Celestia's sun grudgingly crested a hill as light began to slowly spread across the land, eventually making its way to a small little town on the edge of a large forest. Ponyville. Normally ponies would be reluctantly rising and departing from their homes as the day began. Instead nearly every pony merely rolled over or glanced up before laying back in bed for plenty of well deserved rest. Why?

Because today was Sunday. A day to rest, relax, do whatever one wished! Even those who did decide to crawl their tired flanks out of bed to work didn't begin until late. As a matter of fact the town seemed to almost be a ghost town except for the birds chirping.

That is, except for one small little boutique near the center of town. Lights were on as a white coated unicorn mare with a sleek but slightly frazzled purple mane and tail darted to and fro. Her horn was aglow as threads, fabric and needles followed her around wrapped in a light blue aura. On her nose were perched a pair of orange rimmed glasses.

Six ponyquins were stationed around the room, they were wearing a different gem covered dress as the pony continued to fret and fiddle with each in an attempt to make them perfect. She stopped in front of a blue diamond covered one as she began talking to herself. “Is this to tacky? To... sparkly? I know diamonds are all the rage right now but maybe I should tone it down a bit... I don't want to appear desperate...” she then glanced towards a drawer in her desk, tightly locked. “Even if it would be the truth...”

She glanced back at the mannequin and nearly let out a scream. Where it had been standing there was now a slightly plump pink earth pony mare with a pink mane and tail that seemed to share similar form with that of cotton candy. Before she could gather the words to scold the little trickster the girl leaned in and gave her a soft, affectionate kiss on the lips.

“Good morning! What's yah doing?” she moved around to poke at the outfits. Each touch made the unicorn cringe and twitch.

“P-Pinky. Please, c-careful! I finished a little bit ago but I just want to make sure they're perfect. D-don't touch that!” she shrieked as she swatted the mare's hoof away with a piece of telekinetically held cloth.

Almost instantly she regretted it as the pink mare pulled away from the dress. “Sorry Rarity. I didn't meant to mess anything up.” She stuck her lower lip out and pouted just a bit, making the unicorn's heart beat a little faster as a hint of red formed in her cheeks.

“No, it's fine. I just need to be ready for this week. I'll be arriving a little after midnight tonight and I'll only have about five hours to get everything ready. It needs to be perfect BEFORE it gets there,” she said as she moved in to give her friend a tight hug followed by a kiss on the cheek. “You on the other hoof, my little cupcake, already seemed to have achieved perfection.”

“Hee hee,” the pink mare giggled as the pout was replaced with a happy grin. “I don't see why you have to work so hard. They all look awesome and sparkly and I'm sure you'll make everypony wanna buy a dozen dresses before Wednesday and you'll be able to come home early!”

Rarity snickered at her friends excitement and obvious motives. “Oh dear darling... Could you be trying to butter me up before I leave? Not to mention you...” she took a nice, long sniff. Something she would never have dreamed of doing to any mare before their relationship had sprung to life. “Smell simply divine! Oh no,” she squeaked as her ears went flat. “Y-you didn't.”

“Wellllll... You were planning to go on a long trip and I wanted to make sure you had something to remember home with,” Pinkie said with a mischievous grin.

“No no no! Darling, you know I simply can't! Those... those delicious morsels are just... you know what happened last time! I had to diet for a month!” her entire body shook as her eyes looked around frantically before stopping on a small bag, which had at one time been brown but was now colored and decorated with all manners of marker, crayon and stickers. She had a sneaking suspicion that the children Pinkie regularly foal sat used it as an art project.

“Awww, you didn't have to diet at all,” the mare said as she moved in and gently nuzzled their noses together. “I think you looked perfect either way. Besides I made them just the way you like them,” she said as she trotted over and slowly opened the bag. Within moments the heavenly scent of strawberries and chocolate wafted over to the unicorn as she took a step forward.

“I-I can't. I shouldn't. I mustn't... How many did you make me?”

