The ticking of the clock on the wall told Twilight Sparkle that she had a little under half an hour to finish all of her preparations. That left just enough time to go over everything once more and make certain that everything was in place. Though she prided herself in her eye for detail—something her checklists helped maintain no matter how often Spike rolled his eyes—tonight there could be no room for mistakes.
Everything had to be perfect. For tonight, for the pony she was expecting, her heart would not settle for anything less, the same way she knew her soon-to-be-visitor never settled for anything less for her.
Her eyes skimmed down the parchment held aloft in her magic. Every item on the list had been checked off twice. With a satisfied nod of her head, she looked out the window, exhaling as she let herself bathe in the light of the setting sun.
Golden light spilled out over Ponyville, casting long shadows that stretched over thatched roofs and down cobblestone streets. Leaves in the trees rustled and swayed in the gentle breeze, bright and alive and green with the first weeks of spring. A few ponies milled about, locking their shop doors in the market and bidding each other goodnight as the sky shifted through hues of bright yellow and pink, bringing one last cascade of light before the world darkened to the colours of night.
Soon, the light of day would melt to the royal purples and darker indigoes of dusk. In the last year, Twilight had lost count of how many nights she spent under that sky, watching the colour weave together into one with another’s warm presence at her side. Already, she could feel another’s coat mingling with her own and the silky caress of another’s tail wrap around hers, bringing their purples and blues together as if to mirror the sky above.
Helpless against the smile that warmed her muzzle, she found her gaze drift to one building in particular that stood taller than the houses around it. The light pink-and-purple checkered pattern adorning its roof shone in the sunset. A single, red flag flapped in the wind, and Twilight’s eyes found where she knew the bedroom window was.
Twilight had likewise lost count of the nights spent in that room, lulled to sleep by the rhythmic beating of her lover’s heart. Even now, as she closed her eyes, she felt the puffs of breath against her chest, the softness of lips on her neck and collarbone, and the scent of lavender make her wings twitch and feathers flutter.
Soon, very soon, that same mare would be at her doorstep, enrapturing her with her smile, beautiful as any diamond, and captivating her with her eyes, as luminescent as any sapphire.
Twilight swallowed, chewing on the corner of her lip as her checklist bobbed in the glow of her magic. She turned away from the window, tail flicking from side to side as she paced the length of the room.
Perhaps one more check over everything couldn’t hurt. There was still time.
Besides, it would be worth her while. Rarity always was.
Nodding to herself one last time, Twilight turned to take stock of the room. One of the benefits of living in a castle was an abundance of spare rooms waiting to be used for storage, events, parties, and, in this case, date nights.
A fireplace, built into the far wall, was first on the list. Kindling and logs lay within, ready to be lit. A big, comfortable, and cozy rug stretched out before the fireplace, offering the perfect place to end the night.
But first, Twilight reminded herself, everything else.
Next to the rug and the fireplace sat a plush, squishy seating cushion. The pillow was big enough for one pony to lie down comfortably, or enough for two if they didn’t mind getting cozy. Twilight thought back to the feeling of Rarity’s coat against hers and the musical, delighted, and lilting tones she whispered in her ear with.
Cozy was preferred.
Just a few hoofsteps from the cushion were two blanketed lumps. One contained tonight’s dinner, and a peek under the blanket confirmed that nothing had gone missing since she last checked. The crust from the daffodil sandwiches poked out from the small picnic basked under the blanket, and the gleam of two fresh apples caught Twilight’s eye as she continued her inspection. Apple fritters, freshly baked by Applejack that very morning, made her stomach rumble and she lowered the blanket, satisfied.
That drew Twilight to the second blanketed lump, the real surprise for the night. She rested her hoof on the blanket, feeling the hardwood surface underneath, and sucked her lip between her teeth.
Eyeing the slide projector that sat between the cushion and the blanketed lumps, she couldn’t help but swallow against her drying throat. With a minor force of will, she turned the projector on. Light spilled out from its bulb, blanketing the wall in its naked, pale light.
Unconventional, to be sure, but deep in her heart, Twilight knew that this was the perfect way to celebrate tonight. Rarity may have been hesitant to relinquish all control over the planning, but a combination of insistent begging and whispered sweet nothings in her ear won her over in the end.
Not that Twilight blamed Rarity at all, though. A one-year anniversary was something special, something that meant so much to both of them.
And, despite Rarity’s nosings and ‘innocent’ questions, tonight was going to be a surprise. Restaurants fancy and casual, ritzy and humble were good for most date nights, but tonight called for something a little different.
Her gaze drifted back to the second of the blanketed objects. A glance at the clock told her she still had some time and, as though to steel herself, lifted the blanket away. The polished, hardwood exterior of an old, familiar chest greeted her. As Twilight exhaled, she lifted the chest’s lid open in the glow of her magic, looking down into its contents with her primaries twitching and flicking.
A collection of glass bottles lay within, each set down with care. Warmth spread through Twilight’s chest as she lifted the bottle nearest the top. She ran her hoof over the worn label, feeling a small smile spread over her muzzle as memories started to bubble to the surface, unbidden as she sat on her haunches.
She closed her eyes and held the bottle in her hooves. The cool feeling of the glass brought forth memories of a dark cave, the soft glow of headlamps, and a kaleidoscope of colours that coalesced in the first time she felt Rarity’s lips brush against her own, the first time she felt her heart flutter in her chest, and the first time she held another in her forelegs, intent on never letting go.
