Chapter 108: Fashion Service
"Thank you, have a nice day!"
The usual response left Storm's mouth without issue, with the customary smile and wave in seamless conjunction.
The man he'd finished serving left without issue, allowing the person directly behind him to march up to the counter, and the cycle repeated again.
It wasn't all bad, he supposed. Pinkie entertained him whenever she popped out to deliver something to one of the tables, often doing some little dance or even outright jumping up onto the tables to present the customer their treat.
Given what Twilight had informed him, a holiday called Hearth's Warming Eve was fast approaching, which meant a busy time for many shops and that the weather would turn a bit cold and snow would eventually fall.
The line dwindled quickly since most of the orders were small and easily made, thankfully, until only one customer remained. And it so happened to be a certain, pretty, intelligent princess.
"Hey, Storm!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Sup, Sparky," replied the boy as he addressed his partner.
"Could I get six blueberry scones?" she asked, smiling, "I have some royal business today, and I'll need the energy!"
"Really now?" he asked, passing the order off to Pinkie, "And what is it that you have to do?" Twilight smiled.
"Just a few books to read on ambient magical theory," she said, "I haven't studied it in a while. I can't wait to start taking notes!" she gushed happily. Storm chuckled.
"Of course, you can't, Sparky," he remarked, hearing the bell ring behind him.
He still didn't know how Pinkie made everything so quickly, but he wasn't about to question it. So even as he reached behind him to grab the bag of six fresh-out-of-the-oven-scones, he ignored that they shouldn't have been ready yet, and passed the bag off.
"Thanks!" Sparky chirped, levitating a stack of money onto the counter, and turned to leave before looking back at the boy. "Um, you're not... doing anything... later, are you?"
"Why?" asked Storm as Twilight was fidgeting and twirling a strand of her hair while trying to hide the red on her cheeks.
"He's my friend. But... he means a lot more to me than that..."
"Is that so? Then why not take it further?"
"Further?"
"You like him, don't you? Do you want to be his friend..." Rarity asked, "or something more than friends?"
The princess recalled her conversation with Rarity on the train to Appleloosa. The fashionista insisted that she take the chance to "date" Storm to get to know him. But... she was a princess... she couldn't do that... with him... could she?
"Sparky, do you need me for something? Yes or no!" stated Storm sternly as he'd been trying to get the girl to answer him for the past two minutes.
"Huh?" said Twilight as she finally snapped out of her daydream. "No, sorry. Have a nice day!"
The girl turned as she began to leave, hoping to avoid being more embarrassed in front of the boy she had a crush on. Storm nodded after her, allowing his eyes to linger perhaps a little too long on her retreating form. Her choice of attire was odd. But Storm ignored it, more focused on... other things. Certain assets of the princess.
He was snapped out of his trance once the door shut behind her, leaving him staring out into space for a moment before his gaze slid over to the window just as she passed by it.
Aside from the influx of customers and the cold weather, the day was nice and simple. The past few days followed that pattern, and Storm was quite thankful for the extended rest period, especially considering how stressful the days before had been.
A sudden rush of motion from outside, which obscured the windows for a moment, causing the various customers littering the storefront to crane their necks to see what was going on, signaled the end of his peace.
Fantastic.
"Woah, what's going on?" Pinkie asked, sticking her head from the kitchen window before gasping, "Is someone throwing a party without me?!" Storm sighed and sent a glance her way.
"I doubt anyone in this town would throw a party without you, Pinkie," he said and turned back, "But there's definitely something happening today, and knowing this town, it probably has something to do with you girls."
It wasn't a farfetched guess. Not at all, in fact.
In fact... he might have a guess as to who this involved.
"Rarity mentioned that she would be getting visited by a famous photographer this week," he mentioned idly, "I'm guessing this is her."
A moment passed, before a magenta girl, wearing a pair of flight goggles, suddenly burst into the room.
"Hot air balloon on the loose! Someone help me out here!" she screeched before bolting back outside. Most of their customers glanced at each other before they scrambled outside, a few of the kids whining about their abandoned treats in the process.
"... Or not," he amended, watching the thinning stream of people slide out the door.
Amongst the river of the bodies flowing out, he could clearly see the struggling form of one of them coming in, yelling out amidst the crowd.
"Ooh! Watch the skin! No! Don't pull my hair! Move, please!"
Eventually, the flow subsided enough that the person in question, who turned out to be none other than Rarity, managed to pop through a gap, nearly sliding onto the floor at the sudden lack of resistance.
Rarity straightened herself with a huff, adjusting her white fur cap and brushing some accumulated dirt off her off-white fur jacket.
"Goodness, what's all the fuss about?" she asked, turning curiously over to Storm and Pinkie, the latter of whom spoke up.
"Oh! Berry Punch's hot air balloon got loose again!" she answered cheerfully, only for Rarity to sigh and shake her head.
"That girl..." she muttered, "I swear she needs to keep a closer eye on that thing."
"The balloon belongs to Berry Punch?" Storm couldn't help but ask.
Rarity shook her head, "Oh no, she's just the one who maintains the thing," she explained, sighing, "She runs a wine press but closes it down for the Winter since the berries were harvested recently," she added, then continued, slightly more aggravated, "But my point does stand!"
"Right," Storm muttered, before shrugging, "What can I get for ya?" he asked instead.
"Oh!" she gasped as if she'd only just remembered why she was there.
"Well, I'd like your help, if I'm honest," she said. Storm nodded.
"Okay... with what?"
"I'm sure you recall our conversation not too long ago?" she led and continued when he nodded, "Well, I spoke to Fluttershy earlier, and she agreed to be my female model to showcase my dresses, but I fear I'm still in need of a male model..." she trailed off, staring at him imploringly.
Storm sighed.
"And why not choose someone else?" he asked, "Like... Macintosh?" Rarity nodded at his suggestion but shook her head.
"I'm afraid not, darling. While I do agree that Big Mac would look splendid in a tuxedo, I believe that you will do much better," she said, and tilted her head, placing a dainty hand against her cheek, "Well, that and you being there would most assuredly give Fluttershy a bit of a confidence boost. With that girl's shyness, she'll need all the confidence she can get if I'm to impress Photo Finish without embarrassing her." Storm nodded.
It was a sound idea, at least. Fluttershy could very well faint during the whole thing if there's too much attention on her at once, so having him, there would not only draw away some of that spotlight but also help put her at ease.
"Well, it's a good idea, I'll admit, though I'm not sure if me alone will be enough," he said, nodding along, "Yeah, I might boost her confidence, but I'm not really that close to her. Confidence is one thing, but courage is another."
"Why not ask Dashie?" Pinkie suddenly suggested, "She'll definitely cheer her on!" she proclaimed, hand extended into the air for dramatic effect.
Rarity 'Hmm'd to herself, nodding slowly.
"Yes, that is an idea..." she muttered, "Perhaps I could even convince her to..." she trailed off, beginning to mutter under her breath too quietly for him to hear. Storm grunted and shrugged.
"I... suppose you have a point, in the end. Besides, I don't have anything else to do after work anyways," he admitted.
