Finally, my shift was done. It was time to see Rarity.
Of course, though, I couldn't show up empty hooved! I needed to get her a gift of some sort. What kind of stuff pleases ladies? How would I know? Hm...
My little sister always liked it when I gave her a balloon sword, but I don't think Rarity would like that very much.
I know that her friend, Pinkie Pie (who buys balloons from me for her parties) likes cakes and parties, but Rarity probably wouldn't like that very much either.
Rarity is a lady. She needs a gift suited for a sophisticated pony, something she'd admire forever and ever. But what?
I sighed and sat down on the rim of the fountain. The weather for the day was sunny, maybe I could get her a sunhat and ask her to take a walk with me? But I was still in uniform, whoops. I'd need to take a trip home to change. After I thought of a gift for her.
Flowers would be nice, but where would I get any nice ones on such short notice? One cannot just pick a flower off the road and claim that it's nice, ponies stomp all over them, like weeds! I'd need something romantic and sweet, just like Rarity. Or, I suppose I could send her a balloon bouquet, but that would probably be a little juvenile.
What would Rarity appreciate? Dresses? I can't sew, and she's the best designer there is...I could always ask her yellow ex-model friend for help, right? I thought I saw her sewing once? I could be wrong.
What I needed, what I really, really needed, was a bouquet of exotic flowers. That I'm certain she'd appreciate. But what kind?
There had to be a book on exotic flowers, right? Maybe in Princess Twilight Sparkle's castle? Of course! And I'm sure the Princess would let me borrow a book if I asked - especially considering the fact that Rarity is one of her best friends...
Wouldn't hurt asking, right?
I sprung up from the fountain's edge, and galloped through the streets. The castle was pretty big, I'd be able to find it easy.
Hopefully, Princess Twilight would be home...
Hoof up, push it forward, take it back, repeat. Or however you would phrase it.
I knocked on the door of Princess Twilight Sparkle's castle. She was home, right? She doesn't seem to go out all that much, just reading until a friends come over.
No answer.
I was about to knock again, actually, but I was thrown off when the door actually opened.
"Hel-" I started to say, but then paused. I looked around, and I didn't see the Princess. Where was she? "Ehm..."
I was about to turn around and leave, but then I felt a tug on my hoof.
I looked down and saw a purple and green dragon.
"Oh, uh, hi, I didn't see you there..." I glanced back at the streets, filled with ponies. I thought I had maybe seen a dragon in Ponyville before a few times, but I never really gave it much thought. Y'know, apart from how Twilight has an assistant that's purple.
"Hello, Twisty Pop," the dragon greeted. How did he know my name? Was it Princess Twilight Sparkle that told him of me?
"Is, er, is the Princess home? I think I need to borrow a book from her..."
"She's in the library as usual," the dragon rolled his eyes, opened the door wider, and I stepped in. (That's what I thought I was supposed to do. Twilight Sparkle's just a normal mare, right? I remember when she was a unicorn, but now, it feels weird addressing her.)
The purple fellow showed me the way to Princess Twilight's library...might I add, the hallways of the castle are decorated beautifully! The crystals shone, and the golden bits glimmered.
Stumbling into the library, I saw the alicorn reading on a chair. She looked relaxed, although her mane looked like she had just finished wrestling with Applejack (and I doubt she'd ever even do that.)
"Good afternoon, your Highness," I bowed, as I walked in her presence. What an honor! Well, I mean, my house is rather close to her castle, so it wasn't that much of an honor, considering Princess Twilight has always been a humble pony when it comes to practically anything (except, sometimes, friendship...)
The violet mare set her book down and faced me, "No need for formality, Twilight Sparkle is fine."
Like I said, she's a pretty humble pony. At least she doesn't brag about her humility, like that one blue magician does. Flixie, was it? I don't know, but somepony with a name similar to that once asked me to make balloons shaped like herself for a magic show. With a cape. And hat. With patterns on them. It's good that she understands that balloons are valuable, but really? I had the pattern on the cape just a little bit off, and she wouldn't pay specifically for that reason! I WORKED ALL NIGHT ON THOSE BALLOONS.
