Silva turned her silver eyes toward Fluttershy.  The griffon had never seen Fluttershy, but she had heard enough around town.  The pegasus was said to be quite timid and rather easily intimidated, even by some of the least scary things out there.  Her resemblance to her slightly shorter and much meaner sister, of course, was uncanny to those who didn't know how to tell the difference...

Rarity looked over Applejack curiously, noticing that nervous energy. It was always the same, ever since they were fillies in the same class. The future fashionista would canter her way back to her seat, having given a presentation on past fashion trends or showing off something she had haphazardly stitched together for show-and-tell, and up would come AJ, eyes wide, gulping and jittering, carrying a diorama of Sweet Apple Acres or something to that effect. With a smile, she shook her head, dismissing the memories.

"Of course I'll be there for moral support," Rarity told her softly, "I did promise, and while it may not have been a Pinkie Promise, I will stand by my word. Rough, dirty, and crazy, yes?"

The last sentence was given with a whisper and a wink, before she pulled her head back, giving a polite nod to Silva before Fluttershy entered her shop. It had been a long time since her showroom was so crowded, and it made the fashionista rather proud of herself.

"Fluttershy!" she said excitedly, "Never a bother, my dear. Come on inside! Just a bit of business, nothing unusual."

Applejack gave a light laugh. "Ehehe.  e-yup. Whatever it takes." She said,  then glanced aside as Fluttershy made herself known. With a smile, Applejack gestured Silva closer. "Flutershy, Rarity, ya'll remember Gilda? Meet her sister, Silva..." She glanced between them, back to Silva, then added. "She..  uhh.. ain't a thing like Gilda, that ah can tell. She's some kinda' fancy Canterlot model."

Fluttershy shuddered a moment at the memory of Gilda. The other griffon had put a scar or two on the pegasus' conscience for a while, though she'd gotten over it. She gave a nod, "N-Nice to meet you." She gave a small smile.

Briefly she remembered her time being a model. She didn't like it, that was for sure, but she envied Silva's abilities to stand such a job. "It must be hard, um... being a model." she said apologetically.

Silva gave a soft nod in response. "It's good to meet you, Fluttershy."

Her eyes narrowed as Fluttershy spoke of that, perhaps judging the pony's tone for a moment.  A few seconds later, she softened as she explained herself, "I don't get to do the job often, and I lose my temper too much with the hecklers..."

She nodded in acknowledgment. Flutterhshy understood the feeling of being heckled in the modeling business, "I bet." She said knowingly, "Anypony in modeling best be ready for heckling. All those super judgmental ponies just looking for something wrong to point out. It's easy to lose one's temper."

And then she realized she wasn't a model anymore herself. "I mean..." She hesitated, "You probably know that already... of course." She gave a weak smile at this.

"Well, nopony ever said that the world of fashion was an easy one," Rarity said, "And yet we suffer on for our art! Will you both be watching the competition this afternoon? If so, I would adore the company."

Rarity's mind flashed back to Fluttershy's brief period as a model. In retrospect, it was rather silly how both of them wanted the same thing, but wouldn't tell each other. It only helped their friendship grow, in the end, especially with their weekly spa visits.

"Just what is this competition anyway?  If it's something physical, I could use the exercise for my figure, even if I probably won't win." Silva smiled.  It felt good to be among those who understood that perfection in one's trade was not as easy as it looked.  That opportunity to burn off some energy and to show off her grace in a physical contest would feel even better...

"Uhh.. well.. ah imagine it's mostly gonna be physical at least. Ah mean, Rainbow's  hostin' it, after all." she said awkwardly. "Ah should probably get goin', find out where she's hostin' it...  Fer' all the fuss she's made over it, ah ain't seen where it's supposed ta' be."

Silva nodded. "It was nice to meet you, Rarity.  If you ever want to talk fashion or any sort of business, I'd be glad to. Perhaps we should talk sometime after this competition?"

