Rarity's Hearts and Hooves Daysasterby JatheusChaptersA Magnificent Problem Arises…The Fabulous Search Begins…A Marvelous Idea…The Calamity Intensifies…A Divine Meltdown…The Worst Possible Thing…A Most Memorable Evening…A Magnificent Problem Arises…Things were coming together perfectly. Masterfully used, thread followed needle, coursing through the fabric. Each stitch pulled to perfect tension to create a masterpiece. The white unicorn wore a small smile with her otherwise stern expression as she focused on her task. Her purple mane, usually styled perfectly, was as messy as a farm pony, without the ickiness of course. She squinted through her glasses, making sure to get each detail correct. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, but she continued on, determined to finish the order she was desperately working to fill on time. Her fluffy white cat let out a whine, which was more of a whimper than a growl. The mare’s brow furrowed as her thoughts were distracted from her job, and she turned to face the feline. Rarity spoke to her pet, “Oh, Opalescence, it isn’t anywhere near your mealtime yet. I’m afraid you’ll just have to wait.” Turning back to her work Rarity noticed that the rays of a morning sun were streaming in through the window. At the realization of this, the unicorn mare felt herself gasp. “Have I been up all night? Well, you poor dear, that explains why you’re fussy.” Opalescence let out a meow as she sat expectantly. Rarity, ignoring the cat, continued adding the final touches to the wedding dress she had been creating. She stood back and gazed at it, devouring each hemline with her eyes. “Oh, Rarity, you are a talent,” she said to herself. “I do believe I have outdone myself this time. Wouldn’t you agree?” she asked the cat, which simply stared at her caring nothing for the dress. The mare walked over to Opalescence, and would have picked her up, but the cat’s tail darted back and forth and there was a wild look in her eyes. Rarity decided that simply putting the food out would be sufficient. As she accomplished this, she began to realize just how exhausted she was. Since it was the weekend, she wasn’t going to open her shop today, so it wouldn’t matter if she laid down for a nap before she got cleaned up. The sleepy unicorn was just about to head up to her bedroom when the doorbell rang. “Now, I wonder who that could be?” Rarity said to herself as she turned and walked down to the front entrance of her house. She let out a yawn before cursorily straightening her hair. She unbolted the lock and opened the door to discover a delivery. A gust of cold air pushed past, causing the mare to shiver. “Good morning, Miss Rarity,” the post-pony said. “Happy Heart’s and Hooves Day!” “Ha-heh…” Rarity felt herself gasp, almost choking on the words. “Heart’s and Hooves Day is today? As in, today, today?!?” “It sure is,” the post-pony said as he gave her a small box. “Sign here, please.” Rarity took the pen in her mouth and signed the receipt form. “Me and the missus found a sitter for the kids, and we’re going to the dance in town square tonight. She’s been buzzing about it for a week.” Rarity smiled, trying to remove herself from this situation as quickly as tact would allow. “Yes, everypony has been just terribly excited about it. I’m sure you’ll have a delightful time,” she said graciously. He smiled before turning to walk away. Rarity closed the door and felt herself beginning to go into a panic. “How could I have forgotten? This is a complete disaster! I haven’t been without a special somepony on Hearts and Hooves Day since my cuteceañera!” Turning her attention to the box, she opened it. A little blast of confetti came out with the sound of a small horn as she tore at the packaging. As she suspected from such a startling introduction, it was from Pinkie Pie. There was a note inside, ‘Happy Heart’s and Hooves Day, Rarity! I knew I wouldn’t get to see you today, since Applejack and family came to spend the weekend on the rock farm, but I wanted to make sure to remember all my friends on Heart’s and Hooves Day! Enclosed, find some chocolates. I know you always have an emergency stash of frosting, but who could say no to even more chocolate? Your most funnerific friend ever, Pinkie Pie.’ Aside from the note, there was a box of assorted chocolates inside, as well as two gift certificates to the spa. Rarity smiled at the gesture, finding it most thoughtful. As wonderful as Pinkie’s gift was, there was simply no time to go to the spa to enjoy it before her immediate problem was solved. The mare lifted the box and contents with the use of her magic and levitated them to a counter in the kitchen. She would deal with them later. In the mean time, she quickly trotted up the stairs and found a hairbrush in the restroom. Her visage as revealed in the mirror was simply dreadful: all the more reason to find a special somepony quickly so she could get to the spa. Author's Note So, I've decided that inspiration is a fickle taskmaster! I'm in the middle of revising Chapter 12 of The Last Cutie Mark Crusader, wondering if I should write any more about Mestra Amymone (The Forgotten, an open story started by Qquill on DeviantArt, to which I have contributed a few chapters), feeling incredibly amused (and a little ashamed) about Sweetie Belle's First Time, and what should happen but a complete blindside by another short story that pops into my head, demanding to be written! This is a short story about Rarity, who never gets enough attention. I had intended to make it really short and have it out today, but now that I'm in the middle of it, I'm not certain I'll have it finished. That being the case, I wanted to go ahead and get the first chapter up to you guys in time for Hearts and Hooves Day! The rest will be coming in the next day or two, so be on the lookout! The Fabulous Search Begins…Freshening up went quickly, and she had soon made herself presentable. Rarity’s stomach grumbled, signaling her own hunger, so she grabbed a scone to nibble on. It wasn’t much, but it sated her need for the moment. Pulling on a blue wool sweater and wrapping a two-tone pink scarf around her neck, Rarity grabbed a small notepad from one of her desk drawers and exited her home at Carousel Boutique. It wasn’t cold enough for snow, but there was certainly a chill in the air. Many other ponies were moving this way and that, and the entire town had been decorated in reds, pinks, and whites to celebrate the day festively. Through the use of her magic, Rarity took the notepad out and opened it. The contents were the names and pertinent information about all of her “stand-by” stallions for occasions such as this. It was not any sort of formal arrangement, but she always liked to keep a few options open for dating emergencies. She hummed to herself as she flipped through the pages, “Well, it seems that many more of these have become attached in recent years than I had realized.” She continued looking through the little book. “There’s one…” She hummed to herself again in thought. “Not a favorite… but there’s no doubt about it, Thunderlane is the only unattached stallion in my notebook. He’ll do, but I shall have to update my information on available bachelors.” Her new course set, Rarity replaced the little notebook into a pocket on her sweater and trotted briskly toward Thunderlane’s house. She confidently strolled up the walkway. Taking a moment to check her hair, she knocked on the door. For a moment, she thought she heard voices inside. The door opened, revealing the black pegasus stallion and his light blue mane. “Oh, hi, Rarity,” he said. She was just about to greet him when the door opened wider, and a blue pegasus mare was standing beside him. It was Rarity’s friend, Rainbow Dash. “Hey, Rare,” she said nonchalantly. A little flummoxed, Rarity quickly recovered, “Why, hello, darling! Fancy meeting you here!” “Yeah, we’re about to go for a flight,” the rainbow-maned mare replied. “I just asked Thunderlane here to go with me to the Hearts and Hooves Social tonight.” “Just as friends,” Thunderlane added with a smile. “I see,” Rarity said, working her best facade in order to not sound disappointed. “Yeah, I was going to go by myself, but then I thought how embarrassing it would be to not have a date to a Hearts and Hooves dance,” Rainbow Dash said, apparently oblivious to the potential insensitivity of her statement. “I can only imagine how horrible that would be,” Rarity said, her facade growing thinner. “I certainly wouldn’t want to keep you from your flight, so I’ll be going then.” “So, what did you need?” Thunderlane asked as Rarity was turning to walk away. “I beg your pardon?” she replied, stalling for time as she thought of an excuse. “You knocked on my door,” he sounded confused. “Did you need something?” “Oh, yes,” Rarity fidgeted, “My friend Fluttershy didn’t have a date tonight, so I’m helping her try to find one. I knew you weren’t attached presently, so I was coming to see if you would be interested in going with her. However, I see that you have already made plans.” “Yeah,” Thunderlane said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry about that; I mean, I totally would have.” “Think nothing of it, darling.” “Come on, are we going to yap all day, or are we going to get some flying in before tonight?” Rainbow Dash said impatiently. Rarity turned and walked away in defeat. Her notebook had never failed her before today, but now, she would have to improvise. ‘Not to worry,’ she thought to herself, ‘I’ve still got plenty of charm to make sure somepony turns up.’ A Marvelous Idea…Despite her best efforts, the rest of Rarity’s morning turned out to be completely fruitless. Hope was beginning to fade by the time hunger got the better of her, and the now continually rejected unicorn found herself getting a hayburger. It was incredibly baffling to the beautiful mare that every eligible bachelor in Ponyville had already secured a date or was on vacation. Perhaps this was simply the result of getting too wrapped up in her work and not planning ahead. The sorrow of despair was beginning to overcome her when she overheard the mares at the next table. “No luck finding a date for tonight?” a mint colored unicorn asked. “None, Lyra,” a beige earth pony replied. She set her head down on the table, her pink streaked blue mane nearly falling in her plate. “It’ll be okay, Bon Bon,” Lyra comforted her friend. Bon Bon looked up sharply and said, “We don’t have dates on Hearts and Hooves Day! Tell me, just how is that okay?” Lyra’s shoulders slumped. Bon Bon continued, “We already rented our dresses; we’re committed. That means we’ll be the only two mares at a dance without a special somepony.” Lyra shrugged and replied, “Well, who cares what everypony else thinks?” “I’m not worried about what everypony else thinks, I’m worried about what I think!” she said before putting her head down again. Selfishly, it was a little comforting to Rarity that she wasn’t the only one having trouble. The two friends sat there quietly for a moment while Lyra took a sip of her drink. She set it back on the table decisively, a serious look in her golden eyes. “Bon Bon, I want you to go to the dance with me,” the mint unicorn proclaimed. The earth pony looked up, a sheen of skepticism on her face. “Look, if you don’t care what everypony else thinks, I don’t either. We don’t have dates; so what? We don’t need them. That’s no reason we can’t get dressed up and go out.” A smile slowly crept across Bon Bon’s face, “You know, that actually does make me feel better. Thanks, Lyra. You’re a good friend.” This exchange gave Rarity an idea. She quickly finished her hayburger, in a less than ladylike fashion, and got up to leave. “Thanks,” she said to Lyra and Bon Bon, who returned a confused look as the white unicorn exited the restaurant. She walked quickly in the cold afternoon air, bound for Fluttershy’s cottage. It would be the perfect solution: Fluttershy normally wouldn’t go to a function like this because she was so timid. Parties were one thing, but this was the sort of event where one was expected to have a date. Fluttershy wouldn’t ask anypony to go, and even though she often was asked herself, she was just so shy that she usually declined. If Rarity could talk her into going together, she at least wouldn’t be alone. The sun shone brightly across the clear blue sky, helping to balance warmth against the cold and making for a pleasant day to be out and about, and even if her best hopes had not come to fruition, Rarity was just glad to have found an acceptable fall back plan. She crossed the bridge that led toward the small cottage on the edge of town and ultimately up the small pathway. Rarity knocked on the door and waited. “Hello?” Fluttershy’s timid voice came from the inside of the house a few moments later. “Fluttershy! It’s me, Rarity,” the unicorn sang. The door opened slightly, just enough for a pony to see, and then much wider. “It is you,” Fluttershy replied sweetly. “Would you like to come in? We’re having tea.” Behind the beautifully dainty yellow pegasus, Rarity could see the table was set, and several ponies were sitting around it having small cakes and tea. Among them were Junebug, Gizmo, and Bulk Biceps, an odd group, but the unicorn thought nothing of it. Rarity graciously declined, “I’m afraid I just ate, and I wouldn’t want to intrude. I just dropped by to see if you had a date to the Hearts and Hooves social tonight. If not, I thought we could go together, just the two of us girls.” “Oh, gosh,” Fluttershy began cowering. “I’m sorry, Rarity, but I’ve already been asked to go, and… I’m afraid… I said yes.” “You have?” Rarity was surprised. “Yes, well, you see,” Fluttershy seemed to shrink even smaller, “Maybe.” Recovering her feign repose, Rarity said, “Well that’s fantastic, darling! Whoever are you going with?” “Oh, yes, I’m… I’m… I’m going with…” Fluttershy began to mumble inaudibly. “I’m sorry, dear, but I’m afraid I didn’t catch that,” Rarity replied. “I’m going with…” Fluttershy mumbled again. “Do be so kind as to tell me one more time, please,” Rarity said patiently. “Bulk Biceps,” Fluttershy finally said loud enough to be understood. “Bulk Biceps?” Rarity, in a state of shock blurted out. “Bulk Biceps?” “YEAH!” the stallion shouted from the table, startling the other guests into spilling their tea. Rarity stood a moment, completely baffled, then closed her mouth as soon as she realized it was hanging open. “You see,” Fluttershy started to explain, “We’ve been getting to know each other better ever since we did the relay with Rainbow Dash for the Equestria games. He didn’t have a date for tonight, and I just felt awful for him. So, he asked if I would go with him, just as a friend, and I said yes.” Rarity put up a hoof, “No explanation is needed, dear! I was just trying to be thoughtful in case you wanted to go. However, I see that you’ve already taken care of it yourself.” “Please don’t be mad,” Fluttershy said fearfully. Rarity let out a fake giggle, “Don’t be silly, darling! Whatever would I be mad for? You go back to your guests now.” “Oh, good,” the yellow pegasus said, clearly relieved. “See you at the social.” “Till then, darling!” Fluttershy smiled before closing the door, having accepted Rarity’s facade. The white unicorn found herself scowling at the now shut entrance to the cottage as she thought for a moment. With Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash having already made plans, not to mention Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and the rest of her family out of town, there was only one close friend left to which she could turn. Rarity took a deep breath and turned to walk back into town toward the Castle of Friendship where Twilight Sparkle lived. The Calamity Intensifies…The energy boost she had received from lunch was quickly wearing off as Rarity made her way to the other end of Ponyville. The sleepiness threatened once again to overtake the determined unicorn, and she let out a yawn. At this rate, she’d be doing well to be awake for the dance, with or without a date. On the bright side, it occurred to Rarity as she walked that Starlight Glimmer, still being new in town, may not have found a date either. This gave her two more good opportunities to work this out before it was too late. She had to take a detour around the square surrounding city hall. It was already being prepared for the festivities, and the entire area had been roped off. Large curtains had been set up to prevent anypony from seeing the area ahead of time. From the amount of activity inside, it sounded as if half the pegasi in Ponyville had been mobilized to assist with decorations. Before long, the looming structure of the castle stood before the white unicorn in the two-tone pink scarf and blue sweater. It was a large crystalline structure sweeping up out of the ground like a giant tree with branchlike formations holding the majority of the structure above. Rarity climbed the steps and entered. The faint sound of voices could be heard echoing up the otherwise silent hallway. The stalwart unicorn pressed on, checking each room she came to until she located the Princess of Friendship. “Hi, Rarity, come in,” Twilight Sparkle greeted from the other side of the dining room. “Oh, I do hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Rarity apologized as she entered. “Not at all,” Twilight said cheerfully. “Spike was just a little late preparing lunch, but I’m already finished.” The baby dragon spoke as he entered from another door that joined the kitchen, “But, don’t forget about dessert!” “What’s on the menu today, number one assistant?” the purple alicorn asked. “Double fudge brownies,” Spike replied confidently. “They say you’ll never find a better dessert. The Cakes swear by it.” Twilight let out a giggle. “Oh, now that does sound absolutely divine,” Rarity admitted. “Won’t you have some?” Twilight asked. Rarity looked to Spike. The baby dragon seemed to blush a little, “Don’t worry, there’s plenty for you to have some, if you want… Rarity…” “I’d like that, thank you.” Spike set down the dessert for the princess and then scurried back into the kitchen where a small crash was heard. The mares shrugged at each other about the sound. Twilight asked, “Did you finish your big order?” “Yes, I did. Nothing like the last minute completion of a project,” Rarity let out a fake laugh. “So, what brings you here?” Twilight asked. “Nothing much,” Rarity said calmly, “I’m just trying to make certain everypony is ready for tonight.” “The Hearts and Hooves Social?” Twilight asked. Spike entered the room and interrupted, “Twilight’s taking me to it. She’s been teaching me to dance,” he added proudly. Rarity’s fake smile immediately went up as a defense against her true feelings becoming revealed. The baby dragon put a plate with a delicious looking little brownie in front of Rarity. “That’s just wonderful!” the unicorn exclaimed. Time to go to ‘plan b’. “Was Starlight Glimmer asked to go by a special somepony?” Twilight looked like she had tasted a bit of heaven when she took a bite of the dessert that Spike had given her. “No, we had talked about it, and we decided at the last second that it would be best to keep it smaller for her this year,” the princess explained. “She agreed and asked if she could go to the rock farm with Pinkie and Applejack.” “I see,” Rarity said. She took a bite of the double fudge brownie. It was in fact one of the most decadent things she had ever tasted. The richness of the chocolate very nearly made her forget all of her cares as it washed over her like a tide of sweetness rolling in… nearly. Rarity was beginning to realize that this was simply not going to go her way. Also, technically, that hadn’t been ‘plan b’. Her little notebook was ‘plan b’. She had already gone through that, charm, Fluttershy, and now two other possibilities. Strictly speaking, it was now ‘plan f’ that had just failed. “Well, that’s one less thing to worry about,” Rarity said in a feigned upbeat manner. “Starlight will be in good hooves with the Pies and the Apples.” “Are you alright?” Twilight Sparkle asked, a look of concern now on her face. “What?” Rarity pretended to be confused for a moment. “Oh, yes I’m fine, dear. I’m afraid I didn’t sleep at all last night, as I was working on that order.” She finished her brownie, but even the gloriously magnificent flavor of it wasn’t enough to lift her spirits. It was time for a strategic withdrawal. “Thank you; that dessert was simply divine. Now, if you would excuse me,” Rarity said as she stood, “I would like to get a nap before tonight. I think the rest would do me good.” “Anytime; thanks for stopping by,” Twilight said. “That was very thoughtful of you to make sure everypony had plans.” “Oh, it was nothing,” Rarity said with a fake giggle. Spike said, “See you later… you know… at the… dance!” He blushed a little. “Till