Krizak's Compendium of Concise Chronicles

by Krizak

Unwanted Gifts - Drama

“What… is that?” Rainbow Dash asked, though the prismatic pegasus clearly knew exactly what she was looking at.

“Why, it’s your new dress for this year’s Gala, of course!” Rarity exclaimed in response, her voice as cheery as she could make it to hide the fear she was feeling at this moment. Rainbow Dash wasn’t supposed to see this dress, this gift, until it was done, when its radiant beauty would certainly make the obstinate mare see the light. But Rainbow had burst into her workroom, unannounced and unexpected, the question on the pegasus’ lips dying as she had seen the dress Rarity was working on, and now Rarity found herself scrambling to stick to her plan. “As you can see, I chose to go with a design inspired by the wide-open sky this year, very light and airy. You should be able to perform almost any of your stunts—”

“Why would you do this?”

It wasn’t Rainbow’s usual brash interjection; it was barely loud enough for Rarity to hear over her own voice, but the anguish in the words caught her attention, and the unicorn turned from her creation to see her friend in tears. “I-I always make everypony’s dress for the Gala! It’s a tradition! And I don’t see how just because you think—”

“Why won’t you accept it!?” Ahh, there was Rainbow Dash’s anger; Rarity had to practically brace herself against the pegasus’ words. She noticed that Rainbow’s tears didn’t abate. “Everypony else has come to terms with it, all of our friends! And I thought you had just quietly come around without saying anything, without apologizing, and I was fine with that, ‘cause I don’t really like saying sorry myself! But then I find you making this—this dress!” Rainbow spat the word like it was poison. “What did you think this was going to do, Rarity, except open up some wounds?”

Rarity felt her own indignation flare in the wake of Rainbow’s anger. “I wanted you to be beautiful, radiant! Every inch the pretty young mare that you are!”

“I! Am! A! Stallion!” Rainbow Dash screamed each word with more and more emphasis, until she had to pause afterwards to catch her breath. “I am a stallion, Rarity. Why can’t you accept me for who I really am?”

“Because you’re not!” Rarity knew she’d hit a breaking point for her own anger and frustration, but the sad consequence of reaching that point was that she didn’t care at the moment. “You are a mare, Rainbow Dash! You make have some tomcoltish tendencies, but you are a lady, and if you would just cease this foolish nonsense and accept that, you would be a lot happier!”

Rainbow Dash breathed in as though she were about to yell once again, but then she appeared to think again. “That’s it. I’ve had enough.” With an angry burst of wind, the pegasus shot into the air and over to the open window. “I thought you were my friend, Rarity, but if you can’t accept the real me… I guess I was wrong.” Rainbow sniffled, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to undermine her words. “Later.”

Rarity watched as Rainbow Dash flew off for a moment, before she turned to the unfinished dress. All the extra planning and work she had put into it. All the effort to finally show Rainbow Dash the truth. The stress and frustration took full hold of Rarity, and before she regained control of herself, she had lifted the dress – and the ponykin it was draped over – and thrown it across the room with her magic.

She stared at the crumpled, dishevelled mess in the corner, her nerves calming down. It hadn’t been the answer. What was the answer? Rarity needed the answer to this dilemma more than anything else, and at this point, she’d be willing to try anything.

The unicorn glanced over at the sole bookshelf of the room, filled with style guides and reference materials. Her horn glowed once again, and a book she hadn’t looked at it years floated out, the volume trailing a cloud of dust behind it as it floated over to her.

Cleaning it off with a gust of air, Rarity cracked open The Art of the Suit and began to read.

Author's Note:

This story was for Prompt #27: "Rarity, Interrupted." The prompt was for Rarity to stop making a dress. I was very worried when I came up with this idea, because it obviously ventures into very sensitive territory. But the idea was very insistent that I write it, so I did my best to do it justice, and others assure me that I handled the subject well.