Mysterious Ways

by Peridork

Rainbow Soul

Fluttershy opened her locker. She had to be careful since she had been unfornately gone from school for three days. Time magic shenanigans and all that. That and weirdly legalistic fairies. But Fluttershy had other things to worry about now besides having some existential crisis over magical fairies and her friends also being magical creatures. No, she also had to think about the message she got from that Observer person that actually gave her a very difficult nights sleep.

“Flutters, what’s up and why are you looking so deeply into your locker. It’s not Narnia or something.”

Fluttershy turned and found Rainbow Dash in her soccer uniform with a concerned look on her face.

“Just trying to figure out what to do with all this homework. I mean Reachbottom is fine since she just game me a PE makeup sheet and all. But what about Harshwhinny’s History paper that’s due in like a few days, that’s ten pages right there. And then this new Miss Eris and her Physics homework and Mr. Doodle’s paper and all that.”

“I dunno. Do what I do. Put it off and procrastinate and then do it in a blaze of glory. Works well enough for me.”

“I don’t think that would work since my mom kind of expects more than an okay grade. I mean my brother squeaked by in school and look where that’s gotten him.”

Rainbow Dash thought long and hard about that. “I didn’t even know you had a family, Shy. I thought you were some state sponsored kid making her way in the world.”

“What gave you that idea?”

“I dunno. I’ve seen movies with that kind of feel good message and all that. I for sure wouldn’t get it out of a book. I mean waste of my time really.”

“Rainbow I do have to say at least your family seems okay. Or at least your mom does.”

Rainbow stopped rocking back and forth on her feet. It seemed to Shy that her friend was always in some sort of constant motion and seeing a stock still Dash kind of worried her.

“So you know that I’m totally a fairy then? And you met my mom? I don't know what's worse.”

“Does it really matter cause I don’t think so since I’m just a vampire and Sunset is a demon. Seems like you are in good company. And also we went to summer camp when we were kids. Of course you being a magical fairy doesn’t matter. And your mom seemed at least better than my parents.”

“That’s good to- wait. You are a vampire? You are kidding right? The whole Dracula 3000 thing and Blackula?”

Fluttershy laughed. “What movies have you been watching?”

“All of them mostly. Local library is stocked with all the weird movies and my mom is never really home. Also I get homework done in literally a second.”

Fluttershy raised a eyebrow at this thought. Rainbow Dash wasn’t really the lying type. “That seems impossible.”

“Well its more like I spend eight hours on a thing like homework and it passes in an actual second. My mom calls it some fairy magic. I call it my way out of having to balance my social life, homework, and sports. Though it always has some side effects.”

“So I’m guessing that’s why you sleep so much during some of our class periods.”

Rainbow Dash nervously chuckled. “Yeah well try having forty eight hours in a day and see how tired you can get. But yeah didn’t know you went into that fairy realm anyway. I sure wouldn’t unless I had to. All the people in there aren’t rad at all.”

Fluttershy shivered at the recent memory. But thinking about how awful that place was jogged her memory about her conundrum. Sure Cadance gave her the way into Crystal Prep to see what was up with that school and Moondancer’s death but those preppy people knew who was who in their own school. The only way to into eithHer er Canterlot High or Crystal Prep was either by bribing people or having some underhanded way to make people like you or go in disguises.

And Fluttershy was terrible at dressing up. Her complete fear of Halloween attested to that fact.

“Rainbow. I think you just gave me an idea. You know how to do illusions and all that?”

“Well I don’t know all that much compared to the really good ones but I sure can do some pretty basic stuff like that yeah.” Rainbow Dash concentrated and with a little sparkle, which Fluttershy hoped wasn’t fairy dust, Rainbow Dash’s face morphed into Applejack’s. “I mean I don’t believe this here face of mine can lie. That’s the honest truth.”t

“Wow that's pretty good. . . also please stop that. That’s really unnerving.” Fluttershy watched Rainbow smirk before the illusion washed away. Sure wasn’t an Applejack expression but it was really convincing. “But we’ll need Rarity for the make or break bit.”

