"Today is the day!" The stallion told himself confidently as he stared in the mirror. A white unicorn, who was currently using his magic to try different styles for his two-toned golden mane and tail. "Hmmm." He contemplated. "Maybe..no that won't impress her." Finally the unicorn was able to settle for a more relaxed manner. "Now that's what I'm talking about." Giving himself a good spin around to look the rest of himself over. From the tip of his horn, to the brushing of his coat, to the shine on his golden quill pen cutie mark. "I'm ready." The unicorn turned towards the door, he had the confident glint in his eye, whatever he was planning, he knew he could do it.
Trotting his way down the street, the stallion had a bit of stride in his step. He has been practicing this day for weeks and wanted everything, every last little thing, every single tiny microscopic little thing had to go according to plans. This was to be the day he would confess his love. Trotting merrily down the street, the stallion had a smile in his eye and a joy in his step. It was almost by magic that he arrived at his destination: Carousel Boutique. Following close behind him, in the air were several bouquets of flowers, all of many different colors. Here came the moment of truth, knocking at the door. In the last few seconds before the door opened, the stallion bad sure everything was perfect.
Opening the door was a little white filly. "Oh hi Starfall."
"Hi Sweetie Belle." Starfall greeted politely. "Is your sister in?"
"Yeah, come in." Sweetie said, guiding Starfall into the shop. "Just wait here, I'll get her."
Sweetie then skipped off to get Rarity, leaving Starfall alone. The wait shouldn't be long, but to Starfall, it might as well be forever. Back at home and in his head, this plan was going so smoothly. But now that he was hear, in Rarity's house, waiting for her; oh he was shaken up. He was a tad edgy, he wasn't sure what to expect. Was Rarity getting ready for him? Or was she gonna ignore him? Or...was this some test? Starfall's worries didn't last long when he heard the doors at the top of the stairs opened. The sound of hooves coming down the stairs was as terrifying as it was captivating.
"Hello Starfall." Rarity greeted her guest.
"H-hello...R-rarity..." Starfall stumbled about his words. "L-lovely day i-isn't it?"
"It is a nice day isn't it." Rarity smiled kindly. "So Sweetie said you were looking for me."
"Well I...um...the thing is.." Starfall was almost in a panic, but with some courage, he showed Rarity the flowers. "Got these for you..."
"Starfall." Rarity sighed gently, smelling the flowers. "Are you trying to ask me out again?"
"Well...I um...yes..." Starfall lost his confidence.
"The flowers are lovely Starfall, and you're a good stallion." Rarity patted Starfall on the shoulder. "But I'm not into you like that. I'm sorry."
Starfall felt his world shatter around him, all hope and joy fled and broke against his cracked heart. His mind raced, heart pumped, and he felt he was going to cry. But he looked Rarity in the eye and knew what he had to do.
"I'm sorry Rarity." Starfall said, leaving the bouquets on the nearby table and walking out of the boutique, his mane, tail, and head hung low in sorrow.
"Wow." Sweetie said, seeing all of this. "Next time ask me, I'll get you some scissors when you cut his heart out."
"Now now Sweetie. I know I was a bit hard on him." Rarity assured her sister. "But I've known Starfall since we were little colts and fillies. I know he can recover. By tomorrow, he'll be as happy as he ever was."
He may be happy tomorrow, but for tonight, Starfall was distraught with pain. It wasn't until he got home, and the door was locked that he ran straight to his room and cried. His tears flowed and fell in such pain and suffering. All his plans, ruined, again. Looking at his night stand, Starfall looked at his photo of himself and Rarity hugging when they were younger. Starfall was the new colt in Ponyville,a little shy colt that wore his mane a little long over the eyes. Nopony teased him or bullied him, but nopony talked to him, Starfall was always alone, he always looked so sad. It wasn't until a nice white filly approached him and talked to him. This filly was kind and so caring for Starfall, and like that, Starfall fell in love. Ever since then, Starfall has been asking out Rarity almost once a month for years. Every time Rarity politely turned him down, so why did this time hurt so much?
