A gaggle of gossiping girls was nothing new at Canterlot High. Sunset had been guilty of plenty of gossip over the years. Out of all the similarities between this world and Equestria, a girl’s need to gossip was one of the few observable constants of the multiverse.
Judging by the way her friends were huddled in a crouched circle, the subject of their gossip was most likely a captured piece of contraband. Secrets were currency in high school. Sunset had used plenty of them to bribe and extort her way up to the top of the social ladder, back before she was reformed.
But she was a good girl now, and good girls had no use for such black market currency as secrets. She had the power of friendship on her side now.
So it was in the name of friendship that Sunset walked over to her gossiping friends, ready to share in whatever juicy secrets they had turned up this week.
And judging by the way her friends’ whispers died down to nothing as she approached, she could make an educated guess about who the focus of their gossip was. Uh-oh.
“So what’s all the buzz about?” Sunset opened with. A lesser person would've started systematically naming off secrets by way of nervous confession by now, but she’d seen enough movies to know that only regret lies down that path. Playing it cool was always the best option.
Twilight coughed lightly into one hand while carefully concealing something behind her back with the other. She did her darndest to avoid Sunset’s gaze. “Nothing,” she said smugly.
The others turned to face her. Pinkie was positively vibrating in excitement. Her sugary grin looked as if it could give someone diabetes just by proxy. Under any other circumstance, Sunset would’ve been infected by Pinkie’s excitement. Not so much when she was probably the source of it.
Rainbow Dash wore the same mischievous grin she put on every time she was about to prank someone. Sunset sent out a quick prayer to whatever gods this world had that she wouldn’t be on the receiving end.
Like Twilight, Fluttershy was trying her best not to look at her. She was blushing lightly and when she did momentarily make eye contact, the demure girl squeaked and quickly looked away again, blushing even more.
Applejack and Rarity were absent. It wasn’t uncommon for Applejack to be excluded from gossip talk. She didn’t care for it.
Rarity’s absence, however, told a story in and of itself. She was the unofficial queen of gossip at Canterlot High. If they were gossiping without her…
“Uh-huh,” Sunset replied. “Well, seeing as there’s nothing of relative interest being discussed, I shall leave and let you all continue your nonexistent discussion in peace.” She turned as if she were leaving. You can hide the truth with words, Twilight, but you can’t hide your memories from me.
Sunset whipped around, geode necklace glowing, and made a grab for Twilight’s shoulder.
Her hand stopped a mere two inches from its goal, surrounded in a lavender aura. “Now, now, Sunset,” Twilight chided. “There’s no need for such underhanded tactics.” She pulled the item of interest from behind her back and pushed it into Sunset’s outstretched hand, dropping her telekinetic grip as she did so. “Empathize with this.”
The “item” was actually several pieces of paper, filled with eloquent, flowing prose. Emphasized on the first page was the title: The Perfect Date. Colorful imagery occupied whatever white space it could find, usually in the form of small hearts here and there, but some of the larger illustrations had the text wrap around it. The largest drawing took up about half of page two and depicted-
Sunset dropped the pages. “Who. Made. This?”
Rainbow burst into laughter, prompting Sunset to glare accustitorially at her. When she noticed Sunset’s glare, her laughter doubled. “What? You think I did this? Ha!” She wiped away a fake tear. “I wish I’d thought of this first!”
“Did you even look at the writing?” Twilight smirked as she bent down to pick up the scattered pages. “Rainbow can barely write English, much less cursive.”
“She’s right!” Rainbow crowed, now rolling on the floor in laughter.
More and more people were starting to take notice. Sunset had to contain this. And fast. “Look. I need to know if this is a prank, because if it is-”
“Oh, this is no prank,” Twilight assured her, waving The Perfect Date around for emphasis. “And you’ve already figured out who wrote it. You just don’t want to admit it because then you would have to face reality.”
Sunset rubbed her forehead in exasperation. Oh no. “Please don’t tell me-”
“IT’S RARITY!” Pinkie screamed. “Twilight was sitting in home-ec class doing home-ec stuff when Rarity had to go to the restroom and Twilight didn’t mean to be nosy but she saw some papers sticking out of Rarity’s bag and thought ‘I wonder what that is’ and like any good scientist she decided that the best way to find out would be to observe what it was so she—”
“I think I get the gist of it, Pinkie.” Sunset took The Perfect Date back from Twilight and flipped through it again. “Twilight went snooping around places she shouldn’t have been and uncovered dangerous knowledge that should’ve remained a secret.” She looked up at the girl in question. “Why does that sound familiar?”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “This isn’t unstable magic we’re dealing with. It’s Rarity. Our friend.” Her lips twitched into a Rainbow-esque prank grin. “Although, she might become a little more than your friend in the near-future.”