Rainbow Dash shuddered at the thought of being forced to wear another one of Rarity’s revealing dresses. “Sure why not. Wasn’t like I needed to question the way I look in a dress.”

***

"Shy do we really have to go in here. I really don't like this at all."

The door that Rainbow was staring at held the Fashionista part of the school hierarchy. Some would call them divas and overblown with majesty. Some would think they held the hottest girl in school. Rarity would think that the title of "fashionista" would be not entirely apt. More of a business club focusing on fashion.

Or at least that was what Fluttershy had heard when Rarity had brought her along on a spa date or two.

"It's fine Rainbow. And anyway I kind of need to do something about the uniforms that Crystal Prep has. They have a standardized set of clothing. We don't."

Rainbow stared at Fluttershy. "You know you could just mug someone for their clothes."

"That's illegal, Dash, and you know it."

Pssh. It's less horrible than stepping into glittertown."

"Well my plan does involve you too so I really need a favor for this whole thing to work. I mean I can't perform illusions. You can."

Rainbow crossed her arms and pouted. "Well I mean its not too hard. You can totally do it if you practiced enough."

Fluttershy knew of one way to get her stubborn friend to actually do something. Sadly it was called a bribe. "Well I bet I could and that would be pretty awesome. But that would take months of training and that would take way too long. But if you do this for me I would take you out to see that new Daring Do movie and I know you want to see it."

Rainbow Dash picked her head up at the thought of seeing a Daring Do movie on the big screen again. Fluttershy saw the indecision on her face as she weighed her options. Enter the fashionista club or see the blockbuster movie that she had been hyped about for a year and a half? And Fluttershy was a little right. She couldn't teach her illusions. She could hide in plain sight if she tried.

"Fine. I won't like this part. Shy, you are going to buy me whatever I want at the theater- okay?" Rainbow Dash slowly opened the door of Rarity's little slice of the school and crept inside. Flutteshy shook her head at her friend and she followed.

***

Rarity's establishment took up a section of the basement of the school. Sure it was a dangerous proposition to have flammable material near a old rickety boiler some supposed but unlike Crystal Prep they worked with what they were given. Though expecting a cold and empty place with just scraps of fabric lying around to get this Fashion Club going would be wrong since Rarity knew how to make do with what she was given. Sure it still looked like a sort of large and empty place but filling it with light and airy wall hangings and a fainting couch or two did give it some character. Not to mention the full length mirrors and mannequins that filled the space with Rarity's own idea of fashion.

And that fashion was on full display. And she wasn't the happiest customer today.

"Darling if you want me to do all the dresses for the formal I would be honored but that's a lot of time and I am just one person here, Silver Spoon, that's a bit far fetched even for me."

"Sure. But going through the expense account for students here I could see that somehow our finances couldn't make up for having to rebuild from last year's fiasco." Silver Spoon pushed up her glasses cautiously.

Rarity crossed her arms. "Oh of course since I'm friends with the person that did that, you expect to use that as some kind of blackmail. Who put you up to this? Because it sure wasn't Photo Finish. She knows how I work and I do not work well with some person blackmailing me."

"Oh no. It's just that we don't have the money. And if we want to do a formal again, we can't. We just can't."

"Well ask around. Bring it to the parents or something. Why not get the Riches into this. You are friends with the richest family in school- ask them. I like helping the Student Council since you and Photo Finish are on it. But I just can't do everyone's attire. That's a miracle and I do try to balance my time."

"Fine. This isn't completely over."

"Is that you or Amethyst Star talking because it sure doesn't sound like you."

Silver Spoon gathered her clipboard of the school's finances and left the room never looking once at Rarity or the two girls that had just entered. She luckily didn't run into them.

"Dude Rarity, that was kind of rad." Rainbow Dash said begrudgingly.

