Near Death Experience

by Hadles

Chapter 16

"This way. I have them here in the back."

Rarity led Pinwheel and Pale Hoof into her boutique. Sunlight streamed through the large circular windows, throwing illumination over the dress models. Everywhere, sequins twinkled and gems glittered. Rarity's displays were covered in luminous gala dresses, ready to be worn. Closing the door behind her, Rarity ushered them toward the back. Pinwheel looked around the shop, eyeing the many dresses and suits Rarity had made. They were every shape and color – a rainbow cape lined with fur, a flowing green gown sprinkled with flowers, a blue bubble dress covered in stars. "Are these all for the gala this year?" Pinwheel asked, marveling at the displays.

"Oh, yes. I've gotten many commissions for dresses this year." Rarity's chest swelled with pride, "Oh, but wait until you see what I've designed for you!"

Rarity tugged a cord hanging from the ceiling and, there at the back of the room, the heavy velvet drapes parted to reveal two dress mannequins. The first one wore a gauzy light blue gown, the skirt separated into petals. The petals were embroidered with tiny gold details. A pair of soft, deep blue slippers were pinned to the mannequin's feet. A pinwheel-shaped barrette glittered on its head. Pinwheel's jaw dropped. "Is that for me?" She asked.

"You like it, don't you?" Rarity asked, frowning.

Pinwheel nodded, swallowing hard. Gingerly, she approached the mannequin. "I've never had a dress like this before in my life!"

Rarity beamed. "Well, of course! I always try to make my clients' dresses one of a kind!" She glanced up at Pale Hoof, "Look what I've designed for you, dear." She gestured to the second mannequin. The mannequin wore a finely tailored grey tuxedo, the cuffs done up with blood-red ruby cufflinks. The cummerbund, a bright swatch of crimson, matched the cufflinks perfectly. Finally, to tie it all off, Rarity topped the ensemble with an elegant silk top hat. "Isn't it perfect? Classic elegance!"

Pale hoof circled the mannequin. "THIS WILL DO." He paused, "I SUPPOSE."

Rarity huffed. "'Will do'? I was expecting a better reaction than that!"

Pinwheel giggled nervously. "He loves it."

"I should hope so! The Gala is less than a week from now. I couldn't possibly revise his entire ensemble now." Rarity tossed her mane, crossing overr to Pinwheel's side. Lowering her voice, she whispered in the blue mare's ear, "Between you and I, I don't think our dear friend Pale Hoof has very good taste."

Pinwheel grinned. "Well…fashion isn't really his business. But I'm sure he'll look great in your suit." Pinwheel glanced up at the clock on the wall, "So, are you just going to bag these up or..."

Rarity let out a high pitched gasp. "Why, you don't think I'd let you leave without trying your clothes on, would you? I won't have two of my favorite clients going to the gala in ill fitting clothes!" Before Pinwheel could reply, Rarity summoned a screen from the corner of the room. Magically lifting the clothes off the mannequins, Rarity tossed them over the edge of the screen, "Hurry now, I simply must see what they look like!" She ushered Pinwheel and Pale Hoof behind the screen.

Pinwheel stepped out a few moments later, blushing in her glittery gala gown. Pale Hoof followed. As he slipped by the edge of the screen, though, the sleeve of his coat caught on the side. Pinwheel jerked forward to stop him, but it was too late. Pale Hoof's sleeve ripped, tearing at the shoulder. Rarity let out a high pitched gasp. The ripped sleeve fell around his ankle. Pale Hoof turned his head to look and, just as he did, the seam down the back of the jacket split. Rarity let out a shrill cry and dashed to Pale Hoof's side. Her blue eyes quivered.

"Oh no!" Rarity gasped, "I made it too small, didn't I? Oh, dear, this is all my fault! I've never designed for a pony Pale Hoof's size before and I…!"

Pale Hoof gazed down at the ruined coat. "MY APOLOGIES."

