Starlight awkwardly raised out her arms, staring uncertainly at Rarity. “There sure are a lot of measurements involved for this.” She commented as Rarity's tape made its way over her belly button.

“Well I have to make sure everything is perfect darling. People with the same basic measurements can still have different physiques which will make a more generic outfit seem ill fitting. And even if this dress doesn’t need every measurement, it’s good to get this information all at once. Next time you may need a ball gown, or a skirt and halter, and it would be a waste to have to take another set of measurements when we can get it out of the way now.”

“And why am I in my underwear?”

“We want to get the most accurate measurement possible, don’t we?” Rarity said with a sly smile, writing down another number as the tape worked its way over Starlight’s hips. Starlight couldn’t help notice Rarity’s eyes seemed to linger here and there. Still it wasn't like she was ogling Starlight, more like evaluating.

She’d paid Rarity a visit to ask about buying a dress. Before she could offer any further explanation, Rarity had whisked her to a back room to take her measurements, pausing only briefly to set up a kettle for tea. Instead of the usual bust waist and hips, however, Rarity was making notes every few inches down her body. Starlight expected someone could make a sculpture of her using Rarity’s notes.

Finally, the measurements were complete and Starlight put her jeans and blouse back on, still feeling under-dressed next to Rarity who was wearing one of her own signature designs. It was a dark blue dress with a deep v-neck top that took full advantage of her ample cleavage along with a slit that rode up to her mid thigh. It was a perfect mix of elegance and temptation, like a femme fatale from a spy novel. Starlight imagined it was a good for getting customers in the mood for daring fashion choices of their own. Rarity had kept jewelry to a minimum, with small blue opal earrings and a thin silver chain necklace. Starlight only had her blue gem pendant.

Rarity set the clipboard down and pulled up two chairs. “Now that I have all your measurements we can get to business. The tea should be ready by now as well.”

Starlight sat in one of the chairs and watched as Rarity walked off into the other room, returning with a small tea set. She poured a cup for Starlight and one for herself. "I hope you like Darjeeling tea. It's a bit lighter than what Twilight usually brews but it's less bitter and has a more complex, deeper flavor. So, tell me about this dress."

“Well, so far all I know is I need a dress of some sort. Twilight said I should get one for the crystalling. I only have a couple outfits right now, and none of them really count as formal wear."

“Oh yes, I can imagine. Especially when back in your village there was nothing but that dreadful sackcloth. Oh, but I suppose it’s rude of me to bring that up.”

Starlight raised a hand apologetically. “No, no. It’s alright, Rarity. I can’t ignore my past. I just try to do my best to move forward.” Though, if all went well no one would realize what her version of forward meant until it was too late. "But it's certainly true, I don't have an eye for fashion. I'll just trust you to make something you think would suit me."

"That is possibly for the best." Rarity allowed a slight giggle. "I don't know if Twilight ever remarked about it, but we all had a friendship lesson early on where everyone learned not to look a gift horse in the mouth, and I learned that sometimes I have to put my foot down and let friends know when their suggestions are just awful. I have a few ideas already, and once I get to my designs I should find something just perfect for you. So that's settled! Now we can allow ourselves a little time to be more personable." She set down her teacup and gave Starlight a warm smile.

"Ah, I hope I haven't been ignoring you when we spend time together." Starlight tilted her head, unsure where this was going.

"Oh no, not at all dear. But we've only seen each other in group activities with everyone around. There are some topics that don't come up with a crowd. I always try to spend one on one time with my friends, and now that includes you."

"Well, that's very nice of you. I've worried that I'm just being tolerated because Twilight wants me to attend things."

"Anyone that counts Twilight as a friend is a friend of mind, dear. I would have invited you over for tea sooner, but I know you and Twilight have been very busy as of late."

Starlight raised an eyebrow at Rarity's tone. "Well, yes. She's been working hard to get me up to speed on friendship. I'm basically starting from square one." She took a long sip of tea

"Oh I'm sure she is." Rarity said meaningfully. "And just how much friendship have you two been having together?"

Starlight gasped mid-sip and broke into a short coughing fit. "What...*cough*, what do you mean Rarity?"

Rarity grinned, "Oh don't play coy, darling. It doesn't become you. I noticed something was different when we all went to help Applejack with her cider the other day. Twilight would give you these little glances when you weren't looking. It was a very different look than what she gave you on that first day. Then I noticed your expression changing too. The other day when Twilight was too busy to join us as we discussed the crystalling, whenever her name came up, your eyes would, pardon the phrasing, sparkle for a moment like a little girl with a secret. Now I doubt any of the others noticed, but I have an eye for such things. You're not going to force me to make a formal accusation, are you?"

