//------------------------------// // A Successful Sleepover // Story: Friends, Forgiveness, and Magic // by Invinsible //------------------------------// Friends, Forgiveness, and Magic A Successful Sleepover The tale of the growing friendship between the tomboyish pegasus and ladylike unicorn began with an invitation. Several weeks had passed since Eternity was defeated and since Rarity had decided to live in Peaceville from then on. Smog yawned as he brought Nightmare Moon’s breakfast up into her study. “Morning Nightie. You missed breakfast again.” “Sorry Smog,” Nightmare said, keeping her eyes on the ancient book in front of her. “Just put it to the side please.” “What-cha reading there?” he asked as he put the plate down and crawled on top of her desk. “The Research of Prince Sombra,” she said, flipping another page with her magic. “Rarity returned it to King Sombra and then he gave it to me. His notes describe some of the most powerful artifacts in Everfree history. Now that this book and the Alicorn Amulet have been recovered, he’s decided to continue the search for any other dangerous artifacts so that they won’t be misused. And he asked me to help!” she finished with a smile. “Cool. So what have you found so far?” “I already found the section on the Alicorn Amulet,” she said pointing to a picture of the amulet in the book. She flipped to a different page. “There’s also this bit here,” she pointed at a picture of four gold rings. “It describes four magical rings, starting with the Ring of Scorcherro which gives the user power over heat and fire. Then there’s the Ring of Absolute Zero, which gives someone power over ice and snow . Sadly, the print is kinda faded for the other two rings.” “Probably something to do with earth and wind,” Smog said. “Maybe,” Nightmare mused as she flipped to another page. “Ooh, this sounds interesting! A powerful stone spell book that instantly brings ideas to life! Hmm, the print’s faded a lot at the top.” She squinted at the top of the page where the artifact’s name should have been. The both jumped as they heard a sudden explosion coming from outside. “Bet you that’s Discord,” Smog said. “Hey I was going to say that’s Discord!” Nightmare frowned. “Too bad, I already guessed it,” Smog smirked at her before running down the stairs. Nightmare grumbled, “Oh fine! In that case, I bet that’s Diamond’s Cutie Mark Destroyers!” She turned her body into mist and floated down the stairs. “Bet you I’m right!” Smog called as he ran out of the library. The mist turned back into Nightmare Moon’s corporeal body. “Bet you you’re not!” she shouted at him. The two of them hurried across town until they came to a stop outside a large, odd-looking store that hadn't been there yesterday The building was pink and light blue and the whole thing looked like a cross between a clothing store and a merry-go-round. “It's perfect!” They heard Rarity exclaim as she stared at the building with stars in her eyes. “It’s even more beautiful than I had imagined!” “And here’s the best part!” They looked over to see Discord standing next to Rarity with a big grin. He summoned a small remote control and pressed a button on it. Instantly, several mechanical horses similar to the one Rarity had previously used in her show appeared. The horses began to circle around the building in a counter-clockwise motion, adding to its carousel theme. “It’s wonderful! Absolutely fabulous in every way!” Rarity squeed. “Oh, how can I ever repay you Discord?” Discord grinned at her. “I believe you know the answer to that.” A blueberry pie appeared in his hand. “I…oh.” Rarity gulped. “Oh, very well. You may fire when ready Mister Discord.” She cringed just before the pie smashed right into her face. Discord burst out laughing. “Oh ho, that never gets old!” He snapped his fingers and a towel appeared over Rarity’s head. “Forgive me for acting so childishly, my dear.” “N-no problem,” Rarity said with a very weak smile as she used the towel to wipe her face clean. “Setting up the Carousel of Wonders is worth getting a little m-messy.” “Well, I’m afraid the pie was just part of the pleasantries. But you shouldn’t have any problem taking care of that other favour I asked of you, hmm?” Discord smiled hopefully. Rarity sighed, “I admit that I’m not particularly looking forward to designing clothes for a ghastly Windigo, even if your pet is cuter than most. But at the same time, I’m a little excited to be designing the first ever ensemble for such a rare creature.” She smiled. "As soon as you can get me the measurements for little Polaris, I'll have your order ready in no time.” “Oh there’s no rush my dear! Take your time. Enjoy your new establishment!” Discord snapped his fingers and summoned a bucket of tree sap. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find Diamond Tiara and her merry band.” As Discord flew off, Rarity turned to face Nightmare and Smog. “Oh Miss Moon, Mister Smog! Would you care to join me inside?” They followed Rarity inside and took in the interior of the store. Very fancy and colourful, for what used to be an old abandoned clothing store. “Welcome to Carousel of Wonders! Where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique!” Rarity said. Smog tilted his head to one side as he examined the place. “Pretty good for a slogan I’m guessing you just made up,” he muttered. Nightmare smiled. “The place looks great. It’s nice to see that you and Discord have buried the hatchet.” “Indeed,” Rarity nodded. “Though Discord may act rather childishly, he’s a rather polite and charming sort of fellow once one gets to know him. Now then, how can I help you today Miss Moon?” “Oh, you can call me Nightmare if you want. I’m just checking up on you. Are you and Sweetie getting along?” “We are doing wonderful thank you for asking. Why, just yesterday I crafted this gorgeous dress for Sweetie Belle. Did you know she is an aspiring actress?” Rarity smiled. “Oh, to think that my sister has dreams of becoming an artiste like moi! Well, perhaps not exactly like me. Sweetie Belle is her own person after all,” she amended. "And the best news is, I can finally spend more time with her!" “You see darlings, the Carousel of Wonders is more than just a humble store. I had Discord set up some wonderful living accommodations on the second and third floors, so Sweetie Belle should be able to visit me whenever she feels like. On top of that, I should have clients coming in any day now with my boutique ready for business! “So in conclusion, I am feeling positively fabulous!” Rarity smiled at them. “Oh, but enough about me. Is there anything else I can help you with?” “Yeah, can I use your bathroom real quick? Thanks, I can find it myself,” Smog said as he ran upstairs after Rarity gave him permission. “Well…there is one thing. I’ll be right back,” Nightmare said as she flapped her wings and flew out of the store. A minute later, she carefully flew back into the store and levitated a wrinkled old dress out of the bag she brought. “My friends and I were invited to the Gala. With formal occasions such as the Gala, I usually wear my armor and a dress that goes with it. But this one has a little rip, so maybe you could fix it?” Rarity gasped. “You’ve been invited to the Grand Galloping Gala? Oh, I’ve always wanted to attend! The society, the culture, the sophistication! The place where I could meet the stallion of my dreams!” Stars filled her eyes. “Um, yes. Now about my dress?” Nightmare interrupted. Rarity gasped again. “You’re going to the most high-class event in that old thing? I can't allow it! Oh please Nightmare Moon!” Rarity flung herself at Nightmare’s hooves. “Be my first customer! It will be a