"I don't even know what that slang really means but it sounds nice, so thank you." Rarity sighed. "But seriously the Student Council has been on my back lately since our friend burned down the school. Makes the soirees and cotillion balls I sometimes attend to get some contacts a headache to get through."

Fluttershy shrugged. "Well it seems like Sunset feels bad about doing it so isn't that enough."

"Well in theory, yes. But also Amethyst Star has a chip on her shoulder. Sunset did ruin her chance to be Homecoming Queen by burning down the gym. But it doesn't matter now. I'll deal with it to be sure. What can I do for you girls? Especially you Rainbow. I mean I can do things for Flutteshy's beauty slump but I know she knows what fashion is. You on the other hand wouldn't know the difference between high top boots and crocs."

"I stopped listening after you said fashion." Rainbow backed away from all the mannequins that she felt had started to surround her since she was worried that even walking in here would destroy her awesome cred by months of hard work.

"One of these days I am doing to make you wear a dress since I know a lot of people have feelings for you."

"Eww. What did you do to figure that out? Bribe them with fashion tips?"

Rarity sighed. "I have my ways Rainbow." Shaking her head, Rarity turned to Fluttershy. "So what can I actually do for you besides catch up on gossip, which would be truly nice in my opinion. But you don't normally come to me in school hours and want to hang out so there has to be a reason."

"Moondancer."

Rarity picked up slightly at that name. "Sounds familiar. Wasn't she your date or something during Sunset's fit of anger?"

Rainbow looked at Fluttershy a little. "Dude, Shy. You just got me out of ten bucks. Man, I thought my mom told me I would be great at gambling. Well Flash will be happy about this. Though I think you just destroyed most of the boy's dreams in the school."

"Dash please. If Fluttershy prefers the fairer sort, I don't blame her. I still haven't found the right date myself. Haven't found Prince Charming myself. And anyway it might make together time fun since I wouldn't have to care so much about athletics."

"Girls, I'm fine about it. Yeah. Moondancer was my date for Spring Formal."

"Bummer, Flutter. Heard that party was totally lit." Rainbow laughed.

Fluttershy did think back. It was rather fun. And she did have good memories of it. Though that was also one of the last days she was a normal human. She didn't blame Moondancer though. She didn't like bringing up that she was a vampire now either. And the continuous hassle of not being burned by the sun was really annoying.

Things were different now. Moondancer wasn't here anymore.

"Yeah it was Dash. Too bad things didn't exactly work out for the best and I hadn't seen much of her since this week."

"Darling, how was she? "

"Well kind of dead."

Rarity's smile faltered. "Oh well that's awful."

"Oh yeah I saw that shit on the news. That Cloudchaser has got a nice look to her. Canterlot's Channel Five news is nice some days. That Shining Armor looked sweet in that uniform."

"Yeah, that's the one. And I need to get into Crystal Prep."

"Um. Sure. But Fluttershy that's going to be difficult since they have a defined uniform. And that usually takes a while. I mean there's the fitting, and cutting of the fabric, and then I have to do both a top and bottom ensemble to make it work and then there's my tendency to spruce up designs."

"I mean if Rarity says we can't do it, then we can't. That's that now can we please get out of this glittering evil place." Rainbow slowly began to walk towards the door.

"That would mean I wouldn't take you to the movie."

Rainbow Dash stopped and groaned. "Oh come on. Okay, Whatever." Dash angrily sat down on one of the couches and waited.

"Actually we need two uniforms."

"Good heavens, whatever for?"

Fluttershy gestured at Rainbow and shook her hand over her face. Rainbow just stared at her. Dash thought everybody knew that she was not a charades superstar. It wasn't a sport.

"Dash show her your magic."

"Why didn't you say so? Rarity, have you ever thought how fun it would be to see yourself be athletic? Well wonder no more with my own patented brand of awesome." Waving her hand over her body, she shifted into Rarity.

"Impressive. Truly a cool party trick. But I don't think you got all the bits of me that boys tend to notice." Rarity laughed daintily at that little jab at Rainbow.

