Rarity thought of herself as controlled and refined, which would mean she was not prone to pointless worry. This she knew was completely false, as she had a bad habit of breaking out into hysterics when things looked to become a complete disaster. Which would include everything from her mane being utterly ruined to failing to make her friends their perfect dresses. She never forgot those incidents, but she liked to focus on the times when she remained poised in the face of dreadful turn of events. Especially, when it involved Twilight Sparkle and her friends getting into trouble.
“Yet, here you are Rarity. Anxiously waiting on a street corner and even now resisting the urge to summon a fainting couch.” Rarity had hoped that today would bring about the marvelous turn over to a concern that had occupied her mind for well over a week. She had dressed to reflect this, a bright violet sundress patterned with diamonds-which could just as easily be mistaken for stars. Her dresses were uniquely tailored to work with either the personality of the wearer, the social occasion, or to invoke a certain feeling from onlookers. The sundress she wore now had been very specifically made to encourage warmth and even a little intrigue from one particular pony, the pony she worried about, Twilight Sparkle.
“Twilight is never late, at least not on purpose. Even if she was you wouldn’t be surprised if she changed the fabric of space and time to make herself on time anyway.” Rarity told herself, the thought of Twilight bending the rules of existence itself just for her made her cheeks blush ever so slightly. Had she been under the threatening glare of a spotlight of interrogation she would deny it, but to herself she had long since realized that she may harbor a non-inconsequential crush toward Twilight. She had not known when or where it had come from but be it the absolutely adorable way Twilight would miss obvious social cues or her brave commitment to her friends and family had Rarity spellbound. Unfortunately, just like when she had met Trenderhoof or Blueblood for the first time Rarity found her persuasive tongue and confidence always abandoned her whenever she saw the opportunity to take a more direct approach to asking Twilight out on a date.
“Which is why you are here now.” Rarity again said to herself, resisting the urge to bite into her finger nails. Over a week ago she and Twilight had attended one of Pinkie Pie’s parties at the Sugarcube Corner. They had been talking about the recent announcement that Applejack and Fluttershy had begun dating and Twilight had commented on how wonderful it was that two ponies with different personalities could fall for one another. Twilight had gone on about something or other pertaining to doing a study on different personality types in partners. Rarity had seen the opportunity to do a little flirting and had prepared to go on the offensive when Twilight had turned to her and asked her “What type of personality do you look for when dating somepony?” Tongue tied by the potentially revealing question Rarity had panicked and said she liked a pony that was bold.
“Then she had given you a strange look, excused herself and you have not seen her since!” Rarity had spent hours going over her words after that night. The worry she was feeling all too well now had only set in when she had gone over to Twilight’s castle the next day to return a book she had borrowed about a dashing lady-bodyguard and her beautiful queen. Spike had told her that Twilight was busy and that she would see her tomorrow which had been the excuse for every day since, and she had also learned that Twilight had spent time with their other friends in one form or another. Confused and increasingly anxious about why Twilight was ignoring her she had all but planned to storm Twilight’s Castle when Spike had arrived at the Carousel Boutique and let her know Twilight wanted to meet with her in front of Quills and Sofas.
She was suspicious that something was going to happen. Not even using her charms to get Spike to reveal any details about the meeting with Twilight had been successfully. He had simply warned her to ‘be ready’ when Twilight arrived and had left after that.
“Be ready? Be ready for what?” Rarity let out a sigh and turned her head either way down the street outside of Quills and Sofas. The street itself at one end went deeper into Ponyville while the other end went off toward Whitetail Woods only a few blocks down, leading into a country road that went through the trees. There were a few ponies going about their business in the streets, but nothing out of the ordinary for Ponyville-that is except for a noise she heard several streets off. It was an unmistakably loud sound, the roar of an engine to be precise. The engine roar seemed to be growing louder with every moment, and Rarity found the noise was drowning out her thoughts about Twilight more and more much to her frustration. She had realized the source of the noise would be passing right by Quills and Sofas, she had been prepared to stop the pony driving the engine, fully expecting it to be some young stallion riding his hot rod when Twilight turned the corner and gunned the engine to the motorcycle she appeared to be riding.
