Fame or Friendship Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6


"Come on, Twilight!  We'll be late for breakfast with Rarity!" Spike said impatiently.

"Alright, alright!  I'm sorry Spike, I just wanted to make sure I had all the windows and doors locked before we left."  Twilight said as she came out of the side room in the library.

"Windows locked?  What are you afraid of, burglars?"

"Well, no, but you never know, somepony could just come in and do something unpleasant while we're gone."

Spike sighed, "You worry too much Twilight."

Twilight rolled her eyes and then drew her attention back to the task at hand.

"Anyways, let's get going before we're late."

Spike opened the front door to see Rarity right there waiting for them.

"Oh, Rarity!  I hope we didn't keep you waiting too long." Twilight said surprised.

"Oh it's quite alright Darling, I just got here." Rarity replied.

"Well Rarity, are you ready for breakfast?" Spike asked welcomingly.

"Oh I'm sorry Spike, but I'm afraid I won't be able to make it to breakfast with everyone this morning, I have to be at the studio a bit early.

"Oh, well then tonight for dinner maybe?"

"Unfortunately tonight is booked too.  You see there is another fashion show going on tonight and I have to be there if I want to keep my new position as a super model."

Twilight and Spike's jaws dropped open at what she said.

"You're a super model now, Rarity?!?" Twilight asked forgetting about their already cancelled breakfast plans.

"I know, it's like it's too soon for me to be one already, but Photo Finish said last night that I'm ready to move up and she is counting on me to attend tonight's fashion show."

"Aw man, so we won't see you tonight, Rarity?" Spike said with his eyes bigger and almost ready to cry.

"Yes, I'm so sorry Spike.  I was really looking forward to it but things have just gotten way too complicated it seems."  Without thinking, Rarity looked down at the ground sadly as if she was starting to dislike modeling.

"Gosh Rarity, that doesn't sound too good.  Are you sure you're doing ok?" Twilight asked her friend.

"What?  Oh heavens, of course I am dear!" Rarity perked herself up and went back to her happy mood.  She didn't want anyone to think that she disliked her new job already.  "Trust me, Darling, it's not quite that bad.  Stressful, yes, but I still love it of course!  Haha…"

Twilight wasn't much of a psychologist but she could tell Rarity was lying even just a little bit.  Perhaps the stress was finally getting to her and things weren't as good as they used to be?  But either way, she didn't want to make Rarity admit that out loud so she kept it to herself.

"Well, that's at least good to know, Rarity."  Twilight responded. "And it's pretty exciting that you've been promoted to the position of super model now."

"Yes, indeed it is.  Well, once again, I'm terribly sorry about all this.  Wish me luck and tell everyone else that perhaps we can meet again some other time when I'm available."

"I'll be sure to let them know, Rarity.  Bye now!"

Rarity rushed off in the distance towards the area in Ponyville where the studio was.  Twilight looked a bit worried and she could tell that Spike wasn't exactly happy either.

"You ok, Spike?" she asked her number-one assistant.

"Yeah, I guess." Spike said looking down at the ground.  "But I was kinda excited to be able to eat both breakfast and dinner with Rarity today along with the rest of you guys.  I mean we haven't even really been able to spend that much time with Rarity in almost a week."

"Well, she is a busy pony you know."

"Yeah, and it's good to be able to see her in these magazines and all, but I wish she just had more time for us, I feel like we're losing her."

"Don't worry Spike, I'm quite sure she's just a little busy, but we aren't going to lose Rarity any time soon, trust me."  Twilight put her hoof around the baby dragon in comfort.  "Now let's go eat with the others, at least they'll all be there for us."

"Yeah, you're right, they'll be there.  Still missing Rarity though…"



Later that night was the fashion show.  It was at Photo Finish Studios as usual and went well just like all the other shows, but this one would mark the beginning of Rarity's worst fears.

"Zhiz new drezz vill throw zheze poniez off zheir hoovez!" said Photo Finish showing Rarity a new dress.