Sunset snorted. “You left out the part where I became a lesbian and actually reciprocate Rarity’s feelings.”
Rainbow finally sobered up. With one final fake tear swipe, she hauled herself off the ground. “Heh. Why don’t you read a few passages for us. Maybe that’ll turn you.”
Sunset shot Rainbow a glare, but cleared her throat anyway. She turned to an innocent enough looking paragraph on page three. “My heart fluttered and I looked away quickly, daring myself to wake up from this dream. I twirled my hair and glanced back up into her sincere smile. This is real life! Sunset is really asking me out! Soon, those luscious lips- I’m sorry, I can’t read this.”
“I can!” Pinkie snatched the fanfiction up and started reading from a different page. “Sunset quietly took my hand into hers. When I looked up, I found her staring at me in a way that would melt any girl’s heart, yet, it seemed like she had practiced it only for me. ‘I wrote some poetry for you,’ she whispered.
“‘To the white-toned girl of blinding light, shining bright through winter’s night.
Her voice like that of the purest spring, giving life to all that hear her sing.
Around whose form summer does bend, heating those on the receiving end.
And to the girl she caught last fall, who’ll be with her through it all.’”
Pinkie squeed. “So. ROMANTIC!”
Rainbow grabbed the papers, but Sunset had had enough of this little game. She lunged for the fanfic, hands outstretched. Rainbow saw her coming and tossed it quickly to Twilight. When Sunset reversed directions toward Twilight, the lavender girl smiled and tossed it over to Fluttershy.
Fluttershy caught it and held on to it. Somewhere during the chaos, it had flipped open to page two again. She blushed and held it out for Sunset to take.
“Um. For what it’s worth, Sunset, I, um, think you look pretty… without any clothes on.”
Sunset buried her humility in her hands. “That’s really not helping, Fluttershy.” The hurt look on the timid girl’s face made Sunset quickly reconsider her word choice. “Sorry, it's just… this is an awkward situation. Thank you for the compliment, I think.” She graciously accepted The Perfect Date back into her possession, this time with a tighter grip.
The Sunset on page two was still there, though, smiling back up at her. Fluttershy was right, she did look good without any clothes on. “I knew Rarity was good at drawing dresses, but…”
“She’s even better at drawing what’s under the dress!”
“Yes, thank you for that, Rainbow Dash,” Sunset mumbled absently. Now that the initial shock of seeing her generously proportioned human body was over, she could truly appreciate the artistry and effort put into making Sunset porn. She couldn't take her eyes off her own, caricatured figure. “Dammmmn…”
“Yes, well…” Twilight began, using her scientific voice. “We’ve established that Rarity has a secret crush on Sunset and that she is very good at drawing the female body type.” She paused to push her glasses up. “What we’ve yet to establish is just what we’re going to do about it.”
That last part was enough to snap Sunset out of art appreciation mode. “Do? Why would we ‘do’ anything about this?” she asked carefully.
“BECAUSE SILLY, Rarity likes you!” Pinkie Pie answered equally carefully, shaking Sunset violently.
Twilight nodded as if Pinkie had spoken sage wisdom. “We’ve had our fun with this. Now it’s time for you to have yours.” She gave the others a conspiring glance before settling her gaze back on Sunset. “You see, we have a proposition for you.”
The papers in her hand seemed heavier than they were a moment ago. “Oh?”
“Oh yes,” Twilight replied. “A bet to be precise. A rather, motivating bet, I should hope.”
Sunset narrowed her eyes. “I’m listening.”
Twilight grinned as if she were a fisherman pulling in the biggest catch of his life. “You remember that new motorcycle you were wanting?”
Sunset’s heart stopped. “The Motorpony 4000 Deluxe?” She coughed lightly. “I mean, yeah. What about it?”
Twilight leaned in, her voice lower. “What if I told you we found a seller here in town. The girls and I talked it over, and we’ve got enough between us to buy it. We’ll give it to you for free.”
This was almost too good to be true, and there was most certainly a catch, but dangit, she wasn’t going to let reality ruin this moment for her. “Yeah, okay. So what are the conditions?”
“Just one condition.” Twilight pointed at the papers in Sunset’s hands.
“You have to go out with Rarity and follow The Perfect Date’s story in its entirety. Dialogue, actions, everything.”
Sunset’s high went into freefall. She looked down at the fanfic with mixed emotions, the flowing prose and quotation marks taking on an entirely new meaning. “Won’t this be unfair to Rarity, though? Leading her on like this?”
