//------------------------------// // Dress To Impress // Story: Pony Tails // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// In the city of Canterlot, over at Donut Joe's donut shop, four Unicorn mares were having lunch together. "Ah, I love this place." Minuette smiled. "Best donuts in all of Equestria." "No argument here." Twinkleshine nodded. "Mm-hmm!" Lemon Hearts said through a mouthful of pastry. "I'd actually forgotten how good these are." Moondancer admitted. "I mostly just stuck to bread and biscuits for a good while. Too busy studying for anything more elaborate." "Good thing those days are over, huh?" Lemon Hearts smiled. "Mostly." Moondancer finished her donut. "But I still enjoy a good study session every now and then." "Like that would've changed." Twinkleshine chuckled. "You and Twilight always used to have your noses in books all the time." "Not that we ever held it against you." Minuette added. "Nothing wrong with being well-read, after all." "Of course not." Moondancer nodded, picking up another donut with her magic. "Yeah, just look where it got Twilight." Lemon Hearts grinned. "I'm surprised she didn't become the Princess of books!" Twinkleshine joked. The quartet shared a good chuckle. "Okay, time for a little surprise." Minuette grinned. "I've been putting aside a little of my pay every week, and I finally have enough." "Enough for what?" Lemon Hearts asked. "To get a booking at The Twinkling Trot for Twinkleshine's birthday!" Minuette revealed. "No!" Twinkleshine gasped with joy. "You didn't!" "I did!" Minuette beamed. "What's The Twinkling Trot?" Moondancer asked. "Only the fanciest nightclub in Canterlot." Lemon Hearts told her. "And the most exclusive." Minuette added. "But nothing's too good for my gal pal." "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Twinkleshine squealed, hugging Minuette. "Girls, get out your best dresses. This Saturday, we're gonna party!" "Dresses?" Moondancer asked. "Yeah, of course." Lemon Hearts nodded. "An high-class spot like The Twinkling Trot has kind of a dress code going on. We've all gotta dress to impress, and that means wearing our fanciest stuff." "Oh..." Moondancer frowned. "What's wrong?" Minuette asked. "I... don't really have any dresses, fancy or otherwise." Moondancer admitted. "I'm really more of a sweater mare, in case you haven't noticed." "Oh, we noticed." Twinkleshine nodded. "Don't mind me, though." Moondancer sighed. "You all have fun..." "Not without you, Moondancer." Lemon Hearts said firmly. "Lemon's right." Twinkleshine declared. "A birthday party without you would be so much less special." "But I told you, I don't have-" Moondancer started. "So?" Minuette shrugged. "You can just buy a dress." "Yeah!" Lemon Hearts smiled. "There's this great place that opened a little while ago, Canterlot Carousel. It has great clothes at decent prices." "And it's owned by one of Twilight's friends from Ponyville." Twinkleshine added. "Pretty good endorsement, if you ask me." "...I guess I could take a look." Moondancer adjusted her glasses nervously. "Like I said, dresses aren't really my style, but it wouldn't hurt to try..." "That's the spirit." Minuette grinned. After finishing their donuts, the quartet filed out of Donut Joe's shop. "Well, I gotta get back to work." Minuette declared. "Catch you later, girls." "See ya!" Lemon Hearts smiled. "Lookin' forward to Saturday!" Twinkleshine giggled. "Yeah, me too..." Moondancer smiled weakly. As Moondancer headed for her home, she was more than a little worried. 'What if I get the wrong kind of dress?' She fretted. 'What if I end making the others look bad? It'd ruin Twinkleshine's birthday! But I can't exactly just not show up. That'd hurt her even more...' She sighed heavily. 'Times like these almost make me wish I was still a friendless hermit. At least then, I wouldn't have these problems...' The next morning, Moondancer, following Lemon Hearts' advice, made her way to the Canterlot Carousel. Following a moment's hesitation, she entered. Inside, she was surprised by all the fashions on display. "Welcome to Canterlot Carousel." Sassy Saddles approached her. "May I help you with your quest for couture?" "Yes, please!" Moondancer said, a little more loudly than she planned. Sheepishly adjusting her glasses, she added "I mean, that would be nice." "Alright then." Sassy smiled. "Right this way, madam." 'So many clothes...' Moondancer thought. 'But would any of them look good on me?' "Are you looking for anything in particular?" Sassy asked. "Sun dress, casual wear, anything like that?" "Well... not really." Moondancer shrugged. "I just need a nice-looking dress. My friends and I are going to The Twinkling Trot this Saturday." "The Twinkling Trot, you say?" Sassy gasped. "Buttons and bobbypins, that does sound like a wonderful night!" "Except the place has a dress code." Moondancer declared. "I can't really go as is." She indicated her sweater. "So I need to-" "Enhance your wardrobe?" Sassy finished her sentence for her. "Well, you've come to the right place, miss...?" "Moondancer." Moondancer answered. "Sassy Saddles." Sassy smiled. "A pleasure, I'm sure. Now, let's get you a chic new dress for the big night." "That's the plan, at least..." Moondancer nodded. "But I've never really been what you'd call 'fashion forward'." She glanced down at her threadbare sweater. "So I'm a little out of my depth here." "Then it's a good thing I'm here." Sassy grinned. "Please, step this way." Sassy directed Moondancer onto a raised platform. Using her magic, she