One band aid and three cups of tea later, Rarity pulled in a deep breath, "Twilight, if you'd be so kind, could you explain just what's going on?"

"Again?" Applejack asked.

"Again."

"Um. I'm afraid there's not much to say- Princess Celestia mentioned Prince Blueblood would be coming to Ponyville tomorrow-"

"Did she say why?" Rarity leaned forward. "You've got to tell me why?"

"Well, uh." Twilight winced, "she didn't say."

"Iffin' he's as bad as y'all are sayin', maybe Princess Celestia's sent 'im ta live out here fer awhile so he can learn 'bout friendship 'n stuff? Like Twilight?" Applejack paused, "not to say yer as bad as Prince Fancypants-"

"Don't say that Applejack!" Rarity said, eyes wide in horror.

Applejack scratched at her head, "Wait, you think Twilight's as bad as-"

"No! The other part!"

"Whut, 'bout Prince Blueblood coming to live in Ponyville?"

"Augh!" Rarity clapped her hooves over her ears. "I can't stand so much as hearing his name!"

"Calm down," Twilight said, and patted the other unicorn on the shoulder. "I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think."

"You're right. It'll be worse!" Rarity groaned. She shut her eyes as tight as she could. "If that pony comes to Ponyville, he'll want to come to my store. I just know it."

Twilight tried for optimism. "This is the most fashionable store in the whole-"

"That's not it." Rarity said, flatly.

"So he's comin' for YOU, huh?" Applejack said, "makes sense. Bet he's still sore in the saddle after that talkin-to ya gave him. Had it a long time comin'."

"That's not it either." Rarity shook her head, "Don't you realize? He's bound to come here! My dress shop has more mirrors than any other building in town!"

"Oooooh." Twilight and Applejack said in unison.

Rarity seethed. "I swear, if I see that pony again, I can't be held responsible for what happens next."

"What if ya don't see 'im?" Applejack said, "You could come on over to Sweet Apple Acres- there's no way a fancypants fella like him is gonna get within a stone's throw of anyplace where actual work is bein' done. And I'm sure we can find, uh...somethin' fun to do while we're out there." Applejack scratched at the back of her neck, "Maybe bring some of them records 'gain?"

Slowly, Rarity opened her eyes "That...just might work. But I still wouldn't want to leave my shop unattended- there's a shipment of wool coming in from Phillydelphia tomorrow, and a few customers will be stopping by to pick up a few alterations..."

"Oh!" Twilight Sparkle perked up, "What if Spike and I watch the store for you? I promise, we won't touch anything- but it's no problem if we sign for deliveries, right?"

"I suppose- but it's only a temporary measure. If...he is here longer than a day, what am I supposed to do? As much as I love your company, Applejack, I can't hide myself away in your barn forever."

"You won't have to!" Twilight said, "I'm sure Price Blueblood's just passing through. Princess Celestia would've told me if he were staying any longer than that."

"'less she thought it'd be funny if she didn't." Applejack said.

The three ponies stared at each other for a long, long moment. Finally, Twilight Sparkle broke the silence. "So, uh, Rarity- when do you want me to open your store tomorrow?"

Rarity's answer was 'too early.' At least, it was for Twilight Sparkle's tastes. Her typical studies rarely began before 10am if she could help it. As a result, she was still a bit bleary eyed as she trotted up to the place- to say nothing of the zombielike Spike perched upon her back.

"Now darling," Rarity said, "if there's any trouble whatsoever, you'll know where to find me. Just send the word, and I'll be here as fast as I can."

"It's fine, Rarity." Twilight said, "All I have to do is accept a few deliveries and shoo off Prince Blueblood when he gets here. I think we can manage that. Can't we, Spike?"

"Hnhg?" Spike blinked his eyes open- only to get a good look of a wide-eyed Rarity. There were certainly worse things for a dragon like him to wake up to. "Right!" he said, snapping to wakefulness. "I won't let anything bad happen while I'm here!"
"Mmm. Thank you- both of you." Rarity said, "this really was a good idea, Twilight. I've just got to think of it as more of a...vacation than anything. Yes. A single day's vacation. To...a farm. Admittedly, a nice farm, with more than nice company-"

"Just go on, Rarity." Twilight smiled, "Everything's going to be fine."

"Yes, yes. You're right. But be careful, Twilight- you've got my livelihood in your hooves." Rarity said.

"Rarity, if you keep talking, you're never going to leave." Twilight said.

"Yes, yes. Don't remind me. But do be careful, will you?"

"Anything for you, Rarity." Spike said, swooning from both the emotion and the lack of sleep.

"Yes, yes. Just remember, whatever you do, don't touch anything that looks important."

"How are we supposed to know what's important?" Spike asked.

"Well, it's all important, so just try not to touch anything, hm?" Rarity said. "And again, Twilight- thanks for helping out- the sooner we put this whole ordeal behind us, the better off all of us will be, I'm sure. Ta!" Rarity took one last glance at her boutique, and then set off at a leisurely trot in the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres.