"Oh my, Photo Finish, that is one lovely dress.  But, um……what is it for?" Rarity asked.

"Vhy it iz vor zhou of courze!  Zhou vill be vearing zhiz drezz out zhere.  And zhen avter zhou are done vith that von, zhou vill vear zhiz von right here."  Photo Finish pushed the first dress aside on a hanging poll rack to show Rarity another one underneath it followed by several other magnificent dresses.  There was just one problem:  the dresses were not Rarity's.

"Oh, but Photo Finish, I thought I would wear my own dresses to the show tonight like I always do…"

"Rarity, Dahling, zhou no longer need zoze drezzez.  Zhou are moving up now, zhou are no longer a model!"

"Yes, I'm a super model now, but how does that keep me from modeling in my dresses?"

"Vell, I vould tell zhou now, but it iz a zurprize actually and I zhould zave it vor later."

"A surprise?"

"Indeed.  Go now, put on zheze drezzez, I vill tell zhou ze good newz avter ze zhow iz over."

"Um……well I suppose I can wait to hear the reason later.  Alright then, I'll do the show but I would really like to know soon afterwards."

"Zhou vill, Rarity, zhou vill.  It iz a big zurprize indeed!"  Photo Finish then left the room to go out and meet with the paparazzi.

"Why can I not wear my own dresses now?" Rarity asked herself as she used her magic to start putting on the first dress.  The new dresses were very good, but they were very professionally well made also.  She looked back at the dresses she had.  So plain, so quaint compared to the very artistically designed and majestic garments she saw hanging in front of her.  She would look beautiful in them but for the first time ever, she felt like she was being outshone.  She was there to model, not to make dresses, but now it seemed as if no one, not even the studio, was interested in actually helping her business.  Was this why she was promoted to a super model?  Because they no longer cared about her dresses, they just wanted to make more fame and fortune off of her?  The pay and the popularity didn't really seem to be worth it right now.  Rarity wasn't liking this, but she didn't know everything just yet.  Perhaps there was a good reason this was happening and she would know after the show was done.  

She took her mind off of her worries and went back to putting on the dress and then made her way to the edge of the curtain.  The announcer said Rarity's name and she walked out on stage to a host of loyal fans cheering loudly for her.  She smiled at them and trotted gracefully out to the end of the walkway like always.  Once she was done, she was followed by several other models giving her enough time to put on the next dress.  It was a very typical show for Rarity, same old same old.

The end of the show was when Rarity discovered the 'news' that Photo Finish spoke of earlier, but she didn't exactly hear it from Photo Finish.

"Rarity, you were great out there as usual, girl!" said one of the other models.

"Oh thank you darling.  I do still wish I could wear my own dresses though."

"Well you won't be needing those anymore.  Heck you won't be needing the boutique anymore either cuz you can't just take that building along with you, you know."

"Take my boutique along with……what are you saying darling?"

"You didn't hear?" another model asked.

"Hear?  Hear what?"  Rarity looked back and forth at each of her model friends confused.  Was this part of Photo Finish's news?

"We're going to Canterlot, didn't Photo Finish tell you?"

"Canterlot?!  Wait, who's going to Canterlot?!"

"We all are of course!  Photo Finish is moving the studio to Canterlot pretty soon.  She didn't tell you that?"

"I………I think she meant to…"  Rarity's pupils shrank into her eyes and her mouth remained open drying with air.  This was definitely what Photo Finish wanted to tell her earlier but it wasn't the greatest news she had heard all day.

"Ladiez, I vill talk vith Rarity now!" said Photo Finish surprising the other models from behind as they all filed out of the back stage quickly.

"Photo Finish?" Rarity asked with some disappointment in her voice.

"Rarity, I zuppoze zhou are vondering now about ze zurprize?"

"I think I already know it.  What is this about you moving us to Canterlot?"