"Splendid!" Rarity chirped, clapping her hands excitedly, before giving a light squeal, "Oooh! Photo Finish is going to love the designs I'll have for you two so much that she'll have no choice but to feature my designs!" she exclaimed, then spun on her feet and waved towards them as she made her way outside, "I'm off to find Rainbow Dash, so wish me luck!"
A moment of silence passed between them after she left before Storm glanced at Pinkie.
"You think she'll be able to convince Rainbow to come along?"
"Nope!"
"I can't believe you managed to talk me into this..." Rainbow moaned from the couch, where she lay sprawled out on her back, scarcely paying attention as Rarity moved about her two models, her magic moving various needles and threads around. However, after the fifth time her magic shorted out around him, she took care to avoid Storm.
Oddly enough, she didn't question it, though that could be due to her sheer focus on his and Fluttershy's outfits.
Fluttershy was decked out in a long black gown, inlaid with multicolored sequins, that ended in a fuzzy pink trim. Of course, it wasn't all, given that she was also wearing a black headdress with feathers of the same shade of pink flaring out over the top.
In contrast to Fluttershy's darkly colored outfit, Storm was garbed in a bright, shiny blue suit that remained unbuttoned at the front, exposing his white undershirt underneath, which matched the set of boots on his feet. It was decorated with a bright red bow tie at the collar, with a rose of an equally bright red beside it, all topped off, quite literally, with a top hat the same color as the suit, with a red band at the base.
"Imagine how I feel..." Storm muttered.
Admittedly, when he'd agreed to be her model, he hadn't anticipated all it would entail. After all, Photo Finish would arrive, potentially while he was still acting as a model. After the annoyance that was Hoity Toity, he didn't want to endure any fashion-related drama again.
Not to mention the impact it would have on his station as a Jedi.
"Alright!" Rarity suddenly announced, not quite glancing at him and Fluttershy as she passed around them again, a length of measuring tape in her magical grip, "Photo Finish is going to want to see attitude and, most importantly, pizzazz!" she breathed.
"A-attitude?"
"Pizzazz?"
"Hmm, it needs more light," Rarity muttered, "The sequins on Fluttershy's dress must shine! And we certainly can't have Storm sitting in the dark either. Rainbow Dash!" she shouted, startling the chromatic girl off the couch, landing on the floor with a pained grunt.
"Ugh, what?" she groaned, rising back to her feet, sending Rarity a half-hearted glare, though it remained unnoticed as the fashionista started fumbling around through a nearby box.
"I need you to adjust the spotlight to shine on them more while I look for more feathers for the headdress," she ordered. Rainbow groaned.
"Aw, what? Why's it gotta be me?" she muttered.
"Aw, don't be like that, Dashie!" Pinkie said brightly, "Rarity's our friend, and this is super important to her!" she added, nodding at the girl seriously, though it was ruined somewhat by the eager smile on her face.
Rainbow shook her head.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." she muttered, though she had already begun climbing up to the light in question. The room brightened a moment considerably later.
"Ah, here they are!" Rarity cheered, emerging from the box, a set of pink feathers flying out after her. They hovered in the air for a moment before Rarity had them zooming straight over and into Fluttershy's headdress. Rarity approached them again, giving them a hard once over, specifically Fluttershy.
"Hmmm... More sequins!" she announced, pointing at Rainbow, "I need more sequins, Rainbow Dash! Over in the dresser!"
Rainbow sputtered but didn't say anything, preferring to grumble as she slunk over to the nearby dresser. She rummaged through it and soon returned with a bowl filled to brimming with sparkling little sequins, which Rarity gathered in her hands, then practically chucked the whole pile at him and Fluttershy, causing both of them to splutter and spit in surprise.
"Ack! What the fuck, Rarity?!" Storm snapped, but she ignored him, already jogging behind him.
She eyed him for a moment before reaching out and grabbing his hair, eliciting a shocked yelp out of him even as he felt her almost violently brush through the damn thing.
"Your hair is far too unruly!" she said, "Pinkie, gel!" she called.
"Yay!" Pinkie cheered, happy at finally being called upon, happily bouncing over to the nearby dresser, where she swiped up the indicated bottle. Gel in hand, she eagerly bounced back over to Rarity and passed it along.
Rarity didn't acknowledge her presence, instead taking the bottle without glancing at her. This was followed by the ever-unpleasant sensation of something being rubbed into his hair a moment later. She finished gelling up his hair, unaware of how close Storm had been to booting her in the face the entire time, and stepped away from them for a moment.
"I'm... sorry if I seem a little short with you all," she suddenly apologized, stunning the three of them for a moment, though Pinkie remained unfazed, "I'm just very nervous about this whole thing. Photo Finish's opinion could very well mean the end of my business if she doesn't like my designs, regardless of how much Hoity Toity and Sapphire Shores seemed to like them," she said somberly.
"Oh, it's alright, Rarity," Fluttershy cooed softly, smiling at her friend, "It must be really stressful to have your business on the line like this, so it's okay," she added understandingly.
"Yeah!" Pinkie chirped, "We're your best friends, Rarity! We've totally got your back!"
Rainbow nodded, "Eh, I might not be into this whole 'fashion' thing, but it's really important to you, so I'll deal with it," she added supportively, for her at least.
"You're determined," Storm said and nodded, "I can respect that." Rarity smiled at them, her gaze drifting to the ground as her eyes began to tear up.
"Oh... thank you all so much..." she gasped, her smile widening into Pinkie-esque territories, before she lunged forward towards Storm, using her magic to pull the other three towards them, and engulfed them all in a hug.
Pinkie and Fluttershy happily reciprocated the gesture, though Storm and Rainbow were more hesitant. But, eventually, the latter gave in and smiled.
"No hugging!" shouted Storm as he used his Force powers to push the girls away from him as he grumbled.
"Alright," she breathed and swallowed the lump in her throat, "Alright..." she repeated, then nodded firmly, "With your help, I know I can really impress Photo Finish!" she declared confidently, giving them all a bright smile that had most of them returning it.
The moment was ruined an instant later when the front door practically burst open.
"I, Photo Finish, have arrived!" a heavily accented voice announced, startling the teens.
Storm glanced over at the newcomer and was struck by how... odd she seemed.
Her hair was stark white and visibly well cared for. Her hair had been styled into a short bob cut. Her sky blue skin was equally well cared for, though most of it was hidden by a sleek black and white striped dress that flared outwards. A good portion of her face was hidden behind a set of black goggles with bright pink lenses, with an equally pink scarf wrapped around her neck.
While her appearance was a little strange to the Jedi Knight, her behavior was even more so.
She was quite obviously scanning the room, even going so far as to ignore Rarity's greeting. She gave off the air of someone who believed themselves too important to regard other people unless they had something of value, and given her occupation as a photographer, he had no doubt that that was the case.
She wasn't alone, of course. Two other girls accompanied her, wearing strange, skin-tight garbs of blue and white and pink and gold. Their hair was styled into similar buns.
Storm hid a sneer. He really didn't like this whole 'fashion' thing.
"Photo Finish!" Rarity chirped nervously, though obviously excited as well, "I must say, it's quite the honor to-" she cut herself off as Photo walked straight passed her.
