It was a beautiful day. Rarity was at the Carousel Boutique. Rarity was looking at a drawing of her dress and talking to her cat Opalescence.
"Oh Opalescence." She said. "Can't you just picture it?" She asked. "Moi stepping out in a stunning new gown at the Grand Galloping Gala in Canterlot!"
Opalescence was currently sleeping on a scarf perched on a pony manequinn. But Rarity took the scarf causing Opal to fall off and let out a meow.
"Why yes I did make it myself." Said Rarity. "Thank you so much for asking."
Opal then tried to sleep on a pink fabric but Rarity took the fabric for sewing and Opalescence just growled.
"Oh Opal of course you can help me." Said Rarity. "Thank you." She then put Opal on a table and put a sew ball in her mouth. Opal let out an annoyed meow. "What's that?" She asked. "You wanna help me more? Oh aren't you the sweetest thing." With that Rarity gave Opal a whole bunch of supplies to hold. So much so that she could barely keep her balance.
Rarity didn't seem to notice and used the sew Opal was holding for the dress she was working on. "Careful now." Said Rarity. "Don't move. This shouldn't take long at all."
Opal just kept struggling to keep her balance.
Later that day there was a knock at the door and Luna, Twilight, and Applejack made their way into the boutique.
"Howdy, Rarity." Said Applejack.
"Shh." Twilight whispered gesturing to a hard working Rarity. "Can't you see Rarity's trying to concentrate?"
"Yeah, Applejack." Said Luna. "Keep it down."
They approached Rarity from behind and looked at her work.
"What do you think she's making?" Applejack whispered.
"Looks like a dress." Twilight whispered.
"Well that makes sense." Whispered Applejack. "Since this is a dressmaker's shop and all."
"Maybe we should come back later." Luna whispered.
But before they could say anything else Rarity turned to face them rather annoyed by their whispering. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Oh so very sorry to trouble you Rarity." Said Twilight. "But I need a quick favor." Twilight then pulled out a little red dress with yellow sleeves and an out of place button and put it on the table. "Could you please fix a button for me." She wondered. "It's my dress for the Grand Galloping Gala."
Rarity gasped upon seeing it. "Oh no no no." Said Rarity. "You can't wear this, ugh, old thing." Rarity told her. "You need a glamorous new outfit for the Gala and I'll make it for you." She claimed. "No problem at all it would be my pleasure."
"Oh that's really sweet of you to offer Rarity." Twilight admitted. "But I can't let you do that." She said. "It would be so much work. This dress is fine."
"Twilight Sparkle." Said Rarity. "I insist on making you a new dress."
"But-"
Rarity however waved her hoof in front of Twilight's face. "Not another word." She said. "I won't take no for an answer."
It was then that Twilight conceded. "Well in that case... Thank you for your generosity Rarity." Twilight said. "Knowing your handiwork I'm sure it will be absolutely beautiful."
Rarity then looked at Applejack. "Let me guess Applejack. You don't want a new gown either."
"Gown?" Asked Applejack. "Shoot I was just gonna wear my old work duds."
"Agh, you can't possibly be serious Applejack." Said Rarity. "You absolutlely must wear formal attire."
"Hmm." Applejack thought. "Nah."
"What if I just spruce up your, uh, duds for you a little bit?" Asked Rarity.
"Um okay, sure. Why not? Since you're offering and all." Said Applejack. "Just don't make them too uh, 'frou-frouy.'"
"Deal." Said Rarity.
"Look out below!" They heard a voice scream. It was Rainbow Dash who made a crash landing in the boutique into a few manequinns. "Sorry new trick. Didn't quite work." She said getting up.
"Hmm." Suddenly Rarity gasped. "Idea. I'll make you an outfit for the Gala too Rainbow Dash." She said.
Rainbow looked around confused. "Outfit for the what now?" She asked.
"I'll make one for you and you and all of you." Rarity told her friends. "Oh and course Pinkie and Fluttershy too." Said Rarity. "Oh and when I'm done we can hold our very own fashion show."
"What a great idea." Said Twilight. "If you're sure you can handle it."
"Oh it'll be a little bit of work but it will be a wonderful boost for my business." Said Rarity. "Plus fun!"
"Oh I love fun things." Said Rainbow.