Twilight watched her go, and then walked into the boutique. "Don't worry, Spike. This'll be easy. I've actually been looking forward to this. Just a nice, quiet day- and I can take the opportunity to get caught up on my reading." Twilight shrugged out of her saddlebags, and then levitated out a thick tome. "Just try not to eat any of the bejeweled outfits."

"Twiliiiiight! You know I'd never do that! Rarity worked really hard on all of this! I could never ruin it like that."

"Not if you were reeeeeeeally hungry?"

"Not even then!"

"I'll hold you to that. Especially around lunchtime." Twilight said with a laugh. She propped the first of her books on Rarity's sewing table and opened the tome. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a dictionary to read."

"You're reading the dictionary?" Spike said.

"Of course! It's the new Mareiam-Webster. I'm really looking forward to seeing what changes they made this year." Twilight stroked the pages with the sort of reverence most reserved for a work of art, or at least a really well-made cupcake.

"Huh." Spike said, and shook his head. "I'll just find someplace to take a nap."

But before Spike could find his favorite pile of pincushions, and before Twilight could do so much as remove her bookmark, someone came busting through the door. Several someones, actually: that cute brown-haired pony with the hourglass cutie mark (whose name Twilight kept forgetting), Roseluck...and a broad-shouldered pegasus pony she didn't recognize.

"Hiiii." Roseluck said, looking both harried and embarassed. "Sorry to burst in like this, but-" she paused, glancing around. "Where's Rarity?"

"Oh! Rarity had some...business to take care of. I'm just covering for her- hey!" Twilight glared as the doctor toppled a few mannequins and began to rummage through a pile of sewing supplies. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Sorry, it's an emergency." The pegasus said. Somehow, he'd gotten very, very close without Twilight noticing. She blamed the wings. "Fashion emergency." he said. The dazzling smile he offered made it seem a little more believeable.

"Um. Hi?" Twilight forced herself not to blush.

"Oh, right! We haven't been introduced. Captain Jack Harness." the pegasus pony said, shaking Twilight's hoof. "And, while I've got the chance, I'd like to say that purple's always been my favorite color..."

"Not now, Jack!" Roseluck said, glaring from across the room.

"You never let me have any fun." Captain Jack Harness said, and gave his wings an indignant flutter.

"Aha, got one!" cried the brown pony. He circled around one of the more ornate looking outfits on display- then yanked the centerpiece gem off. "An octo-faceted carbonate crystal- just what the doctor ordered!"

"Hey, wait!" Twilight said- but before she could protest any further, the odd trio stampeded out of the boutique, leaving a small disaster in their wake.

"Is it just me," Spike said, and rubbed at his eyes, "or was that really weird?"

"Um. I don't know." Twilight said, still bewildered, "maybe crazy ponies come in here all the time-"

"You do hang out here a lot." Spike said.

Twilight glared. The little dragon didn't seem to notice. "Anyway, we'd better get all this cleaned up before-"

"Special Delivery!" Ditzy Doo crashed in, knocking the doorway off its hinges. She tottered from side to side, precariously balancing a massive bundle upon her shoulders. Under other circumstances, Twilight would have been impressed at the feat of strength. As it was, however, the unicorn could do little but toss out the strongest telekinesis spell she could manage.

"Oh, thanks!" Ditzy Doo said, "I just flew in from Phillydelphia, and boy are my wings tired."

Twilight and Spike stared at the mailpony.

"What, they are! You try carrying a load of compressed wool all that way." Ditzy shrugged out of her carry-harness, and the package hit the floor with a heavy *THUMP.* "Hey, where's Rarity?"

"She's out." Twilight said.

"Oh, uh. Okay? I guess you guys can sign for this." Ditzy Doo rummaged a clipboard from her saddlebag. I mean, you're trustworthy, right?"

"Most of the time." Spike said.

"Hey!" Twilight glared at the dragon. "I'm Princess Celestia's favorite student-"

"Exactly!" Spike said, crossing his arms.

"Uh, y'know what? I'll...I'll just leave this here." Ditzy said, and set the clipboard to the side. "I'll be back later!" and with speed that would do Rainbow Dash proud, the pegasus took off.

"Okay," Spike said, poking the pile of compressed wool with one claw. "Rarity was expecting this. And I bet she was expecting those other ponies too. So that gets most of her business out of the way. So that means we can go home and go back to sleep, right?"

"Maybe." Twilight Sparkle said. "So long as nobody else shows up."

"Ahem." said Prince Blueblood.

"Agh!" Twilight stumbled a few steps backwards. "Where'd you come from?"

"Canterlot, obviously." Blueblood said, huffing slightly, "would you believe I've been here for a whole fifteen minutes, and nobody's so much as complimented me on my grooming?"

"Well. Uh. It's very nice?" Spike ventured.

"Just...nice?" Prince Blueblood huffed. "That's all you have to say? Hmf. I should have expected as such from such a...provincial locale."