Ever since she was a small filly, Twilight had heard a lot about love. Whether it was seeing Cadance’s magic at work, hearing stories about how her parents got together, or reading the odd romance novel that snuck onto her regular reading lists, she liked to think she knew a little more about the subject than most ponies tended to assume.
For example, first dates, she knew, were crucial to the beginning of any romantic relationship. It was when ponies, friends or strangers, would first see each other in a certain light, one that promised moonlit walks, whisperings of sweet nothings, and somepony to hold closer than any other. It gave ponies the chance to see if they were compatible, or if they could envision themselves nestled against each other. It was, as Cadance would say, when a ‘spark’ would be struck. Or, in many cases, not.
That was why, when Rarity asked her out on a date, she had a decent idea of what to expect. A cursory perusal over the romance genre told her that a candlelit dinner, theatrical performance, or even a picnic in the park at sunset were par the course.
Though, knowing the creative mind that Rarity possessed, she should have known better. Even then, the gem-filled tunnels on the outskirts of Ponyville were on the very bottom of first date locations Twilight had imagined.
Twilight walked carefully over the uneven, rocky terrain. Her head swivelled around, shining the light from her headlamp along the gem-encrusted walls of the tunnel. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, topazes, garnets, amethysts, and other precious stones of every shape and size decorated the walls. Each and every one glimmered and sparkled as her light passed over them, and she couldn’t help but wonder how Spike kept his focus whenever he was down here.
A soft, lulling hum started, echoing up and down the length of the tunnel and drawing her gaze forward. There, the royal purple curled bob of her friend’s—her date’s—tail bobbed. Rarity moved with a noticeable prance to her step and oh-so-subtle sway to her hips. Ever the academic, Twilight took note of the unicorn’s coat, brushed with enough care to catch the light of her headlamp and ripple along the curves of her frame from the width of her hips, to her sleek barrel, to her slim shoulders.
She may never have dared to think of one of her closest friends in such a way before, but part of her realized that she may have found exactly what kept Spike’s focus in such a smorgasbord of gems and jewels. Then again, that was the point of a first date, wasn’t it? If she was meant to start thinking about Rarity in a new light, then perhaps it wouldn’t be a problem to watch and consider the ways her headlamp’s light spilled over her.
That counted as a new light, didn’t it?
From up ahead, she caught a glimmer of Rarity’s eyes as the unicorn looked back. A soft smile graced her features as she said, “I hope I’m not boring you with this little walk.”
It may have been the echo of the underground tunnels distorting her voice, but Twilight could have sworn she heard it waver. And it may have been a trick of the little light they had, but Rarity’s smile likewise seemed the slightest bit shier and unsure than the one she usually wore.
Twilight smiled in way of response, something she hoped would be calming and comforting, and shook her head. “Not at all. I’m more curious than anything.” Stopping in place, she cast her gaze around the tunnel, sending dazzling flashes of emerald, sapphire, and ruby in the wake of her headlight. “I haven’t been down to these tunnels since you were taken by those diamond dogs, and while I admit it’s fascinating to actually explore them a little, it’s not exactly what I pictured for our first date.”
“Ah. Yes, well, I do understand that.” For only a second, Rarity’s smile fell entirely from her face. Her hooves shuffled before she lifted her head, her lips pulled in a grin that made Twilight’s feathers ruffle. “I know it’s a little unorthodox, but trust me when I say it’s something special.”
“You know,” Twilight said, “I might be more inclined to believe you if you told me what we’re doing here.”
Rarity’s grin only grew at that. “Now, Twilight, that would spoil the surprise. You’ll just have to take my word for it.”
Twilight arched her brow well into her bangs. “Really?” With her grin turning coy, she trotted up to Rarity’s side and bumped their hips together. Banter, or so Cadance and romance novelists told her, was a key part of any relationship. When it came to the unicorn at her side, though, that was easy. “You, Rarity, ask me out on a date out of the blue, and when I say yes you bring me not to a restaurant or to the theatre, but to a dark, underground tunnel. And I’m supposed to take your word for it?”
“Oh, Twilight, my darling. You’re so clever, but so wrong.” Rarity’s smile shifted, warming into something more demure. It had a way of bringing her eyes to life and, when she turned it to Twilight, the alicorn felt as though it was a smile meant for her and her alone.
“Wrong?” Brow furrowing at Rarity’s tone, something both soft and knowing, Twilight tilted her head to the side. “About what?”
“I didn’t simply ‘ask you out’ out of the blue.” A light both fascinating and unfamiliar flickered behind Rarity’s eyes as she leaned in to rub their shoulders together. The lightest scent of lavender tickled Twilight’s nose, and her tail flicked at the contact. “I can promise you that I’ve spent ages agonizing over it. I wanted to make sure that when I did, I would have the most memorable first date of your life ready and waiting.”
Warmth trickled into Twilight’s cheeks, creeping up along her neck and no doubt turning her fur a darker shade of mulberry red. “Ages?”
A light, tittering giggle filled the tunnel. She felt Rarity nose her cheek and their eyes met once more. Were they always such a glittering sapphire blue? “You are simply adorable, Twilight.” Another, shorter giggle followed as she led the way further down the tunnel. “And now that we are on a date, I feel absolutely no shame telling you exactly how adorable and gorgeous you are.”
“Rarity,” Twilight said, matching pace with her date and ignoring the heat colouring her muzzle and the way she ducked her head, “you don’t have to just say those things for me. I agreed to try this out, didn’t I?”