Rainbow blushed. "Well it was a fast thing okay? And anyway I haven't got the whole create something from nothing thing down. I can do faces and most things well but I am sorry I didn't make me look like a model. Did you have like two puberties or something Rarity?"

"Why thank you for that compliment. I mean at least I don't have to hear how I look like a boy."

"Girls." Fluttershy frowned. "Come on."

"She started it." Both quickly chimed in.

"Well Rarity. I need you to make one uniform for me and one for Rainbow."

"Ohoho. This I can totally do. I mean this has a possibility forming right up there in my mind's eye. I can see it. Dash's measurements. And that means I can make a dress for her anytime I want."

"Uh can we leave now. I think you broke Rarity with that thought, Shy. I mean I don't have to see the movie. I can like look up the plot online. Totally a fair trade for that." Dash started towards the door. Dash had better things to do than wait for Fluttershy to get the same idea as her and run away from the Mayor of Glittertown.

"Dash."

Rainbow turned her head and stared directly into Rarity's eyes. Not the locking eyes from across the room kind of way that she saw in movies. The kind that was more like she was six inches away from her face. "Holy shit." Rainbow glanced at where Rarity had been standing before and she compared that to where her fashion obsessed friend was now. "How did you do that?"

Rarity put a firm hand on Rainbow's shoulder. "A lady never reveals her secrets. Though I would have to say that I didn't like that athletic comment you said while wearing my face with your trick."

Rainbow squirmed under the stare that Rarity was giving her. And somehow she couldn't mover under the deceptively strong hand of her friend. What was Rarity made of? Exercise tapes and steel? "It was a joke, Rare."

"Now Dash if you have to explain that you were joking about something to my face after I didn't laugh. It wasn't a joke. It was mean. And I would say that you should apologize. But I have a better idea. Fluttershy, did you change any in your measurements?"

"I don't believe so. If I did I mean I could stay and wait."

"No. I don't think that would be a good use of your time. I mean it kind of was news that you hadn't shown up to class for three days. My sources all told me that the boys were wondering where you went. Which I have to say was a bit creepy but yeah catch up on your homework."

"TMI. I don't even know how you know all the gossip in the school. Don't tell me you have a spy network too. Trixie would start a smear campaign on you."

"Funny. I don't have a spy network. I just know what to pay attention to. And anyway, a lady wouldn't get into hurting people's reputations. That would soon catch up with them and destroy their own."

"Okay. Well have fun with Rainbow. Are we on for a spa visit for the weekend?"

"Yes. And have a nice day, Fluttershy. If you want to talk about Moondancer, you know where to find me."

"Shy, don't leave me here with this maniac."

"You did tell me there was a lot of homework while I was gone, Dash and Rarity is not going to torture you. She's just going to take your measurements is all."

"Which is relative torture. I just know she'll put me in a dress. Just look at that face."

Rarity began to whistle and carry Rainbow to the measuring room. "See you later Fluttershy. Now Dash, have you ever wanted to be a model? I mean you do have that rare athletic body that I don't see all that often in these parts. Gives me a new challenge to work with."

"Oh goody. Have you been looking forward to this possibility?"

"I mean its good practice to work with all body types and you girls are my friends I might have had some free time and done a few basic dresses for you."

Rarity set her down and quickly pulled out a rack of dresses.

"And all of them look like something Sapphire Shores would wear in her artsy music videos. Not cool, not cool."

"Well okay. I could figure out what you would prefer in clothes while I measure you. All I could guess was that it involved sports, showboating, and awesomeness."

"Fine. But don't make this weird okay. And no pictures. I still have an image to protect."

"I promise."

Author's Note:

Rainbow Dash: Good friend, confident and yet has image issues, and self conscious about fairy things. Also a bit of a complete showoff. Also Rainbow and Applejack share the same voice actor so that’s always made me chuckle. I mean it gave me a way to work in and flesh out Rainbow Dash more which is always fun.