Where My Heart Lives

by D4ftP0ny

Rating: everyone
Tags: Fleur de Lis, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Octavia, Rarity, Romance, Fancypants
Length: 97149

Rarity takes a trip to Canterlot after the Royal Wedding, and ends up making more than dresses.

Rarity prides herself on her work, and when letters start pouring in from Canterlot after the Royal Wedding she is overjoyed by the enthusiasm for her dresses. Drawing on her friend Fancy Pants, she is able to set up a temporary shop in Canterlot for one month, where she will do her best to turn out as many dresses and outfits as she possibly can.

She swears to Twilight and her friends that she won't fall for the allure of the big city again, and that Ponyville won't have to go long without her... but once there, she is quickly swept up in the grandeur and glamour of post-Wedding Canterlot. Her clients are rich, prestigious and famous, with clout and influence to burn...

...but it is one mare, a simple gray earth pony, who catches her attention. She doesn't behave like the rest- she is quiet, yet when she speaks she is witty and clever, not dull and droll like the others. She dodges Rarity's questions about her artfully, which only piques the white unicorn's interest and nigh-on forces her to dig deeper into the community to find out about this mysterious mare named Octavia.

But what does she hope to find? Why is she so driven to find out more about the gray earth pony musician... and what will she do with the information she gleans?

Published 2012-11-26 11:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-01-08 05:39:44 UTC

An Unscheduled Appointment

“So, run this by me one more time, Rarity – why, exactly, are we helping you pack?”

Rarity rolled her eyes, a move mimicked by Twilight Sparkle who stood across from her as the two unicorns neatly folded Rarity’s belongings and packed them into one of her myriad of suitcases.

“For the absolute last time, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said as she levitated a particularly frilly piece of clothing before her. “You’re helping me pack because I’m going to Canterlot for a month.” She eyed the item critically before nodding. With practiced ease, her blue magic creased the garment and placed it delicately into the suitcase.

From across the large main gallery of Carousel Boutique, a pile of hats that Rarity had discarded as not “Canterlot-worthy” shifted and revealed the curly-maned head of a pink pony with bright blue eyes. Pinkie Pie shook her head violently, ridding her body of the majority of the hats except three that somehow remained on her head as if she had glued them there. “That’s right, Rainbow Dash!” she chirped. “She’s going to Canterlot because everypony there has sent her letters asking for dresses and hats and outfits and everything ever since we got back from Princess Cadence’s wedding because she did such an awesometastic super-amazing job!” Pinkie giggled. “And since there are a lot of ponies in Canterlot, she decided to just go there instead of making the bajillion ponies who want dresses come out HERE!”

The white unicorn had the grace to blush ever so delicately; after all, Pinkie Pie’s compliments were always vibrant and unique. “Oh now Pinkie,” she said, waving a hoof. “Not every pony in Canterlot has sent me a letter.”

“You could have fooled me,” Twilight said with a chuckle as she folded yet another piece of clothing. She levitated the folded item into the bag before closing it with a subtle snap of the clasp. “That pile of letters I saw in your study seemed big enough to have one from at least every noble and celebrity in the whole city!” The suitcase lit up with the bright magenta of Twilight’s magical aura before lifting easily and floating over to settle next to the door. “And I’m preeeetty good at estimation,” the purple unicorn said with a nod, looking extremely pleased with herself.

Rarity smiled a little more and she couldn’t keep the excitement and pride from bubbling up into her voice. “Yes… yes it did seem that way, didn’t it,” she said airily, brushing the curl in her mane with a hoof.

A throaty meow from across the room drew Rarity’s attention. Near the back of the room, in one of the only clear spaces available, Fluttershy was ever so gently wrangling Rarity’s fluffy white cat, Opalescence, into the pet carrier she would be traveling in; after all, Rarity was going to be gone for a whole month- far too long to leave poor Opal by herself. As she watched, Fluttershy smiled at Opal with the patience and care that only she possessed and reached out a hoof, stroking the claw-happy feline from ears to tail once before tapping Opal gently on the rump.

“Come on now, Opal,” she cooed. “There’s a good kitty-kitty.” With a half-hearted hiss Opal gave Fluttershy what Rarity could only call a very definitive feline pout; however, when it became apparent that Fluttershy was not going to acquiesce, the white cat gave a flick of her tail before sauntering into the carrier as if it was her idea to go in there in the first place. Fluttershy closed the door behind Opal before turning to Rarity, her eyes full of excitement. “I’m so happy for you, Rarity,” she said, her wings fluttering gently against her sides. “I can’t imagine what this must feel like for you to finally have the chance to do what you’ve dreamed about for so long! You’ll finally have your chance to –” she blushed slightly, but when she spoke her voice was slightly boisterous and carried a bit of a strange accent, “—to SHINE all ovah Eqvestria and make ZE MAGICKS!” she said, waving a hoof importantly in the air.

Rarity giggled loudly at her friend, causing Fluttershy to blush deeper and try to hide behind her mane. “Oh Fluttershy, that was a lovely Photo Finish impersonation. Have you been working on that just for me?”

