The Clock Is Ticking

by Sapphire Rose 12

Chapter 1

"Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle moaned as her eyes slowly opened. She rolled over to see the clock on the nightstand beside her. It didn't actually tell the exact time it was at the moment, but she just couldn't stop being curious about the most important events in her life.

Sweetie Belle remembered being a filly sitting with her big sister, Rarity, on the beautiful sofa in their boutique. 'I always make use of my time,' Rarity had said. 'Never waste yours.' Sweetie Belle knew that Rarity was talking about dressmaking, one of her favorite pastimes, but Sweetie Belle didn't mind. She heeded her big sister's words as an inspirational quote for her own life.

"Sweetie Belle! Hurry! We're running late!"

Sweetie Belle realized Rarity was right as she looked at the other clock on the nightstand on the other side of her bed. She blinked a few times, shot out of bed, and hurriedly rushed downstairs. She grabbed a cookie from the cookie jar on the kitchen counter and stuffed it into her mouth. "Sorry, Rarity," she said, her mouth full of food.

"It's quite alright, dear," Rarity reassured her, busily preparing her saddlebags. "Now, let's go. My fashion show begins in ten minutes."

Sweetie Belle followed Rarity as she swiftly ran out the door. Rarity levitated a box of dresses and struggled not to drop them as she galloped through the town. Attached to their hooves like bracelets, as always, were their clocks. The very clocks that told them exactly when the biggest highlights of their life would take place.

Sweetie Belle had heard tales of the olden days of Equestria when everypony having clocks first began. She shivered at the thought of the dark magic that the clocks could actually possess. In older times, ponies used to be drawn in by magical force to look at their clocks several times a day. Sometimes, the magic would even keep them up at night. But thanks to Zander Grain Bell, a genius of his century, clocks would make a chiming sound instead to let the ponies know that an important event was taking place at that very moment. However, the magic that made ponies take the clocks everywhere they went persisted. Sweetie Belle felt another chill run down her spine. She knew she always had that familiar urge to grab her clock before roaming Ponyville.

"Rarity, are we almost there?" Sweetie Belle panted.

"Yes, darling," Rarity replied. "I know that the building is just around this bend somewhere."

Sweetie Belle struggled to keep her breath as she kept up with her frantic older sister. Rarity's eyes danced around the area in an attempt to find the building where she had set up her fashion show. Sweetie Belle knew it was an important show to Rarity. Some of the most well-known fashion critics would be attending: Hoity Toity, Fancy Pants, Jet Set, Sapphire Shores, and Prim Hemline.

Just in time, Rarity and Sweetie Belle burst into the building where the critics waited impatiently for the show to begin.

"I'm so sorry!" Rarity cried. "Sweetie Belle and I overslept this morning, but I've arrived to have my models show you some of my latest designs."

"Very well, Miss Rarity," said Prim Hemline. "What do you have to present?"

Sweetie Belle didn't like the sound of Prim Hemline's unsatisfied voice.

Rarity swallowed. "W-w-well, it's my line that I designed for the new season. I was hoping that if I pitched it to you that you would carry it in your boutique."

"Very well," Prim Hemline said. "Proceed, Miss Rarity."

Rarity nervously trotted offstage to whisper a few words to the models that would be presenting her brand new fashion line. As the models lined up to show off the dresses, Rarity took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. She knew that she was a wonderful fashion designer, but it didn't lessen the pressure that she felt on her shoulders that very moment.

The music started and the models began to walk out on stage, displaying the beautiful dresses that Rarity made. When Rarity heard Hoity Toity and Fancy Pants "ooh" and "ahh", she began to relax.

"My new line is bright! It's bold! It's Small Town Chic!" Rarity proclaimed.

The first model was a bright blue earth pony with an alabaster mane and icy blue eyes. She wore a bright white dress with gold sequins shimmering brightly. This dress had caught the eye of Sapphire Shores. She nodded with a large grin and rewarded Rarity with cheering and stomping her hooves on the ground.

The second model was a fiery red pegasus with a bold orange mane. She wore a golden dress that reflected the spotlights above the stage. This dress appealed to Jet Set who looked over to Prim Hemline and said, "I think I ought to get that dress for my wife."

Prim Hemline's expression didn't change throughout the show. Her facial expression remained stoic like a statue carved out of stone.

Sweetie Belle felt her heart sink deeper every time she looked over at Prim Hemline. Her expression made her uneasy and Sweetie Belle's stomach twisted into knots.

