It was the night of the ball in honor of Ponyville’s newest addition, the crystal palace, or whatever they were going to call it when they had a minute to decide. For the time being, Rarity preferred to think of it as an excuse to insist on having a proper gala in celebration. To her own surprise, she had actually succeeded in convincing Twilight, though that may have had something to do with making the promise to take care of all the work. Celestia knew that poor mare needed her rest after the whole Tirek incident.

So far everything was going positively swimmingly. Everypony had donned the finest evening wear they owned, and many of those who did not own any prior to the gala had ordered theirs from her. So many, in fact, that one could be forgiven for thinking it was secretly a fashion show.

However, there was also the rumor that she put on the whole thing as a promotional stunt. The nerve of some ponies. The very idea of all of Ponyville showing off her designs thrilled Rarity to the core, but that did not mean she would arrange some underhooved scheme to do it. Besides, as much as she liked her own designs, they did not truly sparkle if they were surrounded by their brothers and sisters. After all, if everything looked its best, then that meant they all looked average, and one simply needed a contrast to truly appreciate a masterpiece.

It was no small wonder then, that Rarity preferred to spend her night talking to Applejack.

“It ain’t that Ah don’t think yer not right tha be excited, just that Ah don’t get what tha big deal is.” Applejack shrugged. Of course she would act like that.

Rarity drew a long sigh. “Applejack, if you were anypony else, I would think you were lying. How can you look around you and not see ‘what the big deal is’? We have a princess, with a brand new castle, living right here in Ponyville.” Though she wouldn’t admit to it, there was also the fact that Tirek had very kindly distracted everypony from the strange rampage of dark magic that swept through Ponyville the week before, making everything in its path marvelous, if a tad impractical. All probing questions into that incident had, thankfully, ceased.

Rarity watched patiently as Applejack, following her instruction, looked around the crowd, many of whom were impeccably dressed. Though, there was something off about a few of them, and once Rarity had noticed it, she could not get the nagging feeling out of her mind.

Applejack tipped her hat back. “Well yeah, but Twi’s always lived here. Just cause she’s got a new house you sure it’s a good idea ta have all these here ponies over? Ain’t that a bit much? Nothing’s getting done this way.”

Rarity gasped, aghast at the suggestion. “Ah! This coming from the mare who had the town invaded by four generations of Apples, just so you could raise a barn.” She rolled her eyes, which then returned to the crowd, settling on a cerulean stallion near the punch, wearing a fine tuxedo. It was exquisitely made, but it was slightly too big for him, and the color did not compliment his coat. Such a shame. I wonder who made that for him? Honestly, she was beginning to doubt if stallions had any fashion sense, as this was not the first one she’d seen mismatched.

“That’s a load of hooey! It was fer tha Apple family reunion. ‘Sides, Ah didn’t make ‘em all hats to wear.” Applejack stomped her hoof down on the ground strongly.

Shaken out of her thoughts by the sudden sound, Rarity gave Applejack a disapproving glare for such behavior at a formal event. “I just don’t see what the big deal is, you didn’t get anything done then, did you?” The look on AJ's face softened her reply. "Oh, I—I'm sorry, Applejack. It was most uncouth, bringing your family into this." She signed. "I only meant to impart the idea of how much this could mean to Ponyville." From the corner of her eye, she caught another stallion wearing a suit that did not fit him. As he turned around, she caught a glimpse of a very distinctive pattern sown into the back. She could feel her eye twitch. It’s one of mine!?

“Ah get that it’s nice ta have a party. Ah ain’t disputing that. Ah just don’t see what ya think is so special about this one.” Letting out a deep breath, Applejack followed Rarity’s gaze. “…On second thought, maybe Ah do get it. Ya been checking out stallions all evening, ain’t ya being a bit greedy though? Fer ‘generosity’ and all.” She shot Rarity a suggestive grin.

Rarity gasped with exactly the right amount of drama for the occasion, and stuck her nose up in the air. “I will have you know that I am a one-stallion-mare. Not that I object to a little bit of window shopping, but no. Actually, I was looking at their clothes, not the stallions.”

“Uh, Rarity, Ah think Ah was less worried when Ah thought you were looking at all those stallions.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “I mean that I made them, but not for them. They don’t quite fit right, and I would never make a mistake like that. Now that I think about it, there’s only been one stallion among my clientele lately… Excuse me, Applejack.”

The nerve of him to sell off her clothes as though they were common store items! She knew he had to be here, somewhere. Just wait till she got her hooves on that barbaric philistine! She would, would… well, she would do something most unladylike that she would decide upon in the heat of the moment and claim it was a crime of passion when she stood trial.

Catching sight of the fruit punch, Rarity veered off course to get herself a glass full, carefully scooping around Gummy. She would have a talk with Pinkie Pie later, but it wasn’t as if she intended to drink this glass anyway. One simply had to come prepared for emotional outbursts, and a splash to the face was a classic.