Fluttershy laughed uncertainly, clearly not sure if Rarity’s giggling was amused or condescending. “Y-yes… I have been, actually…”

“Well, it was positively marvelous, darling,” Rarity said with a toss of her mane, and Fluttershy perked up at the encouragement before the unicorn continued. “But yes, this is certainly a wonderful opportunity for me.” Rarity’s eyes widened as she spoke, visions of her future dancing before them. “Why, who knows what kinds of ponies will want dresses from moi… Nobility, actors, singers, songwriters..!” She gasped slightly. “Who knows, maybe even royalty! AGAIN!”

Fluttershy nodded, her mane bouncing merrily. “Exactly!” She smiled so broadly that she squeaked. “Oooooh, I’m so excited for you, Rarity!”

A small chuckle cut across the room, and Rarity turned towards the door just in time to see Applejack enter the Boutique, swiping a hoof across her forehead. “We’re all mighty excited for ya, Rarity,” she said as she eyeballed the sizeable stack of luggage that still sat by the door. The orange earth pony had kindly volunteered to load the wagon Rarity had rented to get her to the train station, but was starting to look like she’d regretted offering her services. “And we’re all right proud to be sendin’ ya off to Canterlot so y’all can drum up new business.” She picked up one of the nearest suitcases in her teeth and gave it a smart toss and sent it sailing through the air to land squarely atop the pile already in the wagon. “And I’ll even ignore the huge pile o’ luggage y’all are takin’- shoot, a month’s a long time to be gone from home!”

“And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind understanding, Applejack,” Rarity said with a winning smile. “After all, you are quite right – a month is a VERY long time to be gone, which is why I needed to pack so much!”

Applejack rolled her eyes as she tossed another large chest onto her back. “Not that I don’t think y’all couldn’t have packed just a bit lighter,” she muttered, but Rarity didn’t hear her. The excitement was starting to well up in her again, mixing with the anticipation and worry about what was to come to create a warm flush in her cheeks.

“And I’m scheduled to open up shop in Canterlot in less than a week!” she went on, gesturing broadly in the general direction of the capital. “Fancy Pants… you all remember Fancy Pants, of course,” she said before plowing on without waiting for replies, “Fancy Pants was gracious enough to help me secure a temporary space in which I am to set up my small Canterlot extension of Carousel Boutique, but I’m afraid he didn’t give me much time to prepare.” Her nose wrinkled. The truth was that he had given her VERY little time to prepare, almost less than she needed: she’d received Fancy Pants’ letter two days ago and had spent the time since frantically trying to get things organized. “In fact, if I don’t leave today, I shan’t have the time I need to get there and get properly set up before my first clients are scheduled to arrive!”

“Which is why she came to me, asking for help,” Twilight said with a caring smile at Rarity. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you quite as flustered as you were last night, Rarity,” she went on, folding yet another garment. “It was almost like seeing you before the Gala last year and I was very glad to lend a hoof.” She grinned. “After all, I’ve done my fair share of packing and moving.”

“Indeed you have, darling,” Rarity said, “and I don’t know how I would have done this at all without you – without ALL of you!” She gave each of her friends a thankful smile before turning back to Rainbow, who was hovering idly overhead. “Does that answer your question, Rainbow Dash?” she asked.

“Eehhhh… no.” Rainbow sighed. “I meant–,” She pointed to each of the mares in the room as she spoke, starting with Twilight. “Twi is folding and organizing.” Her hoof went to Fluttershy, who winced as if Dash had physically threatened her. “Flutters is Opal-taming, Pinkie is –,”

The party pony looked up from her hat-mountain and Rainbow sighed again.

“—doing whatever Pinkie Pie does.” She gestured to Applejack who blinked at the cyan hoof pointed at her. “AJ is loading the wagon, and you’re doing a little bit of everything, Rarity.”

The unicorn nodded, one eyebrow quirked upwards questioningly. “Yes… and?”

“So, what I meant was…” Rainbow dropped to the floor and shrugged. “Why, exactly, am I helping you pack?” Rarity, Twilight, and Applejack all sighed in vexation – of course Rainbow would say that. She’d probably rather be off napping somewhere, Rarity thought. How typical.

Pinkie Pie suddenly bounded from the pile of discarded headgear, her smile broad. “You’re moral support, Dashie!” she gushed. “Like a cheerleader!”

The Pegasus frowned at Pinkie, her ears drooping down against her mane, but Rarity had to put a hoof to her mouth to keep from laughing as she suddenly found herself imagining Rainbow Dash with her mane up in a perky, multi-hued ponytail and wearing one of those frilly outfits with the skirt and pom-poms.

“A cheerleader, Pinkie?” said Dash, her voice deadpan. “I am NOT a cheerleader. I could NEVER be one of those peppy, air-headed attention hogs.” Rainbow flicked her tail sharply as if to rid herself of the very idea.

“Heeeeyyy…” Pinkie said, her lip jutting out in a pout. “I was a cheerleader…”

Rainbow arched an eyebrow at her as if to say I rest my case, but before she could open her mouth to speak, Applejack cut in.

