Rarity's Rescue

A few days later, the desire to date Shining Armor was killing Rarity.  She hadn’t been able to see him over the past week or so because of the fact that a spot had been chose and the Royal Guard had been sent to the outskirts of Ponyville to use the rugged terrain for training.  However, they had been able to keep in contact through Twilight Sparkle.  Rarity wanted so desperately to go and see him, reveal her true feelings to him, and just… kiss him, but only family was allowed into the training grounds and even then only for a very short time.  Shining Armor, even though he was the commander, wasn’t allowed off the grounds just like the other soldiers.  It was all very strict and Rarity thought very unfair.

To keep herself occupied though, Rarity was eventually able to return back to work and what she loved most.  A few days before, Rarity awoke to find that she felt better than she had in years (or what seemed so anyway).  She thought that it might have been because she had such a good night’s sleep, but when she absentmindedly poured a cup of coffee, took a sip from the cup, and didn’t realize it until she was reading the morning paper, levitating a spoon full of cereal, and the cup as well, she knew that she finally had her magical abilities back.  What a relief it was too.

Today was the day though, Rarity was sure of it.  Today she would have the courage to tell Twilight of her feelings for Shining Armor.  She had arranged yesterday to meet with Twilight and have a little mare on mare time at the library, and when she was finally there and when the right time came, she would finally reveal her feelings of Shining Armor to Twilight.

It was yet another beautiful day as Rarity walked towards the library.  She stopped and admired some nearby flowers that had been planted by the town and afterwards checked one more time to make sure that her book was in her saddlebag.  The book was one of her very favorites, a romance novel that was good though old.  An instant classic in her mind.

“Hi Rarity!” Twilight greeted with a smile as Rarity finally arrived with a knock on the door.

“Hello Twilight,” Rarity said cheerfully back and walked inside as Twilight stepped aside.  “Well, we can get started whenever you’d like.  I brought my own copy,” she said and pulled the book out for Twilight to look at.

“Hey,” Twilight said as she looked it over, “I know that one!”

“Oh?” Rarity asked as she followed Twilight into the living room and then made herself comfortable on the couch.

“Yep,” Twilight said, “It’s so romantic.  I love it!  Naturally though, Spike doesn’t want anything to do with it,” she sighed playfully.

“Well,” came the reply, “boys will be boys I guess.”

“I guess so,” Twilight agreed and went in search of her own copy of the book, finding it almost instantly.

Once she settled down onto the couch beside Rarity, the two of them spent a little time reading in silence paired with some casual conversation.  Afterwards too, they had a book-club like discussion over what they had read.  After that though, Twilight returned from the kitchen with refreshments and little hoof sandwiches.  Book discussion over, it was Rarity who asked the first question, casually enough.  “So Twilight,” she began, “how have things been?”

Twilight smiled and swirled her drink around.  “Oh,” she began, “not bad all things considered.  It’s been a real task though running up and down to the camp to give things to Shining Armor.  Insists though that he has something a little more ‘domestic’ as far as food goes.”  She chuckled.  She went to ask Rarity how she had been, as was custom, but Rarity beat her and brought up another subject.

“Actually,” Rarity said as she sat her cup down and scratched her hoof nervously, “that’s sort of what I was hoping to talk to you about?”  A slight blush spread across her face, but fortunately, Twilight didn’t seem to notice.

“Oh?” Twilight asked.  She cocked her head and continued, “What do you mean?”

“You know,” Rarity began slowly, “about the camp and… your brother.”

Twilight giggled.  “My brother?” she asked.

“Yes,” Rarity replied, “your brother.  Shining Armor.  Well… you see Twilight I… I kind of wanted to ask you something.”

“So what is it?” Twilight pressed.

“You see Twilight,” Rarity began to explain, “as it were, over the past few weeks I seem to have grown an… affinity for Shining Armor.”  She circled her hooves around nervously for a few moments before continuing.  “I was afraid to tell you because I know all of the drama that can arise because of friends and siblings and the like.  Shining Armor is a sweet stallion though, and…”  she quieted herself when she heard laughter.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Twilight said through her chuckles, “Are you saying that you want to date Shining Armor?”

Rarity blushed and looked down.  “Well, it certainly seems that way,” she said nervously.

“Alright then,” Twilight said after she stopped laughing.

