Author's notes: Watermelon.

Chapter 10: Clothing Drama.

Another day in Ponyville, another day surrounded by insane ponies.

Today was a rather normal day, me just floating around the library, reading a book on the table. Twilight getting ready to go out and do something that may jeopardize her ideals, friendship, and health.

Now that I think about it, following her maybe more fun than hanging around the library.

So I end up following Twilight to Rarity's Carousel Boutique, and there we also ran into Applejack oddly enough. We went up to where Rarity does her sowing, and designing.

Applejack was the first to speak, "Howdy, Rarity!"

"Shh... Can't you see Rarity is trying to concentrate?" Twilight said, trying not to disturb Rarity.

"What do you think she's makin'?" Maybe a dress, after all that is what she does for a living.

"Looks like a dress."

"Well, that makes sense. Since this is a dressmaker's shop and all."

"Is there something I can help you with?" Rarity asked, having enough of them talking.

"Oh, so very sorry to trouble you, Rarity, but I need a quick favor. Could you please fix the button for me? It's my dress for the Grand Galloping Gala," Twilight explained, while holding up a very plain looking dress. Wait, the Grand Galloping Gala? Is that like the Running of the Leves?

"Oh, no, no, no! You can't wear this... old thing," Oddly enough I agree. I'm not really into fashion and all. "You need a glamorous new outfit for the Gala and I'll make it for you. No problem at all. It will be my pleasure!" Rarity told her.

"Oh, that's really sweet of you to offer, Rarity, but I can't let you do that. It would be so much work. This dress is fine," Twilight said.

"Twilight Sparkle. I insist on making you a new dress,"

"But..." Twilight tried, and failed to convince Rarity otherwise.

"Not another word! I won't take no for an answer," Rarity insisted.

"Well, in that case... Thank you for your generosity, Rarity. Knowing your handiwork, I'm sure it will be absolutely beautiful," Twilight said.

Rarity looks at Applejack, "Let me guess, Applejack. You don't want a new gown either."

"Gown? Shoot. I was just gonna wear my old work duds," Applejack stated. Work duds? You mean your hat?

"You can't possibly be serious, Applejack! You absolutely must wear formal attire,"

"Hm... Nah," Applejack rejecting the offer.

"What if I just spruce up your... duds for you a little bit?" Rarity said, wanting to try to make Applejack look good.

"Okay, sure. Why not? Since you're up for it and all. Just don't make them too... froufrou-y," Applejack said, with her limited vocabulary.

"Deal!" Rarity said, glad about the outcome.

Well that went easy enough.

"Look out below!" We heard from outside. Next thing we know, Rainbow comes crashing into Rarity's shop.

"Sorry. New trick. Didn't quite work," Rainbow explained.

"Hmm...," Rarity gasps, "Idea! I'll make you an outfit for the Gala too, Rainbow Dash."

"Outfit for the what now?" That's what I want to know too Rainbow.

"I'll make one for you and you and all of you. Oh! And of course Pinkie and Fluttershy too. Oh, and when I'm done, we can hold our very own fashion show!" Rarity said excitedly.

"What a great idea! If you're sure you can handle it," Twilight said.

"Oh, it'll be a little bit of work, but it will be a wonderful boost for my business. Plus, fun!"

"Oh, I love fun things!" said Rainbow.

"Then it's settled. We'll have a fashion show starring us."

"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?" Applejack asked.

"Oh, Applejack. You make it sound as if it's going to be hard," Rarity said, confident in her abilities.

She thinks she can make six dresses that quickly? This I got to see.

As the other ponies left, I stayed to watch how Rarity was going to pull some form of miracle.

Then came the singing.

Rarity, "Thread by thread, stitching it together

Twilight's dress, cutting out the pattern snip by snip

Making sure the fabric folds nicely

It's the perfect color and so hip

Always gotta keep in mind my pacing

Making sure the clothes' correctly facing

I'm stitching Twilight's dress

Yard by yard, fussing on the details

Jewel neckline, don't you know a stitch in time saves nine?

