Chapters "Where is it, where is it?! I must locate it at once!"
Rarity zipped back and forth throughout her workshop, desperately searching for the correct materials. It was early in the morning, and she had started on her design the previous night.
"I simply must finish this dress soon, or I'll miss the performance tonight!"
She opened drawers and overturned tables and desks. Disheveling her workshop in the process, she acquired the proper materials, and continued to sew the dress.
"And place this here, and put that there. Oh! This is beginning to look rather fabulous."
She was lost in her work. Red glasses equipped, she was focused and determined to reach her goal.
"Sis?... SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS"
A familiar but uninvited voice echoed
"Sis?"
Rarity remained focused on her creation. She could see her little sister, Sweetie Belle, approaching from the corner of her eye.
"Not now, please not now" She thought to herself
"Sis is it alright if I can go outside and play?" She smiled up at Rarity, but she received no answer.
"Maybe if I pretend not to notice her, she'll lose interest and leave."
Deep down, Rarity really loves her sister, but now was really not the time.
"Rarity... RARITY!" She poked her sister's flank. "Hey, hey Rarity."
Rarity closed her eyes and let out a sigh. She nudged the glasses up to her forehead to look down at Sweetie standing with attentive eyes.
"Yes? What do you need, I'm very busy right now." Rarity forced a gentle tone.
"I was wondering if I could go play with Applebloom and Scootaloo, we have a whole day of Cutie Mark Crusading to do!"
"Alright, but promise me you'll be careful."
"I promise! Hey, what are you working on anyway?" Sweetie pointed to the dress on the work desk
"I'm making a dress to wear tonight. It must be perfect, so I need complete focus and no outside distractions." Rarity replied
"Oh, where are you going?"
"To a performance Sweetie."
"To what perfor-"
"Sweetie, don't you have some... 'Crusading' to do?" Rarity twirled her hoof in the air.
"Oh yeah! See ya later sis!" Sweetie zoomed out the door, causing some papers and materials to fall off nearby tables and shelves.
Rarity sighed and shook her head. She nudged her glasses back in front of her eyes, and returned to her work.
______________________________________________________
"Alright. Let's see if we've missed anything on the list."
Twilight Sparkle had recently been shopping for more supplies for her studies. Spike had accompanied her, and was standing to her left with a list of objects Twilight needed.
"Quills?"
"Check"
"Parchments?"
"Check"
"Ink?"
"Check"
"Good," Twilight nodded "We have everything we need."
"This calls for a snack." Spike added in, smiling expectantly at Twilight.
She looked at Spike for a few moments before nodding slightly.
"Alright Spike, we'll stop by SugarCube corner, but then it's straight back home. I need to get started on my research."
Twilight took a few steps before Spike interjected
"Actually, I was thinking more of... Gems."
Spike salivated slightly at the thought.
Twilight shook her head
"Ok Spike. We'll swing by Rarity's and see if she has any to spare."
Twilight took a deep breath. Spike climbed onto her back, and she cantered off to the Carousel Boutique.
_______________________________________________________
"Yes, yes yes! Perfection!"
Rarity kissed her hoof and waved it into the air
"Magnifique!"
Her dress was complete, and touched with her own special charm that brightened up each and every one of her creations. She grabbed the dress and carried it to her room where she began putting it on. She was about halfway into the dress before she heard a knock at the door.
"What? Who could THAT possibly be? I am TOO busy right now" Rarity complained to herself.
She ignored the visitor and continued with her plans. However, the visitor knocked again, and again, and again. After prolonged periods of knocking and Rarity fussing into her dress, she had eventually gotten the dress on. Infuriated, she stormed down the steps of her home and towards the front door. She complained under her breath the entire way until she came to the door. Forcing a fake smile upon her face and wiping her brow, she opened the door.
"Welcome to- OH! Twilight! That was you knocking at my door. For a second there I thought you were an impatient customer or a filly pulling a prank."
Rarity regained her cheerful composure.
"Yes! Hello..." Twilight said. She paused in her train of thought as she gazed upon Rarity in her dazzling dress
"Wow! That's beautiful Rarity..."
Her dress was a mixture of blue and silver. She wore a small sparkling, silver tiara embedded with bright blue sapphires. Her dress was silver as well, lined with shades of blue and sparkles. On her hooves were light blue slippers that gleamed from the sunlight. The dress itself had a very sophisticated look, and the sparkles demanded attention. Overall, it was beautiful, and many ponies would be jealous.
Twilight and Spike stood motionless, still gazing at Rarity. Rarity had to break the silence, feeling a bit uneasy from two pairs of eyes staring her down.
"Twilight? You were saying?"
"Oh! Yes." Twilight exclaimed "Well Spike was a little hungry, and I was wondering if you had any spare gems laying around that he could eat?"
Spike nodded in agreement, completely speechless as he stood before Rarity.
She looked down at Spike, then back to Twilight. Spike was still in a trance, captivated by Rarity's beauty.
"Yes, I may have some around here. Come on inside if you want to. However, I don't have time for chatting, there's somewhere I need to be very soon."