"Then it's settled." Said Rarity. "We'll have a fashion show starring us."
The other cheered.
"Oh you don't have to make a dress for me Rarity." Said Luna.
"Oh come now Luna." Said Rarity. "I have no problem making one for you."
"It's not that." Said Luna. "Remember that sea green dress with the white gloves you made for me when you and the others were trying to get Twilight to give you her extra Gala ticket when she only had two?" Luna aksed. "The one I said goes great with my hair."
"Why yes I do." Said Rarity a little embaressed that Luna brought up the whole ticket situation.
"Well I was wondering if I could wear that to the Gala?" Said Luna. "Despite the situation you presented it to me in, it kinda grew on me."
"Well of course you can wear that dress." Said Rarity. "It's the first dress I ever made for a human and is one I'm quite proud of."
"Thanks Rarity." Said Luna.
"Your quite welcome." Said Rarity before resuming her work.
Applejack approached her. "So all you have to do is make a different, stunning, original, amazing outfit for one, two, three, four, five, plus yourself, six ponies, and lickety split."
Rarity was quite amused by this. "Oh Applejack you make it sound as if it's going to be hard."
Soon the others left and Rarity was working in her shop. She began singing as she worked.
RARITY
Thread by thread, stitching it together.
Rarity used the sewing machine on some fabric.
Twilight's dress, cutting out the pattern snip by snip.
She used some scissors to cut out pieces.
Making sure the fabric folds nicely.
Opalesence panicked as some fabric fell on top of her.
It's the perfect color and so hip. Always gotta keep in mind my pacing.
Rarity used different supplies.
Making sure the clothes' correctly facing. I'm stitching Twilight's dress.
Rarity kept working as she sung.
Yard by yard, fussing on the details.
Opal was trying to sleep but she was on fabric rolls that Rarity took. This caused Opal to wake up and get spun around a little.
Jewel neckline, don't you know a stitch in time saves nine?
Rarity added to a mannequin.
Make her something perfect to inspire. Even though she hates formal attire.
Opal played with a small accessory and Rarity picked up a whole bunch of mannequins with her magic.
Gotta mind those intimate details. Even though she's more concerned with sales. It's Applejack's new dress
Rarity went to the drawings of what she wanted her dresses to look like when they were finished.
Dressmaking's easy, for Pinkie Pie something pink.
She scribbled some pink with a pink crayon on the drawing of Pinkie's dress.
Fluttershy something breezy Blend color and form,
She used a blue crayon to draw the back of Fluttershy's dress.
You think it looks cheesy?
She asked Opal who just meowed quietly.
Something brash, perhaps quite fetching.
Rarity was working with rainbow fabric.
Hook and eye, couldn't you just simply die?
She hooked together two accessories.
Making sure it fits forelock and crest. Don't forget some magic in the dress.
She put the accessories on the head of the mannequin.
Even though it rides high on the flank. Rainbow won't look like a tank
She put the rainbow fabric on the back of the mannequin.
I'm stitching Rainbow's dress
Rarity kept working on all the dresses.
Piece by piece, snip by snip. Croup, dock, haunch, shoulders, hip. Thread by thread, primmed and pressed. Yard by yard, never stressed
And that's the art of the dress!
Rarity was surronded by her materials floating in midair with her magic.
(END SONG)
Later Rarity had invited all of her friends to show them the now finished dresses. She was currently leading them to dresses with their eyes closed. "That's it keep them closed. Don't look." Rarity told them. "Soon they were at the dresses. "Okay you can look now!"
They all opened their eyes and gasped upon seeing the dresses.
"These are your new outfits." Rarity said showing them beautiful dresses. Opalescence was even nuzzling Rainbow's dress. "What do you think of your old duds now Applejack?" She asked while Opal played with the dress. "Pretty swanky, are they not?" Rarity then gestured towards Twilight's dress which Opal happily stood underneath. "And Twilight, I made this dress for you, and I designed each outfit theme to perfectly reflect each pony's unique personality." Rarity then showed Rainbow her dress which Opal went back to nuzzling. "Oh, it took me forever to get the colors right on this one, Rainbow Dash, but I did it. Oh, and it turned out beautiful, don't you think?" After that Rarity went to Fluttershy's dress which Opal stood next to. "And I know you are going to love yours, Fluttershy. It just sings spring!" Then she showed Pinkie her dress which Opal actually sat on top of. "And Pinkie Pie, look! Pink! Your favorite!" She said. Lastly she showed Luna her dress from before which Opal hopped at excitedly. "And of course Luna as promised, your requested dress I made for you earlier." She said. "Aren't they all amazing?"