Make her something perfect to inspire

Even though she hates formal attire

Gotta mind those intimate details

Even though she's more concerned with sales

It's Applejack's new dress

Dressmaking's easy, for Pinkie Pie something pink

Fluttershy something breezy

Blend color and form,

Do you think it looks cheesy?

Something brash, perhaps quite fetching

Hook and eye, couldn't you just simply die?

Making sure it fits forelock and crest

Don't forget some magic in the dress

Even though it rides high on the flank

Rainbow won't look like a tank

I'm stitching Rainbow's dress

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!"

I really couldn't believe what Rarity just did. In just a matter of a few short hours, she had made 5 dresses, which would go perfectly with the others:

Twilight's dress had a dark blue cape, with stars, and with a light blue drape, along with matching shoes, and clips.

Applejack's dress was green, and light brown western looking outfit, with an apple neck tie, and apples on her hat as well.

Rainbow's dress was nearly as colorful as she was, with some white to balance it out. The dress also had a pair of golden looking shoes, and a golden olive branch for her hair.

Pinkie's dress was pink, white, and poofy. It had a design of candy corn on her dress, and a small white hat, with her balloon symbol on it.

Fluttershy's dress was green and light blue, and came with a blue butterfly for a clip, and numerous white and blue flowers for her hair.

After Rarity had finished, she went to go find the others, and brought them to see their new dresses.

"That's it. Keep them closed. Don't look. Okay, you can look now! These are your new outfits. What do you think of your old duds now, Applejack? Pretty swanky, are they not? And Twilight! I made this dress for you and I designed each outfit theme to perfectly reflect each pony's unique personality. 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? Ooo, and I know you are going to love yours, Fluttershy. It just sings spring! And Pinkie Pie, look! Pink! Your favorite! Aren't they all amazing?" Rarity said, showing off her outfits.

Their reactions were not what we expected.

"Wow... They're..." Twilight said, not knowing what to say.

"Yeah, they're..." Rainbow continued.

"They sure are... sumth'n," Applejack said, trying to find the right word.

"Yes! Something," Twilight agreed.

"I love something! Something is my favorite!" Pinkie said.

"It's... nice," Fluttershy said meekly.

"But what's the matter? Don't you like them?" Rarity said, not understanding their hesitations.

"They're very nice..." Twilight tried to explain.

"And we're plum grateful 'cause you worked so hard on them," Applejack added in.

"Mine's just not as cool as I was imagining," Rainbow said, gaining some glares, "She asked." Rainbow defended.

"I guess what we're all saying is that they're just not what we had in mind," Twilight stated.

There was a collective yeah from the ponies.

Are these ponies really doubting that their friend, who's very job is dealing with what is and isn't in fashion.

"That's okay. Not a problem. There's plenty more where that came from. They were only a first pass. You're my friends and I want you to be 110% satisfied. Not to worry, I'll redo them," Rarity said.

"Oh, Rarity. You don't have to do that. They're fine," Fluttershy said, trying to ease Rarity's hidden sadness.

"I want them to be better that just fine. I want you to think they're absolutely perfect," Rarity stated.

"Are you sure? I mean, we wouldn't wanna impose," Applejack said. You don't want to impose after you practically insulted her work?

"Oh, it's no imposition. Really, I insist,"

"Well, in that case... Thank you again, Rarity," Twilight said.

The ponies soon left, leaving me and Rarity.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Rarity said to herself.

She took the dresses of the mannequins, and placed them in a box, and started working from scratch.

Rarity soon finished up on Fluttershy's dress.

"Hello? You wanted to see me, Rarity?" Fluttershy asked as she arrived.

"Fluttershy! Your new-new gown's ready. I completely revised it and I know you're going to love it. What do you think?" Rarity showed her

"I... love it," Fluttershy said hesitantly.

"Oh, you're just saying that," Rarity said.

"No, no. I do. It's... nice."

""Nice"?" Rarity repeated.

"Nice."

"If you don't like it, you should just tell me," Rarity starting to pressure Fluttershy for an answer.