“Yup, Rainbow decided t’ be one o’ them angry, feather-brained attention hogs, instead!” she said with a sly grin.

“That’s right!” Rainbow said with a triumphant nod. She folded her hooves across her chest and looked incredibly smug until what Applejack had said finally sank in and she turned to give the earth pony a narrow-eyed glare. “HEY…” she began, her wings puffing out aggressively.

Suddenly, Twilight’s calm voice cut through the quickly-gathering tension like a well-kept pair of scissors. “Well, we’re glad that you’re here, no matter what it is you’re doing,” she said. Rarity smiled, and not for the first time she found herself admiring Twilight’s ability to diffuse situations. If there was ever a time when anypony questioned why Twilight was their leader in a crisis, that instinct for reacting just the right way was all that Rarity would need to refer to. Not that such a thing would ever be questioned, of course, but Rarity liked to be prepared.

“And besides,” Twilight continued, “we aren’t going to see Rarity for a whole month! You wouldn’t want to miss your chance to say goodbye to her, would you?”

Rainbow glared at Applejack for another moment before sighing and turning to Twilight with a small smile. "...of course not, Twi," she said before swiveling her magenta gaze to Rarity. "Rarity's goin' off to the big city and I wouldn't miss her send-off for anything." Her smile grew broad as she winked at Rarity. "We believe in you, Rares – it'll be a long month without you here, but we all know you're gonna do awesome in Canterlot. Just don't forget to come back!"

Rarity returned her smile, but suddenly felt the tiny pricks of tears in her eyes. She tried to clear her throat, but found it tight as she wiped a hoof delicately at her eyelashes.

"Is something wrong, Rarity?" Twilight asked, her voice full of concern, but the white unicorn merely laughed hoarsely as a tear found its way down her cheek.

"N-no, Twilight..." she whispered, turning her slightly blurred vision to all of her friends gathered around with her. "It's just... I know that I'm going to be very busy and that it's going to be a wonderful experience, but..." She sniffled and, as one, her friends converged on her, wrapping her into a huge group hug.

"We'll miss you too, sugarcube," Applejack said with a grin.

"Yeah! But you know we'll all be thinking of you and sending you all sorts of really really awesome thoughts while you're gone!" Pinkie said as she squeezed the whole group.

Rarity turned her eyes slowly to each of her friends as they hugged her and in spite of herself she sniffled loudly as she buried her face amid the tangle of legs and manes. "Oh girls..." she whispered. "Thank you all... so much." She felt a nagging emptiness in her chest at the thought of leaving her friends behind. She knew that she was certainly capable of leaving them behind – her previous trip to Canterlot had shown that perfectly well – but that trip had also made her keenly aware of how much she cared for and depended on her friends, and the prospect of being without them for a whole month was suddenly very... intimidating.

As the six mares hugged, however, Rarity felt her resolve strengthen. Her friends were behind her and she knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that they would be here waiting for her when she returned.

She cleared her throat as she raised her head, smiling broadly. "Thank you," she said louder. "All of you... your support means more to me than I can say."

The friends all hugged tightly for a few moments longer before breaking apart, each returning to her appointed task with gusto. Rainbow even forgot to continue to complain as she began helping Applejack load the wagon while Rarity and Twilight finished with the rest of the suitcases that needed packing.

As the last case made its way to the door, Rarity sighed and gazed out the window at the town beyond, brightly lit in the mid-afternoon sunshine. She felt more than heard Twilight step up next to her and without looking at her Rarity sighed.

"I… I am a little nervous, Twilight," she confided quietly. "I mean... I've made dresses for Canterlot ponies before, but this..." She sighed again. "There are a lot of ponies on my list a-and I'm just not sure I can do it without all of you there."

She heard the smile in Twilight's voice as her friend spoke. "We know you can do it, Rarity. We all have the utmost confidence in you and your abilities. Plus, like Rainbow said, we'll all be here when you come home."

Outside, Rainbow and Applejack finished loading the wagon, both of the ponies taking a seat next to the packed vehicle and wiping their brows with their hooves while Fluttershy fanned them with her wings.

Rarity smiled ever so slightly before nodding firmly. "And I most certainly will be coming home, Twilight. As much as I like Canterlot," she turned now and smiled at her friend, "Ponyville is my home. And I would never consider not coming back!"

"I hope not," Twilight said, concern flickering across her purple eyes briefly. "We'd all miss you terribly, Rarity... I really hope you don't change your mind."

Rarity sighed and smiled at Twilight reassuringly. "Twilight, I can tell you for a certainty that I would never consider moving to Canterlot and leaving Ponyville behind."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

...I should move to Canterlot and leave Ponyville behind.

Rarity sighed in a pleasant mixture of exhaustion and satisfaction as she walked slowly to the chair behind her sewing machine; with exaggerated slowness she turned and sat heavily down onto the soft cushion, her mane brushing against the bright red rims of her glasses as she gazed around the room in which she sat.