The others were all speechless. Rarity smiled nervously.
It was then Twilight decided to break the silence. "Wow they're..."
Twilight couldn't think of what to say so Rainbow tried but also failed. "Yeah they're..."
"They sure are something." Said Applejack.
"Yes something." Said Twilight trying to sound sincere.
"I love something." Said Pinkie. "Something is my favorite."
"It's nice." Said Fluttershy a little dissapointed.
"I think they're beautiful." Said Luna.
"But what's the matter?" Asked Rarity. "Don't you like them?"
"They're very nice." Said Twilight with a nervous smile.
"And we're plumb grateful cause you worked so hard on them." Said Applejack.
"Mine's just not as cool as I was imagining." Said Rainbow. Twilight, Luna, and Rarity just glared at her. "She asked."
"I guess what we're all saying is that they're just not what we had in mind." Said Twilight.
Rarity looked devestaed.
"Yeah..."
"Uh..."
"Aha..."
Rarity sighed before putting on a sad smile. "That's okay. Not a problem." She said. "There's plenty more where that came from. They were only a first pass. You're my friends and I want you to be one hundred and ten percent satisfied." Rarity told them. "Not to worry, I'll redo them."
"Oh Rarity, you don't have to do that." Said Fluttershy. "They're fine."
"Yeah don't stress yourself." Said Luna. "I'm sure the others are okay wearing these."
"I want them to be better than just fine." Said Rarity. "I want you to think they're absolutely perfect."
"Are you sure?" Asked Applejack. "I mean we wouldn't wanna impose."
Rariy giggled. "Oh it's no imposition." She said. "Really I insist."
"Well in that case, thank you again Rarity." Said Twilight as she and the others left.
Rarity giggled nervously but after her friends left she didn't look so good. "What have I gotten myself into?" She asked herself. Opal, who had been standing next to her, let out a meow.
Sometime later Rarity, who now had a messed up mane, was sewing another dress when Fluttershy came in. "Hello, you wanted to see me Rarity?"
Rarity was happy. "Fluttershy, your new new gown's ready." She said. "I completely revised it and I know you're going to love it!"
Soon Fluttershy was in a green gown and looking in a mirror.
"What do you think?" Asked Rarity.
Fluttershy didn't look certain. "I... love it."
Rarity wasn't convinced. "Oh you're just saying that."
"No, no." Said Fluttershy. "I do. It's... nice."
"Nice?" Asked Rarity.
"Nice." Said Fluttershy nervously.
"If you don't like it you should just tell me." Said Rarity.
"Oh but I do like it." Said Fluttershy.
"Like it or love it?" Asked Rarity.
"Um, both." Said Fluttershy nervously.
"Which is it?" Asked Rarity walking forward causing Fluttershy to walk backwards.
Flutterhsy began getting more nervous. "Please stop asking me this. I..."
"Well just tell me what you really think." Said Rarity.
"No that's okay." Said Fluttershy as she backed against the wall.
"Tell me." Said Rarity getting frustrated.
"No it's fine." Said Fluttershy.
"Tell me."
Fluttershy began to sweat as she was under a lot of pressure. "I like it."
"Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!" Said Rarity.
"All right, since you really wanna know." Fluttershy then took a really deep breath. "The armscye's tight, the middy collar doesn't go with the shawl lapel, the hems are clearly machine-stitched, the pleats are uneven. The fabric looks like toile, you used a backstitch here when it clearly called for a topstitch or maybe a traditional blanket stitch and the overdesign is reminiscent of pret-a-porter and not true French haute couture." Fluttershy finished. "But, uh you know um whatever you want to do is fine."
Rarity was shocked. Later she was making a dress following Twilight's instructions. "Now the stars on my belt need to be technically accurate." She said. "Orion has three stars on his belt not four."
Rarity began singing again.
RARITY
Stitch by stitch, stitching it together.
