Intoxicating Scales

"I guess we all just distract ourselves with pointless pursuits until we expire." Rarity sighed, flipping through the pages of a romance book.

"Rarity, is something wrong?" Twilight asked, sitting up and tearing her gaze from the book in front of her. Sitting in a bean bag in the library, wearing light blue pajamas with her hair tucked into an orderly bun.

"I don't say that out of sadness darling, just a realization."

Twilight crossed a front leg over the other. "I wouldn't call all pursuits pointless."

"Perhaps. Life does improve in many cases for the future daily. Though I think we pretend things get better more than they actually do, thinking if we teach our foals not to do the same then it'll all be better, but it really never does get better. New solutions create new problems, it's a vicious cycle."

The alicorn raised an eyebrow at her. "I fundamentally disagree with a lot of this...philosophy. Rarity, tell me what's going on. This doesn't sound like you."

"Have you thought that maybe that's a good thing?" the unicorn snapped. "Sorry Twilight, I'm just finding it hard to be hopeful recently."

"Oh Rarity," she said, putting a bookmark in the novel and rising up, walking towards her friend and putting a wing around her. "Has AppleJack been on your mind...?"

The white mare shook a little, unable to met her friends warm gaze. "What did she tell you, by the by?"

Twilight frowned, "You really wanna know?"

"Obviously."

"Well, I know something happened between you and her in the room, there were drops of blood on the blanket of the bed. Sounded like you two fought over how your date went last week?"

Rarity rubbed her neck, entirely unsure exactly what she should say. Twilight thankfully continued, noticing her discomfort.

"Though I have my suspicions that something else might have gone down. Rarity, did what I think happen? Just say one or two. One for the f-"

"Two."

"Oh...wow. Um, Rarity, I say this not to offend-"

"You've already begun to with that!"

"Rarity, shh," her friend cooed, rubbing her back. "I was going to say I understood."

The unicorn lifted some of her mane to welcome the friendly massage. "I'm sorry, I will listen and not interupt anymore."

"Thank you. I've known for quiet some time that AppleJack's had a crush on you, if I am being totally honest. You two were both lonely, hadn't been intimate in a long time and well...I think AppleJack was hoping for something more serious. But then realized that this wouldn't happen, which is hurtful. When I went over there she told me you had gotten her hopes up, started crying and seemed to get angry at your date. Then when I asked what happened and why was there blood, she refused. I pressed harder than I should've and a shouting match begun. And well...none of us are on good terms with her now too, in a twisted way I hope you take comfort in knowing you're not the only one who screwed up. And we all have things we need to make up to her for."

The pair sat in silence, before Rarity brought out her notebook, opening to her ideas of ways to fix the situation. Reading it over, Twilight nodded thoughtfully.

"You know, I think I know exactly what to do. Though it'll take some time as I think she does need space and isn't receptive quite yet."

Hovering over a quill and ink, she tapped her chin, taking the notebook from Rarity and began to scribble. Chuckling, the alicorn sighed. "I swear, I shouldn't be surprised that the two Apple sisters are attracted to you and your sister."

"I beg your pardon? How do you know Apple Bloom is...?"

Twilight raised an eyebrow, before looking guilty at her. "It was a secret? Come on Rare, a little secret about me is I like mares too, and I know when somepony's trying to butter another up. And well... I know eavesdropping isn't how you're supposed to find out information, but while I was over at their barn I heard Apple Bloom confiding in her brother about her feelings about Sweetie when they thought me and AppleJack were in the room. Shame Sweetie doesn't play for the other team too, right?"

Rarity sat in silence, not knowing what to say until Twilight levitated the journal over to her. "What do you think of this?

The unicorn smirked, "It is divine."

"I've been thinking of moving out." Sweetie said, buttering toast. "Closer to the college, you know?"

"But Sweetie, you don't even have a job," Rarity reminded her, attempting to seem warm to the idea, though a part of her writhed inside thinking of her sister entering the real world. "And I've been letting you live here rent free."