The room was wide and spacious with a high ceiling that gave it a cool, open feeling. A feeling that was enhanced by a wide front window which afforded Rarity a fantastic twilight view of one of the higher-class neighborhoods of Canterlot... if she could see around the myriad of ponyquins that crowded the broad space. There were several grandiosely-dressed ponyquins in the front window showing off some of Rarity's more fantastical designs, but the majority of the pony-shaped dress forms were covered in less ornate pieces. These were the dresses from her clients, almost a dozen ponyquins all in various states of construction, revision, and design.

It had been almost two weeks since she'd left Ponyville and one by one her clients had appeared, each one richer and more important than the last: politicians, actresses, singers and producers, even minor nobility had poured through her doors eager to have the same mare who had designed the dress of Princess Cadence design something just as stunning for each of them – and she was determined to do just that.

With a soft, contented sigh, Rarity flipped the curl of her mane with a hoof and turned to the sewing machine where the dress of her very latest client lay only partially begun. She squinted at the stitching critically for a long moment before nodding and pressing her hooves down onto the fabric as she began to sew again. This client, like almost all of her others, was a unicorn and she was apparently having this dress made for an event that was occurring at the end of the month; what it was, exactly, Rarity hadn't yet discovered, but she was certain that it would come up in conversation at least once in the second fitting because if there was one thing that Rarity prided herself on it was being able to get her clients to talk.

As it would happen, being in Canterlot made this task much, much easier because if there was one thing that nobility, politicians, actresses, singers, and producers all liked to do, it was talk about themselves, their business, and anything that had to do with them. A wry smile quirked her lips as she gently turned the fabric, arcing the thread along the surface as she reflected on how little she actually had to try to strike up conversation with her clients here. In Ponyville it was like pulling teeth sometimes, as if it were the most unpleasant thing in all of Equestria to have a civilized conversation with a seamstress. Here in Canterlot, however, she’d barely had to encourage her clients at all. They were extremely eager to talk about anything and everything: business, pleasure, rumors, gossip, weather, politics, and all Rarity had to do was steer the conversation wherever she pleased.

She finished the seam on the garment she was tailoring and examined her work again, ensuring that the lines were straight and that her machine was working correctly. She’d learned much about the current state of Canterlot from her clients. She’d learned that the city was still buzzing after the wedding and the Changeling attack, and that the city had been bursting with art shows, plays and musical events ever since, obviously channeling all the energy that the citizens felt. I’ve felt it, she reflected as she put the piece of half-finished clothing back to the sewing machine. I felt it the moment I stepped off the train, and I haven’t been able to stop feeling it since. It’s like a correctly applied perfume: barely tickling the edges of one’s senses, but undeniably present.

Whether the rest of Canterlot felt it or not, it was there: an energy that had soaked into Rarity and made her feel like she could do twice the amount of work that she had anticipated taking on…

…which had led to her current state of working feverishly as the sun sank in the sky outside. The unicorn sighed and pushed her glasses up her nose with a hoof. She was having a wonderful time designing these dresses and meeting her well-to-do clientele, but she knew that she was already dangerously close to overloading herself. If she took on any more clients before she was finished with some of these orders she would be pushing herself perilously close to what happened to her when she’d offered to make dresses for each of her friends for the Grand Galloping Gala. And THAT is something that I sincerely hope to avoid. She leaned close to the garment, poking critically at one of the stitches with the tip of her hoof before she slid it beneath the needle of her machine and pressed her hoof to the pedal once more.

At that moment, however, the door of her shop swung open and the small bell set over it chimed softly drawing the unicorn’s attention, if not her eyes which remained glued firmly to her current project even as she smiled winningly from behind her sewing machine.

“Welcome – to the temporary Canterlot location of the Carousel Boutique!” She said cheerfully as her hooves firmly controlled the fabric running through the machine beneath them. “I’ll be with you in just a moment!”

Silence greeted her words and it stretched on for so long that she had almost convinced herself that she’d been hearing things; finally a voice did respond, though it was almost too soft to be heard over the whirring of her machine.

“Please, take your time.” The voice was calm and measured, clearly in no hurry to say whatever it was going to, but there was something in those simple words that drew Rarity’s eyes from her work to the pony who had spoken them.

The newcomer was a mare, a dark gray pony with pitch-black mane and tail. She stood just inside the door to Rarity’s shop her front hooves crossed demurely before her. Rarity slowed her machine to a stop as she watched this new customer. Her eyes were hidden behind a gentle wave of her mane as she looked around the organized chaos that was Rarity’s workspace and with a subtle tinge of surprise Rarity noted that this mare was an earth pony. It wasn’t that she was unaccustomed to working with them – two of her best friends were earth ponies and she loved them both dearly – but here in Canterlot, a city most famous for its unicorn population it was unusual to see an earth pony who wasn’t part of some larger group. Usually such ponies were mere hangers-on, trying to curry favor with a celebrity. She looks like she would rather die than do such a thing, Rarity thought.

“And what is the name under which your appointment has been booked, miss?” asked Rarity as she stepped away from her sewing machine.

The earth pony was silent for another long moment, her eyes still hidden from Rarity’s view. Then, with a gentle, practiced motion she tossed her mane out of her face before turning her luminous violet eyes to the seamstress.