"Got shot down again?" Said a stallion's voice from the entrance of Starfall's room.
"Shut up Fruit Loop, I'm not in the mood." Starfall snapped at his roommate.
In the doorway was Starfall's roommate and friend Fruit Loop. He was a black colored Earth stallion with a choppy rainbow colored mane and tail. His eyes were a pale white, and his rainbow star cutie mark stood out on his dark coat. After obtaining his cutie mark, and reaching the proper age, Starfall moved out of his home and found a nice house a few blocks away from his old home. But he couldn't afford it. Luckily, Starfall met a Earth stallion names Fruit Loop who was looking at the house too. The two became fast friends and split the bill for the rent. Every time Starfall tried asking Rarity out, Fruit Loop gave his support but was not gentle when Starfall came home in defeat.
Walking in the room, Fruit Loop sat on the bed besides his friend. Patting his friend on the head, Fruit Loop let out a sigh of comfort to his friend. This wasn't the first time Fruit saw Starfall like this, nor the last.
"It could've been worse." Fruit sighed.
"No it can't." Starfall sniffled a little.
"Hmm tell you what." Fruit patted his friend on the back. "I have a way to help you."
Fruit Loops room stunk heavily of incense, fermented fruits and plants, dried out herbs, and other things that were boiling in beakers. As Starfall made his living as a writer, Fruit Loop made his money as a potion maker. He was known to brew potions for any and all occasion and situation. More often than not, ponies would ask Fruit to make a potion to help them find love, luck, or other strange feeling. Grabbing the nearby beaker full of some green liquid, Fruit stirred the beaker around with a small vial of some red liquid, and a few small drops of blue liquid. A puff of white smoke shot out from the beaker.
"Here you go." Fruit said, pouring the contents of the beaker, which was now clear as water into a perfume spray bottle. "This potion is odorless, tasteless, and none-toxic."
"And what does it do?" Starfall asked, his mind racing with countless questions. Such as 'what am I getting myself into?'
"If you spray this on some flowers." Fruit explained with a tired smile. "It will blend with the natural scents of the flower and the hidden pheromone will slightly cause the smeller's mind to become more susceptible to suggestion."
"So if Rarity smells this..." Starfall wanted to smile but he was more concerned over what Fruit was saying.
"She will think the next thing she hears." Fruit smiles at his friend, handing over the bottle. "So when she smells the flowers, tell her to love you. Problem solved."
"I don't know whether or not this is amazing or terrifying." Starfall had to admit. "But isn't this illegal or immoral, or just wrong. To alter another pony's emotions and thoughts with a potion."
"Look I made this for free." Fruit forced the bottle into Starfall's hooves. "And the worst that can happen is that the potion won't work. So where's the problem? If it works, then you have Rarity as a marefriend."
"But I-" Starfall tried to object but Fruit was assertive and next thing he knew, Starfall was in his bed, staring at the bottle.
The contents of the bottle was clear and still. Would he really use such a dirty trick to get Rarity to like him? Tossing and turning in bed, Starfall contemplated what he could do. The bottle remained on his night stand, every moment Starfall looked at it, the bottle just sat there, mocking him; tempting him to do the act. It was certainly the easier way, but not honest.
'There has to be a better way?' Starfall thought, trying to sleep, but struggled as his mind over thought and raced around.
The morning brought no better joy to Starfall. It wasn't even noon and Starfall was on his way to Rarity's home, a bouquet of flowers floating slowly behind him as he trotted in a slow and sad pace. His head was hung low, he could never forgive himself after today. But maybe it will be different. Maybe the potion is not what changes Rarity. Maybe it'll help her realize what was already there. That was his only hope. Luckily for him, Rarity was already outside, the fresh mail floating in front of her.
"Hey...Rarity..." Starfall said sorrowfully.
"Oh Starfall." Rarity said, seeing his negative tone and appearance. "I am sorry about yesterday. I really am, but we've known each other for too long, it just wouldn't work. I'm sorry."
"I know, and I'm sorry for always bothering you over these years." Starfall showed Rarity the flowers. "This is my apology, for everything."