Starlight's eyeswidened with a mix of confusion and panic. She had been so careful! But of course she couldn't hide subconscious tells and neither could Twilight. If anyone would have noticed, it made sense it was Rarity. She was more than a fashion designer, she was a socialite, and likely well versed in picking up on hidden cues. But there had to be limits. Rarity had noticed looks, expressions, but she couldn't learn deeper details with that. Starlight carefully chose her words.

"No Rarity, you don't need to do that. It's true. Twilight and I are...seeing each other."

"See, that wasn't too bad was it?" Rarity said with a look of triumph on her face. "Still, I can't believe Twilight would keep such juicy news a secret."

"T-that's my doing. I insisted we not say anything, because I wasn't sure what you'd all think of such a relationship considering my past, and the fact I'm still technically Twilight's pupil, and of course..." She let the other implication hang in the air.

"Maybe Celestia would have something to say about dating your teacher, but I'm just happy for Twilight to find someone she has genuine interest in. I've been trying to hook her up for ages and it's never worked out. The closest I've managed was this man in the royal guard she seemed to be drawn to. A nice enough fellow and quite handsome. Kind of bland once you got to know him, but definitely a good starter to help Twilight get some experience. She dated him for a little while, but it all just seemed to run out of steam. At the time I decided it was because he wasn't quite the man she was hoping for. By that I mean...well it's a long story, another dimension and all, it's complicated. But part of me always wondered if maybe I wasn't offering her suitable partners, if you take my meaning. If she's taken to you, I suppose that hunch was right."

Starlight offered a tight smile she hoped could be read as bashful just as much as the reality of panicked internal scheming. She was apparently safe for now. Rarity suspected she and Twilight were lovers and nothing more. But from here on out, Starlight was in a minefield. Those same perceptive powers that had allowed Rarity to realize a relationship existed would eventually narrow down on what kind of relationship it was. If that happened too quickly, things could fall apart. Starlight ran a hand up her chest and along the blue gem pendant resting there. She'd been debating whether to turn this appointment into another trance or whether to wait until Twilight was fully hers before moving on to her friends. This new turn of events settled things.

"Well you can't just sit there and leave me in suspense. Give me some details. When did you first start having feelings for Twilight? Who made the first move?" Rarity leaned in with a conspiratorial grin.

"O-okay I suppose I don't have any choice. Do you promise if I tell you about it, you'll keep it a secret, at least for now?" She brushed her hand over the gem again, shifting it's position

Rarity's eyes dipped briefly, noticing the motion, before looking back into Starlight's eyes. "You're worrying too much, honestly. We're all very accepting, even Applejack understands about such things, though it would be natural to worry considering her upbringing. But yes, I promise."

"Thank you Rarity. I don't really know who started getting ideas first, but for me, it was when we talked about magic." Starlight slowly shifted the blue gem pendant with her thumb every few seconds as she spoke. "We've both talked a lot about magical theory as well as friendship, and it was obvious Twilight hasn't had someone to talk to with the same passion for magic she has. We both could get deeply focused on those topics. We both find talking about magic very relaxing. It's the kind of topic we both get lost in easily."

Rarity’s eyes dipped again to glance at the gem with each little shift. Starlight noticed a tiny reaction in Rarity's eyes when Starlight put just the right emphasis on certain words. “It makes sense that you'd find common ground there. But you can't tell me that was all."

"Oh no, not at all. We became very comfortable with each other from those talks. And then part of it I guess was living in such close proximity. We would see each other every breakfast and for hours during the day. With so much contact, feelings that would have been slow to develop came must faster. I started feeling how similar Twilight and I were in some ways, and I felt grateful for her kindness. I suppose it's easy for those kinds of feelings to slowly drift into feelings of attraction."

Rarity’s eyes were getting caught by the motion of the gem and returning to Starlight less and less. Some part of Rarity could tell she was getting preoccupied but didn’t seem to be concerned. “I can certainly see that happening, and the teacher pupil relationship, that dynamic can be very intimate."

"Exactly. At first I was trying to hide my feelings, but then I noticed Twilight giving me these looks. I wasn't sure what to make of it. She broke the ice first, by complimenting my pendant. The same one I'm wearing now."

"Hmm?" Rarity's eyes were now locked securely on the gem, but parts of her mind had picked up on the strange tangent. "That's a strange way to start, but it is a very beautiful item."

