Nightmares Forever?
Rainbow Dash had never been bothered or troubled over a lack of sleep before. If she didn't sleep good on a particular night she would just take a bunch of extra power naps during the day to make up for it, and that always seemed to do the trick.
But this time it was different. It wasn't just one night of sleeplessness or waking constantly during the night, it was every day. Try as she might, Rainbow couldn't seem to fall asleep and stay asleep. She quickly assumed what the culprit was: She'd been taking on more and more responsibilities for the Wonderbolts, it was no secret that Spitfire was considering stepping down as captain and that Rainbow Dash was at the top of her short list for successors. Becoming captain would be a dream come true for Rainbow, but it also meant a lot of headaches and paperwork that seemed to never end.
So it was that the brash speedster decided there was only one thing to do to put an end to her sleeping problems: She would have to seek out Zecora and hope the enchantress had a brew that could lull one into a deep and restful sleep. By a stroke of luck, she had a day off from the Wonderbolts that provided her with the perfect opportunity to trek through the Everfree Forest in order to see Zecora.
Imagine the pegasus' surprise when she was joined on her journey by one of her friends. And not just any friend, but the friend with whom she surprisingly shared more in common with than you might think: Rarity.
"Rainbow Dash, what a pleasant surprise." Rarity greeted as she happened to see her pegasus friend in the sky above the forest's entrance.
Rainbow immediately swooped down to greet Rarity. "Good to see you too, Rarity," She returned the greeting with sincerity. "I guess you're going to see Zecora too?"
Rarity nodded. "I was about to ask you the same question," And she admitted. "I don't know what it is, but lately I seem to be incapable of getting a good night's sleep. I've tried everything but nothing's worked."
"Tell me about it," Rainbow said with a yawn. "I never had a problem with sleeping before," She began to wonder. "You think maybe it's another Tantabus situation or something?"
The fashion loving unicorn shook her head. "Doesn't seem likely. None of our other friends appear to be affected and when I have been able to fall asleep I've never seen any sort of out of place creation," Then she yawned as well. "If I had to guess, I would say it's work. My three boutiques have left me absolutely swamped with orders, and Sassy and Coco can only do so much to lighten the load. Carousel Boutique is the flagship store, after all."
Rainbow Dash immediately commented. "Work seems to be the problem for me as well. Spitfire's been making me take on more and more of her workload lately, and I think it's because she's planning to have me be her successor. She's not retiring from the bolts for good, but I don't think she'll be captain for much longer."
"Well, if anyone is qualified to lead the Wonderbolts, it's definitely you," Rarity smiled. "But I can see how that might be keeping you awake at night."
"Yeah, and I'll bet being up to your neck in dress orders all the time is affecting your sleep," Rainbow concluded. "I know it would for me."
Rarity nodded. "Which is why I'm hopeful Zecora can brew up something that'll fix our problems," Then, recalling one of her previous experiences she added. "I just hope she remembers to label her bottles properly this time."
"So that's how your mane got all messed up," The brash pegasus realized. "No wonder you were feeling so down," And she began to reconsider her decision to pay the zebra a visit. "You know, maybe I should just see a doctor or something. Or maybe even talk to Twilight the next time she comes back to Ponyville. I don't wanna risk something that could mess me up."
The fashionista chuckled. "I'm sure Zecora learned from that little mishap. I just hope she's home, Applejack mentioned she was going to stay behind in her homeland for a while. Something about reconnecting with her old friends."
"I know Zecora's around, I saw her just the other day in town when she was picking up potions ingredients as usual," Rainbow protested. "Now come on, are we gonna go or are we just gonna sit around here and talk about it?!"
And with that, the two friends ventured into the Everfree Forest as they headed for Zecora's hut. Neither of them had visited her in a long time, they were not sure what to expect now that she returned from her homeland.
The two mares eventually reached the familiar hut inside the tree that Zecora resided in. They quickly went up to the door and knocked on it.
