Ten Days, Ten Pony Stories

Ten Days, Ten Pony Stories

Day 4: The Date, by Rarity

Spikey-Wikey~! Can you please write this for me, dear?

Salutations,

I am Rarity, owner and founder of the Carousel Boutique, where I sell dresses, suits, and all sorts of clothes all hoof made!I have a passion for beauty and grace; for I am a lady, and a lady must always be as such, no?

I have been sent a letter by Doctor Whofan 611th, which says that his desire is for me to write a story about mui. At first I was a bit suspicious, so I showed it to my friends. Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash had had similar letters from the same gentlecolt, and told me that they had a rather fun experience writing stories of their own. Twilight wrote about the time she rented a book to Ditzy, Applejack wrote about… worms, (ew!!) and Rainbow Dash wrote a dramatic romance about a handsome stallion!

(Rainbow Dash wanted me to make it clear that it was NOT a romance -Spike)

So, after quite some consideration, I decided to try out the entertaining art of slice-of-life literature!

~J'espère que tu aimes~

Your Elegant Writer,

-Rarity x

It all started when I was on a stroll through the park to refresh my mind for new inspiration, when suddenly I bumped into... him...

        “Oh, I am ever so sorry. How rude of me, I could have sworn I didn’t see you there.” I apologized.

        “Oh, it’s alright,” he replied with a smile, his voice had a hint of Earthpony country to it; a bit like my friend Applejack, only her accent is much stronger. “Are ya in a hurry?” he asked.

        “Well… no, not really.” I answered after a pounder. “Just a stroll. I am simply trying to find some inspiration, that is all.”

        “Well, I was jus' ‘bout to have a little picnic on my own. Wanna join?” he offered with a gesture toward his saddle bags.

        “Well, I suppose ‘why not?’. I’ll join you.” I accepted.

"-... so then I said, 'Well, excuse me; but bowties are not ‘cool’, it’s formal!'"

It took a moment to set up the picnic, but it was quite worth it, for we had a wonderful chat afterwards. I told him many a humorous tales of mine, including the time I meet a poor mare who was stuck with two mad colts; one whom claimed to be a ‘doctor’, and the other whom claimed himself to once be a ‘Roman’, what ever the sort might of been.

        “So… did ya ever see what was inside that box?” the stallion asked.

        “Well, no, quite sadly. But why even bother? I’m sure they were just making it all up for attention, and the poor mare I told you about most of fell for it all.” I answered.

        “It looks like they needed a doctor, not you.” he joked; we both laughed, then I remembered something very important.

        “Look, I hope I am not being rude or anything, but do you happen know what time it is?" I asked. Luckily he just happened to have a watch on him.

        “Hmm… lookin’ to be ‘bout a quarter 'til 3:00.”

        “Oh really? My, oh, my, I have to pick up my little sister from school today!”

        “Thought askin’ f'r the time wasn’t gonna mean anything. Now ya wanna leave.”

        “Oh, why, why would I want to leave? I’m sorry, it’s just family, that’s all. You know how it is, right?”

        “Ah… sorta...”

        “‘Sort of’?”

        “I… don’t exactly have any siblings… or any parents. Just on m’ lonesome, that’s all.”

        “Why, that’s simply awful! What happened?”

        “I don’t like t’ talk about it... so, um, see ya later?”

        “Yes, but of course! Perhaps earlier on this time tomorrow? I'm not so busy this week, really.”

        “Sounds like a plan!” the stallion confirmed with a smile, and then he raised his hoof to his mouth, then-

        “Don’t. You. Dare!” I said with a glare. He swallowed what he was originally going to deject from his mouth and just simply gave me his hoof, nice and clean. “Ah, that’s better.” I said with relief and a smile, then bumped my hoof into his. As a lady, I don’t necessarily often do the ‘bro-hoof’ sort of thing, and Celestia forbid I will ever do it the way ponies like Applejack and Rainbow Dash do it - another friend of mine - but I made a minor exception.

        “The name’s Caramel.”

        “Rarity. I’m delighted to meet you.”

        “Same with you!”

The next day, we meet up for another picnic; just like yesterday. After that, we meet again the day after that, and the one after that, and the one after that, and so on and so forth. Soon, we started to meet everyday, and because of other matters I had to deal with, turned into every week. And by each time we meet, we started to know each other more and more. We learned of one another's hobbies, passions, our everyday lives, and all other things of the sort. And by each time we meet we started to become closer and closer; until one day…

        “-... well… will you?” Caramel asked with a nervous smile.