"I know, and I feel bad about it," she replied, levitating a bowl of cream-o-wheat in front of the two of them. "Besides, it would give me a lot more freedom. And I have to grow up at some point! I can't always live here."

Rarity felt like a part of her died, shattering painfully, "That is true. I am glad to know you're taking initiative! Putting life into your own hooves, why I remember when I first set out. I was so scared and crawled back to mom and dad a few times before-" Seeing the hole she was digging she stopped by taking a bite out of an apple.

"But struggling is just a part of life!" Sweetie exclaimed, "And I learn more from that then being sheltered and being successful at the few things I do."

Rarity sighed, both admiring and dreading her sisters tenacity. She nodded, trying to look happy even though she felt like she was moments from falling apart.

Rarity jumped as a knock at the door sounded, breaking her concentration and causing her to accidentally sew a sleeve half shut.

"Who in the name of Celestia is knocking so early!" she whined, knowing full well it was early afternoon. Pacing over to the door with agitation, before stepping back as it opened by itself. To her astonishment, WolfBane came strutting in with an importance she'd never seen in his step. Wearing a baggy ivory shirt and wispy blue pants. And mane less slicked than before, but mostly the same.

"Good mor-afternoon. I was wondering if you did dry cleaning? I-" the pegasi stopped, looking as though he'd been slapped as he stared into Rarity's eyes. "I um...Am hoping to go on a date soon actually."

"Oh? With who?" she asked, looking like the wind had been knocked out of her.

"I dunno know if you know her," he drawled airily, pacing around her, "I met her on the way back from our date. She tripped over a sidewalk crack, and then a rock, which twirled her around and landed right into my wings. Turns out, she is a model all the way from Prance. We just got married two weeks ago."

Rarity pinned back her ears, furrowing her eyebrows as she tried to work up a smile.

"But you know what the best part is? I'm totally messing with you and none of that's real."

Rarity rolled her eyes but gave a light laugh, "Oh? How do you know I haven't married a model from Prance sine we've seen eachother?"

"Because I probably wouldn't see you in PonyVille- have you gotten involved with anypony...?" his smugness quickly melting back to his usual demure tone.

"Depends who's asking, darling." she teased, "No, I haven't."

"I didn't know you owned the Carousel Boutique, sorry this wasn't more of a surprise. On the plus side, Fluttershy will be coming over with some nachos any second now with a note asking you if you were free anytime soon."

"Oh? I probably could find a free day say, next Tuesday?"

WolfBane grinned widely, "That sounds amazing. Now do you do dry cleaning?"

Rarity sighed as she cracked open the book as she curled under her covers, flipping through pages on taking care of care and the female dragon reproductive system. Levitating nachos into her mouth with care, though her muzzle was notably stained with cheese. Smiling when she landed on a segment titled, "Courtship."

Throughout the many species of drakes, there is one constant. Besides the perceived attractiveness of their mate, the nest plays a crucial part in the mating process. Females will lure males in depending on how well structured the nest appears and the materials used. The rarer materials implemented either excites the male or lessens her chances depending on his species and mineral preference. A factor many successful mating have in their nests is an abundance of red lining the bottom. The softer the female can make her nest, the more the odds are in her favor not only for mating, but for the survival of her offspring. As stated in chapter 3, most dragons eggshells are made from-"

Skimming over the three paragraph segment on eggs, she read the closing paragraph.

"In conclusion, it is vital that the female has not only an ascetically pleasing, but functional nest. Depending on the males species, he may stay to raise the young and would desire more sizable nest. Sharp edges and bumps are seen entirely undesirable. Gems decorating the outside of it however have a sigh success rating and are often consumed pre-coitus."

Shifting onto her side, she buried her face in the pillows as she glanced over pages of example nests. One build with vines and sections of branches caught her eye. It looped in a perfect oval, with glittering garnet's and moonstones shoved into the vegetation. Around the ground were littering of pink, blue and purple pebbles, all looking smooth and polished. The book making note that this dragon had five mates duel over her, having high success rates every year with offspring survival and amounts.