“TWILIGHT?” Rarity had all but shouted, her voice lost to the howl of Twilight’s motorcycle as it rushed toward her. Rarity’s detail oriented eyes took in everything they saw. The motorcycle itself was large with a silver coloring and a large headlamp in front of the handle bars. Twilight herself wore a black leather jacket with a heavy fur collar and, Rarity keenly noted, a pair of tight fitting jeans. She had also cut her hair down to a wild bob. At first Rarity had for a moment not believed it was Twilight, that she had been mistaken but the color of the rider’s mane, and the fact that the rider had both a unicorn horn and a set of wings made it impossible to mistake the rider as anypony but Twilight. A part of her still failed to admit it was Twilight Sparkle, the adorable, book loving, orderly Princess of Friendship even when Twilight came to a screeching halt in front of her.
“Looking goooood, Rarity.” Twilight said to her, Rarity noticed that she had spoken to her with a slightly lower and more gruff tone than the normally higher pitched one that Twilight normally used. Twilight smiled at her, and whistled in an imitation of a catcall and Rarity saw herself blush in the reflection of Twilight’s aviator glasses.
“Th-thank you, darling?” Rarity said, completely unsure of WHAT was going on with Twilight but she found herself oddly teetering between concern and excitement. Before she could say anything more Twilight swept her wings out, revealing a rider seat right behind where she sat which she patted with one hand.
“Hop on, Rares. We’re going for a ride.” Twilight emphasized this by gunning the engine of the motorcycle. Rarity normally would have refused such a request from anypony else, having kicked more than one frisky pony to the curb in her time but this was coming from her friend who she knew she could trust. She was also incredibly curious about what Twilight had in store for her, so she slipped on the backseat of the motorcycle, Twilight angled her wings so they flared out to either side of Rarity and did not obstruct her view. She noticed a hint of hesitation from Twilight when her hands shot back and grabbed both of Rarity’s own, she felt Twilight pause and perhaps tremble before she moved felt her hands moved so they wrapped around Twilight’s waist. “Hang on tight!”
“Eeeeee-!” Rarity let out a shriek as Twilight gunned the motorcycle and shot off down the street toward Whitetail Woods. Rarity followed Twilight’s advice and squeezed herself tightly against the alicorn, glad that Twilight could not see her blush as she became all too aware of the heat of the alicorn’s body or the smell of her mane as it whipped back from the rush of air. Rarity felt her friend stiffen and shudder, for a moment it felt like Twilight would topple from the motorcycle but then she straightened and her wings flared out to either side.
“Wooohooo!” Twilight shouted joyously as they sped into the woods, the motorcycle jumping over a small bump in the road and sending them flying for a few exhilarating heartbeats before they came crashing down again. Behind her, Rarity’s own mane and her sundress were whipped by the rushing wind as they sped along. Normally, Rarity would have loudly protested that Twilight slow down and let her fix her mane and dress but for some reason now she felt like she could care less. Perhaps it was because of how she was squeezed against Twilight, putting her ear to her friend’s back she almost thought she could hear her heartbeat, or the colors of the fall leaves as they swerved through the woods.
“WOOOHOOO!” Rarity shouted, her voice carrying over the rumble of the motorcycle’s engine. Whatever was going on with Twilight she wouldn’t stop it from letting her enjoy the ride. So along they both continued to ride through the woods, sometimes as they passed they would catch up storms of leaves that had already fallen from the trees. Other times they would turn corners so sharply that Rarity thought they would crash so she squeezed Twilight all the tighter before they made the turn successfully-sometimes she would spy Twilight looking behind at her with a mischievous smile.
Rarity was shocked to see hours had passed when she noticed Celestia’s sun starting to dip below the horizon. She wished to deny the sun, realizing that at some point her ride with Twilight would end even if it would mean getting answers, she turned her head away from the sun digging her face into Twilight’s back between her wings. Perhaps sensing her mood, Rarity felt Twilight’s wings dip back and hold her from either side even as wind rushed through the feathers. After what seemed like a unfairly short amount of time Rarity felt the motorcycle skid to a halt, bumping from the road and onto grass. Rarity was surprised to find they had stopped on a hill overlooking Ponyville, looking closer she could even make out the roof of the Carousel Boutique in the distance.