then!” the dejected unicorn replied with feigned cheer as she left the castle. All sense of logic and intelligent thought left Rarity. Her vision was beginning to become blurred by tears that were begging to be released. Before she even realized what she was doing, she was heading back to Carousel Boutique at an unrestrained gallop. A Divine Meltdown…By the time Rarity arrived back at her house, she could barely see. No sooner had she gained entrance than the tears finally burst forth from her eyes like a summer shower. Knowing her house as she did, and having had this scenario play out a hundred times over in days past, she had no trouble finding the red sofa. The distraught unicorn cast herself down on its soft padded surface without reservation and wailed loudly into one of the pillows. The repeated defeat of the day had finally overcome her, and she was completely out of ideas. Wallowing in despair seemed her most viable course of action. She continued this way until it became great heaving waves of lament as she was reduced to a sobbing mess. After nearly half an hour, she had calmed down enough to go for her emergency supply of vanilla oat swirl ice cream. She returned to her fainting couch with a carton of the comfort food and a spoon. The sweetness of it, like the double fudge brownie from before, did little to lift her sinking spirits. It was as if her heart had melted into a puddle. Without a doubt, of all the worst possible things, this was the, worst, possible, thing! She was on her second pint of ice cream when the sound of her front door being opened caught Rarity’s attention, bringing her back from the edge of lugubriousness. She quickly set down her tub of dessert and grabbed some tissue paper from a nearby dispenser to clean up her running eyeliner. At the same time, she began taking deeper breaths to restore some semblance of control. “Rarity?” her sister’s voice rang through the shop. The unicorn cleared her throat and called back, “In here, Sweetie Belle!” Rarity’s younger sister walked into the room, practically prancing. She stopped short when she saw Rarity on the red sofa. “Are you alright?” Sweetie Belle asked, clearly concerned. “Why, of course, darling. Whatever made you ask that?” A look of disbelief worked its way across Sweetie Belle’s face before she spoke flatly, “Your makeup is running, you’re on the red sofa, and there’s two tubs of ice cream beside you.” Rarity laughed nervously, “Oh, it’s nothing, dear. I appreciate your concern, but it is simply a combination of things, a lack of sleep among them. I’ll be fine.” Sweetie Belle shrugged, apparently willing to accept that explanation. “So, Sweetie, did you need something?” The filly grinned, “I’m here to pick up my dress for the Hearts and Hooves Social tonight!” “I see,” Rarity said. She began to realize that there may yet be a small ray of hope presenting itself to her. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were just fillies, so certainly they wouldn’t have dates. She stood, returned the half-eaten dessert to the freezer, and washed an inexplicable ice cream stickiness from her hooves. She then led her sister into the inspiration room, where the completed gown was waiting. “Behold!” Rarity announced. Sweetie Belle saw the dress on the form, and her eyes widened as a large smile took over her expression. “Rarity, it’s perfect!” the unicorn filly squealed. It was light blue, with frills appropriate to Hearts and Hooves Day, not to mention red, white, and pink lacy trim accents. The positive reaction lifted Rarity’s despondency somewhat. “Oh, I can’t wait until I show Button Mash!” Sweetie Belle practically sang. Rarity felt her heart stop. “Button Mash,” she heard herself say, almost in disbelief. “Uh-huh, he asked me to the dance tonight,” the filly said proudly. Rarity shook her head as she came to terms with this new knowledge, “But, Sweetie, are you old enough to have a colt take you to a dance?” Sweetie Belle’s visage transformed to one of a defensive posture. “Mom and dad are okay with it,” she said flatly. “Oh, yes, of course, I didn’t mean anything by that, dear,” Rarity laughed nervously. “I was simply… surprised!” “Scootaloo and Rumble are going with us,” Sweetie Belle added, her tone still suspicious as if she were unsure whether she needed to be on guard. Rarity smiled and said, “Well, I’m sure the four of you are going to have the best time! Let me get this boxed up for you.” “Thanks, sis!” Sweetie Belle said, her joyful attitude returning once more. Once the task was accomplished and the little unicorn filly was on her way home, Rarity found herself back on the red sofa, but she felt too low even for her ice cream. She had never met with such complete failure in something like this before. Perhaps the weariness of the day had finally overcome her. She lay there quietly weeping for a while and considering the utter futility of life before sleep finally took her for a while. The Worst Possible Thing…Rarity was incredibly disoriented when she finally awoke, which was unsettling to say the least. She had slept face down on her belly, and a pillow soaked with drool was her first sensation. It was most unpleasant, so she pushed away from it and sat up, still feeling somewhat groggy with hair stuck to her face. The rest had been much needed, but she sat there in the stupor of an abnormal sleep schedule. On the bright side, it was several minutes before she remembered her lack of a date for the dance. “The dance!” Rarity practically screamed, horror sending her heart racing. “What time is it?” She leapt from the couch and ran to the window. The failing light of day was still bright in the sky, but it must have already been less than an hour until sunset. “I shouldn’t have slept the afternoon away! There’s not a lot of time,” she said to herself. “What to do? I certainly can’t find a date now. What if I don’t go at all?” The unicorn hummed to herself in thought for a moment. “I’m certainly going to be expected, especially after running around all day the way I have. Not only that, but if I stay away, I am certain to be asked about my absence later.” Rarity began pacing the room as she continued thinking out loud. “Oh! What should I do?” A meow caught Rarity’s attention. Opalescence was sitting near the dress that the unicorn had created to wear for this very night. The feline looked at her nonchalantly, as cats are wont to do. There was no special significance to this from the part of the animal. However, the connection between the two of them allowed the distraught unicorn’s feelings to be reflected clearly for her to see. Rarity stopped and smiled at her companion. “Why you are quite correct, Opalescence! It would be a crime to let such a fabulous dress not be seen. Date or no, I am going to the dance!” After feeding the cat, Rarity performed her most expeditious preparation for a formal event that she had ever achieved. There was a great deal of washing and application of fresh makeup involved. Her hair was tricky, but she managed to get it to cooperate with her efforts. Once completed, she gazed at her reflection in a full length mirror. Her dress was a layered sheer silken light pink with silver trim and red rubies for accents. The same type of gems were also inset in a thin silver tiara that she wore. “Chin up, darling. It may be the worst possible thing, but you’re going to get through it. Now, get out there and have a good time with your friends.” She nodded at her image and took a deep breath. The fancy unicorn exited her home at sunset. The cold air made for a brisk walk to the town square. It was a clear evening, and the stars were beginning to come out as dusk was giving way to night. The sound of orchestral music could be heard from the town square already. The streets were mostly empty, but for a few ponies heading to whatever tasks they had found at this late hour. It was a short walk before the festivities came into view. The center of town around city hall had been decorated quite expertly for the occasion. Banners were overhead, creating a perimeter, and no small amount of exterior illumination had been employed to make the center of Ponyville lit up with the perfect soft ambience for the event. A giant mirror ball with red heart shapes on it reflected the images all over the square. Up on the porch of the town hall, a small orchestra was playing on one side, and Vinyl Scratch was sitting on the other side, checking her equipment. Down below the front was an area that had been cordoned off with rope streamers to create a space that would serve as the dance floor. Only a dozen or so were already making use of it. Most of the others were milling near the buffet tables that had a variety of sweet and salty offerings, not to mention the punch. It would undoubtedly have been made by Pinkie Pie, using her secret family recipe. Misgivings were already setting in as Rarity scanned the crowd. It seemed that everypony else had a date. Even if she’d been able to serve as an escort for her sister, the solitary unicorn knew it would have been an act of desperation. Still, it would have been better for appearances. In any case, she was already dressed up and had come this far. She couldn’t go back without making an appearance. “Sorry I’m late, Doc!” a mare’s voice said from behind. Rarity turned to see Ditzy Doo exiting the muffin shop. She was in an elegant black dress that may have been a little too formal for the occasion, but she wore it well. “Think nothing of it, my dear!” her companion said cheerfully. He was wearing a white shirt under a dark blue pinstripe suite with an equally dark red tie and a brown overcoat on top that. Ditzy stumbled coming down the steps in her heels, but the stallion caught her and prevented a fall. “Careful now! We haven’t even made it onto the dance floor yet,” he smiled at her. “Oh, thanks, Doc,” the derpy pony said sheepishly as she brushed her blonde mane out of her eyes. “Allons-y!” he said, and they began walking toward the dance and the unicorn that had observed them. “Good evening, Miss Rarity!” “Happy Hearts and Hooves Day!” Ditzy Doo offered. “Good evening to you both,” Rarity replied. “I must say, Miss Doo, you look simply divine!” “Gee, thanks,” Ditzy answered timidly. “You’re so pretty in your dress.” “Thank you, darling.” The pair continued on their way, and the unicorn was once again alone, all dressed up and preparing to steel her resolve to enter the Hearts and