tremendous boost to my business, and I shall design the most glamorous and fabulous dress you have ever worn!” The uneasy Nightmare slowly backed away from Rarity. “Er…thank you for the offer Rarity, but fixing my old dress will be enough.” “Miss Moon I beg of you! I could create the most dazzling thing for you and I would be happy to give you a tremendous discount! Why, I could even create a new dress for Miss Gilda, Miss Sunset, Queen Chrysalis, and Miss Trixie. And suits for Mister Smog and Mister Discord too!” Nightmare’s eyes widened. “Rarity, that’s very nice of you to offer but that’s far too much work! Besides, Gilda has a different body shape than a pony. Smog already has formal armor, and Discord could probably create a suit with a snap of his fingers…if he bothered to take the Gala seriously.” “Please, Miss Moon!” Rarity begged. “Consider this part of me repaying you for my despicable behavior to you earlier. I know it’s horrible of me to ask that I be paid at all for my work after all I’ve done but-” “Rarity calm down!” Nightmare interrupted. “You don’t need to keep beating yourself up about that. And I’ll be happy to pay full price for a new dress.” Nightmare smiled. “Friends help friends, right?” Rarity beamed. “Oh, thank you so much dear Nightmare! You won't be disappointed! Now, if you could ask your friends to stop by sometime, just so that I can acquire their measurements that would be delightful.” Nightmare’s ears twitched. “Hold that thought. Do you hear that?” “Look out below!” Something called as it crashed right through the ceiling and into a heap of clothes. Gilda sat up from the clothing pile she landed in, Rainbow Dash slipping off her back as she sat up. “Sorry about the mess.” “Gilda!” Nightmare scolded her friend. “That was completely irresponsible! Someone could’ve been hurt!” “Oh chillax Nightie,” Gilda said, sitting up. “I’ve had worse.” “Plus we’ve been careful not to hit anyone,” Rainbow added. “Anyway, Gilda and I were trying to see if I could transfer my Sonic Rainboom to someone else when I'm flying. No progress yet but we’re getting there!” “I would have to agree with Miss Moon, Miss Dash.” Rarity glared at Rainbow. “Do you know how long it’s going to take to get all that repaired? You’ve made a complete mess of my shop! I’ll have to reorganize all those fabrics!” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “I said sorry already. I don’t see how it’s my problem if I wrecked your frilly store. Actually I think a little mess could keep this place from being snores-ville.” “Snore? Miss Dash, there is nothing boring about caring for one’s beauty. Why, you might actually look presentable if you put any care into your appearance.” Rarity sneered at her. “What, you mean like when you forced that dress on me?” “That was Eternity’s doing, not mine! But you can hardly blame her, or him, or whatever it was! Maybe it wouldn’t have attacked you if you bothered to put any effort into your looks!” “Are you calling me ugly?” “You said it, not I.” Rarity and Rainbow punctuated their argument with heated glares. Nightmare got up to separate the two, but Gilda put a wing on her shoulder. “Hold on. I wanna see this. I bet ya Dash pounds Rarity into the floor," Gilda said with a sneaky grin. But the fight never occurred. Smog walked back downstairs and brought their attention to him. “Oh good, Dash is here too. I just got an invitation from the princess for you and Rarity. And before you ask Nightie, yes I washed my claws.” Nightmare nodded. “I know you did Smog. So what does the invitation say?” Smog unfurled the letter he had been holding and read out loud. “Hear ye, hear ye. Her Majesty, Princess Twilight Sparkle cordially invites the newly redeemed ponies Rainbow Dash and Rarity to attend a private slumber party to be hosted tonight within Her Majesty’s bedchambers at 5:00 o clock. Dinner will be provided. Her Majesty looks forward to seeing you.” He raised an eyebrow. “Private slumber party…eh, I’m sure she didn’t mean for that to sound odd.” Rarity smiled wide. “The princess wishes to see me? I’ve performed my magic show in the Crystal Empire, of course. But I have never received the privilege to see the Crystal Castle on the inside! What a fabulous opportunity!” “Eh, it might be cool to see the Crystal Castle.” Rainbow frowned at Rarity. “But there’s no way I’m going there with drama queen.” “There’s one more thing,” Smog added. “According to this P.S, if you two go see Princess Twilight Sparkle, she will invite you two to the Gala.” “Me, invited to the Grand Galloping Gala!” Rarity squealed with glee. “I’ve always wanted-” “I heard you the first time,” Nightmare interrupted, frowning a little. “The Gala?” Rainbow exclaimed. “The Shadowbolts always perform at the Gala every year!” “Hey, yeah!” Gilda grinned. “Things will be twice as awesome if you and I can see the Shadowbolts together Dash! I can see it now…we grab their attention with the Super Sky Drop…” “You follow up with the Brave Bird’s Blitz!” Rainbow continued. “And we finish them off with the remastered Sonic Rainboom!” “Awesome! I get to be buds with the princess! And if it means getting to see the Shadowbolts I’ll even put up with Miss Whiney here!” Rainbow smirked at the irritated Rarity. “A private slumber party?” Nightmare asked. “Seems a little unusual for royalty to have a slumber party. Then again, maybe this will help Princess Twilight.” Her eyes widened as an idea popped into her head. “Hey, maybe while you’re having a sleepover, I can host my own sleepover! Smog, can you send out invitations?” “Don’t worry about a thing Nightie. Your number one assistant has it covered! I’ll go talk to the rest of our friends on my way home.” Smog promised as he made his way to the door. He paused and glanced back at the letter. “Oh, one more thing. Dash, Rarity, a carriage will be outside the library to pick you two up in about an hour, so get ready.” Smog waved goodbye and went to go invite the other Elements. Rarity turned to Nightmare Moon. “Oh, I hope you won’t mind terribly if I wait until tomorrow to work on your dresses? But perhaps after I see Her Majesty, I can browse through some of my favourite stores within the Crystal Empire. I should be able to find the perfect materials needed for your orders!” “That sounds like a good idea,” Nightmare said. “And don’t worry, you’ve got plenty of time before the Gala. Just remember that my dress needs to match my armor. Something that carries the peace and coolness of night.” Nightmare sighed happily at the memories of some of her favourite starry nights. “Dresses? What are you two talking about?” Gilda asked. Nightmare explained Rarity’s offer to them. “Oh. I’m not a big fan of dresses, but if you can get an idea of griffon formal wear, then yeah give me your best shot.” “Ooh, what about mine?” Rainbow bounced a little in place. “As long as it’s not too frilly or lacy. Just make mine really cool. Make the whole thing as cool as me! Maybe even twenty percent-” “And why would I make a dress for you?” Rarity interrupted her. “I’m repaying my debt to the Elements of Redemption, who saved me and my sister. Why should I help you?” “I helped them take you down and you made me grow extra legs and wings with your freaky magic. It was quite traumatic.” Rainbow said with a smug grin. “Fine, you get one too,” Rarity sighed and rolled her eyes. “At the very least, it should be an exciting challenge for me.” Eventually they both got on the carriage waiting for them and flew to the Crystal Empire. They remained stoic and silent during the entire ride, frowning at each other. But when they saw the Crystal City they both smiled and marveled at how majestic everything looked. Crystal spires spread out everywhere through the beautiful city. The carriage sped on before they could get a better look and in no time at all, they had arrived at the Crystal Castle. “Whoa, look at the size of this place!” Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened as she took in the interior of the castle. “Oh my gosh, this is awesome!” Rarity squeed happily, “Not even my wildest of dreams could do this castle justice! Oh, can’t you just feel the sophistication? The power radiating out of every crystal around you?” “Ah, you’ve arrived!” A member of the royal guard stepped forward to greet them in the entrance hall. Strangely, she wore much darker armor than the other guards. The dark blue alicorn smiled at them. “Miss Dash, Miss Rarity. Welcome to the Crystal Empire. I’m Captain Luna, Captain of the Royal Guard.” “Whoa!” Rainbow exclaimed, staring at Luna. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” “Um, are you okay Miss Dash?” Luna asked with some concern as Rainbow bounced in place, her wings flapping in excitement. “You’re Luna! The alicorn Shadowbolt! The greatest Shadowbolt in history!” Rainbow squealed happily. Luna blushed and chuckled. “Always nice to meet a fan. But I’m afraid I’m only a reserve member of the Shadowbolts these days. The Shadowbolts have had many great members over the years and they all deserve a chance to shine. If I participated in every show they had, I’d unintentionally take up all the spotlight just for being an alicorn.” “Oh my gosh! You’re awesome and humble!” Rainbow grinned. “Ooh, ooh! Wait right here! I’ve got all sorts of stuff I’d like you to autograph!” She made to dash out of the palace and straight back to Peaceville. “Perhaps another time Miss Dash,” Luna said as she gently pulled Rainbow back with her magic. Luna glanced at Rarity, who was buzzing with energy and trying desperately to restrain her own inner fan girl. “One excited fan at a time please. We don’t want to keep Princess Twilight waiting.” Luna took their luggage in her magic and led them to the tower where Princess Twilight’s bedroom was located. But as they climbed the stairs to the upper levels of the castle tower, they stumbled across something on their way. “Oh not again,” Luna grumbled. Lying in front of them was a sleeping King Sombra, curled up in the middle of the spiral staircase. Luna frowned and nudged the king with a hoof. King Sombra grumbled and tried to swat her hoof away. They could just barely hear him whispering in his sleep. “What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs and makes a slinkity sound? A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing! Everyone knows its Slinky!” “WAKE UP!” Luna shouted, her voice blasting out in all directions. King Sombra immediately jumped awake. “What? What I…oh, it’s just you Luna,” he yawned. “Forgive me, I wasn’t feeling well and my sleeping chambers were just too far away.” “That quite alright, Your Majesty.” She bowed and then pointed to Rainbow and Rarity. “These two citizens are the Ladies Rarity and Rainbow Dash. They are here for Princess Twilight’s slumber party.” They both bowed to King Sombra. “Y-your Majesty, it is such an honour,” Rarity reverently whispered. “That’s nice,” King Sombra yawned. His nose twitched and suddenly sneezed. “Bless you,” the three mares chorused politely. The king sniffed. “Thanks. I think I might’ve caught a cold. Pardon me, but my bedchamber summons me.” Before he could leave, Luna levitated a slinky off the stairs and towards him. “Don’t forget your ‘teddy bear’, Your Majesty.” King Sombra glared at Luna’s teasing, smug smirk. He grabbed the slinky in his own magic. A faint flash was seen as something was summoned into the area, and an abacus was floated towards Luna. “Thank you Captain Luna. And I hope you do not forget your own ‘teddy bear’,” he said with a smug grin. Luna’s eyes widened. “Abby?” She grabbed the abacus in her magic and gave King Sombra a scowl, before reluctantly muttering, “Thank you, Your Majesty.” As King Sombra went to his bedroom, Luna spotted another item that had been on the stairs. She shrugged and picked up the spike-covered, stone book with her telekinesis. At long last, Luna had brought them to Princess Twilight’s chambers. They knocked on the door and it opened to reveal the princess. She was wearing a simple gold crown and small gold shoes over her hooves. Other than that, she looked the same as the Elements of Redemption had described her. Princess Twilight looked up from the book she was still reading and smiled. “Perfect! You have arrived here, to this place! Your journey was safe! I am very happy that Miss Rarity and Miss Dash got here on time, and that makes me happy!” Rainbow raised an eyebrow at Princess Twilight’s complete failure at talking like a normal person. Rarity looked a little uneasy at the awkward speech, but still smiled. “Princess Twilight Sparkle! It is a honour and privilege to finally meet you, Your Majesty.” Rarity bowed low and Rainbow quickly followed suit. “Yes!” Princess Twilight looked at a clock and nodded. “You two are the perfect slumber party guests! You arrived right on time and…um, you are very punctual and I like that.” Rarity cleared her throat. “Are you feeling alright, Your Majesty? I only ask because…well nobody talks like that. If you could just speak normally, I’m sure you would make others feel more comfortable.” Princess Twilight blinked in shock. She frowned at Luna, who was trying hide a mischievous smile. “Luna! You tricked me again!” Luna giggled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Your Majesty.” Her giggles faded a little, and she brought up the stone book still held in her magic. “Before I forget, I believe that King Sombra intended to give you this book Princess Twilight, but he must have forgotten to.” Princess Twilight took the book and thanked Luna. Rainbow glanced at Rarity and noticed that she was frowning at the book for some reason. Rarity shook her head, and the fear and anger in her eyes faded. After that, Luna carried their suitcases into the room with her magic before Princess Twilight dismissed her. Rainbow and Rarity followed Princess Twilight into her room. The bedroom walls and floors were decorated in light purple, with most of the walls covered up by bookcases with hundreds of books. There was a grand fireplace, a desk filled with royal documents and more books, and a queen sized purple bed on the far wall. Smaller blue beds were placed next to the purple bed, most likely for the purposes of the sleepover. “Ooh, I love the theme! It matches your coat, Your Majesty!” Rarity gushed as she took in everything around her. “Oh, thank you for much for inviting us Princess Twilight Sparkle! We are most grateful for your invitation to a…slumber party was it?” “Um, yes that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Princess Twilight said as she sat up on her bed and looked at her two guests. “As you must have seen, I’m not great when it comes to social interactions and making friends. This slumber party is meant to be an experiment to see if I can be a more welcoming and friendly ruler to the people of Everfree, and well…I could really use some friends.” “Hey, no problem!” Rainbow smiled. “We’re happy to help ya princess. Um…not that I’m not happy you called us, because I am glad you called us…just why did you ask me and her to this slumber party? I figured you might ask Nightmare Moon, since she’s your pen pal or something.” Princess Twilight sighed. “I invited you two because all three of us have shared experience, even if it that experience involves attacking the Element of Redemption and deeply regretting