“Here we are and down we go.” Twilight said before she kicked down the kickstand for the motorcycle so it would not topple over. Rarity had not even begun to contemplate the second set of words when Twilight grabbed her with arms and wings and together they toppled from the bike. Rarity squeaked, but Twilight just laughed as they rolled in the soft grass and for once Rarity’s protests about stains were silenced as they came to a stop side by side on their backs. Twilight’s arm and wing were still wrapped tightly around her and as she looked up toward the blue sky rapidly changing to orange and purple she snuggled closer into Twilight’s embrace. She returned the gesture by letting one of her hands rest against Twilight’s thigh, her well done nails drifted against the denim fabric. For minutes they laid there, not moving and silent before Twilight spoke again.
“So…w-was that bold? On a scale of one to ten?” Twilight asked, her normal adorably hesitant tone having returned to her voice. Rarity looked Twilight in the face to see that despite the sunglasses covering most of her face Rarity could not mistake the nervous knit of Twilight’s eyebrow or the anticipation on her lips as if she wanted to ask Rarity a thousand questions.
“Well, my darling. On a scale of one to ten,” Rarity said, moving her hand to cusp her own chin as if in deep thought for a moment, I would say it would have to be, and do forgive my French, it would have to be WHAT WAS THAT?”
Twilight’s ears slid down against her mane when Rarity had shouted the last part. Rarity sat up and glared at Twilight, though her hand was still resting on Twilight’s thigh.
“Oh dear, I thought this would work the best.” Twilight blushed red, she squirmed against the grass, all her former bravado gone.
“You thought what exactly would work best, my darling?” Rarity inclined her head but just enough that she could still pin Twilight in place with her glare.
“Th-the-the biker persona. My research, it pointed to several suitable archetypes. A blend of bad girl and risk taker. Um, very bold.” Twilight replied, trying to look anywhere but at Rarity.
“Bold? What do you mean by-“Rarity had begun to say when the situation clicked in her head. The last conversation she had had with Twilight from over a week ago replaying in her mind. Had Twilight really spent the entire last week researching and learning how to act on what she thought Rarity liked in another pony for being a special somepony? “Twilight, dear, did you do all of this…for me?”
“Yes.” Twilight squeaked, and Rarity blushed crimson at the admission. Her pent-up feelings toward Twilight bubbled up and she felt light headed. Before she knew it, she was letting out a loud giggle that sent her sprawling back on the ground next to a still confused Twilight. “Rarity?”
Before Twilight could say anything more Rarity shot out her hand and placed a finger against Twilight’s lips.
“Twilight, my sweet, adorable Twilight. You didn’t need to act like this to-to woo me. You already do that being yourself.” Rarity leaned forward and pecked Twilight on the lips. It was a quick kiss, just enough for a taste of the feelings that she held for Twilight but enough to let her know there could be plenty more passionate kisses to follow. Twilight though still crimson seemed pleased, even eager, at the kiss and pulled Rarity down to her side in a confident embrace. They lay again with each other for another few minutes before a thought occurred to Rarity and she giggled again.
“How about we have a picnic tomorrow? That sounds wonderful, oh and please pick me up on your motorcycle again.”
The Summer of Rock Celebration
Author's Note
Tried a 2nd person point of view for this one. Wanted to capture the mythic re-telling kind of vibe. Kudos to lyrics from Joan Jett, Heart, Blondie, Paramore, Flyleaf, La Roux, Metric, and Brody Dalle.
The Summer of Rock Celebration
In the summer of ’10, Ponyville became the site of a battle that would forever change the face of Equestria.
The Summer of Rock Celebration.
An intense several hour rock concert where bands from all over Equestria compete for the loudest of beats and greatest of applause. For those who participate it is not only a rite of passage, it is also a test of harmony. Many a upstart band have dashed themselves upon the rock of battle at the celebration, their skills and band unity tested like never before. New bands are formed and destroyed over the course of the celebration. Many of the long-time regulars at the celebration say that a band needs something special to come out of the celebration unscathed, a harmony-of sorts.