"We begin... now!" she declared as a third girl, wearing a long green coat, rushed forward with a purple and gold briefcase, which suddenly popped into a large tripod camera.
Completely baffled by the earlier dismissal, Rarity had already zipped back over to him and Fluttershy.
"Remember! Attitude and pizzazz!" she hissed quietly, obviously more nervous than before.
A flash from the camera prevented either of them from responding.
"Come on now, show Photo Finish, zomethink!" the photographer shouted.
Storm and Fluttershy spared each other a glance.
Alright... attitude and pizzazz...
What the fuck did that mean?
Regardless, he straightened his back and turned his nose slightly upward just as Fluttershy rose, dropping into a pose he'd likely see on a hungry creature.
"No!" Photo shouted, causing Fluttershy to wilt, dropping her unusual pose, head beginning to tuck behind her hair. Storm noticed the girl's reaction, dropping his pose as well. He sneered at the camera girl, doing absolutely nothing to hide his disdain.
"Hmm... yes..." she muttered, though Storm wasn't sure what she was talking about.
Rarity, who had once more snuck around behind Photo Finish, gave them a supportive smile before miming for them to do the same.
Once more glancing at each other, the two tried to follow her directions, with Fluttershy giving a very obviously fake smile to the camera, holding a hand beneath her chin. Storm tried to do much the same, allowing his height over Fluttershy to help him peer over her back, giving the camera a sort of half-grin, turning his nose up more than before.
"No!"
Their smiles dropped, Fluttershy's face taking on a downturned expression, while Storm sneered again.
"Yes!"
Both he and Fluttershy were once more confused by Photo's reaction, but their eyes drifted over to Rarity regardless. She smiled again, though it was strained, and struck a pose of her own. He noted that stretching her legs wide while flexing one of her legs was likely some pose she'd seen in an old painting.
Either way, they copied her, Fluttershy in front facing to the right, with him facing the left behind her.
"No!"
Fluttershy wilted once more, this time nearly curling up onto the ground. He could practically see the anxiety pulsing through her. Fluttershy was a kind and gentle individual who loved helping her friends. If Storm didn't think this was going well, which he certainly didn't, Fluttershy might be afraid she was screwing everything up.
Storm placed a hand on her back while glaring at Photo once more.
"Yes!"
He ignored her this time.
"You alright, Shy?" he asked gently. She turned and glanced up at him.
"Oh... um... y-yeah, I guess I'm just-"
"Enough!" Photo suddenly announced, collapsing the camera as she suddenly spun around. She walked past Rarity, with the three girls she'd come in dutifully following behind her, the long-coat one carrying the camera with her.
Silence reigned for a moment before Rainbow suddenly spoke.
"Jeez, what the hell is her problem?!" she snarled, tearing herself away from Pinkie, who, at some point, had covered her mouth with a hand, "Who does she think she is, talking to you guys like that?!"
For once, Storm agreed with her.
"I don't like her," he said contemptuously, stripping himself of his suit. Rarity ignored both of them and merely proceeded to help Fluttershy undress, a sad expression overtaking her features.
"I-I'm so sorry," Fluttershy said, looking guilty, "I tried my best, but..." Rarity shook her head.
"Your headdress was too big, the cape had too much sparkle, and Storm's outfit was a little too shiny for him," she said, smiling gently at Fluttershy before it fell, "I can't believe I thought I could impress Photo Finish," she muttered sadly.
The door suddenly burst open again, revealing the person in question.e
"I, Photo Finish, seem to have discovered the newest fashion sensation here, in Ponyville!"
"R-really?!" Rarity gasped.
"Really," Photo confirmed, "And I, Photo Finish, will do everything in my power to make all of Equis see its magnificence shine!"
"Shine?" Rarity muttered, her voice rising pitch, even as a smile overtook her.
"Tomorrow, a photo shoot in ze park!" Photo declared and paused, "... I go!" she announced dramatically and dashed out the door again.
"Did you hear that, everyone?" Rarity asked, happily jogging over to the door, where she spun and faced them with a radiant smile, "I'm the newest fashion sensation! She said she's going to make me shine all over Equis!" she cheered, almost bouncing on her feet.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Fluttershy breathed, "I was so worried I'd messed this up for you!"
"I still don't like her," Storm said.
"I hate her," Rainbow agreed, crossing her arms. Rarity shook her head.
"I knew you two would be perfect!" she said, ignoring his and Rainbow's words. Finally, however, it seemed the excitement had made its way to her head, and Rarity began excitedly bouncing on her feet.
"Ooh! Yes, yes, yes, yes!"
Storm sighed at her excitement, but a soft smile graced his features nonetheless. Rarity suddenly stopped bouncing.
"Oh, my gosh, I have so much to do!" she realized, "I don't know how long the shoot will last, and I have to make dresses and suits to last the entire session!" she breathed, horrified, "I have to-!" she was cut off by a sudden, eager knocking on the door.
Confused and likely thinking it was Photo Finish again, Rarity immediately spun around and opened the door.
"Is there something you need, Pho-oh!" she interrupted herself.
"Applejack? Spike? What can I do for you?" she asked, "I'm afraid I don't have a lot of time," she added.
"Uh, that's fine, Rarity, we were just here ta, uh..." Applejack's strangely unsure voice resounded from out of their sight. Storm frowned and ended up sharing a confused look with Rainbow.
"Do you want some pie?! I helped make it!" the small prince asked.
"Oh, well, that sounds lov-ely?" Rarity said, her voice shifting from delighted to unsure towards the end for some reason.
Rarity moved aside to let the two in, revealing a very uncertain-looking Applejack and Spike carrying... a pie?
Storm's nose turned up at the sight of the thing in his hands. It certainly looked like it might have once been a pie, but its pale gray color and the fact that Storm couldn't even smell the thing led him to believe that it was, in no way, an actual pie.
Spike and Applejack walked into the Boutique, with Spike happily walking towards the kitchen. Applejack lagged behind a little bit, looking distinctly uncomfortable, and gave the entire room a pleading look before moving on.
They all shared a confused look before following behind the unusual pair.
When they arrived in the kitchen, they found Spike waiting patiently, but obviously excitedly, beside the 'pie' he had set on the table.
"So, uh... why don'tcha give 'er a slice, Spike?" Applejack asked.
"Okay!" he said and zipped off to grab a plate and fork. Taking a brief moment in his absence, Storm turned to Applejack.
"Mind explaining?" he asked.
"Yeah, what the hay is going on?" Rainbow added. Applejack sighed.
"Well, the thing is-"
"I'm back!" Spike cheered, inadvertently cutting Applejack off, before he ran back to the table, setting not one, but five separate plates onto the table, "And I got enough plates for everybody too!"
"Oh," Applejack said, glancing at the others apologetically, "Well, uh, that's mighty... thoughtful of ya, Spike," she finished. Spike puffed out his chest, apparently proud of the pointless task, then set himself to dividing the "pie" onto the plates.
It took him a minute or so, but eventually, everyone saved himself, and Applejack had a piece passed to them. He stared down at his slice of the thing and, without hesitation or remorse, tossed it in the trash. He ignored the angry glares Applejack and even Pinkie sent him, though Pinkie's glare faded when she took her first bite.