some of our actions.” Rainbow and Rarity both winced but sighed and nodded. “I think...this will be good for all of us…uh, not that I’m trying to offend you or anything, I’m not!” “We understand perfectly, Your Majesty,” Rarity said. “What she said,” Rainbow added. “Besides, it’s only natural that an awesome princess like you would want to be friends with the most awesome pegasus in Everfree. Of course, if you want to be friends you need an awesome nickname. Like me and Gilda!” “Oh, yes that would wonderful!” Princess Twilight smiled. “And if we’re gonna be friends you don’t have to call me princess every time. Twilight Sparkle is fine!” “Awesome! I’ll be RD and you can be TS!” Rainbow Dash held up her front hoof for a high-five. Twilight Sparkle smiled, turned around and gave an awkward high-five with her back hoof. “Um, I believe I shall refrain from the use of nicknames, Your Majesty,” Rarity said. At Twilight Sparkle’s hurt look she added “However, if it will make you more comfortable I shall refer to you as Twilight.” “Thank you both so much!” Twilight pulled all of them into an awkward hug before releasing them and pulling a book away from her desk with her magic. “Now we can get started! This is Slumber 101, for ponies…sorry, people who don’t have a proper guide for slumber parties. It’s a fantastic reference guide! You two should see the table of contents! Oh, but you two haven’t even eaten dinner yet! Don’t worry; some of the castle servants should have it ready in the dining hall at any moment. Rarity and Rainbow both gave uneasy smiles. “Yikes, never knew TS was such an egghead,” Rainbow Dash muttered to herself. “No wonder she and Nightmare Moon get along.” As a castle servant opened the door to inform them that dinner was served, Rainbow wondered what Gilda was doing. Meanwhile back in Nightmare Moon’s library, Gilda and her friends were sitting inside listening to Nightmare explain how she was inspired by Princess Twilight to have a slumber party too. “Just think! It’ll be the first sleepover I have with you guys!” “I think it’s a wonderful idea!” Trixie grinned. “Just you wait! The Great and Powerful Trixie will tell the most Ghastly and Horrifying Ghost stories you have ever heard!” “Oh, I do believe I can tell some ghost stories that will definitely top yours,” Discord smirked at Trixie. “Okay, allow me to address the dragons in the room,” A mildly irritated Sunset Shimmer said. “Slumber parties are more of one-gender only kind of thing. Since the girls and I outnumber you guys five-to-two, I’m gonna have to kick you out.” Nightmare wrapped a hoof around Smog and frowned at Sunset. “That doesn’t sound fair. Why can’t the boys join us?” Sunset’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding. You’re kidding, right? I just said slumber parties are-” “I believe that’s Nightie’s catchphrase,” Discord interrupted. Chrysalis, who spent most of her life sleeping in the same hive as numerous changelings, was also confused. “What’s the problem?" "Is it the sleeping arrangements?" Smog asked. "I'm pretty sure there's enough sleeping bags for all of us." "Oh. Okay then." Sunset weakly chuckled. "I was worried for a second that some of us would have to share a bed or something." Chrysalis smiled. "I’m sure they'll be enough space for all of us. And I'm sure that Discord and Smog would like to join us for ghost stories, s’mores, makeovers, pillow fights, and…” “Makeovers? No way, I’m out!” Gilda said as she got up to fly out of the library. “Right behind you!” Smog said as he hurried out too. “Wait! We don’t have to do makeovers!” Nightmare cried. “Come on guys, we all have to be here for this. This is more than just a sleepover!” Seeing that they weren’t coming back, Discord helpfully snapped his fingers and Gilda and Smog were both teleported back into the library. Reluctantly, they sat back down and focused their attention of Nightmare. Nightmare looked around at all her friends and smiled. “Guys, tonight is the anniversary of the day I met all of you! We’ve been friends for exactly three months!” “Exactly three months? Goodness, how time flies when you’re having fun!” Discord said. “However, I should point out that you’re a little behind schedule Nightie.” He snapped his fingers and a calendar appeared in the grip of his tail. His tail stretched out and dropped the calendar onto the table and pointed at the date. “Thank you Discord,” Nightmare growled as she batted his tail away from the table with her magic. “For pointing that out. So, maybe we’re a day or two late. To be fair, I’ve been a little behind with my studies because of all the insanity that happens in this town.” Gilda shrugged. “Eh, what’s a few extra days between pals? So, we’re just here to celebrate our anniversary or whatever?” “It’s more than that,” Nightmare explained. “What I hope to accomplish is that once a week we all get together and talk about what’s new in our lives.” “We just hang out?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. “Nightie, we already hang out plenty.” “Not exactly.” Nightmare sighed and took a sip of her drink. “Since Smog and I have arrived here, we have faced Eternal Twilight, a Windigo herd, a greedy dragon, and Eternity’s revenge.” “Don’t forget Attack of the Derpy clones!” Discord added. “That too. My point is, if we are to be friends and not just allies in battle, we need to find time for ourselves whenever we’re not fighting evil.” “Oh. I think I get it now!” Gilda smiled. “So once a week, doesn’t matter what day, we all meet up and just hang out whenever we’re not out kicking evil butt?” “Yes,” Nightmare smiled. “None of us have any big plans today and Peaceville is safe. So if there is anything new going on in your personal life, please share with us!” She leaned forward with an excited grin, waiting for someone to begin sharing. Nobody said anything for a while before Trixie cleared her throat and spoke up, “Prepare to have your minds blown away! For the Great and Powerful Trixie ventured deep into the Equestria forest just yesterday and faced a mighty hydra!” “Oh yeah, Angle told me he saw you there,” Chrysalis smiled. “Good thing that hydra was asleep.” Trixie frowned at her. “Chrysalis, why must you destroy Trixie’s joy?” “But…but I all I said was-” “One would expect a changeling to go along with a deception meant to entertain, but nooooo!” Trixie huffed. “Well there goes Trixie’s story. What of you, feathered friends?” Gilda smirked. “Well me and Dash have been practicing whenever we can to win the Best Young Fliers competition. They won’t know what hit them! Especially with all the extra time we got!” “Extra time?” Sunset asked as she sipped her drink. “Yeah.” Gilda’s smile faded. “Bad news is, we only got that extra time because the competition had to be moved to another day while Cloudsdale is being repaired.” “Repaired? Did something happen to Cloudsdale?” Nightmare gasped. "You didn't hear about that?" Gilda growled, “Spike. On his way to the Crystal Empire, apparently he flew right through Cloudsdale and didn’t even notice his wings ripping apart the city! Nobody was hurt but it’s gonna take them weeks to put all the cloud houses back the way they’re supposed to be!” Discord laid a paw on Gilda’s wing. “I am truly sorry to hear that. Cotton candy?” He snapped his fingers and a rainbow coloured cloud appeared over their heads. “Thanks.” Gilda gave him a weak, but appreciative smile and flew up to take a bite out of the conjured snack. Sunset cleared her throat and spoke next. “Well, Apple Bloom is staying at my farm now. You see, Big Macintosh is delivering a tree to some middle-of-nowhere town called Apple-something, so he asked me to babysit. And