Zecora answered but a moment later, a bright smile on her face as she greeted two of her closest friends. "Rainbow Dash, Rarity. How nice of you to visit me."
"Good to see you again too, Zecora," Rarity greeted in reply. "Sorry if we're interrupting something but we've got a bit of a problem."
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash bluntly pointed out. "And you're the only one who can help us. It's a problem with sleeping, or a lack of it."
Zecora simply nodded. She'd already guessed that was the problem from the bags under the eyes of both her pony friends. She gestured for them both to come inside. "The inability to fall and stay asleep is what troubles you, you say? By all means, come in and let us fix that right away."
Both mares complied, stepping into the interior of the tree and quickly spotting the familiar bubbling cauldron in the center. Twilight had told them once that apparently it was just for show, Zecora didn't always have something brewing inside of it (or didn't always need to use the cauldron to make her brews).
Sure enough, it seemed Zecora had no need for her cauldron as she gathered a variety of different plants, herbs and vials and started mixing them all together in a little bowl. All the while, she was chanting something in a language Rarity and Rainbow Dash couldn't understand. They'd only heard her speaking like that once before, back when they'd thought she was an evil enchantress who had cursed them. They knew better now, but they both still wondered what the chant meant or why it was being uttered.
At last, the zebra poured a strange looking concoction into two similarly looking but empty bottles. She then began to look around, before pulling out a small pen and writing something onto scraps of paper that she subsequently stuck onto the bottles. Then she placed the bottles on a small wooden table.
"So, I'm guessing we take these and they'll fix our sleeping problems?" Rainbow Dash inquired.
Zecora firmly nodded. "At bedtime drink down every last drop. If you do, all your worries should stop. You will fall into a deep and productive sleep. You won't even need to count sheep."
"And I see you remembered to label the bottles this time," Rarity commented as she eyed the labels from afar, trying to make out what Zecora had scribbled. "Thank you very much for that, Zecora."
Zecora nodded once again. "I learn from my mistakes, Rarity. But if anything goes wrong, neither of you should hesitate to tell me."
The rainbow maned pegasus waved a hoof. "Your potions have always worked out, Zecora," When she heard Rarity cough into a hoof she corrected herself. "Well, they almost always work. But I've got a good feeling about... whatever it is you've brewed up." And she reached out to take one of the bottles.
"Wait, stop!" Zecora cried and said nothing more, she didn't rhyme. It definitely caught the attention of her friends, they'd never heard her fail to rhyme (or refuse to do so).
"Is something wrong, Zecora?" The fashionista nervously questioned and nearly gasped. "You don't have swamp fever again, do you?!"
"No, I'm fine," Zecora insisted even as she continued not to speak in rhyme. "But I must warn you both and this was the only way I could think to get your attention," Clearing her throat she cautioned. "Make sure you both take the right potions with you when you leave here. If not, I fear the consequences will be very severe!"
"How severe are we talking?" Rarity questioned, remembering her past experience.
The zebra enchantress vaguely explained. "I cannot say. But I'm certain they would ruin your day."
Rainbow Dash wasn't worried as she grabbed the bottle she thought for sure had her name on it. "Can't be any worse than what we're going through, being unable to sleep and all that."
Rarity reluctantly nodded. "I must side with Rainbow Dash this time. Whatever the consequences might be for another mix-up, I think we'll take our chances. But I don't think that's going to happen, these labels seem pretty hard to mistake." And using her magic, she picked up the other bottle and then followed Rainbow Dash in departing Zecora's hut.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully for both ponies. And when bed time came, they both unscrewed the lid of their bottles and drank down the contents contained within. It was a powerful taste, but not necessarily an unpleasant one. Per Zecora's instructions, they made sure to drink every last drop possible. Then they carefully discarded the empty bottles in the trash bins of their respective homes, climbed into bed and closed their eyes.
