The Socialite

"So what did you do with the eggshells after he hatched?" Fluttershy asked as she and Twilight actually arrived in Magiville proper. As they walked Twilight couldn't help but notice several of the decorations set up at the edge of town and throughout it as they neared their destination. They are all clearly solar-themed, red, yellow, orange as the base colors with gold and several other colors in addition to them, there were also many different stylized rendering of the sun. Throughout the entire walk, Angel and Spike gave death glares to each other. If looks could kill, Angel would have died infinite times by then, Spike on the other hand... would be eating fresh rabbit... death effects, like glares of petrification, have never been reported to have an effect on dragons.

However neither the arcane mage nor the druid seemed to notice the conflict between the two, yet Twilight did feel in the part of her mind that was linked to Spike's intense... rage, wrath, ire, anger, or something far more intense... Twilight couldn't exactly place the emotion, but she knew that if anything happened to the bunny there would be no love lost on Spike's end. Fluttershy too could tell Angel disliked Spike, but while for Twilight it was something she could hold in her hand, for Fluttershy it was more like the wind on her skin. "Well my master, Princess Celestia, actually collected them and said she'll give them to me when Spike turns 11 for him to eat when he turns 12," Twilight answered a little unsure as to why Fluttershy would even ask such a question.

"Um. I heard somewhere that eating their shells helps dragons grow larger and stronger." Fluttershy commented amused by the idea, it was as if knew about it but only as rumors.

"You seem to know a lot about dragons," Twilight commented as she looked at everything she has heard from the druid both after she noticed Spike was a dragon and in response to each of Twilight's answers. Twilight then asked Fluttershy a question. "Have you reached them?"

"Yes," Fluttershy answered as she looked back on the conversation she has had with Twilight thus far.

"Do you want to own one?" Twilight asked, trying to find out why a druid like Fluttershy would be so knowledgeable about dragons, normally this amount of research would indicate that someone is looking to own an animal... well technically one doesn't own a dragon... but the point still stands.

"Oh no! I can never do that, dragons can live up to two millennia and we are lucky to live a century, most of us will likely only see 85. Can you imagine what a dragon would go through after losing someone so close to him or her for the first 65 years or so of their life and then spend over the next 1900 years with only the memories of that person? I don't know if I can do that to such a creature that can live so long." Fluttershy answered. This gave Twilight pause, why would Celestia test students by having them hatch a dragon's egg with magic.

Twilight elected to put that thought to the side and discuss with Celestia later. She elected to ask another question. "So, you want to change into one?" To Twilight this is the only other reason why a druid would reach any creature.

"Why would I want to change into one?" Fluttershy asked taken aback at the thought of her changing into a dragon.

"Well, I heard that the very powerful druids are able to change their forms into any living creature, from birds to dragons to bats, heck even to trees," Twilight informed as she looked back at her own research into different types of magic early in her lessons with Celestia.

"Oh…, I just thought it would be a good idea to understand all living creatures, you never know when you might encounter one," Fluttershy answered, anyone aside from Twilight could see that Fluttershy was lying. Soon they arrived at Twilight's destination, Carousel Boutique. "Well, here we are. Carousel Boutique."

"Well, thank you very much," Twilight said as she started up the few stairs.

"Wait I have a few more..."

"Sorry, I got to go. Have a nice day. Bye." Twilight said a little too fast as she bolted into the establishment.

"Um... you too," Fluttershy said almost slightly. She turned her head to look at Angel. "Um... Angel... did I just make a friend?" She asked the rabbit. Angel shrugged, unsure of how to differentiate the proper answers to the question.

Once inside the boutique, Twilight and Spike saw that many more decorations in various stages of completion, most almost down and soon to be taken outside to finish decorating the town. The two noticed a young woman in white around Twilight's age and height at a desk. She was working on something. "Um... excuse me, I am looking..." Twilight started only for the woman to raise a white-gloved hand.

"Just a moment, darling, I have to finish this lantern and I can help you with your order. Please know that your order will have to wait until after the Summer Sun Celebration before I get started." The woman answered as she went back to the lantern. After a couple of seconds, the woman held the completed spherical lantern in the air, it was mostly red with a golden eight-pointed sun on two sides of the lantern. She seemed to smile and let it go. The lantern then floated over to the pile of completed decorations. The woman then turned to face Twilight. After taking off a pair of glasses used by seamstress and others that work with fabric and things that have a lot of tiny details. "Now, how can I help you?"

