Chapter 19: It Isn't The Mane Thing About You
It was a beautiful day in Ponyville as everypony in town was at the local market area buying food, flowers, and much valuable stuff to buy. At the flower stand, a line of ponies were waiting to buy some flowers.
"Hmph!" Filthy Rich said arrogantly. "Looks like I'm not the only one who left Mares Day to the last minute."
That caused Diamond Tiara to roll her eyes of her father's well being.
Bon Bon was next in line and was having trouble finding the right kind of flowers for herself.
"There's just so many! How can I choose?!" Bon Bon said nervously.
Soon an angry mob was formed as they stood beside Bon Bon asking the same question. This causes Rose, Daisy, and Lily Valley to cringe nervously.
"Now hang on, everypony!" Rose said with an assuring fake smile to hide her worry. "We'll help all of you!"
"How?!" Bon Bon shouted with fear.
"What I would do…" Rarity's voice came from behind the crowd, making them gasp as they turned to see her waving her mane a bit as she shimmered in the light before it died down. "... is pick flowers that accentuate my mane. It makes for a captivating color story when you present them to whomever they're intended."
Rarity stepped forward, lightly poking Bon Bon on the nose that made her smile, and used her magic to wrap some blue and purple flowers together, giving them to Bon Bon as she walked away.
"That's it!" Lily Valley said in agreement with Rarity as the three ponies began to sell color consultation flowers to the ponies.
Very soon, the last of the flowers were gone as Rarity was brushing her mane contently.
"Color consultations was a great idea, Rarity!" Rose said to Rarity with a smile. "Now, what can we do for you?"
"Oh, darling." Rarity said as she moved her head slightly allowing her mane to flow. "I need a dozen lavender pieces for Photo Finish's shoot on the most beautiful manes in Equestria."
Lily, Rose, and Daisy looked to see a batch of flowers in a rainbow consultation as they turned to Rarity with uneasy looks.
"I know you're swamped, but it's for Vanity Mare!" Rarity said, smiling excitedly. "She's going to take pictures of my mane, so color coordination is a must."
Lily Valley, Rose, and Daisy exchanged looks with each other before they smiled in agreement.
"Anything for you, Rarity." Rose said to Rarity, who smiled.
(Scene changes)
At the local Ponyvile fan store, Rarity was in front of some now turned on fans that were blowing her mane constantly back and forth in different directions.
"Have you a single big one? If the wind came from one direction, it would really intensify the effect." Rarity asked the owner.
The owner was an Earth Pony stallion that had a light olive green color, orange mane and tail, wore a vest and bow tie, and blue eyes. His name was Mr. Breezy.
"I don't." Mr. Breezy said sympathetically before he brightened up a bit. "Uh, but I could make you one! It's not like I've got anything else to do."
The door opened as a customer was about to walk in, only for his hat to blow away as he chased after it outside. Rarity thought of something after she saw it.
"Hmm." Rarity hummed a bit before she turned back to Mr. Breezy. "I do enjoy the windswept look, but other ponies might need to see it before they feel it."
That gave Mr. Breezy an idea as he smiled brightly. Rarity then used her magic to remove the fans so Mr. Breezy could put a smaller fan on the left side and Rarity put pony model on the right, allowing Mr. Breezy to turn on the fan as it blow the models mane a bit.
The shoppers saw this and went inside to see the fans themselves for interest. Mr. Breezy gave Rarity a hug to thank her. Rarity flinched before she retracted the lower part of her mane and hugged Mr. Breezy back.
(Scene changes)
At the couch store, Rarity was lying down gracefully on a purple sofa.
"My mane will be flowing over the chaise in the tableau I have in mind." Rarity said as the upper part of her mane curled backwards on the sofa. "But I was hoping to choose the color. Could you make one in a pale yellow? I need something across the color wheel from this."
Rarity giggled at her own pun.
It was then an elderly Earth Pony mare that had a bluish gray mane and tail, purple eyes, and a cutie mark of a tea set approached Rarity. Her name was Chelsea Porcelain.
"Oh, if these came in different colors, I'd buy one for every room." Chelsea said.
The Earth Pony stallion had a pale light grayish amber fur coat color, dark grayish gamboge mane and tail, green eyes, and his cutie mark was a sofa and a quil. His name was Davenport.
"Hmm… sales have been down." Davenport said thoughtfully before he smiled. "More colors it is!"
Chelsea brought out some bits from her bag to pay for it as Rarity winked at Davenport with a smile.
(Scene changes)
Rarity then made her way to Sugarcube corner, opening the door as the bell rang and entered inside while brushing her mane.
"Pinkie? I need to put Photo Finish in a good mood, and nothing creates a better mood than your confecti— Ooh." Rarity said, looking for Pinkie before she spotted Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake with cupcakes. "Am I interrupting?"
Then Pinkie came up to her with a smile.
"We were just celebrating the anniversary of the twins' first sneezes!" Pinkie said with a giggle.
[Pinkie - She grabs an accordion and starts playing it by using her mane and tail. She leans close to Pumpkin Cake as she touched her nose, making the baby smile with her tongue out. Pinkie leans close to Pound Cake and held him, making him smile. Then she grabs a can of sticky string.]
Just about one year ago
There was a tickle in your nose
You snorted through the nursery
[snorts]
Happy Sneeze-iversary!
"Achoo! Achoo! Aaaaa-choo!" Pinkie said as she used her mane to squirt the sticky string out of the can, which caused all of the string to fly everywhere in the store, including Rarity.
"Congratulations." Rarity said in a deadpan look.
The twins blow the candles from their cupcakes in response.