"I would enjoy that very much, Miss Silva!" Rarity exclaimed, clapping her hooves once, "I am very interested to hear your story. It has been too long since I've been to Canterlot~! I do hope the fashion style of the elite hasn't changed -too- radically."

Looking over Applejack and Silva, she nodded once before smiling over at Fluttershy.

"I'll see you both at the competition! I just need to finish with my costumers here and close up shop early," Rarity told them, nodding to herself before looking over to her yellow coated friend, "And how are you today, Fluttershy, my dear?"

Applejack gave a light little cough, covering he r mouth with a hoof politely. "Ahem... Well, uhh, girls,  ah'd like ta' stick around, but ah' gotta get goin'..." she trailed lightly, glancing between the three of them. She had things to do, it was true - but she also wasn't suited for getting caught up in a storm of fashion-jabber.

Applejack put her  stetson back atop her head lightly as she shuffled along toward the door, but she did pause to wave a fond farewell.

Exit to - Afternoon

Silva tips her proverbial hat, before heading out with Applejack.  She didn't want to occupy Rarity's afternoon further, and she knew that Applejack might need her help.  Most griffons were slow to make friends, but few would abandon a fast friend to an uncertain fate...

Depart into the afternoon

-Enter afternoon-

Fluttershy had opted for silence, as she didn't want to seem a nuisance. She took the spare time to think about the competition proper. Probably, as was normal, Fluttershy would be the score-keeper/judge/referee and preside over the competition. She'd long gotten into the swing of it to keep score when something big happened in Ponyville.

When Applejack left and Silva took her leave Fluttershy was sure to wave a hood amiably, still intent on keeping her mouth closed. As Rarity addressed her she finally deemed it proper to speak, "Oh, I'm just fine." she answered Rarity's query, "I'm very excited for the competition. I hope Rainbow does well." She flapped her wings with a smile, lifting her to the tips of her hooves but yet remaining on the floor.

She sobered momentarily, "I hope Rainbow doesn't get too nervous." She recalled the Best Young Flier contest in times past and hoped Rainbow, having made the challenge herself, wouldn't get second thoughts about it all. She loved Rainbow and wanted the best for her. In her experience, Fluttershy had seen that things that normally didn't go well for anypony, worked out spectacularly for Rainbow Dash... At least after the fact.

"I'm excited as well!" Rarity said, "It should be quite the spectacle, and it is the perfect day for it. If you want the honest truth, I'm just rather excited to be out of the Boutique for a few hours. I've just been so busy, Fluttershy, what with finishing the order for the Princess and the big charity event in Canterlot coming up. It'll be nice to -finally- get some fresh air."

She took a quick look around her shop, sighing softly to herself. It was rather difficult, running her own business all by herself for so long. In the early days, it was rather easy without all the orders and ponies coming in to look around, when word hadn't gotten around. Now, however, her fashions seemed to be on everypony's lips from here to Canterlot, and once it is well known that she made a garment for the Princess...

"Oh, I'm sure Rainbow will have nothing to worry about," Rarity nodded, looking back to her friend, "By nightfall, she'll have her special somepony, unless the competition goes on much longer than that. Ooh~ You don't think it will go deep into the evening, do you?"

Honey was lost in thought while all the other left and with a look out of the window Honey realised it was starting to get late. "I have to run, I have more shopping to do. Again thanks miss Rarity, you are an angel." he said on his way out for doing the rest of his shopping.

To Ponyville Residential District - Honey Sweets' Home. and time change(Sorry for being very late.)
This message was last edited by the player at 22:04, Sun 21 Oct 2012.

Of all ponies Fluttershy knew how Rarity could bite off more than she could chew. She heard about them weekly, after all, at their spa visits. She was so glad Rarity was never short on business but she did wish Rarity would get a chance to slow down every now and then. "You must have been working so hard this past week." She spoke up in acknowledgement.

