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"I already told you, Tank doesn't NEED a make-over!" insisted the rainbow-maned mare in a mixture of a growl and a whine, "Tank looks awesome as he is!"

It was a quiet day in the Carousel Boutique, being out of season for any stylistic changes or new fashion looks in Ponyville. It wasn't the time for weddings or parties and the Grand Galloping Gala was quite a way away. So the famous white wonder was busy at work, helping her friends in the most important way; fabulousity!

"Nonsense, I'm sure a little bit of style wouldn't go amiss, Rainbow Dash!" retorted Rarity with an accent of flare in her voice.

Her pure white hoof moved down to touch under the old tortoise's chin, making the pet crown his neck up as soft pattings of accentuating make-up were applied to his wrinkled flesh. The dainty dame was happy to bring her spark of beauty into the world, on anything she could get her hands on. Only the day before Winona had left with a new perm and fluffed up, tinted fur! She truly had become the wonderdog of Sweet Apple Acres; that is, until AppleJack had her rolling about in the mud once again.

However, the whole situation was a little awkward for Dash. Out of the six of them, Rarity and Dash seemed to clash the most. Rarity's love of fashion and performance held no interest to the fastest flyer of Equestria. Although they shared a love of the spotlight, Dash's exploits were more turned to the athletic adventures. She always wanted to be the fastest and the strongest, to push herself beyond any other pegasi and become a legend. Rarity, however, gave her time to endeavours of creativity and more feminine exploits, with dabblings in theatrics. It was all too lame for Rainbow, which made her somewhat more cold to Rarity. The diamond mare could only feel the same; it's not that they hated each other, they just had very little in common. Friends without interests.

The tension was getting to Dash, silence broken only by the sweet humming s of Rarity buzzing about her shop, to and fro, picking up glitter and materials in her effort to spruce up the bland shell of Tank. Blue hoof began to impatiently tap on the floor, the ceiling of the boutique too low for Dash to be in the air where she loved to be.

"This is taking forever!" came another whine, hooves dragging down her face as the boredom began to strain her fast paced mind, "Tank and I aren't gunna have time for our fly over Everfree! And he gets over excited when he hasn't had his flight!"

Glasses balanced upon the muzzle of the snow-white mare as she glanced over to Dash and then back to Tank on the table in front of her, observing the slow, creeping smile of the tortoise, which seemed to take an age all in itself.

"Is that so?" came a perplexed rhetoric, taking it that Dash was over-reacting as usual, "Well, I'm almost finished so - -"

"Let's see, let's see!" came an excited whinny as Rainbow bounded up behind Rarity, intent on seeing the damage she had done.

However, before she could peek round and have a look, Rarity slid velveteen cloth over the small reptile, veiling him from sight.

"Uh uh!" goaded Rarity, keenly shifting the cloth out the way to the back of her craft table, "Glue's not dried yet! I can't let you see him until he's complete!"

A clop of her hooves together, as if excited for her own work, and Rarity was padding off towards her kitchen, "Come Dash! I'll make you up a snack while you wait!"

The exuberant filly gave a snort, more fitting of a bull than a horse, trotting along behind her, "Fine! That glue better be safe, Rarity..."

"Oh trust me darling! I know what I'm doing!" chimed back the elated white mare, happily preparing some hot tea and daisies to enjoy.

As Dash made her way to the table, she couldn't help but watch her front bound about her kitchen, keen to appease in anyway she could. As the Element of Generosity, Rarity was always doing her bit to make people feel comfortable. And yet something still played on the mind of Dash, something that took no thought, no hesitation to perform...and yet was one of the most proudest moments of her life. The filly's mind seemed to be in a daze when the tea tray was plopped down on the table in front of her, giving a shake of her head suddenly as her senses re-awoke her.

"Oh er - looks great, Rare!" came a pet name, since Rarity was so keen to counter back with 'Dashy' a lot of the time.

With all the house manners of a burglar, Dash dug into the snacks, munching down the tasty leaves as Rarity poured her a cup of tea.

"Please, it's the least I can do! What are friends for if not for helping one another out? And I'm sure you're going to LOVE what I've done with Tank."

Rarity kept the conversation up as much as she could, through the complaining of Dash at the taste of the tea, or the point that a fabulous pet is a happy pet! For her, being as generous as she was, there was only one person she knew that was more giving than her. For her safety, for her chance at a true performance and for her life, Rainbow had sacrificed it all to save her that day when she fell from Cloudsdale. All Rarity had cared about was her wings, was the attention. She stood up Dash, the pair having a rivalry back then based on brawn versus beauty. And in the end, Rainbow Dash had been there to save her life. She had pushed herself so hard, done all she could and broke every barrier to save her life. For Rarity, that was true friendship. And maybe a little bit more.