*Main theme*
Rarity lifted a mirror to show the sticky string was not only on her fur coat, but also on her mane. She glared and tried to use her brush to get the string off, only for it to get snagged on it.
Rarity shrieks in shock and horror before she glares at Pinkie.
"Pinkie! I can't have Photo Finish shoot my mane like this!" Rarity said in fear and panic. "And this party string won't come off!"
"Oh, that's because it's not just party string. It's super-sticky celebration string!" Pinkie explained with a smile.
This of course only made Rarity glare at the pink pony with a low growl, making Pinkie realize her mistake.
"Sorry." Pinkie said sheepishly as the Cake twins threw the cupcakes at each other before they got stuck together in the background. "I guess my sneeze-versary was a little too sneeze-abratory."
Pinkie gave a nervous giggle as Rarity sighed with a shudder of weary.
"It'll be fine, Pinkie." Rarity said with an assuring smile. "I'll find a way to clean this up before the shoot tomorrow." Rarity gave a loud whimper before she looked behind Pinkie. "Actually, you might consider doing the same."
Pinkie looked back to see the twins stuck together. She zipped right behind them and tried to separate them while straining and grunting a bit, but to no avail.
"If only we had some kind of super-sudsy mane conditioning shampoo for you and a magical cleaning remover potion for me." Pinkie said thoughtfully before she shrugged cluelessly.
That's when it hit Rarity.
"That's it!" Rarity said with a gasp as Pinkie brought out a crossbar to yank the cakes out, yet still no to avail. "We'll pay a visit to Zecora! She's a wonder with a cauldron. I'm sure she can mix up a fix for both of us."
Pinkie strained to get the twins separated, only for the babies to get yanked off the ground and onto the party pony's mane.
"That's good, because it would take forever to yank all of those baked goods out of the super-sticky celebration string." Pinkie said, gesturing to the baked goods that were covered in the string.
Rarity only cringed at the site.
"I... think you may still have some baking to do." Rarity remarked with an uneasy look.
(Scene changes)
Later in the Everfree Forest, Rarity and Pinkie were on their way to Zecora's home as the unicorn mare used her magic to remove some cobwebs from her as Pinkie casually bounced beside her.
"I do wish Zecora lived in town." Rarity said as she looked around the forest nervously. "One shouldn't have to brave the darkest part of the forest for shampoo."
"Do you think Photo Finish would want to take a picture of my mane?" Pinkie asked, showing her now messy mane covered in leaves and twigs as a bird flaps out of it while chirping.
"Well, uh... Hmm...I'm not sure that your style is quite right for this particular photo essay." Rarity said with a smile. "Photo Finish traveled everywhere in her search for the most beautiful of manes."
Rarity continued on ahead of Pinkie, who shook her head and mane to get rid of the stuff latched onto her as a twig bonked a creepy face, making it squeal in pain.
Pinkie caught up to Rarity just in time.
"Even Yakyakistan?" Pinkie asked with curiosity while smiling.
"Well, yaks don't have manes, per se, and I'm not sure their style is quite what she's looking for either." Rarity explained before she stepped into a puddle, making her look at her reflection to show her still messy mane. She gave a sad look. "Though at this moment, neither is mine."
"Don't worry! Zecora will abso-tively be able to help!" Pinkie said to Rarity assuringly as she bounced ahead.
"I'm sure you're right." Rarity said before she looked at the spooky faces in the shadows. She leans into their faces angrily. "Listen, spooky eyes! Why don't you take a picture?! It will last longer!"
The creatures flinched as they scurried away from Rarity, who now began regret her decision.
"On second thought, don't." Rarity said, almost teary-eyed. "Getting my picture taken in this state is what I'm trying to avoid!"
(Scene changes)
At Zecora's hut, Rarity and Pinkie watched her making the ingredients from a makeshift machine the zebra created from sticks and twigs.
"Are you sure that's safe?" Rarity asked with concern.
"I'm sure they seem strange, but my methods are mine." Zecora said assuringly to marshmallow pony. "After all, I've been doing this for quite a long time."
Soon two different kinds of light blue liquid were placed in two bottles as Zecora placed two corks on them. She brought them to Pinkie and Rarity on a table.
"I'll have those cupcakes cleaned off in no time!" Pinkie said confidently.
"You really should bake new ones." Rarity said firmly.
Pinkie thought about it for a moment.
"Nah!" Pinkie denied.
"For your mane , of course, just soap will do, so use my super-sudsy shampoo." Zecora said as she gestured to the bottle of blue liquid in front of Rarity.
Rarity chuckled with relief.
"Oh-ho, what a relief!" Rarity said with a smile. "I can't tell you how worried I was that my mane wouldn't be ready for the shoot."
She touched her mane with her right hoof as some sticky string got caught on it, making her separate it and chuckled inwardly.
"You were right to be concerned." Zecora said definitely. "Manes are tricky, I have learned."
"Oh!" Rarity scoffed indignantly. "Tell me about it!"
"Cleaning is simple, but a magical fix could cause any number of troublesome ticks." Zecora explained.
"Really?" Pinkie asked curiously.
"Oh, there are tales I could tell to make your hair stand on end." Zecora explained further in a mysterious tone. "Horrifying, terrifying attempts to mane-mend!"
Rarity started to feel uncomfortable at the moment.
"Well, I do enjoy a good yarn, but I'm not sure I could take anymore mane fright today." Rarity said with a nervous smile.
Pinkie on the other hoof…
"Well, I love a good scary story!" Pinkie said with a giggle as Rarity rolled her eyes, grabbed the shampoo with her magic, but was stopped by Zecora.