"Starfall, you don't have to-" Rarity smelled the flowers and her eyes went pale. Her mind and senses became numb and almost as smooth as clay, waiting to be shifted.
"Love me." Starfall whispered, his tone was the most regretful he's ever felt. If there was anypony he hated, it was himself right now.
"Starfall?" Rarity asked, looking at the sad stallion. "I...I...well..."
"Y-yes?" Starfall asked.
Starfall saw the mare approach him, he was ready for a smack or punch. What came next struck even harder. Rarity's soft delicate lips pressed gently against Starfall's. He couldn't believe it, did the potion work?
"Starfall, I don't know why." Rarity said, breaking the kiss and nuzzling herself against Starfall's neck in a cooing manner. "But I feel so comfortable around you, so safe, so warm. Starfall, I love you."
Starfall was in paradise. Rarity was his, she now his marefriend. After all this time. It was perfection. They went on dates almost daily, be it a good dinner, a night viewing under the stars, or just cuddling up and falling asleep in the others arms. Starfall was happy and Rarity appeared happy. Today, Starfall was going to bring Rarity to a comfy meadow, so they can watch the meteor shower that night. In the Carousal Boutique, both Starfall and Rarity were getting packed for the picnic and star gazing.
"Blankets?" Starfall looked through the list.
"Right here darling." Rarity responded, her tone sounds a tad forced, almost unnaturally gentle, but Starfall didn't notice.
"Okay..." Starfall continued going down the list. "Snacks, pillows, and binoculars?"
"Check, check, check my ray of love." Rarity smiled, adding a new pet name for Starfall.
"Uh Rarity?" Starfall just noticed the slight change in Rarity's tone. "Are you feeling alright, you sound a little off."
"Oh I'm fine my loving prince." Rarity reassured her date, nuzzling up to him. "Just perfect so long as I'm with you."
"Oh okay." Starfall smiled, nuzzling Rarity back. Perhaps he was just over thinking it.
The meadow near Ponyville was small and a well known dating spot. Thanks to Starfalls careful planning, both he and Rarity were able to get the best spot before anyone else. There were already a couple groups here and there but none appeared as prepared as Starfall was. Followed behind the prepared stallion was a wagon full of the various objects Starfall prepared.
"Now we need to find a spot." Starfall said, looking around but soon found a spot. "That looks promis- oh nevermind, some other couple took the spot."
"Don't worry my love pony." Rarity said, in her loving tone but with a serious glare. "I got this."
Starfall couldn't even begin to describe what he saw next. All he saw was that one moment Rarity kissed him on the cheek and walked over to the ponies at the spot he wanted to set up, then Rarity said something to the ponies, three large and tough looking stallions mind you, and next thing Starfall saw was the tough stallions ran away as if they were scared by Nightmare Moon. And the scariest part was when Rarity returned, all she did was smile and say:
"There we go, no interruptions for my little love pony."
Starfall could only let out a bit of an awkward laugh. This proved that something was up; but for now it seemed harmless to him, so he was still going to enjoy Rarity's company. As the two of them spent that romantic afternoon, cuddling together and watching as the sky darkened and the stars and Moon soon became more visible, Starfall felt a sense of true comfort. Aside from that earlier moment where he was fairly certain Rarity scared off muscular looking stallions, Starfall couldn't be happier.
"This is just perfect." Starfall said aloud, holding Rarity close.
"It would be more perfect." Rarity mumbled to herself, looking around with jealous eyes at the other mares around them. "If there were no other whores to distract you."
"W-what was that?" Starfall asked, not certain what he just heard.
"Oh nothing darling." Rarity nuzzled closer to Starfall's body. "I'm just happy you're hear with me. Mmmm mine forever."
Choosing not ask any further, Starfall simply enjoyed the company of his marefriend. After the date in the meadow was over, Starfall walked Rarity home, where she proceeded to make some tea for the two. There wasn't much talking. When you're in love and with your lover, words are not needed, only each others company. But as the hours passed and it became closer to midnight, Starfall had to get up.