It was interesting to watch her face twist into something that resembled disgust, an expression that looked distinctly out of place on Pinkie. Much to his surprise, Spike seemed completely oblivious to Pinkie's reaction.
Though, after seeing how intently he was staring at Rarity, who had yet to take a bite, perhaps it wasn't so surprising.
The sound of the trash meeting bin interrupted his thoughts, and he glanced over to find that Rainbow had done much the same as him, seemingly with more disgust than him.
He looked over to Fluttershy, only to blink in shock when he saw her empty plate. It faded a moment later when he spotted it hiding back inside the tin as if it had never been moved.
Eventually, their gazes all rested on Rarity, except for Pinkie, who was too busy trying not to cry, and they waited.
She swallowed when she noticed everyone's gaze on her and, timidly, used her magic to stick a bit of the "pie" onto a fork and, in a motion that reminded Storm greatly of tearing off a bandage, bit into it.
Her eyes widened in horror, but even so, she pressed on, beginning to chew on the foul substance.
"Wow, you look good even when you're chewing!" Spike exclaimed, confusing Storm, "Who looks good when they're chewing?" he asked nervously, staring up at Applejack.
Rarity took this moment of distraction to violently spit the food out of her mouth before quickly wiping her mouth with a nearby napkin, just in time for him to turn back as well.
"Well, that was, um.. delightful, Spike," she said.
"Really?" he asked eagerly, then glanced down at the lone bite taken out of it, "Oh? Aren't you gonna have more?" he asked. Rarity stilled for a moment and let out a nervous laugh.
"O-oh, well, I would, but, you see, I had a rather large, um, lunch!" she said, almost shouting the last word, "Yes, a large lunch indeed. I'm afraid I can't eat anymore of your, er... wonderful pie."
"Oh," Spike nodded and smiled, "Okay!"
"Uh, Spike?" Applejack interjected, "Why don'tcha wash off their plates?" she suggested. Spike saluted.
"Yes, ma'am!" he said and gathered everyone's plate except Storm's, who merely tossed his at the boy to save time.
"Oh my, what's all this about?" Rarity asked once Spike was out of hearing range. Applejack sighed.
"Well, the thing is, I kinda saved Spike from some timberwolves in the Everfree, an' now he thinks he owes me 'is life," she said.
Storm stilled for a moment and sighed.
And here, he had begun to think that whatever was causing this was stupid. If Spike was really doing this because he owed Applejack his life, then he could certainly understand what the prince was doing. Although, Applejack did sound a little exasperated. He glanced back at the pie and frowned.
She saved him from some timberwolves. Just how close had he been to dying, then? Depending on how close a shave he had with death, it could very well have shocked him, though he seemed fine, and it might've been going on for some time now.
"Really?" Rarity asked, breaking him from his thoughts, "Oh, that's marvelous! I only wish I could have someone owe me a life debt!" she gushed, "Why, I could have them organize my closest, give me pedicures, help me with my sewing an-!"
"I get it!" Applejack snapped, "Havin' somebody doin' things for ya is a dream come true," she added.
"Hell yeah, it is!" Rainbow interjected excitedly, "Way to go, Aj, you got the prince in your back pocket! So what are you having him do? Laundry, cleaning, harvesting?" she asked.
"I don't want 'im ta serve me forever," Applejack interrupted them and frowned, "I don't feel comfortable with him thinkin' he owes me 'is life. I don't want Twilight's family to owe me anything, not after all they've done for mah family. I dunno how I'm supposed ta make 'im stop."
"Um... maybe you could just ask him to stop?" Fluttershy suggested, but Applejack shook her head.
"I tried that."
"Then just make him do something really hard," she said, waving her hoof casually, "Once that's over with, he'll feel like he's repaid you and stuff."
"That won't work," Storm said suddenly.
Applejack blinked at his sudden reply and turned to him.
"Whaddya mean?" she asked. Storm sighed and shook his head.
"You could order him to move the mountains, and he'd do it no matter how impossible," he said, and looked her straight in the eye, "The value of a life is only equaled by that of another life, Applejack. It doesn't matter what you have him do because it will never equal the price of the life you saved. That is a guarantee."
Applejack sighed angrily.
"Then what am I supposed ta do?!" she asked, "You saw that pie! His help ain't exactly helpful!" she insisted. A loud crash interrupted them just as Spike suddenly appeared at the door, laughing nervously.
"Hey, uh... where's the broom?"
Not wanting Spike to ruin her kitchen any more than he was, Rarity had opted to show him where the broom was and watch over him while he cleaned to prevent any more messes. Pinkie, however, had rushed off to the bathroom, where he could faintly hear the sound of retching, and Fluttershy had decided to go and comfort her after he told her about it.
He'd've gone to do it himself, but-
"Come on, Aj!" said the Jedi Knight.
"Where are we going?" asked the farm girl.
"To talk to Twilight, of course," responded the boy as the pair left.
The duo arrived at the castle as they were looking for the princess.
"Sparky!" called Storm as he passed through the library door.
The Jedi expected to find the bookworm, reading away to her heart's desire. And, indeed, that's exactly what he found. Twilight, her back turned to him and Applejack, sat in front of her desk, the curtains partially closed, reading away. Two stacks of books were on either side of her, though one was significantly larger than the other. That meant that she was finishing up the eleventh of what appeared to be twelve books or had just started on the second.
Knowing her, it was likely the former.
"Sparky!" shouted the teen as he slammed the door.
"Ahh!" she yelped, sending her book flying; only Owlowiscious wasn't around this time, leaving the book to come crashing down atop her own head.
Storm snickered at the sight and ended up fighting a much harder laugh when she turned around to face him, her eyes only visible underneath the edge of the book.
"Storm..." she said lowly, though whatever effect it was supposed to have was ruined by the massive red blush adorning her face.
"Sorry 'bout that Twi. But we needed to talk; it's about yer brother. See, I saved him from some timberwolves earlier, and now he feels like he owes me, and I…."
"Wait, what?!" shouted the princess at what the country gal was saying.
"Long story short, we need to squash this whole thing. Can you help us or not?" said Storm bluntly.
"Hmm," said the girl as she put a hand to her chin and began to think, "I might have an idea on how to get rid of the debt he thinks he owes you," she said, wrapping a hand around Applejack's shoulder.
Storm scoffed,
"It better not have anything to do with putting Applejack in danger just to have him save her," he said, sneering, "An idea like that has too many risks." Twilight shook her head.
"Of course not!" she snapped, then relaxed, "That's why we're going to pretend her life is in danger."
"That's not much better."
"What's the plan, Twilight?"
"Damn you, girls..."
Storm's eye twitched, even as he felt a surge of respect for the foolish little prince.
Applejack and Twilight had gone out to gather the others, save Rarity since Storm had told them about her upcoming fashion show, while Applejack had asked the boy to find a way to distract Spike but keep him at the orchard.
He genuinely didn't know what to do and had just given Spike the first impossible task he could think of, something that even he wouldn't have done.
Count the grass.