Diamond and her new friends have been stopping by to visit her. Well, that and to try and lose their marks.” She took a sip of her drink and sighed. "Honestly, I didn’t expect Silver Spoon and Snips to get into the green crystals,” she muttered. Discord chuckled. “My dear Sunny, with a name like the Cutie Mark Destroyers, what were you expecting?” Sunset sighed, “Yeah, yeah.” She took another sip of her drink and looked down at it. “Is it me, or does this lemonade taste funny?” “That would be the ice,” Chrysalis said. “Discord’s pet Windigo made the ice cubes. That’s why I haven’t touched mine.” “Aw. I thought you two were getting along,” Discord said, looking at her sadly. “Oh no, we are getting along,” Chrysalis assured him. “It’s nothing personal it’s just that…he still creeps me out a little.” “…Is that it? Anything else to add?” Nightmare asked hopefully. Sunset shrugged. “That’s all I got.” Nightmare sighed when nobody else spoke up. “That’s okay,” she smiled again. “Maybe we don’t have to share everything about our lives just now. Let’s just enjoy each others company.” She was about to take another sip of the lemonade when she perked up. “Oh wait a second! There is one thing I forgot to tell the rest of you! I got a commission from Rarity earlier. She's gonna be making us dresses and suits for the Gala! We just need to give her our measurements at some point.” “Really now?” Sunset smiled. “Cool. That dress she made me before looked pretty good.” “I thought that was Eternity who made it?” Smog said. Sunset shrugged. “Eh, details.” “Rarity’s making us outfits for the Gala? Oh my, that’s very noble of her,” Chrysalis smiled. “HOLD IT!” Trixie yelled. “What do you mean we’re letting Rarity design our attire? And after everything she did?” she scowled. “I thought we all agreed that Trixie would be the chooser of our Gala outfits?” Nightmare frowned. “Trixie, Rarity’s a nicer person now, you know that. And she’s also the best seamstress we know.” Trixie’s winced, tiny bits of fear leaking into her eyes. “The b…the b-best?” she stuttered. Her frown suddenly returned in full force. “No! You are all Trixie’s friends and Trixie promised that she would make your Gala outfits! After all, there is no greater magician, no greater artist than the Great and Powerful Trixie!” “Are you sure?” Gilda asked with a raised eyebrow. “Dressmaking isn’t really your thing.” “Bah! It is a form of art and therefore Trixie knows how to do it!” Trixie boasted. “You will all see!” Throughout the night, the conversation spiraled out into other topics. But although Trixie still cheerfully talked with her friends, every twenty minutes or so her thoughts would drift back to Rarity. “They will see,” she’d mutter. “Trixie will prove she’s the best. Trixie…Trixie won’t be forgotten.” A thorny root snaked its way through one of the library windows and poked Trixie in the back. She swatted the pesky thorn away, and began to design the dresses she would make in her head. Back in the Crystal Castle, dinner was finished. Rarity followed Princess Twilight but Rainbow had to excuse herself to use the royal restroom. Unfortunately, after she was finished Rainbow was having difficulty locating Princess Twilight’s bedroom again. “Hello! Princess Twilight? TS?” Rainbow called out. “You guys in here?” she said as she opened a door. The room she looked into was most definitely not Princess Twilight’s bedroom. The huge room was filled up with gold pieces, crystals, books, and dozens of gems. And lying on top of the treasure bed was a familiar face. “What do you think you are doing here?” Rainbow gulped at the sight of the great dragon Spike. “Hey! You’re the dragon who kidnapped all those kids!” She stomped the ground and prepared to attack him. “As I recall, the youngling Garble was the one who brought those children to me. And yet you appear to place all the blame on me.” “Y-yeah? W-well, you knocked over all those cloud building in Cloudsdale!” she shot back. “An honest mistake. I had no quarrel with that pegasus city. Just as you should have no quarrel with the insects that smash into your face as you fly over the mountains.” “Hey! We’re not bugs!” Rainbow cried. “I never said you were, pegasus. For the matter, why do you seek to quarrel with me?” As Spike slowly sat up from his treasure bed, Rainbow took a step back. “I-I’m not scared of you!” The dragon moved closer to her, stalking his prey. “Do not lie to me. I can smell your fear, pegasus. I bested your Elements of Redemption. I instilled terror in the hearts of creatures everywhere. “I am King of the Dragons.” “Spike that’s enough!” Princess Sparkle ordered, as she barged into the room “I’m so sorry RD. Spike, apologize to Miss Rainbow Dash.” “But Sparky, that rainbow one kicked me.” “No I didn’t!” Rainbow cried. “Princess Twilight, what’s he doing here? I mean he kidnapped those kids, fought me and my friends, and knocked over Cloudsdale!” Princess Twilight sighed. “Two of those events you listed were accidents. As for the rest…I understand that Spike has made a few mistakes. But then again, so have we. I’ve allowed Spike to live here in the castle with me as my number one assistant.” Rainbow was about to scream out her frustration at that idea, when something distracted her. “Um…TS? Why do you have mud on your face?” At that moment, Rarity walked into the room too, her own face covered in mud. “Miss Dash, this is a mud mask,” Rarity explained. “It’s to-” “To refresh and rejuvenate one's complexion.” Rarity took a step back at the sight of Spike. Her eyes sparkled as she eyed the jewels and treasures that made up his nest. She smiled and said, “Oh, forgive us great dragon Spike. Princess Twilight was just telling me about you and I couldn’t possibly head home without mentioning what handsome scales you have!” “You flatter me, unicorn.” “Oh, it is such a privilege to meet a legend such as yourself Sir Spike,” Rarity cooed as she edged closer to the treasure, her eyes locked onto a big diamond. “And you understand the purpose of a mud mask too! It really is refreshing to meet a stallion…pardon me, I mean dragon…who appreciates the difficulties a lady must endure to make herself dazzle!” “Oh, I believe you dazzle already. That mud mask is nothing more than an unnecessary blemish on your beauty. As for you Sparky, forgive me but there are no other words for it. You look very foolish.” Rarity blushed at Spike’s compliment. Princess Twilight let out a sheepish chuckle and made the mud masks vanish with a quick spell. She cleared her throat and levitated a glowing purple amulet toward the dragon. “Spike, if you could make yourself a little smaller for our guests?” “I despise that charm you made Sparky.” But at her pleading look, Spike grumbled and allowed the amulet to lower onto his head. The magical amulet activated and the humongous Spike shrank down until he was closer to Garble’s height. Still taller than ponies, but not as terrifying as before. “Ha! Not so tough now, are ya?” Rainbow Dash sneered at Spike. Spike sneered right back. “All I need do is remove this amulet and the magic suppressing my growth will be gone. But I wouldn’t do that, seeing as how regaining my size alone would squash you all against the walls.” Rainbow seemed to understand that fact perfectly, and edged away from Spike as he lazily fingered the amulet. He glanced over to Rarity and Princess Twilight. She was grabbing a necklace away from the sheepish Rarity with her magic and sticking it back into his hoard where it belonged. “…Sparky a moment please,” he said. Spike led Princess Twilight across the hall, where her bedroom was. Seeing how close her original goal was, Rainbow flew into the