"Oh, but I do like it."

"Like it or love it?"

"Um... both?"

"Which is it?"

"Please stop asking me this, I...," Fluttershy was getting really nervous by this point.

"Well, just tell me what you really think."

"No, that's okay…"

"Tell me."

" No... it's fine..."

Rarity started to get in Fluttershy's face, "Tell me!"

"I... like it..."

"Tell me, tell me, tell-me-tell-me-tell-me!" Rarity started to repeat.

Fluttershy finally gave in, "All right! Since you really wanna know..." she takes an inhale, "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 prêt-à-porter and not true French haute couture," she pauses, "But, uh... you know... um, whatever you want to do is fine."

Wow, I didn't know Fluttershy could be so picky.

When Rarity brought Twilight for the dress, it didn't go any better.

"Now, the stars on my belt need to be technically accurate. Orion has three stars on his belt, not four," Twilight said.

Rarity starting singing again while working, but less joyfull.

"Stitch by stitch, stitching it together

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

Wait until you see it in the light

I'm sewing them together!"

Rarity brought Pinkie in to see her dress.

"Don't you think my gown would be more "me" with some lollipops?" Pinkie said.

"Well, I think..." Rarity tried to interject.

"Balloons?" Pinkie asked.

"Well..."

"DO IT!"

"Hour by hour, one more change

I'm sewing them together, take great pains

Fluttershy, you're putting me in a bind

Rainbow Dash, what is on your mind?

Oh my gosh, there's simply not much time

Don't forget, Applejack's duds must shine

Dressmaking's easy, every customer's call

Brings a whole new revision

Have to pick up the pace, still hold to my vision"

"That constellation is Canis Major, not Minor," Twilight said

"French haute couture, please," Fluttershy said.

"Ugh..." Rarity complained.

"What if it rains? Galoshes!" Applejack demanded

"More balloons! Oh no, that's too many balloons. More candy! Oh, less candy. Oh wait, I know. Streamers!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Streamers?" Rarity asked.

"Whose dress is this?"

"Streamers it is."

"What?" Rainbow asked when she arrived to look at the dress.

"Aren't you going to tell me to change something too?" Rarity asked.

"No, I just want my dress to be cool,"

"Do you not like the color?"

"The color's fine, just make it look cooler," Rainbow said vaguely.

"Do you not like the shape?"

"The shape's fine, just make the whole thing... you know, cooler. It needs to be about 20% cooler," Bird Brain said, continuing not making any sense.

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"

All them together, "Make sure that it stays within our budget"

"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

And that's the art of the dress!"

Rarity finally finishes singing, and was dead tired. We took a look at the new dresses.

They were awful.

"Oh, Opal. These are the ugliest dresses I've ever made," Rarity said to her cat.

Twilight's dress was a mix of space and stars. She would look like a freaking alien if she put that on.

Fluttershy's dress was had a mismatch of nature on it, moss, flowers, and even a bird nest with eggs in it.

Pinkies' dress was ridicules. It looked as if it was made for a clown, not a formal event.

Applejack's dress was just a large clash of colors, with a mixture of working clothes. Did Applejack really think she was going to be working in this thing?

Rainbows' dress was redesigned to look like if she was a superhero. It had a slick backed helmet, a cloak that had a large pitch of a thunder cloud, and what looks like a victory ribbon.

Those ponies had no taste what so ever.

Rarity gathered all of her friends together, to have a big reveal of the 'dresses'.

"Okay. I did exactly what each of you asked for. Now don't hold back. Let me know what you really think," Rarity said, as she showed them the new dresses.

"Oh my!" Twilight exclaimed

"It's... perfect!" Fluttershy stated.

"It's cool!" Rainbow loving her new outfit

"Why, they're the best duds I ever did see," Applejack added.

"It's exactly what I asked for!" They all agreed.

"Thank you, Rarity," Twilight thanked her.

"Are you as happy with them as we are? Huh? Huh? Huh?" Pinkie asked.

"Well, I'm... happy that all of you are happy. I'm just relieved to finally be done," Rarity said, avoiding the question.