"There's the contagious frizz that spreads friend to friend, or the story of the infinitely splitting end!" Zecora concluded loudly, causing Rarity to scream loudly as she dropped her shampoo, which it clattered against the other bottle as they fall on the ground, but neither of them broke.
Rarity used her magic to pick both the bottles up.
"Uh-huh, hmm, yes, well, very entertaining." Rarity said with a nervous smile as she made her exit. "Uh, thanks for the shampoo. Ta-ta!"
Rarity immediately left the place as Pinkie approached Zecora with an intrigued smile.
"Anything about curls that keep on curling until your whole body is one big curl?" Pinkie asked as she curled herself around her neck, making Zecora chuckle in amusement.
"There is one story I nearly forgot: of an Earth pony who needed to clean up her shop." Zecora replied back.
Pinkie unraveled herself.
"Wow!" Pinkie said in amazement. "That's just what I have to do! Huh, weird."
Zecora gave an unamused look at Pinkie before she smiled.
"Perhaps it'd be better if I were more clear." Zecora began to explain, heading to the front door. "You can't clean up Sugarcube Corner from here."
"Geez, Zecora, I can take a hint." Pinkie said with a dismissive wave before grabbing the bottle by using her mane as she approached Zecora.
"With just a few drops, any mess you'll improve if you focus on that which you want to remove." Zecora said.
"It won't be hard to focus on the super-sticky celebration string. It's kinda the only thing you can see." Pinkie said as she left for home while Zecora just stared at her blankly.
(Scene changes)
At Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie had just arrived to tell the cake twins to scrub the sticky string off the baked goods.
"Zecora says it would only take a few drops, but I figured we should all chip in. Just in case!" Pinkie instructed the cake twins as the three ponies each had a white cloth to scrub the sticky string off the baked goods. "Remember to only focus on the party string. We don't wanna accidentally remove anything else."
Pinkie dropped a splash of the potion on the cloths as three began to scrub the string away as Pound and Pumpkin babbled happily as suds began to form around them oddly.
The suds began to form around Pinkie too as she giggled.
"Ooh! Sudsy!" Pinkie said giddily.
(Scene changes)
At Rarity's home, the marshmallow mare had just gotten into the shower to get rid of the sticky string off her mane while humming behind the screen.
"A relaxing shower really gives you the chance to focus on the fabulosity of your mane!" Rarity said with a laugh. She grabs her bottle with her magic, taking the cork off, and gives a sniff at it. "Not the most pleasant scent, but it gets the job done."
She dumps the liquid on her mane as bubbles begin to form on it. Soon she got out of the shower, put her bathrobe on and wrapped a towel around her head.
"My mane feels lighter alrea-" Rarity said as she removed her towel, tossed it in the bathtub, rubbed the mirror to see her reflection, only to widen her eyes at the sight of her mane and tail completely gone with only a few pairs of her mane standing up right as well as on her tail.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Rarity screamed as the screen vibrated a bit.
(Scene changes)
Back at Zecora's hut, the zebra was busy making some soup in her cauldron as she took a sip until she heard the door open loudly. It caused her to spit out the contents.
It was Rarity, who was now wearing a black cloak and hood to hide her mane and tail with a terrified look.
"It's important that you know that I am not pointing hooves, but-" Rarity began to explain worriedly, but Zecora looked at her curiously.
"I don't understand." Zecora said as she turned to Rarity. "Is that you, Rarity? Why would you think to point your hooves at me?"
"Let's just say I understand why your shampoo hasn't made a splash in the marketplace." Rarity answered sheepishly, removing her hood to show her now torn mane and bald spot.
Needless to say, Zecora was shocked by this as she cringed at the sight.
"Goodness, Zecora! You could at least pretend it isn't that bad!" Rarity pleaded sadly.
"I'm sorry, my dear, but there is nothing to say." Zecora apologized as she stood back up on her hooves. "You just took the wrong potion from here yesterday."
"Oh, thank goodness! I thought maybe your shampoo had triggered early-onset mare pattern baldness!" Rarity said with a hopeful yet nervous smile.
Zecora smiled back in response.
"No, this lack of hair was put into motion when you mistakenly washed with remover potion." Zecora said assuringly.
This caused Rarity to laugh in relief.
"Oh, what a relief! Well, if you could just whip up a cure, I'll be on my way. So much to do before the shoot tomorrow." Rarity said as she sat on a big cushion pillow and read a scroll.
"As I mentioned before, there's no easy fix. Mane-mending magic's the trickiest of tricks." Zecora said, grimly as Rarity read the scroll while mumbling.
"Sorry?" Rarity asked as Zecora approached her and pulled the marshmallow pony down from the tip of her horn.
"I doubt that your mane has left us forever." Zecora explained. "There is a chance we can fix it, I think, if we're clever."
Zecora walked away as Rarity was shocked and speechless by this.
"W-w-w-w-w-w-wait, there's, there's a chance?! You think?!" Rarity asked hopefully.
"I need to focus if I'm to work any faster. One wrong ingredient spells utter disaster." Zecora said as she stood near her cauldron. "You should go finish your list of to-dos. Keep your mind off of all of these mane-losing blues."
Rarity looked worried about this.
Oh maybe Chase was right about me seeing fashion all of the time. Rarity said in her thoughts. Now I am in big trouble!
Rarity cringed nervously.
(Scene changes)
At the local market at the flower stand, Lily Valley, Rose, and Daisy continued to sell flowers.
Rarity peaked from behind a stand of apples before looking away, taking a deep breath.
"There's nothing to worry about. Zecora will have a cure before I've even finished my to-dos." Rarity said as she brought out her to-do list, but then she cringed. "But I don't know if I can even show my face looking like this!"