Of course, he'd said that Applejack told him to pass along the message, as well as a bullshit reason as to why she'd even want that done, but he hadn't even gotten passed the order itself when Spike had set himself to actually counting the fucking grass.
That loyalty and determination had to be respected, if not admired.
It was also hopelessly stupid but respectable nonetheless.
Storm shook his head and slunk back into the barn, where the others waited.
"Okay, he's... distracted," he said and spared a glance backward, "... very distracted." Applejack nodded,
"Good," she said and turned to everyone, "Now, I know ya'll are wonderin' why Twilight an' I brought ya here," she began, ignoring Pinkie's excited 'Yep!', "See, I need Spike ta save mah life,"
"Uh... what?" Rainbow asked.
"S-so, um... why does Applejack need Spike to save her life?" Fluttershy asked,
"Cuz I don't want 'im servin' me, an' Twilight says that this'll definitely get 'im ta think we're square," Applejack said.
"And we're here... why?" Storm asked. He hadn't been privy to their plans before they left, leaving him just as in the dark as the others,
"Ya'll are here cuz I'm gonna get attacked by a timberwolf," Applejack announced darkly.
The girls, save Twilight, gasped at that.
"What?!" Pinkie shouted, sounding much more worried than he'd heard her, "But that's super dangerous!"
"That's why it won't be a real timberwolf," Twilight clarified, smiling as she lifted her hand. A bright flash of light lit up the room, revealing-
"What the fuck is that thing?" Storm snapped.
Levitating quietly in Twilight's magical grip was a timberwolf puppet that looked more like it belonged in a kid's play than anywhere near this kind of idiocy.
Its head was made of a log split in two, with its body being whole. Twigs made up its tail, and a few leaves were stuck to its face.
It was a well-made puppet, but it was nowhere near convincing enough to make anyone who'd seen an actual timberwolf at least once think they were seeing one again.
"This is our timberwolf!" the princess announced happily, "Turns out that Cheerilee had one in storage. Apparently, she uses it for the school play every year," she added. Storm blinked and sighed.
"Do you honestly believe Spike will fall for that?" he asked, brow raised, "I understand he's only a kid, but surely he's smarter than that? Maybe… I mean, it's a fucking puppet," he stressed the word, "and not just that, but a puppet made for babies."
Twilight winced at his words but shook her head and stood firm,
"It's the best we've got!" she insisted, "Besides, even if it doesn't look like a timberwolf, we can trick Spike into thinking it is!" Storm scoffed.
"How?"
"Rainbow here used ta tell me all 'bout how good she was at imitatin' a timberwolf," Applejack said. Rainbow laughed,
"Aw yeah! I used to practice that for hours at my old school for the talent contest," she said.
"Plus," Twilight continued, "they're made of wood, so faking their steps won't be difficult either." Storm shook his head and cast his gaze around the assembled girls before shrugging,
"Fine. Whatever. What's the stinkin' plan anyways?"
There was no way in hell that this plan was going to work.
Storm shook his head. Whether or not the small prince was smart wasn't his business.
Applejack and Twilight's plan involved the group running to the park to begin. According to their plan, Twilight was to control the puppet from within the trees, out of sight, while Fluttershy and Rainbow hid off to the side. Applejack had provided a set of mugs for Fluttershy to use to simulate the sound of the timberwolf's steps while Rainbow would imitate its roar.
That left him and Pinkie with two other jobs, not quite as important.
Pinkie's role was to come running out of the Everfree, screaming about timberwolves to make it seem like she was actually getting chased. Storm, however, was there to imitate its growling, apparently.
Applejack was then left to perform her part by pretending to trip and injure her foot, leaving Spike having to drag her along behind him "away from the danger."
"Alright, everybody ready?" Applejack called,
"Yeah!"
"Yep!"
"Okay."
"Get on with it!"
He heard Applejack grumble at that last one just as another voice shouted.
"Hey, Applejack!" she stiffened,
"He's comin'!"
Storm slid back into the bush he'd chosen as a hiding place and watched as the prince stopped in front of the farm girl.
"I'm here, Applejack!" he said happily, "You said you needed me for something?"
"Oh, right, yeah, uh..." she looked around, "I needed ta grab some wood fer the house, but all the spare wood back home is wet, so I need some from the, uh, the Everfree," she explained.
"Really?" he asked but nodded before she could answer, "Sure! That'll be easy!" he boasted.
Storm rolled his eyes but kept his thoughts to himself as the boy turned to the forest, his expression fading into one of nervousness now that Applejack couldn't see it.
Just before he took a step forward, however, Pinkie came running out of the forest,
"Timberwolves!" she shouted, though Storm made a mental note to never ask her to perform, seeing as how, despite screaming, she was smiling widely. Her running was more akin to a quick jog than a 'running for your fucking life' kind of run.
Despite that, she brushed passed them with little issue. Moments after that, a loud roar echoed through the forest, surprising Storm, whose head shot up for an instant.
Timberwolves?!
He nearly shot out from the bush and would have if not for the faint snickering he could hear coming from Rainbow and Fluttershy's hiding place.
He blinked in surprise.
Holy shit, that's impressive!
Of course, whatever amazement he felt quickly dashed away when the "timberwolf" appeared.
It came hobbling out of the forest, its dark strings easily visible in the daylight and even more so against the ground. The sounds of its steps were completely out of sync with its actual movements. And, lastly, it didn't have a smell.
Perhaps the most defining trait of timberwolves was their noxious breath. Something that this puppet sorely lacked.
Even so, it seemed to work, much to his astonishment, though he still kept up his growling.
Spike backed away a few steps from the puppet, looking terrified, though a quick yelp beside him bid him a turn.
Applejack had 'tripped.'
"Ah," she yelled. However, it was painfully, obviously fake, "Mah foot!" she added, holding a hand up to her head dramatically, partially ignoring the puppet make its way over to her, "Spike, help! I need ya ta save me!" she pleaded.
Storm paused his growling just long enough to give a soul-suffering sigh.
Spike, however, relaxed and just stared at the scene before him. He watched as the puppet smacked against Applejack's head lamely, though only Storm could hear Twilight 'Eep!' at the mistake. His nose twitched,
"... Seriously?" Spike asked, his expression flat, "I mean... seriously?"
"Uh... whaddya mean, Spike?" Applejack asked, dropping the act accidentally. Spike sighed.
"I mean, I know it's fake," he said, walking over to the shitty puppet, "Don't get me wrong, it certainly looks like a timberwolf-" Storm whacked his hand against his face, "-and that roar was spot on!" he added, then shrugged and shook his head, "But you forgot one thing."
"What?" Applejack asked, completely giving up on the act; Spike laughed.
"Its breath! You can smell a timberwolf's breath a mile away!"
Storm frowned, his nose twitching once more before he stiffened.
"Great," he muttered, standing from his hiding spot, "Rainbow's little roar must've attracted the fuckers."
Thankfully he wasn't the only one to smell the sickly scent of rotting wood, evident by the way Twilight suddenly flashed down by Spike and Applejack,
"Timberwolf!" she screeched, and dashed off, followed quickly behind by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, the former having discarded her little mug-gloves.
"Huh?" Spike asked before suddenly sniffing the air and chuckling, "Oh, nice, but it's a little too late for that, you know?"