Twilight stepped inside, and Spike mindlessly followed behind her. Rarity approached a wooden box perched upon a large desk. She opened the box to reveal multiple glistening gems of all colors and sizes, resting inside. Lifting some of them up with her magic, she placed them into Twilight's saddlebags draped across her back.
"Thanks Rarity," Twilight smiled "So where are you going anyway?"
"Hm? Oh yes. I am attending a performance tonight. Some of the prestigious musicians from Canterlot will be performing at the Ponyville theater tonight."
"Sounds fun." Twilight replied. Without thinking, she quickly added "Any room for one more?"
Rarity shook her head
"Sorry dear Twilight. You must have a ticket to enter, and they are sold out."
"Oh." Twilight lowered her head. "Well that's alright then. Hope you have fun, and thanks again for the gems."
Twilight and Spike exited Carousel Boutique and were on their way home. Rarity, in the mean time, was rushing to put her make up on and adjust her dress. After completing her attire, Rarity took one last look into her mirror. Satisfied with her look, she departed for Ponyville Theater.
____________________________________________________
It was late afternoon, the sun was merely an hour away from setting. Excited as could be, Rarity stood in line, awaiting entry to the theater. Many of the other ponies were dressed up a bit themselves, but very few came close to matching Rarity's display of fashion expertise. The line moved quickly, and Rarity eventually reached the front, where the only thing blocking her way as a red velvet rope and an intimidating brown stallion.
"Tickets please" the stallion requested in a repetitive monotone voice.
Rarity presented her ticket, and the stallion detached the rope, allowing Rarity to step inside. She came to see a large auditorium, with enormous red curtains hiding the stage. Many ponies had already taken their seats, and quiet chatter could be heard throughout the room. After squeezing down a few aisles of chairs, Rarity finally found a seat and sat down quietly. She received a few compliments for her dress from the ponies around her. She smiled and thanked them kindly.
Then without warning, the red curtains diverged to reveal several well dressed ponies holding their instruments proudly. An unidentified cheerful voice was heard throughout the theater, amplified by a microphone, but unseen backstage.
"Welcome ponies to our very special performance tonight. Please welcome our guests all the way from Canterlot."
The speaker paused to allow applause from the audience.
"And now, please enjoy the show."
They applauded once more. Rarity herself was more enthusiastic than most of the other ponies around her. The lights in the theater dimmed, and a few spotlights brightened the stage, illuminating the musicians. They began playing, the music filled the room and graced each and everypony's ears. Rarity was overcome with joy and bliss. The orchestral sounds of the piano, violin, harp, and much more filled her with uncontrollable happiness. She loved every moment, every song, and she didn't want it to end.
Although, inevitably, it did come to an end. The performance lasted nearly and hour and a half. The main auditorium lights switched back on, and the room was lit up again. The red curtains closed in front of the performers, and the audience gave one last round of applause.
"Thank you all for attending. The performers will be outside to mingle in about a half hour. We hope you enjoyed the show!"
Rarity followed the crowd to the exit. All of the ponies left the theater and spread out in front of the building. Most of them left for home, but some stayed around and talked about the show. The sun had set, and it was now night outside. Luna's bright moon and Ponyville lamps illuminated the paths and the small grassy field the ponies were socializing on. Rarity found a wooden bench to rest upon away from the crowd, and she gazed up at the stars, lost in thought.
"Greetings," a small gray mare said to her, and took a seat on the bench.
"Oh, hello" Rarity snapped from her thoughts and replied with a smile.
"That dress you're wearing is simply gorgeous." the mare complimented.
"Why thank you."
"You're very welcome. Where did you get your dress if I may ask?"
"Actually, I made it with my own two hooves."
"Really?" the mare raised an eyebrow. "That's quite some talent you have there."
Rarity nodded and thanked her again
"I actually sell dresses that I make at my shop. I own a business in selling clothes that I design. It's called Carousel Boutique. Have you ever heard of it?"
"No, I cannot say that I have. However, I assume your business is well if you create marvelous dresses such as this one. What is your name by the way?"
"My name is Rarity." she placed a hoof to her chest. "May I ask for yours?"
"Of course." the mare replied. "My name is Octavia."
They both gave each other a brief smile.
"Well, Octavia what is it that you excel at?"
"Oh myself? Well, don't tell anypony here right now. I'm one of the Canterlot musicians."
Rarity's jaw dropped slightly and her eyes widened.
"You?! Oh my goodness, I simply LOVED your performance. It was simply ravishing!"
Octavia laughed
"Thank you so very much."
"I must ask though. Why aren't you mingling with the crowd? Why are you over here?" Rarity asked
"I didn't really feel up to part with being swarmed by all of those ponies. I wanted to go for a walk, but then I saw you and figured I'd have a nice peaceful conversation without crowding and screaming involved."
"I believe I am lucky to be acquainted by you tonight Octavia. This night couldn't have gone better."
Rarity smiled, but her smile slowly turned into a frown.
"I suppose you'll be returning to Canterlot soon then?"
Octavia glanced at Rarity, then thought over the situation for a moment.
"Well, we weren't planning on leaving tonight. We expected the performance to be late, and we made reservations at an inn to stay the night. Then we are returning to Canterlot in the morning."