"Well, uh, you get used to it?" Twilight offered, falling back to politeness by reflex. "Really, Ponyville's not that long once you get used to it. You know, I used to live in Canterlot-"

"Did you?" For the first time, Blueblood deigned to look at Twilight Sparkle. "I suppose that explains a lot. I had heard Ponyville had some unicorn as an up and coming designer. It makes sense that you're not really from such an insignificant backwater-"

"Oh no, I'm not Rarity-"

"Of course you're not! I met a pony named Rarity once- she was entirely too gauche. A trollop, even!"

"What's a trollop?" Spike said.

"Not now, Spike." Twilight said, and nudged the little dragon away. "Let me handle this."

"Now there's the sort of take-charge attitude that's made you an up and comer, I'm sure." Blueblood said, taking more than a moment to admire himself in one of the boutique's many mirrors. "Now, I came to Ponyville to enjoy the spa here- but stopping here will be a bonus. I'll expect the suit by this afternoon-"

"The suit?" Twilight said.

"Oh, of course! Something that matches my eyes, I'd say. You know, dashing. Daring. Debonair."

"But I'm not-"

"Used to designing for such a pinnacle of masculine fashionability? I understand completely. Most of my tailors have had such a problem. The best of them are able to handle the challenge."

"But I never-"

"-had a customer of my elevated station- not to mention my singularly handsome good looks. I understand. You won't get customers of my caliber out here- of course, you won't get customers of my caliber anywhere, but if you were in Canterlot proper, you'd no doubt be accustomed to such a thing. In any case, I've an appointment to have my horn filed- I'll look forward to seeing what you've developed this afternoon. Ta!" and with a final wink to his reflection in the mirror, Prince Blueblood trotted out.

Speechless, Twilight could do little but stare at Blueblood's flanks as the unicorn left. It wasn't for the obvious reason, either.

"Hey!" Spike said, looking up from the Mareiam-Webster dictionary. "Rarity's not a trollop!"

"I know she isn't." Twilight said, shaking her head out of her shock, "But you only heard about what happened at the Grand Galloping Gala- I was there. I mean, she was entirely justified in what she did, but I can understand how Prince Blueblood might-"

"He-" Spike frantically leafed through the dictionary, "-besmirched her honor! He's a besmircher!"

"That's not even a word!"

"It should be!" Spike said, "Why, when that stuck up-" Spike looked down, and whipped through the dictionary again, eyes scanning the text, "When that stuck up ponce comes back, I'm gonna knock some sense into him-"

"You will not!" Twilight said, glaring, "Like him or not, you can't fight him."

"Sure I can!" Spike said, flexing his arms to little effect. "I mean, sure, I'm small, but I'm still a dragon. I can breathe fire! I can eat gems! Some stuck-up unicorn'll be easy! Even if he's, like...ten times as big as I am."

"More like fifteen."

"Doesn't matter!"

"You're right, it doesn't." Twilight said, and glared. "Because right now, Prince Blueblood thinks I'm Rarity."

"He thinks you're a trollop too? I'll have to fight him twice!"

Twilight rubbed her eyes with one hoof. "No, no. He thinks I'm that 'up and coming unicorn designer' from Ponyville."

"So why didn't you tell him you weren't?"

"I tried! Didn't you see? He wasn't listening!" Twilight sighed, and looked to the door, in case somepony else came barging in. "And now he expects a suit."

"That's perfect!" Spike said, "We'll just wait until he comes back, and then I can challenge him to a duel."

"No dueling!"

"Okay, so I'll just drop a bucket on his head."

"No buckets!"

"You're right." Spike said, stroking at his chin. "Maybe if I got a pie...you think Sugarcube Corner's open yet?"

"You're not listening!" Twilight said, glaring at the little dragon. "Don't you see? We can't be rude to Prince Blueblood- Rarity's depending on us!"

"She is?"

"She is! We're not just taking care of her store, we're taking care of her reputation. And Prince Blueblood won't listen to any of my excuses- I know his type. If he doesn't get what he wants, he'll start badmouthing Rarity's work to everyone in Canterlot."

"But if he didn't even remember Rarity's name..."

"But he'll remember it's a unicorn designer from Ponyville! Not like there's many of them around. Just Rarity. And, uh, me, now."

"Wait. I'm confused." Spike said.

"So am I!" Twilight's voice quavered, if just a little. "But...it's fine. All I've got to do is make a designer outfit for Prince Blueblood by the time he comes back."

"But Twilight, you don't know anything about fashion." Spike said, eyeing her warily. He'd long since learned to recognize that ever-so-slightly mad tone. It usually meant something bad was about to happen.

"I have, uh...a grounding." Twilight said, tilting her chin up a bit. "I am from Canterlot, after all."

"And you barely stepped outside of your library for like three years."

"Quiet, Spike." Twilight Sparkle circled around a bare mannequin, already laying out designs in her head. "I still picked up a few ideas, here and there. You just go back to the Library and grab every book on fashion you can carry. Proper research is always the first step to solving any problem."

"Uh. Are you sure that's the best idea?"

"I'll be fine, Spike. After all this, what else could go wrong?"