Spike had never imaged a woman could be so... even the words 'beautiful' and 'gorgeous' were insults if he were to use them to describe the woman. The woman had long flowing hair, a different shade of purple than Twilight's that just glinted in any light. Clearly well cared for, her skin was a lighter shade than Twilight's but seemed to be overall healthier, kind of like a porcelain doll, her eyes made sapphires look like gravel. In addition to the white gloves, she wore a long white dress, a magenta shawl on her shoulders and on her head a golden crown with three sapphires cut into kites (the shape) in the center, functioning like the amethyst 'horn' like focus crystal Twilight had on her forehead. The dragon's lower jaw hung wide open as his pupils and irises changed into the shape of hearts. Twilight could feel the dragon's tail go back and forth at a rapid pace, like a happy dog wagging its tail.

After putting Spike down on the ground before he bruised her, "I am Twilight Sparkle. I am here on behalf of the Court of Her Highness, Princess Celestia, to check on the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. I am looking for a Rarity..." It was then that Twilight noticed the other woman staring at her with a mix of horror, disgust and... pity. "If you could just point me in the right direction... I can get out of your hair. Okay, tell me what is wrong, now! I've seen statues that moved more!"

"My word... your hair... What have you done to your hair, darling?" the woman asked as she got up from her desk and walked over to Twilight as if she was approaching a monster.

"Excuse me!" Twilight exclaimed baffled at the woman's action.

"Oh just look at it." The woman said as she started to hold Twilight's hair and started going through it, inspecting it thoroughly. "Split ends, knots... oh darling, it's like you're going out of your way to not care for yourself. Even that ruffian of a paladin, Applejack, takes the time to properly maintain her hair, even if she does use a dagger to cut her hair every so often." The woman continued as she contrasted Twilight to of all people… Applejack.

"Do you mind!" Twilight shouted as she bashed the woman's hand away from her hair, even Fluttershy respected Twilight's space more.

"And your complexion... oh it's marvelous... but all these patches of dry skin. A recluse. Even poor Fluttershy takes care of her skin, even coming into town and joining me at the spa once a week."

"Hey!" Now Twilight was being contrasted to the druid that lived out of town.

"And your nails... do you even file... even Rainbow Dash has a manicure on a monthly basis, albeit reluctantly." The woman said holding Twilight's hands.

"What the!" Now Rainbow Dash, 'How do all these people know each other?' Twilight thought.

"And your clothes!... These poor things, Whirly Willow originals even... they must have been worn near constantly for at least two years." The woman said as she felt Twilight's sleeve.

"Get your hands off and keep them off me!" Twilight shouted as she pulled back and swung her staff at the woman, having had enough of this woman's action. "I have had these for over two and a half years. Now, I am here to check the status of the decorations, now tell me where is Rarity so I can report to Princess Celestia..."

"Princess Celestia has you reporting directly to her about my work... I was hoping for someone with a little more status than a student." The woman commented looking Twilight over.

"I am Princess Celestia's Personal Apprentice, I'll have you know!" This woman had gone too far, another Magicborn or not.

"Her personal... it's decided then." The woman did a complete turnaround, with an almost delicate clap, and changed her approach.

"Decided, what's...HEY!" Twilight screamed as she was levitated by the woman and is brought out with her as they leave the boutique and head to another part of town. Spike, however, remained on the floor lost in his mind's eye.

After a few minutes, the two arrived at a small spa. "LOTUS! ALOE!" the woman shouted as they entered. At the front desk sat a woman with pink hair, it's a different shade of pink than Fluttershy's.

The pink-haired woman looked up, "Aloe is in the back. Miss. Rarity, You're not expected to be here until the day after the Summer Sun Celebration," She said with an accent Twilight could not place.

"Oh Lotus, it's not for me." 'Rarity' said as she showed 'Lotus' Twilight and finally lowered Twilight to the ground.

"This woman kidnap..." Twilight started but soon realized she's going to be ignored as 'Lotus'' eyes widen in utter shock.

"ALOE, 2319, 2319!" 'Lotus' shouted and soon a woman almost identical to 'Lotus' save for having light blue hair, came out to the front. The third woman saw Twilight and her faced matched 'Lotus' tick-for-tack.

"I know this is going to be the greatest challenge you'll face. Give her the princess treatment, and put it on my tab."