“I’m afraid I don’t have an appointment,” the mare answered in the same measured tone as before, as if she were not only considering the words she said but the rhythm with which she said them. “I heard that you were in the city and had a free moment in my schedule to stop in.” The mare took several steps into the shop now, her hoofsteps just as careful and measured as her voice. Her violet eyes wandered the room once more before finding Rarity’s again. “I was hoping to have a dress made for an event at the end of the month and it would certainly be…” she paused a moment, as if she were tasting the words before she said them. “It would be an honor to have a dress made by you, Miss Rarity.”

Rarity felt pride well up in her chest, but she kept her face carefully neutral. Her eyes swept the mare again, mentally taking measurements even as she debated with herself. She was very close to biting off more than she could chew, as the saying went. She had enough dresses to keep her well and truly busy for the next several weeks and would have very little time for walk-ins regardless of how badly she wanted to take care of each and every pony who walked through her doors.

But what kind of mare would I be, what kind of designer would I be if I turned down a client, ANY client, no matter how busy it would make me? She thought as she suppressed a sigh. That would make a fantastic impression upon Canterlot: Rarity, the element of Generosity turns down earth pony client. Rarity glanced at the setting sun outside before turning back to the other mare with a coy smile. I suppose there’s only one thing to do: let’s see what this mare has to say for herself, shall we?

“Well, I’m afraid that I have many clients to tend to,” she said, brushing her mane with a hoof in a gesture that she knew very well implied a great deal of self-importance. “I have so many ponies vying for my attention, so many letters that were sent ahead of time that I’ve had to press my schedule to its limits!” She sighed in a vaguely dramatic fashion. “I guess what I’m trying to say, darling, is I’m just not sure if I have time for you if you haven’t already made an appointment.” Rarity’s sapphire eyes appeared casual as she met the mare’s gaze, but she was watching the other pony intently.

The gray mare’s demeanor didn’t change as she met Rarity’s eyes and when she spoke her voice was the same deliberate tempo as before. “I thought you might be busy,” she said, “but fortunately, I don’t believe that the dress I would like will take too much of your time. I want something simple and elegant—” her purple eyes went to the ponyquins at the front window and when she turned back Rarity was surprised to see a touch of temerity in their amethyst depths, “—nothing like that garish plumage you have in the front window.”

Rarity’s face remained friendly and smiling even as she felt her eye twitch ever so slightly and her interest in what this mare had to say click off completely. The nerve! Those are some of my most couture designs! Edgy! Fashionable! Complicated! It was all the unicorn could do to keep from huffing in indignation… but this pony was still a potential client, no matter how busy Rarity knew she was and no matter how little she actually wanted to help the simple gray mare now. The unicorn nodded.

“Well, those are dresses made specifically for unicorns and they are a great deal more complicated than a dress I would make for you.” She smiled sweetly. “Unicorns can handle much more complex designs than pegasi or earth ponies can. Anything I make for you would be decidedly more… simplistic.” There was nothing inherently insulting about Rarity’s words, but she knew that they could be taken as an insult… and quite frankly she didn’t care if they were right then. This pony had the audacity to walk into her shop, ask for a dress, and then ridicule some of her most fantastical designs! She deserved insults that were much more than “thinly veiled”.

To Rarity’s surprise the mare simply cracked the barest hint of a smile and her eyes sparked with mirth. “Miss Rarity, I have seen your clients – it is a miracle that some of them have the coordination and concentration to tie a bonnet, much less be able to get themselves into one of your more grandiose visions.” Her smile quirked just slightly, at the corner of her mouth. “In fact, I’m quite certain that most of them would end up tied in a knot if they attempted to wear those.”

Normally, Rarity took great offense if anypony insulted her patrons, especially if they were as rich and influential as they were here in Canterlot – after all, one never knew who might be watching – but there was something about the way this mare spoke, about the simple, matter-of-fact way she presented the idea of her clients tied up neatly in one of her grand dresses that Rarity couldn’t stop herself. Her hoof shot to her lips to stop the giggle from bursting out and only half-succeeded resulting in a very unladylike giggle-snort that seemed to echo in the silent room for much longer than it should have.

Rarity froze in place for a heartbeat, her blue eyes locked on the other mare and to her horror she felt her cheeks begin to heat slightly with the fires of embarrassment. Oh for the love of Celestia… a fantastic impression to make on potential clients, Rarity!!

Finally, the unicorn mustered what little dignity she had left and lowered her hoof, managing to look affronted rather than embarrassed about the whole situation as she cleared her throat with a loud humph!

“It is impolite to speak of others in such a manner,” she said simply. “Especially when one does not know said others and is merely judging them on appearances alone.”

The mare watched her closely for a moment and Rarity had to fight to remain still beneath her penetrating gaze. It felt as though this earth pony was staring right through her to see the very judgmental thoughts Rarity had harbored about her when she had first walked through the door. However, after several moments of silence the mare nodded infinitesimally.

“As you say,” she said in that same, perfectly measured timbre. “I did not mean to offend.”