What neither pony knew or realized was that they had in fact grabbed the wrong bottles. To be fair "Rarity" and "Rainbow Dash" both started with the same two letters, so it was easy to mix them up when both mares were more than a bit exhausted. They soon began to dream, unaware of the mix-up that had occurred.
Rarity could immediately tell something was not right when she opened her eyes. Her head felt "lighter" for lack of a better term. She frantically put a hoof up to the tip of her forehead, but where her horn should be there was nothing, not even a tiny stub. Then she looked to either side of herself, noticing that she now had wings. They weren't those flimsy butterfly wings she'd had during her first visit to Cloudsdale either. No, these were genuine pegasus wings.
Yet instead of soft clouds, Rarity could see that her hooves were on solid ground more or less. And not just any solid ground either, but the solid ground of the Wonderbolts Academy. She could even see the runway, and behind her, she assumed, was the door to the mess hall and the barracks.
Before the fashionista had a chance to gather her thoughts, though, the sharp sound of a whistle split the air! It was so unexpected it made her jump, launching her a good ways into the air thanks to her wings. It took a great deal of effort for her to bring herself back down to the ground, just in time to find herself face to face with none other than Spitfire.
Spitfire was all decked out in her usual academy outfit, including that dark blue jacket, those harsh red shades and of course her trusty whistle that hung from her neck. "Hey, rookie!" She all but shouted.
Rarity blinked in confusion. "Me?"
Spitfire seemed to groan. "Yes, you. There's no one else here besides us, is there?"
Rarity stepped back, took a look around and gulped as she saw that Spitfire was right. "N-no, there doesn't seem to be."
"That's right!" Spitfire snapped. "So quit fooling around! We've got a show coming up and I need all Wonderbolts to be in tip top shape, and that includes you. Now stop wasting my time and get to practice, or you're off the team!"
The fashionista turned pegasus gulped anew. "But... but..." She struggled to think of what to say.
The captain only roared in reply! "No buts! Get out there and complete that obstacle course, on the double! Do not make me repeat myself, rookie!"
Despite wanting to protest, Rarity found that her body seemed to have a mind of its own, almost as if it were operating on auto-pilot. Clumsily, she flapped her wings and took to the sky. Ahead lay the very obstacle course Spitfire had mentioned, composed of hoops, hurdles, fences and all sorts of other things.
The newly made pegasus mare stumbled her way through every obstacle on the course. In the process, her lovely white coat became stained with specks of dirt, grime and mud. She wished more than anything she was wearing one of those signature blue flight suits, then at least it would be getting dirty instead of her.
Spitfire was anything but amused. "Rookie, what in the name of Celestia was that performance?! I know you can do better than that. That kind of performance is a disgrace to the Wonderbolts name and legacy! You're gonna try that again, and this time you're gonna do it the proper way. We're not leaving until you get this right, do I make myself clear?!"
All Rarity could do was whimper and weakly reply. "Y-yes ma'am." But in her mind she was thinking to herself. "This would be far more suitable to Rainbow Dash. For her it would be a dream come true, she would know what to do."
Rainbow Dash was unaware of Rarity's plight, she was currently experiencing her own problems and having her own almost out of body experience. And like Rarity it had all started when she'd opened her eyes.
The first thing the brash speedster and definitive tomboy realized was that her wings were missing! There were no signs that they'd been removed by force or by magic either, it was as if they'd simply vanished into thin air! Instead, protruding from her forehead was a rather large horn not unlike what Rarity would have.
Frantically, Rainbow looked around only for her eyes to find that she was in the last place she would ever want to be: A dressing room! Where exactly, she couldn't tell, but it seemed like it was somewhere in the city of Canterlot given how fancy everything was. Way fancier than anything even in Rarity's boutique (her Ponyville one anyway).
"Bust my buttons!" A familiar impatient cried out from afar. "Are you going to spend all day in there, darling?! You've got important clients that don't like to be kept waiting, you know."
