> Friends in High Places
>  by Metool Bard
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Change of Plans
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Friends in High Places


"C'mon, guys.  Does it really take that long to get your manes done?"

Spike was grumbling to himself as he drummed his claws on the table and stared angrily at the clock on the wall.  The whole day was planned perfectly.  First, the girls would go to the salon to pretty themselves up.  Then, at seven o'clock, they'd all have dinner at the Far-Afield Tavern.  And after that, it was off to see Hinny of the Hills.  Now, it was seven forty-five, and Spike had not seen hide nor hair of any of the girls.

"I can't believe this.  Twi always commits to her schedule.  Why's she running late?" Spike griped. "At this rate, we might not even have time to see Hinny of the Hills.  Something must really be wrong.  Maybe I should go check on them."

He got up from his seat for a moment, and then sat back down. "No, that's probably not a good idea," he said. "I can just picture it now.  I get up to leave, and while I'm gone, they show up and wonder where I am.  And then they'll start freaking out and searching all over the city for me and Twi will get mad at me for running off and it would just be a big mess.  I should probably just stay put."

He then heaved a great sigh.  While everypony else was having the time of their lives, Spike wasn't able to join in their excitement.  Sure, he got to do some fun stuff with the others, but his day mainly consisted of running errands, hauling luggage, and chasing birds that stole his lunch.  Which is why he was greatly looking forward to seeing Hinny of the Hills with his friends.  It would certain make up for everything that happened to him.

"Sir?"

Spike was prodded out of his daydreaming by a waiter pony.

"Huh?  What is it?" Spike asked.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir.  But we can't hold onto your reservations anymore," said the waiter. "We'll refund you the cost for the reservations, but these tables have to go to other customers."

Spike's eyes went wide for a moment. "What?!  B-but I paid good money for these tables!  Can't you guys wait for just a little longer?"

"I do apologize, sir.  But I'm afraid it's against the restaurant's policy," said the waiter.

Spike was about to protest, but thought better of it and simply let out a groan. "The universe must really hate me today," he grumbled, getting up from his seat. "Alright, fine.  I'll leave.  If the ponies I was waiting for do show up, tell them I headed back to the hotel."

"Of course, sir," said the waiter with a bow as he refunded the money Twilight had given Spike to make the reservations.  With a heavy sigh, Spike made his way for the door.

"Excuse me, sir!"

He was stopped by another voice ringing out.  He turned to see a well-dressed stallion wearing a black tuxedo and corsage.

"Sir, I'm the manager of the Far-Afield Tavern," said the stallion. "And..."

"I know, I know.  This guy already told me," said Spike, pointing his thumb at the waiter. "You can't hold onto my reservations anymore.  I got the message."

"That's, not what I wanted to talk to you about, sir," said the manager. "See, you've actually been invited to join a party of three for dinner."

Spike arched an eyebrow.  How could that be?  He didn't know anypony in Manehattan.  Certainly not anypony who would invite him to dinner. "Where are they sitting?"

"In the VIP lounge," said the manager. "It's usually restricted to those who have made reservations months in advance, but we're willing to make an exception for you."

Spike blinked.  There had to be a catch.  No way would somepony just up and invite a baby dragon to have dinner with a bunch of celebrities. "Who's the invitation from?"

"A Mr. Hoity Toity, sir."

Spike did a double take.  He remembered Hoity Toity quite well.  He was a famous fashion critic known throughout Equestria.  But Spike didn't really know him personally.  Sure, they talked before, but that was a long time ago.  And all they talked about was Rarity's upcoming fashion show.  Spike had never even seen Hoity Toity since that day, much less spoken to him.  So what prompted him to extend this invitation?  All of this was very strange.

"Y'know, if you wanted to make a joke at my expense, that was in pretty poor taste," he said, his expression becoming deadpan. "I already had a hard day; I don't need anypony else making it worse."

"I assure you, sir.  It's no joke," said the manager. "Mr. Toity insists that you join him and his colleagues for dinner tonight.  He'll even pay for your meal."

Spike was about to question this further when he heard his stomach growl.  He then looked at the clock.  It was ten minutes to eight.  Part of him was worried about the girls, and he wondered what could've happened to them.  But then he remembered his scenario where they miss each other and decided that maybe he should let them handle themselves.  After all, if his Power Ponies comics taught him anything, it was that they didn't need him all the time.

"Alright, fine.  I'll play along," he said. "But if this turns out to be a prank..."

"Trust me, sir.  The Far-Afield Tavern would never stoop so low," said the manager. "Please, this way."


***


When Spike got to the VIP lounge, he recognized Hoity Toity right away.  He was sitting in a booth with two other ponies that Spike knew, or at least knew of.  There was Photo Finish, the famous fashion photographer, and Sapphire Shores, the Pony of Pop.  Hoity Toity noticed Spike and smiled.

"Ah, Mr. Spike.  I see you've gotten my invitation," said he. "I'm so glad you could join us."

Spike's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.  It seemed as though the manager wasn't joking after all.  But he still didn't understand why Hoity Toity of all ponies would invite him to dinner.