“You did.” As they walked, the tunnel narrowed, bringing their shoulders to brush together and their coats to mesh and mingle with each step. “And I never just ‘say things’. If I say them, I mean them. And when I say that you are beautiful,” Rarity said, cocking her head to the side just enough to let the light from Twilight’s headlamp bring fresh life to her eyes, “I mean that you are simply stunning.”
A flattered, if awkward, laugh tumbled past Twilight’s lips. “Rarity, you’re exaggerating.”
“Nonsense! Why, if I had the poetic prowess, I would write you a sonnet this very instant. But a wordsmith I am not.” Rarity’s ear flicked, and they stopped at a juncture in the tunnel. With a smile every bit as bright as any diamond or gem, she looped her hoof around Twilight’s and tugged her down the branch to the left. “What I do know, however, is beauty. Why do you think designing new dresses for you is so easy?”
Twilight looked down at their entwined hooves. Cadance also taught her that a feeling like butterflies in the stomach was common, but the sensation was no less delightfully strange. “Is it because I’m beautiful?”
With lidded eyes, Rarity nodded. The butterflies in Twilight’s stomach took wing as she felt a squeeze and pull further down the tunnel. A soft, blue glow emanated from within, one that drew them in deeper and deeper.
All Twilight could seem to focus on, though, was the brighter, more brilliant glow of the unicorn’s eyes beside her. “More than that. Now, come along. It’s time for your surprise.”
The muffled sound of another’s voice drew Twilight back to the present. Blinking, she shook her head and looked out the window. When she did, her breath hitched as the rest of her body froze.
Stars twinkled outside, bright and dancing in the last, lingering purples and blues of dusk before Luna’s night blanketed the world. The moon peeked out from behind the few clouds in the sky, shining its pale light on the still and quiet thatched roofs of Ponyville.
Night. When had night fallen?
The voice returned, this time with a barely perceptible knock on the front door, and Twilight sprung into action. Wings flaring, she shoved the wine bottle back into the chest with the others and, with her horn aglow, covered it once more under the blanket, closed the shutters, and fluffed the seating cushion for good measure.
All of this happened in less than ten seconds, and before the voice had a chance to return, Twilight vanished in a flash of magic.
After all, as muffled as it may have been, she would recognize Rarity’s calling voice anywhere.
She reappeared in the castle foyer, pausing only to catch her breath and smooth down her coat. Once her feathers were fluffed and her wings were properly at her sides, she took a large, calming breath and walked up to the set of double doors standing between her and her Rarity.
Wreathing her magic around the door handle, she pulled open the door, knowing full well what to expect. Rarity stood there, hoof raised as if to knock again. When their gazes met, she lowered her hoof as a familiar, small, and inviting smile warmed over her muzzle. It was a smile Twilight quickly came to love, and one she realized was meant only for her.
And, another, more salacious voice whispered, so is the rest of her.
Rarity’s coat, every bit as white and bright as freshly fallen snow atop Mount Canterhorn, seemed to gleam in the fading light of dusk. It rippled as its owner shifted her weight, moving along with the curves of the unicorn’s body—which Twilight spent many hours studying. Physical attraction was an important feature in any relationship, and there could never be too many reminders.
The royal purple locks of Rarity’s mane fell around her face, bouncing with every slight movement as she tilted her head to the side. “Hello, darling.”
Darling. It was a word Rarity used so often. But when she said it to Twilight, she could tell it meant something more, something very darling indeed.
Gleefully captured by the eyes that held her, more precious than any sapphire, Twilight could only smile in response. Had it gotten any less smitten in a year? She dared to think not. “Hi, Rarity. Sorry for keeping you waiting.” Stepping to the side, she held the door open for her girlfriend. “I was just making sure everything was ready for tonight.”
“Ah, yes, for that little surprise you have planned.” Rarity leaned in while she walked inside, brushing her lips over Twilight’s in a chaste kiss. She lingered, their snouts hardly a breath apart, and the princess felt something wet lick over lip—an invitation to be resisted no matter how tempting. “I don’t suppose there’s any way to convince you to share a few details?”
With a coy little smirk, Twilight pulled away. “Sorry, Rarity. That would spoil everything.”
Beautiful, alluring, creative, generous, and, given the right mood, wanton were all words to describe Rarity. Adorable, too, made the list as the mare pouted. “Twilight, please! I didn’t wear anything because I don’t even know if we’re going out or not!”
Twilight simply let her grin grow as she shut the door behind them.
A long, drawn out sigh flowed past Rarity’s lips, one that nearly turned into a whine before it ended. “Twiliiiiiiight, I’m not asking you to tell me what we’re doing, just if I need to run back home for a scarf or a dress.” Twilight’s composure faltered only when she felt her girlfriend nuzzle into her neck, a weak spot of hers so lovingly exploited at every turn. She felt her mare grin into her coat and a tail not her own wrap around her hind leg. “Please, darling? I’d be ever so grateful.”
Twilight’s feathers ruffled at the contact, eager to wrap around the unicorn and surrender, but she came prepared. In addition to developing a finer taste for wine, dating Rarity had a tendency to sharpen one’s tongue when it came to words of romance. “A scarf? A dress?”
“Yes, Twilight,” Rarity said into her coat. “I must dress appropriately for the occasion.”
“But why would you need any of that?” Twilight asked, arching her neck to nose against Rarity’s cheek. She exhaled, watching her girlfriend’s ear twitch as the breath washed over it. “You’re already perfect as you are.”
A tittering, if flattered, laugh sounded from Rarity’s throat. “Well, well, well, somepony’s feeling awfully romantic tonight.”
“It’s a very special night. I think I’m allowed to be a little more romantic than usual.”