performed a few quick measurements with a tape. "Alright, I have a few possibilities that might suit you marvelously." Sassy pulled some dresses off their racks. "Feel free to try them on." Moondancer took the first dress, a crimson number with a short, ruffled skirt, and went behind a screen, swapping her sweater for the new outfit. She stepped out, slightly uncomfortable. "Mmm, yes." Sassy nodded. "That dress really brings out your mane." Moondancer looked at herself in a mirror. As she said, she was no fashion conscious pony, but the dress just didn't look right on her. Some doubt she couldn't put her hoof on told her not to go with this particular outfit. "I don't think this is right." She shook her head. "You think so?" Sassy frowned. "Well, there are plenty more where that came from..." Moondancer tried on more outfits; A yellow silk dress with a knee-length skirt, a green frilly number with bows around the side, and even a regal pink dress with a long lavender skirt that trailed behind her. But none of those outfits seemed fitting. "For a pony who claims not to be fashion forward, you are quite picky." Sassy observed. "Ah, well. I adore a challenge." "I don't know why this is so hard." Moondancer sighed. "It shouldn't be. I just want a dress that'll make me look good for my friends." "Sequins and spangles, there's the problem!" Sassy suddenly exclaimed. "...Excuse me?" Moondancer frowned. "Moondancer, dear." Sassy chuckled. "Let me explain a little something. When you're choosing a dress, you shouldn't focus on whether or not other ponies think you'll look good." "I shouldn't?" Moondancer frowned. "Not as much as you'd think." Sassy declared. "No, what matters most is whether you think you look good. When you wear an outfit, you should enjoy wearing it. If you don't, then what's the point in even owning it, much less wearing it?" "I guess that makes sense." Moondancer admitted. "Of course it does." Sassy smiled. "Now, what say you take a look around, and choose an outfit that you think you'll look good in?" "Okay." Moondancer walked over to the racks of clothes. "Here goes..." Moondancer looked through all the dresses on display, looking for something that she would like to wear. For a few moments, she had no luck. But finally, a silvery outfit with blue crescent moon patterns caught her eye. "I think this might look good on me." She declared. "Then by all means, try it on." Sassy urged. Moondancer walked behind the screen, emerging with the outfit. She took a look at herself in the mirror. "This... this feels right." She smiled. "It really does." "It does suit you, madam." Sassy agreed. "You look radiant." "Thanks." Moondancer smiled bashfully. "So, am I to assume this is the dress you wish to purchase?" Sassy asked. "Yes, it is." Moondancer nodded. "And thanks for all the help, Miss Saddles." "I didn't help that much." Sassy said modestly. "Ultimately, you chose the dress yourself. I just gave you a little nudge in the right direction. And please, call me Sassy." "Thanks anyway, Sassy." Moondancer grinned. "I couldn't have done this without you." "That's what I'm here for." Sassy chuckled. After paying for the dress, Moondancer departed for home. For the first time since she left the donut shop, she was actually looking forward to Saturday. 'Now the night can't come soon enough.' She mused over the irony. As Saturday evening finally arrived, Moondancer donned her new dress,adjusted her mane so it hung loose and to the side, then made her way to The Twinkling Trot. The others were already there. Minuette was wearing a lavender dress with pink ribbons, Twinkleshine a gold outfit with a pure white skirt, and Lemon Hearts a light blue ensemble with a matching beret. "Hey, guys." Moondancer smiled, as she joined her friends. "Wow, look at you!" Minuette appraised Moondancer. "I barely recognised you for a second there!" "Yeah. Lookin' good, Moony!" Lemon Hearts grinned. "Thanks." Moondancer beamed. "I think so too." "You really went all out, didn't you?" Twinkleshine grinned. "It's quite a sight." "Well, don't get too used to it." Moondancer declared. "I'm still a sweater mare at heart. But I suppose having a fancy dress in reserve will come in useful every now and then." She smiled widely. "But that's enough about me. We're here to celebrate Twinkleshine's birthday, right?" "Oh, yeah." Twinkleshine smirked. "Like I'd let you guys forget." "What are we waiting for?" Minuette grinned. "A decent amount of Bits went into this night, so let's make the best of it." "Ooh, yeah!" Lemon Hearts whooped. "Party time!" The mares entered the club, and had the time of their lives, dancing, eating, drinking, and chatting up a storm. It was, hooves down, one of the best nights of Moondancer's life, made all the better because she felt like her new outfit really did make her look good, not just for her friends (whom she knew didn't place so much stock in such matters, but was still pleased that they thought so), but for herself. Once the night was over, Moondancer stored the dress in her wardrobe, and used it many times since. For, as Sassy Saddles had told her, what really made the outfit special was the fact that Moondancer herself believed she looked good in it. It was a lesson Moondancer had taken to heart, and would never forget. Even though she preferred her warm, familiar sweater, Moondancer would always don her silvery outfit whenever she felt it necessary. 'Maybe I'm more fashion forward than I thought.' Moondancer thought once she returned home from the party. 'Maybe...'