        “Well… I-… I-I don’t know what to say… ‘a date’? We-… we-… I don’t know, we-” I stuttered a bit; but not too much!

        “Please?” he asked with that certain look on his face no mare can ever resist!

        “... you know far too much about a lady’s weaknesses.” I deemed with a flutter of my eyes.

        “You what!?" Sweetie Belle, my little sister, exclaimed.

        “You heard me, ‘a date’!” I repeated excitedly. “Isn’t it just wonderful!?”

        “It’s awful!” Sweetie Belle whined with a loud squeak.

        “Why so, dear? Do w’ou w’ink it's w’oss?” (Do you think it’s gross?) I asked in a foalish-voice while I squeezed little Sweetie Belle’s little cheeks with my magic.

        “No, its just… you’ll have less time with me, and I like spending time with my big sister!”

        "Oh, Sweetie, I think you should grow- wait… oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know, I-... look, Sweetie, don’t worry about it too much, dear. It’s not like I’m going to marry him, it’s just-”

        “But what if you do, hah? Not now, but eventually you will, won’t you!?”

        “Why, sweetie, I swear that if I do, then I would always still be around. Just… not as often… but marriage is only a possibility in the far future, you know. This is only our first date, after all; it could be our last for all I know. Sweetie, look, don’t over think this. I’ll always be around to play with you. Always.”

        “You promise?”

        “I promise.”

        “Pinkie promise?”

I sighed. A Pinkie promise is a strong, permanent commitment that can break a friendship, and even a sisterhood, forever if the said promise is broken; haunted for eternity by those very words.

“I cross my heart,

I hope to Fly,

I stick a cup-cake in my Eye”

I did it. I spoke the words, and I did the gestures. It was sealed; never shall it be broken.

        “Thanks big sister!” Sweetie Belle rejoiced as she wrapped me in a tight hug.

        “Like I’ll ever stop being your sister (again)...”

        “What is your name?” asked the host, ready to check the name-list.

        “‘Rarity’.” I answered. The host checked the list, then nodded.

        “Right z’is way,” he stated, then lead me to my table. “Your waiter will come shortly.”

        “Thank you.” I replied politely with a nod. The host left and returned to where he was earlier to await for his next customer.

I was in the new ‘Luna’s Moon’ restaurant in my best dress. The grand opening happened a few days before that night, and it was rather expensive; but my sales had been quite well in my boutique at the time, so I managed to at least order a bit cheap.

I know that a gentle-stallion always pays for lady, but that place did coast far too much, and Caramel isn’t exactly as wealthy as I am. He sold horse shoes for a living and was a professional at throwing them as well. A horse shoe is his cutiemark, despite the fact that his parents expected him to sell caramel for caramel apples like they did; which was why they gave him that name. Speaking of him, ten minutes later I had finally saw Caramel show up.

        “Sorry I’m late,” he apologized with embarrassment. “My friend and I kinda had a bit of an argument ‘bout this. But I’m here now, right?” he reached into his suit pocket. “I brought flowers!”

        “Ah, they’re lovely! Thank you!” I voiced with glee; indeed, the flowers did look quite wonderful. “Now, let me guess, your friend feared that I will replace him by spending more time with moi instead?”

        “First off, she’s a ‘she’.”

        “Oh…?”

        “Don’t worry, she’s just a friend. Nothin’ more, alright?”

        “... all right, I suppose.” I replied a rather slight bit nervously. I was a touch worried about how Caramel's friend was a ‘she’ instead of ‘he’, but I knew not to judge too much; for I myself have some occasional friends who just happened to be stallions and they never became anything more than that. So I understood.

        “Anyway, yeah. That's basically the case... how'd cho know?" he asked with curiosity.

"Oh, let's just say I just went through the same situation with my sister."

"Hah... so, how's the Boutique?”

        “Oh, don’t even get me started! You will never believe what happened last week…-”

"-... and then she tied it with a balloon, and asked 'now is it on sale?', so then I said 'no, no, no, only if I do it!', but then she was all…-"

"-... and then right when I was about t' throw the shoe, a bull ran outta the blue and made everypony run like crazy…-"

"-… so then I said, 'that is a hairdo? I thought a bird somehow made her nest on your head!'...-"**

"-... and then the duck said, 'got any grapes?'...-"

"-... so a donkey and a mule get stuck on an island, and the donkey said to the mule…-"

"-... and then the blond earthpony said 'you mean his forelegs actually* work?But pegasi never *walk!'...-"

