Domination of Equestria - T-356 days.
“Welcome to the Carousel Boutique! Where Everything is Chic, Unique and Magnifique! How can I help you today?”
“Good morning. You’re the famous Miss Rarity?”
She preened a little, she had to admit. What lady doesn’t like being flattered a bit after all?
“Indeed I am good Sir, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself famous...oh no.”
“Nonsense. I’ve heard of you and your designs all the way in Manehatten. I simply had to come here and have you design something for me.”
Oh dear, he was a charmer wasn’t he?
“Please, Sir, you flatter me too much. How may I help you today? A new suit? Some new trousers for the summer season?”
“Thank you, no. I need a design from you only. It’ll be needed for mass production. See, I’m looking for a Uniform.”
“A...uniform?”
“Yes, indeed. One which screams ‘Confidence, ability, authority'. It has to be bold and innovative. It’s going to be worn by a great many and thus I simply have to have the best.”
“That’s most...unusual Sir. May I ask what kind of pony will be wearing this uniform?”
“Security. Yes, ponies who will be guarding and protecting very important things. You see I run a very important company back in Manehatten, and thus for this design and the rights to produce it I can pay you very handsomely.”
Could she pass this up? Something like a security uniform was rather beyond her normal range of designs, but to have her clothing worn by ponies working for a large Manehatten corporation? That could be a massive boon to her visibility. Especially if they had branches across Equestria. My, it might be that eventually every pony everywhere would be looking at her hoofwork.
“Tell me Sir, did you have a colour scheme in mind?”
Overlord Rule No:21: I will hire a talented fashion designer to create original uniforms for my Legions of Terror, as opposed to some cheap knock-offs that make them look like Nazi stormtroopers, Roman footsoldiers, or savage Mongol hordes. All were eventually defeated and I want my troops to have a more positive mind-set.
And just to twist the knife, make the designer one of the target nation's national heroes.
...and despair!
This one's actually pretty genius. The designs were made long before there was a hint of him taking over, and it was made by one of the national heros. (Well, this was apparently after he killed his brother and took over his company, so it was a little risky.)
That said, the rule itself is a little historically inacurate, as the fashion of the groups they mentioned would have to be judged within the culture and time surrounding them. I'm pretty sure people liked those outfits at the time they were used.
Generosity sometimes leads to bloody coups, overthrown governments, and princesses forcibly married to evil overlords.
Kids beware!
Smart, he did this before the whole 'Evil Overlord' thing. Good prep.
I wish the chapters were a bit longer...
Oh man, this really needs a follow up with Rarity realizing what those uniforms are being used for.
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have an internet!
6498442
Nazi uniforms are practically timeless (which is hardly surprising considering their designer) but you still wouldn’t want to use a design too similar to them since It’s less about whether the designs are still good and more about not imitating designs that will cause people to draw parallels with a previously defeated evil empire.
still think this Evil overlord is going to lose out in the end when Twilight Sparkle pulls a Deuxs Ex Machina and manages to restore every thing to how it was.. or if this guy really is that Brilliant.. to how she THINKS it was. every pony alive and happy all the rules nice and safe you know Cadance and Shining armor, Celestia and Luna.. and Equestria always had a king right? of course yea that's normal...
6771784 Well she better get to it: a status-quo-restoring revolution has a sell by date. Eventually, they ponies who remember the old regime are going to be too old to do any rebelling, and the new youngin's will have only second hand knowledge to work with. So the even if they win, the old ways aren't going be like it was.
That, and the first chapter implies that the new Equestrian Empire is far more happy and productive than it ever has been before, so she might just run into a bit more friction from ponies who are unironically loyal to their emperor.
6498442
People still like the Nazi uniforms and so do I. Why do all the bad guys always have the coolest outfits!?
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To convince you to join the da- THEM L! I MEANT THEM!