Octavia glanced at her again.
"That gives me time to see your wonderful designs. Would it be a bother if I visited your store tonight?"
Rarity nearly shouted in excitement "Oh heavens no! It would be a honor to show you around."
Rarity got off the bench, and gestured for Octavia to follow.
"Splendid, I'll just tell the director I'll be late to the hotel tonight and we can depart."
Rarity gave a nod, and Octavia walked away.
"This has been the best night I've had in months!"
"Welcome to Carousel Boutique!" Rarity exclaimed as she opened the doors to her fashion store.
Rarity stepped inside, with Octavia by her side. Rarity flicked on the lights, which illuminated the building with a burst of white light. Octavia's eyes widened slightly at the sudden flare, but as the blur subsided, she couldn't believe her eyes. The Boutique was like nothing she had seen before, she was speechless. Even Rarity, the owner of the store was paralyzed in astonishment.
"Does it usually look this... uh," Octavia twirled a hoof
"Filthy..." Rarity finished with a spiritless voice.
"I am deeply sorry for the mess in here Octavia. I hadn't realized I had left it this unkempt. I had to rush my duties to make it to the performance on time."
Rarity, standing to Octavia's left side, stared at her facial expression, awaiting a negative response. However, to her surprise, she received a slight giggle.
"Hm?" Rarity was confused. "Why the laughter?"
She giggled again
"Oh don't fret over the mess dear, honestly. The way my studio looks the day of a performance is not a very appealing sight either."
Rarity let out a sigh of relief and wiped the moisture from her brow.
"Well, where are these fabulous fashion designs? I'm eager to catch a glimpse"
"Oh, why yes of course. Right this way." Rarity gestured for her guest to follow her.
They entered a section of the building where Rarity kept most of her designs and supplies. There were a few dresses fixed onto the manequines, along with assorted gems, ribbons, and other various works scattered across the room. Octavia scanned the room, it was messy, but it wasn't unbearable. Rarity's focus was fixated on Octavia's gaze. Everything she suspected Octavia had glanced at, she would glance at as well. She was a tad nervous, especially since Octavia's first impression of her store was tainted with the sight of an unorganized mess.
"Oh my!" Octavia verbalized "This one is magnificent."
She pointed to one of the dresses on display. It was the color of royalty, purple, with white faux fur lining. She gently ran her hoof across the fabric, examining the creation.
"Oh yes, that one is definitely some of my better work."
"You really do have an eye for fashion Rarity. To be quite honest, I love all of these designs." Octavia smiled and returned her attention to the purple dress.
"Well that may be true, but I am not a versatile musician like yourself."
Octavia giggled "Why thank you Rarity," and she turned back to the dress.
The room became silent. Rarity brushed a hoof back and forth against the floor.
"Octavia?," she said
"Yes?"
"If you really like the dress, you may take it if you wish."
Octavia raised an eyebrow "Are you sure?"
"Yes, it's all yours."
The earth pony's face brightened.
"Goodness, a thousand thank yous Rarity."
Rarity smiled and gently folded up the dress, and placed it in a bag
Octavia observed the luminescent moon through a nearby window as she waited patiently. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and Rarity handed her the bag.
"Thank you again," she smiled at Rarity.
"Twas my pleasure," Rarity replied and gave a slight bow.
"Well I better get to the inn, we leave bright and early tomorrow morning."
Rarity frowned a bit.
"Would you like to accompany me on my trip there?"
Rarity perked up "Oh yes of course. I would love to." she glanced at the clock. "Dreck!"
"What's wrong?"
"Uh... nothing dear, just give me a moment to change out of this dress and we can depart."
Octavia nodded. Some time later, Rarity re-entered the room and Octavia followed her out the front door. She knew it would be painfully late before she made it back home, but it was well worth it. They stepped onto the path, populated by only a few other ponies, and began walking to the inn under the night sky.
"My, what a beautiful night," Rarity commented
"Well it is rather quaint, however the Canterlot gardens are astonishing at night when the stars are out." Octavia looked up at the sky.
"My favorite time to perform is at night, preferably outside, under the stars."
"If I may ask darling, are you strictly a cellist? Or do you play other instruments as well?"
"Well," Octavia began "The cello is my passion, and what I am best at, however I am able to play other string instruments like the violin or viola. But I prefer my cello over anything."
"You truly are a master at it." Rarity complimented
"As are you with fashion." They both smiled at each other
They continued their walk, and finally made it to the inn. Octavia claimed her reservation. She was handed a room key and her luggage that was left there by her director. Rarity assisted her and followed her up the stairs.
The building was only 3 stories high, Ponyville didn't receive many visitors, and it was a small town.
Octavia unlocked the door and the two ponies stepped inside.
"I cannot wait to get some sleep. Such a long day." Octavia yawned, covering her mouth with a hoof.
Rarity simply gave a slight nod and placed some of Octavia's bags on a nearby desk. She heard a groan and turned to see her new acquaintance sprawled out on the bed.
"Octavia?"
She threw her body to an upright position "My apologies, I'm just sincerely tired right now."