Rarity tossed her mane as she turned back towards her sewing machine. “None taken from me, but do be mindful of your tongue. My mother used to tell me that a wayward tongue could do more damage than a wayward sword.” She heard the mare behind her exhale loudly and when she spoke it was easy to hear the smile in her words.

“Your mother sounds like a smart mare,” she said simply. “I shall try to endeavor to do just that.” Rarity heard the gentle scuffling of hooves across the tile in her shop, and after a few moments of silence the mare spoke again. “You never answered my question,” she said.

Rarity tossed her mane again as she glanced over her shoulder and smiled coyly. “You never asked a question, darling.”

The mare’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but the tiny hint of smile returned to her lips as she sighed. “No, I suppose I did not.” She shifted on her hooves again and looked pensive for a moment, as if she was trying to choose her words perfectly. “Miss Rarity, would you please allow me the honor of wearing one of your creations?” she asked quietly. “As I said, I have an event that I am to attend at the end of this month and I was hoping that you would be kind enough to make a dress for me.”

Again Rarity’s pride swelled. I’ve never had anypony refer to wearing my dresses as an honor… is it really an honor?

“Well…” Rarity sighed and shifted on her hooves. “Truth to tell, I actually AM very, very busy…” She let her eyes wander over the mare’s figure, ideas already dancing in her mind as she smiled. “But I will do it.”

The other mare’s shoulders dropped noticeably, as if she had been holding her breath the entire time and only now let it out. She sighed, and when she brought her eyes back to Rarity’s relief and happiness shone in them.

“Thank you, Miss Rarity,” she said softly. “Thank you.”

“Please, drop this whole ‘miss’ business – just Rarity is fine,” she said with a wave of her hoof. “And think nothing of it. It will be my pleasure to make something fabulous for you to wear…” She trailed off before gesturing to the other mare with a hoof. “Though you will have to tell me your name so I can write you into the book; I’m afraid I can’t just write down gray mare in the appointment slot.”

The other mare’s smile broadened slightly and Rarity’s ears twitched as the barest hint of breathy laughter touched them.

“I suppose not,” she conceded.

Rarity hurried to her desk, which sat on the opposite side of the room from the sewing machine and with a flare of sapphire blue magic her appointment book whirled from the side drawer, landing smartly in the center of the desktop with a gentle thwump. Rarity’s magic danced over the cover and pages, flipping them quickly until she found the first empty spot, a week out almost to the day. She smiled happily and picked up the quill that sat next to the book.

“Now,” she said, pressing the quill to the page, “what name shall I put down?” The mare smiled at her again, her eyes meeting Rarity’s squarely.

“My name is Octavia,” she said.

Rarity smiled. Octavia… “A beautiful name,” she commented as she scribbled the name in her book. “And I promise that your dress shall live up to that beautiful name!” She closed the book and turned back to Octavia with a radiant smile. “And NOW, Octavia: let us begin!”

A Prima Vista

“So,” said Rarity as she levitated her measuring tape along Octavia’s right front leg, “tell me a bit about yourself!”

The gray mare held perfectly still, her face impassive and relaxed as Rarity measured her.

“There’s not much to tell, really,” she said simply. Rarity nodded politely, even as she mentally rolled her eyes. That’s what they all say, she thought. Nearly every one of her previous customers in the past week had said the exact same thing when Rarity had asked that question: “Oh, there’s not much to tell, really…” after which followed an hour-long explanation of their life, their job and everything else they could think to say. After all, it is the illusion of modesty that matters, is it not? Rarity felt the corner of her mouth quirk. I’ll have her life story in ‘ten seconds flat’, as Rainbow Dash would say.

Her measuring tape moved to Octavia’s chest in a haze of blue magic. Rarity pulled the tape taut against the other mare’s coat and peered through her glasses before turning to the notebook that levitated next to her. A small, stubby pencil scribbled measurements on the pages before Rarity turned back to her client, her ears still perked for the tell-tale beginning of what was sure to be yet another in a long line of riveting biographies as she moved the tape from Octavia’s chest to her left front leg.

Octavia, however, did not continue, and Rarity felt the pensive silence of a moment build into the awkward silence of a minute as she measured and scribbled. The lack of conversation should not have bothered her so much, but she found her eyes darting to the other mare’s face time and time again, searching her for even the tiniest hint of hesitation or confusion, to see if her client was simply searching for where to begin. But there was no hint of indecision on the other mare’s features – simply a calm, collected expression that said she was quite content to remain silent… perfectly, totally silent… completely, wholly, faultlessly, and ineffably silent even in the face of Rarity’s insightful and titillating queries.

Rarity felt the corner of her eye twitch minutely. I have to get her to talk, or I’ll go mad.

“Well…” she offered Octavia a small smile which she hoped didn’t look as awkward as it felt. “What is it that you do, darling?” The unicorn twitched her head slightly, sending the measuring tape sliding up the other pony’s side until it lay along her back.

Octavia exhaled softly and after a moment she wiggled her hindquarters at Rarity ever so slightly, drawing her eyes to the deep purple treble clef that adorned her flank.