Applejack turned to face the tree line before paling and taking a step back,
"Uh... it-it ain't a trick this time!" she sputtered, scooting back rapidly, "Run!" she shouted, then bolted.
Spike blinked and turned around, only to face an actual timberwolf. Its hate-filled green eyes bore into his own for an instant.
"Oh... right," he muttered, then nodded, "Yeah, that's one real... AHHHHHH!" he screamed and ran as well.
Storm sighed and dashed out of the foliage, cutting off the wolf chase before it could begin.
The lone timberwolf before him growled and let loose a massive roar that forced Storm to cover his ears. The teen turned on his lightsaber, and the yellow light came on as he took a stance. He heard some yelping from behind him, but he didn't dare turn around if the wolf tried attacking him instantly. However, he didn't have to worry about that, as, a moment later, two more emerged from the woods and took their own place beside the first one.
The three growled at him in unison before lunging at him as one.
Storm skipped back a step, allowing the three of them to come crashing just in front of him, the absence of flesh causing the three of them to bump into each other. He took that moment to lift a hand before slamming it down on the center wolf. It let out a pained yelp before being reduced to a pile of twigs, the magic holding it together and dispersing as its head was crushed.
He smirked and stepped back, allowing the last two to stand again.
They growled at him but didn't lunge, instead choosing to spread out and begin circling him. Their newly cautious behavior amused the Jedi, who kept his eyes on one, and his ears on the other.
It didn't take long for one of them to grow tired and lunge at his exposed back, but a quick spin had him ducking just beneath its attack, leaving its underside exposed.
Taking that single moment of opportunity, Storm lashed out with a vicious upper swing of his blade, sending the wolf tumbling through the air, before it crashed headfirst into the ground, crumbling into a pile of twigs.
He smirked and turned to the last one. After disposing of its only two allies, the wolf seemed much more apprehensive of him, but that didn't matter to Storm. He immediately charged at the wolf, taking it off guard, the predator not expecting the prey to attack so quickly.
He tackled the wolf and lashed out with a quick punch to send it falling to its back, where he quickly climbed on top of it, pinning it with his weight.
Then, it was simple to lunge his lightsaber down and pierce its neck. All it took was a bone snapping *CRUNCH*, and the wolf breathed no more.
Storm sighed as he got off of its corpse. He watched, for a moment, as the scattered twigs and limbs of the once-timberwolves began to glow, but that was as far as he let them get, for a great torrent of sapphire flames incinerated them into ash a moment later.
He scoffed.
They were as stupid as ever, it seemed.
With the threat dealt with, he turned around and blinked in surprise when he didn't see anyone around. That was... odd. He was certain he'd heard someone yell behind him.
He shrugged, checked his hearing quickly, found the others not too far off, and made his way over to them.
"-lda seen it! I tripped and hurt mah foot, and that timberwolf would have been right on me if Spike hadn't saved me!"
"You mean... you actually tripped?" Twilight asked just as he came into view.
"Sure did!" Applejack insisted and shook her head, "But, as I said, Spike here got me right back to mah feet and helped me get away. He saved mah life!"
"Uh, I was there too, you know?" Storm asked though it seemed he went ignored.
"Aw, it was nothing," Spike said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Course it was somethin'!" Applejack said, then frowned, a guilty expression forming on her face, "'Course, I wouldn't have needed savin' iffin I hadn't tried ta stage a fake timberwolf attack in the first place, " she admitted. Spike scoffed.
"Well, yeah!" he said, then narrowed his eyes and placed his claws on his hips, "What was that about, anyways?" he asked. Applejack grimaced.
"Well... I know you wanting to repay me for savin' you is important an' all, but if this happens again, say we can just stick to mah code of 'that's what friends do' an' leave it at that?" she asked. Spike frowned, and looked away, a contemplative expression overtaking his face, "I promise I won't think of ya as any less of you," she added sincerely, taking off and holding her hat to her chest.
Eventually, Spike nodded.
"Yeah, alright," he agreed, reaching out with his fist, making Applejack laugh, and bumping her hand against it.
"Although, do try to avoid getting in situations where you actually need saving," Storm interjected with a smirk, "It would make my job a lot less stressful," he added cheekily.
"Hehe, of course!"
Thankfully, the rest of the day passed without a single issue, barring Rarity asking him and Fluttershy to return to the Boutique for a minute for some 'color checking' as she put it.
The night was a little more active, however.
Rainbow's roar had attracted more than just those three timberwolves from before, much to his amusement. Eventually, the time came for Sugarcube Corner to open, but, unfortunately, he had to ask the Cakes to give him the day off since Photo Finish, the bitch, never gave them a time to arrive at the park or, at least, he didn't hear it.
And so, with more than a little irritation, he made his way over to the Carousel Boutique fairly early in the morning, just in time for him to run into Fluttershy, who was standing timidly outside the door.
"Oh! G-good morning Storm," she greeted him.
"Morning, Shy," he returned and glanced at the door, "Is Rarity not in? Or do you just like standing out in the cold?" he asked teasingly. Fluttershy smiled faintly but shook her head,
"No, no... I just don't know if she's awake yet. She was awfully excited about today, so I was worried that she'd stayed up too late and was too tired..." she said, then lowered her head, "but, then she wouldn't be up for the sh-show..." she trailed off.
"Right," Storm said and sided up to her, "Well, only one way to find out," he said, giving the door a quick rap with his hand.
"Coming!~" he heard Rarity's voice sing from inside. He smirked and glanced sideways at Fluttershy,
"Well, there we go," he said simply.
Another few minutes passed before the sound of footsteps approached the door, which opened mere moments later.
"Oh! Storm, Fluttershy!" Rarity greeted them, shocked, then stepped away and ushered them inside, "Come in, come in!"
They did so, allowing the boy a cursory glance around the Boutique until his eyes landed on a clothe filled rack.
"I presume those are the outfits Shy, and I are to wear for the show?" he asked, nodding towards them.
"Hmm? Oh, yes!" Rarity confirmed with a smile, "I'm rather proud of them as well. I really put my all into them. I just know Photo Finish is going to love them!"
"Oh, I'm sure she'll make you into a great star, Rarity!" Fluttershy quietly cheered, then smiled, "Just don't forget us little ponies when you do!" Rarity laughed.
"Never!"
"Well, you'll never get to be a star if we don't head out. Did Finish ever mention when we were supposed to be down there?" Storm asked. Rarity froze mid-step and turned to face him mechanically,
"... We need to go. Now!"
"Oh, it looks even lovelier than I'd imagined!" Rarity gushed, taking a step back from Fluttershy. Fluttershy, while slightly embarrassed, did puff out her chest a tad, feeling a little more confident in the beautiful dress Rarity had provided her.
It was completely white in color, with blue sapphires of varying sizes inlaid into the design. A similarly designed jacket covered her back, tying together in the front beneath her neck. It truly was beautiful, and it even made Fluttershy feel just the slightest bit festive with its colors!
"It certainly does look nice, Shy," Storm noted, causing the two of them to turn to him.
Like Fluttershy, he wore the outfit Rarity had prepared for him.
