A Bold New Style

by Yosh-E-O

Chapter 1 - First Impressions

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"Rarity...?" asked Spike nervously. "Are you in there?"

There was silence as the purple dragon stood in front of the Carousel Boutique. Rarity hadn't shown herself in days and he was getting worried.

"Rarity...?" he sighed upon hearing no response.

*CLIP-CLOP-CLIP-CLOP*
*PFEW-CLICK-THWUMP!*

"Gah!" cried Spike as the door to the boutique suddenly swung outward and knocked him into the nearby shrubbery.

"Nish Pony!" cried Rarity. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting!"

The white-coated Pegasus with the stylish, purple mane looked about in search of some pony who wasn't there.

"I swore I heard-"

"Rarity," groaned Spike while emerging from the bush he was launched into. "What's going on?"

"Oh, Spike!" she cried. "Today is the day that up-and-coming, celebrity photographer, Nish Pony, is coming to Ponyville!"

"Nish Pony?" wondered Spike.

"Why, yes!" cheered Rarity. "Nish Pony has started a whole new fashion trend that is making all the magazines and he wants me to help him with his latest inspirations!"

"So that's why you've been held up in your boutique all this time?" the green-eyed dragon asked.

"Oh, Spike," cooed Rarity while patting his green spikes upon his head. "Didn't Twilight tell you that I'd be super busy preparing for Nish Pony's arrival?"

Spike shrugged.
"It must've escaped her between asking me to help her on Griffon research," he replied.

"I'm sorry, darling," Rarity apologized. "You're welcome to stay for when-"

A stallion suddenly called out from a short distance away.
"-Miss Rarity!" he said in a hoity-toity sort of tone. "Is that you?"

Rarity's eyes widened.
"Yes!" she called back. "Welcome to the Carousel Boutique!"

A stallion, who was colored much like Applejack, came into view. To his side was a younger looking stallion whohad a red mane and green coat.

"Whoah..." remarked Spike as he noticed the rose-tinted glasses and jewelry that adorned the orange stallion.

"Shh," hushed Rarity. "It's trendy."

"If you say so," Spike replied.

"Miss Rarity," the orange stallion stated upon arriving before the fashion-focused mare. "It is a divine honor to meet you at last."

"The honor is all mine," blushed Rarity. "It is a pleasure to have someone so forward thinking in fashion come to my humble boutique."

Nish Pony gestured over to his colleague.
"Allow me to introduce you to Quacky Pants," he said. "He's my stallion model I'll need you to design some fashions and props for."

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Rarity," the blue-eyed model greeted. "I just know you'll do a fantastic job for my good pal, Nish."

Nish Pony then spotted Spike standing beside Rarity.
"Ah!" beamed the renowned stylist. "Is this the Spike you have spoken to me of?"

Rarity nodded.
"Yes," she replied. "He's such a help and the best dragon in all of Equestria."

"Shucks," blushed Spike.

Nish Pony extended his hoof to greet Spike.
"Wonderful!" he proclaimed. "Perhaps there may be a place for you in my photo shoots while I'm here?"

"Really?" gasped Spike. "Wow!"

Quacky Pants looked towards Nish Pony.
"Don't you think he may be a little young for your vision?" he asked with a whisper.

"Ah, no!" proclaimed Nish. "One is never to young to show fashion through outward openness."

"So," grinned Rarity. "What can I do for you gents?"

Nish Pony used his Unicorn magic to levitate a piece of parchment over towards Rarity.
"Ms. Pommel and Sassy Saddles both gave me a very delightful introduction to your abilities through your boutiques in Manehattan and Canterlot," he stated. "If you could have the following ready by sunrise tomorrow, I'd be most delighted."

Rarity took hold of the document with her Unicorn magic and briefly scanned it. Her face showing an initial degree of shock.
"You want all this?" she asked with more disbelief than concern.

"Yes," grinned Nish Pony as he wrapped a hoof around Quacky Pants. "It'll be fabulous! And, of course, I will be sure to tell all the other new wave photographers, stylists, and whose-who in the industry all about you and your abilities to go beyond the seasonal fashion lines."

Rarity nodded.
"Certainly," she almost gulped. "I'll have it all done and ready for you by the time Celestia raises the sun tomorrow morning."

"Splendid!" proclaimed Nish Pony. "Oh! Perhaps you could do line item seven and ten for that adorable, little dragon for me?"

Rarity blushed deep.
"I, uh...." she stumbled.

"Of course!" Spike exclaimed. Anything to help his number one crush.

"I don't know Spike-" Rarity tried to say.

"If it's for you, Rarity, I'll do anything." he said with pride.

"Wonderful!" clopped Nish Pony. "Then we see you tomorrow morning?"

"You bet," replied Rarity.

"Great," stated Nish Pony. "Now Quacky Pants and I will go about the town in search of our inspiration to go with your fashion."

"Would you like some help?" offered Spike. "I know all the best places in Ponyville."

"You'd do that for us?" asked Nish Pony.

"Of course!" announced Spike. "I'm not The Number One Assistant to the Princess of Friendship for nothing."

"Well, then, Quacky Pants," grinned the famed photographer. "Looks like this little dragon is going to be most helpful to our efforts in making Ponyville one of our best shoots ever!"

"Care to ride on my back?" asked Quacky Pants while sitting on his haunches. This made his Cutie Mark, which was a large, yellow duck with an orange beak, become quite visible.

"Sure!" cheered Spike as he climbed aboard the stallion model.

Quacky Pants got up and looked back towards Spike.
"You just tell us where to go and we'll go," he said.

"Yes, yes," added Nish Pony. "This is all going far better than I could have ever planned!"

***

Rarity watched as Spike proudly lead Nish Pony and Quacky Pants into Ponyville. She then reviewed the list of items she had been asked to make.
"Perhaps I should've taken some more time to read the magazines his work is featured in," she thought out loud. "Then again, fashion is fashion and I do have a reputation to maintain if I'm going to stay on top and build upon Rarity for You."