Rarity put a hoof to her cheek. "Oh, I'll have to redo the coat entirely. This is awful, just awful!"

Pale Hoof tilted his head, gazing at Rarity. "FRET NOT."

"Fret not? Fret not? A fix like this will take time! And the gala's just a few days away! And—"

Rarity fell silent as she saw Pale Hoof's powers as work. In the dark corners of the showroom, the shadows detached themselves from the floors and ceiling and began creeping toward Pale Hoof. Rarity let out a squeal as her own shadow pulsed beneath her. Slowly, the shadows crawled toward Pale Hoof. They seeped into his clothing, coloring the fabric an impenetrable midnight black. The shadows spilled down his leg, reforming the sleeve. Darkness draped itself over his back, forming a lengthy, ragged cape, pinned at his shoulder by a ruby skull-shaped brooch. Rarity gaped, her pupils shrunk to pinpricks. Pale Hoof looked down at his new ensemble and nodded approvingly. "ALL FIXED." Rarity let out a gasp and promptly keeled over.

Pinwheel stared at Pale Hoof, then down at Rarity, then back at Pale Hoof. "Is…is she dead?"

"OF COURSE NOT."

Pinwheel let out a sigh. "Great, she's fainted then. Oh well. She must keep the smelling salts somewhere…"

---

"Hope you two have a wonderful time at the Gala!" Rarity called from the boutique door, waving with one hoof while she pressed a cold compress to her head, "See you two there!" Pinwheel grinned, waving back as she and Pale Hoof headed off for home. Pinwheel carried their outfits folded neatly in two shopping bags. All along the path home, ponies smiled and waved. Pinwheel swung the bags as she walked, humming tunelessly. Pale Hoof shuffled behind her, head ducked.

Finally, at the corner of Main Street and Cupcake Boulevard, Pinwheel set the bags down on the curb and looked up at Pale Hoof. "Is there something wrong?" She asked, peering at him over the tops of her glasses.

Pale Hoof lifted his chin. "WRONG?" He asked. The flowers in the nearby flowerbed quickly shriveled and died.

"You've been really quiet today." Pinwheel began, "Not to mention you were a little rude to Rarity."

"I DID NOT MEAN TO BE."

"Just tell me – is there something wrong?"

Slowly, Pale Hoof looked around. Springtime was in full bloom. The street side flowerbeds overflowed with blossoms. A warm breeze whispered in the leafy, green trees. Everywhere, ponies were out enjoying the sunshine. Pale Hoof looked at the ponies strolling down the streets. While the citizens of Ponyville still gave Pale Hoof a wide berth, there was a noticeable change in their behavior. Before Winter Wrap Up, they avoided looking at him. They stared pointedly in the opposite direction and shivered when he passed by. But now, they looked at him and even smiled when they caught his eye. He was given the same treatment as any Ponyville citizen – kind smiles and hearty hellos. He was a colt just like any other. You just couldn't touch him.

Pale Hoof gazed back down at Pinwheel. "IT SEEMS THAT…" He paused, lowering his head slightly, "IT SEEMS THAT PONYVILLE IS NO LONGER AFRAID OF ME."

Pinwheel frowned at him. "But…that's good, right?"

Pale Hoof stared hard at her. "DO YOU THINK IT IS GOOD, PINWHEEL?"

Pinwheel thought for a moment. "Well…yeah. I do." She began, "Princess Celestia asked me to teach you how to get along with mortal ponies. And since you helped out during Winter Wrap Up, nopony's really scared of you anymore. I call that success, don't you?"

"I SUPPOSE YOU ARE CORRECT IN THAT SENSE." Pale Hoof stared at the ground.

Pinwheel's frown deepened. Fiddling with her glasses, she struggled to find words. "…Listen, I know this must feel pretty weird to you." She started, "You're used to ponies running and hiding whenever you appear, but…I don't think Death has to be scary, Pale Hoof."

Pale Hoof was silent for a moment. "PERHAPS YOU ARE CORRECT."