Rarity hummed her agreement. Then, as she lifted her head, her ears perked. “Are Spike and Starlight in?”
“No, they’re both out for the night,” Twilight said, following Rarity’s gaze to the staircase. “Spike is having a sleepover at Sweet Apple Acres, and Starlight is spending the night with Maud after helping her move a lot of her research materials in from Ghastly Gorge.”
Something twinkled behind Rarity’s eyes, something devious and intent. “So, I take it we are alone for the time being?”
Though Twilight raised a brow, she nodded. “Yes, we are.”
“Then might I be correct in assuming that we will be staying in for the night, alone together in the castle?”
Twilight giggled and waggled her ears. Rarity loved to play coy, something the alicorn was beginning to understand more and more the longer they were together. “Maybe.”
The twinkle vanished. “Twilight, darling, please,” Rarity said, leaning in and looking at her with big, wide, pleading cow eyes. They fluttered, and hot breath washed over Twilight’s muzzle as a soft pair of lips grazed her own. Instinct kicked in, and she angled her head to the side, eager to make contact, only to find her target pulling away. “It’s a yes or no question, that’s all.”
Blinking, Twilight twisted her lips into a lopsided grin and lifted her hoof to boop Rarity’s nose. “One word. Patience.”
Rarity sighed, though her smile was every bit as warm as Twilight’s. “You know, sometimes I find myself pining for the time when that would have gotten you to do anything for me.” Another whimsical sigh and she turned to press their shoulders together. “How I long for the days when my smile and kiss would have made you weak at the knees and putty in my hooves.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Wing unfurling, she pulled Rarity close as she led her to the prepared room. “I’m every bit as weak in the knees as the day you first kissed me. The only difference is that I’ve learned a trick or two since then.”
Again, Rarity hummed, a sound Twilight had fallen asleep to many a night. “I suppose you have.”
Horn aglow, Twilight opened the door to the room. With the shutters closed and the hearth cold, the only light came spilling in from the hallway. She felt Rarity’s ears perk in interest beside her. “Now, I think it’s time for your surprise.”
Skepticism, however temporary, coloured Rarity’s voice. “A dark room?”
Pausing long enough to plant a kiss on Rarity’s cheek, Twilight hopped away from her girlfriend and offered her hoof. “It’s much more than that, I promise. Trust me?”
Twilight stared at Rarity and the outstretched hoof in front of her. The silence of the underground tunnel was almost suffocating as she blinked. “Trust you?”
“Yes.” The light emanating from further down the tunnel lit up Rarity from behind, caressing the curves of her figure in its soft blue glow. The light, however enticing, paled in comparison to the unicorn’s eyes, seeming to shine brighter and bluer more than ever. “Turn off your headlamp. It will only spoil the surprise.”
Though Twilight wanted to frown, she settled for a slight wrinkle of her muzzle. Slowly, she nodded and flicked off her headlamp with a minor force of will. “Okay, Rarity. No headlamp.”
Smiling a smile that washed the furrow off of Twilight’s brow, Rarity rejoined her at her side. “Thank you. Now, you may light your horn if you wish, but not too bright. Just enough to see, understand?”
“Got it.” The gentle, magenta glow of Twilight’s magic spilled over around her as she looked between Rarity and their eventual destination. She felt the unicorn’s tail brush over hers as they started to walk. Their shoulders rubbed together with each step as the narrowing tunnel forced them closer and closer together.
It was a sensation Twilight didn’t mind. In fact, as the scent of Rarity’s lavender perfume wafted up to greet her, she felt her feathers begin to ruffle and twitch. The tip of her primary grazed over her date’s side, ready to wrap around her and pull her even closer, before she bit down on the inside of her cheek and forced her wing down.
“You know,” Rarity said, her silken voice an echoing murmur in the dark of the tunnel, “there’s no need to be shy. We are on a date.” The breath caught in Twilight’s throat at the feeling of another nosing into her neck. Her feathers ruffled and her steps stumbled as the unicorn at her side giggled. “You’re more than welcome to lay your wing over me.”
Clearing her throat, Twilight bobbed her head in a jerky nod. Hopefully, without their headlamps, Rarity wouldn’t see the blush that coloured her cheeks a bright, pinky red. “R-right. Um.”
Just as she started to unfurl her wing, Rarity’s hoof on her shoulder gave her pause. “Though, I’m afraid that will have to wait for the walk back. We are here.”
The tunnel gave way to a large cave. As they stepped over the rocky surface, Twilight arched her neck, lifting her gaze up along the vault of the ceiling that rose high above them. Crystals jutted out from the cave floor. Those nearest shone in the soft light of her horn, and while most were of a clear, translucent variety, there were enough smaller, glowing ones that gave off a faint blue light that filled the cavern.
While Rarity pranced on ahead, Twilight stood rooted to the spot. Her eyes roamed over the walls, ceiling, and floor, searching for anything remarkable about the cave. The only thing different were the crystals that cropped out from the stone floor, and they seemed a dull, matte surprise compared to the gems and jewels that grew freely in the tunnels outside.
And yet, even as Rarity’s soft, melodic humming started to echo around the cavern, Twilight kept on looking. Brow furrowed, she walked deeper into the cave until she stood at its center, twisting her head this way and that as she squinted into the near-darkness that she found herself surrounded in. Her date brought her here for a reason, and though it would delight her to admit defeat, she would not do so without a fight.
The lighting of the crystals provided some degree of a romantic atmosphere, she supposed. Their soft, blue glow seemed to wrap around Rarity’s coat as she moved, bending and twisting down along her shoulders, making the fur of her barrel shine, and curving around her hips to the tip of her tail. Otherwise, the cave was simply that—a cave.