The yellow mare nodded in agreement with Rarity and gave a smile, "Oh I hope so. I gather many ponies are entering just so they can say they got a date with Rainbow. I hope that whoever wins deserves it. Do you know of Anypony who really wants to win whose entering, Rarity?"

Rarity nodded, "Very busy, but.. Such is my life! I took it as a personal quest to give Ponyville and the rest of Equestria fashion, and I continue the fight, for fashionistas everywhere!"

After raising her hoof for dramatic flare, she put it back down to the floor and tilted her head slightly towards Fluttershy. She was going to keep Applejack's feelings towards Rainbow Dash in confidence, of course, until the time was right, but then there was the allure of gossip!

Don't spill the beans, Rarity!~

Even if it -was- the juiciest gossip she had heard in quite some time.

Other than something about two ponies eloping?

"Well, I'm sure everyone who's entering is looking forward to the prize," Rarity told her friend, obviously struggling a little to keep her gossip to herself, "Even Pinkie Pie, though I've never really taken her as a pony who liked other mares. In fact, if you want the honest truth, I've never really thought about Pinkie being involved in romance period, have you? I mean, she's friends with everyone in Ponyville. You'd think she'd make a move on someone by this point? Ah, well, that's not really important. I completely respect her choice to be single. It's very modern." 

Understanding Rarity's callin, Fluttershy always had a lot of respect for her friend, the constancy that she worked on the next, brightest, newest thing. She could remember a couple years earlier when Rarity was really just getting her start and every little thing was so amazing. Now she couldn't help but to feel sorry for her. beauty was, after all, pain.

Then Pinkie Pie came up in conversation. Fluttershy gave a reflexive look around when Rarity said her name. Pinkie had a strange knack for being somewhere the second somepony started talking about her. Just part of who Pinkie was, of course. Then she smiled and continued the conversation. "I bet it'll be crowded." She added.

Like Rarity, Fluttershy knew little about Pinkie's romantic life. Naturally Pinkie DID know everypony in Ponyville so there would be no lack of opportunity but Fluttershy herself had an... Alternate sense of romance as well. She guessed pinkie Pie had no lack of romantic endeavors on the side but, Like Fluttershy, she kept her relationships under wraps, behind closed doors... Maybe in pinkie's case the wraps might be literal. You never knew what Pinkie was going to gift-wrap and put a bow on next but, regardless, Fluttershy knew better than to make guessed on the life of Pinkie Pie, of all ponies. "I'm sure that Pinkie Pie is happy with her place in life right now." She acknowledged, agreeing with Rarity, if perhaps on a different note under it all, "Do you think Applejack is competing?" She asked innocently, "It would be another chance to prove whose better, like iron pony but with more contestants."

"Applejack...?"

Keep it together, Rarity! Put on a brave face. You can resist this~! Just change the subject. Be lady-like about it! Did you already talk about the weather? Is there anything else going on?

Rarity's eyes went from side to side as she put on a nervous smile, her inner dialogue not helping whatsoever. She knew that gossip was hurtful, and that Applejack had trusted her to keep it private. Well, did she really? The unicorn had promised not to let anypony know how flustered she was over the whole thing, but that didn't mean she wasn't allowed to say that Applejack was competing...

"I think she is competing this afternoon," Rarity confessed, struggling to keep from saying too much more, "In fact, she was just here wondering if I was coming to support her, which I am, of course. Need to make sure this doesn't spiral out of control, yes?"

The yellow mare smiled at Rarity as she spoke. It was gratifying to know that she had such a good friend who was so generous to everypony. "I'm glad to hear it," Fluttershy told her fabulous friend, "It wouldn't be the same without you."