“What?” asked Rarity, unsure if she had heard Twilight correctly.

“Alright,” Twilight repeated, “Done.”  She smiled at Rarity.

“You mean you don’t mind?” Rarity asked.

Twilight snorted and waved her hoof.  “Of course not,” Twilight said and flipped her mane aside, “Besides, I think it’s sweet.”  Once again, Rarity couldn’t help but look down and blush.  “Have you asked him yet?” Twilight pressed her friend for more details.

Quietly, and with an embarrassed tone, Rarity mumbled, “No… I’m afraid to.”

“Oh I get it,” Twilight said with a playful yet friendly tone, “You’ve got the romance butterflies.”  Rarity could only nod her head in agreement.  Twilight sat silently for a moment as she pondered it all over, but then she eventually jumped up and said, “Tell you what, I’m going to take some lunch to Shining Armor in a few hours.  Since he’s not allowed off the grounds, then I’ll just pass the message along and he could pass you a message along too.”  Rarity seemed wary of the idea at first, but Twilight was able to put her to ease.  “Don’t worry,” she said, “I won’t laugh.  What you guys have to say to each other is your business, not mine.  Besides, since it’s not related to science, history, math, or social studies, then chances are I’ll forget it soon anyway.”  She chuckled.

Rarity smiled at her and stood up.  She was overjoyed with how Twilight reacted and she was just so excited that she could go home now and make a million dresses.  “Thank you so much Twilight!” she thanked her friend.

“It’s no problem Rarity,” Twilight said as she escorted her to the door.

Before she left though, that sense of nervousness overcame Rarity’s excitement.  A sudden, horrible thought struck her and it was all she could do to try to avert it.  “Twilight, darling,” she said with a whisper, “Please do me a favor.  Don’t come right out and tell him.  I really don’t think it would be for the best.  I think the best approach would be for you to… beat around the bush if you will.”

Twilight nodded and respected her friend’s wishes.  “I think I can do that,” Twilight said and smiled.  She mentally noted it and then bid Rarity her goodbyes.

Afterwards, Twilight spent the rest of the day tidying up the library, snacking on the sandwiches that she had shared with Rarity, and other miscellaneous tasks to pass the time.  As the hours ticked on though, Twilight eventually went to packing up a nice lunch for Shining Armor.  Once finished and armed with what Rarity wanted her to do, she set out on the length trek to the training base.

Once there, she was allowed right in of course, and delivered her lunch to Shining Armor as well as passed the message along to him.  “So…” Twilight said, “What do you think of Rarity?”  She would use strategies like this to gain information from Shining Armor.

“She’s a nice mare, very pretty too.  So very generous as well,” he said, more to himself than her as he scribbled down some paperwork.

“So…” Twilight began slowly, innocently as possible once more, “Would you date her?”

An awfully long and awkward conversation ensued, but then it yielded results.  Shining Armor eventually gave Twilight what she had come for.  He sighed and came close to her.  In a quiet voice he said, “Twilight, I like Rarity… a lot.  She’s a swell mare and well… I think it’d be quite the honor to date her.  So… could you maybe pass the message along inconspicuously?”

Twilight agreed of course, and delighted to deliver the news to Rarity bade her goodbyes and set off.  Once back into town, it was only natural that the first place she went was to Rarity’s boutique.  She knocked on the door and when Rarity answered, gave her the news right away.  The usually ladylike and proper mare squeed like a little schoolfilly and jumped up and down.  Finally, she had a stallion who was interested in her for so much more than her looks.  A sweet stallion which she knew would care for her and always be there for her.

As the days passed by, Shining Armor and Rarity began to convey more and more messages to each other through Twilight.  Despite the otherwise obvious meanings of each message, ironically enough, the both of them had a fear that they might be overdoing it.  Thus, they decided to beat around the bush more.  Twilight Sparkle wanted so desperately just to drag them both into the same room and shout at them to kiss each other already, but she knew that it would be best if she went ahead and let them do it in their own way.  Besides, it was all very cute to her to see her best friend and her otherwise stern and commanding brother acting like two schoolponies in love.  However, it didn’t take long before her wishes started to come true of their own accord.  Shining Armor, on the very last day of his training, gave but five simple words to Twilight to convey to Rarity.  “Meet me at the library.”