Hooves festivities by herself. A Most Memorable Evening…“Alright then, Rarity,” she said into the air, “it’s time to go down there, by yourself, head held high. You just have to make an appearance. As soon as your friends see you, you can leave.” Taking a breath and filling herself with determination, the unicorn marched forward into the party area. Rarity mingled with the crowd but felt very much as if all eyes were on her. She knew this was only her imagination, but that fact didn’t serve to make it any less unnerving. The thought of anything sweet made Rarity feel ill, which was to be expected after the way she had raided her ice cream stores. As an alternative, the unicorn contented herself with some heart-shaped pretzels and hot tea. “Oh, Rarity, you look lovely!” Fluttershy said from the other side of the buffet table. “Why, thank you my dear,” the unicorn replied. “Something’s different… I have to ask, did you alter that dress since you last wore it?” Fluttershy nodded, “I thought it could use some lace.” “An excellent choice, I assure you!” “YEAH!” Bulk Biceps shouted, startling Fluttershy. Rarity smiled at them, her heart pounding after Bulk Biceps’ outburst, and continued to mingle. Now she just needed to find Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle, and then she could go. By the time she’d worked her way to the dance floor, the orchestra was taking a break, and Vinyl Scratch had begun working her musical magic with the much faster paced dance tunes. Rarity stood outside the rope line and looked in. Lyra and Bon Bon were absolutely ridiculous dancing together, but they were genuinely enjoying themselves. Before seeing anypony else she knew, Rarity spotted her parents on the other side, outside the dance floor. Her dad was dressed in a horrendous green suit with a yellow and blue checkered shirt underneath: most distasteful. Her mother wore a frilly white dress with no small amount of large gaudy red and pink hearts. Their gaze led her to the floor itself. Rainbow Dash and Thunderlane were dancing some kind of jig, but what really served to captivate the unicorn in the moment was spotting Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The two little fillies were just beautiful in their dresses. Their dates were also well groomed, looking quite dapper. Rarity felt a smile creep across her face at the sight of them. This in turn brought back the sting that she had not been able to find a date. The weight of that sadness made her want to leave again. “Hey, Rarity!” Twilight Sparkle had come up on her left with Spike sitting on her back. She wore a simple pink dress with white frilly edges. It wasn’t elegant, but it suited the occasion. Spike wore a black tuxedo with a red cumber bun. Judging by Twilight’s labored breathing, it seemed that the pair of them had already been dancing. “Happy Hearts and Hooves Day,” Rarity replied, once again feigning cheerfulness. “Have you made it onto the dance floor yet?” the alicorn princess asked. “Oh, my no,” Rarity tried to sound bored at the idea of it, “I’m still dreadfully tired after that order I completed this morning.” Twilight smiled, “Well, Spike here has really taken to his lessons. He’s unstoppable out there.” Rarity raised an eyebrow, a bit amused at the thought. “You know it,” the little dragon puffed out his chest proudly. The unicorn let out a small giggle and said, “Now, that is something I should like to see.” Twilight smiled and replied, “Well, I’m worn out already. I was about to head to the buffet table.” “Another time, then,” Rarity said. “Why not now?” Spike suggested. “Spike, your date has already said she is tired. It would be rude of you to insist.” He looked at Twilight and asked, “Would you mind if I took Rarity out for a dance or two?” Twilight giggled and said, “Not at all.” Turning to Rarity, Spike made a little bow and said, “Lady Rarity, would you do me the honor of sharing this dance.” She didn’t really want to go onto the floor without a proper partner. It seemed rather pathetic to borrow somepony else’s date, but it would only serve to raise questions if she refused, and besides, he just looked so cute in his little tuxedo that she could hardly say no. “Alright,” she replied simply. The grin that overtook Spike’s face was adorable as he hopped down from Twilight Sparkle’s back. He led Rarity out onto the dance floor. The DJ put on something a little slower, but it was still upbeat. The unicorn was completely flabbergasted by the dance moves that Spike had learned. He did the medium tempo songs with ease. When the really fast music came, he took it in stride, even managing a flip or two with incredible coordination. Rarity, an accomplished dancer herself, may have never admitted it, but she was having trouble keeping up with the little dragon. When the orchestra returned, they began playing some much slower classical pieces, and Spike transitioned into them as if it were natural for him. It had begun as amusement to see him go, but then it was a challenge to keep up. Now, Rarity was genuinely having a good time. They moved in unison, her hoof in his claw, holding each other close. “Rarity,” the little dragon said wistfully. “What is it, Spike?” she asked. “I wish this could last forever.” Rarity felt herself blush at the compliment. Her mouth seeming suddenly dry, she finally said, “Oh, Spikey-wikey, you say the sweetest things!” “I mean it!” he asserted. “Maybe we can get Twilight to do a time spell or something.” Rarity giggled at the suggestion, “Well, if we weren’t certain that something dreadful would inevitably happen as a result…” “Oh, yeah,” he giggled. Becoming serious again, he added, “I guess we’ll just have to enjoy it while it lasts.” She was sure she felt herself blush once more. Rarity felt something she hadn’t expected to experience this night. She was genuinely flattered. He pulled her even closer and they continued dancing song after song. As the night wore on, some truly memorable things happened. Rainbow Dash, having accidentally torn her dress in some kind of over exuberant gyration, lent Thunderlane to Rarity for a few dances. He had a hard time recovering from that because he was laughing so hard. A seasoned athlete that knows how to prepare, the pegasus returned with another dress. Bulk Biceps and Fluttershy didn’t actually do much dancing, but they came out for the slow ones. It was funny to see how petrified that massive stallion was of dancing… or was it Fluttershy that made him so nervous? In any case, he moved very stiffly about the floor. On one of the faster songs, Twilight Sparkle had burst onto the floor with Rarity, Thunderlane, and Spike, and the four of them debased the art of dancing into complete silliness. At the buffet table, poor Scootaloo had accidentally laughed so hard at something Rumble said that punch came out her nose. Sweetie Belle helped her get cleaned up, but fortunately, the poor little pegasus wasn’t too traumatized. Rarity had seen them later, still dancing the night away, which is exactly what she ended up doing. As happens when one is enjoying oneself, time slips away, and hours pass as only moments gone. Before Rarity knew it, the festivities were ending, and the last notes of the final song echoed through the night. She was on the dance floor when it happened, one of the few remaining in fact. Probably two-thirds had already gone, and now the rest were leaving. “Wow, Rarity,” Twilight Sparkle said as she approached, “you are an amazing dancer.” Overcome by the perfection of the evening, Rarity lunged toward her and embraced the purple alicorn in a hug before recovering her sense of dignity and backing away. “Thank you for lending me Spike for the evening!” “Oh, it was no trouble,” Twilight said dismissively. “I just hope we didn’t keep you from your date too much.” Rarity giggled nervously, “Don’t be silly, dear! I always have time for my friends. Besides, your training paid off. Spike has become quite a fine dancer himself.” “Aww, shucks!” the dragon said with a blush. Twilight Sparkle chortled, “All right, Romeo, it’s past time for you to get to bed.” Spike let out a yawn, and it reminded Rarity just how tired she was. “Goodnight, Rarity,” the little dragon said, looking up at her. She smiled at him, then put her lips to his ear and softly said, “Thank you for a wonderful time.” As she began backing away, she planted a kiss on his cheek. Surprised by this, the little dragon went stiff for a moment, his arms and legs locking in position. The mares couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. It had immediately become astonishment and then melted into bliss as he let out a wistful sigh. “Goodnight, Rarity,” Twilight said with a smile. The princess magically levitated Spike onto her back. He was still awestruck. “Goodnight, Twilight,” Rarity said, filled with genuine joy from a perfect evening. She went back to her house at Carousel Boutique alone, the streets quickly growing quiet as everypony made their way to their respective homes. Now that she wasn’t dancing anymore, the cold night air made the unicorn shiver as she walked. It was somewhat odd to her that nopony seemed to have noticed her lack of a date. What was truly shocking was that she’d had such a good time, she had hardly noticed it herself. The next day, after a much needed morning at the spa, Rarity found herself in the Castle of Friendship again. She was in the library, and had pulled down a book, the cover of which was cracked and burned. She opened the friendship journal, quickly flipping through the pages that she and her friends had filled until she found the end of them. A gleam of tears could be seen in the unicorn’s eyes, and the warmth of joy still filled her heart. There, where the blank pages started, she began to write. ‘Last night I learned something new about relationships. I had been so caught up with my own preconceptions of what Hearts and Hooves Day was supposed to be that I had missed the point completely. It is about love, but not necessarily the romantic kind. I spent so much time trying to find a date so I would not appear to be alone that I had forgotten that. If I hadn’t been so caught up with appearances, I wouldn’t have worried myself so sick over something that nopony else cared about anyway. In the end, as long as you have good friends to stand, or sometimes dance, by your side, you really are in the presence of those who love you. And that is a magnificent place to be.’