“Seven. One for each day of the trip, and one for the ride there and back each,” the mare said as she held the open bag under her friends nose. “Though... I guess if you don't want them,” she yanked them away before the other, now slightly drooling, mare could take them.

“W-what? I... I guess if there's just seven I could... take them. It would be a shame to waste them,” she said as she held out her hoof, but alas no desserts were deposited. “Come on Pinkie... Pinkie...” she made a grab for the bag as it was pulled away. “Pinkie! Gimme!”

“Nuh uh,” the pink mare said as she danced just out of reach of her friend, holding the prize of delicious treats just out of reach. “You already said you didn't want them,” she sang the words as finally the unicorn lunged and sent them both tumbling to the ground.

The bag landed a few feet away as the unicorn stood over her friend, slightly panting as she gazed down. Straight into those pink eyes just filled with mirth and joy. The way her hooves were held flat to her chest as her bushy mane formed a kind of pillow around her head. The way her little teasing grin and playful nature could manage to erase almost all the stress and worry the unicorn had built up over the night. She slowly leaned in and connected their lips one more time, this time not releasing for many seconds.

Rarity then plopped down, less than gracefully, and pinned the mare under her. “Mine,” she said in a teasing voice.

“Me or the pastries?”

“Yes,”she said with a mischievous grin. “Thank you for coming to see me off Pinkie Pie. I don't know what I'd do without you,” she lied. Oh, she knew exactly what she'd do. Spend every waking moment until she left thinking about how the dresses weren't perfect. How they needed to be altered or fixed. That she had delayed it far to long and spent to much time focusing on this new relationship rather than working on her job and lively hood.

And then she'd look into those big pink eyes. The eyes of a pony who could somehow have over a hundred best friends and manage to have them ALL as best friends. Yet she still only had one mare friend. One friend who kissed her. One friend who held her in the way only two so close could hold her. One friend who well... while they hadn't taken that step yet, would one day be the one to touch her in a very new way. Not that Rarity would know anything about such things, as she most assuredly did not have a few dozen steamy romance novels hidden up in her room.

Speaking of steam, the scent of strawberries drew her attention back to the bag as she sighed. “You are soooo going to pay for these later. If I get even so much as one extra pound we're both going on a diet,” she grumbled as she picked the prized bag up with magic and put it onto her desk. She then glanced down and gave one last, much smaller, kiss.

“Okey dokey lokey!” with the ease of well... something not pony-like the earth pony slipped out from under Rarity and started hopping around. “I know you'll do really well Rarity. Your dresses are all amazing! Even the princesses think so!”

The unicorn smiled and nodded, “I sure hope so. I'd better get to putting all these away. If you'd like to head out you-” before she even finished the pink pony had already started bringing down her bags and other objects. “Or you can help me get ready.”

It wasn't long before everything was stacked into a large cart, piling about twenty feet into the air. It wasn't much but she knew most of what she needed could be acquired at her destination. The unicorn double, triple, quadruple and finally quintuple checked everything to make sure it was perfect and she had all her back up materials in case anything went wrong. She glanced at the cart for a moment before sighing. If only Sweetie Belle, her little sister, were here. The little filly was far better at pulling the thing than she was. She then glanced at Pinkie for a moment before smiling, “Oh dear? Would you mind?”

“Okie dokey lokie!” the mare said as she moved to the front of the cart.

------

Ticks, an average sized earth pony with a red mane and orange coat, lounged on his chair as he watched ponies one by one board the great multi-colored train. It had been a slow day so far as it was their slow season and Ponyville tended to not be a destination of many ponies during the colder time of year. He glanced over to a far older mare wearing large spectacles as she struggled to haul her luggage and he quickly got to his hooves and walked over to her. “Here ma'am, let me help you with that,” he said as he took the handle in his mouth and neatly deposited it in one of the compartments on the side of the train. “Anything else I can help you with?”