Thoroughly puzzled, Twilight allowed herself a frown. “I don’t get it.”
From where she stood on the far end of the cavern, Rarity’s ear flicked. She lifted her gaze, her horn alight with the glow of her magic, and tilted her head to the side. “Get what, darling?”
“This.” Waving her hoof in a sweeping gesture around the cave, Twilight turned to Rarity. At the sight of her muddled expression, the unicorn smiled. “We’re in a cave?”
A twinkle of mischief, so often seen in Rainbow Dash’s eyes, glimmered behind Rarity’s gaze. She smiled a smile much too sweet and said with saccharine innocence, “Yes, we are. What don’t you understand?”
Twilight wrinkled her muzzle, something that made Rarity giggle. The sound, like a clear, chiming bell, danced around the cave and sent a tingle down the alicorn’s wings. “What we’re doing here.”
“Oh, Twilight, I thought you knew.” Turning around, Rarity trotted closer, forcing Twilight to arch her neck back as the unicorn ducked her head. From this angle, the light of her horn shone down, findings its place in her date’s eyes. “We’re on a date.”
Despite the stammer of her heart, Twilight flattened her brows. “And our date’s in this cave?”
“Precisely.” The word rolled off of Rarity’s tongue in a tittering laugh. From behind a boulder, a blanket snaked its way through the air towards them, wrapped in the same aura surrounding the unicorn’s horn. As it spread itself out on the cave floor, a picnic basket bobbed over, clinking with whatever lay inside.
Twilight’s brow rose high up her forehead as she stared at the display. All that was missing was a warm sunset, and the picture would be complete. “A picnic?”
“My, my. How very observant of you.”
Though Twilight’s feathers fluffed as Rarity sidled up next to her, she kept the skepticism plain in her voice. “So, you led me all the way outside of Ponyville, underground, and through those tunnels for an underground picnic in a dank, dark cave?”
The playful swat of Rarity’s tail on her side made her grin a grin Pinkie Pie would have been proud of. “When you put it like that, it doesn’t sound romantic in the slightest. Yes, Twilight, technically we are down here for a picnic, but that’s only part of it.” The same tail that swatted her now wrapped around her hind leg as a warm, comfortable weight leaned against her shoulder. “Look around. What do you see?”
“Crystals?”
“Yes, very good,” Rarity said, her voice a velvet purr that drew closer to Twilight’s ear with each word. “Do you know what kind of crystals these are?”
Rarity’s breath was hot on her ear. A shiver travelled the length of Twilight’s spine, spreading her wing over the unicorn’s back without her permission. “N-not specifically.”
“Neither did I. Maud and I found this cave when we were down here the other week, and I would have walked right on by if she wasn’t so thrilled by what we found.”
Twilight’s other brow arched. “Maud?”
“Well, as excited as Maud can get. To anypony else, she might have seem mildly interested,” Rarity said with a wave of her hoof. As Twilight’s wing draped over her haunches, she grinned and pressed herself closer, bringing their coats flush together. “They’re apparently quite a rare crystal this far south of the Crystal Empire.”
Warmth licked along Twilight’s muzzle as strands of Rarity’s mane tickled her neck. On instinct, her feathers fluffed over her date, spreading further down her side. A content hum told her the gesture was appreciated. Clearing her throat, she focused on the crystals and not on the feeling of soft, velvety coat against hers. “So, what are they?”
“They’re called borealite,” Rarity said, and Twilight could hear the grin in her voice. Maybe the darkness wasn’t as good at hiding her blush as she thought. “Fairly common in the Crystal Empire, or so I’m told, but very, very rare anywhere else.”
“Really?” Narrowing her eyes, Twilight took a few steps closer to a cluster of borealite. She didn’t need to look to see the amused smile play over Rarity’s lips as the unicorn followed, keeping their sides pressed together. With a small frown, she leaned down and poked a crystal. “But they look like plain crystals.”
“That’s what I thought, too.” Rarity leaned down, and Twilight could see the gleam of her eyes next to her. “But I suppose that’s not entirely surprising. It wouldn’t be the first time it’s taken a few looks to really understand how precious something is.”
Brow wrinkled, Twilight began to nod. Then, just as her head started to move, she froze as the implications of Rarity’s words sank in. There was a certain whimsical tone that coloured her voice, and a certain fondness to her smile that couldn’t be ignored. The look on her face was something the alicorn had only seen on Cadance’s and Shining Armor’s faces before, or on her parents’ in pictures of when they were young and newly in love.
The breath hitched in Twilight’s throat. “Wait, what do you—”
“Which is why,” Rarity said, cutting Twilight off with a gentle hoof to her lips, “I brought you down here. I didn’t understand how wonderful these crystals were until Maud showed me, and I’d like to show you now, too. Will you let me?”
There wasn’t enough willpower in Equestria to say no to Rarity then. With the soft, vulnerable smile warming her muzzle and the glow of their magic catching in her eyes, how could anypony? Wordlessly, Twilight nodded, feeling her face alight with a bright blush.
It may have been their first date, but Twilight was fairly certain poets wrote sonnets about the brilliance of the smile that flitted over Rarity’s lips. “Excellent.”
Twilight let herself be led to the blanket spread out over the floor. A small nudge at her side, and she lay down, keeping her wing unfurled to invite her date back in next to her. It was something Rarity took advantage of as she settled down and lifted both of their headlamps away with her magic.