That's when she heard a pony gasp behind her as she turned to see Carmel pointing a hoof at the marshmallow pony at the sight of her bald spot. It also made a filly named Mint Flower cry at the sight.
Rarity hid her mane with her hood before moving to the flower stand where Rose had just finished selling a bouquet to a customer. Rose turned to see Rarity, who still hid her mane. Rose looked curiously at Rarity, who tried to turn away from her as she tried to look at her
"I'm sorry, miss, but I can't match your mane if I can't see it." Rose said as Golden Harvest approached, making Rarity step back.
"What about mine?" Golden Harvest asked, posing a bit with a proud smile.
"Marigold, I should think!" Rose said as she reached back to find some flowers.
"Uh, sorry. I, uh, believe it was my turn, and I-I-I-I just need to pick up some-" Rarity said as she was behind Golden Harvest, but was soon cut off when Rose gave her a bouquet of marigold flowers.
"Perfect!" Golden Harvest said, taking the flowers and walking away.
Rarity was about to walk up, only for her to move back when a light green fur coat Pegasus named Merry May landed in front of her.
"Now me!" Merry said with a smile.
Rarity was devastated to see Golden Harvest get some flowers that she accidentally slightly bumped into Merry May, but luckily the Pegasus didn't notice. Rarity began to form tears in her eyes before walking away.
(Scene changes)
She then arrived at the fan store and looked to see three customers admiring pony model and fan that she and Mr. Breezy set up together.
"It's wonderful how this display shows that your fans provide just the right amount of air!" A local customer said in amazement.
"Well, I owe it all to Rarity." Mr. Breezy explained with a smile.
"Oh, so kind of you to say. I-I-" Rarity was cut off after she moved in to take the credit, but only to get cut off.
"Kindness has nothing to do with it! Rarity always knows how to make something look its best. Probably because she looks so good herself!" Mr. Breezy said as she turned to Rarity and lightly tapped her bit with a smile. "That ain't something us non-fabulous folk here can understand."
"N-Non-fabulous?!" Rarity sputtered in shock as the customers muttered to each other in agreement.
Rarity, however, was feeling more dejected that she left the store without being seen.
(Scene changes)
Rarity was soon walking in town while hiding her mane from the other ponies, which was good enough to let anypony see it. Then she heard muttering going on and turned to a crowd that was infront of Davenport.
"Now I appreciate everypony's interest in our new sofa colors, but the yellow one is spoken for." Davenport said, gesturing to the side of the store that showed a new yellow sofa inside the building.
"Oh, thank you, Davenport." Rarity said gratefully, peaking her head out from the crowd. "Um, perhaps I can pick it up once everypony leave-"
"I'll give you twice whatever the pony who wants to buy the yellow one is paying!" Berryshine suddenly said, cutting Rarity off.
"Three times!" A mare named Sprinkle Medley.
"But-But-I-I-" Rarity stuttered, only to get cut off again.
"Sold!" Davenport said, guiding the ponies, minus Rarity, inside the building for the sofa.
Rarity then tried to leave, but a pony stepped on her cloak, making her hood fall down a bit to expose her bold spot. Three ponies turned to see it as they gasped in shock.
Rarity then screamed, putting her hood on and ran away without being seen.
(Scene changes)
With nowhere else to go, Rarity went to the Castle of Friendship. She was currently in the library as she explained everything to Chase, Twilight, and Starlight about the news of what happened to her mane.
"I can't believe how differently ponies treat you when you can't command their attention." Rarity said sorrowly.
"Come on, Rarity. It can't be that bad. This isn't like you." Chase said gently.
"Are you sure that's what happened?" Twilight asked with concern.
"Wait." Starlight said as she became curious. "You can't command ponies' attention because your mane's messed up?"
"Starlight, no!" Chase said with a whisper as he and Twilight made gestures to not do any damage control by doing zip it gestures.
Rarity looked outraged by this.
" 'Messed up' ? Does this look "messed up" to you?!" Rarity shouted in rage as she was on the verge of a breakdown as she turned a lamp on to show her mane as Twilight and Starlight gasped at the sight while Chase raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Honestly!" Rarity said, dropping her anger to sadness. "How hard is it to pretend it's not so bad?"
"Hard." Starlight said, admittedly.
"Way to step up to her, Starlight." Chase said bluntly, making the lilac unicorn glare at him before they returned their attention back to Rarity.
"If today is any indication of how ponies will treat me from now on, I can't simply wait to see if my mane grows back!" Rarity exclaimed with worry as she buried her face into the chair.
Chase, Twilight, and Starlight exchanged looks with each other before looking at Rarity sympathetically as the purple alicorn approached the dejected marshmallow mare.
"I'm sorry, Rarity. I'm sure nopony means to make you feel worse than you already do." Twilight said assuringly.
"Yeah, it won't be that bad once your mane grows back in a month." Chase added as he stood next to his wife to give Rarity a gentle smile.
"Didn't you say Zecora was working on a cure?" Starlight asked, standing next to the royal couple.
This caused Rarity to look back at three ponies.
"Yes, well, even if everypony isn't utterly indifferent to my presence, Zecora might not be able to fix this in time for the shoot." Rarity explained, shooting up as the three stood back. Then the marshmallow pony clings onto Twilight's forelegs while lying on her stomach. "Can't you do a spell to restore some semblance of my mane?!"
Rarity didn't resist giving them a pouty look on her face. Chase, Twilight, and Starlight were taken aback by this before they exchanged looks with each other.
Finally, Chase made his decision with a firm look.
"No." Chase said sternly, shocking Rarity.