Twilight tilted her head. “That’s a cynical way of looking at it. I prefer to think of it as letting her live out her dream date and giving her a night she’ll never forget.”
“Won’t she recognize the fact that I’m acting out her own piece of fiction? You can’t possibly expect Rarity to just accept that without question.”
Twilight rubbed her hands together eagerly. “It sounds like you’ve already agreed and we’re just ironing out the terms now. As for Rarity, she’ll go along with it. Trust me on that one.”
She most certainly did not trust Twilight. Sunset crossed her arms. “Ehn, wrong answer. Try again.”
“If you don’t want the bike…”
Sunset uncrossed her arms. She wasn’t exactly in the best place, negotiation-wise. “Alright, fine. And what happens if I lose? What do you want?”
Twilight and Rainbow shared a conspiring grin. “Oh, we don’t want much. Just the rights to use the video however we want.”
Sunset blinked at them. “The video?”
In response, Twilight took a small, round metallic device no bigger than a fingernail out of her pocket and affixed it quickly to the collar of Sunset’s jacket. “This camera will be our eyes and ears during the date, so if you go off-script, we’ll know about it. If you remove or damage it in any way, you lose the bet and forfeit the bike.”
Sunset scoffed at the idea of her “friends” watching her every move on this supposed date with Rarity.
But that new Motorpony, though. If she hadn’t been willing to sell her soul to get her grubby human hands on that fine piece of modern engineering, well, she might have actually considered rejecting their bet. “Alright. I agree to those terms. Begrudgingly.” She held out her hand. “Let’s shake and make it official so I can collect my bike.”
Twilight shoved a pen into Sunset’s open palm and pulled another item out of her seemingly infinite pockets. “I’ve already prepared a contract stipulating the terms and conditions in writing. Rainbow and Pinkie, would you care to witness?”
“Sure thing!” Pinkie said, while Rainbow cackled, “Hehehehehe…” Poor Fluttershy looked like she'd rather be anywhere else but there.
Sunset gave the contract a cursory scan while Twilight explained some of the finer points. “In addition to the terms I’ve already outlined regarding to the win/fail conditions of the wager, the contract also states that you must follow The Perfect Date to the best of your ability, but you may improvise your response and actions should the situation demand it. Try to make it as natural as possible, though, and get back to the script as soon as reasonably possible. The date will take place tomorrow, and the motorcycle will be awarded the following day after the ending is completed. If Rarity rejects the date on her own volition, or breaks it off with you before the end, you will win the bet by default.” Twilight took a deep breath. “Do you agree to these terms and conditions?”
Sunset glanced from the fanfic in her left hand, to the pen in her right, and finally the contract in front of her. She closed her eyes. I can do this. One date with Rarity. A new bike. Twilight and the others get their sick kick from watching. Everybody get’s what they want.
She clicked open the pen.
Twilight smiled a fang-toothed smile. “Excellent. Sign here.”
Sunset signed her name at the bottom of the contract in flowing, blood-red ink. The irony wasn’t lost on her.
Twilight signed afterwards, and Pinkie and Rainbow signed after her as witnesses. Rainbow’s cursive squiggles were worse than chicken-scratch, arresting any possibility that she was the mastermind behind the fanfic.
Once it was completely signed, Twilight rolled it back up and slipped it into her pocket. She waved at The Perfect Date still clutched in Sunset’s hand. “Now I suggest you go home and study those papers, Ms. Shimmer.” She winked at her. “You’ve got a long day ahead of you...”
That night, Sunset studied harder than she ever had before. Getting A’s in school and maintaining a high GPA was one thing.
Getting a hot new motorcycle for free? They didn't even compare.
However, as the evening wore on, it became harder and harder to pretend that there wasn't any trade off. She really was betting her relationship with Rarity on this. The aftermath would have to be handled delicately if things were to return to normal between them after the date.
Finally, after reading through the entire fic for the twelfth time, Sunset collapsed onto her bed, exhausted and no longer able to deny what had become increasingly obvious since the first time she read the ending.
“I've made a terrible mistake.”
Scene one opened in the hallways of Canterlot High, near the locker of a lovestruck teenager.
Rarity was packing her book bag for fourth period, wistfully awaiting for the girl of her dreams to knock her off her feet.
Sunset was that girl, and today would be the day. Assuming she could get her feet moving and turn the corner that is.
One helpful push from Twilight later and Sunset was standing in position. She coughed nervously and smoothed her jacket. Rarity looked up with a curious expression on her face.
“Heya, Rarity,” Sunset began, with a nervous twitch in her voice. At least she didn’t have to fake the nervousness. “Whatcha doing?”
Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Switching my books out before fourth period like always, darling. What are you doing?” Not the correct response, but then again, she wasn't the one beholden to act out her own fantasy. If only she knew.
Sunset would have to improvise her response to this one. “Asking you out is what I'm doing,” she replied, with a grin. “I know we’ve been friends for awhile now, but there’s just something about you that makes you… special. I’d like to take you out and show you how special you really are.”
This would be the deciding moment. If this was all an elaborate prank for Sunset to embarrass herself and the fanfic was fake, then Rarity would reject the date, they’d all have a good laugh and Sunset would still get the bike. If not…
Rarity looked away quickly. She twirled her hair for a moment before looking back at Sunset.
Sunset’s less than sincere smile faltered as the reality of the situation firmly established itself. This was no prank, and the stakes were very very real.
“This is all so sudden…” Rarity smiled. “Oh, what the hay. I’d love to go out on a date with you, Sunset!”
Her fate sealed, Sunset dutifully continued on with the script. “Sounds great! Let’s say, dinner at six? You pick the place and I’ll pay.” The time had to be moved, on Twilight’s insistence, to accommodate a later part of the date.
If the time change bothered Rarity, it didn’t show. “The Admiral Fairweather,” she replied, without hesitation.
Even though it was expected, Sunset couldn’t stop herself from wincing internally. Of course Rarity would choose the most expensive place in town for her perfect date. “Perfect! I’ll see you then.” Sunset winked and slowly started backing away.
It was only after she had turned completely around that she heard Rarity quietly squee to herself.
Sunset couldn’t help it. She smiled. Not because the fanfic told her to, but because Rarity’s excitement was just so… genuine. Maybe this date thing wouldn’t be too bad. Rarity gets the girl, Sunset gets the bike, and The Perfect Date did have a happy ending, after all.
Perhaps a little too happy, Sunset thought, blushing slightly as she rounded the corner. Twilight gave her two thumbs up while the others giggled to themselves behind her.
Rainbow came up and draped one arm over Sunset’s shoulder, holding her phone displaying the video feed from Sunset’s camera in the other. “Oh this is going to make the Perfect Video…”
Rarity’s house was only a few blocks from the Admiral Fairweather. As such, Sunset arrived on her doorsteps twenty minutes before six to “surprise” her with an escort there.
The fanfic dictated that she wear her exceptionally stylish yet simple Fall Formal dress, with its snowy fabric as pure as the girl who wore it. Her signature leather jacket lay overtop of it, juxtaposing beauty with practicality. She had put The Perfect Date in one of her jacket’s inside pockets, just in case she needed to refer to it, but she felt like she had everything well memorized.
Sunset had also picked a rose on her way there, because what stereotypical romance story would be complete without giving the girl a freshly picked flower?
She rapped on the door, thrice in quick succession. It opened soon after the third knock, with Rarity peeking her head out. Her face lit up with joy at seeing Sunset. “Why, hello darling!” she exclaimed. “And here I was thinking our date didn’t begin for another twenty minutes.”
Sunset winked at her. “A little novelty goes a long way.” She held out her left hand elaborately and with an air of reverence. She curtsied slightly. “If milady is ready, I’d like to escort her to the Admiral.”
Rarity nodded and poked back inside to retrieve her purse. When she stepped out onto the porch to accept the escort, Sunset did a hard double-take of her appearance.
The fanfic said she would wear a conservative yet classy jet black evening gown with a few jewels around the neckline, but it couldn’t have been more wrong.
Instead, she wore a fiery red and yellow dress that commanded attention. It barely reached down to her knees and it was tight-fitting in a way that would make any man or woman temporarily forget their wedding vows. Her bejeweled high heels sparkled in the evening sun, and her geode necklace hung faithfully around her neck, completing the image.
She reached out with a gloved hand and gently closed Sunset’s hanging jaw. “Normally I’d say it’s not polite to stare, darling, but for you, I’ll make an exception.” She linked arms with Sunset and pulled her “escort” off in the direction of the Admiral.
That was enough for Sunset snap out of her facade. She shook her head and shifted her arm to the point where she was the one leading Rarity. She’d never hear the end of it if she’d lost the bet from gawking at Rarity too much and forgetting her lines. Besides, Rarity always looked this pretty. She was just overreacting.
As they set out on their journey, Sunset pulled out the rose she had poorly hidden and offered it to Rarity. “I got you a present,” she said.
“How cliche,” Rarity giggled, as she took the rose and poked it into her hair, above her right ear. “Have you been reading those romance novels I recommended to you?” she added teasingly.
“Perhaps,” Sunset replied, with another unauthorized smile. “Now let us not tarry, for the Admiral waits for no one.” She winked and led Rarity on through the streets…
“Right this way, madams.”