“Thank you. It’s an old heirloom. It’s not a precious gem as I’m sure you can tell, but I like how it catches the light. Twilight made the same comment. She told me it looked very soothing and that she'd become a bit enchanted with how light glitters through the gem's facets. I gave her a chance to look closer and she remarked how staring at the glittering light felt very nice.”

Rarity’s eyes were getting hazy and her thoughts were clearly slowing down. “I yes, the light is...pretty.” Rarity was not falling as easily as Twilight, but it seemed she was almost fully ensnared.

“That’s right. I started to sway the pendant in front of her eyes. She started to feel very relaxed and her mind started to sink away. I've done it myself, and the more I stare into the gem, the more my thoughts seem to melt away. You may feel a similar sensation, thoughts get cloudy, staring deeper and deeper.” Rarity only offered a whimper as a small turmoil formed in her eyes. There was some part of her trying to push back, but her body was growing looser and her breath was even and slow.

“It’s easy to fall into the gem, for your thoughts to slow down, to melt away.” Starlight unclasped the pendant with her magic and allowed it to float and sway directly in front of Rarity’s eyes. “You just drift down….down, deeper and deeper, so peaceful. It feels so wonderful doesn’t it?”

"It's...but..we were talking about..." Rarity gently protested.

"We're still talking about Twilight's and my relationship. She told me about how my pendant made her relaxed and her body heavy." On that word, heavy, the tension in Rarity's face vanished for a moment, but the look of turmoil quickly returned. Part of her mind realized something was off and was still trying to resist. The usual induction style was insufficient, but based on her reaction to the word heavy, Starlight realized a more kinesthetic approach was needed.

She moved behind Rarity, allowing the gem to sway in mid air in front of her. She started whispering into Rarity's ear. "That's right Rarity, very heavy and relaxed. The heavier your body becomes, the more relaxed you become, the easier it is to sink."

Looking down, she saw the zipper to Rarity's dress, which gave her a perfect idea. "Just like how your breasts can be so so heavy without support. You have to keep them supported, because otherwise they are always pulling down." She gripped the zipper and started to loosen Rarity's top. "So without that support, your full, heavy breasts, will pull you down deeper and deeper."

The zipper made its way down to Rarity's waist. Carefully, Starlight slipped the dress from Rarity's shoulders. From there the dress was easy to peel away, exposing Rarity's breasts to the open air. This led to a soft gasp from Rarity. Her eyes lost almost all focus as Starlight purred more encouragement. "That's it. Those ample breasts, so heavy, weighing you down, pulling you deeper and deeper." Rarity began to lean forward as though her breasts made it impossible to sit straight. She kept her eyes on the gem, but they were growing hooded. As her breasts made contact with her lap, Rarity's eyes slid shut.

"Very good, so nice and relaxed now, so wonderfully deep." Starlight purred, glad that most of the fight was gone. The weight of her breasts had obviously been a powerful analogy, though it would be awkward to add more suggestions with her slumped over. Starlight moved to Rarity's front and slowly pushed her by the shoulders until she was leaning back in her chair.

Starlight took a moment to admire Rarity's breasts. Watching them rise and fall with each of Rarity's deep breaths had a hypnotic quality of its own. Starlight cupped each breast in her hands and kneaded them slowly

"So good, resting against your chair, so relaxing and deep. Feeling how my hands support your breasts, so they don't weigh you down. But if my hands go away, you'll sink even deeper. Supported now, and feeling as my hands slide away." She removed her hands and watched as Rarity relaxed a bit more. She cupped Rarity's breasts again and repeated the deepening several more times, though she appeared to be having some diminishing returns.

"So nice here, relaxed and soft. How do you feel Rarity?"

"Relaxed...confused."

"What's confusing?"

"It's strange, just listening and listening. We were talking about something but now it's fuzzy."

Starlight pursed her lips, seeing there was more to be done. Parts of Rarity's mind could still feel something wasn't quite right. Star's current deepening method had hit a plateau. She needed something novel, like the shared fantasy she made for Spike and Twilight. Rarity was not quite as good a subject, and not ready to accept hallucination suggestions, or quite so desperate to find redemption narratives. A more direct approach would be needed.

Nothing effective came to mind, however. The first volume of Hypnotica Principala provided a series of suggested deepening methods. The ones that focused on body sensations, what would likely work best on Rarity, usually required a physical sensation the subject could associated with deepening. The weight of her breasts had been along those lines, and Starlight wasn't sure what could top it. She decided she needed to scout around a little.