"What?! But why?!" Rarity asked desperately.
"We can't just use magic on you. You should know right now it'll only make things worse. Rarity, I told you that seeing fashion all of the time would lead you into trouble. And this is one of those times." Chase said sternly.
"But I need your help." Rarity argued worriedly.
"Actually, Chase is right about this." Starlight said honestly. "The thing is, it's pretty much like Zecora said. Fixing manes with magic is-"
"TRICKY" Rarity shouted like a mad pony, making Chase, Starlight, and Twilight lean on opposite ends. Starlight on the right, Twilight and Chase on the left. "I know! I don't care! Make with the tricks!"
Rarity then began to lose her mind as her right eyelid twitched.
"Huh?" Starlight asked the royal couple uneasily.
Chase sighed loudly.
"Alright. But promise us you won't lose it again." Chase said, firmly.
"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" Rarity chanted the pinkie promise.
Twilight sighed before she and Chase fired a magic zap at Rarity in hope to fix her mane. When the light dimmed down, Rarity now wore one of the crystal ponies manes before it shattered completely to return back to her bald spot and pointing mane strips.
"Okay, let's give it another shot." Chase said, suggesting as Rarity turned her attention to Starlight, who thought of it before she fired her magic at the marshmallow pony.
The light died down to reveal her new mane, which was actually made of wood. A woodpecker flew on it and began pecking it, making Rarity cringe.
"This won't do! I need an actual mane!" Rarity said as Twilight and Chase inspected a piece of the door that had its missing part gone which was Rarity's made up mane.
"But it has to come from somewhere." Starlight said as she and the royal couple approached Rarity.
"Oh, you can't just make a mane with magic. The results could be disastrous." Twilight added with concern.
"MORE DISASTROUS THAN THIS?!" Rarity screamed in agitation while getting into Twilight and Chase's faces before banging her head on table to get rid of the wooden mane off her head as it showed her bald spot again.
(Scene changes)
Twilight, Chase, and Starlight tried again to fire three more magic blasts at Rarity in hopes to fix her mane again, only to make things worse as all different kinds of manes sprouted out of the castle.
(Scene changes)
Later, Spike was cleaning up the place by using scissors to clip the hair down a bit before dumping them in a wheelbarrow.
Chase was laying his back against a chair with Twilight resting on his lap from exhaustion and Starlight sat on the sofa with the same look as the alicorn couple sighed.
"I don't think there's anything else we can try." Twilight said regretfully.
"Yeah, you're just gonna have to face the facts, Rarity." Chase added with a firm look. "This causes nothing but trouble."
"B-But Zecora said there was still a chance!" Rarity said with a nervous stutter.
"Forget about it, Rarity!" Chase said sternly as the door opens to reveal Zecora coming in.
"At last, Rarity, I have searched for so long! What I told you before was totally wrong!" Zecora said with news as she smiled while walking up to the four.
This immediately got the four ponies attention, more specifically Rarity's.
"Zecora, you found a cure? That's amazing!" Twilight said happily as she and Chase hovered out of the chair as they landed beside Rarity.
Though Chase was among those that didn't like where this was going.
"You mean I'll get my fabulous mane back in time for the shoot?" Rarity asked with a relieved sigh as she hugged the zebra.
"Oh, no. I'm afraid I can't fix it before the big shoot. But in time, the hair will grow back from the root." Zecora answered, pushing Rarity back a bit, rubbing the bald spot on the unicorn mare's head as Rarity pulled her hood back on to hide it. "There's no magical cure to hasten us through it, unless you went backward in time to undo it."
This immediately made Rarity smile excitedly as she removed her hood again before turning to Chase, Twilight, and Starlight.
"Uh-uh. I think we can all say that's not a good option." Starlight said with a smirk as Chase and Twilight shook their heads as they smirked with each other as well.
This caused Rarity to groan and bawl like a baby while hiding under her cloak and hood. The four ponies looked at her sympathetically.
"This is gonna be tougher than we thought, girls." Chase said with a sigh.
"Uh-huh." Twilight and Starlight said in agreement while Zecora nodded as well.
(Scene changes)
Rarity then decided to head back to her boutique to try to overcome her sorrow moment for Photo Finish to take her pictures without her head bald, which was poor. She even asked Applejack, Clay, Rainbow, Sokka, and Fluttershy to come over to suggest what they think.
"I have always believed that the right outfit can make up for any other areas that are lacking. But I will need your honest opinions." Rarity said as she was behind a changing screen. The five ponies shared uneasy looks with each other before they saw Rarity stepping out to reveal herself wearing a dress consisting of light blue, green, and pink while hiding her bald spot with her mane in a bad way. "Ta-da! How awful is it?"
"Uhhh..." Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Sokka, Clay, and Fluttershy said simultaneously as Opal yowls in shock before dashing away.
"Oh, come on!" Rarity said in frustration while pacing around. "Can't anypony pretend it's not bad?!"
"We could, um, try." Fluttershy said meekly.
"And pretend we never saw it again." Sokka added as the pegasus couple shared an uneasy chuckle with each other.
"Maybe…?" Rainbow said as she removed her wing from her face to show she was hiding it from Rarity's bald spot.
"Well, if any of you have an idea how to make this disaster look good enough for Photo Finish's piece in Vanity Mare on the most beautiful manes in Equestria, I'm open to hearing it!" Rarity said, covering herself with the dress as she sobbed loudly and it sounded like it was muffled.
Hearing this gained her five friends surprised looks before they smiled at her.
"Is that all?" Applejack asked with a smirk.
"No problem!" Rainbow added.
"I think we can do just that." Clay added as Sokka and Fluttershy nodded in agreement.