Sunset suppressed a snicker and dutifully followed the waiter to their designated seats. He couldn’t have possibly been in on it, but damn if he wasn’t a tall gentleman with a finely-combed mustache. He was middle-aged and balding, but carried himself with an air of authority. Looking around at the other waiters, it seemed like The Perfect Date’s description must’ve been in the job requirements.
Once they were seated, the waiter bowed deeply. “I shall return shortly.”
Rarity snorted a very ladylike snort as he departed. “My, they do make them fancy here, don’t they?”
Sunset raised her eyebrows extravagantly and raised her glass with a pinkie extended. “Indeed, madam.”
They shared a chuckle, and once that had subsided, the resulting silence as well. Sunset tapped her feet in nervous anticipation.
Finally, Rarity broke the silence. “You said you were taking me out tonight to show me how special I am.” She put her elbows on the table, holding her cheeks in her hands, and looked at Sunset mischievously. “So tell me. How special am I?”
Sunset paused and took a sip of water to delay her response. This wasn’t supposed to be one of the dinner topics. “Well, for starters, you’re the most creative person I know. You’re generous, thoughtful, eloquent—”
Rarity waved a dismissive hand. “Yes, yes, but you’re just naming off virtues, darling.” She interlaced a gloved hand through Sunset’s own hand, and the physical contact sent lightning through her body. “Now, what makes me special?”
Sunset closed her eyes to think. What would the perfect Sunset say?
She mentally snapped her fingers. “The way you console a crying friend.” Sunset opened her eyes with confidence. “The way you design dresses to bring the best out in people. The way you wear the most make-up, but act the most genuine. The way you’re able to forgive those that do you wrong. The way you embrace change, instead of denying it.”
Rarity positively beamed with radiance. “That was the answer I was looking for,” she whispered.
The waiter chose that precise moment to return. “Are you madams ready to order?”
Rarity cleared her throat and reluctantly released Sunset’s hand. “Ah, yes. I will have the Masa toro with caviar, please.” She passed her unopened menu to the waiter.
“I will have the same,” Sunset said, glad to have the date back on script, however short it may last.
Finally, with the waiter gone once more, it was time to act out Pinkie’s favorite part.
Sunset quietly took Rarity’s hands into her own. She put on her best “love glare” that she had practiced specifically for Rarity. “I wrote some poetry for you,” she whispered.
“To the white-toned girl of blinding light, shining bright through winter’s night.
Her voice like that of the purest spring, giving life to all that hear her sing.
Around whose form summer does bend, heating those on the receiving end.
And to the girl she caught last fall, who’ll be with her through it all.”
When she finished, she could’ve sworn she saw an extra twinkle in Rarity’s eyes that hadn’t been there before. She stared at Sunset a bit longer then was called for before providing a response. “That was beautiful, darling.”
This was where things might get tricky. The Perfect Date said they talked about the meaning of the poem for several minutes, but it didn’t give any details. To be honest, Sunset was a bit curious about the perceived meaning herself. “What do you think it means?” she asked Rarity.
Rarity glanced away and tapped her fingers absently on the table. “Well, there’s definitely the whole ‘four seasons’ theme going on. Each season highlights a different one of my attributes.”
She paused and quickly booped Sunset on the nose. “Except for the last one.”
Sunset blinked at the sudden physical contact and felt her cheeks warming in spite of it. “Yes, well…” She tried to hide her blush, but failed. “Why do think I went with the ‘four seasons’ theme.”
Rarity’s eyes gleamed brightly, and her voice took on an air of wonderment. “Cycles. Change. They’re always different, yet always the same. Seasons don’t have a well-defined starting or ending point, it’s always a gradual change from one to the next. Like relationships. Like love.”
One would think Rarity wrote the poem herself. “And I started on winter because…?”
“You wanted to end on fall, of course,” Rarity replied readily. “Plus, winter is the harshest of seasons. By placing it at the beginning, you’re implying that the hardest part of any relationship is the beginning of one, not the end.”
Sunset almost whistled. This was getting just a little too deep and a little too meta for her liking. “Methinks the lady doth look too deeply into things.”
“Perhaps,” Rarity smiled, and for the first time that evening her voice took on the tinge of sadness. “Maybe I am looking too deeply into things.”
Sunset winced. This was supposed to be Rarity’s perfect date. She had no right to take the wind out of Rarity’s sails just because she felt uncomfortable with a poem interpretation. She literally couldn’t if she wanted the bike. “Hey, I’m sorry. Audience interpretation over author’s intent, right?” she added weakly.
Rarity’s smile remained, but so did her sadness. “Something like that.”