A Magnificent Problem Arises…Things were coming together perfectly. Masterfully used, thread followed needle, coursing through the fabric. Each stitch pulled to perfect tension to create a masterpiece. The white unicorn wore a small smile with her otherwise stern expression as she focused on her task. Her purple mane, usually styled perfectly, was as messy as a farm pony, without the ickiness of course. She squinted through her glasses, making sure to get each detail correct. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, but she continued on, determined to finish the order she was desperately working to fill on time. Her fluffy white cat let out a whine, which was more of a whimper than a growl. The mare’s brow furrowed as her thoughts were distracted from her job, and she turned to face the feline. Rarity spoke to her pet, “Oh, Opalescence, it isn’t anywhere near your mealtime yet. I’m afraid you’ll just have to wait.” Turning back to her work Rarity noticed that the rays of a morning sun were streaming in through the window. At the realization of this, the unicorn mare felt herself gasp. “Have I been up all night? Well, you poor dear, that explains why you’re fussy.” Opalescence let out a meow as she sat expectantly. Rarity, ignoring the cat, continued adding the final touches to the wedding dress she had been creating. She stood back and gazed at it, devouring each hemline with her eyes. “Oh, Rarity, you are a talent,” she said to herself. “I do believe I have outdone myself this time. Wouldn’t you agree?” she asked the cat, which simply stared at her caring nothing for the dress. The mare walked over to Opalescence, and would have picked her up, but the cat’s tail darted back and forth and there was a wild look in her eyes. Rarity decided that simply putting the food out would be sufficient. As she accomplished this, she began to realize just how exhausted she was. Since it was the weekend, she wasn’t going to open her shop today, so it wouldn’t matter if she laid down for a nap before she got cleaned up. The sleepy unicorn was just about to head up to her bedroom when the doorbell rang. “Now, I wonder who that could be?” Rarity said to herself as she turned and walked down to the front entrance of her house. She let out a yawn before cursorily straightening her hair. She unbolted the lock and opened the door to discover a delivery. A gust of cold air pushed past, causing the mare to shiver. “Good morning, Miss Rarity,” the post-pony said. “Happy Heart’s and Hooves Day!” “Ha-heh…” Rarity felt herself gasp, almost choking on the words. “Heart’s and Hooves Day is today? As in, today, today?!?” “It sure is,” the post-pony said as he gave her a small box. “Sign here, please.” Rarity took the pen in her mouth and signed the receipt form. “Me and the missus found a sitter for the kids, and we’re going to the dance in town square tonight. She’s been buzzing about it for a week.” Rarity smiled, trying to remove herself from this situation as quickly as tact would allow. “Yes, everypony has been just terribly excited about it. I’m sure you’ll have a delightful time,” she said graciously. He smiled before turning to walk away. Rarity closed the door and felt herself beginning to go into a panic. “How could I have forgotten? This is a complete disaster! I haven’t been without a special somepony on Hearts and Hooves Day since my cuteceañera!” Turning her attention to the box, she opened it. A little blast of confetti came out with the sound of a small horn as she tore at the packaging. As she suspected from such a startling introduction, it was from Pinkie Pie. There was a note inside, ‘Happy Heart’s and Hooves Day, Rarity! I knew I wouldn’t get to see you today, since Applejack and family came to spend the weekend on the rock farm, but I wanted to make sure to remember all my friends on Heart’s and Hooves Day! Enclosed, find some chocolates. I know you always have an emergency stash of frosting, but who could say no to even more chocolate? Your most funnerific friend ever, Pinkie Pie.’ Aside from the note, there was a box of assorted chocolates inside, as well as two gift certificates to the spa. Rarity smiled at the gesture, finding it most thoughtful. As wonderful as Pinkie’s gift was, there was simply no time to go to the spa to enjoy it before her immediate problem was solved. The mare lifted the box and contents with the use of her magic and levitated them to a counter in the kitchen. She would deal with them later. In the mean time, she quickly trotted up the stairs and found a hairbrush in the restroom. Her visage as revealed in the mirror was simply dreadful: all the more reason to find a special somepony quickly so she could get to the spa. Author's Note So, I've decided that inspiration is a fickle taskmaster! I'm in the middle of revising Chapter 12 of The Last Cutie Mark Crusader, wondering if I should write any more about Mestra Amymone (The Forgotten, an open story started by Qquill on DeviantArt, to which I have contributed a few chapters), feeling incredibly amused (and a little ashamed) about Sweetie Belle's First Time, and what should happen but a complete blindside by another short story that pops into my head, demanding to be written! This is a short story about Rarity, who never gets enough attention. I had intended to make it really short and have it out today, but now that I'm in the middle of it, I'm not certain I'll have it finished. That being the case, I wanted to go ahead and get the first chapter up to you guys in time for Hearts and Hooves Day! The rest will be coming in the next day or two, so be on the lookout!
The Fabulous Search Begins…Freshening up went quickly, and she had soon made herself presentable. Rarity’s stomach grumbled, signaling her own hunger, so she grabbed a scone to nibble on. It wasn’t much, but it sated her need for the moment. Pulling on a blue wool sweater and wrapping a two-tone pink scarf around her neck, Rarity grabbed a small notepad from one of her desk drawers and exited her home at Carousel Boutique. It wasn’t cold enough for snow, but there was certainly a chill in the air. Many other ponies were moving this way and that, and the entire town had been decorated in reds, pinks, and whites to celebrate the day festively. Through the use of her magic, Rarity took the notepad out and opened it. The contents were the names and pertinent information about all of her “stand-by” stallions for occasions such as this. It was not any sort of formal arrangement, but she always liked to keep a few options open for dating emergencies. She hummed to herself as she flipped through the pages, “Well, it seems that many more of these have become attached in recent years than I had realized.” She continued looking through the little book. “There’s one…” She hummed to herself again in thought. “Not a favorite… but there’s no doubt about it, Thunderlane is the only unattached stallion in my notebook. He’ll do, but I shall have to update my information on available bachelors.” Her new course set, Rarity replaced the little notebook into a pocket on her sweater and trotted briskly toward Thunderlane’s house. She confidently strolled up the walkway. Taking a moment to check her hair, she knocked on the door. For a moment, she thought she heard voices inside. The door opened, revealing the black pegasus stallion and his light blue mane. “Oh, hi, Rarity,” he said. She was just about to greet him when the door opened wider, and a blue pegasus mare was standing beside him. It was Rarity’s friend, Rainbow Dash. “Hey, Rare,” she said nonchalantly. A little flummoxed, Rarity quickly recovered, “Why, hello, darling! Fancy meeting you here!” “Yeah, we’re about to go for a flight,” the rainbow-maned mare replied. “I just asked Thunderlane here to go with me to the Hearts and Hooves Social tonight.” “Just as friends,” Thunderlane added with a smile. “I see,” Rarity said, working her best facade in order to not sound disappointed. “Yeah, I was going to go by myself, but then I thought how embarrassing it would be to not have a date to a Hearts and Hooves dance,” Rainbow Dash said, apparently oblivious to the potential insensitivity of her statement. “I can only imagine how horrible that would be,” Rarity said, her facade growing thinner. “I certainly wouldn’t want to keep you from your flight, so I’ll be going then.” “So, what did you need?” Thunderlane asked as Rarity was turning to walk away. “I beg your pardon?” she replied, stalling for time as she thought of an excuse. “You knocked on my door,” he sounded confused. “Did you need something?” “Oh, yes,” Rarity fidgeted, “My friend Fluttershy didn’t have a date tonight, so I’m helping her try to find one. I knew you weren’t attached presently, so I was coming to see if you would be interested in going with her. However, I see that you have already made plans.” “Yeah,” Thunderlane said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry about that; I mean, I totally would have.” “Think nothing of it, darling.” “Come on, are we going to yap all day, or are we going to get some flying in before tonight?” Rainbow Dash said impatiently. Rarity turned and walked away in defeat. Her notebook had never failed her before today, but now, she would have to improvise. ‘Not to worry,’ she thought to herself, ‘I’ve still got plenty of charm to make sure somepony turns up.’