"Hmm?" Rarity asked as she looked at them with a hopeful smile.
(Scene changes)
The first try was at Sweet Apple Acres as Applejack and Clay guided Rarity, who still wore her black cloak and hood, into a cow pen where Granny Smith was milking a cow named Bessie as she wore a yellow mane on her head to cover her white mane as well as a pink and blue farm outfit.
"I don't understand, Applejack." Rarity said with a confused yet concerned look on her face. "How is milking a cow going to help?"
"That's just it. It looks like we hired a new milkmaid..." Applejack explained with as smirk as Granny smith turned around to face the three ponies.
"This is pretty close to my color as a young'un!" Granny Smith said with a smile as she took the mane off her head to show her white hair.
"Just a little down-home ingenuity." Applejack explained as Rarity approached the three nervously.
"And it's quite a good match for you too." Clay added as Rarity removed her hood so Applejack took the fake mane from Granny Smith and placed it on Rarity.
As much as she finds the mane perfect, it still didn't seem right for the marshmallow pony.
"It's a good idea, Applejack and Clay, but Photo Finish is looking for the most beautiful manes, not bonnets." Rarity said, removing the fake mane off her head and giving it to the Earth Pony couple as Applejack held it.
Then a woodpecker flew in and grabbed some string from the fake mane and flew off, leaving part of it fallen off. Applejack and Clay each gave a nervous chuckle to Rarity.
"Well, it was worth a shot." Clay said sheepishly and embarrassingly.
(Scene changes)
Next was Rainbow Dash as the rainbow maned pegasus flies in to grab one of the smaller clouds and flew down to hover in front of Rarity while holding the cloud as a replacement mane for the marshmallow pony's bald spot.
"This'll do the trick. Just you wait!" Rainbow said, putting the cloud on Rarity's head, spun around it to show that Rarity had a mane made of clouds.
Rarity used her magic to lift up the mirror to show her reflection as she gasped in surprise and amazement.
"You know, this is really quite fetching!" Rarity said happily.
"Yes! Nailed it!" Rainbow cheered proudly before Rarity walked away, only for her to stop and realize that the cloudy mane stayed where she stood and poofed away.
"Just not portable…" Rarity added in dismay as Rainbow face hoofed herself and groaned in annoyance.
(Scene changes)
Finally, the last try was at Fluttershy and Sokka's cottage.
The Pegasi couple and their animal friends tried to help out Rarity to overcome her paranoia as Harry tries to make a makeshift mane out of leaves parts from bushes with a squirrel and a mouse helping out by giving him twigs to support the mane.
Fluttershy and Sokka observed it with Harry joining them to inspect it as well.
"There!" Fluttershy said happily.
"Perfect!" Sokka added as Harry grinned with a growl before placing the last twig on the makeshift mane.
Sadly, it still didn't do any good as one of the leaves fell down.
"Oh, let's face it." Rarity said, finally giving up. "I'll just have to call Photo Finish and cancel."
She then walked away as Fluttershy, Sokka, and the animals watched with concern.
"We did the best we could. Right, honey?" Sokka asked Fluttershy as she turned to her husband.
"Oh, I know we did, but I think Rarity just lost all of her confidence. I guess Chase was right when there would be trouble if Rarity saw fashion all of the time." Fluttershy replied back sadly as Sokka held his wife close to him for comfort.
(Scene changes)
The next day, the members of the mane fourteen were heading their way to Rarity's boutique in hope to support the marshmallow pony.
"I think we all know how bad Rarity's been feeling, but I never thought she'd cancel her shoot with Photo Finish." Twilight said to the group with a worried and sad look on her face.
"It must be hard for her to know what it feels like." Chase added. "I can't imagine how much she put in her effort to gain her confidence back."
"You guys saw her mane, right?" Rainbow asked, hovering next to the alicorn couple as they glared at her.
"Come on, Rainbow! Don't point out the obvious." Sokka said sternly. "I'm sure Rarity will feel much better after we give her much needed support."
"I hope you're right, Sokka." Starlight said with concern. "Because I think Rarity might dismiss it."
"But it's Rarity." Applejack argued as she stamped her hoof down confidently. "If anypony can turn lemons into lemonade, it's her."
"I agree." Clay said in agreement with his wife. "We can't just let Rarity sit out on changing her ways just because she lost her mane."
"I guess it's harder for her when she feels like the lemon." Fluttershy remarked with a worried look for her distressed friend.
"Well, she's not a lemon, she's our friend." Twilight said, facing the others with Chase following his wife. "And right now, she needs our support."
"And all we need to do is make her understand the situation she's in." Chase added with a smile as the others nodded in agreement.
Twilight then knocked on the door, only to be met with silence for a few seconds.
"Come in." Rarity's voice came from inside the boutique.
Twilight opens the door to see the entire place dark as the others peered in to get a look inside as well.
"Would you mind closing the door?" Rarity asked in a soft yet dismayed tone as she was wearing her bathrobe, lying on her sofa, and ice cream packages all over the place. "I'm more comfortable in the dark."
The others didn't take no for an answer as they turned on the lights, making Rarity turn away from them as they approached her.
"Okay, Rarity, you've done just about enough sulkin'! Havin' a fabulous mane is a wonderful thing, but it ain't the only thing!" Applejack said firmly.
"Yeah, just because you lost it doesn't mean you lost all of your confidence." Clay added with a gentle but firm look.
"Yeah! And we're here to remind you how awesome you are, mane or no mane!" Rainbow said, smiling.
Rarity only sighed as Opal moved away off screen.
