A Pierced Heart

Chapter 5: Arranging the Second Date

The day after Rarity and Pokey's date passed uneventfully and passed on to the next. Pokey was on the bottom floor of his home, busily adjusting connections to one of Rose Luck’s phones. It was a fascinating device, small wire connections that warranted a precise control over one's actions and movements to repair properly. Breathing satisfactorily when the final fried connection had been mended, he set the phone down with his magic and replaced the faceplate of the device. "Done."

Pokey walked over to his own phone and began dialing Rose Luck's number to inform her that her appliance was ready for pick up. He heard the tone and soon an effeminate voice sounded on the other side. "Hello? Rose Luck speaking."

"Good afternoon Miss Rose Luck, this is Pokey Pierce calling, I just wanted to inform you that your sister’s phone has been repaired and is ready for pick up."

"Oh thank you! My sister Tulip Bulb has been climbing up the walls wanting to talk with her coltfriend with her own phone since it fried. I try telling her 'It's a small town, just walk over to his place!' But she never takes the advice. I can pick up the phone at three," Rose Luck spoke over the phone.

Pokey chuckled. "Yes, teenagers can get like that, good luck." Pokey hung up the phone and noted that the time read 2:30 PM. He had no other repair jobs, he had a half hour to himself so long as he stayed in his shop. "I haven't spoken with Rarity since our date, I should probably call her. But what if its too soon for another date? No, I'm just asking, we could set it up a bit later, yes, I'll call her now and ask when she would like to go out again." With this plan determined, Pokey dialled Rarity's number and listened to the phone ring on the other end. It rang for quite some time when a voice sounded from the line.

"Hello, this is Rarity speaking--"

"Hi Rarity it's Pokey Pierce and I was won--"

"I can't reach the phone right now, if you would like me to contact you, please leave a message after the beep."

"Oh uhm," said Pokey as the tone began. "Hi, Rarity? It's me, Pokey Pierce, I was wondering if you would like to arrange another date, not for tonight of course, but sometime on the weekend maybe? Bye." Pierce hung up the phone and let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. "Well, now I just wait for a response." The thought was interrupted when the door to Pokey's shop opened and in the portal stood Rarity.

"Rarity! It's good to see you again! Come in, come in!, here have a seat!” Pokey offered a chair which the ivory mare graciously accepted.

"Thank you dear." Rarity's voice cooed. "I had finished all my orders and wanted to see you so I came down here."

"I wanted to see you too Rarity, I was wondering if you'd like another date?"

"What time?"

"I was thinking Friday night we catch a movie?"

"Which one?" Rarity asked, blinking attentively. Her eyes a set of sapphires to Pokey's emeralds.

"I was thinking you should decide."

"Hmmm..." Rarity began. " Well I was thinking of going to see Mare Shelley's Frankenstallion with my friend Fluttershy, but the poor dear would be too frightened by it I'm sure. How does that sound?"

"As wonderful as your voice did saying it." Wait, was that out loud? Oh no, I hope she's not offended.

"Thank you for the compliment Pokey, I'll stop around your place at seven tomorrow night then? We should eat before then so we aren't too hungry at the show."

Pokey gave a sigh of relief. "I'm sure the night will be lov--"

The door to the shop opened and a tan, red maned earth pony mare stepped inside.

"Ah Rose Luck, here's your telephone all fixed. hopefully your sister doesn't spill soda over it again like last time."

"Thank you Pokey." Rose Luck tilted her head towards Rarity and smiled. "Hi Rarity! Getting a sewing machine repaired?"

"Oh, well, no, you see its just that I wanted to..." the purple mare stammered.

"She came here looking for clock-work pieces for a costume design she was thinking on," Pokey stated. Changeling's were well accustomed to making up stuff on the spot, and Pokey's years of integration had honed the skill to an art. Inwardly however, he kicked himself for letting his instincts exert themselves over him.

"Ah, well good luck with that Rarity!" With that Rose luck stepped out of the shop, phone nestled in her saddlebags as she trotted to her own home.