"-... and then I decided, from that moment forward, that I will* never*go sisterless, again! Sweetie Belle means the world to me…-"

"-... but if ya get to know Berry Punch a bit more, she ain’t really as bad as she seems; that’s why she’s my best friend…-"

"-... and so I decided to move on. I don’t need Trender Hoof in order to be happy…-"

"-... and then she dumped me… I don’t know why, but she did. Carrot Top was just too…* obsessed *with that pocket watch of hers, I guess. I dunno...-"

Throughout our meal, we had shared some stories from our social lives, laughed with quite a few jokes, (and even some rather crude racist ones, I honestly admit) and even started to go a bit deep about our friends and family, and then we went as deep and personal as our *love lives! We got closer and closer than ever before, and I thought for a moment that our relationship just might of work. But then...*

“-... then I made a Pinkie Promised that I won’t let… *us get in the way between me and Sweetie Belle. And a Pinkie Promise is quite the responsibility; for you know what happens if you break it…” I mentioned as I finished my tale before Pinkie Pie bursted out of the flowers Caramel brought me, and screeched,*

“FOREVER!!”, then turned to Caramel with a glare. With that said, she took one of the flowers, sniffed it, then slowly sunk back in as she continued to stare at my date with the same glare. (no rhyme intended)

“O..k… well, that’s Pinkie Pie f'r ya. You... better keep that Pinkie Promise of y'rs.” Caramel examined; his face was just as surprised as I was.

“Indeed…” I replied awkwardly. We laughed ever so loudly, filled with joy and the hilarity of it all.

“Rarity…?” Caramel suddenly asked once when we calmed down.

“Yes…?”

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, I-... well…”

“Yes…?” I asked as I leaned in. He cleared his throat and loosened his black bow-tie; his face was ever so nervous.

“Well…- um…-”

“Yes, go on…” I lowered my voice, leaning closer.

“Rarity… I…- I’ve been wantin’ to say… I…- I…- I love…-”

“CARAMEL!?” suddenly asked a rather disturbingly female voice. The moment he heard, he immediately hopped off of the table as if something bite him in the flank.

“Oh, ah, hey… Colgate… your here a bit early, are you...?”

“It’s 6:11, the exact time I’ll be here. I’m always punctual, you know. It’s on my cutiemark, remember?” said the angered mare, who has an hourglass cutiemark.

“Ah, who is she…?” I asked nervously, hoping to Celestia that it wasn’t what I thought it was.

“Oh, ah… she’s my… cousin…” Caramel answered hesitantly.

“Cousin!?” Colgate exclaimed.

“Ah, yeah… cousin… I-... ah…- hey, the music’s pretty good tonight-” Caramel stammered, attempting to change the subject.

“And who are *you, exactly?” asked Colgate, addressing me.*

“Well, I believe I’m his da-”

“- *Acquaintance!” Caramel cut in.*

“Acquaintance!?” I exclaimed.

“Yeah, we were on business meeting ‘bout… ah…- about-” Caramel attempted to explain, but Colgate and right then, I as well, were far too furious to hear it.

“Caramel, *what are you doing? I’m your special somepony, remember!?” Colgate exclaimed, I silently gasped.*

“But… I thought *I was…- I…- Caramel, tell me this isn’t true!”*

“Well…-” Caramel attempted to answer.

“Oh don’t you dare! Caramel, you *cheated on me! Did you actually think you would have been able to go on two dates on the same night!?” Colgate exclaimed.*

“Well, I usually works every time-” spat Caramel, then stopped himself when he realised what he had done. “-... oh, wait, I mean...- I mean…- I mean…- look, I’m sorry, I really am! I just can’t help it!”

Colgate stared at him, heart broken. She started to cry, then ran off. There was then silence through the whole restaurant as she trotted her way out the door. I looked at Caramel with the same expression Colgate had.

“But… why…?” I asked. “Why would you ever…-” I drifted away, becoming speechless.

“L-l-look, I-I-I can’t explain, I-I swear, I…- I just… I *can’t, okay!? I just can’t help it!”*

I got up.

“W-w-… wait…-”

I turned around.

“N-no, don’t-”

I slowly made my way to the door.

“Please don’t go!”

I made my way out the restaurant…then I started to weep...

“Why…?”

Knock, knock, knock

“No, go away!”

“But *Rarity, it’s been three weeks!”*

“I said ‘No’, Sweetie Belle! Leave me alone!”

“But…when* are you going to play with me?”*

“NO! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!! DON’T YOU SEE I’M MORNING!? I’m morning!!!”**

I cried in my bedroom for weeks. The only reason I could keep track was because Sweetie Belle knocked on my door every hour, and eventually everyday, and told me how long it was, and asked when I was going to go out and play.