"Where are you going?" Rarity asked, her tone sounded a little more monotone than before.
"Oh, I'm going home." Starfall explained. "It's pretty late."
"Well you can stay here." Rarity offered, a subtle hint of desperation was almost heard.
"It's okay." Starfall smiled, hugging his marefriend. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow."
"O-okay." Rarity smiled.
The two shared a gentle kiss on the cheek and Starfall went home. But on his way home, he couldn't shake the feeling he was being followed. Every so often, he would look over his shoulder and see some pony following behind, too far to make anything out, but he could almost swear it was Rarity. Wanting to get home quickly, Starfall picked up the pace, all but full galloping back to his house. Arriving soon and quickly opening then slamming/locking the door shut, Starfall was in a panting state.
"Did I uh miss something?" Fruit Loop asked, sitting in the kitchen, eating a midnight snack.
"Oh it's nothing I hope." Starfall answered, peeking out his window. To his shock, Starfall was right, Rarity followed Starfall all the way home and was now looking at the house. Starfall was sure Rarity didn't see him, but Starfall was now really confused. "Uh Fruit, can you explain something to me?"
"Yeah sure." Fruit answered, walking into the room.
"Make sure she doesn't see, but is that Rarity staring at the house?" Starfall asked, allowing Fruit to see out the window.
"Yeah that's her." Fruit answered, his tone a little confused as well. "Uh why is your marefriend staking the house like a police sting?"
"I don't know." Starfall explained, trying to figure this all out, but of course over thinking a tad. "Maybe she was upset with me, maybe she was worried I wouldn't make it home. She did seem to want me to stay at her house, but this is rather extreme. Any ideas?"
Fruit watched Rarity for a few more minutes before she decided to leave the house and vanish down the darkened street. "Hmm from what I can tell, maybe some side effect to the potion. I'll have to look through my notes, but this is strange...how much of the potion did you add to the flowers?"
"The whole bottle." Starfall answered.
"THE WHOLE BOTTLE!!!??" Fruit almost shouted in shock. "Well that explains everything!"
"What are you talking about?" Starfall asked, now worried over what he did.
"Uh it's my fault for not explaining." Fruit paced back and forth in the room. "You see the potion is similar to a medication, it has to be reapplied every so often. One spray on an average size bouquet of flowers would roughly be enough. But the whole bottle...this might be the side effects of an over dose."
"Is it fixable, can she be cured, what's going to happen!!??" Starfall's mind raced about in a panic, all pointing towards various worse case scenarios.
"I'm not too sure." Fruit explained. "What I can say is this overdose will begin to turn her infatuation into obsession. I don't know how long this will last, so she might start clinging to you, worse case, she might even go after ponies you're close to or even talk to just to keep you to herself. It's difficult to say, but if I had to mark it, Rarity is at the early stages; so I believe I can whip up a cure."
"What will happen when you cure her?" Starfall had to ask.
"Well it will remove the potion's influence." Fruit explained. "If you're lucky, Rarity will have no memory of her time under the potion's influence."
"And if I'm not lucky?" Starfall asked, his tone even more nervous.
"Then she will remember everything." Fruit explained. "Absolute worse case is the cure doesn't work and Rarity will remain obsessed with you for as long as the potion lasts. Which may be be years, if not, decades."
"D-decades!?" Starfall's expression was a mix of fear and worry. "What have I done?"
"Exactly what you wanted." Fruit answered the rhetorical question.
"But I didn't want THIS much!" Starfall snapped.
"I'm a potion maker, not a genie." Fruit explained, trying to calm his friend. "Yes, it's my fault I forgot to tell you about the dosage, so I'll get to work on a potion. You just make sure Rarity doesn't do anything dangerous."
"Okay." Starfall took a deep breath. "How long would the potion take to make?"
"A week." Fruit answered. "If I work almost non-stop. Just keep the cure a secret. There's no telling hat Rarity would do."
"A week!?" Starfall exclaimed. "How can I keep her distracted and happy for a week?!"
"You'll think of something." Fruit yawned. "But I'm going to bed for now."