"Forgiven dear," she waved a hoof "I would just like to talk some more before I go. If you're not too fatigued."
The musician giggled "Well Rarity, I don't mean to sound rude but it is very late and I need to sleep."
Rarity hesitantly replied "Alright. I understand..."
Octavia stared at the unicorn.
"Sorry for my awkward behavior Octavia. It's just that I really enjoy talking to you. My friends here in Ponyville don't find interest in a lot of the things I enjoy, but you do. It's just so disappointing that you're leaving tomorrow."
Octavia glanced at the ceiling. "You know. I feel a similar manner. I had a lot of fun tonight, and I especially enjoyed our conversations, we have a lot in common."
Rarity nodded and smiled.
"I've changed my mind. I'll have to tell the director I won't be returning to Canterlot tomorrow morning. I'm staying for a few more days."
Rarity gasped "Oh, thank you Octavia. I can't wait to show you around Ponyville."
"Looking forward to it," she replied "And you can show me your store again when it's all cleaned up."
They both laughed
"Well I must make my way home before it gets any later. I'll meet you here in the morning. Au revoir Octavia."
They shook hooves, and Rarity left the inn.
______________________________________________________________
Twilight was wide awake, and laying in her bed. She was lost in thought, staring at the ceiling.
"A music performance. I never knew Rarity had a taste for music. I'm no musician though. Hmm, I wonder how long she was there. I hope she had a good time................
What all did she do? What if she met some stallion there and.... no worse. What if she WENT with some stallion. She was quick to rush me out of her store. She probably didn't want me there anyway...........
No, maybe I'm thinking too much into this. Ugh why is it so hot in this room, and I don't even feel tired."
Twilight slipped out of bed and downstairs to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water and took a sip.
"Maybe I should go visit her tomorrow. What if she's busy? I don't want her mad at me.
Maybe I should just mail her a letter?
No, that's ridiculous. I'll just go over tomorrow and ask if she'll be busy. Maybe we can hang out."
She drank the remaining water
"Hmm. Still hot in here."
She wiped her forehead and poured another glass. She walked towards one of her many bookshelves.
"Where was that book again?"
With her magic, she scanned a few books before finding the right one
"Here it is.... ugh. I almost feel embarrassed just looking at it."
The book she held was titled "Impressing that Mare." She levitated the glass of water and the book in front of her, and she took a seat upon the couch. She had opened this book before, but had only read the first page. She flipped open the cover, and took a quick glance around the room. Her embarrassment and irrational fear of eavesdroppers at that moment made her jumpy, but she read anyway.
"Hmm. 'Saying Hello.' Well I already know her well, skipping that part. Skip, skip, skip, skip. Hmm. 'The next time you and her have a conversation, take note of positive responses. Some responses may be more positive than others. Take note of these and remember them, try to stay on subjects she enjoys the most and the topics she seems to respond the most to.' Well that's a bit obvious. I need something more helpful than this.
She took a sip of her water. Then, she heard a noise coming downstairs. She immediately closed the book and threw it under the couch. She gripped glass as if it were the last glass of water in Equestria.
"Twilight?" she heard Spike call.
"Yes... Spike?"
"You ok? I heard you get up and come down here, but you didn't come back up. Are you sick?"
"No Spike, just reading something."
Twilight facehoofed
"Whatcha reading?"
"Just uhh... you know. Magic and... friendship stuff."
".......................................... ok. Well I'm going back to sleep."
"Goodnight Spike."
"'Night Twilight"
Spike went back upstairs. Twilight let out a sigh of relief and sipped the last of the water. She peeked over the edge of the couch and could see a corner of the book poking out. She extended a hoof to grab it, but then she hesitated and put her hoof back at her side.
"Forget it..."
Twilight placed the empty glass in the sink and returned upstairs. She sat on the edge of her bed and turned towards Spike, who was now asleep. She watched him for a few moments, lost in thought. She shook her head, and lied down. She closed her eyes, but couldn't fall asleep.
"Ugh..."
Twilight awoke , sitting up in her bed, clutching her head tightly with her hooves. She sat motionless with her eyes closed for a few moments. She vigorously shook her head, and slowly opened her eyes. Her mane was ruffled, and her eyes were red.
"What a rough night..."
She peered over towards the clock.
"8:42am, goodness..."
She loomed over the side of her bed, staring at the floor. Her exhaustion made her tipsy, and she fell out of bed, hitting the floor on her side.
THUMP!
"Whaaaa, what, who? Twilight, are you ok?"
Spike stood up and approached the purple unicorn, dazed on the floor. She placed a hoof on her forehead, and stood to her feet. She gave her head one last shake of reassurance.
"Morning Spike," She rubbed her left eye.
"Twilight? You don't look so good. You ok?"
"Yeah, just great... Hey Spike, can you make some coffee, I could really use some right now."
She blinked multiple times, readjusting her vision, and stared directly at the baby dragon.
"Ok Twilight." Spike hesitantly left the room, glancing back at Twilight a few times to make sure she was ok.