Each was placed next to an outcropping of borealite, and as the glow vanished from Rarity’s horn, Twilight found herself staring back into her eyes. “Are you ready, darling?”
Again, Twilight nodded. When she did, Rarity looked away, turning her gaze to the wall. “Then look.”
Twilight did, and when the headlamps flicked on, she gasped.
The light of the headlamps shone through the borealite. As it did, it was caught in the crystals, fracturing and breaking until it broke through in a sea of colour that spilled out against the cave wall. What was plain, naked light now danced over the wall as a series of icy and moonlit blues, vibrant and forest greens, cool and royal purples, wisping and flaming yellows, and soft and hot pinks.
The colours mingled and wove together before Twilight’s eyes, dancing and cascading into a show that took her breath away. She opened her mouth, helpless to do anything but stare as the lights flickered and moved, never still, but bright and alive.
A moment later, she felt Rarity rest her head against her shoulder. “Cadance once told me that you loved watching the northern lights shine over Canterlot when you were a filly,” she said, her voice no more than a murmur. “When I found out what these crystals were, I knew there was no better place to take you.”
“Borealite,” Twilight breathed. “For the aurora borealis.”
She felt Rarity smile into her coat. “Precisely.”
Twilight continued to stare, enraptured by the lights dancing before her. Though she was well aware of the hoof that found her own and Rarity nuzzling into her neck, she couldn’t bring herself to look away. It wasn’t until she had already said it that she realized she asked, “Why?”
“Why?”
Breaking her gaze, Twilight looked to the unicorn at her side. Her eyes wandered over her, wide and searching. “Why me?”
The slightest of frowns marred Rarity’s muzzle. “Twilight, darling, this is a romantic moment. No, this is the romantic moment.” She reached up, cupping Twilight’s cheek with her free hoof. “Can’t why wait for later?”
Though it went against everything romance novels taught her, Twilight shook her head. Reaching up, she took Rarity’s hoof in her own and squeezed softly. “It can’t. I’m sorry, but I have to know.”
“But do you have to know right now? Can’t we just live in the moment and talk about this over breakfast tomorrow?”
“I’d like that, I really would, but this can’t wait.” Twilight lifted Rarity’s hoof, grazing the unicorn’s wrist with her lips. “I said yes when you asked me on a date. I decided to give you—to give us—a chance, and I know why I made that decision.”
The frown eased from Rarity’s face, shifting into something Twilight couldn’t quite place even as she drew closer. “Well,” she said, and for a moment, uncertainty crept into her voice, making it waver and shake, “why did you say yes?”
“Because you’re the kind of pony I can see myself being with.” Before she could stop it, a small, fond smile warmed Twilight’s muzzle. With a tendril of magic, she brushed the bangs out of Rarity’s face to better see into her eyes. The light of the borealite reflected off the wall and danced within, drying the alicorn’s mouth before she could continue.
Though it may have been some of the pink of the light spilling over to her coat, Rarity’s cheeks seemed to brighten. “And what kind of pony is that?”
“Somepony who loves her friends and family fiercely,” Twilight said, listening as her own voice dropped to a gentler, whispering octave. She squeezed the hoof she clasped and felt her smile grow. “Somepony who’s creative and generous, who’s company I never get tired of, and who I know would support me no matter what.” Leaning in, she nosed against Rarity’s cheek. The tips of her primaries trembled at the warmth she felt washing over her. “The same way I’d support them no matter what.”
Even in the dim light of the cave, Rarity’s blush was now as plain as day. It spread across her face, making her coat glow as what Cadance would call a smitten smile wobbled over her lips. She fiddled with a lock of her mane with her free hoof and dropped her gaze to her other, entwined hoof. “Well,” she started in no more than a whisper, “I haven’t the foggiest why Rainbow Dash and Applejack insisted that you wouldn’t know how to be romantic.”
“I love watching you work,” Twilight continued, pulling Rarity closer with her wing while she wrapped their tails together. “You’re beautiful, and you’re one of the most important ponies in my life. I’d have to be crazy to say no.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Twilight was content wait, watching the colours of the borealite spill over Rarity, weaving together in a display far more fascinating than the cave wall.
Then, as a soft, airy giggle fell from the unicorn’s lips, she lifted her gaze and stared at Twilight wide bright, shining eyes. To say they stole her breath away was an understatement as Rarity brushed her mane aside and treated her to a small, shy, and adoring smile. “I don’t think I quite have the words to explain, but perhaps I can tell you another way?”
Twilight’s brows began to knit. “Okay?”
Leaning in close enough for the tips of their snouts to touch, Rarity filled her vision. “Close your eyes and let me explain.”
Despite the frown that pulled at her lips and the staccato rhythm her heart had taken up, Twilight did as she was told. Closing her eyes, she listened, and she waited.
Lavender filled her senses, sweet and inviting, and she felt Rarity shift beside her. Warmth radiated out from her coat, every bit as soft as the finest velvet, but still no words came. Just as she opened her mouth, something soft pressed against her lips.
Though her breath caught, her hooves moved without her permission, finding the cause of the warmth that now ballooned in her chest, and pulled it in close. Hooves not her own wrapped around her neck, and she felt Rarity angle her head to the side, deepening their first kiss as the lights of the north shone around them, singing as the seeds of something far beyond friendship began to bloom.
A year to the day, and Twilight had yet to receive a proper explanation.
Every time she ventured to ask the question, Rarity would greet her with that sweet, coy little smile of hers. She would lean in, muddling thoughts with the lavender perfume she so loved to wear, and Twilight would feel as if she were in that cave all over again as she found their lips together and her heart dancing a conga in her chest.