The celebration usually leaves its venues in utter ruins, taking months to repair their streets and their spirits. Thousands of ponies, griffons, diamond dogs, and others from across Equestria converge at the latest venue and through the course of it shed sweat, tears, blood, and at least one of their drinks. Sweet Apple Brewery and other cider distilleries normally make half of their year’s profit in the week leading up to the celebration as the celebration becomes part free-for-all and part madhouse. Cities like Manehatten or Baltimare have come out of the Celebration bruised but still standing, while smaller venues like Ghastly Gorge have found themselves annihilated by the forces of rock unleashed. Many questioned why Ponyville, a small, rural settlement would be the venue for ‘10’s celebration. Some whisper it was destiny or the machinations of Princess Celestia herself. It was actually due to the actions of Mayor Mare, who said “It sounded like it would be good for tourism.”
For days before the actual start of the celebration the residents of Ponyville marked the coming of the main event by the growing sounds of practicing bands and the increasing numbers of bar tabs. Each new day bringing a new voice and a new sound, the night prior to the celebration barely any resident of Ponyville had been able to sleep through a combination of the music and the shouting of the growing crowd that swelled in number day by day and spent their free time on Ponyville’s streets night by night.
Finally, it was time for the Summer of Rock Celebration itself, thousands crammed into the massive stage built in the Ponyville Town Hall, several walls of the building itself had to be removed to permit the over spill of the crowd to see and listen to the bands on stage. The square outside town hall normally cluttered with the daily market stands was filled to the brim with rock hard fans, every pony or otherwise had become one in what was considered the greatest mosh pit of all time. Without warning the lights on the stage burst into life and as one the thousands of celebrators became still and silent, it seemed as if even The Mare on the Moon and the Stars themselves waited in anticipation.
Then the curtains retreated, and the first band of the night went on stage, The Wonderflares a veteran band of the Summer of Rock Celebration, and the crowd went wild with cheers. And Ponyville itself seemed to shake on its foundations. Performance after performance, hours seemed to last minutes to the crowds as the bands came and went on the stage. The first band out for the night were the FlimFlam Brothers, their mix of self-branding music was not received well by the crowd and they were tossed off stage. The Wonderflares were defeated in a surprise upset against the Cutie Rebels. The Flower Sisters had a good run but eventually wilted and dropped out. The Punch Bowels couldn’t compete against the Weather Squad.
On and on it went until there were only four bands left standing. These were the best of the bands that had come out for the night and the final rounds showed the true talent of the competitors. Each band would set up on stage at the same time and play dueling songs, who ever played the best according to the crowd’s applause would move on to the final showdown. The first round was barely a contest at all.
Tight Fabric lead by Suri Polomare went head to head against The Mane Event, doing their best to copy over the very songs that The Mane Event had performed earlier that night, but they just couldn’t recreate the talent and skill of the Mane Event. Applejack on the guitar made down to earth sounds, rough and strong. Pinkie Pie on the drums was all over the place with her sticks, but somehow it all seemed to go great with the songs. Rarity’s voice was a rising star with every song she sang, every note rising to entrance the audience, her multicolored mohawk and black leather jacket whipping across the stage. Suri could not keep up with Rarity’s and choked out mid performance.
The self-named Trixie and the Trixiettes certainly had a worthy amount of flair in their performance, with fireworks lighting up the stage, but in the end, they were all flash and no substance. Rainbow Dash on her guitar lead the charge of The Flyaways, her fingers a blur as she soared above the stage and played her guitar. Fluttershy’s drumbeats were soft but they rang out, delicate but the details were not lost on the audience as Fluttershy knew just when to hit out a beat. Twilight Sparkle’s voice proved to be the medium between her band mate's music, bringing it all together for a heartfelt performance that saw the Flyaways triumph over the Trixiettes, Trixie herself disappearing from the stage in a theatrical explosion of smoke.
With just two bands left the night was reaching the climax, the audience already six times over drunk on music, cider, and the energy of the crowd were roaring out for the last performance of the night. The Mane Event and the Flyaways were happy to oblige. Both bands set up on opposite ends of the stage as quickly as possible, and the entire time their lead singers stared at one another from across the stage. The microphones in their ears were not live at the time so no-pony knows what they may have said to one another before their last battle began, it would just be one of those things lost to the history of rock music. Whatever it had been by the time the performance began the stares between Rarity and Twilight had become outright glares. The Flyaways were first and launched into a beat as soon as they were given the signal, Rainbow Dash strung out a repetitive beat for a few seconds before Fluttershy began to hit her drums and finally Twilight began to sing.