Twilight went for the washroom, and eventually made it to the sink. She drew some warm water from the faucet, and splashed it on her face. After rubbing the water from her eyes, she stared at her own reflection in the mirror in front of her.
"Last night was terrible... and to think, ponies like Berry Punch have worse nights from all that alcohol."
She brushed her mane and prepared herself for the day. Spike greeted her with a mug of coffee on her way down the stairs. She telekinetically grabbed the mug and thanked Spike for the coffee.
"Twilight, are you feeling any better?" He asked
"I'll be just fine Spike, let's get started on the day..."
She took a sip from the mug and scanned the room. She still felt fatigued.
"Can you tidy up in here a bit Spike? I would greatly appreciate it."
Spike nervously nodded, and got to work. Meanwhile, Twilight had sat down at her desk and opened an Astrology book she was currently studying. She caught view of the window, and became lost in thought staring into the outside world.
"Gah. I was going to visit Rarity today. Wish I wasn't so tired..."
She finished the coffee
"Well, at least this helped a little bit."
After watching a few birds fly past the window, she returned her attention to the book, but couldn't focus on it. She grunted a few times out of frustration, and after a few more moments, she closed the book. Blinking a few more times, she made up her mind.
"I'm going to visit Rarity today."
She headed for the front door
"Spike, I'm going to be gone for a bit. Clean up ok?"
"Uhh-" SLAM!
Before Spike could speak, Twilight was already out the door.
___________________________________________________________
Rarity cantered happily through the front doors of the inn. She and the check-in counter mare exchanged greetings, and Rarity walked up the stairs. After locating the correct room, she knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a voice called from the closed door.
"It's Rarity!"
"Oh Rarity, hold on."
Clicking noises from locks being released echoed through the hallway. The door opened to reveal Octavia, standing with a smile. She wasn't wearing her pink bow tie.
"Hello Octavia!" Rarity squealed like a little filly "Oh my, forgive that outburst." She apologized with a grin.
Octavia giggled. For a prestigious pony, she was very cheerful.
"Are you ready to depart?" Rarity asked.
"Yes! Shall we go then?"
The two mares left the inn, and stepped onto the streets of Ponyville.
"So, what's the plan for today?" Octavia questioned
"Plan? I was required to plan?" Rarity gave a nervous look
Once more, Octavia just giggled.
"You seem to enjoy laughing at my misfortune." Rarity acknowledged with a smirk.
"You worry too much Rarity. Perhaps you should um... how they say... 'chillax?'"
The unicorn nodded in agreement. "Yes, this is a day for fun. I should definitely... 'chillax'"
They continued walking for a few more moments, passing stores, stands, markets, and other ponies on the streets.
"Where exactly are we going?" the musician inquired.
"Honestly, I haven't the slightest idea." Rarity admitted, then hatched a thought "Would you like some breakfast? I know a nice place."
"That sounds terrific right now."
"Wonderful. It's right this way."
Rarity lead the way. They came to stop in front of a small café. There were tables and chairs positioned under umbrellas in front of the building, as well as more furniture and a few ponies inside. Rarity held the door for Octavia, receiving a nod of gratitude. They stepped inside, and approached the counter where a red maned mare waved.
"Welcome to Ponyville's Best, may I get you anything?"
"Just give us a moment," Rarity responded.
After shared contemplation between the two classy mares, they placed there order for a couple of caffeinated beverages and pastries.
"Inside or outside?"
"Up to you Octavia," the unicorn mentioned
"I prefer outside."
The mare nodded, and lead them to a table outside. After Rarity and Octavia took their seats, the mare went back inside the café.
Octavia let out a sigh of content
"This is quite the spot you've picked Rarity. Very nice and relaxing."
"Glad you're enjoying it dear."
They smiled at each other, and continued talking while they waited for their breakfast.
_________________________________________________________________
Twilight stood anxiously before the front doors of the Carousel Boutique. She raised an apprehensive hoof to knock, when she saw the "Closed" sign. She sighed a bit, however, she knocked on the door anyway. She brushed a hoof across the ground, waiting patiently. She was about to give up and leave when someone opened the door.
"Rari!... Oh Hi Sweetie Belle."
"Hi Twilight!" Sweetie Belle chirped, and smiled up at Twilight.
"Hello Sweetie, I need to ask you a question."
"Uhh ok, what is it?"
"Where's your older sister?"
"She left, but she didn't tell me where she went."
Twilight silently grunted. "Ok, thanks Sweetie."
She left the Carousel Boutique, disappointed and slightly frustrated.
"So she left last night, and now she's not home today? What is that pony up to?"
She angrily walked back to the library
______________________________________________________________
"'Clean up', she says, 'tidy up' she says." Spike sighed "It's just a lot of work in here.."
He was almost finished tidying up the library. Last thing to do was dust. After grabbing the feather duster, he quickly swiped it across the furniture and bookcases. He was really anxious to get done. He made his way to the coffee table in front of the couch, dusting over quickly. As he circled the table, he felt something bump the side of his foot.
"What the?"
He looked at the floor and saw he had kicked the side of a hardcover book. He placed the feather duster on the table, and picked up the book.
"'Impressing that Mare.' Never seen this book before."