Rarity put the fabric of Twilight's new dress on a manequinn.
Deadline looms, don't you know the client's always right?
Even if my fabric choice was perfect. Gotta get them all done by tonight
Pinkie Pie, that color's too obtrusive
Pinkie picked teal fabric and Rarity opened some curtains to literally shed some light on the fabric.
Wait until you see it in the light
I'm sewing them together!
"Don't you think my gown would be more me with some lollipops?" Asked Pinkie.
"Well I think-" Rarity started but Pinkie cut her off.
"Balloons?" She asked.
"Well-"
"Do it!"
RARITY
Hour by hour, one more change.
Rarity sewed together pinki fabric with blue fabric.
I'm sewing them together, take great pains.
Fluttershy, you're putting me in a bind.
Rarity measured Fluttershy.
Rainbow Dash, what is on your mind? Oh my gosh, there's simply not much time.
Rainbow Dash just stood there doing nothing while Rarity went back and forth across the room.
Don't forget, Applejack's duds must shine.
Rarity used her magic to levitate many supplies.
Dressmaking's easy, every customer's call. Brings a whole new revision
Applejack smiled while Rarity worked but later shook her head.
Have to pick up the pace, still hold to my vision.
Opal just rested on some pink fabric.
Later Twilight showed Rarity a constellation for her dress. "That constellation is Canis Major not Minor." She explained.
Some birds then showed Fluttershy a drawing of a dress. "French haute couture please." Said Fluttershy.
"Ugh." Said Rarity before getting some purple fabric.
Later Rarity was with Applejack. "What if it rains?" Asked Applejack before getting an idea. "Galoshes."
Later Rarity was with Pinkie. "More balloons." Said Pinkie as Rarity attached balloons to Pinkie's dress manequinn. But Pinkie then stopped her. "Oh no that's too many balloons." Rarity took the balloons off. "More candy!" Said Pinkie before changing her mind. "Oh less candy." Pinkie then got an idea. "Oh wait I know." She said. "Streamers!"
"Streamers?" Asked Rarity.
"Whose dress is this?" Asked Pinkie.
"Streamers it is." Said Rarity.
Later Rarity was with Rainbow Dash. Rarity kept looking back and forth at Rainbow.
"What?" Asked Rainbow.
"Aren't you gonna tell me to change something too?" Asked Rarity.
"No I just want my dress to be cool." Said Rainbow.
"Do you not like the color." Asked Rarity.
"The color is fine just make it cooler." Said Rainbow.
"Do you not like the shape?" Asked Rarity. "The shape's fine, just make the whole thing, you know cooler." Said Rainbow. "It needs to be about twenty percent cooler."
Rarity was just confused and frustrated.
PINKIE
All we ever want is indecision.
RAINBOW
All we really like is what we know.
TWILIGHT
Gotta balance style with adherence.
FLUTTERSHY
Making sure we make a good appearance.
APPLEJACK
Even if you simply have to fudge it.
Rarity walked forward as all her friends walked around her.
APPLEJACK, FLUTTERSHY, TWILIGHT, RAINBOW, AND PINKIE
Make sure that it stays within our budget.
Rarity was at her sewing machine while her friends surrounded her.
RARITY
Got to overcome intimidation. Remember it's all in the presentation!
Piece by piece, snip by snip
Croup, dock, haunch, shoulders, hip
Bolt by bolt, primmed and pressed
Yard by yard, always stressed
Rarity continued to work hard.
And that's the art of the dress!
(END SONG)
Rarity let out a sigh before collapsing while Opal sat on top of another manequinn. "Oh Opal these are the ugliest dresses I've ever made."
Later Rarity showed all her friends, including Luna, the dresses. "Okay, I did exactly what each of you asked for." She said. "Now don't hold back. Let me know what you really think."
"Oh my." Said Twilight.
"It's perfect." Said Fluttershy.
"It's cool." Said Rainbow.
"Why they're the best duds I ever did see." Said Applejack.
"It's exactly what I asked for!" They all said in unison.
Rarity was happy to hear this.
Opal however couldn't agree less and was disgusted by the dresses.
"Thank you Rarity." Said Twilight.
"Are you as happy with them as we are?" Asked Pinkie. "Huh, huh, huh?"