Rarity stood herself and spoke to Pokey. "I'll see you tomorrow Pokey, tah-tah!" She trotted out the door in an enthusiastic manner, leaving Pokey to admire her silken fur.

*****

Rarity stood in her home and shop and noticed the faint red blinking of her answering machine, stepping over to it she prodded a button with her horn, and was rewarded with the electronic rendition of Pokey's voice. "Hi, Rarity? It's me, Pokey Pierce, I was if you would like to arrange another date, not for tonight of course, but sometime on the weekend maybe? Bye." With this Rarity blushed, the two of them had been thinking the exact same thing that afternoon.

The rest of the evening went on without a problem until at six o'clock, a knocking came at Rarity's door.

The white unicorn magicked the door open and called out, "Come in!" With this Rarity's good friend, the butter yellow pegasus Fluttershy stepped in. "Fluttershy! How good to see you. Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Yes Rarity, its about..." The yellow mare paused, gathering her thoughts. "I was talking with Twilight and Rainbow Dash earlier today and we wanted to get together on Saturday with our pets, does that sound alright?"

"It sounds more than alright dear, it sounds fantastic."

"There's one more thing though," Fluttershy said. Her voice turned quiet as she faced away from the Element of Generosity. "Seeing as how we'll be seeing each other on Saturday, I don't suppose we could plan our movie night to some other time?"

Rarity sighed. "Fluttershy, you're my friend, if you didn't want to see Frankenstallion because you're too scared all you had to do was say so, we can watch The Pirates of Penz-prance here at my place next Friday."

"Oh thank you Rarity." Fluttershy flew over to embrace Rarity in a hug. "I'm really sorry, but its just the reviews for the movie were all saying how horrifying it was, and I don't want nightmares."

"That's quite all right dear, I understand, but now, with our pet date with the girls, I was wondering ..."

"Yes Rarity?" Fluttershy asked.

"I'm going to be seeing Frankenstallion with Pokey, and after that, I was hoping to introduce him to you girls," the alabaster mare proposed hesitantly.

"That sound's like a wonderful idea Rarity! I'm sure Pokey and the rest of us would be happy to meet each other," Fluttershy exclaimed, releasing herself from Rarity's embrace.

The pink maned pegasus excused herself and went on her way home. Rarity ate her meal with Sweetie Belle, who was regaling her with a tale of the Third Gryphonic War and how they successfully beat back the Diamond Dog Khanate of the Pearl Fingers, establishing a buffer zone between the Pearl Fingers and the province of Stalliongrad.
Rarity had a shower that night and lay on her bed. Sleep swiftly swept her to the deeper reaches of her mind.

*****

Rarity was standing with Pokey inside of Carousel Boutique. He had just finished making an adjustment to Rarity's sewing machine. "Oh thank you for the help Pokey, but how to repay you?"

"Think nothing of it Rarity, its the least I could do for you." Before the blue stallion could object, Rarity reached over and pecked him on the cheek. "Oh my, don't you think its a little early for that? Not that I'm complaining."

Rarity stared at him half-lidded. "It was the least I could do for you," she said as she leaned in and kissed the base of his horn.

"Hehay!" Pokey was taken by surprise as his horn started glowing.

"It looks like your enjoying it," the fasionista saccharinely stated, tail now twitching behind her. She turned and walked over to the stairs. Pokey felt certain. Very pony components of his anatomy shifted as he noted the mare's own horn was giving off a soft glow of pure white. Rarity turned back as she reached the foot of the stairs. "Care to join me upstairs?" Before Pokey could respond the room faded to blackness and Rarity's fantasy was over.

"Oh fie!" Rarity called out, disappointed in her mind for leading her on in such a manner. She looked to her clock and noted it was midnight, laying her head back she let sleep take hold of her again, maybe she could continue where she left off. Rarity wasn't usually one to indulge in such a manner, but then she had never been so quickly enraptured by a stallion before.