She looked at her own bed, tapping a hoof on her chin before rising out of it. Backing up she observed it, with it's rectangular shape, green and blue covers and stuffed animals, it probably wasn't doing terribly much. Every morning she woke up she had to stretch out kinks and pain it caused, so perhaps looking into getting a new bed wouldn't be so bad. Nervously glancing outside as the day transitioned into early evening.

"Is the mattress store even open at this time?" she mumbled. Stepping back a few paces she began to put together a mental image of a new layout of the bed, partially inspired by the nests, and some elements for her own comfort as she cleaned up.

Gasping she ran out the door, levitating over her saddle bag onto her back. "Sweetie! I'm going out to the mattress store! Do you need anything while I'm out? I'll-!"

Stopping in front of her sisters room, she glanced in. Pinning back her ears at Sweetie's absence.

"She didn't even tell me she was going out." she sighed. "She is a grown mare now, and I must accept she has control of her life. But I really wish she wouldn't leave."

Plodding to town, she was pleasantly surprised to see that not only was the mattress store still open, but that it appeared they stayed open until midnight. Grinning she walked in, eyeing beds around with a curious wistfulness. Enamored by the how each bed had a little layout to go with it. Some having reading lamps beside them, while others had posters of teddy bears above them.

"Excuse me!" Rarity called a worker over, "This may seem like an odd request, but do you have a bed that's perhaps a little more round?"

She had expected an odd glance, however he didn't have a reaction more than a cheerful, "Follow me this way!"

Towards the back of the store a new section had been added. "For Creature's with Differing Requirements," read a sign. Along with a catalog of beds with many different shapes.

"Now what kind of creature's bed were you looking for today?"

"Oh, for a-for a female dragon! A good friend of mine really. She's hoping to have something she could have something that would be comfortable for eggs too?"

"But of course," the worker said, "Maturity beds are down that way. Sheets and accessories on the wall towards the back."

"Thank you ever so much." she smiled, nodding him off.

Looking around she was relieved to see no other pony or creature back here. Cantering over to the beds, she sized few of them up. They did look considerably more comfortable than her own bed, and were't necessarily much smaller. She was just about to try some of the standard looking ones, when an exquisite glimmer caught her eye.

Looking over, she spotted a smooth oval bed that was much more elevated than the others. The bed canopy covered most of it, looking like it was made of silk and feeling the same; starting from deep purple at the top, but as the color cascaded down it lightened, with its tips being a dusty fuchsia.

Climbing up the two steps beside it, she was immediately hit with inspiration on how to customize. She found the enclosed darkness comforting, so much she nuzzled the display pillows and did a test curl. Exhaling as she sunk into the satiny mattress. Her tail resting over the ornate gold border.

"Would you like us to install this in your home ma'm? Only 10 bits extra."

Jumping, she blushed. "Oh um, I-"

"Don't worry, I have one of these beds at home too, I'm not judging."

Rarity waved off the stallions who had come to help her set up the bed. Still bearing the bashful grin when she asked for their assistance to help move the other into a storage shed in the backyard. Her sister casting questioning glances all around when she returned in the fray of lugging.

"That's a unique bed." Sweetie offered, poking her head in.

"Oh darling, I haven't even begun to customize it yet!" she sang, stringing together a rainbow of gems with her tongue sticking out.

The curly haired unicorn furrowed her brows and scrunched up a smile, "I'll just leave you too it then."

Rarity's ears swiveled towards her words, but she offered no reply. Engrossed in creating. Wiping her forehead as she added things to it, before taking them back and reconsidering her plans. Numb to the passage of time as the moon ascended the sky further and further.

With a frazzled mane and heavy eyes, she yawned as she stared out at the final project. The gold border now housed glittering emeralds, sapphires, and glossy obsidian chunks. A silky wine-red sheet tucked evenly around the mattress peeked through her rosewood and mulberry blankets. Climbing up the steps, she rested her head on cobalt pillows. Watching the soft glints of the gems above her that she had sewed into the canopy. Ordered in a rainbow sequence, the six of them stabilized the structure so it wouldn't move. Her eyes were closed by the time dawns light peeked inside, igniting the gems and causing the colors to shimmer all around her.