bedroom too, followed by Rarity. Spike continued into Princess Twilight’s private bathroom connected to her bedroom and closed the door behind them. “Yes Spike?” the princess asked. “I desire the unicorn for my hoard.” “What? Spike no! We talked about this. You can’t kidnap anybody, they’re not possessions!” Spike rolled his eyes. “Very well. How about, I desire the unicorn to be my friend?” “Oh. Well that’s different. Of course you can be Rarity’s friend,” Princess Twilight smiled. “But uh…be careful that you don’t say anything that might offend her. Uh, not that you would but…” Spike smirked and rubbed his knuckles against his chest. “She seemed quite polite. I believe the situation shall only require a bit of dragon charm.” At Princess Twilight’s unamused glare, he chuckled. “Very well. How do you propose I befriend her then?” “That’s what I’m trying to figure out myself. I don’t have the best experience when it comes to making friends. Just be nice to her and it should work out.” The two of them walked back out of the bathroom. They both sat down on some cushions in Princess Twilight’s bedroom. “Sorry girls, I hope you don’t mind if Spike joins us.” Not wanting to upset the princess and lose their chances of attending the Gala, the other two ponies remained silent. Princess Twilight picked up the sleepover book in her magic and flipped to a different page. “Makeovers, check. Ooh, it’s time for ghost stories! This will be fun!” she clapped her hooves together in excitement. Rainbow’s mischievous grin would have made Discord proud. “I’ve got a story for you. The legend of the Headless Horse…” Not too far away from Princess Twilight’s room, King Sombra was gently pushed into bed. “Hey…hey Garble…where’s the tissue?” The king’s eyes were puffy and unfocused and his face was a little green. Garble handed him a tissue and then tossed it away after King Sombra had finished blowing his nose. “Thanks Garble. You’re a great friend, you know why you’re great? It’s ‘cause…‘cause you’re great.” “Yikes, that cold is really doing a number on you. Why don’t you just rest a little, and I’ll be back with some crystals. Okay?” Garble said as he drew the blanket over the delirious king. “Wait no I gotta…give Nightmare Moon that book…it’s a spikey, stone book with a very powerful spell! It…” “Don’t worry. I’ll find this stone book and send it to her,” Garble promised him. Two high-pitched screams came from down the hall. King Sombra blinked sleepily, and then decided it wasn’t worth his time. “Tell Sparky to keep her slumber party down…and don’t touch my crystals,” he hissed as sleep overpowered him. Back in Princess Twilight’s room, Rarity and the princess were both shivering with fear at the conclusion of Rainbow Dash’s ghost story. Rainbow was chuckling at their expressions. So was Spike, but he was trying to be discreet about it. “Ha! The Headless Horse story always manages to freak someone out!” Rainbow smirked at Rarity. “Wait. How could a headless horse eat anyone?” The now calm Princess Twilight asked. Rainbow shrugged in response. “Well, I guess it’s just a silly ghost story. Anyway, now that we’re done with that, it’s time for s’mores! Spike, do you remember where I put the necessary snacks?” “It appears as if the servants forgot to bring food,” Spike said as he quickly licked his crumb-stained lips and discreetly kicked an empty bag under the bed. The clueless princess sighed. “Aw, I was looking forward to those. I guess the next item on the list is Truth or Dare.” “Excellent. I presume we all know the rules. I’ll go first,” Spike said as he brought out an empty bottle, spun it, and pressed his claw down to make the bottle stop on Rarity. “Truth or Dare, Miss Rarity? Do you find dragons attractive?” “Spike that’s not how it works,” Princess Twilight scolded him. “It’s quite all right Twilight,” Rarity said, still trying to be the best of friends with royalty. “Truthfully, in my travels across Everfree promoting both my magic show and my fashion line, I have come across a few teenage dragons who could be charming, whenever they weren’t greedy. So yes, I do find dragons attractive, though I find stallions to be more to my liking. However, if I met a dragon generous enough to allow me to look after his jewels for him, well…” Rarity hinted and sheepishly giggled a little. Rarity caught Rainbow rolling her eyes at her and quickly grabbed the bottle. “My turn.” She spun the bottle around and forced it to stop on Rainbow. “Truth or Dare?” “Dare!” Rainbow exclaimed, ready for action. “Come on! I can do any dare you can dish out!” Rarity grinned. “I dare you to play dress-up in a frilly, glittery, lacy dress.” Rainbow’s eyes widened in fear. “Truth!” “I’m afraid that’s against the rules RD.” Princess Twilight smiled apologetically. “Twilight is quite correct. If you can’t play by the rules, you lose the game.” Rarity smirked evilly at Rainbow. “Fine,” Rainbow growled. “But where am I supposed to-” Rarity’s horn sparked and a dress flew out of the luggage she had brought for the slumber party. “A magician is always prepared darling.” Rainbow gulped. The dress was one of the pink-est, frilliest things she had ever seen, even worse than the one she was forced to wear before. Even Twilight winced at the sight of it and she was a princess. But there was no way Rainbow Dash was about to lose anything. She summoned up her courage and (with difficulty) put on the dress. “Ugh. Whenever you get around to making my dress for the Gala, it had better be a lot cooler than this. I can barely move!” Rainbow struggled with the dress’s huge skirt. “Wow! Rarity, you’re planning on making RD a dress for the Grand Galloping Gala?” Princess Twilight asked with wide eyes. “Yeah. Me and Gilda and all her friends too,” Rainbow answered. “That’s wonderful! I’m definitely giving you two your tickets the first thing in the morning!” Princess Twilight beamed, levitating two golden tickets in her magic and setting them on her desk. “Thanks TS! You’re so awesome!” Rainbow said, eyeing the tickets. She then gave a nasty grin to Rarity and pointed the bottle at her, not even bothering to fake a spin. “I think it’s only fair that you do a dare as well.” “What? But we’re supposed to choose-” Unfortunately for Rarity, Rainbow wouldn’t be interrupted. “I dare you to play dress up too…” Rarity smiled. “Oh well that’s no problem at all. I accept your dare.” “…With both Captain Luna’s clothes and King Sombra’s clothes,” Rainbow finished with a sneaky grin. Both Rarity and Princess Twilight stared at Rainbow in shocked confusion. “What?” “Simple. Sneak into Captain Luna’s bedroom and try on her clothes. It can be her boots, her guard uniform, a dress or whatever. Then, sneak into the king’s bedroom and wear his crown or his cape. Then come back here and show us what you look like. Then when the game is over, put all the stuff back. That way you haven’t stolen from royalty, just borrowed from it. And try to bring back as much as you can,” Rainbow finished, a triumphant grin on her face. Rarity stuttered, “What? Princess Twilight you can’t expect me to-” “You have to do it,” Princess Twilight said. “It’s the rule.” Rarity paled. “I…if that’s what you t-two want.” Princess Twilight gave her directions to Luna’s room and Rarity stood up and ran at a mad dash, hoping to get the dare over with as soon as possible. She poked her head into the room. Despite the light flooding in, the room was unnaturally dark. But she could still make out most of the details. Surprisingly, the bedroom was well furnished. It actually resembled Princess Twilight’s room more than any royal guard’s room. Then again, Captain Luna was no ordinary guard. Rarity spotted