My heart was ripped to *shreds! I was still in awe of how cruel that night was, and how horrible Caramel was. He cheated and lied, and pretended to be my friend. I my hopes of finding love had been higher than it had ever been before, and it was all crushed two times harder!*

Sweetie Belle had been a good filly and only knocked *once a day since the past two weeks, but this day had an exception.*

Knock, knock, knock!

“No!”

“Rarity, it’s us.” said Twilight’s voice.

“I don’t care!”

“Fer’ Pete-sake; when are ya’ gonna’ tell us what happened so we can help?” asked Applejack’s voice.

“Whatever it was, I’m pretty sure it was no big deal…” scoffed the rude voice of Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow!” scolded Twilight.

“What? You know it’s true, she falls apart when she loses a roll of *thread!”*

“Why, that jus’ ain’t true!”

“Pft, come on AJ, I can bet you three bits that it’s about a piece of thread!”

“Rainbow Dash, you arenot* going to gamble over Rarity’s feelings! Right Applejack-”*

“N’ *ah’ bet you with five bits that whatever it is Rarity’s a-cryin’ fer’ most be fer’ a good reason!”*

“Applejack!”

“Ha! So it’s a bet then!?”

“Rainbow Dash!”

“Let’s bro-hoof on it!”

“Applejack!”

“Your on-”

“STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!” I yelled, then sobbed some more. The whole boutique fell silent, the only thing heard was my low, soft, quiet weeping.

“Rarity…?” Twilight asked, “What happened…? How can we help…? I’m sure whatever it is can be easily solved-”

“- there was a stallion,” I finally started to explained. The boutique fell quiet once more, and I’m sure I could've heard Applejack breath ‘sweet Celestia...’. I took a long, deep breath.

“I… was in the park, about four months ago, when I…-”

-... and then we’ve been having picnics…-

-... and closer and closer…-

-... asked me out, and I was shocked…-

“-... and then… there was this other mare… and…-... and…-... and...-” I stopped, and started to weep again, unable to go through the next part. But at this point, it was already far too obvious.

“I’m…- I’m sorry…” came the one voice I’ve been needing to hear the most. I started to smile, yet continued to cry, as I asked,

“... Fluttershy, dear; is that you?”

Silence. The only thing I could hear was my other friends encouraging her in whispers. I smiled at that, Fluttershy had *always been quite quiet, so shy, so timid, so kind. She’s the one I always get things off my chest with at the day-spa, even when I use to have weekly picnics with that good-for-nothing Caramel. Unlike him, Fluttershy would never even dare to betray me, even the time when she became famous instead of me, and I begged her to perfil my dream for me, despite my painfully green jealousy.*

“I…- I’m here, Rarity,” said Fluttershy’s sweat, small little voice. “Um… if you don’t mind me asking… um… maybe… um… can you… ep…!”

Silence once again, with the exception of her friends encouraging her to carry on again. “I…- um…- wonder... if you could… go to the spa with me…”

I smiled. Every single week, every single time, *I was always the one to ask her to the spa, and she always accepted. Hearing her ask moi for the first time made me want to cry in a new way, not in tears of sorrow no more- but in joy.*

“Yes…” I said weakly. “I’ll love to…”

“Good, because you can use somepony to to talk too. I’ll listen to everything you say. I promise.” said Fluttershy.

“Pinkie Promise?”

“I cross my heart,

Hope to Fly,

I stick a cupcake in my Eye”

Just as she promised, we went to the spa, and she listened to *everything I said. I shared every single detail of every single feeling I’ve felt, and the more I got off my chest, the better I started to feel, and it always helped me to press on whenever I glanced at Fluttershy, seeing her focusing on me. There was not the slightest thing that distracted her, she didn’t she any sign of  boredom. Her face only had one expression the whole time, the same face- a focused, listening, understanding one.*

From that moment forward, I started to take more time to play with Sweetie Belle more often than I normally use to do, and even started to ask *her if she wanted to play. Of course, I still had my fair-share of time for work, but I made sure I made as much time as I possibly can, with Celestia as my witness.*

And from that moment forward, I learned that romantic love isn’t better than family and friends. As long as you have at least one pony in your life, I’m sure that will be all you need. I don’t need a colt-friend to be happy, I got five best friends and a sister, and my parents who comes to visit every now and then. Today I learned to always appreciate what you got, and to* never *ask for more.

The End