Rainbow Dash wanted nothing more than to rush out of the dressing room at that very moment, declaring to what she assumed was Sassy Saddles that this was all a terrible mistake. She didn't belong here, this was something that was much more suited to Rarity or even Fluttershy for that matter.
Instead, however, the brash speedster turned unicorn gasped in horror as her horn seemed to take on a mind of its own! It had the same soft blue glow that Rarity's horn so often had, and it began to envelope all sorts of pretty things: Dresses, jewelry, makeup and mane and tail products. It then levitated them over to Rainbow.
Letting out a scream, Rainbow tried to make a desperate run for it! But it seemed like no matter how hard she tried she couldn't go anywhere, the beauty products quickly caught her and thwarted her escape. She was going to be prettied up whether she wanted to or not, an absolute nightmare for the tomboy who absolutely hated looking pretty if she didn't have to. Even as a foal and a filly she'd never been one to dress up nice for any occasion.
In a matter of what seemed like seconds, the makeover was complete and right on cue a mirror was brought over so Rainbow Dash could see what she looked like. She hardly recognized the pony in the reflection that stared back at her. She wore a sparkly pink, long celebrity style shoulder split dress with golden heels. A white fur boa with white evening gloves on her hooves to match. To either side of her rested a set of diamond earrings that shone like gold along with a set of matching gold cuff arm bracelets.
Yet that was only the beginning. Suddenly, a set of make-up brushes floated over to her courtesy of her horn. Try as she might, Rainbow couldn't stop them from making contact with her. They quickly overwhelmed her with powerful scents while they tugged at her mane and tail and dabbed themselves all over her face. A bottle of perfume even floated itself into the mix, spraying its scent all over Rainbow Dash.
When the haze settled and everything returned to its proper place, the brash speedster gasped in renewed horror at what she saw reflected at her through the mirror! Her mane and tail had been yanked and tugged until they resembled the same curly style Rarity always did her mane and tail in. Pink eyeshadow and mascara had been painted over her eyes and face in just the right amounts to compliment her blush.
Rainbow couldn't hold it in any longer! She screamed at the top of her lungs! "This is worse than not sleeping!" She thought to herself! "I really hope I wake up from this soon!"
All of a sudden, both Rarity and Rainbow Dash felt a familiar voice calling out to them. "Can you hear me?" The voice called. "Please, answer me! Say something!"
"Princess Luna!" Rarity and Rainbow Dash both exclaimed as they recognized the voice at once.
"Indeed, it is I," The princess of the night greeted as she sought to reassure her friends. "I have sensed your distress through your dreams. They have called out to me. I've come to aid you both."
Rarity breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank heavens. I don't think I could last another minute in this terrible dream!"
Rainbow Dash agreed. "Me either. So come on, Princess Luna! End these nightmares so we can wake up. I guess we'll have to go back to Zecora's tomorrow and get the right potions this time."
However, Princess Luna replied as her voice split between both dreams. "I can't! Your dreams are resistant to my best efforts to dispel them. I have never seen dreams as strong as these in all my years patrolling the dream realm."
"So we're stuck like this?!" Rainbow complained! "Please, there's gotta be another way! I'm gonna die of embarrassment here!"
Rarity desperately pleaded! "Princess Luna, there has to be something we can do to make these dreams stop! I can't go on like this, I'll never be able to get a good night's sleep again!"
Princess Luna was silent for a moment, before she explained to both mares. "There may be one way to end these dreams and wake you up. But... you may not like it."
"What do you mean?" Rarity nervously inquired.
Rainbow gulped. "I don't think I like where this is going."
The alicorn's voice took on a more troubled tone. "You both must live out these dreams and complete three tasks. If you do that, I believe the dreams will stop and you'll both awaken with hopefully no side effects."
"Three tasks?!" Rarity and Rainbow Dash both exclaimed in shock!