"Well I'm happy that all of you are happy." Said Rarity. "I'm just relieved to finally be done."
"You okay Rarity?" Asked Luna.
"Certainly Luna." She said.
Suddenly Spike came in. "You are never gonna believe this." He said. "You've heard of Hoity Toity?"
"The bigwig fashion hotshot in Canterlot?" Asked Twilight.
"Uh-huh. He heard about your fashion show." Said Spike. "Well maybe I happened to mention it to him." He admitted. "He's coming here all the way from Canterlot to see your work Rarity!"
"Whoa Nelly!" Said Applejack. "You could sell a ton of dresses to this guy." She said. "Your business will be booming!"
"Wow." Said Twilight.
"That's so cool." Said Rainbow.
"I can't believe it." Said Pinkie.
"You must be really excited." Said Luna.
"Hoity Toity?" Asked Rarity nervously. "He's coming here? To see these dresses?"
"Yep!" Said Spike. "Get ready for all of your dreams to come true."
Rarity's eye twithced.
That night the fashion show was about to begin.
Rarity and Opal looked out from behind the curtain and they saw Hoity Toity. Rarity gasped. "There he is!"
Hoity clapped his hooves and a pony put a cushion for him to sit on.
Rarity took a few deep breaths. "Okay. Relax Rarity." She said to herself. "Your friends like their outfits and so will he." Raity squealed as it got darker. "What's wrong with the lights?!" She asked before realizing. "Oh yes. That means the show's starting. Good."
The music started and Spike began announcing. "Since the beginning of time, the elite of Equestria have longed for pony fashions that truly expressed the essence of their very souls." He said. "Patiently waiting decades, no, centuries, for the perfect pony gown." He said. "Today at long last Equestria your wait is over!" He told them. "Let's hear it for the breathtaking designs of Ponyville's own Rarity!" But as the others walked on stage the audience gasped and didn't look impressed.
"Why is everypony looking at us like that?" Asked Applejack.
"Oh dear." Said Twilight.
"You think we over did it?" Asked Rainbow.
"Nah." Said Applejack before looking at her golashes. "Okay maybe a little."
"Oh, those amateurish designs look like a piled on mishmash of everything but the kitchen sink!" Said Toity. The audience laughed at this. Rarity heard this and shamefully pushed back a kitchen sink behind her. She looked devestated. "It's a travesty is what it is." He said. "Those outfits are the ugliest things I've ever seen oh for shame!" He told them. "Who is responsible for subjecting our eyes to these horrors?" He asked. "Not to mention wasting my valuable time."
When Rarity heard this she tried to hide behind Opal. "Oh, hide me."
Spike then went on stage. "Come on out and take a bow, Rarity." He said. "You worked really hard for this." He told her. "Yes! All right, woo-hoo! Go Rarity!"
Rarity shamefully walked onto stage and whispers and murmurs occured. Her friends all had nervous smiles. Luna who had been in the audience looked worried about her friend.
A few days after the fashion show was over the others went to Rarity's room.
Pinkie knocked. "Rarity you okay in there?" She asked. "You haven't come out for days."
"I'm never coming out!" Screamed Rarity as Pinkie backed away from the door. "I can't show my face in Ponyville ever again!" She claimed as she walked around her room wearing a pink robe. "I used to be somepony, I used to be respected, I made dresses. Beautiful, beautiful dresses!" She said. "But now everypony is laughing at me. I'm nothing but a laughing stock!" Rarity continued to sob.
"You're not laughing stock Rarity." Said Twilight.
"She kind of is!" Rainbow blurted.
"Shh!" Hissed Twilight.
"Oh come on Rarity, I'm sure nopony even remembers the fashion show, or the dresses." Said Luna.
"Uh yes they do." Said Rainbow. "Everypony does."
"Shh!" Hissed Luna covering Dash's mouth. "Come out and talk to us." Said Luna.
"Leave me alone!" Rarity sobbed. "I want to be alone! I want to wallow in... whatever it is that ponies are supposed to wallow in!" She said. "Do ponies wallow in pity? Oh, listen to me." Rarity said. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to wallow in!" She sobbed. "I'm so pathetic!"
"Now what do we do?" Asked Twilight.
"Uh, panic." Fluttershy suggested.
"That's your answer for everything." Said Rainbow.