Once the show was over, Hoity Toity, Fancy Pants, Jet Set, and Sapphire Shores cheered for Rarity and clapped their forehooves together to show their approval.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Hoity Toity cried. "A simply marvelous display!"

"Marvelous indeed," Fancy Pants agreed. "And out of the ordinary. I've never seen dresses quite like these before."

"Yes, they were... acceptable," Prim Hemline replied. "I will leave the final decision to Jet Set and Sapphire Shores."

"You have my approval for sure, Miss Rarity," Jet Set told her.

"Oh, thank you!" Rarity exclaimed.

Sweetie Belle felt her heart rate return to normal. She clapped her forehooves together and cheered, "Hooray for Rarity!"

"I loved them!" Sapphire Shores exclaimed. "I'd wear every single one of those dresses at any occasion. You never fail to impress, Rarity. I look forward to what ideas you'll have in the future!"

"Then, that settles it," Prim Hemline said, a smile beginning to cross her face at last. "We welcome 'Small Town Chic' to Canterlot's Boutique."

After another round of applause, Rarity heard a small beeping sound and looked over to the clock attached to her hoof. Her face lit up and her eyes sparkled when she saw that the hand for 'Goal' had reached its final destination before vanishing from the clock.

Sweetie Belle ran over and embraced Rarity, happily. "This is great! You're finally on your way to becoming a famous fashion designer!"

"I am, aren't I?" Rarity sighed, blissfully. "I can't wait until the day I'll see my name up in lights."

"You have to tell your friends!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "Come on! Come on!"

Sweetie Belle grabbed onto Rarity's hoof and began to rush out of the building.

Rarity giggled. "Settle down, Sweetie Belle."

Fancy Pants trotted over to them. "Well, you can't blame your little sister, can you? It's exciting news." He adjusted his monocle.

"It sure is!" Sweetie Belle said. "When we get back to Ponyville, Rarity and I are going to tell all of our friends about it!"

"As you should," Fancy Pants said with a chuckle. "How are you feeling, Miss Rarity?"

"Wonderful! Thank you all so much for the opportunity!"

"You're quite welcome. I would like to ask---"

Fancy Pants was interrupted by the beeping of his clock. Rarity saw that hers was beeping as well. When they looked down to see what big event had just happened, they both saw that the hand on their clocks was pointing to the word 'Love'.

Both of them, blushing furiously, tried to hide their clocks from each other.

Rarity laughed nervously. "Well... I think it's time for Sweetie Belle and I to go. Thank you."

Rarity breathed a sigh of relief when the word 'Love' vanished from the clock and she stopped hiding it.

"Wait! I've been meaning to ask you, Miss Rarity. How long does it take to make each of your dresses?"

Rarity smiled, glad to answer. "For one dress, it takes about two to three weeks depending on its complexity and design. For an entire line, I'd say it takes me almost nine months to complete it."

"Nine months! I dare say, that takes a lot of patience."

"Oh, it does," Rarity tittered. "But the thing that makes it all worth it is seeing the smiles upon everypony's faces when they receive the dress that really fits their style."

Fancy Pants smiled warmly. "Well, I'll let you and your sister be on your way, Miss Rarity. Good luck to you. I hope your fashion career is successful."

"Goodbye, Fancy Pants!" Rarity said.

As Sweetie Belle and Rarity watched him walk away, Rarity smiled and bit her lip to keep herself from squealing. She had been waiting for this moment ever since she was a filly and now it had finally arrived.

"Well, are we ready to go home? The sooner we leave, the sooner you can swoon over him," Sweetie Belle teased.

Rarity just nodded and followed Sweetie Belle to the door.

As they walked back to the Carousel Boutique, Sweetie Belle's heart began to pound as she looked at her own clock. 'Love' was inching closer and closer to its final destination and she knew that it was only a matter of time. The question was if she would like whoever it turned out to be.

Author's Note:

Constructive criticism is welcomed, but no need to be too harsh.

I still hope you're enjoying this! Sorry that it took forever to update this, but my real life is very busy.

Comments

[Sapphire Rose 12]

8939144
I'm glad! Thank you for reading!

[Mr Movie Magic]

Great job! I'm curious to know what is going to happen next! Reading what these clocks can do gives me mixed feelings about them (which is a good thing!). Knowing when something good or when something bad will happen is exciting for the former and nerve-wracking for the latter. Again, great job!

[Sapphire Rose 12]

9023615
Thank you very much for the kind feedback! I hope you continue to enjoy it!