"Good afternoon, Twilight Sparkle," I said, "I'm in need of some help. You see, I want to give somepony a bouquet of flowers, but it has to be special...really special. Do you know of any exotic flowers - better yet, a book, containing a list of some - I can give her?"
Twilight put her hoof closer to her muzzle to think for a moment, then got up and used her levitation magic to give me a book.
"Thank you so much," I exclaimed, and the excitement in my tone of voice was definitely easy to notice. I opened the book to a random page, and saw a gorgeous looking picture within it (that wasn't Rarity, of course.)
"A sapphire rose..." I read aloud.
The picture really was lovely, that you could tell. It was like a rose, but blue, and shiny, and beautiful, and, oh...Rarity would love it. It was radiant in every way, like her.
"It grows below the Crystal Empire," Twilight stated, still on the chair.
"You think this will work?" I grinned, looking back at the princess.
"It would please anypony, I'm certain. But it'd be dangerous to go alone," she paused. "Spike can go with you, if you want. Pinkie Pie has asked to meet with us about something in the throne room, so the rest of us might be busy anyways."
"I guess so," I said, but I wasn't sure who Spike really was. Was Spike her pupil? Was it the dragon?
The princess called for Spike, whoever that may be, but the dragon came running, so I guess that was him.
"Spike, can you help Twisty Pop, here, find some sapphire roses in the Crystal Empire, please?" she asked.
This Spike character, the dragon, put his arm to his head like a solider pony, a salute, and then spoke once more, "I won't let you down. Besides, the Crystal Ponies will love to see Spike the Brave and Glorious again."
I didn't want to ask what the backstory behind that title was, I could ask later.
"We'd better get a move on," I pointed out, "The next train to the Empire will be leaving in half an hour or so."
I rolled around on my bed, replaying the scene through my mind.
Sweat rolled down my head, was I really going to do it? Rarity's the love of my life, I had to let her know that I liked her somehow.
Rarity looked like she needed somepony's comfort. I was just the pony to do that, I'm a gentlecolt.
So, what did I do? Blew up a balloon to the shape of a heart and handed it to her.
She walked away. it broke my heart - literally, the heart shaped balloon deflated - even if she did thank me.
Ah, well. I'd earn her love somehow. I just had to.
I got up from my bed, and paced around the room. How was I going to please the love of my life? I wasn't gonna just go up and ask her if she liked me, that would be weird. Then again, Rarity would never ask me, either. I'd have to be bold. Prove I'm a gentlecolt.
But there wasn't enough time, at the moment, I had a job to get to. Selling balloon animals and balloon bouquets isn't a very good job, but it works for me. Maybe Rarity would be nearby.
Princess Twilight Sparkle and Princess Flurry Heart were in line. Wonder what they were up to.
I've blown a few things up for Flurry Heart before. It was normally a dog she asked for.
The next lady in line, Derpy, smiled as I twisted the balloons. She asked if I could make her a muffin balloon, but I didn't think I could. She always asks for a muffin, and I usually try, but I just can't get it right.
Rarity's boutique was nearby. Score. I could walk over and bring her some flowers or something. After I finished up my job.
"I, uh, I don't think I can make this a muffin," I said as I stretched the balloon out. Like I said, Derpy always asks for a muffin, but I can't make it.
The gray pegasus scowled at me. She always did that when I told her I couldn't turn it into a muffin.
I sighed, and shaped the balloon into a dog. Muffins don't have to be shaped like cupcakes, right?
The mare grabbed the balloon and happily trotted off.
I looked at the line. Still, so many ponies left...
I looked down at my next customer. I recognized her, but my memory of her was a little foggy. I think her name was Scootaloo?
"Mr. Twisty Pop," she waved a hoof, "Can I get a Rainbow Dash shaped balloon?"
My head drooped. I hate my job.
