Rarity froze. "What was that? I'm sorry darling I thought I heard you say your ex."
"Yes, that's what I said," Twilight answered breezily. "I actually went on a few dates with her while we were classmates at—wait, what's that supposed to mean."
Oops. Rarity stalled, hoping it wasn't too late to recover from the gaffe. "What ever do you mean, darling?" She flashed a brilliant smile as she said it to up the distraction factor.
Twilight gave her an annoyed look. "I have dated before Rarity. It's not like I was a total recluse."
"Oh I didn't mean to imply anything of the sort," Rarity assured her.
Twilight kept the look going but something in her expression shifted and Rarity saw a pang of hurt cross her friend's face. Guilt flooded her, and she knew that there was only one thing for a lady to do in this situation.
Lie.
"I simply hadn't realized you had any interest in mares that way," Rarity blurted in a desperate attempt to deflect the consequences of her ill-considered outburst. "You've never said anything about it, and as many of our friends are fillies I would have expected it to come up.
Twilight paused at that. Rarity kept the smile up and hoped Twilight would buy it.
Twilight flushed, and Rarity heaved an inward sigh of relief. "I mean, I've always liked colts more," Twilight stammered, "But she asked me out and she really did know things about magic I hadn't studied before and we had so much to talk about and—" Twilight blushed deeper, "She was hot."
Rarity relaxed and the smile became genuine. "Oh don't be embarrassed darling. There's nothing wrong with going out with somepony because you like their looks. Attraction has to start somewhere, after all."
Twilight returned the smile sheepishly. Rarity waited a tick, then added, "Though really darling, the magician? I'm positive I would have throttled her before the salad arrived."
Twilight giggled. "She was full of herself. But she was good at carrying the conversation even if it was mostly about herself, and that made it easier for me. And it was funny to watch."
Rarity sipped her tea. "I suppose I can see that. Did being Celestia's student at least discourage her from the "Anything you can do I can do better" routine?"
Twilight laughed. "That's what I liked most about her! She genuinely didn't care! Some ponies would try to hang out with me because I was Celestia's student. Later on even some of the guards tried to cozy up to me because of my brother. Trixie was so arrogant I don't think it ever even occurred to her that there could be somepony more important or more talented than her, student or otherwise!"
Twilight paused and sipped her own drink before adding, "Honestly, it was what convinced me to go through with it."
Rarity nodded. "Knowing that somepony really does want to be with you because they like you for who you are and nothing else is a wonderful thing," she said wistfully. Her voice trailed off as she said it and she looked slightly to the side. Twilight noticed the reaction.
"Oh?" she said slyly. "Is there a story there?"
Rarity blushed gracefully. "Oh, nothing. Water under the bridge."
"Come on Rarity," Twilight pressed. "I told you about my ex."
Rarity sighed dramatically, "Very well then. If you must know, Applejack and I had a dalliance one summer before you came to Ponyville."
Twilight choked on a hay fry. She fell back in her chair hacking and wheezing for breath. She shook with laughter the entire time. Rarity watched with an annoyed look while her friend got it out of her system. When Twilight subsided a bit and began wiping the tears from her eyes Rarity tried to huff, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling.
"Yes yes, we weren't what you might call the most orthodox couple," she said primly. "Really the whole thing was an ill-conceived disaster and it only lasted a few months. Still...I enjoyed it while it lasted."
She sounded a little sad as she said it. Twilight quieted down and waited. Rarity saw the reaction and smiled.
"We were a terrible match and Applejack knew it as well as anypony. That was why it made me so happy when she said she wanted to try."
Twilight looked curious. "Oh?"
"I...Twilight don't take this the wrong way, but there have been a lot of ponies who were only interested in me because of my looks. With Applejack I knew it wasn't like that. Even when we fought I knew she meant it when she said she liked me for who I was. She liked me, and she was stubborn enough to try and make the square pegs go into the round hole because of it. Because she thought I was worth trying to make the impossible work."
Twilight couldn't help herself. She cooed. "Aww. Rarity, that's so sweet."
Rarity chuckled. "Isn't it though? I'm simply glad we were able to remain friends afterward. Kissing her brother right in front of her to spite her that one time really was going much too far."
Twilight spat her drink out. Rarity flinched as some of it splashed across her face and gave Twilight a look as the other unicorn coughed on the bit that had gone down her throat. Rarity sighed and waited for her to finish. It took awhile, and when Twilight levitated a napkin to clean herself off it was as much for the tears in her eyes as the spit take, but eventually she settled down.
"Are you quite finished, darling?" Rarity asked. Twilight nodded. Rarity tried to think of something witty, then elected to simply change the subject.
"But wait. If you already knew Trixie why didn't she recognize you the first time she came to Ponyville?"
"I think the main thing Trixie remembers about our dates was how amazing Trixie was," Twilight said dryly.
Rarity couldn't help herself. She giggled. She raised a hoof to cover her mouth but then Twilight joined in and Rarity gave up on trying to hide it. Let the other diners look. It was only right that two of the most desirable mares in Ponyville should be the center of attention.