Finally, she laid eyes on him, Time Turner, wearing the very same suit she’d made for him when he had first come into her boutique two months ago. It was of course a gorgeous piece of art, made with the finest materials and with great attention to detail to accentuate his finest traits, which she would not be thinking about. Not at all. …I said ‘not’!

“G-Good evening, Rarity,” Time Turner said, from much closer by than he had been when she started getting sidetracked.

“Gah! Er, I mean, ‘Gala’! Are you having fun? At the gala, I mean.” Rarity mentally chastised herself for messing up her chance to act justifiably outraged, but she couldn’t just randomly start yelling at him now that they’d started up a civil conversation, could she?

“Oh, yes. I’ve heard we have you to thank for setting this up. Such a wonderful idea. We don’t get enough events in Ponyville that warrant putting on fine clothes.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking! With any luck, we’ll get more of them if this goes over well.” Rarity smiled while she looked over the crowd of ponies. What do you think you are doing? We’re here to yell at him! “Soo… speaking of fine clothing… How are you liking that tuxedo I finished for you last week?” She knew for a fact she’d seen that very same tuxedo this evening, on a different pony.

“I, uh, love it. It’s just, well, you know. I thought I should wear this one, it is my favorite.” He chuckled while sweat drops ran down his forehead.

“Oh, I am so glad to hear that.” Rarity cooed in her most flowery voice. “I really am of the opinion that it is the one that suits you best. It was getting difficult to design something new for you every time you came in. What was it, eight times?”

“N-nine, but well, I just couldn’t stay away. I just had to have one for every day of the week.”

“Plus two for good measure?” Rarity narrowed her eyes at the lying stallion. “So, I have to wonder. Did you think I don’t go to any formal events?”

“W-what? Why would I think that?”

“Well I can only assume you must have thought so. Otherwise, how exactly did you expect to get away with selling off my designs to other ponies?” She jabbed a hoof at a stallion nearby wearing the fourth outfit she’d made for Time Turner.

Paling to below his collar, Time Turner took a step back. “I, uh, I can explain! Really, I can. I needed the bits.”

“Do you really expect me to believe that? How could you possibly need the bits?! You’ve been coming into my boutique for a month straight ordering expensive clothes!” She fumed. “Any pony that could afford to be flaunting their wealth that easily is not going to be in trouble for bits within his life time!” She readied her glass of punch.

Looking increasing distressed, Time Turner blurted out. “I couldn’t afford it! I’ve been selling them to my friends to get enough bits to order the next. I’m sorry!”

“I beg your pardon? What would possess you to do something so foolish?” Rarity’s curiosity stayed her hoof for the time being.

Time Turner looked conflicted for a time, before he took a deep breath and steadied himself. “I… I have a confession to make. I don’t really care about the suits, I only came in to see you. I thought it would be the best excuse to speak with you. I really enjoyed the time we spent together when discussing the design, so I kept ordering new ones so I could see you.”

Rarity alternated her gaze between the glass and Time Turner. On the one hoof, it was kind of creepy that he had been using excuses to be near her. On the other, he had been good company and nothing but a gentleman, and thanks to him she had sold far more suits than usual. Maybe she could file this one under ‘stupidly’ romantic. “I see. Well, I will forgive you, on two conditions.”

Folding his ears against his scalp, Time Turner avoided her gaze as he nodded. “Name it…”

“First of all, you will gather those friends and their suits, then march them into my boutique so I can make some adjustments to their individual styles.”

He nodded.

“And second,” She reached out a hoof under his chin to raise his gaze up to meet her own. “Ask me to dance.”

“Hey there, Rarity. Ya look exhausted.” Applejack smiled at her friend from behind the apple stand.

“I am positively shattered, Applejack. You have no idea what I’ve gone through all day.” She briefly scanned the wares on display then pointed out a half dozen. “All of those.”

Chuckling, Applejack packed her selection up, and dropped in one extra. “Here ya go. Ah get that ya gotta keep yer strength up, hay, Ah am rightly surprised ya are still able to walk. Ah gotta say though, Ah didn’t think ya’d take me seriously last night.”

Levitating her purchase into her saddlebag, Rarity noticed something off about her friends tone. “…What exactly do you mean?”

“Come on now, Rarity. Ah was there last night when ya was checking ‘em out. That ain’t ladylike Ah reckon.”

With an exasperated sigh Rarity shook her head. “I’ll have you know I left with just one of them.”

“Ah saw ya marched all ten o’ them into yer house today. Now here you are, worked over harder than ol’ Big Mac on cider day.”

Rarity’s eyes widened. “T-that was nothing like what you’re thinking!”

With a crooked grin, Applejack just winked. “Whatever ya say, Sugarcube.”