Sunset reached over and gave Rarity’s hand a quick squeeze. “Hey, what else you wanna talk about?”
Rarity ducked her head and looked conspicuously from side to side. Her voice was a low whisper. “Have you heard the latest gossip around school?”
And so they gossiped like a couple schoolgirls until their dinner arrived, and even a little after. For the most part, the fanfic didn’t have detailed dialogue for the rest of the dinner. Certain topics would be brought up and Sunset would be free to improvise and remark on them however she wanted. She was actually quite enjoying herself.
Until she got the bill.
Sunset smiled politely and payed the full amount in cash. She even left a 15% tip for their fancy waiter. Truly, her generosity rivaled even Rarity’s.
As they were making their way out of the Admiral, Sunset glanced at the clock by the door and almost stumbled when she saw the time.
They only had ten minutes.
Sunset grabbed Rarity’s hand a bit more forcefully than she wanted. “I want to show you something.” She broke into a fast walk, as fast as she could reasonably go in high heels. “But we have to hurry.”
They reached it five minutes later. The town square looked the same as it always had in the springtime, what with the trees freshly bloomed and the birds singing their cheerful melody. A few pedestrians were scattered here and there. The sun lay low on the horizon and the water fountain directly before them bubbled and flowed as it always had.
Rarity put her hands on her knees and panted. Her dress looked a little tighter, not that Sunset was looking. “You know, darling, I have seen the town square’s fountain before. It certainly has its charm, but it’s not something worth jogging in high heels to see.” There was a certain degree of excitement in her voice.
Sunset took a moment to catch her own breath before replying. Her own voice mixed anxiety and excitement. “I know you’ve seen the fountain before, but I doubt you’ve seen it like this.”
A few seconds passed and nothing happened. Rarity raised an eyebrow.
Sunset double checked the sun’s position. “But I doubt you’ve seen it like this!” she repeated, with an added hand wave.
The sun sank a few degrees lower and the magic started.
The fountain took on the full effect of nature’s sunset. The water reflected and refracted the evening light, shimmering between gold and red hues. The real beauty, though, came from the transient nature of the event. It would only exist in this singular moment of time.
Rarity’s breath was taken away. “Oh Sunset! This… this fountain is simply… magnificent, darling! Why, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my life!”
“You missed the most beautiful part,” Sunset said. She leaned in, and Rarity looked over just in time to have her lips meet Sunset’s.
Love. That was the first thing Sunset felt as the empathy link was established. Love in its simplest form of raw physical and mental attraction.
Yet, even as the love flowed unbidden from Rarity, it was tinged with a certain kind of… sadness. Similar to her displays of the emotion earlier, it was the sadness of someone who had to say goodbye but didn’t know how. Or, at least, something similar.
Sunset was about to go deeper and was on the verge of memory-walking when Rarity pulled out of the kiss.
“Wow,” Rarity said dreamily. She opened her eyes slowly at first, but abruptly widened them in shock at seeing Sunset’s geode glowing. Her expression became a little more guarded. “What did you see?”
Sunset smiled and lightly brushed Rarity’s hair, putting her at ease. “Nothing I didn’t know was already there,” she whispered to her girlfriend.
They stood there, holding each other for a bit longer than the script specified. Finally, with a nervous breath, Sunset pulled out of the embrace. “Come on, Rarity. It’s about time I walked you home.”
The walk back to Rarity’s house was quiet. Both parties knew the end was fast approaching.
The Perfect Date had the perfect ending though, at least for Rarity, and it bothered Sunset that she couldn’t figure out where her sadness was coming from. Did she know about the bet? Did she think this would be over after the final scene faded to black?
To be fair, Sunset didn’t know what was going to happen either, after the end. And that scared her. That scared her more than when she first realized that this wasn’t a prank. More than what she had to do to end it.
Finally, they stood before the doors of Rarity’s humble abode. “Well, it’s certainly been a night to remember, hasn’t it?” Sunset said. She tried to put more emotion into it, but she knew this wasn’t the real goodbye.
“The night’s not over yet, darling,” Rarity replied, again with far more sadness intoned into her voice than was scripted. “Why don’t you come inside for some tea and biscuits?”
“Yeah, I think I’d like that.” Sunset smiled a nervous smile and held the door open for Rarity after she'd unlocked it.
It hadn’t been too hard to predict the ending, especially after reading the part where Rarity invites her inside after dinner. After all, all harlequin romance novels had them, and that drawing of her on page two had been a major hint.
What perfect date didn’t end with the perfect sex scene?
It was hot, it was sexy, and it was all manners of explicit. And, Sunset had to respectfully admit, it was perfect.