"HEY DON'T..." Twilight started as 'Lotus' and 'Aloe' grabbed her and pulled her into the back and before she could register what happened she was in nothing but a very fluffy and comfy bathrobe lying face down on a massage table, with green facial mud on her face and two slices of cucumbers over her eyes. "Wait!"

"Shshsh... relax, darling, it's all going to be alright. Aloe and Lotus are going to take care of everything, save your hair, salvage your nails, freshen your complexion, and loosen up your tension with a massage. As for myself, I am going to rescue your clothes before their enchantments fade away, and infuse new ones into them. I will also watch over your little dragon, what was her name?"

"Spike's a male dragon, how could you not see his pupils go heart-shaped when he saw you!" Twilight almost shouted. "Also How am I supposed to..." Twilight stopped as she felt four hands start to massage her back through the bathrobe and soon every concern she had just … melt. "Ohhh... yes." She moaned in a state of bliss.

An hour later Rarity returned with Twilight's clothes folded neatly in her arms and Spike on her shoulder. The clothes were passed to Aloe and then, in turn, handed to Twilight. After a few more minutes Twilight emerged from the spa proper, while she was still clearly Twilight Sparkle she looked and felt like a brand new person. Rarity applauded at the sight.
"Absolutely marvelous, darling. Aloe, Lotus, you have outdone yourselves."

"It was not easy, we had to utilize the... royal supplement," Aloe informed as if she and Lotus went beyond budget.

Rarity sighed, "Well you had to do what you had to do." As she turned back to Twilight. "However, you cannot argue with the results. How do you feel, darling?"

Twilight blushed as she replied, "I think I know how the belle of the ball feels, thank you, Mis..."

"Call me 'Rarity', darling, all my friends do. Although it still baffles me that I count Applejack and Rainbow Dash as my friends... well neither here nor there. How do you feel about your clothes?"

"Like I just got them, thank you. Um about the spa and the clothes..."

"Pish-posh, tut-tut, the first fixer-upper, that's the clothes and the spa treatment, and the first costume dressings are pro bono." Rarity said expressing what is her business practice in Magiville.

"Thank you, however, there is still the matter of you looking after my familiar..."

"Oh Spikey-wikey was most helpful, he kept my family occupied, in particular, little Sweetie Belle, he finished the rest of the decorations, he was very good with Opalescence, kept the peace between her and Applejack's dog Winona and he found everything I needed for your clothes. He is just the best 'little' assistant in the world. Aren't you Spikey-wikey, yes you are, yes you are." Rarity said speaking to Spike like he was a puppy.

"Sp-Spikey-wikey?" Twilight asked as her right eye twitched at the pet-name Rarity gave HER familiar.

"Oh, he's just the cutest wittle baby drawgon in the world." Rarity said as she handed Spike to Twilight still speaking to towards the dragon in the 'puppy' talk.

I think I'm in love. Spike thought to Twilight.

"I have to ask you to not encourage him. He's ten years old. Well, I think that's everything, what's time is it?" Twilight asked.

"A little after four hours after midday." Rarity answered, "You arrived at the boutique at 3:15 pm. You're on schedule with everything. You should be able to reach The Golden Oak Library at your 4:30 pm ETA."

"Thanks, say can..." Twilight started to ask.

"When you exit the spa, look to your left and head further into town. You cannot miss it, it's the only oak tree actually in town, and is in the actual center of town, you can follow any road, you'll get to it. Unless you end up going out of town, in which case you'll have to turn around. It's actually the oldest living thing in town. How it's still alive even after being made into a library is something you'll have to ask Applejack or one of the florists in town." Rarity informed giving Twilight directions to The Golden Oak Library and what she was to look for.

"So, it's an actual oak tree?" Twilight asked slightly baffled at the notion.

"Specifically, it's a golden oak. Oh, before you go, I have a question to ask." Rarity said before Twilight started heading out of the spa.

Please don't ask about Blueblood, please don't ask about Blueblood, please don't ask about Blueblood!

"Aside from Lotus, have you met a young woman, about our age with pink hair?" Rarity asked.

Twilight was taken aback slightly but answered the question. "Fluttershy was the one that led me to your boutique."

"Oh, I keep forgetting about Fluttershy's hair color, I'm going have to work on that." Rarity said as if she remembered something that was right in front of her face. However, her focus changed as she recalled what she was trying to ask Twilight. "No, the woman I am talking about has pink curly cotton candy-like hair."