“The clef didn’t give it away?” she asked, and again it was impossible for Rarity to miss the smile in her voice. Octavia gave her flank one last, infinitesimal wiggle and Rarity felt a slight blush rise in her cheeks as she turned back to her measuring tape which rested just atop the aforementioned now-stationary flank. Oh for the love of Celestia… Rarity almost jerked the tape away from the other mare’s rump in shock, but she was a professional and she would hang up her scissors and thread before she would let a customer get the best of her!

She set her jaw firmly and continued to take Octavia’s measurements just as casually as she had before, even going so far as allowing the tape to slide across the other mare’s back and flank just a little slower than she normally would have as she moved from flank to leg. One good turn deserves another, as it were.

“Well, one cannot always tell what a pony’s talent is just by looking at their cutie mark, now can they?” she said lightly as she ran the tape along Octavia’s left rear leg. “I would say that you are involved in music of some kind in some way, but how am I to know exactly what it is you do?” She pulled the tape taut then scribbled in her book again before continuing. “You could be a composer, or play an instrument. You could play lots of instruments, in fact.” Her lips curved into a smile. “Or you could clean the bathroom at the concert hall for all I know.”

Another small exhalation indicated the barest laugh from Octavia as Rarity flicked her measuring tape once in the air and rolled it neatly up before scribbling a few more notes in her book.

“Touché,” Octavia said softly.

The stubby pencil danced over the pages in Rarity’s notebook adding a few additional notes to the exact measurements within – notes about Octavia’s specific shape, about where the numbers had to be followed precisely, and about where the unicorn’s uniquely gifted eye could see that they could be played with just a bit – all the while waiting for Octavia to take the offered bait for conversation and expand upon her talent and career. The other mare seemed content, however, to hold her tongue tighter than Rarity had held the bouquet at Princess Cadence’s wedding. And that is tightly, indeed.

“Well, which is it?” Rarity pressed gently. Her lips curved into a smile as she took the last measurements from Octavia’s right rear leg. “Will you tell me? Or shall I work in a few spots along the bodice to hang toilet plungers?”

The comment surprised Rarity slightly. Normally, she would never have joked about a client’s talent or career – it simply was not professional to do so – and she knew for a fact that NONE of her other clients would take such a joke well. With Octavia, however… It almost feels like trying to drag information out of Twilight when she first moved to Ponyville. Her smile grew infinitesimally. Twilight was a bit more… sarcastic, however.

To her relief and pleasure, Octavia simply laughed her breathy, almost non-existent laugh and cast her eye to Rarity for a moment before turning them back to the wall.

“I’m a musician,” she offered finally. “I play the cello.”

“The cello,” Rarity repeated as she scribbled in her book, “a bit larger than a violin, a bit smaller than a bass – that cello?”

The mare smiled again and nodded. “That would be the one. I occasionally play the bass or the double bass, but the cello was my first instrument. It was the one that got me interested in music.”

“Your first love, as it were,” Rarity said, her eyes darting to Octavia’s. The mare sighed ever so slightly and turned once more, meeting Rarity’s gaze evenly for a long moment before she finally spoke.

“I… I suppose you could say that,” she said, but for the first time, her words were frazzled. If her words before had been silk then these were cheap linen, frayed around the edges. She held Rarity’s gaze firmly in her own, as if she were trying to decide what to say next. Her gaze was so intent, so focused that Rarity felt her magically controlled pencil slow and stop beneath the onslaught of Octavia’s deep violet eyes. For just a moment, a fleeting, ethereal moment, Rarity could have sworn that she could see the other mare’s thoughts racing frantically about behind her cool façade.

The unicorn felt almost helpless before those violet pools, as if the other mare were staring into her very soul. She had beautiful eyes, to be sure, but that was not what drew Rarity to them. The emotion she saw darting through them, the feelings that went flitting around the edges of their amethyst depths drew her in, begging her to find them, to see them. Twilight’s eyes were lavender, but somehow her unicorn friend’s eyes had never drawn her like Octavia’s did…

…and just as suddenly as they had appeared they vanished, those sprites of emotion, and Octavia’s eyes closed to Rarity completely.

“Indeed, you could say that,” Octavia repeated and her voice was once again the unbroken silk that it had been mere moments before.

Rarity felt her pencil slide off the edge of her book, but she didn’t move to recover immediately. She felt as if she had heard the opening bars of a symphony and then been denied listening to the rest – as if she had read the first few lines of a new book then had it taken forcibly from her hooves, or as if she had accidentally peeked into a room she was not supposed to and seen things she ought not to have seen.

Finally, Octavia looked back to the wall, her eyes so calm that one would never have guessed the cacophony that had been there mere moments before, and at the absence of those violet eyes, Rarity’s sense of propriety returned. With a gentle cough to clear her throat, Rarity’s pencil returned to her book where she finished her notes, trying her level best to keep her magic from shaking.

“Well, that’s lovely,” she said, and she was proud to note that her voice was perfectly even. “I have to say that I haven’t had the pleasure of hearing such music in quite some time. Not since I was here in Canterlot a few months ago, at the very least.” Her eyes swept up to Octavia’s face once more, but again her eyes were on the wall, her expression stony. In a direct breech of what Rarity considered a designer’s code of honor, she allowed the mare to hold her silence this time.