It was a white, skin-tight outfit, that gradually turned into a dark blue towards his legs, with a short cape of the same design. It was remarkably simple in the end, but it was still a work of art, in Fluttershy's opinion.
"Put me down, here," an accented voice called out, causing the three of them to turn to face the source.
Photo Finish, in the exact same outfit as the previous day, rode into the park on a small pedestal, carried by a pair of men who smelled like too much hair gel and cologne, with the same three girls from yesterday trailing after them.
Fluttershy had to hide a frown.
She was really beginning to regret agreeing to be Rarity's female model, and not just because her nerves were beginning to act up.
She shook her head and took in a deep breath.
It's okay Fluttershy, she told herself, you're doing this for Rarity, so it shouldn't be too hard…
Photo Finish stepped off of the pedestal, and took a quick look around.
"Ah, yes zis vill do nicely," she said, before her gaze fell upon Fluttershy, "Oh, no no no no!" she suddenly shouted, taking a few steps towards her, "No, ze model should in zomethink simple!" she said, spinning around, "Something inspired by... ze natures!"
Rarity blinked, and nodded.
"Well, I was thinking something similar!" she said, talking a few steps towards the rack of outfits she'd brought along with them, "Though, most of these designs are winter themed, instead of nature," she muttered, then perked up, "But I can go and whip together a few simple outfits if you give me but a moment!" she announced.
"Zat vill not be necessary," Photo said, waving her hand.
"Wha-but-then how are you going to make me 'shine all over Equis!' if you're not using my designs?" Rarity asked.
"You?" Photo asked, almost sounding disgusted, "I'm not going to help you shine!" she said, and then suddenly turned her gaze onto herself and Storm, "I'm going to help them!"
"Eh?" was Storm's eloquent response.
"Um, what?" was hers.
Neither of them was acknowledged beyond that, however, as the three girls accompanying Photo Finish crowded around her and ushered her away, the men doing much the same with Storm, though he was putting up noticeably more resistance.
"I... I can't do this, Rarity," she said to the white girl, mindful of the admittedly pretty dress that Photo's employees had all but stuffed her into.
The dress was just a long, transparent cape with flower buttons on the sides and a similar flower headband, but it was still nice.
Not as nice as the dresses Rarity made, she believed, but nice nonetheless.
"Oh, but you must, Fluttershy!" Rarity instead insisted, much to her chagrin, "Photo Finish wants to make the two of you stars! This is the opportunity of a lifetime!" she added.
"Yeah, your lifetime," Storm suddenly snapped, appearing by her side, though he was, surprisingly, not wearing anything, "I'm not fucking doing this."
"But Storm!" Rarity gasped, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a star! I understand we had all hoped, and even expected it, to be my chance, but you can't simply throw something like this away!" she said, "You must do this, for me! You must! You must!"
Fluttershy swallowed.
Ohhhh... when she put it like that, she couldn't really refuse, could she?
But... she really didn't want to... Just the thought of what it would be like, standing in front of those c-cameras, an-and that p-p-people, and-and-and-!
Oh, sweet Faust, she was going to have a heart attack!
Storm snarled, thankfully breaking her from those... terrifying thoughts,
"I. Am. Not. A. Model. I. Am. A. JEDI! I am most certainly refusing this!" he growled, then suddenly turned to Fluttershy, "And so should you."
"Wh-what?" she asked, stunned, and glanced at Rarity, panicking a little bit, "B-but, what about-?"
"What about what?" Storm asked, raising a brow, "You want to be a model, Shy?"
"W-well, no..." Storm clicked his tongue and turned to Rarity,
"Listen, Rarity, I know this is important to you, but we're not you," he said simply and frowned, "I'm not comfortable being in the spotlight like this, and you and I know that Fluttershy isn't either," he paused, then narrowed his eyes at her, "You do know that, right?"
"Of course!" Rarity said, almost sounding affronted at the accusation. Storm scoffed.
"Well, it certainly doesn't sound like it!" he snapped before taking a deep breath, forcibly calming himself down, and once more turned to her, "Do you want to do this?" he asked. Fluttershy blinked.
"U-um... w-well, if Rarity says-"
"I said. Do you want to do this?" Storm repeated, his patience obviously wearing thin, evidenced by the way he was gritting his teeth. Fluttershy swallowed, feeling herself begin to shrink behind her hair.
"... No..." she muttered meekly,
"What?" he asked,
"... No," she repeated, the faintest bit louder,
"Speak. Up," he ordered. Fluttershy's head almost shot up,
"No!" she snapped, uncharacteristic anger flowing through her at having to repeat herself when she knew he could hear. Storm smirked and turned, once again, to Rarity.
"And there you have it. She doesn't want to do this, and neither do I. So, what do you have to say to that, Rarity?"
Fluttershy blinked and almost smacked herself in the face when she realized that he'd just fooled her, and so easily as well. It hadn't even occurred to her that Rarity would hear her say that.
Still, it did leave her curious.
How would Rarity react? She knew how important Rarity believed Photo Finish's opinion was for her business and what it might mean, having them refuse to model for her.
Then again, why would that matter? Photo had made it quite clear when she chose herself and Storm over Rarity and what she thought of her designs. So then... why was Rarity so insistent on them being models?
Had she forgotten that they, unlike her, did not enjoy the spotlight? Had she tricked herself into believing that such an "opportunity" was something that they would enjoy? Or had she thought such a rare chance had to be taken?
Rarity was a wonderful friend who wanted the best for her friends. She wanted them all to succeed, so... maybe she thought that by having them succeed where she failed, she'd get to live vicariously through them, if only for a while.
"W-well..." Rarity began, glancing between herself and Storm, as well as Photo Finish.
The look in Rarity's eye suddenly changed. Before, it had been worried, fearful, even apprehensive, but suddenly, it hardened. She turned to look Fluttershy in the eyes.
"I'm sorry I tried to force you into something like this, Fluttershy," she turned back to him, "and you as well, Storm," she added, before sighing, "It's just..." she sighed, and trailed off.
Despite this, Fluttershy stepped forward and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Um... It's okay," she said, and gave her a weak smile, "I know you didn't mean anything bad by it... you were just excited and then really sad about her not wanting to use your designs... you just wanted me to take a chance and do something you thought might be good for me... so, it's okay... really!" Fluttershy comforted her.
Rarity smiled, took a shuddering breath, then closed the gap between them, bringing Fluttershy into a tight hug.
"Thank you for not being mad, dear," Rarity muttered, "do forgive me for being such a selfish person, trying to push my dream onto you."
"Of course," was her sincere reply.
"Besides, this isn't gonna hurt your business anyways," Storm suddenly said, causing them to separate, with Rarity sending him a confused look,
"What do you mean?" she asked and frowned as she glanced behind him at the impatient Photo Finish, "She's the premier photographer in Equis! If she doesn't like my designs, then who will?"
Storm scoffed.
"Well, aside from esteemed fashion critic Hoity Toity and famous singer/songwriter Sapphire Shores, it just so happens that you have five of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony who love your work, a Jedi Knight who likes your designs, as well as the royal family of Equis, a Senator from Naboo, a Duchess from Mandalore." Storm said and smirked, "Quite frankly, Finish's career is in more danger than yours if she hates your designs when you've got that kind of support, you know?" he added.