“So, this ain’t the end. I saw you agaaaain~ Today.” Twilight sang and stepped out into the middle of the stage, still glaring at Rarity, “There you were smile like the sun, lips full of fun, lying down in the weeds. You said, “Come and join me” but I just left you behind me. I’m not going to let you trick me aaagaain!”
The audience clapped and applauded as Twilight bowed, her first section finished. Rarity huffed, on the other end of the stage. Waiting for the applause to die down she clapped her hands together and walked out to the center stage.
“Don't give a damn 'bout my reputation, Oh, no, no, noo! Not when I’m only doing good and having fun.” Rarity sang, her mowhawk bouncing as she shook her head, “And I don’t really care what you think. I’m not gonna change, you’re living in the past and I only feel good! Oh no, not me! Oh no, not me!”
“One way or another, I’m gonna get you and I’m gonna win! I’m in the business of misery and you can’t compete. When I win I’ll wear the biggest smile!” Twilight twirled on the stage, sticking her tongue out at Rarity. Before her own band could begin Rarity was already storming on the stage and began to sing.
“BREEEAAAK! I. Got. NO! TIME! YOU!” Despite the pause Applejack and Pinkie Pie were able to smoothly bring up a loud beat behind Rarity’s words, “Got my attention and you stomped on it all! You tried to pull me down, but I rose higher than the flames of your insincerity! You’ve got a lot of nerve to try and blame me! I’m not gonna take it! No! No! No!”
Twilight stamped her hooves on the stage, snorting into her microphone and rolling her eyes.
“You don’t wanna, you don’t wanna lie to me! If your in my way I’m going to stamp, stamp, stamp down on you!”
The two vocalists continued and on, their bitter lyrics swimming out over the audience. It was plain to see neither mare wanted to give an inch to the other, even as they inched closer to one another on the stage verse by verse.
Then IT happened.
The two rockmares just stopped singing. Their bands waited for a prompt from their respective band mate but neither Rarity or Twilight spoke. The crowd became deathly silent, the only sound was Rarity and Twilight breathing into their microphones. Then, Twilight’s tattooed bicep with tension as she balled up her fists tightly and brought them up. Rarity flipped her spiked mane back so that everyone could see both of her bright blue eyes glaring directly into Twilight. With agonizing slowness both mares raised their arms and stepped toward one another. Thousands of spectators expected their to be blood, they held their breaths for it to see who would throw the first punch.
When both Rarity and Twilight wrapped their arms around each other and started to furiously make out in front of the crowd, everycreature, even their band mates were stunned into further silence. Twilight squeezed the smaller mare in her arms, Rarity’s arms slide up to hang over Twilight’s shoulders. With their microphones still plugged in the sound of their lips smacking together and the soft but passionate moans reverberated out from the stage’s sound speakers.
What finally broke the shock of the crowd was the first two cheers from either side of the stage. Stage left, Pinkie Pie squealed just as Rainbow Dash shouted and pumped her fists into the air. Then Applejack let out a sharp, long whistle followed by Fluttershy softly clapping her hands together. Then the crowd joined in and again sound erupted and rolled out over Ponyville. The crowd shouted louder and harder than they had all night. It was then that Rarity and Twilight seemed to notice the rest of Ponyville around them, only their band mates would see the blush on their cheeks but cough politely and mumbling into their microphones both vocalists made to stand back but stopped, between the two of them they still had their hands in the other’s hands.
They looked at one another. Twilight gave Rarity a smirk, and Rarity returned it with a wink. Together they began to sing, “Love, oh sweet love of mine…”
And with that the face of Equestria would be forever changed. In the end both bands won the Summer of Rock Celebration, a first time in the concert’s history of a tie. Shortly after, both bands would retreat to the VIP section of The Punch Bowl in Ponyville and spend the few remaining hours until dawn drinking and getting to know one another. By the time the moon disappeared below the horizon the Mane Event and the Flyaways were no more. Every band member had elected to leave their respective bands and join a new band, one they called ‘The Elements of Rock’.