"It's lovely of you to say, but it's hard to argue with cold, hard facts." Rarity said, face planting in her pillow.
"Like what?" Sokka asked with concern.
"TO THE FACT THAT CHASE WAS RIGHT ABOUT ME GETTING INTO TROUBLE!" Rarity shouted angrily as she looked at Chase with a furious look on her face before she began to shed tears with a sad expression. "YOU TOLD ME THAT SEEING FASHION WOULD LEAD ME INTO TROUBLE, CHASE YOUNG! NOW TELL ME THAT YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUT IT! I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WARNED ME FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT I'VE ALWAYS IGNORED YOU! TELL THAT TO MY FACE NOW! JUST DO IT!"
Rarity sobbed a bit as Chase looked at her with a calm yet concerned look as the others turned to him worriedly as if Rarity had just hurt his feelings. Surprisingly, she didn't as he then glared at the marshmallow fur pony and walked up to her to sit next to her.
"I've always warned you that fashion would lead you into trouble." Chase said to show his disappointment to Rarity. "True, I am disappointed in you, Rarity. But I am proud that you had the courage to admit you used remover potion on your head that lost your mane. It's right that you should feel pain for your mistakes. But it's one thing to regret bad decisions after they are made."
Chase gave her a smile as the others smiled at Chase for giving Rarity some words of wisdom. Out of all of them, Twilight smiled at her husband proudly as she placed a hoof to her heart.
"Thank you, Chase. But that's not just that." Rarity said and began to explain sadly. "That without my mane, I simply can't shine as I once did, and ponies treat me like the sad, invisible pony I've become."
Rarity then used her magic to grab some ice cream, scoped some, and ate it. Chase, Twilight, and Starlight glared at her sternly.
"Rarity, you're not invisible." Twilight said sternly before she smiled with Starlight and Chase. "You're our friend. A friend that started a fashion empire."
"A friend who made us girls feel beautiful in her lovely creations so we could go out with our special some ponies." Fluttershy added with a smile as Sokka nodded in agreement with a smile on his face as well.
"A friend who stuck by us, no matter what!" Rainbow added with a smirk.
"A friend so generous that she once chopped off her own tail to help a sea serpent." Applejack added with a smile of her own.
"See? There's no way you would ever go back down to square one." Chase said with a smile. "You could never tear yourself down because of one mishap. My grandfather told me something that brightened my day each day when I was still a kid. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift."
Twilight took a seat next to her husband and took the spoon out from Rarity's mouth so she could face the alicorn couple to listen more.
"We know you lost some confidence when you lost your mane, but unlike your hair, confidence is something you can get back right now." Twilight said with a genuine smile on her face and hugged Rarity.
Rarity began to realize they were right.
"Goodness... You're right! The only pony behaving differently today was me! Besides, what doesn't shine from the outside in..." Rarity said with a smile, gaining her confidence back as she jumped behind the changing screen to get to work on fixing her mane as well as making new clothes.
"Um, Rarity, what are you doing?" Starlight asked curiously.
To answer her question, Rarity came out with a new look. She had her hair in the shape of a punk inspired look with it dyed in dark purple, light yellow, and bluish green. She also wore a dark purple vest.
"I'm preparing to shine from the inside out!" Rarity answered, posing a confident pose.
The rest of the group oohed and awed in amazement at the sight of Rarity's new look.
"Awesome!" Rainbow said excitedly as Rarity made her exit to town.
"Looks like Rarity's finally gained her confidence back, honey." Chase said to Twilight as his wife turned to her husband.
"She sure has." Twilight replied with a giggle.
(Scene changes)
At the market area, Filthy Rich was seen carrying a dozen flowers in his forehooves while wobbling a bit before he set them down next to Rose, Vily, and Daisy at the flower stand.
"It's my own fault. I shouldn't have bought flowers without asking Spoiled what she likes." Filthy Rich said ashamedly.
"Well, we don't have much left. What does she like?" Rose said as she and her two friends gestured to the now empty flower stand with only two flower bouquets.
"Um, uh... purple?" Filthy Rich asked shakily.
"I have a solution!" Rarity said, making her entrance as the four ponies turned to her.
Needless to say, Rose, Daisy, and Vily had no words to say as they were beyond amazed by Rarity's appearance.
"Rarity, that mane is..." Rose began to express her excitement and amazement.
"Amazing!" Daisy and Vily Valley said in unison of amazement.
"Thank you." Rarity thanked the three flower selling ponies as she approached the four. "Although I'm afraid I missed my chance at Vanity Mare, which means I have quite a few lavender arrangements to spare."
Filthy Rich cleared his throat as he looked at Rarity.
"Uh, is lavender purple?" Filthy Rich asked with a hopeful smile.
Rose, Vily Valley, and Daisy then brought out a ton of lavender flowers. Filthy Rich smiled as Rarity did as well.
(Scene changes)
At the fan store, Rarity was seen in front of a big fan Mr. Breezy set up for her as it blew in her face to move her mane slightly.
"Mm... The windswept look is very last-season." Rarity said while smiling.
Mr. Breezy turned off the fan.
"Perhaps you could set this up outside. It's sure to draw in the hoof traffic." Rarity suggested.
They set the big fan outside as Mr. Breezy turned it on as it accidentally blew away his clothes onto a nearby customer.
"Ahhh!" The stallion said, liking his new look as the customers cheered for Rarity's idea as she walked away.
(Scene changes)
At the quil's and furniture store, Rarity gave Davenport some bits to buy a new sofa as he covered it up with a gray tarp. The rest of the mane fourteen were with her as they each sat on their own sofa. Twilight and Chase shared one as they cuddled up together. The same goes for Fluttershy and Sokka as well as Clay and Applejack.