A Marvelous Idea…Despite her best efforts, the rest of Rarity’s morning turned out to be completely fruitless. Hope was beginning to fade by the time hunger got the better of her, and the now continually rejected unicorn found herself getting a hayburger. It was incredibly baffling to the beautiful mare that every eligible bachelor in Ponyville had already secured a date or was on vacation. Perhaps this was simply the result of getting too wrapped up in her work and not planning ahead. The sorrow of despair was beginning to overcome her when she overheard the mares at the next table. “No luck finding a date for tonight?” a mint colored unicorn asked. “None, Lyra,” a beige earth pony replied. She set her head down on the table, her pink streaked blue mane nearly falling in her plate. “It’ll be okay, Bon Bon,” Lyra comforted her friend. Bon Bon looked up sharply and said, “We don’t have dates on Hearts and Hooves Day! Tell me, just how is that okay?” Lyra’s shoulders slumped. Bon Bon continued, “We already rented our dresses; we’re committed. That means we’ll be the only two mares at a dance without a special somepony.” Lyra shrugged and replied, “Well, who cares what everypony else thinks?” “I’m not worried about what everypony else thinks, I’m worried about what I think!” she said before putting her head down again. Selfishly, it was a little comforting to Rarity that she wasn’t the only one having trouble. The two friends sat there quietly for a moment while Lyra took a sip of her drink. She set it back on the table decisively, a serious look in her golden eyes. “Bon Bon, I want you to go to the dance with me,” the mint unicorn proclaimed. The earth pony looked up, a sheen of skepticism on her face. “Look, if you don’t care what everypony else thinks, I don’t either. We don’t have dates; so what? We don’t need them. That’s no reason we can’t get dressed up and go out.” A smile slowly crept across Bon Bon’s face, “You know, that actually does make me feel better. Thanks, Lyra. You’re a good friend.” This exchange gave Rarity an idea. She quickly finished her hayburger, in a less than ladylike fashion, and got up to leave. “Thanks,” she said to Lyra and Bon Bon, who returned a confused look as the white unicorn exited the restaurant. She walked quickly in the cold afternoon air, bound for Fluttershy’s cottage. It would be the perfect solution: Fluttershy normally wouldn’t go to a function like this because she was so timid. Parties were one thing, but this was the sort of event where one was expected to have a date. Fluttershy wouldn’t ask anypony to go, and even though she often was asked herself, she was just so shy that she usually declined. If Rarity could talk her into going together, she at least wouldn’t be alone. The sun shone brightly across the clear blue sky, helping to balance warmth against the cold and making for a pleasant day to be out and about, and even if her best hopes had not come to fruition, Rarity was just glad to have found an acceptable fall back plan. She crossed the bridge that led toward the small cottage on the edge of town and ultimately up the small pathway. Rarity knocked on the door and waited. “Hello?” Fluttershy’s timid voice came from the inside of the house a few moments later. “Fluttershy! It’s me, Rarity,” the unicorn sang. The door opened slightly, just enough for a pony to see, and then much wider. “It is you,” Fluttershy replied sweetly. “Would you like to come in? We’re having tea.” Behind the beautifully dainty yellow pegasus, Rarity could see the table was set, and several ponies were sitting around it having small cakes and tea. Among them were Junebug, Gizmo, and Bulk Biceps, an odd group, but the unicorn thought nothing of it. Rarity graciously declined, “I’m afraid I just ate, and I wouldn’t want to intrude. I just dropped by to see if you had a date to the Hearts and Hooves social tonight. If not, I thought we could go together, just the two of us girls.” “Oh, gosh,” Fluttershy began cowering. “I’m sorry, Rarity, but I’ve already been asked to go, and… I’m afraid… I said yes.” “You have?” Rarity was surprised. “Yes, well, you see,” Fluttershy seemed to shrink even smaller, “Maybe.” Recovering her feign repose, Rarity said, “Well that’s fantastic, darling! Whoever are you going with?” “Oh, yes, I’m… I’m… I’m going with…” Fluttershy began to mumble inaudibly. “I’m sorry, dear, but I’m afraid I didn’t catch that,” Rarity replied. “I’m going with…” Fluttershy mumbled again. “Do be so kind as to tell me one more time, please,” Rarity said patiently. “Bulk Biceps,” Fluttershy finally said loud enough to be understood. “Bulk Biceps?” Rarity, in a state of shock blurted out. “Bulk Biceps?” “YEAH!” the stallion shouted from the table, startling the other guests into spilling their tea. Rarity stood a moment, completely baffled, then closed her mouth as soon as she realized it was hanging open. “You see,” Fluttershy started to explain, “We’ve been getting to know each other better ever since we did the relay with Rainbow Dash for the Equestria games. He didn’t have a date for tonight, and I just felt awful for him. So, he asked if I would go with him, just as a friend, and I said yes.” Rarity put up a hoof, “No explanation is needed, dear! I was just trying to be thoughtful in case you wanted to go. However, I see that you’ve already taken care of it yourself.” “Please don’t be mad,” Fluttershy said fearfully. Rarity let out a fake giggle, “Don’t be silly, darling! Whatever would I be mad for? You go back to your guests now.” “Oh, good,” the yellow pegasus said, clearly relieved. “See you at the social.” “Till then, darling!” Fluttershy smiled before closing the door, having accepted Rarity’s facade. The white unicorn found herself scowling at the now shut entrance to the cottage as she thought for a moment. With Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash having already made plans, not to mention Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and the rest of her family out of town, there was only one close friend left to which she could turn. Rarity took a deep breath and turned to walk back into town toward the Castle of Friendship where Twilight Sparkle lived.
The Calamity Intensifies…The energy boost she had received from lunch was quickly wearing off as Rarity made her way to the other end of Ponyville. The sleepiness threatened once again to overtake the determined unicorn, and she let out a yawn. At this rate, she’d be doing well to be awake for the dance, with or without a date. On the bright side, it occurred to Rarity as she walked that Starlight Glimmer, still being new in town, may not have found a date either. This gave her two more good opportunities to work this out before it was too late. She had to take a detour around the square surrounding city hall. It was already being prepared for the festivities, and the entire area had been roped off. Large curtains had been set up to prevent anypony from seeing the area ahead of time. From the amount of activity inside, it sounded as if half the pegasi in Ponyville had been mobilized to assist with decorations. Before long, the looming structure of the castle stood before the white unicorn in the two-tone pink scarf and blue sweater. It was a large crystalline structure sweeping up out of the ground like a giant tree with branchlike formations holding the majority of the structure above. Rarity climbed the steps and entered. The faint sound of voices could be heard echoing up the otherwise silent hallway. The stalwart unicorn pressed on, checking each room she came to until she located the Princess of Friendship. “Hi, Rarity, come in,” Twilight Sparkle greeted from the other side of the dining room. “Oh, I do hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Rarity apologized as she entered. “Not at all,” Twilight said cheerfully. “Spike was just a little late preparing lunch, but I’m already finished.” The baby dragon spoke as he entered from another door that joined the kitchen, “But, don’t forget about dessert!” “What’s on the menu today, number one assistant?” the purple alicorn asked. “Double fudge brownies,” Spike replied confidently. “They say you’ll never find a better dessert. The Cakes swear by it.” Twilight let out a giggle. “Oh, now that does sound absolutely divine,” Rarity admitted. “Won’t you have some?” Twilight asked. Rarity looked to Spike. The baby dragon seemed to blush a little, “Don’t worry, there’s plenty for you to have some, if you want… Rarity…” “I’d like that, thank you.” Spike set down the dessert for the princess and then scurried back into the kitchen where a small crash was heard. The mares shrugged at each other about the sound. Twilight asked, “Did you finish your big order?” “Yes, I did. Nothing like the last minute completion of a project,” Rarity let out a fake laugh. “So, what brings you here?” Twilight asked. “Nothing much,” Rarity said calmly, “I’m just trying to make certain everypony is ready for tonight.” “The Hearts and Hooves Social?” Twilight asked. Spike entered the room and interrupted, “Twilight’s taking me to it. She’s been teaching me to dance,” he added proudly. Rarity’s fake smile immediately went up as a defense against her true feelings becoming revealed. The baby dragon put a plate with a delicious looking little brownie in front of Rarity. “That’s just wonderful!” the unicorn exclaimed. Time to go to ‘plan b’. “Was Starlight Glimmer asked to go by a special somepony?” Twilight looked like she had tasted a bit of heaven when she took a bite of the dessert that Spike had given her. “No, we had talked about it, and we decided at the last second that it would be best to keep it smaller for her this year,” the princess explained. “She agreed and asked if she could go to the rock farm with Pinkie and Applejack.” “I see,” Rarity said. She took a bite of the double fudge brownie. It was in fact one of the most decadent things she had ever tasted. The richness of the chocolate very nearly made her forget all of her cares as it washed over her like a tide of sweetness rolling in… nearly. Rarity was beginning to realize that this was simply not going to go her way. Also, technically, that hadn’t been ‘plan b’. Her little notebook was ‘plan b’. She had already gone through that, charm, Fluttershy, and now two other possibilities. Strictly speaking, it was now ‘plan f’ that had just failed. “Well, that’s one less thing to worry about,” Rarity said in a feigned upbeat manner. “Starlight will be in good hooves with the Pies and the Apples.” “Are you alright?” Twilight Sparkle asked, a look of concern now on her face. “What?” Rarity pretended to be confused for a moment. “Oh, yes I’m fine, dear. I’m afraid I didn’t sleep at all last night, as I was working on that order.” She finished her brownie, but even the gloriously magnificent flavor of it wasn’t enough to lift her spirits. It was time for a strategic withdrawal. “Thank you; that dessert was simply divine. Now, if you would excuse me,” Rarity said as she stood, “I would like to get a nap before tonight. I think the rest would do me good.” “Anytime; thanks for stopping by,” Twilight said. “That was very thoughtful of you to make sure everypony had plans.” “Oh, it was nothing,” Rarity said with a fake giggle. Spike said, “See you later… you know… at the… dance!” He blushed a little. “Till then!” the dejected unicorn replied with feigned cheer as she left the castle. All sense of logic and intelligent thought left Rarity. Her vision was beginning to become blurred by tears that were begging to be released. Before she even realized what she was doing, she was heading back to Carousel Boutique at an unrestrained gallop.
