"So there I was, running back to my trays, desperate at this point for anything -- anything! -- that might be able to cover up such a sophomoric oversight, when it occurred to me. It was such a marvelous, miraculous thought. I thought to myself, Why, Rarity, this is Bobbed Lyn, we're talking about. BOBBED LYN, the singer has asked for your work. The work of Rarity. And it was obvious how I was to proceed, obvious! The hem stitching wasn't an error, not at all, but a stroke of individuality suited perfectly to both artists and the work of art that would join them.

"It was then that I pulled every spool of thread of remotely the same hue, every bolt and scrap of fabric, desperate to match that unexpected, unappreciated genius splash of color. None fit, so I bolted to my stores in my study, and none of them fit, either! Into the basement, Sweetie's room, my own wardrobe, nothing! There was nothing in my boutique to continue, nothing at all!

"I made it ten steps outside before I even noticed the rain, and another fifteen to turn about and return to the shelter of the boutique. I stood there, panting, my mind racing for where I might go first, to how likely that it would be open, the odds that they would have that one splash of color I so desperately sought, to where my umbrella was, to why my umbrella was missing, to why did I ever give it to Sweetie when she went to play with your sister, to where my rain cloak was, when I finally took pause and returned my attention to the piece resting upon the ponequin. My breath still coming fast, heart hammering, I stared at it, absorbed in what I had created so far. I scrutinized the ensemble as a whole: how it sat, how it bore itself, how the lines ebbed and flowed and danced, and then I was struck again at how silly I had been. Yes, silly! This was for Bobbed Lyn, and I realized how such a vest would be absolutely gauche, inexcusable, criminal.

"Oh, forgive me, dear, yes, I am rambling, aren't I? To you, of all ponies, how silly of me! Again, I must say how amazing it is that you tolerate this downpour with naught to defend yourself but that hat of yours. You are absolutely certain that I can't convince you to have me design a cloak for you? Oh, what I could do with your colors! I can see it now --

"Well, hem, yes. Excitement got the best of me again, I must apologize. I just find myself in such a peculiar mood, this project has me positively strung like a wire. Even all this rain cannot dampen my spirits, not even all this rain. Give my best to your family, Applejack, and could I trouble you to remind Sweetie that she should be home at a reasonable hour to finish her homework before bed? Tonight is not a sleepover, do please remind her, but I understand that she will be joining you for dinner? Right, of course, she is, you are, wonderful. Wonderful! She's a dear, but not having to cook will be a much-welcomed event indeed.

"Oh, if you would excuse -- Fluttershy? Fluttershy! Yes, take care, Applejack, Fluttershy!

"Fluttershy, darling, what ever -- Oh, you are escorting your family of ducks through the shower! Of course you are, you remind me every time, how silly of me to forget. I trust they have been well? They look so handsome. Never let them feel down, just because they are 'fowl.' My, such a banal play on words, I blame my father, of course, for such a jest. But that crest, such clean bills, swatched wings where the water finds no home, one can only admire ducks, I say. I remember you telling me that to have a duck in your yard was a sign of good luck -- was that you? I suppose it isn't terribly important.

"But how are you? You look positively adorable in your raincoat. I always did say that you could make anything beautiful! Oh, but that is doing what you are wearing a bit of a disservice, isn't it -- why, I remember the joy even now that welled up inside me as I set to taking your measurements for it. That pink of your mane was difficult to work with, given the selections for oilcloth, but one cannot argue with the the results!

"You look well, naturally, naturally. Can't press for any gossip from you can I? Ha! I can scarce imagine, you, dear Fluttershy, revealing any of your secrets. Secret Somepony, indeed! Ha!

"Oh, I am reminded, Opal has been eating a bit less lately, I think, would it trouble you to see her sometime this week? I was thinking maybe when we have tea on Tuesdays, but that could put something of a damper on our usual social time, so perhaps not. Maybe the day after, if you aren't busy? No, that's right, you are spoken for... Well, sometime soon, anyway, for sure. For sure! Opalescence is such a dearie, isn't she? I can't imagine anything happening to her, why I cannot begin to imagine!

"And if it isn't Twilight, hello, coo-ee! And out with naught but those saddle bags -- Ah, of course, your magic, the water simply flows around you. How jealous Fluttershy and I are, only in positive ways, certainly, but jealous still. Those seams are holding, I trust? They certainly are, I can see. Books in there, it would seem? Ah, I remember now, Cheerilee invited you to the school, Sweetie told me. Isn't that right? Yes, it must be. Fluttershy, Cheerilee invited Twilight to conduct a weekly event at the schoolhouse, encouraging the fillies and colts to take a greater interest in reading, isn't that positively wonderful! You can only imagine the discussion she and I had over selecting which stories to include or, in the more numerous case, exclude.

