Thirty Minute Pony Stories

Rarity hummed a tuneless song as she tussled and teased her hair into shape.  She watched in the mirror as her reflection slowly came together into the image she’d imagined and painstakingly planned.  In her magic, she carried not only the hairbrush and curler, but also a makeup brush and a pencil for her eyes.  All worked with practiced precision to polish the perfect alabaster figure that was Rarity.

When all was done, Rarity let herself indulge in her handiwork for a moment; turning a dainty pirouette as she took in the lovely mare in the mirror. 

“Rarity, you’ve done it again,” she said as one of her forehooves gave her perfectly coifed hair a playful bounce. She turned to her bed where her dress was lovingly laid out.  It was a deep scarlet, edged with gold and stitched with thread made of the finest silver. 

She let out a tiny sigh. “I would have preferred royal blue,” she said to herself, though not for the first time, “but a lady must coordinate, must she not?” 

Rarity took the dress in her magic and carefully slipped it into place. Years of practice ensured that not a single hair was knocked out of place as she did.  Her magic also sealed shut a seam that had been left open to help perform that exact feat.  When she was done, the seam had vanished; invisible to even the most professional eye. 

She looked in the mirror again and smiled. The red really wasn’t her first choice. Her royal blue, or even a proper pink, would have suited her better, but the red was still stunning.  She would have sold her sewing machines and the boutique itself if she couldn’t make red presentable. 

Outside, the sounds of the festival were starting.  Ponies could be heard all through the streets as music started playing from record players and live musicians all over town.  Her dearest friend, Twilight, had suggested they celebrate a Spanish festival this year and the town had wholeheartedly approved.  Even the Princesses were coming or, more likely, were already here.  It made her heart soar to know that Ponyville was finally finding its place in culture.

“La Tomatina,” Rarity breathed. A festival of red. 

Somepony outside, likely the Mayor, said something into a megaphone and a cheer roared its way through town.  She let it work its way through the townsponies, let the excited cheers work themselves around the town for several minutes before she finally went to her door and flung it open.

“Behold, Rarity!” she cried out into the crowd.

Blat!

A wet weight smacked into Rarity’s chest and burst.  She looked down in horror to where the remains of a tomato were bleeding out into her perfect dress even as they slid down her body; finally coming loose and falling to the ground.

She wheezed out a breath, eyes still on the offending thing.

Blat!

Blat! Blat! Blat! Blat! Blat!

Blat!

Rarity, now positively dripping with tomato juice and squashed pulp, turned her horrified eyes up to the crowd. The town seemed split cleanly into two groups of ponies, all covered in tomato.  One half hailed a rain of tomatoes down the other half, who returned the favour in kind. Many ponies were half hidden behind buildings or light posts.  In the sky, pegasi darted overhead, bombing the ground bound with the contents of baskets held in their hooves. 

Her dearest friend, Twilight, was standing on top of an overturned cart in front of the army on her left.  Her magic held no less than a dozen tomatoes around her and she had a full basket strapped to either flank.  Twilight threw up a hoof. “For the Lunar Horde!”

“Captain Sparkle,” cried Princess Luna from elsewhere in front of her army. “The Celestial Alliance has sent Commander Shining to attack our left flank.  Take your troops and reinforce.”

Twilight snapped a salute, then jumped down and ran out of Rarity’s line of sight with a score of ponies, including the Cutie Mark Crusaders, trailing behind. 

Rarity slowly backed into her home and closed the door.  Once inside, she numbly turned to a pamphlet she’d been given on La Tomatina and actually read it. 

“Ah…” she said after a minute. 

Five minutes later the door to the Carousel Boutique slammed open again to reveal Rarity once again, though this time decked out in green fatigues.  She leapt to the side as a fresh volley of tomatoes flew her way.  She snatched up an unattended basket of the red fruit as she ran by, firing some at her attackers. 

“Vengeance!”

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RWL’s Commentary

This was wonderful. I loved the detailed description of Rarity putting on her dress and getting ready, and it was made even better by the twist at the end where she gets hit with a tomato. The scene in Ponyville sounds pretty wild! And I especially loved how she got into it at the end anyway, just joining in the battle. Great work!