Maybe tonight she would finally get her answer. Given past experience, she was a little doubtful, but a big part of her stopped caring many moons ago.
After all, what mattered most was tonight and that, after a year together, she held the same mare close under her wing. Between reminiscing in a time passed and watching her dearest look around the prepared room in the castle, Twilight couldn’t help but smile.
Rarity’s gaze wandered around the room as they lay together on the seating cushion. A puzzled frown pulled at her lips and wrinkled her brow as she searched for something, much like Twilight had in the cave.
The delight that tingled down her wings brought forth a light, bubbling feeling in Twilight’s chest. If this was how Rarity felt a year ago, then she wanted more. It was an addictive feeling, one amplified by the knowledge of what lay in wait.
Ruffling her feathers over her girlfriend’s side, she leaned in to nuzzle her cheek. “So, what do you think?”
“Well, the fireplace is rather romantic, but I can’t help but feel it would be moreso if it were lit.” Though the frown carried into her voice, Rarity returned the nuzzle. “And while I admit I adore the seating arrangements, I can’t help but be a tad confused.”
“Confused?” Faux innocence lilted Twilight’s tone. She tilted her head to the side, fluttering her eyelashes as Rarity pouted. “What’s there to be confused about?”
“Why we’re in a dark, empty room, for one thing,” Rarity said, peering over Twilight’s shoulders at the two blanketed lumps a few hoofsteps away. “I admit the slide projector is a little unusual, and I have to assume that those things over there are my surprise?”
Oh, the bewilderment with which Rarity spoke was delicious. After a year of waiting and planning, Twilight finally got her turn. Waggling her ears, she pressed her nose to her girlfriend’s cheek. She drank in her scent, stoking the warmth building at her core, and kissed the corner of her mare’s lips. “I don’t know. What do you think?”
She was sure Rarity tried for a bemused huff, but what came instead was more akin to a delighted little laugh. “I think you’re having a little too much fun stringing me along.” A hoof pressed into Twilight’s chest, forcing her away until a pair of glittering, sapphire eyes filled her vision. “I think you’re being coy, teasing, and intentionally making me want to kiss you silly until you tell me exactly what you have planned in that beautiful head of yours.”
Fire danced behind Rarity’s eyes, making them come to life with a passion that never failed to make the tips of Twilight’s primaries tremble. She felt her girlfriend’s breath wash hot over her muzzle and heard a purr build up in the back of her throat. “And, as much as I would love to do that, I think you would much rather get on with the surprise.”
Any other night, Twilight would have nodded dumbly, but tonight was different. Tonight, she was the romantic, teasing one. With a grin every bit as cunning and smokey as Rarity’s best, she planted a chaste kiss on her unicorn’s lips. “I will, and you’re going to love it even more than this.”
Wreathing her horn in magic, she dragged the second of the two lumps towards them. In a flash of mulberry, the blanket vanished. Rarity turned her head to the chest, and before she could voice the question on her lips, Twilight guided her hoof to its lid. “Go on,” she said. “Open it.”
Rarity’s ear flicked and, after sparing a glance at Twilight, opened the chest. When she did, her eyes widened. For a second, she was quiet. “Twilight, darling,” she said, her voice quiet and delicate, as though she were worried she would shatter the moment. Licking her lips, she looked between the chest and the alicorn, her expression helpless.
It was all Twilight could do not to giggle. “Yes, Rarity?”
Rarity’s mouth opened and closed. Eventually, she pursed her lips to smother the unsure smile that started to spread. “Twilight, I know we enjoy the occasional glass of wine in each other’s company, but this,” she said, gesturing to the chest filled with wine bottles, “seems excessive.”
Twilight nudged Rarity’s shoulder. “Look at one.”
Brow furrowed, Rarity quirked a brow, but did as she was told. Twilight had to bite down on her lip to stifle her laughter at her girlfriend’s expression, awash in bafflement as it was.
Rarity looked at the bottle she picked over—a chardonnay, bringing with it memories of a sunny picnic, fresh, mountain air blowing over her fur, and the taste of strawberries—staring through the glass at the wall of the room. “It’s ... empty?” Lowering the bottle, she turned her puzzled gaze to Twilight. “Twilight, I’m sorry, but I am lost.”
This time, there was no stopping the giggling laughter as it bubbled forth from Twilight’s lips. “Does it look familiar at all?”
Rarity’s eyebrows nearly met as she squinted and looked over the bottle once more. “Not particularly. Should it?”
Taking the bottle in her own magic, Twilight gently placed it on the floor in front of the slide projector. Another bottle floated out of the chest, this one a merlot, one made from the vineyards outside of Applewood that Rarity adored. She could almost hear the music that swept them across the ballroom in each other’s forelegs. “How about this one?”
Rarity’s eyes only lingered on the bottle for a second. “No?”
Twilight nodded, resting the merlot bottle next to the first, and reached into the chest with her magic once more. A smile tugged at her lips at the third bottle she brought to their cushion and the memories it conjured. “Maybe this one?”
“N—wait.” Recognition started to dawn behind Rarity’s eyes. Wordlessly, she took the bottle from Twilight’s magic and cradled it in her hooves. She brushed her hoof over the label, and when she lifted her gaze, her eyes were wide and her brow unfurrowed. “A sauvignon blanc? From the northern vineyards of Prance?”
Smiling gently, Twilight touched her hoof to Rarity’s. “Do you remember this one?”
“We drank a wine from this exact label on our first trip to Manehattan as a couple. How could I forget that weekend?”