"Well we can't just leave Rarity like this." Said Applejack.
"She'll become a crazy cat lady!" Said Pinkie.
"What?" Asked Luna. "She only has one cat."
"Give her time." Said Pinkie.
Twilight then looked through the keyhole and saw an unfinished dress. This gave her an idea. "Hmm."
Later Rarity looked at herself in a mirror. "Exile." She said. "I guess technically I'd have to move away to live in exile." She told herself. "Where would I go? And what would I pack?" She asked herself. "Oh it's going to take me forever to do all of that packing." She said. "What are you supposed to pack when you go to exile? Are you supposed to pack warm?" She then heard Opal meowing. "Huh, Opal?" Rarity then opened a window and looked out to see Opal stuck on a tree branch.
"Opal how did you get up there?" She asked her. "Hang on you poor dear, mama's coming." Rarity then rushed out. But when she looked in the tree she saw Rainbow Dash and Opal looked calm now.
"Huh?" Said Rarity. "Rainbow Dash? "How dare you strand my poor Opal in a tree!"
"Well how else were we gonna get you out here to show you this?"
The others then all showed Rarity the now finished dress.
Rarity was speechless.
"We all finished your dress for you." Said Pinkie.
"Thanks to Fluttershy's freaky knowledge of sewing." Said Applejack.
"Do you like it?" Asked Fluttershy.
"Like it?" Asked Rarity. "Like it?"
"Uh-uh." Said Fluttershy. "She doesn't like it."
"No I don't like it." Said Rarity.
"Awww."
"I love it!" She said.
This made the others all cheer. "YAY!"
"You ponies did an amazing job." Said Rarity. "It's exactly the way I imagined it."
"We just follwed your brilliant designs." Said Fluttershy.
"Like we should have let you do for our outfits." Said Twilight. "Those first dresses you designed were perfect." She admitted.
"We're so super sorry." Said Pinkie.
Rainbow then flew down with Opal on her back. "You worked really hard to make our dresses exactly the way we wanted them." She said. "We all saw how well that turned out."
"Oh I forgive you." Said Rarity as Opal hopped on her back. "Even you Luna, despite the fact that you didn't do anything."
"Well that's mighty big of you." Said Applejack.
Rarity then looked sad again. "But my whole career is still ruined."
"Oh right." Said Applejack remembering. "That."
"Maybe not." Said Twilight as she Hoity Toity.
"Alright I haven't got all day." He said.
Later they were all back in the boutique. "Take two." Said Toity.
Rarity then lit up her horn to start the show.
Twilight was first.
"Hello, oh this can't be the same designer." Said Hoity.
Next was Applejack.
"Simply magnificent." Said Hoity. "And I suddenly have a fierce craving for some Dutch apple pie, candied apples on a stick, apple turnovers, apple cobbler..."
Next was Pinkie Pie.
"Brilliant!" Said Toity.
Next was Rainbow Dash.
"Oh spectacular." Said Toity.
Next was Fluttershy.
"Now this is a fashion show." Said Toity clapping his hooves.
Next was Luna in her dress.
"Amazing!" Said Toity. "The first ever human dress made by a pony!" He realized. "All of these dresses are absolutely amazing." He said. "Who is responsible?" He asked. "Step forward, show yourself!"
Rarity then stepped forward lighting her horn.
"Bravo! Bravo!" Clapped Toity. "Magnifico! Encore!"
"Oh thank you. Thank you!" Said Rarity. "Oh thank you so much!"
Later Twilight wrote to Princess Celestia.
"Dear Princess Celestia, This week, my very talented friend Rarity learned that if you try to please everypony, you often times end up pleasing nopony, especially yourself. And I learned this: when somepony offers to do you a favor, like making you a beautiful dress, you shouldn't be overly critical of something generously given to you. In other words, you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth." Twilight then giggled as Spike sent the letter.
"Rarity my congratulations to you on a most impressive fashion debut." Said Toity. "Would you do me the great honor of allowing me to feature your couture in my Best of the Best Boutique in Canterlot?" He asked.
Rarity gasped excitedly.
"Now, I'll need you to make a dozen of each dress for me by next Tuesday." Said Toity.
This made Rarity nervous as that meant she'd have to make eighty-four dresses by then.
THE END