That night was the first of was soon to be restless nights for Starfall. His mind raced with the fears of what is to come. How will Rarity react? Will she really remember nothing? What if the cure doesn't work, and if so...what will she do to him? Thankfully, sleep soon took the worried pony; though that will be the last time he'll be relaxed for the next week.
The next few days were a mixture of uncertainty, worry, and fear. Starfall remained at Rarity's side; though more often than he was comfortable with, Starfall would accidentally look at another mare; then he would feel a killer aura radiating from Rarity, who would cling closer to her coltfriend. Not wanting to make the situation worse, Starfall would then take a different path, one with less ponies and possible victims nearby. Thankfully the week was almost over. Today being the last day, Starfall had a special "date" planned for today. With a small vial of the "cure" in his saddle bag, and An obsession eyed Rarity clinging to him to the point of weighing his body down a bit, Starfall brought his hopefully not crazy yet marefriend to the same meadow of their previous dates. Thankfully it was empty of all other ponies. Sitting by a tree, Starfall thought about the plan again in his head:
"This is it?" Starfall asked his friend, looking at the small vial of some mix of pink and brown color. "Isn't it kinda small?"
"Not small, concentrated." Fruit explained. "Now I suggest bringing Rarity somewhere secluded and special. That way, if she doesn't remember anything, you can still tell her you've been on a date with her."
"You really think she'd believe that?" Starfall said in a skeptical tone.
"Merely a suggestion." Fruit reassured his friend. "Just be sure she gets the full blast of this and she'll remember nothing."
"Something wrong darling?" Rarity asked, as the two sat under the tree. "You seem so deep in thought."
"O-oh it's nothing." Starfall stuttered. He was bad at lying. "Just thinking."
"It's about another mare isn't it?" Rarity looked at her lover. If her eyes were daggers, Rarity's eyes would be serrated daggers coated in jealous poison. Rarity released her cuddling hold of Starfall and looked back towards Ponyville. "Who is she? I'll kill that bitch!"
Starfall had to think fast. "NO NO! It's not that!"
"Then what is it!" Rarity asked, thinking of ways to kill this unknown mare.
"Rarity..." Starfall got up, his face was flushed with nervousness. "I just feel we're going about this a little too fast." It really was tearing at his heart to say this to Rarity. On any other day, he would be ecstatic but now it felt wrong. "We've only started dating, so maybe we need to-"
"So there is another mare?!" Rarity concluded with no real proof or evidence. But her anger was none the less present. Her eyes burned with murder. "Who is this bitch, I will tear that harlot's heart out and make you watch me stomp it to the ground."
It was there that Stardust was glad he didn't drink anything that day, boy was he terrified. He had to think of something, today was the day Fruit promised the potion would work, so he had to stall. He had to find a way to get Rarity to smell it.
"No no! It's not that!" Stardust reassured. "I love you but I want to be sure we think all this through. That way...if we get married, we'll have no doubts."
"Oh?!" Rarity's face was in a blush, which would have been adorable if she wasn't homicidal a couple seconds ago. "Good good. I would hate to have to kill bitch today. i just had a hooficure today. but you are hiding something from me, but I trust it's a good secret and not some filthy whore!"
Well Stardust dodged a bullet, a close as all hell bullet, but for now Stardust was safe. Rarity was definitely in the final stages of the side effects. She was one mare in her sight away from hurting or killing somepony. Looking around Stardust saw that the Sun was setting fast and the moment to act was now. He only had one choice left.
"Rarity, you're right!" Stardust nodded with a reassuring smiling. "I have something I must tell you."
"Stardust?" Rarity's heart fluttered as she saw Starfall get on one knee.
Quickly, Starfall pulled out a small box. Opening it up, the box revealed a horn ring made of a beautiful red rose. "Rarity...will you marry me?"
Rarity was almost speechless...almost. "Yes! Yes! Forever YES!!"
Kneeling her horn down, Rarity was ready to take the ring on her horn. Seeing his opportunity, Starfall secretly took out the vial of the cure and poured the contents on the flower.