"I wish there was another way, but I'm afraid there isn't one," Princess Luna reluctantly replied. "However, you both may be able to help each other out: Give each other advice on what to do. Only by completing the three tasks will these dreams end. Otherwise, you'll keep on dreaming these dreams even if you wake up naturally. You'll have the same dreams night after night forever!"
Rainbow Dash immediately exclaimed! "No, not forever! I can't possibly be stuck in this prettied up state forever!"
"At least you're not covered in dirt, mud and who knows what else!" Rarity snapped! "If I have to keep dreaming like this forever, I'll never be able to sleep at all! My whole life will be ruined."
"Join the club, sister," Rainbow grumbled. "I don't like this anymore than you do. I have no idea how you manage to put up with stuff like this all the time."
Rarity only replied. "There's nothing wrong with being pretty. And I've nothing against getting dirty if I have to. But I do have my limits, as I suspect you have yours."
The princess of the night desperately pleaded with both mares. "Please, both of you must stop! If you keep fighting like this you'll never be able to help each other! You're living each other's dreams, so you're the only ones who can tell each other how to complete the tasks. It's the only way!"
"I think I'm very much inclined to believe the princess on this one," Rarity said to Rainbow Dash. "Please, let me help you so that you can help me. I know a thing or two about how to be pretty and how to make it work in the world of fashion."
"Fine," Rainbow sighed in reluctant acceptance. "But you'd better be willing to listen to what I have to say about flying and being a Wonderbolt. Trust me, we may make it look easy but it's not. Only the best of the best join the team."
"And only the best of the best can make it in the world of fashion," Rarity replied. "I'm all ears, as I assume you are with me?"
The brash speedster nodded. "Yeah, yeah, let's get this over with already. The sooner we get the tasks done, the sooner we can wake up and put this all behind us. And just so we're clear, we'll never speak of this again, understood?"
The fashionista turned Wonderbolt material nodded in reply. "Indeed, my lips are sealed," And then she said to Princess Luna. "We're ready to begin. Tell us what we have to do."
"I will do my best, but I can't stay and monitor your dreams all night," Princess Luna cautioned. "My duties in the dream realm will take me elsewhere. It's up to you two. I will only come back if I sense your dreams are completed and ready to end," She then cleared her throat. "Rarity, I sense your three tasks are as follows: You must complete the obstacle course, fly with the Wonderbolts in a show and perform a sonic rainboom during said show. And for you, Rainbow Dash, your three tasks are this: You must pose for a fashion magazine the way a true lady would, glamorously walk down the red carpet like a celebrity and make a dress for my sister. Best of luck to you both." And with that, she departed.
It wasn't long before both mares found themselves facing down their first task: Completing the obstacle course for Rarity and posing for a fashion magazine for Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow walked slowly as she let the dream guide her along. Posing for a magazine sounded easy enough, even if she personally didn't care for it. If even Applejack could do it once (even if it was just to teach Rarity a lesson) then so could she.
Rarity, however, was having no such luck when it came to completing the obstacle course. She tried, and tried and tried. But no matter what she did she couldn't make it through without bumping into something or getting yelled at by Spitfire for not being fast enough.
Rainbow Dash began having her own problems with the posing. She tried all sorts of poses she thought looked feminine, but none of them were good enough for the photographer who just happened to be Photo Finish. "No, no, nein! Zat is not how a lady poses!" She sternly scolded! "Zere is no magics in the way you pose."
Poor Rainbow felt like she was about to pull out every single hair in her mane. "Ugh, this is impossible!" She complained aloud! "Rarity, do you have any idea what I'm not doing right?"
"I wish I could assist you, darling, really," Rarity panted as she was currently midway through another attempt at the obstacle course. "But I simply cannot complete this obstacle course fast enough or efficiently enough for Spitfire. Every time I think I've done it right, she says I'm too slow or I bumped into something I wasn't supposed to touch."