"Gaaaaah, ze girlz haf told you already!  Ah vell, zhou ver vound to vind out, I juzt vanted to ve able to tell zhou myzelf.  Vell, anyvayz, are you not exzited vor it?!"

"Um……before I answer that, can I ask why we are moving to Canterlot?"

"Vecauze Rarity, zhou haf not only moved up zhour own ztatuz, zhou haf brought uz up to higher ztatuz as vell!  Zhou are a vig ztar and ze ztudio is gaining more income az vell.  Ve haf gotten zo high zhat I zhink ze time haz come vor uz to move to ze capital zity, ze plaze ver ve truly belong!  Ponyville vaz good, vut ve haf outgrown it.  Canterlot callz uz, dahling!"

"But you would want me to come obviously.  And you really think I'm ready to go there?"

"Of courze zhou are!  Zhou need zhiz juzt az much az ve do, zhou belong in Canterlot!  I knew right vrom ze ztart zhat zhou vould be vorthy of ze capital, I juzt needed to keep zhou here long enough to zee if zhou really vhere good and zhou haf proven to me zhat zhou are!"

"Wait, so you've been planning this all along?!"

"Vor a vew veekz, yez, I haf.  I haf already arranged to move into a building and everzhing.  Ve vill be leaving zoon."

"Nonono, hold on now, darling, I haven't even made up my mind on whether or not to go!"

"But zhou vill go, von't you?!"

"Well, I……I…"

"Rarity, zhou muzt go!  Zhiz iz zhour vuture!"

"But this is all happening so suddenly, I'm not even sure I'm ready."

"Zhou vill be ready, Rarity, truzt me!  Pleaze, I haf already made arrangementz!  Vhat could pozzibly make zhou vant to ztay?!"

"Well, I mean I have the boutique…"

"Do not vorry about zhour boutique anymore.  Vith ze money zhou vill be making in Canterlot, zhou vill not need to have zhour own businezz to make a living, zhou vill be a part of ourz instead and vill be living like a princezz!  Zhat iz vhy I had zhou vear our drezzez tonight.  Vhy vould zhou be needing to vear drezzez made in a businezz zhou no longer own?"

"But……my friends.  All my friends…"

"Ah, zhou vill make new vriendz!  Zhou may be able to vizit zhour old vonz, but zhou vill make new vonz too!  Truzt me, zhiz iz ze life vor zhou, Rarity, zhou muzt accept!"

"Well………it sounds lovely, really it does, but I am not entirely sure yet.  Can you give me a little more time to decide?"

"Vell……I guezz I can give zhou a vew dayz.  But pleaze dezide quickly, ve are practically ready to go!  In vact, tomorrow may be our lazt offizial day of zhooting in zhiz ztudio."

"Oh my, that soon?!"

"I am zorry zhiz came vithout notize, but I thought zhou vould vant zhiz."

"Oh it's not that I don't want it, I just need to prepare myself.  I promise I will make up my mind in just a few days."

"Vell if it doez zhou zo, I vill allow zhou a vew more dayz to dezide, but I know zhou vill make ze right dezizion."

"I hope I do…"

"Vell, I vill let zhou go vor now.  Remember, ve are all counting on zhou, Rarity.  And zhou are on ze vay to ze life zhou haf alvayz dezerved, zhiz I know."

"Thank you for your time Photo Finish.  I will decide shortly."

"And now, I GO!"

"Oh my goodness…" Rarity said to herself while packing her things.  "What in Equestria have I gotten myself into.  I enjoyed this job, but do I really have to leave my home now?  I've always wanted to live in Canterlot, but now that I think about it, I don't think it is right for me to leave behind my friends and family.  This just isn't good.  I would love to go, but at the same time I really don't want to.  What should I do?  And how, oh how will I ever break this news to my friends?!"

Rarity's eyes started to fill with tears and her throat swelled up inside.  A huge life decision lay before her and she didn't know what to do.  She had to get out of that studio and go back to her boutique to rest and make up her mind.  Sadly, that would be the most painful part…



TO BE CONTINUED…