Starlight cast a spell to throw her voice so no matter where she walked, Rarity would hear her whispering right next to her ear. She moved Rarity's hands up to her own breasts to support them. "So good, and just like my hands, your own hands can support you, keeping you in such a nice relaxed state. Star stood up and continued to offer trance patter while she began to explore for the right hook.

She slipped into Rarity’s bedroom. There was a white cat sleeping on the bed that opened her eyes as Starlight entered but ignored her and soon returned to napping. The bedroom fit the rest of Rarity's persona, elegant and refined. There were no piles of books and scrolls like in Twilight’s bedroom and no piles of dirty clothes like in Spike’s. The bed was perfectly made and everything was arranged immaculately. In fact, the only evidence Rarity actually made use of the bedroom was a couple stray hairs on a brush sitting on her vanity table.

That drew Starlight’s attention. Just like her clothes, Rarity’s hair was always perfectly done. She obviously spent just as much time on her hair as she did on her wardrobe. That seemed perfect. “So good, feeling your mind letting go more and more…” She said, continuing her trance while picking the brush up.

She returned to the back room where Rarity still sat, still cupping her breasts. Her nipples had become stiff in the cool air. Starlight slipped behind her and leaned down, returning to whispering directly to her. “The best part of sinking away is how it helps clear out unnecessary thoughts. Your mind is always full of unruly knots and static. An unkempt mind can be like your hair after being caught in a tornado. But just like with your hair, you can slowly brush those thoughts away. You can brush your mind to be calm and orderly and beautiful just like your hair.” She reached out and slowly ran the brush through Rarity’s hair.

Rarity let out a deep sigh and melted deeper into her seat. Starlight purred and started running the brush through Rarity’s hair in slow, even strokes. “That’s it, brushing all those unneeded thoughts away. Each stroke of the brush makes you sink deeper, makes your thoughts sink away more and more until only my words are left.”

Rarity dropped like a rock. Soon her hands fell limply to her sides, but the chair back continued to support her. After a while, Rarity grew so limp Starlight had to hold her head up. Star began to test how suggestible Rarity had become. Rarity's hand rose up without difficulty. She immediately recognized the scent of roses and even identified the variety despite nothing being there. She promptly forgot how to add numbers together when suggested. Starlight had brushed any trace of resistance away.

She considered pushing further, but the induction and deepening had taken longer than expected. She needed to get back to Twilight's eventually and the regular baseline of suggestions was all the time she could afford. She worked to have Rarity forget the trance took place, painting a story of her romance with Twilight for Rarity to remember. Then inserted two trance triggers, one the same as Twilight's and Spike's and one meant only for her. Once that was done, a rare bolt of inspiration hit her, and she decided to add one more suggestion.

“When I snap my fingers you’ll awaken, only remembering our conversation about my dress and me discussing how Twilight and I developed a relationship. Any inconsistency you notice will seem unimportant and you’ll remember how you felt a warm pleasure from conversing with me today.”

Before beginning her count up, she took one more glance at Rarity's breasts before zipping the busty girl's dress back up. She returned to her own chair. “Ready now to wake in 1...2...3” *SNAP*

Rarity’s eyes popped open “I appreciate you telling me about things between you and Twilight. And I did promise to keep it a secret, but I'm definitely going to give Twilight a few special gifts when I have the chance. I still think you should tell everyone about you two sooner rather than later. Trust me, it will be a happy occasion."

“I'll think about it, and talk it over with Twilight. But it does make me feel better seeing how sure you are everything will be alright. Oh, I never asked, how long do you think it would take to make the dress?”

“Well let me see. I usually have a few hours a day for projects that don’t go into my boutiques. Though I do have a...special order to work on. It’s a rush job that has to be done in three days.” Starlight grinned, watching Rarity’s eyes haze over as the suggestions took control. Her eyes cleared up a moment later, “But that leaves me ample time before Cadance is due to give birth. Ohhh! I could give the dress to you once we arrive in the Crystal Empire. Everyone can see it together.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Starlight giggled, “I know it will be spectacular."

Author's Note

The long awaited beginning of Starlight branching out.

Darjeeling tea is named after the province in India that it originates from. I considered making a pony-fied version of the name but felt that might be pushing things a bit too much and make it harder to catch what I was going for with it.

The next couple weeks of life are going to be very hectic, so there may be a couple weeks without an update. I expect to have an update for another story of mine by the end of the year as well.