the closet and quietly crept towards. But before she could reach it, she felt herself engulfed in dark blue magic and slammed into the wall, then the floor. A heavy hoof stomped onto her chest, pinning her down. “HALT! Who dares to…Miss Rarity?” A confused Captain Luna stared down at her. “F-forgive me Captain Luna,” Rarity fearfully squeaked. She quickly explained about the Truth or Dare game, and about Twilight’s insistence that she complete the dare. “Oh, is that all?” Luna smiled. “Sure, help yourself.” She let go of Rarity and went to open her closet. “W-what?” “Here!” A dark blue dress was thrown towards her. “This looks like it’s in your size. Oh, and you just have to try it with these shoes!” Luna giggled and levitated over four shiny silver boots. At Luna’s encouragement, Rarity slipped on the dress and boots. “Aw, you look so cute!” Luna giggled and bounced in place. “It reminds me of when Moony was a filly!” Rarity wondered if anyone else could see her white coat turn beet red. “Come on! Dare’s not done yet!” Luna pulled the furiously blushing Rarity with her magic and began bouncing to King Sombra’s room, giggling like a lunatic. “T-this really isn’t necessary Captain Luna!” Rarity cried. “I can walk there by myself!” “You’re not getting off the hook that easy!” Luna sang. “P-please Captain Luna! This behavior it’s…it’s uncouth! Uh, it’s unladylike! It-It’s unbefitting of a royal guard! W-what would King Sombra think?” “Oh, we won’t get in trouble!” Luna grinned. “We’re just following Princess Twilight’s orders! Besides, everyone knows that I’m a little crazy, off my rocker…LOOOONY!” she laughed. “Now get in there, you lucky girl!” And with that, Luna tossed Rarity inside King Sombra’s room and closed the door behind her. Rarity gulped and slowly inched into the room, ignoring the hysterical laughter outside. More than anything, she just wanted to get the embarrassing dare over with. As luck would have it, there was a small silver crown resting on an end table not too far away from her. Rarity crept towards the crown. It would be simple to grab the crown, place it on her head, and return to Twilight and Rainbow. Yes it would have been simple…any other night. That night, King Sombra was in bed early with a terrible cold Her hoofsteps creaked against the floor and King Sombra instantly bolted up awake. “What? Where? Who goes there?!” Rarity had no time to react or explain the situation before the frantic and confused king blasted her with magic. She gasped as her eyes turned green and red. She opened her eyes to find that she was suddenly in a very different part of the castle. She found herself garbed in rich violet robes with a platinum crown on her head. “Platinum! Platinum, please wait!” She turned around to see a much younger Sombra run towards her, wearing a blue cape instead of a red one and with a much smaller crown. Rarity was startled to see that the young Sombra was…crying? She wanted to ask what was wrong, but for some reason the question wasn’t coming. Her mouth twisted into a scowl. “What are you doing here?” Sombra stopped, his ears folding down. “Platinum…please, just tell me what’s wrong!” “What’s wrong?” Rarity…or Platinum snorted. “What’s wrong is that you’re a complete failure! Everything you’ve ever done is just one mistake after the last!” “P-please Platinum, I beg of you!” Sombra cried. “I know I’ve made some mistakes but just give me another chance!” “You don’t deserve a chance! You don’t deserve this kingdom! You don’t even deserve your magic!” Platinum snarled and blasted Sombra with a curse. His horn vanished out of existence. “No! Platinum, don’t do this!” Platinum laughed at him. It was a haughty and cruel laugh. It twisted and morphed into a different sort of laughter. Platinum’s white body darkened as wings sprouted from her back, her eyes turning dark and draconic. "No..." Sombra cried. “Sombra…” Eternal Twilight hissed. “You have lost…everything!” The ceiling exploded and light shined brightly down at them. Too brightly, as the sun’s blinding light burned their eyes and the room was set ablaze. Fire scorched everything in sight as Eternal Twilight kept laughing. “Rarity…RARITY!” Rarity snapped awake as she heard her name being called. That’s right, she was Rarity. Not Platinum, not Eternal Twilight, but Rarity. She groaned and slowly sat up to see the concerned faces of King Sombra, Princess Twilight, Captain Luna, Rainbow Dash, and Garble all looking down at her. “Are you okay?” Rainbow asked. “Forgive me, Miss Rarity.” King Sombra’s ears folded down in shame. “In my confusion, I accidentally hit you with a curse. A curse designed to show you your worst fears.” Rarity shivered. “It certainty was frightening. But I’m afraid it didn’t make much sense either. I…I wasn’t myself in that…vision. I was wearing a rather beautiful robe with a fabulous crown. I saw a young version of you, Your Majesty.” She bowed to King Sombra. “You kept calling me Platinum…I couldn’t control my body and I kept saying horrible things…then I was Eternal Twilight and the room was on fire and…” Rarity’s rambling faded away as she looked at them with confusion. King Sombra was staring at her with wide eyes. “Interesting. It seems you didn’t see your own worst fear in that illusion…you became mine.” “King Sombra…if I may ask…what was that all about? Who is Platinum to you?” King Sombra growled at her. “That is a very personal question, Miss Rarity.” She flinched back. He sighed, “But I suppose you deserve an answer. Not tonight though. Captain Luna, return the princess and her guests to her room. Do not interrupt my slumber again unless the castle is on fire.” He grumbled and was about to go back to bed, before he turned around. “Oh, Luna?” “Yes, Your Majesty?” “I understand that you know about Rarity using an agony curse on Nightmare Moon while she was possessed by both Eternity and the Alicorn Amulet.” Luna frowned and glanced at Rarity. “Yes, Your Majesty.” “However, I believe Miss Rarity has been punished enough, especially after tonight.” “I understand, Your Majesty.” Luna saluted. “Great. Now go to bed,” he grumbled as he climbed into bed. He sat up and said, “Oh one more thing.” The small crown she had been aiming for floated over and perched itself on Rarity’s head. “I believe your dare has been completed Miss Rarity.” Much later, as Rarity tucked herself into bed that night, she heard Rainbow say something. “You know Rarity…maybe you’re a little cooler than I thought you were…sorry about what I put you through…goodnight.” She smiled and feel asleep. Three days had passed since that night. The night when two sleepovers took place; when two artistic unicorns promised they would make stunning Gala outfits. After her sleepover with Princess Twilight and Rainbow Dash, Rarity had a little time left to browse through her favourite shops within the Crystal Empire. And she had indeed picked up all the materials she needed to make the dresses and suits. While she was busy creating in her store, Trixie was busy with her own work. “Okay, we’re here. Now why are we hanging outside Trixie’s place?” Gilda grumbled. “See for yourself.” Discord pointed at one of the windows. Gilda frowned. “I’m not gonna spy on one of my friends! What’s wrong with you?!” “Oh hush, she’s not doing anything that requires privacy right now! She invited me earlier, we chatted, and it was just as I was leaving that she started. Come on, you have to hear this!” Gilda grumbled, but hovered over to the window and listened in. They could see Trixie, clumsily working with a needle and thread over some clothe. And she was singing: Spell by spell, stitching it together. Nightmare’s dress, enchanting the