She had been more than a little reserved when she first read it. If she went through with it, it would irreversibly change her and Rarity’s relationship. But, it was what Rarity wanted, and what Sunset had to do to get the bike, so she accepted what she had to do.
That stupid, stupid bike. Why had she placed so much importance on it?
Sunset found a comfortable spot to sit on the couch while Rarity went into the kitchen to warm the tea.
As Sunset waited for her lukewarm cup of camomile tea, she kept replaying the events of the night in her head. Things had started off well enough. For all its novelty, the date had mostly gone as scripted.
So then why was faking her emotions less and less? When did it cease to be act?
Rarity re-entered the living room carrying two fresh cups of tea and a plate of biscuits. She set the plate down on the table and offered Sunset her cup with a shaky hand.
Sunset took it into her own twitchy hands and sipped on it. It was almost laughable, how shaky they both seemed, and indeed Sunset did release a nervous laugh, prompting Rarity to laugh in turn. Soon, both girls were giggling like mad women, with no reason to stop and no reason to keep going.
Eventually, the giggles subsided, and they were left again in uncomfortable silence. Rarity’s sorrowful expression returned and Sunset’s own nervous shakes came back in full force. She tipped the last few drops of tea into her mouth and sat the empty cup on the table. Rarity did the same.
That was the cue.
Sunset paused a moment to unhook her geode necklace and placed it on the table. She didn’t want to get caught in any memories in the ensuing moments. She took a deep breath, and grabbed both of Rarity’s hands in her own. “My dearest Rarity,” she began. “My white angel in this dark world. I—”
Her words caught in throat. Rarity was on the verge of tears. Something… something was wrong, and Sunset wasn’t going to take advantage of Rarity, or her love, just to win a stupid bet. “I love you too much to do this to you.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“No,” she whispered. Then, with a little more resolve, “No. I won’t do this.” She felt around for the hidden camera and plucked it off her jacket. She held it up to her face. “I forfeit the bet. I don’t care what you do with the video. It’s just not worth it.” With an air of finality, she crushed the camera.
Rarity looked on in confusion. She glanced from Sunset to the tiny camera she crushed in her hand. “Did you say b-bet, darling?”
Sunset nodded guiltily. Time to come clean. “Twilight found the fanfiction you wrote, detailing The Perfect Date you wanted to have with me.” She pulled the fanfic in question out from her inside jacket pocket. “She pressured me into accepting a bet to go out on a date with you and act out the story you wrote. I thought you… might have picked up on that last part,” she finished awkwardly.
Rarity stared at The Perfect Date in shock. After a few moments of unnerving silence, Sunset waved her hand in front of Rarity’s face. “Hello, Rarity? Talk to me.”
In response, Rarity pulled out some papers of her own.
The first page was filled with beautiful flowing prose and small doodles with have of page two being taken up by an explicit Rarity. The title read The Perfect Date.
Sunset’s blood ran cold.
“I thought, I thought you wrote the fanfic.” Rarity wiped some of her tears away and tried to concentrate. “This was supposed to be your perfect date, not mine. Twilight came up to me and—”
They both stopped. “Twilight,” they said in unison.
Sunset was about to launch an angry tirade when Rarity held up a hand to stop her. “One moment, darling.” She felt around her dress and pulled away a small, metallic device Sunset hadn’t noticed was there. Rarity turned it around to face her similarly to the way Sunset had done with her own camera. “Do be a dear and piss off, Twilight. This is a private conservation.” She crushed it and flicked it away as if it were an insect.
“That manipulative bitch!” Sunset exclaimed. “Here I was, thinking you wanted this.” She turned a wild eye to Rarity. “What did she promise you?”
“Some new fashion materials she synthesized in her lab,” Rarity said, dismissively. “Honestly, I accepted it more for your benefit than mine. It’s not everyday you get to get to act out one of the love stories you read about all the time.” She flashed a white smile. “And I do like an excuse to practice my acting skills.”
In light of the revelation, an uncomfortable truth began to emerge. “Was it all an act?” Sunset asked. “Everything?”
Rarity didn’t answer at first. Instead she picked up Sunset’s copy of The Perfect Date and flipped through it. “It was an act, at first. But then, oh, I don’t know when it happened exactly, maybe during the dinner, but at some point it became… real, I suppose.” She looked Sunset dead in the eyes. “Was the kiss real? For you?”
Sunset thought back to that magical moment. The love she felt from Rarity via the empathy link was real enough. But did she reciprocate those feelings?
After everything that happened? Yeah. At some point, she did start reciprocating those feelings. “No more acting,” she whispered.
She leaned forward and kissed Rarity for the second time that night. After a few minutes, she pulled away slowly. “Does that answer your question?”