Sure the dainty mare would woo herself over thoughts of a rich, handsome stallion, a royal prince ready to swipe for off her feet. But as that rainbow fell towards her, Rarity could only see one knight in shining armour. And that was Rainbow Dash. The feel of her arms, clinging to her and keeping her safe. The strong pounding of the mare's beating heart as she pushed them back up to the clouds. The snarling breath of a filly that would not give up to see her friend safe. It had been all too much for Rarity. A silent bond, one that kept them close throughout all the conflict and strife, something special for them both to reflect on. Rarity felt it, but she was unsure if Dash felt the same way.

"Soooo, I hope you haven't made Tank little wings. He's a wicked flyer without them!" commented Dash as Rarity sat for silence in her own thoughts.

"Of course not, darling," came a response as Rarity broke from her daze, "The last time I had anything to do with wings...well, you remember! That's all more appropriately your department!"

The joke was well received, a beaming smile growing on Dash's face as she remembered her feat of heroism and her second time producing the elusive Sonic Rainboom. The cocky mare sat herself back in her seat, fore legs crossed behind her head as she tilted the chair, eyes closing softly, "Yeah well. What can you expect from the greatest flyer ever! Really saved your butt back there, huh?"

The question was all too rhetoric, blurted out to make polite conversation and keep things rolling. But it sent Rarity back into her thoughts. Had the day left such a mark that she was lost in her own feelings? Teeth bit her lower lip, quite out of place for such a ladylike mare, thoughts swirling around that day. Even hopes that a situation like that would arise once again. She could depend on Dash, but she might never ASK for it.

"I am grateful; I hope you realise that..." came a rather cold-toned response, eyes keenly left to lay upon the gloating mare, still thinking of what had happened.

Almost too cold, that tone shook Rainbow to opening her eyes. Before she knew it, the realise of what was happening set in. That awkward stare, the pink tinge staining Rarity's checks. Whether people believed it or not, Rainbow Dash wasn't a romantic. She had always been alone for Hearts and Hooves Day, she didn't look for companionship outside of her ownership of Tank. But the stare Rarity gave her, the deep gaze of a figure of marehood emitting such reverence and gratefulness. It was a stare she saw from young foals when she did a fly-by or whenever she was there to save the day. But from her own, true friend was too much.

Back leg twitched and kicked. Chair went backwards.

"Waahh!" came a bellowing cry as that nonchalant pony was soon head over hooves, chair taking her with the cruel tide of gravity to the tiled floor below. A large wallop as her head bounced so ungracefully from the impact, wings smashing firmly against the wooden backrest. And within a matter of moments, Rainbow Dash was in a state, crumbled up in a pile on the polished tile floor.

A sudden gasp from her concerned friend, immediately to her hooves to help Dash to her pads, "Oh my word Dashy, are you okay?"

She was around the table before the Rainbow had even realised what was going on, hooves scooping her up to try and lift her. Rarity was not know for her speed or strength, nor her willingness to but any labour into a task, especially down on her hind quarters in the middle of her kitchen floor.

Almost by accident, the manly mare gave off a soft little grumble, more cute that aggravated with what had transpired, "Yeah, I'm okay. This floor...the chair slipped!" A bit of a stumble but nothing she couldn't play off, "Thanks Rar - -"

Dash could barely finish when her big, pink-laced eyes met the deep blue of her friend's. That gaze of reassurance, that everything was to be okay. With all the nastiness in the world, the threat of danger, the stress and drive to keep working harder and harder and to stay true to all she knew. All of that washed away with that glance. Forelegs cradled the blue pony tight, more of a loving gesture than to help her recover. Almost like a statue, Rarity was frozen in the moment, eyes down at the girl she had pulled up. Or was in the process of, at least; Dash was still on the floor! Yet neither of them moved. Neither of them said anything. The only change in that one, precious instant...was a soft burn being brought to the blue cheeks of Cloudsdale's best.

"Dash- -" came a murmur, lips barely moving, barely able to work up any sound, trying so desperately to destroy that moment. It was humiliating, it was awkward and wrong. But neither wanted for it to end. A blue hoof reached up, taking the front curl of the luscious purple mane from her face, being at an askew angle to help the fallen mare up.

But it was more enough, more than the colourful filly could take. A half smirk appeared on her muzzle, barely bringing through any confidence or charisma that usually sat with it. "Heh, look who's catching who now, huh? I owe ya one, Rare!" It was a bleated sentence, barely stable on it's own. Given out by a mare too frightened to face the truth. And all that came was a smile back, an uneasy smile from Rarity to accept the humour that was given.

"Want to let me up now?" came another joke from Rainbow, given a snigger to try and sprinkle a lick of authenticity this time.

"No," responded Rarity almost immediately, her tone dry but firm.

Dash was first to moved, pulling herself up to swing her forelegs around the white mare, enveloping her in a tight yet tender hug. Only natural was the response to hold her back, the unicorn taking grip of her friend, head nuzzled into her neckline. Neither knew what this meant. Was it a moment or true friendship that could only be experienced by those close enough to understand? Or was it a hopeful spark of something more? Something frighteningly different and real that it would take all they had to see it through? Could a mare love another mare? Would two of such radically different opinions and hobbies be able to make it work? What was to become of their friendship? Too many questions from a simple hug. Friends with interests.