He flipped the cover and scanned the pages. He was perplexed by the things written in the book. He turned the book over multiple times, confused as to why it was under the couch.
"It couldn't have fallen from the bookcase" he thought to himself. No, the bookcase was too far away, and there were no other books on the floor around that area.
"Wait a minute... didn't Twilight say she was reading something last night?"
He absent mindedly pointed to the spot on the couch where Twilight was sitting, and then to where the book was positioned. He scratched his head still a bit confused.
"Ooook. This is weird."
He shook his head, and placed the book on the coffee table.
"Can't believe I'm stuck doing this"
Rainbow Dash complained to herself, as she kicked at the clouds hovering over Ponyville. There were too many in the sky, and they were blocking the sun.
"Could have been practicing my new moves, but nooo, stuck doing this, I hate getting last minute jobs."
She angrily bucked a fluffy cloud rather harshly, clearing it away.
She took a short glance around, satisfied with her work, she threw her body upon a spared cloud. Laying on her belly, she poked her head through the cloud's floor, and peaked at Ponyville below. On some occasions, she enjoyed observing the town, and watching other ponies go about their days.
"Lyra kissing Bon Bon, nothing new... Roseluck watering her roses, Caramel breaking Applejack's cart, Rarity eating with some random mare........... Wait what?"
Rainbow stood to her hooves, still on the cloud. She used her wings to propel the cloud closer, careful not to let anypony see she was up there.
"I don't remember her, who the heck is she? Bah, probably just some frilly business pony who wants to buy one of Rarity's dresses."
Rainbow examined closer. She saw Rarity and the gray mare stand up from the table and hug. Then they walked inside the café.
Rainbow blinked a few times, then shook her head rapidly. "Well that's weird. Whatever, I'm taking a nap."
_________________________________________________________________
Twilight opened the door to her home, and eagerly stepped inside. She took a moment to look about the library.
"Oh, good job Spike, it's really tidy in here."
Spike came from the kitchen "Thanks." he said with a smile
"No, thank you number one assistant." she smiled back.
"Hey... Twilight?" Spiked turned to her, but looked away.
"Hm? Yes? what is it Spike?"
"Where exactly did you go?"
Twilight's smiled vanished "Well I went somewhere to meet somepony but that pony wasn't there."
"Ok. Uh, hey I have a question."
"Another one?" Twilight asked
"Yeah, well... you see there's this book and... you know what, never mind. I'll figure it out." Spike nervously grinned and avoided eye contact.
Twilight nodded "Ok," she added, assuming Spike was just being Spike, and cantered off to her room.
Spike ran a claw across his mouth, and then approached the coffee table. He looked upon the book again, still wondering why he found it under the couch.
"'Impressing that Mare'" He read the title again to himself.
"Well, it's not like it can hurt me right?," he said, and opened the book to read it. Unlike the first time he opened the book, Spike actually started reading it. He found it quite interesting, and read various things ranging from interesting to downright weird.
"Wow, never knew that before"
"Really?! That's so strange"
"Gross... for real?"
"Ugh, why would ANYONE want to do THAT?"
"Hm... I wonder if Rarity would like that"
Spike read on, completely lost in the book until he heard hoovesteps coming down the stairs. He quickly shut the book and threw it under the couch.
"Spike is there a bottle of ink down here? I can't find one upstairs."
Spike quickly threw himself off the couch and searched around the room. He quickly found one sitting upon a nearby desk, and brought it to Twilight.
"Here ya go Twilight, anything else you need?" Spike asked rather promptly.
"Uh..." Twilight responded, reeling her head back a bit, "No, thanks Spike."
Twilight took the bottle, and went back up the stairs.
Spike knew he wouldn't be able to hide the book like this, so he carried it to one of the library's storage rooms. He was careful to sneak by the bedroom door, even thought Twilight heard him come up the stairs. The room he found It was a small storage space where some old furniture and ruined books were kept. He took a seat on a wooden chair, and continued to read.
Meanwhile, Twilight was busy writing a letter, inviting Rarity for lunch the following day.
"How to ask this?" She spoke to herself, gently tapping the quill against her forehead. "I could just be casual, however, I don't want to sound that way."
She glanced at the ceiling in thought. Her horned glowed a shade of purple, and she used her magic to grip the quill.
"Maybe I'll sound formal." She cleared her throat "Dear Rarity, you are cordially invited to accompany me tomorrow to dine together at... no that sounds like a wedding invitation."
She licked her lips a few times, and tapped her hoof against the ground.
"I'll just go with casual."
She lifted the paper.
"Dear Rarity, If you are free tomorrow afternoon, would you like to 'hang out' and have lunch? I'll be here at the library if you would like to go, come by at noon so we can go."
She nodded her head in agreement with her own words, and wrote them on the parchment, signing her name on the bottom. She folded up the letter, and gently placed it on the side of the desk. She looked at the letter, smiling, but her smile turned into a frown. Twilight sighed, and shivered slightly. She looked at the ceiling again, thinking about Rarity. Her hooves tingled slightly, and she felt her chest warm up at the thought of her name.
"Rarity..." she whispered into the silent air around her.