"Before I put it on." Starfall said. "Why not smell the flower. Only the best for my true love."
"Alright." Rarity said, taking the flower with her magic aura and was about to smell it, but then her expression changed. "Wait, something's wrong!"
"What's wrong?" Stardust asked, worried that the plan wasn't going to work.
"This isn't a red rose." Rarity threw down the cure scented rose ring in anger, smashing it under her hoof. "This is an off red on a half wilted flower. I was right, you ARE hiding some mare from me!"
"No, it's not like that!" Stardust protested, picking up the crushed engagement ring. "I want to marry you Rarity, I love you."
"Then why did offer me such a lowly ring?!" Rarity demanded, smacking the ring from Stardust's hooves. Just as his eyes followed the destroyed gift, a small glimmer caught his eyes. Rarity was holding a small knife.
"Rarity?!" Stardust took a few steps back. "What are you gonna do with that?!"
"Well I was going to kill that bitch who stole you from me." Rarity branded the knife about in her magical aura. "But then a better thought hit me. I'll kill you, that way no mare will ever have you!"
"Rarity. Think this through, you don't have to do this!" Stardust was now scared shitless.
"Oh don't worry." Rarity said, slowly walking closer to Stardust. "We'll be together, FOREVER!"
As if an angel of good timing descended, Fruit jumped down from the leaf covered branches of the trees, landing on Rarity; knocking the knife away and pushing his weight on her in a near choke hold.
"Sorry but no stabbing!" Fruit pulled out a second vial of the cure from his saddle bag. "Always make a spar."
"Stardust help me!" Rarity struggled to no avail. "Rape! Rape!"
Thankfully Fruit wasn't trying to rape Rarity. Well not sexually, this was going to be a scent rape. All but cracking the vial in his hoof, Fruit practically shoved the open vial in Rarity's nose, forcing her to take in the full smell of the contents.
Like a sudden smack to the face, the cure took action. The smell was sweet, yet bitter, it was inhaled smoothly but then exhaled roughly. Rarity started choking and gagging, as if she was about to throw up something. Starfall could only watch as Rarity writhed in not agony or pain but extreme discomfort. It was like watching a bad allergic reaction. But thankfully the effects began to die down. Soon Rarity calmed down and lay on the ground, motionless.
Fearing, or in this case, panicking over what he did, Starfall ran every possibility over what he's done. It was by the grace of Celestia that he saw Rarity's body stir a bit. Rushing over to the dazed mare, Starfall kept a small arm's length distance.
"She should be fine." Fruit said, starting to walk away. "Good luck mate."
Before Stardust could be pissed off that his friend was leaving him there
"R-Rarity?" Starfall asked.
"Starfall." Rarity said, her tone was stern, almost livid in attitude.
"Y-yes!" Starfall stood straight in attention.
"Thank you." Rarity said, getting up to her hooves.
"E-excuse me?" Starfall asked.
"I don't know what your friend made me smell but it well, freed me." Rarity explained. "After that first time, my mind became trapped in my body. I could see everything I did but couldn't stop."
"You...remember everything?!" Starfall was now ready to be severely dumped or smacked.
"Yes..." Rarity said. "And thank you...for not taking advantage of my body while I was...not myself."
"Well it was wrong to take advantage like that." Starfall said, but then realized by drugging her, he was already taking advantage of Rarity. "Wait, that's not what I-"
"It's okay. I know what you meant." Rarity said hugging Starfall, she could tell Starfall was really sorry for what he did. "I know you want to be with me, but I didn't want to hurt your feelings. And after this...I'm just not sure anymore."
"I understand." Stardust said, head down in sadness, sitting under the tree. "I understand you hate me and never want to see me again."
Rarity walked over to Stardust, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I don't hate you. I just...need time to think this over. Okay?"
Stardust could only nod, sniffle a little as he saw Rarity walk away. For minutes Stardust sat there, he was sad, well maybe even beyond sad. But in all those feelings, there was one thing that made him smile a bit. Despite all he's done, the things Rarity has been through because of his selfishness, he was happy that she didn't hate him.