Spike then ran into the Boutique, "You are never gonna believe this! You've heard of Hoity Toity?"

"The bigwig fashion hotshot in Canterlot?" Twilight asked.

"Uh-huh. He heard about your fashion show. Well, maybe I happened to mention it to him... He's coming here all the way from Canterlot to see your work, Rarity!" Oh no.

"Whoa, Nelly! You could sell a ton o' dresses to this guy. Your business will be boomin'!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Wow!" Twilight said

"That's so cool!" Rainbow added

"I don't believe it!" Pinkie, the unbelievable pony, said.

"Hoity Toity? He's coming here? To see THESE dresses?" Rarity asked, making sure she heard right.

"Yep! Get ready for all of your dreams to come true," Spike said happily

This is going to end badly.

They all soon got into their dresses, and got ready to show their dresses off, except for Rarity. With the idea that these dresses were going to represent her, got her quite nervous.

Rarity, was in no way shape or form ready for this, "Oh." An oddly dressed pony entered the store, "There he is! Okay. Relax, Rarity. Your friends like their outfits and so will he. UUUAAA, what's wrong with the lights?! Oh, yes. That means the show's starting. Good."

Music starts to play in the background.

Spike, somehow, was announcing the show,"Since the beginning of time, the elite of Equestria have longed for pony fashions that truly expressed the essence of their very souls. Patiently waiting decades - no, centuries - for the perfect pony gown. Today, at long last, Equestria, your wait is over! Let's hear it for the breathtaking designs of Ponyville's own Rarity!"

When the 5 poorly dressed ponies walked out on stage, there was a wave of murmuring in the crowd.

"Why's everypony lookin' at us like that?" Applejack asked. Because you look ridiculous.

"Oh dear," Twilight understanding what was going on.

"You think we overdid it?" Yes you did Bird Brain.

"Nah," then Applejack paused, "Okay, maybe a little."

Then Hoity Toity started speaking from the crowd, "Oh, those amateurish designs look like a piled-on mishmash of everything but a kitchen sink! It's a travesty, it's what it is. Those outfits are the ugliest things I've ever seen, oh for shame. Who is responsible for subjecting our eyes to these horrors? Not to mention wasting my valuable time."

Rarity turned to Opal, "Oh! Hide me."

"Come on out and take a bow, Rarity. You worked really hard for this. Yes! Alright, woohoo! Go, Rarity!" Spike announcing Rarity's name.

Well, Rarity has locked herself into her room.

"Rarity? You okay in there? You haven't come out for days," Pinkie said.

"I'm never coming out! I can't show my face in Ponyville ever again! I used to be somepony. I used to be respected. I made dresses. Beautiful, beautiful dresses! But now everypony is laughing at me. I'm nothing but a laughing stock!" Rarity said, sobbing.

"You're not a laughing stock, Rarity..." Twilight tried to comfort her.

"She kind of is," said Bird Brain.

"Shhh! Come on out and talk to us."

"Leave me alone! I want to be alone! I want to wallow in... whatever it is that ponies are supposed to wallow in! Do ponies wallow in pity? Oh, listen to me, I don't even know what I'm supposed to wallow in! I'M SO PATHETIC!" Rarity yelled.

Ok, this little pity party is going to have to end.

"Now what do we do?" Twilight asked.

I floated down to the main show room was, and saw the box that held the old dresses in it. I picked up the box, and brought it up stairs to where the ponies were still facing the door. I placed it behind them.

"She'll become a crazy cat lady!" Pinkie exclaimed. What did I miss?

"She only has one cat," Twilight said.

"Give her time."

As the ponies turned to leave, Twilight tripped, and fell into the box that held the dresses.

"Wah!" Twilight cried out.

"What in tarnation, how did this box get here? Applejack asked.

Twilight got out of the box with some pieces of dresses clinging to her.

"Oh, oh, oh! I know, I know!" Pinkie said. "It must have been Chromie!"

"Chromie?" Some of the ponies asked, except Fluttershy.