Her smile still intact Fluttershy, however, had to wonder on Rarity's other words, "Out of Control?" She asked curiously, losing the soft smile she held. Of course one could say that the Find A Pet contest did get a bit out of control but only for the animal's sake. This time there couldn't be so much Pony error. There would be plenty of responsible folk around and, as it was a contest of ponies, the likelihood would be that those who weren't competing would be watching and helping, "How could it spiral out of control?" Fluttershy asked. Could Rarity know something about it that she didn't? She gave a small shudder; her mind flitting, of course, to the worst

"Oh, well, this is wholly different than the pet competition, my dear!" Rarity explained, "Why, you know better than anyone how resilient animals are! None of them were hurt or had hurt feelings, but these are ponies we're talking about! Imagine if Rainbow thought up another stunt like going through that valley. We almost lost her, if it wasn't for Tank."

Though it probably wouldn't be as bad as all that, Rarity was well known for being cautious and paying attention to detail in things of this nature. Rainbow Dash hadn't likely combed over everything in great enough detail to make sure it was perfectly safe and secure, being the daredevil that she was. It didn't hurt to keep alert.

"I'm just saying to keep an eye open. That's all," she assured her, "Do you know when the competition will begin?"

The Yellow mare gave a nod of acknowledgment to Rarity's logic. Indeed Rainbow did like to do dangerous things and Ponies, as a whole, just didn't stand up to the variety and durability of the average animal that would have been competing for Rainbow's affections. Anypony could compete, right? Thinking about it, that did sort of spell disaster but... when did disaster and Rainbow Dash not go hand in hand? That's what one expected from Rainbow Danger Dash. "Y-You might be right. Eyes open." she spoke earnestly, opening her eyes extra wide to put emphasis on her statement

At Rarity asking when the competition would start the pegasus had to shake her pink maned head. "Oh I haven't been told." she admitted, feeling awfully silly that she hadn't known yet. "I still have a bit of work to do back home and then I was planning on trying to find Rainbow and talk to her about things. I expect she'll want my help keeping score." She hesitated, "And... Um... Maybe we could talk about things. Um... I'm sure Rainbow must have a pony in mind that she wants to compete more than another... right?" Of course Fluttershy would be asking the wrong pony. Rarity and Rainbow got along but Fluttershy would never expect Dash to tell her what sort of mare/stallion she was looking for... Even if Rarity was easily one of the best mares for romantic advice... save maybe Fluttershy herself or Twilight, all three of which were learned enough to know the ethics of romance while Rarity and Fluttershy were actually... practiced in the finer arts of being romantic, or at least appearing romantic.

Rarity couldn't help but give a giggle as she watched Fluttershy's eyes go wider to emphasize her point. Though her best friend probably didn't try, she always had a way to make the fashionista laugh or smile, not to mention that she was the best listener in Ponyville.

"Oh, Fluttershy! You are such a delight!" Rarity gushed, opening her eyes wide to imitate the pegasus before holding a hoof to her mouth to contain her giggle, "Did anypony ever tell you that? And you -do- have a very natural aptitude for scorekeeping, if I do say so myself."

As she continued on, Rarity began to get shifty eyes again, try as she might to hide it. Rainbow Dash hadn't come to discuss the upcoming contest with her. In fact, she hadn't seen mane nor tail of the multi-colored pegasus all week. She never came into the shop, unless accompanied by a friend or crashing into a window or something. Pity that.

But a voice inside was slowly repeating, 'Gossip! Gossip!'

"Oh, I wouldn't know," Rarity told her, nodding quickly.

A bright pink crept over Fluttershy's face as Rarity complimented her. "Oh I don't think so. I'm sure there are many other ponies who would be more... Um... Delightful than me." She spoke bashfully, looking at the floor as she kicked a foreleg idly.

However, it surprised her that Rarity, of all ponies, didn't have the latest news on what was going around the lips of everypony in town. Normally she's so on top of it. I'm surprised she hasn't heard anything. Her thoughts echoed, "Oh, okay." She spoke up shyly, "I just thought... um... What I mean to say is that... well, if anypony would know it would be you Rarity." She forced a sweet sort of smile on her face, feeling all too embarrassed that she'd asked Rarity something she didn't know. The Yellow pegasus hated being a bother or asking about things where there was no information for it to be heard.