"I know I am. You're not a scary colt. I'm happy that everypony finally understands that."

"IF YOU SAY SO, PINWHEEL."

With that, Pinwheel smiled and picked up the bags. They continued their stroll toward home.

---

The days passed in a blur.

"Ready to go?" Pinwheel stood in the small front hallway of her cottage, shimmering in her gala dress. Outside the screen door, fireflies flit between the pinwheels in her front yard. Tonight was the night. Tonight, they'd be attending the greatest party in all of Equestria. Pale Hoof poked his head out of the living room. He looked particularly striking in his cape and tuxedo jacket, the slender top hat emphasizing his height. The black fabric of his coat and the sharp red of the rubies offset the soft grey of his pelt. The ragged hem of his shroud whispered over the wood floor. Cracking a smile, Pinwheel looked him up and down, "You clean up pretty well, big guy!"

"AS DO YOU." Pale Hoof replied. Pinwheel blushed. Her yellow mane was curled especially for the occasion. She'd even slept in her curlers. For a pony who usually never bothered with her mane other than washing, she felt like she'd put in a lot of effort, "HOWEVER, I FIND YOU ARE LOVELY NO MATTER WHAT YOU WEAR."

Pinwheel smiled. "Thank you."

"AS THEY SAY, IT IS INNER BEAUTY THE MATTERS. AND YOU HAVE A VERY WELL FORMED SKELETON."

Pinwheel blanched. "Well…I'm not sure if that's what they meant by that, but…thank you anyway." Pinwheel nudged open the screen door and gestured outside. Pale Hoof stepped out onto the porch. Just as they exited the house, a glinting gold and white carriage pulled up at the gate, bearing the royal sun insignia. Princess Celestia, kind and thoughtful as she was, promised to send one of her personal carriages to pick them up. Two white pegasi, both in polished gold armor, towed the coach. They nodded respectfully to Pinwheel and Pale Hoof as they approached.

Canterlot wasn't far from Ponyville. On a clear day, you could see the mountain castle from the square. There were a number of ways to get there – by carriage or by train – but the fastest way was by flight. With wings, it was a straight shot from Ponyville to Canterlot. The expensive, hours long train ride Pinwheel had been anticipating was reduced to a short, twenty-minute flight. Pale Hoof remained silent the entire ride, staring at the floor of the cab rather than looking at the passing scenery. Finally, as the carriage approached the unicorn city, Pinwheel turned to him. "Are you nervous?" She asked as the pegasi touched down. Their carriage jolted as it hit the earth.

"NO." Pale Hoof answered. Quickly, he rose and leapt out of the carriage, not even waiting until it had fully stopped. Pinwheel scrambled out after him, nearly tripping over her gown. Pale Hoof didn't stop, didn't even look back at her. He walked along the garden path outside Canterlot with a grim determination, like a colt walking to his death sentence. Pinwheel galloped after him, clutching her purse in her teeth. Finally, she skidded to a halt just a few feet in front of him.

"What is wrong with you?" Pinwheel demanded. Pale Hoof paused mid stride, gazing down at her, "You've been sullen the entire ride here. And what was that just now? You didn't even wait for me!"

Pale Hoof glanced over his shoulder, then lowered his head. "MY APOLOGIES."

"I don't want your apologies. I want to know what's wrong." Pinwheel repeated, stomping a hoof on the pavement. Other ponies, all dressed in their finest for the gala, grimaced at them as they passed. Noticing their harsh glances, Pinwheel lowered her voice. "Pale Hoof…If you don't want to go to the Gala, we can just get back in the carriage and head home."

Turning, Pale Hoof wandered off the path. The bushes were strung with fairy lights, glowing a soft blue in the purple nighttime. Pinwheel followed after him. They passed by the flowering bushes and trees, not stopping to look at anything. Pale Hoof left trails of dead flowers in his wake. "THIS GALA…" Pale Hoof growled, "IT IS NO MERE PARTY. CELESTIA IS TESTING ME."