A Divine Meltdown…By the time Rarity arrived back at her house, she could barely see. No sooner had she gained entrance than the tears finally burst forth from her eyes like a summer shower. Knowing her house as she did, and having had this scenario play out a hundred times over in days past, she had no trouble finding the red sofa. The distraught unicorn cast herself down on its soft padded surface without reservation and wailed loudly into one of the pillows. The repeated defeat of the day had finally overcome her, and she was completely out of ideas. Wallowing in despair seemed her most viable course of action. She continued this way until it became great heaving waves of lament as she was reduced to a sobbing mess. After nearly half an hour, she had calmed down enough to go for her emergency supply of vanilla oat swirl ice cream. She returned to her fainting couch with a carton of the comfort food and a spoon. The sweetness of it, like the double fudge brownie from before, did little to lift her sinking spirits. It was as if her heart had melted into a puddle. Without a doubt, of all the worst possible things, this was the, worst, possible, thing! She was on her second pint of ice cream when the sound of her front door being opened caught Rarity’s attention, bringing her back from the edge of lugubriousness. She quickly set down her tub of dessert and grabbed some tissue paper from a nearby dispenser to clean up her running eyeliner. At the same time, she began taking deeper breaths to restore some semblance of control. “Rarity?” her sister’s voice rang through the shop. The unicorn cleared her throat and called back, “In here, Sweetie Belle!” Rarity’s younger sister walked into the room, practically prancing. She stopped short when she saw Rarity on the red sofa. “Are you alright?” Sweetie Belle asked, clearly concerned. “Why, of course, darling. Whatever made you ask that?” A look of disbelief worked its way across Sweetie Belle’s face before she spoke flatly, “Your makeup is running, you’re on the red sofa, and there’s two tubs of ice cream beside you.” Rarity laughed nervously, “Oh, it’s nothing, dear. I appreciate your concern, but it is simply a combination of things, a lack of sleep among them. I’ll be fine.” Sweetie Belle shrugged, apparently willing to accept that explanation. “So, Sweetie, did you need something?” The filly grinned, “I’m here to pick up my dress for the Hearts and Hooves Social tonight!” “I see,” Rarity said. She began to realize that there may yet be a small ray of hope presenting itself to her. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were just fillies, so certainly they wouldn’t have dates. She stood, returned the half-eaten dessert to the freezer, and washed an inexplicable ice cream stickiness from her hooves. She then led her sister into the inspiration room, where the completed gown was waiting. “Behold!” Rarity announced. Sweetie Belle saw the dress on the form, and her eyes widened as a large smile took over her expression. “Rarity, it’s perfect!” the unicorn filly squealed. It was light blue, with frills appropriate to Hearts and Hooves Day, not to mention red, white, and pink lacy trim accents. The positive reaction lifted Rarity’s despondency somewhat. “Oh, I can’t wait until I show Button Mash!” Sweetie Belle practically sang. Rarity felt her heart stop. “Button Mash,” she heard herself say, almost in disbelief. “Uh-huh, he asked me to the dance tonight,” the filly said proudly. Rarity shook her head as she came to terms with this new knowledge, “But, Sweetie, are you old enough to have a colt take you to a dance?” Sweetie Belle’s visage transformed to one of a defensive posture. “Mom and dad are okay with it,” she said flatly. “Oh, yes, of course, I didn’t mean anything by that, dear,” Rarity laughed nervously. “I was simply… surprised!” “Scootaloo and Rumble are going with us,” Sweetie Belle added, her tone still suspicious as if she were unsure whether she needed to be on guard. Rarity smiled and said, “Well, I’m sure the four of you are going to have the best time! Let me get this boxed up for you.” “Thanks, sis!” Sweetie Belle said, her joyful attitude returning once more. Once the task was accomplished and the little unicorn filly was on her way home, Rarity found herself back on the red sofa, but she felt too low even for her ice cream. She had never met with such complete failure in something like this before. Perhaps the weariness of the day had finally overcome her. She lay there quietly weeping for a while and considering the utter futility of life before sleep finally took her for a while.
The Worst Possible Thing…Rarity was incredibly disoriented when she finally awoke, which was unsettling to say the least. She had slept face down on her belly, and a pillow soaked with drool was her first sensation. It was most unpleasant, so she pushed away from it and sat up, still feeling somewhat groggy with hair stuck to her face. The rest had been much needed, but she sat there in the stupor of an abnormal sleep schedule. On the bright side, it was several minutes before she remembered her lack of a date for the dance. “The dance!” Rarity practically screamed, horror sending her heart racing. “What time is it?” She leapt from the couch and ran to the window. The failing light of day was still bright in the sky, but it must have already been less than an hour until sunset. “I shouldn’t have slept the afternoon away! There’s not a lot of time,” she said to herself. “What to do? I certainly can’t find a date now. What if I don’t go at all?” The unicorn hummed to herself in thought for a moment. “I’m certainly going to be expected, especially after running around all day the way I have. Not only that, but if I stay away, I am certain to be asked about my absence later.” Rarity began pacing the room as she continued thinking out loud. “Oh! What should I do?” A meow caught Rarity’s attention. Opalescence was sitting near the dress that the unicorn had created to wear for this very night. The feline looked at her nonchalantly, as cats are wont to do. There was no special significance to this from the part of the animal. However, the connection between the two of them allowed the distraught unicorn’s feelings to be reflected clearly for her to see. Rarity stopped and smiled at her companion. “Why you are quite correct, Opalescence! It would be a crime to let such a fabulous dress not be seen. Date or no, I am going to the dance!” After feeding the cat, Rarity performed her most expeditious preparation for a formal event that she had ever achieved. There was a great deal of washing and application of fresh makeup involved. Her hair was tricky, but she managed to get it to cooperate with her efforts. Once completed, she gazed at her reflection in a full length mirror. Her dress was a layered sheer silken light pink with silver trim and red rubies for accents. The same type of gems were also inset in a thin silver tiara that she wore. “Chin up, darling. It may be the worst possible thing, but you’re going to get through it. Now, get out there and have a good time with your friends.” She nodded at her image and took a deep breath. The fancy unicorn exited her home at sunset. The cold air made for a brisk walk to the town square. It was a clear evening, and the stars were beginning to come out as dusk was giving way to night. The sound of orchestral music could be heard from the town square already. The streets were mostly empty, but for a few ponies heading to whatever tasks they had found at this late hour. It was a short walk before the festivities came into view. The center of town around city hall had been decorated quite expertly for the occasion. Banners were overhead, creating a perimeter, and no small amount of exterior illumination had been employed to make the center of Ponyville lit up with the perfect soft ambience for the event. A giant mirror ball with red heart shapes on it reflected the images all over the square. Up on the porch of the town hall, a small orchestra was playing on one side, and Vinyl Scratch was sitting on the other side, checking her equipment. Down below the front was an area that had been cordoned off with rope streamers to create a space that would serve as the dance floor. Only a dozen or so were already making use of it. Most of the others were milling near the buffet tables that had a variety of sweet and salty offerings, not to mention the punch. It would undoubtedly have been made by Pinkie Pie, using her secret family recipe. Misgivings were already setting in as Rarity scanned the crowd. It seemed that everypony else had a date. Even if she’d been able to serve as an escort for her sister, the solitary unicorn knew it would have been an act of desperation. Still, it would have been better for appearances. In any case, she was already dressed up and had come this far. She couldn’t go back without making an appearance. “Sorry I’m late, Doc!” a mare’s voice said from behind. Rarity turned to see Ditzy Doo exiting the muffin shop. She was in an elegant black dress that may have been a little too formal for the occasion, but she wore it well. “Think nothing of it, my dear!” her companion said cheerfully. He was wearing a white shirt under a dark blue pinstripe suite with an equally dark red tie and a brown overcoat on top that. Ditzy stumbled coming down the steps in her heels, but the stallion caught her and prevented a fall. “Careful now! We haven’t even made it onto the dance floor yet,” he smiled at her. “Oh, thanks, Doc,” the derpy pony said sheepishly as she brushed her blonde mane out of her eyes. “Allons-y!” he said, and they began walking toward the dance and the unicorn that had observed them. “Good evening, Miss Rarity!” “Happy Hearts and Hooves Day!” Ditzy Doo offered. “Good evening to you both,” Rarity replied. “I must say, Miss Doo, you look simply divine!” “Gee, thanks,” Ditzy answered timidly. “You’re so pretty in your dress.” “Thank you, darling.” The pair continued on their way, and the unicorn was once again alone, all dressed up and preparing to steel her resolve to enter the Hearts and Hooves festivities by herself.