She hesitantly grabbed another parchment and began writing. With nothing but Rarity on her mind, her emotions sailed with the words written on the page. She smiled as she wrote, the warm feeling in her chest increasing, and the tingling in her hooves spread to her forearms. She wrote her heart away, and had released some stress built up inside of her. She folded the paper, and placed it under a book on the desk.
She licked her lips again "Thirsty."
She went down the stairs and into the kitchen. She made herself some tea, and sat down near a window. Sipping her tea, she noticed the mailmare flying about outside. It was still fairly early in the morning, and Derpy was right on time.
Forcing down a large gulp of tea, Twilight quickly called out "Spike! Where are you?"
Spike nearly sprang from his chair at the sound of Twilight calling for him, he shut the book and placed it behind an old shelf. He was heading downstairs but was stopped by Twilight's voice.
"No don't come down yet." Twilight informed, "I need you to go to the bedroom and grab a letter for me, it's sitting on the very edge of the desk."
Spike flashed a nervous grin and dashed into the bedroom.
"Hurry Spike!" Twilight called, and opened her front door the greet the mailmare.
The initial startle Spike received when Twilight called him mixed with the anxiety from being rushed made Spike panic. Heading for the desk, he tripped, smacking his chin against the edge of the desk. Reflexively, Spike straddled the sides of the desk to keep him from plummeting his face into the floor, and it sent the desk tilting towards him, spilling papers, books, and ink all over the floor.
"Spiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike!" He heard Twilight shout.
He scrambled through the mess, unsure of which paper to grab.
"Twilight! Who is the letter for?" he asked, hoping the name of the recipient would be on one of the papers.
There was a short pause until Twilight responded "It's for Rarity!"
"Rarity, Rarity, Rarity" Spike repeated, shuffling through the scattered papers until he found one with her name on it. "To Rarity! Got it!"
Sprinting down the stairs, Spike lost his balance, and tumbled down. Once he hit the bottom, he laid there, dazed and bruised. Twilight rushed over to help him out.
"You ok Spike?" she asked, concerned.
"Yeah... I'm alright" Spike handed Twilight the letter "Here ya go."
"Be right back Spike." she assured and patted his head.
"Derpy! Wait! Here," She handed her the letter. Derpy gave her a salute and a smile, and flew away.
Twilight shut the front door, and rushed back over to spike. He was already standing, and was brushing himself off.
"I'm alright, don't worry about it Twi." he smiled
"Oh, good. It didn't look too bad, but I was still worried."
Spike had fallen down the stairs many times, none were fatal.
"So what took you so long?" she asked
"Oh I uh... just wanted to make sure I grabbed the right letter."
Twilight raised an eyebrow, "But there was only one letter on the desk."
"R- right! But uh... as your number one assistant, I just wanted to make sure I got the right one." he pointed out.
Twilight slightly shifted her head to the side "Well alright then, thanks," she said and went back in the kitchen to finish her tea. Spike took the opportunity to rush back up the stairs and clean up the mess he had caused.
_________________________________________________________________
"Mmm this one is excellent!" Octavia claimed, sipping wine from its respective glass.
"Ah yes, that one happens to be one of my personal favorites." Rarity poured herself a glass of the Merlot.
They were enjoying their evening, wine tasting in a very kempt Late-Night-Café called "Red Grandeur." It wasn't trashy or noisy like a bar, and possessed no naughty forms of entertainment. It was a prestigious establishment, filled with an entourage of high quality wine and classy decor. Childish behavior was not tolerated, and if you were too drunk to control yourself, you were kindly escorted out.
"Hey HEY! Get your hooves off of me." Berry Punch flailed her arms and screamed at the security, pushing her towards the door. Two stallions dressed in black button up vests were trying to get her out of the building.
"We've told you multiple times Berry, you're not aloud in here anymore," One of the stallions proclaimed.
"You smack a mare one time and get kicked out, so unfair!"
"You assaulted the manager with a broken wine bottle."
"Not my fault she thought I was some whore, trying to pay me to do stuff and take advantage of a pretty drunk mare!" Berry flailed her hooves again, swiping at the stallions.
"You weren't just drunk, you were hammered" one stallion gripped both of her hooves, while the other assisted her out the door, "and she was giving you change for bottle of wine you bought, the same bottle you used to assault her!"
The door was shut behind her.
Berry muttered insults under her breath, and stomped away in anger.
"Some ponies," Octavia sighed and shook her head.
"Oh I know darling, simply pathetic. I'm so glad I found a pony as classy as you." Rarity complimented her musical friend.
Octavia giggled and blushed ever so slightly. She leaned forward towards Rarity.
"You're rather charming yourself," the susurration of Octavia's voice was barely heard by Rarity.
"Oh why thank you, I- wait, what was that? Did you say 'charming'?"
Octavia blinked a few times, and leaned back "Oh," she placed a hoof on her forehead and shut her eyes "I meant classy, must be the wine talking."
The unicorn gently poked her friend's shoulder "You've had several glasses of wine tonight, that's a bit much. Don't drink too much dear, wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."