"Um, yeah.  Sure," Spike said nervously, crawling on up into the booth.

"That'll be all for now, garçon," said Hoity Toity.

"Very good, Mr. Toity," said the manager with a bow.  After he left, there was a pregnant pause.  It was interrupted by Sapphire clearing her throat.

"Well, don't leave the poor kid in suspense, Hoit," she said. "I think he deserves to know what's going on here, don't you?"

"Mmm?  Oh, yes," said Hoity Toity. "Well, Mr. Spike, I saw from across the way when you first entered.  I thought nothing of it at first, but then I realized that you were waiting on a group of ponies that weren't showing up.  So, I decided to invite you here."

"I, see," said Spike, rubbing his head. "Well, that's nice and all, Mr. Toity.  But, why did you invite me to join you?"

Hoity Toity smirked and adjusted his shades. "When you're a businesspony like myself, you find that every social contact becomes invaluable," he said. "I remember how you introduced me to Ms. Rarity's stupendous fashion line, so I thought I'd repay the favor."

"After all this time, though?" asked Spike. "I mean, I haven't seen you since Rarity's fashion show, and that was, I don't know how long ago."

"Again, it pays to keep a record of your social network," said Hoity Toity, lifting his shades and giving Spike a wink. "After all, you never know when it might come in handy."

Spike blinked. "I, think a lot of this is flying over my head," he said.

"I have to agree with him there, Hoit.  You're making it too complicated for him," said Sapphire. "Just say you wanted to do something nice for him and leave it at that."

Hoity Toity cleared his throat. "I, suppose that's for the best," he said.

"I still think you're crazy for doing this, Hoity," said Photo Finish. "Just because you know the manager doesn't mean you can invite whoever you want to the VIP lounge.  You're not Fancy Pants, y'know."

"Aw, lighten up, Photo," said Sapphire, giving Photo Finish a playful nudged with her elbow. "The little guy's not doing any harm.  Hoit's just gonna have to pay a little bit extra for his meal, that's all."

"Mmm.  I suppose," said Photo Finish with a sigh. "Still, I wouldn't make a habit out of it.  This is called a VIP lounge for a reason."

"Sapphire's right, Photo.  You're too uptight about these things," said Hoity Toity.

"Says the pony who insists on having a cushion placed under his rump every time he sits down," said Sapphire, raising an eyebrow. "Ponies in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, Hoit."

Hoity Toity blushed. "I, suppose not," he said sheepishly.

The three ponies shared a bit of a laugh.  All the while, Spike was looking on in confusion.  Before Twilight moved to Ponyville, he spent a lot of time in Canterlot.  And from what he saw, most Canterlot nobles were very stuck-up and haughty.  But, this didn't seem to be the case.  It was almost as if Hoity Toity was a completely different pony.  He still had that air of elegance and snootiness to him, but he seemed a lot more, casual than when he last saw him.

"Sir, are you ready to order?"

Spike was snapped out of his daydreaming by the waiter.

"Um, yeah.  Sure," he said. "I'll have a basket of hay fries.  Extra crispy."

"Very good, sir," said the waiter with a bow.  And with that, he left as quickly as he came.

Sapphire smirked. "You're in for a treat, kiddo.  The Far-Afield Tavern has the best hay fries in Manehattan," she said.

"Speaking of which, I find myself a bit curious," said Hoity Toity. "What are you doing here in Manehattan, Mr. Spike?"

"Huh?  Oh, that," said Spike. "Well, I'm actually here with my friends.  Rarity invited us to join her for Fashion Week."

"Ah, what a coincidence," said Sapphire. "That's what we're here for, too.  Although personally, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Rarity.  No other costume designer I've been to has even come close to replicating her skill."

"Yes, she is quite fashion forward.  I will admit that," said Photo Finish, stroking her chin.

"That's an understatement, and you know it," said Hoity Toity, taking a bite out of his plate of truffles. "Honestly, Photo.  Your tastes in fashion always continue to astound me."

"I never said her designs are bad.  And really, they aren't.  Trust me, I've seen much worse," Photo Finish protested. "It's just that they lack..."

"Oh, here it comes," said Sapphire, rolling her eyes.

"De magicks~!" Photo Finish proclaimed with dramatic flair, pointing her hoof to the sky for emphasis.

Spike tilted his head. "What does that mean?  I think Rarity's the best fashion designer in Equestria," he said.

"Don't ask, kiddo.  It's something only Photo can see," said Sapphire. "I've known her for a pretty long time, and I still don't get it."

"I don't think anypony does, frankly," said Hoity Toity. "Anyway, I'm sure Ms. Rarity's fashion designs are going to win first prize."

"Mmm.  I wouldn't be so quick to say that, Hoity," said Photo Finish, furrowing her brow. "And no, it's not because her designs lack de magicks."

"What're you talking about, Photo?" asked Sapphire.

Photo Finish leaned in and dipped her voice. "Don't tell anypony I told you this, but I don't think Rarity has an entry for this year's Fashion Week."