A Most Memorable Evening…“Alright then, Rarity,” she said into the air, “it’s time to go down there, by yourself, head held high. You just have to make an appearance. As soon as your friends see you, you can leave.” Taking a breath and filling herself with determination, the unicorn marched forward into the party area. Rarity mingled with the crowd but felt very much as if all eyes were on her. She knew this was only her imagination, but that fact didn’t serve to make it any less unnerving. The thought of anything sweet made Rarity feel ill, which was to be expected after the way she had raided her ice cream stores. As an alternative, the unicorn contented herself with some heart-shaped pretzels and hot tea. “Oh, Rarity, you look lovely!” Fluttershy said from the other side of the buffet table. “Why, thank you my dear,” the unicorn replied. “Something’s different… I have to ask, did you alter that dress since you last wore it?” Fluttershy nodded, “I thought it could use some lace.” “An excellent choice, I assure you!” “YEAH!” Bulk Biceps shouted, startling Fluttershy. Rarity smiled at them, her heart pounding after Bulk Biceps’ outburst, and continued to mingle. Now she just needed to find Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle, and then she could go. By the time she’d worked her way to the dance floor, the orchestra was taking a break, and Vinyl Scratch had begun working her musical magic with the much faster paced dance tunes. Rarity stood outside the rope line and looked in. Lyra and Bon Bon were absolutely ridiculous dancing together, but they were genuinely enjoying themselves. Before seeing anypony else she knew, Rarity spotted her parents on the other side, outside the dance floor. Her dad was dressed in a horrendous green suit with a yellow and blue checkered shirt underneath: most distasteful. Her mother wore a frilly white dress with no small amount of large gaudy red and pink hearts. Their gaze led her to the floor itself. Rainbow Dash and Thunderlane were dancing some kind of jig, but what really served to captivate the unicorn in the moment was spotting Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The two little fillies were just beautiful in their dresses. Their dates were also well groomed, looking quite dapper. Rarity felt a smile creep across her face at the sight of them. This in turn brought back the sting that she had not been able to find a date. The weight of that sadness made her want to leave again. “Hey, Rarity!” Twilight Sparkle had come up on her left with Spike sitting on her back. She wore a simple pink dress with white frilly edges. It wasn’t elegant, but it suited the occasion. Spike wore a black tuxedo with a red cumber bun. Judging by Twilight’s labored breathing, it seemed that the pair of them had already been dancing. “Happy Hearts and Hooves Day,” Rarity replied, once again feigning cheerfulness. “Have you made it onto the dance floor yet?” the alicorn princess asked. “Oh, my no,” Rarity tried to sound bored at the idea of it, “I’m still dreadfully tired after that order I completed this morning.” Twilight smiled, “Well, Spike here has really taken to his lessons. He’s unstoppable out there.” Rarity raised an eyebrow, a bit amused at the thought. “You know it,” the little dragon puffed out his chest proudly. The unicorn let out a small giggle and said, “Now, that is something I should like to see.” Twilight smiled and replied, “Well, I’m worn out already. I was about to head to the buffet table.” “Another time, then,” Rarity said. “Why not now?” Spike suggested. “Spike, your date has already said she is tired. It would be rude of you to insist.” He looked at Twilight and asked, “Would you mind if I took Rarity out for a dance or two?” Twilight giggled and said, “Not at all.” Turning to Rarity, Spike made a little bow and said, “Lady Rarity, would you do me the honor of sharing this dance.” She didn’t really want to go onto the floor without a proper partner. It seemed rather pathetic to borrow somepony else’s date, but it would only serve to raise questions if she refused, and besides, he just looked so cute in his little tuxedo that she could hardly say no. “Alright,” she replied simply. The grin that overtook Spike’s face was adorable as he hopped down from Twilight Sparkle’s back. He led Rarity out onto the dance floor. The DJ put on something a little slower, but it was still upbeat. The unicorn was completely flabbergasted by the dance moves that Spike had learned. He did the medium tempo songs with ease. When the really fast music came, he took it in stride, even managing a flip or two with incredible coordination. Rarity, an accomplished dancer herself, may have never admitted it, but she was having trouble keeping up with the little dragon. When the orchestra returned, they began playing some much slower classical pieces, and Spike transitioned into them as if it were natural for him. It had begun as amusement to see him go, but then it was a challenge to keep up. Now, Rarity was genuinely having a good time. They moved in unison, her hoof in his claw, holding each other close. “Rarity,” the little dragon said wistfully. “What is it, Spike?” she asked. “I wish this could last forever.” Rarity felt herself blush at the compliment. Her mouth seeming suddenly dry, she finally said, “Oh, Spikey-wikey, you say the sweetest things!” “I mean it!” he asserted. “Maybe we can get Twilight to do a time spell or something.” Rarity giggled at the suggestion, “Well, if we weren’t certain that something dreadful would inevitably happen as a result…” “Oh, yeah,” he giggled. Becoming serious again, he added, “I guess we’ll just have to enjoy it while it lasts.” She was sure she felt herself blush once more. Rarity felt something she hadn’t expected to experience this night. She was genuinely flattered. He pulled her even closer and they continued dancing song after song. As the night wore on, some truly memorable things happened. Rainbow Dash, having accidentally torn her dress in some kind of over exuberant gyration, lent Thunderlane to Rarity for a few dances. He had a hard time recovering from that because he was laughing so hard. A seasoned athlete that knows how to prepare, the pegasus returned with another dress. Bulk Biceps and Fluttershy didn’t actually do much dancing, but they came out for the slow ones. It was funny to see how petrified that massive stallion was of dancing… or was it Fluttershy that made him so nervous? In any case, he moved very stiffly about the floor. On one of the faster songs, Twilight Sparkle had burst onto the floor with Rarity, Thunderlane, and Spike, and the four of them debased the art of dancing into complete silliness. At the buffet table, poor Scootaloo had accidentally laughed so hard at something Rumble said that punch came out her nose. Sweetie Belle helped her get cleaned up, but fortunately, the poor little pegasus wasn’t too traumatized. Rarity had seen them later, still dancing the night away, which is exactly what she ended up doing. As happens when one is enjoying oneself, time slips away, and hours pass as only moments gone. Before Rarity knew it, the festivities were ending, and the last notes of the final song echoed through the night. She was on the dance floor when it happened, one of the few remaining in fact. Probably two-thirds had already gone, and now the rest were leaving. “Wow, Rarity,” Twilight Sparkle said as she approached, “you are an amazing dancer.” Overcome by the perfection of the evening, Rarity lunged toward her and embraced the purple alicorn in a hug before recovering her sense of dignity and backing away. “Thank you for lending me Spike for the evening!” “Oh, it was no trouble,” Twilight said dismissively. “I just hope we didn’t keep you from your date too much.” Rarity giggled nervously, “Don’t be silly, dear! I always have time for my friends. Besides, your training paid off. Spike has become quite a fine dancer himself.” “Aww, shucks!” the dragon said with a blush. Twilight Sparkle chortled, “All right, Romeo, it’s past time for you to get to bed.” Spike let out a yawn, and it reminded Rarity just how tired she was. “Goodnight, Rarity,” the little dragon said, looking up at her. She smiled at him, then put her lips to his ear and softly said, “Thank you for a wonderful time.” As she began backing away, she planted a kiss on his cheek. Surprised by this, the little dragon went stiff for a moment, his arms and legs locking in position. The mares couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. It had immediately become astonishment and then melted into bliss as he let out a wistful sigh. “Goodnight, Rarity,” Twilight said with a smile. The princess magically levitated Spike onto her back. He was still awestruck. “Goodnight, Twilight,” Rarity said, filled with genuine joy from a perfect evening. She went back to her house at Carousel Boutique alone, the streets quickly growing quiet as everypony made their way to their respective homes. Now that she wasn’t dancing anymore, the cold night air made the unicorn shiver as she walked. It was somewhat odd to her that nopony seemed to have noticed her lack of a date. What was truly shocking was that she’d had such a good time, she had hardly noticed it herself. The next day, after a much needed morning at the spa, Rarity found herself in the Castle of Friendship again. She was in the library, and had pulled down a book, the cover of which was cracked and burned. She opened the friendship journal, quickly flipping through the pages that she and her friends had filled until she found the end of them. A gleam of tears could be seen in the unicorn’s eyes, and the warmth of joy still filled her heart. There, where the blank pages started, she began to write. ‘Last night I learned something new about relationships. I had been so caught up with my own preconceptions of what Hearts and Hooves Day was supposed to be that I had missed the point completely. It is about love, but not necessarily the romantic kind. I spent so much time trying to find a date so I would not appear to be alone that I had forgotten that. If I hadn’t been so caught up with appearances, I wouldn’t have worried myself so sick over something that nopony else cared about anyway. In the end, as long as you have good friends to stand, or sometimes dance, by your side, you really are in the presence of those who love you. And that is a magnificent place to be.’