Rarity laughed. “Do you know why I became progressively more sad over the course of the evening, darling?” She picked up her version of The Perfect Date. “My ending’s different from yours. I was supposed to break up with you.”
Sunset’s eyes widened in realization. “You didn’t want to break it off. That’s why you were sad.”
Rarity nodded. “I would have much rather preferred your ending.” She blushed a rather ladylike blush. “Though I suppose that can wait for another time.”
Sunset snorted, then frowned. “Wait. Why would my idea of a perfect date be for you to break up with me? That doesn’t make any sense.”
Rarity rubbed both her arms in a self-comforting gesture. “I didn’t understand it either, at first, but I think I figured it out.” She looked up. “Do you want me to tell you?”
Part of Sunset wanted to know. A bigger part didn’t. “No. Whatever Twilight meant by that, it doesn’t matter anymore. Nothing but a fake ending, anyway.” Sunset let out a half-snarl. “Damn that girl.”
Rarity lightly touched Sunset’s arm, bringing her back to the moment. “Oh, I wouldn’t be too hard on Twilight. After all, it did lead to this.”
As Sunset sat there, staring into the depths of her girlfriend’s eyes, she had to admit that for all of Twilight’s meddling, it had led to something beautiful. “Yeah. I guess she saw something we didn’t.”
Rarity smirked. “I guess so…” Another boop on the nose.
They sat together in silence for a few minutes.
“Now what?”
…
“Would you like some more tea, darling?”
Sunset smiled and handed her empty cup to Rarity. “Why yes. I would love some more tea.”
A dark figure sat alone, the only illumination lighting up her workspace being that of three computer screens, two of which were filled with static. Various sketches of Sunset and Rarity littered the work area along with snippets of dialogue.
The figure held two dolls in her hands. She shook the white and purple doll elaborately. “Oh Sunset! This… sunset is so sunsetty. It must be the sunsettiest sunset of all the sunsets. Why, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my life!”
“You missed the most beautiful part,” the red and yellow doll said, its tone lower.
“Now kiss!” the puppet master exclaimed. She mashed the dolls together violently. “Mmmh, mwah” and other lewd sounds ensued.
A knock on the door interrupted her fun. “It’s Twilight! Can I come in?”
Cadence grinned and set the dolls down on her desk. She swiveled around to face the door. “Come on in, Twilight!”
Bright light streamed into the room from the hallway, prompting Cadence to raise cover her eyes and hiss. Twilight rolled her eyes. “I brought cookies, but I’m not sure you shipping vampires can eat them.”
Cadence dropped the theatrics and graciously accepted the plate of cookies. “As long as they’re made with love.”
Twilight took one of the cookies and glanced over at the computer screen. On it, a tired but smiling Rarity was refilling a teacup of one equally looking exhausted Sunset Shimmer. “You know, you were right, Cadence. They do look cute together,” she mumbled through her cookie.
“Ah-ha!” Cadence pushed off her desk and put her hands up in a metaphorical Gooooal pose. “You know what that means!”
Twilight sighed. She pulled out a five dollar bill and handed it to Cadence. “Stupid bet,” she mumbled.
“And…” Cadence rolled her hand.
“And my sister Cadence is the best shipper in the world and can make anyone fall in love,” Twilight recited monotonically.
Cadence frowned. “I seem to recall ‘with emphasis’ being apart of the agreement.”
Twilight put on her best, fake smile. “And my sister Cadence is the best damn shipper in the universe and can make literally anyone fall in love!” she said, with emphasis.
Cadence closed her eyes, soaking it in. “It feels good to win.”
Twilight just shook her head. “Sunsarity, who would have thought? I guess you saw something I didn’t.” An explosion sounded downstairs, accompanied by a few screams. “Ah, that would be Pinkie Pie. I better get back down there to do damage control.”
She turned to leave, but something about the way Sunset and Rarity were sitting on the couch seemed… off. “I don’t remember this part in either of The Perfect Dates.”
“That’s because they already chose the ending.”
“Oh?” Twilight looked at the screen with renewed interest. “Well which ending did they choose?”
“The best ending,” Cadence replied, smiling warmly at the muted image of Sunset and Rarity talking on the couch. Rarity apparently said something funny as Sunset burst into laughter.
“Their own.”
Author's Note
It’s not the wagers we make that define us. It’s the motivations we have to make those bets and the sacrifices we make to obtain or lose them that defines us. Or something like that. It’s open to interpretation. There’s probably a few other metaphors in there as well.
Partially inspired thematically by Anton Chekhov’s short story The Bet. It’s good stuff and you should read it.
Exeunt.