“No dear, that... that...” her mouth fell open as her glasses slowly slid off her nose and began to dangle by one ear. She stared behind him with a look of horror that made his blood chill.

He took a deep breath and slowly turned. What could it be? Dragon? Manticore? A... oh no. It worse than he could possibly imagine. His ears went flat as his hat slowly fell from his head.

Rarity. Oh by Celestia's cutie mark. He'd heard of days like this but well, he'd never actually been around on one of her trips! He had been on vacation! Fortunately he was well prepared. He lunged towards his chair and deftly took a small box out from under it and flipped the lid. Inside was a small bronze bell. He took a deep breath before reaching down and grabbing it in his mouth before pulling back and shaking his head left and right. The loud ringing drew the attention of his coworkers as ponies charged out from the station and prepared. He dropped the bell and turned to them.

“Okay every pony, we've trained for this! We've all read the pamphlets and we all knew this day would come. We are the few, the proud, the baggage handlers! We have a lot of work ahead of us but by Celestia's sun we will get it loaded and this train WILL leave on time! Do you hear me?!”

“I-I'm scared sir,” a young stallion, couldn't be much older than a colt, said nervously. Ticks shook his head in sadness, another newbie. He shouldn't have to see horrors like this so soon.

“We're all scared, son. Remember though, we don't just do this for ourselves. We do this for all of Equestria. Without the trains who knows what would happen,” he glanced back at the approaching massive cart. Soon. He turned back to his soldiers. “Okay every pony! Grab a buddy, newbies with experienced! No pony gets left behind and no suitcase gets abandoned. Now, get ready! For the train corporation! For Ponyville! But most importantly, for Equestria!” The assorted ponies let out a cheer as they prepared for the coming cart.

Rarity smiled as the cheer went off and looked to Pinkie. “You know I really do love coming here. They are always so fast and full of energy. It really makes me happy knowing they are so enthusiastic about luggage. I'll be honest the first few times I came here I worried I might have been bringing to much but they always seem so happy whenever I come by.”

The pink mare merely giggled as she pulled the cart along. It wasn't long before the cart was pulled up and they were emptying it and putting things into the train, closely monitored by Rarity to prevent any damage to her precious cargo. She was a little amazed at the dozen or so ponies working side by side in order to get the job done!

The whistle went off as the last piece of luggage was locked inside and the white unicorn quickly gave her mare friend one final kiss and hug before running onto the train. “Good bye Pinkie! I'll see you in a week!”

“Good luck Rarity! I know you'll sell a lot of dresses and stuff! Byeeee!” and with her final words the train slowly began moving. The two ponies waved at each other as long as they could but before to long the train was little more than a spec in the distance. A dozen or so ponies laid in heaps by the tracks, groaning as they watched the train leave, with all their hard work attached.

------

Rarity let out a soft groan as she sat down in a nice, cushy chair. She closed her eyes and, for the first time in what felt like FOREVER, she had some alone time. She loved Pinkie! She really did! But... sometimes that mare just... could not take a hint.

It wasn't that she was always there, she wasn't. It was that she COULD always be there. She'd pop out at the strangest times to distract the little white unicorn. Rarity could be working on one of her dresses and then all of a sudden BAM! Pinkie was there! Another distraction. She'd open her mailbox and BAM! Pinkie was there! In the mailbox, somehow. She'd go to take a shower and BOOM! Pinkie was... Well to be fair she had only done that once after Rarity told her to NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!

Rarity, like most ponies, did value her alone time. She didn't wish to be alone all the time obviously, but ever so often she enjoyed laying in bed with a nice book, maybe some warm cocoa, and just being alone with her thoughts. As she sat in her chair and gazed out the window she couldn't help but enjoy the rhythmic sounds as the wheels turned beneath the train.

She slowly reached into her bag and pulled out her yellow traveling sun hat, a matching readers scarf followed by the newest romance by Madame Hotatrot. She slowly began to flip through it and slowly enjoy a few hours of well deserved reading alone time.