"Photoshoot or no, you can always use a chaise!" Rarity said to her friends with a smile.
"Well, Rarity, if you wanted to shine from the inside out, I think this afternoon, you became the brightest filly in Equestria!" Applejack said with a proud smile.
"Couldn't agree better myself." Clay added with a chuckle.
"Oh, pshaw, Applejack and Clay." Rarity said modestly as Davenport moved the covered couch in the background. "I'm simply making up for all the time I wasted feeling sorry for myself."
"I don't know why you were so upset." Rainbow said as she hovered next to Rarity while smiling. "Your mane looks awesome!"
"And great as well." Chase added with a smile as Twilight nodded in agreement.
"I'm just glad I have all of you to remind me that even if I accidentally use magical remover potion on my mane, I can look good on the outside as long as I feel good on the inside." Rarity said as Twilight and Chase got off the couch before they approached Rarity curiously.
"How'd you end up using remover potion on your head, anyway?" Twilight asked, pointing at Rarity's head with a curious smile.
"That's what I want to know about how you ended up like that." Chase added curiously.
Rarity was about to answer, only to gasp in shock and realization of what could've caused this.
"Pinkie!" Rarity said in surprise.
(Scene changes)
The group wasted no time rushing to Sugarcube Corner with Rarity taking the lead.
"If I had the remover potion this whole time, that means Pinkie must have the-" Rarity said as she opened the door, only for bubbles to sprout outside as Pinkie came out with her now longer, bouncier, and softer hair.
"Wheeeeeeee!" Pinkie shouted with a giggle as Twilight used her spell to cast a magic bubble to shield herself and the others from getting the bubbles on them.
"Shampoo." Rarity finished, stunned at the sight of bubbles everywhere.
"Shampoo?" Pinkie asked in surprise as she popped out of the bubbles with the Cake Twins as they had their manes in the same state as Pinkie's mane. "Wow! That explains why our manes are all so bouncy and soft!"
Rarity smiled in amusement at the sight before she looked inside to see the place was a mess as some of the super sticky celebration string were still intact.
"Uh, perhaps I'll fetch the rest of that remover potion." Rarity proposed.
"Great!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly, bouncing inside as she joined Rarity and got a good look at her punk style. "Hey, is there something different about you? New hoof polish?"
Rarity gave an indignant glare as the others had amusing smiles on their faces.
"We've got some news to tell you, Pinkie." Chase said with a smile before he glared at the pink pony. "But did you waste all of the shampoo you had?"
Pinkie cringed before she nervously smiled, knowing that she was in trouble this time.
(Scene changes)
About a few months later, the group were walking in town as Rarity's mane returned to its curly style. As much as she was relieved to see it back to normal, Rarity was still worried.
"So you're sure? You're sure it's fully recovered?" Rarity asked while checking herself.
Clay and Applejack looked annoyed.
"Yes, Rarity. It's been months. Your mane looks fine." Applejack replied back.
"There's no need to be dramatic again." Clay added bluntly.
That's when Pinkie saw something at the local book display.
"Oooh, look! It's the "Most Beautiful Manes in Equestria" issue of Vanity Mare!" Pinkie said, paying for a book and showed it to Rarity as the others turned around to face the scene. "You should read it."
"Oh, honestly, Pinkie?" Rarity asked, not wanting to feel like an embarrassment anymore. "After all I went through, I'm not sure it even matters what mane graces the page-"
"Read it!" Pinkie snapped, shoving the book into Rarity's face.
The marshmallow fur pony took the book off her face with her magic as she glared at Pinkie indignantly. She looked at the front cover of the book, only to widen her eyes at the sight of her being on the front in her punk style.
"But I... I canceled the shoot." Rarity said in shock.
"We had a little talk with Photo Finish." Applejack said as she and Clay stood beside Rarity with smiles on their faces.
"We told her about what you have been through and expressed how sorry she was for you to go through what happened a few months ago." Clay said.
"And explained just how beautiful we thought you were." Fluttershy added with a smile of her own.
"Inside and out." Sokka added as well with a chuckle.
Rarity skimmed through some pages before she saw herself in her punk form. One page had her on the left smiling as the other showed her giving a bouquet of lavender flowers to Filthy Rich as the top showed her cutie mark. The other two pages showed her talking with Mr. Breezy about the fans. The third one showed her laying on sofa talking with Davenport as a few pictures showed her mane on the left page and the other her shirt on the top corner of the right. The final one showed her cleaning up Sugarcube Corner with Pinkie and the Cake Twins helping her out as well as a small photo of Photo Finish hiding in a bush while using a camera to show she was the one responsible for the photos.
"While you were shining from the inside out, Photo Finish took a few pictures." Rainbow said with a smile.
"And all of it helped to keep you distracted long enough so you wouldn't know." Chase added.
"I don't know what to say!" Rarity said, hugging the book happily as the others smiled with her.
"Luckily, you don't have to say anything." Applejack said proudly, showing her that the entire population of ponies had their manes in punk styles of different colors.
"And to tell you the truth, it ain't half bad." Clay added with a chuckle as they group hugged together with a few laughs.
Rarity then had something to say to Chase.
"And, Chase?" Rarity asked, gaining the alicorn master's attention.
"Yeah?" Chase replied back.
"Thank you for not giving up on me when I needed a few words of wisdom." Rarity said with a genuine smile. "I now understand why seeing fashion could get me into a lot of trouble. I promise to try harder not to make that mistake again."
Chase smiled as he chuckled.
"Anytime, Rarity. Anytime." Chase replied back as the nine ponies continued to group hug each other.