The tomboyish speedster turned fashion model fought back a groan. "Rarity, you're trying way too hard. The obstacle course isn't about speed or style, it's about durability and flexibility. You have to learn to pace yourself. You know, like how you always say you pace yourself when designing an important dress."
The fashionista turned Wonderbolt listened, not just to her friend's words but to the flapping of her own wings. Now that she thought about it more in depth, she could tell that the flapping was too loud and too frequent. She was expending way more energy than she should be. How had she not noticed before? Well, she sought to correct that problem as she took a deep breath and slowed down. That did the trick.
The smile on Spitfire's face that greeted Rarity after her latest attempt spoke volumes. "Not bad, rookie. Not bad at all. I think you might just have what it takes to fly with us after all."
"Oh thank you, ma'am," Rarity saluted, and then waited until Spitfire was out of sight to speak to Rainbow Dash. "If I may be so bold, Rainbow Dash, you need to put more 'feeling' into your poses. Don't act like a lady, be a lady. After all, I'm sure you don't just act like a Wonderbolt when you perform with them."
Rainbow Dash sighed, but reluctantly heeded her friend's advice. She closed her eyes and tried to think of how to be more ladylike. It came surprisingly easy to her despite her distaste for it.
Photo Finish was impressed if the sound of furious camera clicks was any indication. "Zat is more like it!" She proclaimed! "Da magics have returned." And soon, she was finished and was packing up her equipment.
Rainbow wiped the sweat from her brows. It seemed that both she and Rarity had completed their first task, but there were still two more to go.
Surprisingly, Rarity found it rather easy to perform with the Wonderbolts later on despite having only just learned how to complete the obstacle course to Spitfire's satisfaction. Much like with sewing or dressmaking, the key was to follow the pattern. In this case, the pattern was whatever her teammates did. She copied their movements as best she could, and it seemed the crowd and the Wonderbolts had nothing bad to say if she maybe wasn't as precise as she should've been.
"Doing good, rookie," Spitfire commented as the show began to wind down. "Keep this up and you'll have a spot on the team for sure."
Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was strolling down a red carpet somewhere in Canterlot (she neither knew or cared about the exact location). She did her best to pose accordingly as cameras clicked and ponies on either side screamed and called out her name.
Sassy Saddles (or at least her voice) could be heard saying from afar. "Buttons and bobbins! You're absolutely splendid, darling! Never in all my life have I seen such a natural born fashion star like you!"
It took longer than Rainbow would've liked, but at last the red carpet ended and she was able to go inside. Meanwhile, the Wonderbolts show was winding down for Rarity. Just like that, the second task for both mares was done and only one remained.
Unfortunately for the two, the hardest had been saved for last. Rarity would have to somehow do the impossible in her mind, perform a sonic rainboom. And Rainbow Dash now faced the daunting task of having to make a dress for Princess Celestia, but without any sort of pattern or sketch to draw inspiration from.
And to make matters worse, lots of ponies now had their full attention focused on both mares. The crowds had fallen into an almost death-like silence as the Wonderbolts broke off one by one, leaving only Rarity in the spotlight. And while Rainbow Dash had the luxury of being alone inside a workshop, ponies were still looking in on from her various windows.
"Rainbow Dash, I think we might have a problem here!" Rarity frantically called, not caring who else might hear her in the dream.
"Tell me about it," Rainbow Dash nervously and frantically replied as she clumsily gripped a sewing needle in one of her hooves. "I don't see how I'm supposed to make a dress for Princess Celestia when I have absolutely no idea what the princess wants! It's impossible!"
"Not as impossible as performing a sonic rainboom!" Rarity protested. "I know you managed to do it once or twice, or three times for that matter. But I'm not you."
Rainbow set the sewing needle down. A dress was a dress, it could wait. "Yeah, well that goes double for me. I can't make a dress the way you can. Don't try to be like me."
"But I did what you would've done in the first two tasks," Rarity insisted. "Didn't I?"