Of course her enjoyment didn't last long. Before she finished even twenty pages her mind went back to her dresses locked back in the storage cart. What if something happened? What if they were misplaced? Moved? Damaged? What if she didn't pack enough things to fix them? What if diamonds WEREN'T the next big thing? Trends in fashion could be quite geographical after all.

Worst of all, what if it wasn't a good location? What if her stand had been put as far from the entrance as possible and she was, gasp, just supposed to be filler?! Sure, over the years she had managed to make a number of high class clientele like Sapphire Shores, Hoity Toity and even Fancy Pants but this was different. She'd be competing against some of the greatest names in fashion. These would be ponies who were known all across Equestria! The kind of ponies who had shops in the richest avenues in Canterlot!

Names like the Aligate Remor unicorn twins with their synthetic animal hide and skin outfits to give their buyers an outfit that is one of a kind and with a feel and sensation none can match. Gunichi zah Aberchrome who incorporated rare metals into her outfits to create sturdy, form fitting and eye catching wares. But, beyond all them was one mare who stood as a legend long before Rarity had even been born.

Cuckoo Strait. One of the most influential designers in all the world! Having come from humble beginnings on a chicken farm the mare eventually learned the way of the dress and became a seamstress in a small town, far from her own home. She had learned not only how to weave thread but also how to weave words and, after catching the eye of a noble with her elaborate stories of how she came to her new home, eventually convinced him to finance her first shop. From there it exploded, within a year the mare had become a house hold name as she created fashion trend after trend. Rather than focusing on her own style she created whatever she felt was important at the time. None of it failed to become a name brand. Gems, metals, plants, fabric, whatever she touched might as well have turned to gold in her hooves.

Most impressive of all, even beyond her humble beginnings, was the fact she was an earth pony. In a career that had long been dominated by unicorns that single earth pony shook the fashion world down to its core and opened the door to dozens of new ponies who had once been seen as ineligible to join the fashion world with their lack of magic.

Just the thought of meeting this mare sent chills down Rarity's spine. While she thought it was unlikely the mare would still compete, as she had long since hit her golden years and supposedly only designed dresses for the most prestigious and sophisticated of clientele. But she did make a habit of appearing at these events to, in her words, scout out the competition and see the future designers.

“...iss?” a voice finally broke through her thoughts.

“Huh?” she asked as she turned to look at a pegasus mare who was pushing a trolley.

“I was asking if you were feeling hungry? You were looking a bit pale and it's time for the complimentary meal.”

“Oh. Right, yes, thank you,” the unicorn said bashfully as red flooded her cheeks. Before to long she was nibbling at a small hay steak with a side of apple fries. She glanced towards the hills where the sun would be setting soon. It was getting late, a few more hours and she'd arrive. She let out a soft yawn as she finished her meal and then glanced at her bag, inside was her delicious strawberry treat and for a moment she reached out towards it. With a shake of her head she pulled her hoof back. “No. Bad Rarity. Eating something so... mouth wateringly delicious and sugar filled before a nap would be bad...” she mumbled before closing her eyes and leaning her seat back. Pulling a small quilt from her bag she wrapped herself up and was soon sleeping snuggly in the chair.

------

She was awoken by a gentle touch to her shoulder and a soft shake. The mare from before stood over her. “Miss? We're about to arrive. Just thought you'd like to know.”

“Oh. Thank you,” Rarity mumbled as she began gathering her things and putting them back in the bag. She glanced out the window and there, off in the distance... was the city. Las Pegasus. City of lights. Even at this hour it was lit up like the day and ponies could be seen wandering the streets. The station was just on the edge of the city so she quickly got to her hooves and started making a bee line towards the exit as the train pulled in to stop. Only a few ponies were getting off it seemed and even fewer were getting on.

She made it three steps outside when she froze and her eyes went wide in horror at the pony in front of her. “I-Impossible. What are you doing-” her words were drowned out as a loud whistle went off, signaling midnight and the beginning of monday.