this time, though, so I'll bring extra money for the housing, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Perhaps just an apartment or something of the sort. Regardless, I know I can make something that will stop them in their tracks if I change my scenery!” “Wait, so let me figure this out...” Twilight thought aloud. “You are leaving. To Canterlot. For inspiration?” “That's exactly it!” Rarity, now having had a total change in mood, stood tidying up one of her desks. “I must pick and choose what to bring now. This is so exciting.” “Okay then.” Twilight murmured. ----- As the sun set over Sweet Apple Acres, the small humble family found themselves all gathered in one room. On the bed was a very under slept stallion, his red fur stretched over swollen limbs. His concerned family whispered among themselves, some louder than others. Applejack began pulling her hat from the top of her head and holding it to her chest, her face twisted in thought. The youngest of the family, Applebloom, approached the injured stallion and looked as his leg carefully. Big Mac's pain tolerance was admirable, having been walking Celestia-knows-where on a broken knee and fractured hip. However, it became clear that he needed more help than he was letting on when he could no longer walk. “Ya need to stay in bed there, Big Mac.” Applejack mused aloud. This aroused no response from the hindered pony, and he simply stared at a wall. The concern eventually overwhelmed his caring family, and Applebloom back-tracked around to his face, where she nuzzled him under the chin. “We're not mad or anythin'.” She said sympathetically. “That isn't what ya think is it?” “Nope.” He said, now lifting his head to look at his little sister. He lovingly returned the gesture and glanced over to Applejack, aware of what his absence on the farm could mean for her. “Aw, shucks, I know what that look's for. Don't ya'll worry bout me.” However, before she knew it, all eyes had fallen on Applejack. “I'm mighty sorry Applejack. Applebloom and I aren't fit to work with the hardcore applebuckin'.” Granny Smith said ruefully. “Are you going to be okay? The farmer's market is only three days away and we need to buck down almost all our very best apples.” “Nah, don't worry bout me now. I learned my lesson last time. I'll be askin' for help shortly from my friends.” An accepting nod from her kin quickly signaled a redirection of attention back to Big Mac. The inevitable question on everypony's mind was obvious. Of course, is was clear that Big Mac's usual concern was known. He possibly did not want to leave Applejack alone to buck the apples. However, there was clearly more this time. If anybody could see that, it would be the concerned earth ponies that stood lovingly in front of him. In the end it was an unspoken decision that was unanimously made that they were not going to ask. Something seemed to be nagging in Big Mac's mind. ----- “Uh, no.” “Aw, come on.” That was the sixth stallion to turn Rainbow Dash down since she started. As he strutted away, the troubled pegasus twisted her lips into a broken pout. A heavy sigh brushed the weight down her back and she laid her back end to the ground. Her rainbow colored tail flowed across the ground, her colors blending as strands of hair overlapped, giving herself a new look. There was an air of stress that seemed to surround the uncharacteristically melancholic pony. Her eyes were beginning to show the signs of bags sagging under them, and her pupils moved back and forth along the grassy earth, moving slowly from one blade to another with what seemed like no goal in reach. “Rainbow Dash, darling, you look positively miserable!” The voice belonged to none other than Rarity. She was being tailed by Twilight, carrying what seemed to be traveling cases. Confused, Dash cocked her head slightly as the unicorn pair approached her. “What're you doing?” She asked, her voice cracking slightly. “That is not important! What matters right now is why you look so glum!” Her pair of magenta eyes darted between the two uncomfortably, leaving Rainbow Dash unsure of how to answer. “I- I don't know what you mean. I'm totally awesome!” As she lied, her back legs pushed down into the ground, bringing her into a stand. She met the duo half way and laughed, although false. “What are you doing? Trying to go into exile again?” “Not quite,” Rarity responded with a bitter bite. With a roll of her eyes, she