“Close,” Twilight said, moving in to trace her lips along Rarity’s cheekbone, following it to her ear. “We drank from this exact bottle.”
Rarity stiffened at her side. Twilight heard the breath catch in her unicorn’s throat and the wonder airing her tone as, slowly, she said, “Then all of these—”
“Now you’re getting it.” Horn alight with her magical aura, Twilight conjured forth the rest of the bottles from the chest. They danced in the air, circling around the pair before they all came to settle in front of the projector.
She watched with delight as Rarity stared at the display, her lips parted and her eyes glimmering in the dim light cast by Twilight’s horn. Each bottle clinked as it came to rest on the floor, each bringing memories of their year together.
Another bottle of chardonnay spun as it settled, shared between them on the eve of Rarity’s birthday, and the squat, amber bottle of cider they drank at the last Apple Family Reunion plunked down beside it. A gewürztraminer, a gift from Cadance on Hearth’s Warming, gently floated into place next to the pinot noir they shared on Hearts and Hooves Day. In the center of it all rested a bottle of cabernet sauvignon, the same wine they drank on their first night together.
As the last bottle, a riesling and Twilight’s favourite label, came to rest in Rarity’s hooves, she paused for but a second to admire her work. A forest of memories, the first full year of their lives together collected in bits of glass, spread out before them. Her heart swelled at the thought, and a familiar, anticipated warmth spread to the tips of her hooves at the thought of more years to come.
Rarity, for her part, looked between the bottle in her hooves, the same wine they drank on their first date in the tunnels outside of Ponyville, the display before her, and the alicorn at her side. “You kept all of these?”
It was more of a statement than a question, but Twilight nodded anyways. With a smile warmer and fonder than any she had given before, she touched her snout to Rarity’s and let herself get lost in the beautiful eyes that held her captive every chance they could. “I did.”
“But why?”
“Because there’s something I’ve been wanting to show you for a long time. I know it’s nothing quite like borealite, but look.” With one last flicker of magic, the slide projector hummed to life.
A whirring noise filled the room before light poured out of the projector. It shone through the bottles collected in front of it, and Rarity gasped at Twilight’s side.
“Oh, Twilight ...”
Though indeed no borealite, the effect of the light shining through the bottles was indeed breathtaking. Greens, murkier than those in the cave, poured over the wall, mingling and weaving with darker, deeper shades of red, pink, and purple. They danced across the wall, swirling as the projector light shone, as wisps of amber from the few bottles of cider and the brighter, lighter blues of Crystal Empire labeled wines laced between them.
They were quiet for a time. While Rarity watched their own northern lights, Twilight watched her girlfriend and the wonder and love firmly etched into the contours of her face. With her eyes wide, her lips slightly parted, and the light of the projector reflecting off the wall and into her fur, she was beautiful, more beautiful than ever before.
As she drank in the sight of the mare at her side, she couldn’t help but wonder if this was how Rarity felt a year ago.
And, for a moment, she was back in that cave, her heart fluttering for what felt like the first time and her heart eager to give itself to her unicorn, her Rarity.
A soft, quiet laugh drew her back to the present. Rarity shifted, looking up at her with eyes brighter than any star and more brilliant than any sapphire. “Even when you don’t say anything, you somehow always manage to steal the words away from me.”
Twilight could only smile in reply as they rested their foreheads together. “You know,” she said in a quiet whisper meant for Rarity and Rarity alone, “I never got an answer.”
Rarity’s bubbling laughter grew. “An answer to what?”
“About why you asked me out a year ago. I know it doesn’t really matter now, but sometimes I wonder.” Twilight’s wing spread, her feathers ruffling as she drew as much of Rarity in as possible. “You could have any pony in Equestria if you wanted them. Why me?”
Rarity blinked. Then, tilting her head to the side, she giggled. “Oh, but Twilight, I did tell you. I’ve told you many times, in fact. Do you need me to tell you again?”
Before Twilight could reply, Rarity closed what little distance lay between them.
Soft lips caught her own in a tender kiss. Fluttering her eyes shut, Twilight let herself sink into a familiar, soaring warmth as she felt Rarity’s lips move against her own. Something warm and wet ran over her upper lip, sending a rippling tingle down her spine, before she allowed her lips to be coaxed open.
A hoof not her own cupped her cheek as their kiss deepened. The lights forgotten, Twilight lost herself in Rarity.
When they at last separated, Twilight felt Rarity’s hot, panted breaths work up to her ear, trailing feathering kisses along the way. “Do you understand now?” Another kiss at the base of her ear, and Twilight shivered at the feeling of the soft, velvety coat pressed against her. Her heart thumped against her chest—or was that Rarity’s?
Rarity drew back, enough to place one more soft, fleeting kiss on her lips, before entrancing her with lidded eyes brimming with affection. “It’s because I love you, Twilight. I loved you when I asked you on a date, and I love you all the more now.”
Twilight’s smile, she knew, was utterly smitten. Shifting to the side, she wrapped her other wing around her Rarity, guiding her onto her back as their lips found each other once more.
A tender, yet burning, warmth filled Twilight, something she tried to show with every kiss and with every whispered word to the unicorn who had so wonderfully stolen her heart away. As she did, the lights sang above them, dancing and shining with all of the music, beauty, and cadence of two hearts entwined, together interwoven.
Author's Note
A quick thanks to Monochromatic for extending the contest deadline. Without it, this would not have been finished in time.
I had quite a lot of fun writing this little story. There's a lot of competition out there, so best of luck to everyone in the contest!
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Let me know in the comments below!