"Yeah, the invisible guy who hangs around Ponyville, Chrome," Pinkie explained.

"Wait, isn't that the guy who glued my wings? Oh, when I see him I am going to give him a good one, two," Rainbow said, still angry about the prank.

"Silly Rainbow, you can't see a ghost," Pinkie said.

"Ok, that is enough of that, whoever Chrome is, he isn't a ghost," Twilight said. Wait? She doesn't think I am a ghost?

"Oh yeah, and what do you think he is then?"

"Pinkie, ghosts don't exist, he is probably some unicorn using some magic to mess with us," Twilight explained.

"Ok, let's just stop with this her ghost stories. We still gotta help Rarity out," Applejack said.

"Um, well I think Chrome has given us a clue on how to help," Fluttershy said as she pointed to the box.

Twilight looked at the box, and got an idea, "Girls, I have an idea."

While they went off to plan, I went back into Rarity's room.

Rarity's pity party continued, "Exile... I guess technically I'd have to move away to live in exile. Where would I go? And what would I pack? Oh, it's going to take me forever to do all of that packing. What are you supposed to pack when you go to exile? Are you supposed to pack warm?"

We heard a meow outside.

"Huh? Opal?"

The meowing continued. We looked out, and saw Opal stuck in a tree.

Rarity left her room, to go out, and get Opal out of the tree.

"Opal, how did you get up there? Hang on, you poor dear! Mama's coming!" Rarity looked around and saw Rainbow, "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?" Rainbow explained.

Rainbow poined to a mannequin with dark pink dress, with light yellow lines going horizontally across, and gems on it, there was even a matching tiara.

"What is it? It's not... You..." Rarity gasped.

"We all finished your dress for you," Pinkie explained.

"Thanks to Fluttershy's freaky knowledge of sewing," Applejack said. Yeah, how does she know? Does she make clothing for her animals?

"Do you like it?" Fluttershy asked.

"Like it? Like it?!" Rarity said.

"Uh-uh. She doesn't like it."

"No, I don't like it," Rarity finally said.

"Awwww..." Everypony said.

"I LOVE IT!" She exclaimed.

"Yay!"

"You ponies did an amazing job. It's exactly the way I imagined it."

"We just followed your brilliant design," Fluttershy explained.

"Like we should have let you do for our outfits. Those first dresses you designed were perfect," Twilight said.

"We're so super sorry," Pinkie apologized.

"You worked really hard to make our dresses exactly the way we wanted them. We all saw how well that turned out," admitted Rainbow

"Oh, I forgive you," Rarity said.

"Well, that's mighty big of you," Applejack said.

"But my whole career is still ruined!" Rarity said, still upset by it.

"Oh, right. That."

"Maybe not," Twilight said.

The ponies ended up resetting the stage, and brought Hoity Toity back.

"All right, I haven't got all day," Hoity Toity said, "Take two."

The music started, and out came Twilight.

"Hello... Oh, this can't be the same designer."

Applejack then came on to the stage.

"Simply magnificent! And I suddenly have a fierce craving for some Dutch apple pie, candied apples on a stick, apple turnovers, apple cobbler..."

Pinkie then bounced onto the stage.

"Brilliant!"

A clap of thunder could be heard, and thus entered Rainbow

"Oh, spectacular!"

Fluttershy entered on the stage.

"Now this is a fashion show! All of these dresses are absolutely amazing. Who is responsible? Step forward, show yourself!"

Rarity walks out on stage, with her new dress on.

"Brava! Brava! Magnifico! Encore!"

"Oh, thank you. Thank you! Oh, thank you so much!" Rarity states.

Well that went pretty well.

"Rarity, my congratulations to you on a most impressive fashion debut. Would you do me the great honor of allowing me to feature your couture in my Best of the Best Boutique in Canterlot?"

Rarity gasped at the idea.

"Now, I'll need you to make a dozen of each dress for me by next Tuesday."

Oh bloody hell. Well Rarity you got what you wanted, and I'm off to the library to find out what the buck the Gala is.