"No, I haven't, should I?" Twilight asked confused.

"Oh..." Rarity said as she brought her hand to her chin.

"Oh, what?" Twilight asked.

"She must have... never mind. Well, you best be on your way." Rarity said as she and Twilight started to walk away but was stopped. "Oh, one last thing. Since you are familiar with the Royal Court, did you meet the grand-duke, Prince Blueblood?" Rarity asked.

"Sorry, the name doesn't ring a bell. Gotta go. Bye" Twilight lied as she bolted out the spa.

"Doesn't know Blueblood? She really is a recluse... wait if she hasn't met Pinkie Pie yet..." Rarity looked down at her dress. "I am going to be late… And unfashionably late to boot. Oh, Applejack will never let me live it down!" Rarity said as she rushed back to Carousel Boutique.

"And so after Celestia's deception, only your son, Arimaspi the One-Eyed, survived the battle." The messenger, a faun, reported to a much more goat-like blue furred Satyr seated on a throne. "The Bell of Tambelon was lost. Lord Grogar, in the confusion. He sent me to report that he will not return home empty-handed, he could not recover the Bell of Tambelon, he raided Gryphonstone to take the Idle of Boreas." the report continued.

The satyr on the throne, Lord Grogar was angry. Angry for the loss of the amplifier of his powers, which he lent his son, angry at the loss of his forces to a human... well to be fair Princess Celestia is a demigoddess and an archmage... but still, an army of satyrs, fauns and such, beaten by ONE human. And what angered him the most is that his son, the giant Arimaspi, would not own up to his failure. But Lord Grogar did see that Arimaspi was attempting to make amends for his failure by stripping Celestia of a possible ally by breaking the will of the Harpies of Gryphonstone. Lord Grogar however, showed only his anger as he sent a blast of yellow energy into the messenger. "Have Arimaspi brought before me now, Bray!" Lord Grogar ordered the messenger he just shot.

"Yes, sire," Bray says as he recovers from the blast. Just as the faun gets to his feet another faun came running into the chambers.

"SIRE! IT'S YOUR SON, ARIMASPI! HE FELL TO THE HARPIES OF GRYPHONSTONE!" the faun yelled before he fell to his knees.

"WHAT!" Grogar yelled in utter ire.

It has been almost 950 years since that day. Lord Grogar stood on the mountainside looking over the Everfree Forest and a small hamlet not far away from it. With him was a small army of satyrs and fauns ready for war. "Soon, Arimaspi, my son, I will fully avenge you, Celestia will die, I shall recover the Bell and take what should have been ours all those years ago," Grogar said as he imagined a satyr twice his size with one large eye as opposed to the normal two.

The image was replaced as a small faun, Bray broke Grogar from his imagination "Umm, Sire, we are ready. We will be meeting up with Hydia and Catrina and their forces and the Order of Shadow shortly. But I must ask, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean Celestia could have had the bell melted down, stripped it of its magic and what is stopping the others from backstabbing us, Hydia is a succubus and Catrina is not noted for her loyalty. Also, what do we really know about these Nightborn or whomever else they may have recruited." Bray said timidly as he pointed out only a few of the flaws in Grogar's plan of revenge.

Grogar grabbed Bray and held him by the neck. "Do you think we cannot overpower those fools; Hydia and Catrina!" Grogar almost roared. "We have the Tantabus' word that the Order of Shadow will not betray us! Don't forget, that, unlike Arimaspi, I have necromantic and other powers even without the Bell!" Grogar shouted as he cast a spell on the ground near him. From it emerged long dead and buried skeletons of mountain goats and sheep. Bray did not respond to Grogar's demonstration of power. "I fear nothing, not even Death himself," Grogar said, be it was devoid of pride, hubris, anger, any emotion, it was if it just a statement of fact.

"Arimaspi said the same thing before... (gag)" Bray started to retort before Grogar started to choke the poor faun one-handed.

"I am not my son!" Grogar said as he threw Bray into the rest of his forces. "Prepare to board the Shadow's skyboat! Our next, stop Magiville, then Chantarlot, then we make the Harpies pay for Arimaspi's death and finally All of Mystica will be MINE!" Grogar ordered his troops. None challenged their leader's statement, none wanted to be made into a zombie. Besides Mystica had a large population of women...