Rarity just stared at him for a moment and then laughed.
However, it was a laugh that Fluttershy had never heard from her usual composed friend. Whenever Rarity laughed, it was always quiet, dainty even, and it always seemed to suit her.
But this? This loud, boisterous laugh almost sounded like it belonged to Applejack and not Rarity.
She kept laughing for another thirty seconds before she suddenly regained the ability to control herself and covered her mouth with a hand. A few, distinctly unladylike snorts still escaped, however.
"I... I apologize," Rarity said, smiling wryly, "I... must admit, I haven't laughed like that since I was a little girl," she admitted happily and took in a deep breath, "Goodness, I might just have to laugh like that more often, I feel... quite a bit lighter than I did a moment ago," she muttered to herself. Regardless, she shook the thought from her head.
"You're quite right, Storm," she agreed, smiling, but another voice stopped her from speaking further.
"Flootershy! Zorm!" Photo shouted, "Ve must begin ze shoot now!"
Fluttershy glanced at Storm, who merely inclined his head in her direction. Fluttershy took a deep breath and stood up a little straighter before turning.
"I'm sorry, Photo Finish, but... no!" she said, stamping her foot, though it probably looked like she had but patted the ground if she was honest, "I-I don't want to be a model! I don't want to 'shine all over Equis!'!" she declared, and carefully wriggled out of the dress, making sure to fold it properly once she'd finished.
"Yeah, me neither," Storm added, much more casually than Fluttershy, "Go find another set of peacocks," he finished, sauntering off with nary a backward glance.
"Vat?" she heard Finish question, "You-you can't!" she shouted, sounding slightly panicked, "You can be the next biggest stars in all of Equis!"
"W-well... choose somepony else!" she shouted back, though it likely didn't come out as loud as she thought it did, "Like-like... Rarity!" she added after a rush of courage invaded her. The girl in question blinked.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Vat?" came the same reaction from Photo, but Fluttershy continued, unwilling to let go of the momentary burst of courage.
"Rarity's designs are some of the most beautiful I've seen in Equis!" she left out the part where they were also some of the only designs she'd ever seen, "An-and Sapphire Shores really likes them! And so does Hoity Toity!" she felt the courage begin to diminish, but she couldn't stop yet! "You-you-you should like them too!"
"Fluttershy..." Rarity breathed, honestly stunned at her shy friend's not-quiet demand.
"H-here!" Fluttershy suddenly added and quickly dashed over to the rack of clothes Rarity had brought along and gave them a shove towards Photo Finish, just in time for her courage to run out.
She 'Eep!' ed and quickly hid behind Rarity, feeling mortified by her actions, and simply began hoping that she hadn't messed things up any more than they were.
Part of her expected to hear shouting, but it was, thankfully, let down when all she heard was some quiet hums and a few grunts, which stoked her curiosity enough to peek out from behind the fashionista.
Photo Finish was, surprisingly, taking a look through the outfits and making a few noises of approval as she did so.
"Hmm... yes, I see..." she muttered and glanced around, her eyes landing on one of the girls and men she'd brought with her, "You! Come over here!"
Fluttershy sighed in relief as Photo began ordering them to try them on. It certainly looked like she liked the outfits, which caused Fluttershy's nerves to calm down.
"Fluttershy, what did you do?" Rarity asked her, spinning around, both afraid, and oddly excited.
"O-oh!" she stammered, "W-well, I just... I just.. I told her to look at them?" she answered, not quite sure what she'd done herself, "I-I just... I know this is really important to you, an-and I thought that, maybe, if she looked at them, then... well..." she trailed off.
"You!" Photo suddenly called, causing her and Rarity to turn, "You made these?" she asked, pointing at them. Rarity started slightly.
"Oh, um, why yes!" she said, "Each one of those outfits is a Rarity original!" she gushed, holding a hoof to her chest.
"I see..." Photo said, and turned away again, "Let us begin... ze magics!" she announced, striking a pose.
Rarity smiled, and nodded thankfully at Fluttershy, before approaching Photo.
"Of course! That's exactly what I was thinking!"
Storm was now making his way to the castle; after leaving Rarity, he had to attend to something. Something rather important. The Jedi entered through the front door and made his way to the throne room. The boy stood before the double doors as he took a deep breath. With a push, he entered as awaiting him was none other than the King himself.
Night Light saw Storm as he had a stern look on his face. The Jedi stopped before the throne as the guards near the King began to take a position. A few seconds passed, and there was nothing but silence. Soon Night Light was shown getting up from his chair as he stared down the teen before him. The king snapped his fingers as an object magically appeared in his hand. Twilight appeared by her father's side at that moment as she took the object from his hand. The girl approached her partner and instructed him to kneel.
Storm obeyed the princess' command as he dropped to a knee and put his head down. Twilight put her hand out as the object inside glowed and resonated with her magic. The girl then began to recite some words.
"You have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of darkness and adversity. And have proven yourself worthy of yielding a lightsaber and becoming an Element Bearer. Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight, The sacred Element of Harmony is forever bound to the hero's soul. We pray for your protection and hope that the two of you will grow stronger together.
Forged in the long distant past, arise now, chosen one, on this day and moving forward, you are my personal guard. Such duties and responsibilities are to attend to my needs and desires and follow my command whenever I deem fit. But above all, your most important duty is to protect me and… ensure my safety. Arise, now, Jedi Knight Storm."
The boy lifted his head as he stood up and placed his hand in Twilight's to show he understood his new role as Twilight's personal guard, but also to sign the oath. With the ceremony done, the guards all left, as only the Jedi Knights and King remained. Storm was still holding Twilight's hand as the girl smiled; she looked into her partner's eyes and was happy to know that with his new role, they would be that much closer.
Night Light growled as he immediately stepped forward and grabbed his daughter's hand. He yanked Twilight away as he began to lead them away from Storm. The Jedi addressed the princess' father as they were about to exit.
"I promise to keep her safe, your Majesty," said Storm as Night Light had his back turned.
Night Light had Twilight step through the door and shut it behind her as he had some private words to say to the boy. The King turned and began to march toward the Jedi as he got in his face and looked down on the teen.
"Let me be straight with you, boy. If you were a noble or someone of high status, I would let you wed Twilight in a heartbeat. I would let you ask for her hand in marriage. You make her smile, you make her happy, and you make her life a living fairytale ending. And I want nothing more than for my daughter to have a happy life. But because you're a Jedi, I refuse to acknowledge it! I respect you, but just because I respect you doesn't mean that I like you. Nor will I ever see you as a son!"
Night Light left as the doors shut behind him, leaving the Jedi alone in the dark.
Author's Note: You have no idea how hard it was for me to write in Photo Finish's accent. All the spellings errors it was showing me, not to mention, mental aspect. But the dee had been officially made and now Storm must serve and act as Twilight's personal guard, which doesn't seem to sit well with Night Light. Not to mention, he said what he thought of Storm and how if things were just a tad different, maybe... maybe... it could have worked out. As always leave a review expressing your thoughts and comments.