“So, how do you like the work, Searing?” I asked as I sat down at the bar. It had been a week since her hiring, and she was doing good work.

“It’s good,” Searing answered with a cheerful nod. She was still learning a few things, and was with Aegir. “I still feel a bit out of place, though.”

“Rarity’s still out, so there’s no uniform for you yet. She started talking on her own a couple days ago, but she’s still not really moving. Dr. Counsel thinks she might be afraid to move on her own, or something like that.”

“That sucks.”

“Yeah. At this point, it’ll probably take a miracle to get her back to moving again.” An idea suddenly crossed my mind. I knew that I probably wouldn’t like it, but it would be very likely to get Rarity back to normal. “Aegir, I’m afraid I’ll have to borrow Searing.”

Aegir looked between me and Searing for a moment. “Go ahead.”

Searing joined me as I left the Carne Den, and I could tell she was nervous. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, nothing at all,” I answered, some nervousness slipping into my voice. “I’m more concerned about myself, really.”

“Well, if you say so.” A few seconds passed before Searing asked another question. “Yang, why did you not tell me about Asada before she scared me? I wasn’t expecting a bear when I signed on!”

“I’m sorry, but I forgot about her. I probably don’t think about her as much as I should, but she’s so low maintenance, it’s easy to forget she’s even around sometimes.”

I walked in and came across the familiar scene of Rarity, the counselor, and the nurse. “Hello, Yang,” Dr. Counsel politely greeted. “I’m afraid we haven’t returned Rarity to normal yet.”

“I think I can help with that,” I said as I approached Rarity, the doctor and nurse moving aside. “Hi, Rarity.”

“Hello, Yang,” Rarity dryly responded. “I fear I won’t be able to help you right now.”

“I think you will.” I turned to the doctor. “Do you mind if I move her somewhere else for a bit?”

“Go ahead.”

I picked Rarity up, and she was very light. I wasn’t even using very much strength to lift her. After getting her into a more comfortable position, I took her into the inspiration room and sat her down in her chair. She did not resist me at all. “Okay Rarity, I need a couple things from you.”

“All I can give you right now is opinions,” Rarity said. “I can’t move anything anymore.”

I ignored Rarity’s drama. Sweetie Belle had shown up at the Carne Den after my return, and while she was a bit rigid, she was otherwise moving about and talking like normal. “I need a uniform for my newest employee, and-” I took a breath to start steeling my nerves. “Has Pinkie told you about my birthday?”

“It’s around the end of the month, right? But why ask me? I won’t even attend.”

“Rarity, I. . . I want. . . I want. . . Why is this so hard for me to ask?” The request was in my mind, but it just wasn’t coming out.

Rarity showed some motion when she turned her head and looked at me inquisitively. “Go on, darling. Just say it. What do you want?”

I took one final breath before getting the question out. “I know asking for presents is rude, but could you make a dress for me for my birthday?”

The silence in the room was heavy. Neither Rarity or I moved for a few very long seconds. She was the one to break the silence, slamming her forehooves on the table and raising herself up, face lit up with a smile to rival Pinkie Pie on a very slightly subpar day. “I thought you’d never ask! Oh, I have got to start getting these pent up ideas down immediately! Something nice, something strong, something reflective of you! I’ll have to look back at my references to refresh my memory though. Maybe Twilight’s got some new things for me to look through. . .”

“Rarity?”

Rarity casually waved a hoof at me as she started floating lots of paper and pencils at once. “Yes, yes, I’ll get your new employee her new uniform. It is the red mare out there, right?”

“Yeah, that’s her. She’s a bartender.”

“Leave her with me for a couple hours and she will be dressed and ready.”

“I’ll pay for her uniform tomorrow.”

“You know the amount. Now shoo, you aren’t supposed to see these.”

I left Rarity and closed the door behind me. The counselor, nurse, and Searing were all there. “Well, I did it. She’s working again.”

“Dare I ask what you did?” Dr. Counsel asked.

“I asked her for a dress for my birthday.” I focused on my employee. “Searing, Rarity should-”

Rarity made a dramatic entrance at that moment, zipping over to and measuring Searing. “Hmm, yes, yes, of course. Yang?”

“Yes, Rarity?”

“A lighter blue would work much better with her eye color than the blue you’ve been using.”

“No, Rarity.”

“Oh, fine. Regular blue it will be, then.”

I turned back to Searing. “Anyways, just wait here until you have your uniform, then come on back to finish any training Aegir has for you.” I ducked a large flying spool of thread as I left the growing storm of fabric and sewing supplies. “Mind your head!” I went out and was greeted by Fluttershy and Sweetie Belle, both almost back to normal. “Hello.”

“Hi, Yang,” Fluttershy greeted. “Have you been checking up on Rarity too?”

I opened the door and saw Searing covering the therapist and nurse as they made their way out of the whirlwind of things in Rarity’s magic. Rarity was cackling at the middle of it. “Finally, after weeks of imprisonment, I’m free! It’s time to conquer fashion! Again!”

I closed the door and slowly looked back at Fluttershy and Sweetie Belle. “I think I fixed her a bit too well.”

“Did you ask her to make a dress for you?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yes, I did.”

Sweetie turned to Fluttershy. “Could I stay at your place until Rarity calms down?”

“As long as you leave a letter on the inside of the door letting her know you’re alright,” Fluttershy answered.

“Yes, Fluttershy.” Sweetie promptly got some things out of her saddlebags and started writing a letter.

“Well, that’s that, so I guess I’ll just go wait for my birthday to come,” I remarked. “I’ll see you around.”

“Bye, Yang,” Fluttershy said with a slightly stiff wave of a forehoof.

I sat down at the bar and put my face in my hands, dreading whatever Rarity would come up with.

“Something got you down, Yang?” Aegir asked as he cleaned a glass.

“I’m not looking forward to my birthday now,” I said through my hands. “I asked Rarity to make a dress for me.”

“You don’t like them?”

“More that I really don’t want to wear one, but getting Rarity back to normal was a bigger priority. I may have just unleashed something even worse though.”

“Hmmm. Give her a few days and she’ll probably calm down.”

“Yeah, I hope so.” I set my arms down and straightened up. “Mind getting me a mug of apple cider? The soft stuff.”

“Coming up.” Mere moments later, Aegir set a mug of cider in front of me.

“Thanks.” I picked up the mug and started drinking the delicious cider, not stopping until the mug was empty. After setting the empty mug down, I set the appropriate amount of bits on the counter, plus a little extra. “Searing should be back before the dinner rush with her uniform.”

“Sounds good.”

I left the bar and went upstairs to my room, and decided to kill time by reorganizing everything.

Author's Notes:

And thus, Rarity is healed. Probably a bit too well. . .