continued. “I have decided to surround myself in a new environment so that I may have the proper inspiration to make your dress!” There was notable confusion in Rainbow Dashes eyes, and honestly, it made Rarity smile a little. “Twilight, here, has kindly agreed to help me ready my things and will be writing the princess to arrange a ride into Canterlot. I need a change of scenery to make the dresses for the Gala.” On a whim, Rainbow Dash lowly said quietly, “don't even bother making mine.” It almost went unnoticed, but Rarity heard the whisper in the base of her ear. She turned to her friend feeling concerned, but didn't ask. Instead, the conversing ponies drew the talk to a close as they departed with the conversation ending as uncomfortably as it had started. With the sounds of hoof steps growing faint and distant, Rainbow Dash took flight again, sighing as the air rushed under her feathers. As her hooves landed on the clouds that supported her home, she flopped down onto her stomach and chest, allowing her front hooves to dangle. She rested her chin in between them and sulked, annoyed with her imperfections. “Dashie?” A very clear bouncing sound caught Rainbow Dash's attention. It was Pinkie Pie hopping up and down under her. “Oh, hey Pinkie.” Feeling comforted by her best friend's presence, her muscles relaxed. “What's up? You seem all saddy-waddy lately, you know! I'm not the only pony noticing it either! Rarity is very concerned about you, too!” “Wha- Rarity? How do you know?” “I bumped into her on the way here! Well, not here, I was on my way back home from Pokey's but when she said that you were all mopey I changed my mind and started going to your house. Well, here. But you know what I mean.” “Pokey's? Why were you at that weirdo's house?” “Dashie! He is not a weirdo! He just has a pointy horn! That is not his fault!” As the momentous amount of defense that was in her tone came clear, a sense of insecurity rushed over Rainbow Dash like a waterfall. “Right,sorry.” Next up was silence. Awkward, uncomfortable silence. The moon started to become visible on the horizon. Unfortunately, as she glanced towards the setting sun, she was forced to look near Canterlot in the distance. “Dashie?” This time Pinkie's voice sounded softer. As their eyes met, Dash breathed out heavily. “Yes?” “I think you should go talk to Rarity.” “Rarity? Why?” “My Pinkie-sense!” “You're so random.” “I'm gonna go now. You should go to Twilight's. That's where Rarity is.” “Bye.” As Pinkie hopped away, Dash sighed. She glanced over at the excited pony hopping away from her home, and then directly at the ground below her. Was she unattractive? She never considered that a possibility. It was true she never spent a second caring or even noticing how she looked. She pegged herself with words like, “awesome,” and “radical,” but were those not enough? Maybe “ugly” was in the mix the whole time and she never noticed. What do boys even like anyway? That girly stuff like nice clothes and hooficures? She wasn't about to get a date. She sure didn't want to be the only one attending the gala alone. What if she just had someone tag along as a fake boyfriend? That wouldn't work. Then the word would get out that she had a spare ticket and wanted to take somepony, then there was no way she would find somepony who honestly wanted to be with her. She had to leave reasons in the dark. So are reasons not enough for love? Love. Now there was a concept that hadn't crossed Rainbow's mind. Maybe she just needs to find a boy that loves her. How would she manage that though? What does love even feel like? With all these thoughts, she realized what Pinkie meant. Maybe talking to Rarity was a good idea. She probably is the only mare in the tightly-knit friendships that knew anything about romance. With a sigh, Dash heaved herself from the cloud and proceeded into the sky, the stars beginning to twinkle. The wind hissing in her ear seemed louder with the negative energy she was feeling, and eventually she landed and began to trot instead of fly. Within a few minutes, she had already arrived at Twilight's. She knocked on the door to see Spike answering. “Oh hey Dash. What's up?” “Is Rarity or Twilight still around?” “Yeah. Twilight's gonna be throwing a sleepover tonight.” A sleepover? Ick. “Okay, thanks.” As she entered the room, she swallowed her pride and prepared to pour herself out to her friends to the best of her ability.