"Maybe, but now it's time for you to shine on your own. The sonic rainboom is all me, nopony else can do it," The brash speedster explained. "I don't know if you'll pull it off exactly, but just concentrate on yourself. Don't let anything else get to you. Remember the time I performed the rainboom to save you at the Best Young Flyers Competition?"
The fashionista blushed, the memory still lingering in her mind despite her best efforts. "Yes, I still remember that and how I got carried away."
"Yeah, but despite all of that I still saved you," Rainbow pointed out. "In that moment, I didn't even care about the competition. All I cared about was reaching you in time. The key to making a sonic rainboom happen was to stop thinking about how I couldn't do it and just focus on myself. If you do that, I'm sure you'll be able to pull off a rainboom all your own."
Rarity gulped but still began to flap her wings to build up speed. "I'll... I'll try." She began to descend toward the ground, feeling the wind as it tried to fight against her. Her whole body began screaming at her to stop! But she shut her eyes and pushed on! She could do this, she had to do this!
All of a sudden, there was a tremendous roar and Rarity felt herself flying faster than what should've been possible for any pegasus, or any creature in general for that matter! She happened to look back, and saw a streak in a distinctive rainbow color! She'd done it, she'd performed a sonic rainboom!
Even Spitfire was impressed, and she made that fact known in no uncertain terms. "That was... incredible! I've never seen anything like that in all my years, and I've seen some truly unbelievable sights," She then grinned and chuckled. "You're not a rookie anymore, kid. In fact, after that performance I might just have to watch my tail. I reckon it won't be long before you're gunning for my position."
"For now, I'm just honored to be part of the team." The fashionista replied in exhaustion as she landed, the adrenaline rush from the rainboom having worn off.
"Heh, knew you could do it!" Rainbow proclaimed, having heard everything.
"Yes, but it's still unbelievable. I see now what draws you to such stunts and shows." Rarity commented while still trying to process her feelings.
The brash speedster just responded. "Well that's great. Now's how about you tell me how I can create a dress good enough for a princess? It's the only thing standing between us and getting out of these crazy dreams!"
At that, Rarity couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, is that all? Darling, I'm surprised you haven't figured it out already. You just have to look inside yourself for the inspiration. The dress is coming from you, not from somepony else. That's why there's no pattern or sketch. It's the dress of your dreams. And I know that whatever you dream up, Princess Celestia will adore it because it'll be one of a kind."
So it was that Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, taking Rarity's words to heart. To her great surprise, she easily found the inspiration for the dress. And as if operating by themselves, her hooves moved the sewing needle and the scissors to wherever they were needed. It wasn't long at all before she had completed a rather luxurious dress made in a dazzling sky blue. It even had space for the wings, which was no easy feat considering how big Celestia's were.
And Princess Celestia did indeed adore it. The dream version of her anyway. "This dress is fantastic! I've never seen anything like it!" She sincerely declared. "I think you've got a promising career ahead of you. Someday, I bet you'll have boutiques all over the world that make dresses as fabulous as this."
Rarity smiled when she heard the news. "And you thought you couldn't do it. Looks like I know you better than you know yourself."
"Yeah, freaky how this works," Rainbow commented. "But I guess that means we've completed the tasks now. Our dreams should be ready to come to an end."
"Indeed they are," The familiar voice of Princess Luna confirmed. "I can end the dreams whenever you're ready. But I sense you've both learned something quite important tonight."
Both mares nodded. They didn't need to say it. They had far more respect now for each others' lifestyles than they had had before (which, to be fair, they had already learned to respect each others' differences long ago. But now they had greater insight as to the paths in life that they had chosen to take).
Rarity and Rainbow Dash woke up as the first rays of Celestia's sun peaked in through the windows of their houses. Despite what they'd had to endure during the course of the night, they woke up feeling strangely refreshed and rested. In a way, the potions had worked as intended despite the mix up.
Yet both mares were in silent agreement with each other to keep the events of the night to themselves. It would remain their little secret, hopefully forever.