Octavia blinked rapidly, and shook her head, attempting to sober up from the dizziness clouding her head. She could feel that she had too much, and she felt slightly tipsy.
"Yeah, you're definitely right." She placed her glass on the counter, and pushed it away.
"Are you alright? Are you sure you're ok?" Rarity asked.
The gray mare simply nodded.
Rarity returned her attention to her wine, sipping it rather gracefully. Octavia glanced at the unicorn. She felt safe with her, and didn't feel uptight as she usually did around others. While Rarity was taking a moment to admire some of the pictures and paintings hung about the walls, she felt something brush against her hair.
"Ah what?" she looked to her right and saw Octavia with her hoof extended against her head. The glass she had previously pushed away returned to her other hoof, and she took another sip.
"How do you get it so curly?" she asked.
The unicorn gently grasped Octavia's hoof and veered it away from her hair. "Well I curl and brush it every morning."
Her friend nodded, and placed a few more bits on the counter, "One Zinfandel please," she asked.
Rarity widened her gaze, and turned to her friend "Octavia, dear... maybe you should stop. I'm worried you might be having too much."
"Nonsense, just relax Rarity. I'm having a great time."
Still concerned, the white mare sighed, and stared at her glass. Octavia rambled on about something, while Rarity sat silently, a little lost in thought.
"Here you are," the yellow mare behind the counter placed a glass of Zinfandel in front of Octavia. She immediately took the glass and swallowed all of the wine. She softly wiped her lips and slid the glass forward.
"So... Octavia. How often do you do this?"
"Do what?"
"Well, consume this much wine."
She giggled at Rarity "You act as if I am gargling down a keg of whiskey. I usually have just a glass, but I'm with a trusted friend right now," she smiled "So I'm a tad daring tonight."
Another glass of wine was placed in front of her. She took the glass, and took a moment to swirl the dark red wine. She held it closely in front of Rarity's nose. She could smell the intensity of the wine Octavia had, it was far more powerful than her own Merlot she still left unfinished.
"Taste it," she offered. Rarity could smell the alcohol on her breath.
She hesitantly persed her lips, and took a sip. It was definitely strong. She coughed slightly, the spice of the wine hitting the back of her throat.
"Goodness, that was quite... intense."
"But it's exquisite, is it not?"
"Well, I cannot lie, it is rather favorable." Rarity nervously smiled. She watched her friend slowly lose sobriety as time went on.
"Hey," Octavia said "You wanna know something?"
Rarity sheepishly nodded.
"I really like your mane. It's just so nice, curly, really pretty."
Rarity stuttered "Th-thank y-you?" This elicited a laugh from the gray mare.
"Oh Rarity, my, you are so riveting, and simply gorgeous." She placed a hoof on the unicorn's right shoulder. "And so very charming."
Octavia leaned forward, and stared into Rarity's azure eyes. The unicorn shifted her eyes left and right, nervously looking at her surroundings, and the ponies around her. Rarity could still smell the alcohol, that was gradually making her nauseous. However, she couldn't help but stare back into Octavia's captivating purple eyes. Rarity felt fuzzy on the inside, a tingling sensation the came from her lower belly. Her heart rate slightly increased, and her breaths were more frequent.
Octavia placed her other hoof on Rarity's left shoulder, and smiled at her. The unicorn blushed, her face turning as red as the wine still in her glass. She blinked a few times, and started shivering as Octavia's warm, mesmerizing breath brushed across her face. She licked her lips, and leaned forward. Octavia took a hoof off of Rarity's shoulder for a brief moment to grab her glass.
"Here," she said and held it to her lips.
Rarity smirked, and sipped the remainder of her Merlot, and Octavia placed the empty glass back on the counter. Her hooves slid down to Rarity's forearms. They both leaned closer to each other.
"Your eyes are so beautiful Rarity."
The unicorn smiled rather foolishly, taken by the compliment and blushing wildly. She felt her cheeks heat up, and the tingling in her belly expand. Octavia brushed her hooves across Rarity's cheeks, and tilted her own head slightly to the right. Naturally, Rarity did the same, and leaned further into her embrace. She closed her eyes, and felt Octavia's lips press softly against hers. It felt warm and moist, and Rarity could taste the spice from the wine she had. It made her lips sting, but it only enhanced the feeling. She felt Octavia's hoof rub the back of her neck. The tingling inside of her started to burn, it felt so nice. She couldn't help but let out a sigh of enjoyment.
Octavia eventually, slowly pulled away, and let her hooves slip from Rarity's arms to the tips of her hooves. She held them, and gazed into her eyes. Rarity licked her lips, savoring the flavor of Octavia's lips and the wine.
"That was quite..."
"Intense?" Octavia added in with an enormous smile.
Rarity returned the expression. "Yes, it most certainly was."
They stared at each other for a few more moments, until Octavia broke the silence.
"May we uh... May we go to your place?"
"My place?" Rarity questioned, raising an eyebrow, "Wouldn't you rather go back to the inn?"
"No thanks, I'd rather go to your place."
"Al-alright then," Rarity stuttered, and placed some bits on the counter for their drinks. Holding hooves, the two exited the café.