"Twilight, I have yet to tell you, we have all been so busy, I am responsible for the next performance ensemble for Bobbed Lyn! Bobbed Lyn, Twilight, oh, I could just squeal, I am so excited. You are perfectly justified to ask what I am doing outside of all places, in the rain, when such creativity needs expression, but I assure you this is only a well-deserved sojourn to clear my mind and attack the problem head-on when I return.

"Ah, Fluttershy, I know you well enough to understand that expression. By all means, go, the ducks won't travel on their own, will they? Keep safe and warm, I'll expect you for tea! Twilight, isn't she precious!

"I may as well stop going on, myself, you must be on a time constraint, yourself. The world won't stop for a princess, after all! Ha ha! Oh, I'm so happy for you, spreading what you love to the younger ones. If only Rainbow Dash had come around to reading sooner, who knows? Who knows what, I have completely lost my train of thought. How silly! Right, I must away, so you might away. Oh, how I wish I could learn that rain-shedding spell of yours, but, as they say, c'est la vie, non? I wish you all the best, Twilight, I promise Cheerilee will be thrilled -- absolutely thrilled. Ta!

"Hm, didn't I keep a timepiece in this cloak? Feh, apparently not. Silly Rarity, silly me, losing track of what is kept in what pockets. Not a great surprise, admittedly, if what Sweetie says about my workspace is any indication -- indication, indeed! Some day she will understand that it is not mayhem, but organized chaos. It is a direct result of the creative process!

"Creative process! My goodness, I have so much I have to -- No, Rarity, deep breaths, deep breaths...

"My, that pitter-patter of the rain is the most soothing sensation isn't it? Hmmm.

"Ah! Pinkie Pie, ah, it's you. Forgive me, I didn't hear you coming, with all the... rain. Yes, I simply took a moment to pause and listen to the rain, such a lovely white noise. Well, I say lovely, but I suppose it can be taken either to soothing or grating, depending on one's mood. Like that Cranky friend of yours, I am certain he would find it grating.

"But whatever are you doing out in the rain, getting positively drenched! No, that simply won't do! What of those wonderful, bouncy curls of your mane? Quick, under the awning, here. And now I've gone and splattered mud over all both of us, how careless! Careless, yes, absolutely. How silly. Ha!

"Ha ha! Laughter truly does brighten circumstances, doesn't it? Amazing how true that truism is.

"You know, I was just reflecting on creativity, and I just realized I have never seen the kitchen of the Sugarcube Corner. How curious! I don't suppose I could manage a peek, sometime? Nothing too formal, of course, just maybe I could sit in one morning as you and the Cakes put together your batches for the day? Oh, I can only imagine what it must be like to behold. Well, I must, mustn't I? Ha! Hopefully not for long, of course! But it flows through the cycles of cleanliness to organized chaos of creativity, into the separation of waste and result, back into cleanliness. Such a poetic structure, no?

"I would invite you in, but I am afraid this recent project of mine must be kept under closest guard, you understand. None can know what it is to be, but I can tell you whom it is for: Bobbed Lyn. Bobbed LYN, the musician, oh, Pinkie Pie, darling, I can only imagine if this must be what it is like to be you all the time! Naturally I am overwhelmed -- thrilled! -- at this opportunity, but I cannot bring you in on the details. Will you promise to keep it secret? Let it be a secret? Of course you will, of course you will, you're Pinkie Pie, and that means a Pinkie Promise!

"Oh, I wish I could bring you in, but alas I cannot, and neither have I any umbrella or raincoat or cloak to provide that you can return to the Corner without becoming any further drenched -- But of course, you aren't returning to the Corner, you are to the Pampered Pony with Rainbow, of course! I never thought I'd see the day when that pony would deign to be tended to in a spa on her own volition! Unthinkable! And yet, off you two go. I wish you the best of times, the best! Aloe and Lotus know how to treat a pony, you two will look and feel positively radiant, the weather notwithstanding.

"Oh, dear, be off quickly before I lose myself again in rambling. I positively cannot hold my tongue over this project, I am so excited! The spa will do you wonders, Pinkie Pie, your mane will be positively bouncing on its own accord in an hour, I promise.

"Goodbye, dear, goodbye!

"I do certainly hope she remembers about Tuesday, about seeing the bakery. That is something I absolutely must behold. The furnace heat of ovens, the dance of mixing and folding, the portioning onto trays and into moulds. The colors of coats and frostings and dough all blended in one moving mosaic of life...

"Tuesday?

"Where is that timepiece, I could have sworn...

"And here I am standing under my own awning, talking to myself. How silly. How silly! My wild tongue wagging, making noise in the still of the afternoon. Just doing honor to the rainbow, I suppose, yes, that's it. That beautiful rainbow, the jewel of the pegasi, the second gift of rain. I'm sure I read that somewhere, how silly that I cannot remember where. Perhaps Twilight will know, I could go to her castle and find -- No, I must to work, I can trace that quote another time.

"On the other side of my door.

"I must open the door, but I know what's on the other side.

"Rarity, ask yourself, what did you leave on the other side of this door?

"What did I --"