pattern bolt by bolt Making the fabric sparkle like midnight It’ll catch the eye of every colt! Gotta keep ahead of Rarity Make sure she won’t replace Trixie Trixie’s friends deserve the best! They watched Trixie zap fabric after fabric with various spells. She started singing faster Charm by charm, perfecting every detail These suits will shine, they say a stitch in time saves nine Make him something perfect to inspire Even though he hates formal attire Gotta be careful if the patterns crisscross Even though he’s more concerned with chaos Discord’s vest will be the best! Dressmaking is a breeze! Trixie can do anything with ease Sunset’s dress will shimmer Oh dear, do you think she’ll act like a tease? “What does she mean by that?” Discord asked as Trixie paused in her singing. “Um…I guess she thinks Sunset might be a little…wild at the Gala? I dunno,” Gilda shrugged. “Hm. I don’t know either. Sunset is a very calm, down-to-earth sort of mare. Ooh, she’s at again!” Discord pressed his ear against the window. Something green, perhaps quite fetching Horn and wing, it’ll be the perfect thing Seeing if it fits forelock and crest Putting magic in every dress Make sure it’s as sweet as love’s first kiss Only the best for Chrysalis And Trixie will ace the test! Spell by spell, hex by hex Charm by charm, double check Nightmare’s gown, as a cool as night Gilda’s dress, showing a griffin’s might Even if Trixie is jealous She is not overzealous Thread by thread, always stressed Perfecting every suit and dress Trixie will prove that SHE’S THE BEST! Finally finished with her song, the Great and Powerful Trixie smiled triumphantly. She glanced at the clock and left the room, away from the window’s view “…Is it me or is our dear friend acting a little crazy?” Discord made a circling motion with his index finger as a cuckoo flew out his ear. Gilda snorted. “Of course she is. Didn’t ya listen to her song? She thinks we’re gonna replace her with Rarity just ‘cause she’s making us some snazzy duds.” “Oh!” Discord’s eyes widened. “I thought she was just singing for the fun of it. It’s what I would do.” “Listen.” Gilda poked a talon at him. “Rarity said she’s gonna show us the finished outfits tomorrow. No matter what they look like, you gotta reject them and pick Trixie’s suits instead.” Discord tapped a finger to his chin. “Hm. Are you sure we have to hurt Rarity’s feelings to make sure that Trixie isn’t hurt? It's just that…Rarity lets me throw pies at her!” “Well, just be nice about it when you reject them!” Gilda grumbled. “Do I have ta spell it out for ya?” “No, no. I got it.” Discord waved her anger off, as he started to fly away. “The plan is in place. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find Scootaloo.” He snapped his fingers and a rubber chicken appeared in his grip. Nightmare Moon and her friends were all gathered inside of Rarity’s Carousel of Wonders. Smog had decided to stay behind and look after the library. Gilda had told them about what happened, and they could see Trixie carrying hide a large bag with her. Obviously, she was going to pull out the dresses in a dramatic reveal in the event that they didn’t like Rarity’s work. Of course, Trixie didn’t know that they knew about her plan. Trixie was worried about being replaced and they were going to make sure her fear would never come to pass. “Okay, just a little bit farther,” Rarity said. She was leading them to the corner of the shop were their outfits were on display. “Close your eyes…keep them closed…okay, now you can look!” Nightmare and all friends gasped at the sight. There were no words for it. The dresses looked beautiful and the suits looked amazing. Even Discord was impressed with Rarity’s work. But there was Trixie to consider… "Um, well...they're nice but...I don't think its us. Sorry." Nightmare smiled apologetically. They all made a big show of humming and hawing, before very politely rejecting Rarity’s work. It looked nice, it just wasn’t them. “Oh.” Rarity’s face fell. “I…of course. The customer is always right.” They winced as Rarity slumped in dejection. Surprisingly, Rainbow Dash looked like she was feeling the most guilt out of all of them. “Have no fear my friends!” Trixie perked up. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has the perfect thing to restore your hope!” She levitated the large bag over, stuck her hoof in it and… “So do I!” Rarity sat up and smiled. “I understand how important it is that the Elements look their best at the Gala so I took precautions! I have about three more sets available for you!” Trixie’s jaw dropped. Rarity put all her time into making not just one set, but several sets of outfits? For all of them? Trixie had trouble just making one set for the six of them! Rarity showed them the other sets, and they were just as nice as the others even with different styles. “It wasn’t easy finding all the materials I needed. Goodness knows I was still tired after that sleepover with Princess Twilight, even though it was…wonderful.” Rainbow winced as Rarity talked. “And of course, if none of these satisfy you…” Rarity gulped and pasted a smile on her face. “I-I’m sure you could tell me what you want.” Trixie sighed and spoke up. “May Trixie have your attention please?” Once they were all focused on her, she continued. “Rarity…Trixie asks for your forgiveness. When Trixie heard that you were setting up your Carousel of Wonders, a place to display both your skills in the fashion and magical arts, Trixie was nervous. For the longest time, Trixie owned the only magic shop in Peaceville. Trixie was fine with you performing before when you were a traveling showmare, but she didn’t know another magician would decide to take up permanent residence here. “And when Trixie heard you would be designing outfits for her friends, Trixie was…scared. Perhaps even…jealous.” She cringed as she admitted it. “Trixie feared that her friends would replace her with you. A very silly fear, Trixie now realizes. Trixie had planned to upstage you with her own dresses that Trixie had crafted. “But although Trixie is a Greater and more Powerful magician…you are the better seamstress. And it wouldn’t be very noble of Trixie or her friends to reject your generous gift. Trixie is sorry.” Trixie smiled and said, “Also, Diamond Tiara informed Trixie that you two were spying on her.” She smirked at the sheepish Gilda and Discord. Rarity smiled as her friends nodded and agreed that her work was great. “Thank you for telling me the truth Trixie. And I promise you, I could never replace you. After all, you are the Great and Powerful Trixie.” Everyone all smiled at each other, before Gilda cleared her throat. “Alright, so we’re all friends again. Enough with the sappy stuff. My dress may look cool, but let’s make sure it fits. Just to make sure ya didn’t make it too big or anything. As Nightmare and her friends all tried on their outfits, Nightmare smiled. “I think this is the perfect opportunity for a letter to Princess Twilight. Smog? Smog? …Oh right, he’s still at the library." Back at the library, Smog was sorting out books when he suddenly burped out a message from King Sombra. He picked up the letter and the large book that came with it. “Well…I can’t really open the letter without Nightmare here.” He left the letter on top of Nightmare’s desk, already piled with notes, books, and scrolls. He turned to the book and picked it up. “Inspiration Manifestation, huh?” he said reading the title. “Must be new.” He shrugged and sorted the book under I, right between Incantations and International Recipes. Always nice to have a new book for the public, Smog thought as he happily grabbed a broom and began sweeping.