"But we knew that from the start, didn't we?"

"I DO NOT NEED TO PROVE MYSELF TO HER. I AM NOT HERE TO PLEASE ANYPONY." He turned sharply to face Pinwheel, his dark cloak flaring out behind him. "I AM HERE FOR YOU, PINWHEEL. SHE INSULTS ME – US – BY REQUIRING THIS FARCE OF A TEST."

Pinwheel gazed at Pale Hoof pleadingly. "I…I don't think that's what she's doing at all, Pale Hoof. I think she's just trying to help you – to help us." She replied, "Princess Celestia is trying to help you get along with others so we can continue our relationship in peace."

"I WOULD NOT LET ANYPONY INTERFERE WITH US. THE OPINIONS OF MORTALS HAVE NEVER MATTERED TO ME."

"That's not the point!" Pinwheel shouted suddenly. Startled by the volume of her own voice, Pinwheel took a breath. Slowly, Pinwheel closed the gap between her and Pale Hoof. He watched her, silent and expressionless. Careful not to touch his pelt, Pinwheel placed her hooves around Pale Hoof's shoulders. She could feel the coldness of his body through the fabric of his suit, but the clothing shielded her from lethal touch. Pinwheel wobbled unsteadily on her back legs, leaning against Pale Hoof for balance. Pale Hoof, surprised by her touch, peered down at her, his head cocked to one side. "This doesn't have to be a big deal." Pinwheel said, tilting her head back and looking him in the face, "See? This is all we have to do." Still wobbly, Pinwheel shifted her weight from one back leg to the other. She and Pale Hoof swayed together, a clumsy imitation of the complex ballroom dances ponies would be doing inside.

Pale Hoof hesitated for a moment then, almost timidly, he lifted his front hooves and wrapped them around Pinwheel. He took care only to touch her ball gown. His long back legs wobbled, trying to support him as he and Pinwheel swayed together. Quivery and unsteady, they held each other.

After a few moments of clumsy swaying, Pinwheel carefully lowered her hooves. She smiled sweetly up at Pale Hoof. "See? That's all. And if it turns out to be a cruddy party, we can just hop right back in that carriage and fly home." Pale Hoof kept his hooves around Pinwheel's back, pulling her close to him. Pinwheel's cheek smushed against the fabric of his coat. Pinwheel gazed up at him, "It won't be so bad."

Pale Hoof met her eyes. "FINE, THEN. I WILL DO THIS FOR YOU. BUT ONLY FOR YOU."

Pinwheel cracked a smile. "We'll show them you're a good pony. Don't worry."

Comments

[Lokness]

@Hadles

Well good chapter but I noticed a spelling error

"I DO NOT NEED TO PROVE MYSELF TO HERE."

Change "HERE" to "HER"

[Hadles]

194961

Fixed! Thanks for the heads up!

[Magical Trevor]

... This isn't going to end well, is it?

[Eruedraith]

"AS THEY SAY, IT IS INNER BEAUTY THE MATTERS. AND YOU HAVE A VERY WELL FORMED SKELETON."

Excuse me as I applaud you.

[Bad Horse]

"AS THEY SAY, IT IS INNER BEAUTY THE MATTERS. AND YOU HAVE A VERY WELL FORMED SKELETON."

I'm more of a kidney pony, myself.

[PhantomKirby]

Story has been slowly losing adorkableness, I demand more dawww! The clumsy dance was really sweet though. I realize you have been missing for 4 weeks at this time, and I hope you can feel my comments pulling at you with psychic waves to return to the land of FiMFiction.

[Genesis1212]

Alright hope pale hoof will get through this without to many problems many couple are gunna be dancing to last thing he need is a couple dropping dead beside them xDD

[Dude With No Life]

I have found the mother of all pickup lines:

"AS THEY SAY, IT IS INNER BEAUTY THE MATTERS. AND YOU HAVE A VERY WELL FORMED SKELETON."