Spike's eyes went wide. "What?  But, she showed us her fashion line, and we rushed them over as fast as we could," he said. "Did she not get them?"

"No, it's not that," said Photo Finish. "See, Ms. Hemline allowed me to take some preliminary photos of everypony's designs to promote Fashion Week.  Even though Rarity came in late, I managed to get a photo of her line, too."

"And?"

Photo Finish smiled. "I think she's finally got it.  Those dresses truly had, de magicks~!  That fabric she used was just oozing with it!"

"Then, what do you mean she doesn't have an entry?" asked Hoity Toity.

Photo Finish's face darkened. "Before she could present her wonderful ensemble to Ms. Hemline, another pony named Suri Polomare came out with her own.  I don't know how, but she was using that same material.  And since she was before Rarity, it would make her look like a copycat."

Spike gasped. "You mean, somepony stole her one-of-a-kind fabric?!  That's horrible!"

"That's not the worst of it, though," said Photo Finish. "I took a picture of Ms. Polomare's line before she showed it to Ms. Hemline.  They were the most bland dresses I had ever laid eyes on.  I couldn't pay my models to wear such ordinary outfits."

"You suspect some sort of foul play, then?" asked Hoity Toity.

"That's my best guess," said Photo Finish with a shrug. "But what's Rarity going to do about it?  It's just going to be her word against Ms. Polomare's.  Unless she's planning to get herself disqualified, she has to drop out."

Spike paused to take all this in.  Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

"Rarity's not going to drop out," he said firmly.

Photo Finish turned to Spike and adjusted her shades. "Oh?  And what makes you say that?"

"Because I know Rarity," said Spike. "She might be overdramatic sometimes, but she doesn't give up that easily.  I'm betting that's why she's late.  She's probably in her hotel room, creating a brand-new line that's even better than what she had before."

Hoity Toity lowered his shades. "You truly have a lot of faith in Ms. Rarity, don't you?"

"W-well, yeah," said Spike, blushing a little. "I always have, ever since I laid eyes on her."

Hoity Toity smirked. "Well then, I'll take your word for it," he said. "After all, you didn't steer me wrong before."

"Your hay fries, sir."

At that moment, the waiter came back with Spike's order.  As soon as the aroma hit his nostrils, his mouth began to water.

"Thank you, garçon," said Hoity Toity.

"Yeah, thanks," said Spike, staring at the basket set before him.  As soon as the waiter left, he wasted no time chowing down. "Mmm~!  You're right, Ms. Shores.  These are the best hay fries I've ever tasted!"

"Ach!  The least you could do is have some manners," huffed Photo Finish. "I told you this was a bad idea, Hoity."

"Oh, stop being such a stick-in-the-mud and let the kid enjoy himself, Photo," said Sapphire, eating a bit of her salad. "He's not hurting anypony."

Photo Finish sighed. "I sometimes forget how casual you can be, Sapphire," she said, picking at her pasta primavera.

"It's alright, Photo.  You're not the first to make that mistake, and I doubt you'll be the last," said Sapphire with a chuckle.

"Besides, I'll bet anything that he's right about Ms. Rarity," said Hoity Toity. "I don't know about you, but I expect to be blown away by her fashion line tomorrow."

"Same here," said Sapphire.

"Eh, I don't know," said Photo Finish. "That fabric is going to be hard to beat.  We'll just have to wait and see."

She then smirked. "On a happier note, I think I might've found my next model."

Hoity Toity lowered his shades. "Really?  Do tell."

"I saw her working for Ms. Polomare, stitching together that new ensemble I told you about," said Photo Finish, her grin becoming wider. "She would be the perfect model.  She has it in spades!"

"Has what?" asked Sapphire. "No, wait.  Let me guess.  De magicks, right?"

"Yes, indeed!" said Photo Finish with an enthusiastic nod. "I'm planning to approach her after Fashion Week and have her model for me."

"Right, because that worked so well last time," said Sapphire dryly. "Or do you not remember the Fluttershy fiasco?"

Photo Finish blushed. "Th-that was a fluke!  H-how was I supposed to know she didn't want to be a model?!  She never consulted me about that!"

Sapphire and Hoity Toity shared a laugh, and Spike joined in, too.  At this point, he had forgotten about his frustration at Twilight and the others.  This wasn't the wonderful night he had envisioned, but after everything he went through, it was close enough.


***


After he finished his dinner and said his goodbyes to Hoity Toity, Spike headed on back to the hotel.  When he got to his room, her heard an odd whirring noise.  Curious, he opened the door slightly and peeked inside.  To his surprise, all of his friends (sans Rarity) were hard at work knitting and sewing new dresses out of random pieces of fabric from the hotel room.  Spike stared blankly at the odd spectacle for a moment or two.

"I don't wanna know," he muttered to himself.  Quietly, he slipped into the room unnoticed and snuck off to his bed.  He decided that he'd keep his dinner date with Hoity Toity a secret, at least until whatever was going on was resolved.

After all, it's not nice to gloat, he thought as he dozed off.