The silence was held for another half an hour as Rarity swept several different fabrics over her gray client from silk to finely-spun cotton in colors from black to vibrant pink. Rarity made notes as to which seemed to work best as well as a few notes that would assist her in her work around the ponyquins, but she held her tongue until finally, as the street lamps in Canterlot flickered to life outside, she tucked the last bolt of fabric away and turned to Octavia.

“Well, that was productive!” she said with a smile. “I have more than enough to work with for now, and I assure you I will have something spectacular to show you at your second fitting next week.”

Octavia hopped down from the small raised platform and gave her coat a shake before turning back to Rarity and smiling ever so slightly. “I look forward to it,” she said with a nod. “I am sorry for coming in so late today. I shall endeavor to be a bit more considerate next time.”

“Oh, think nothing of it,” Rarity said with a wave of her hoof. “It didn’t take too long, and I would have been here this late anyway!” She favored Octavia with a smile, but the memory of what she had seen earlier made it feel forced; however, if her client noticed she gave no indication and smiled back minutely in return.

“Even so, I’m certain that you will see me much earlier in the day next time.” She dipped her head slightly. “Thank you again for seeing me, Miss Rarity – until next week.” The mare stood straight again, turned and exited the shop out into the gathering night.

Rarity watched her go, her smile still applied liberally to her face, but once Octavia was well and truly gone, she felt it scrunch into curious pursed lips as her inquisitiveness reared its majestic and well-groomed head. Even as she began to close up her shop for the night, even with the myriad of other orders that she had to fulfill in the next several weeks, there was but one thought on her mind:

Who IS she?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It never took Rarity long to close up her shop here in Canterlot – with so many projects going on at once it just didn’t seem to make sense doing so. The entire place was in a permanent state of semi-disarray that bordered very closely on chaos, but it was the kind of “inspirational chaos” that Rarity enjoyed and thrived on; therefore, she had listed it very low on her to-do list and it had almost been labeled “pointless”.

Besides, she thought as she flicked off the lights and shut the front door behind her, I’m not certain that I could concentrate long enough to do so tonight, anyway. Her horn glowed as she levitated the key from her saddlebags to the lock. With a gentle turn and a soft click the lock secured the door for the night and with a hasty jerk of her horn she pulled the key from the lock and sent it sailing back into her saddlebags. She cast one last critical eye on the door and her front window displays, making a mental note to perhaps change one or two of them to something a bit more toned-down, before turning and starting off down the street at a brisk pace with only one thing on her mind: I simply MUST speak to Fleur about this… this Octavia!

The unicorn turned a corner and hurried off towards the home where she was staying during her time in the city: the residence of one Fleur de Lis, a unicorn whom she had met briefly when she had first met Fancy Pants. As she bustled down the street, Rarity smiled slightly at the memory. The way she was posing everywhere… it was like something out of a magazine. She would be the first to admit that her initial opinion of the lithe, beautiful unicorn had not been the best, but thanks again had to go to Fancy Pants and his seemingly limitless wisdom… or at the very least, his incredible skill at guessing.

During their correspondence, Rarity had asked whether she would need to rent a room at an inn nearby for the duration of her stay, but to her surprise Fancy Pants had told her not to worry about such things and that he would take care of everything. I was certain he didn’t mean that I could stay with HIM, Rarity reflected as she passed a small fountain that gurgled peacefully in the evening quiet. After all, Fancy Pants is a gentlecolt of the highest caliber. He would NEVER invite a lady to stay with him in his home!

She had been correct, of course, but to her surprise Fancy had not simply set her up in a hotel as she had imagined he would. Instead, upon her arrival in Canterlot, he had informed her that she would be staying with the very pony she had seen him with before the Royal Wedding: the thin, brainless pretty posing pony, Fleur de Lis. “I think the two of you will get along splendidly,” he had told her that first day in the city as he had settled into the carriage next to her. “The two of you have more in common that you suspect, I think.”

I guess I shouldn’t have been so surprised, Rarity reflected. That is a lesson in never judging a pony until you get to know them, I suppose. As it had turned out, Fleur was anything but a brainless posing pony. Her talent was in modeling, true enough, but she was also a business-pony in her own right. Her family had been in the textile business for a very long time and upon her father’s death the entire company he owned had fallen squarely upon her delicate shoulders. According to what Fleur had told Rarity, she had tried to run the company as best she could for several years until finally she had admitted defeat – she knew that she just did not have the knowledge to run the series of factories that her father owned correctly, and that if she continued to do so they would all soon be out of business.

However, she hadn’t wanted to simply sell the company outright. Her father had worked his entire life to build it and she wanted to do her best to honor his legacy, but she also wanted her mother and her younger siblings to be taken care of, and as such she did not want to sell the factories under her care to just any pony off the street.

She still modeled as often as she could and it was at a particular party in Canterlot that she had first been introduced to Fancy Pants. The two had conversed for a short time before she had learned of Fancy Pants’ interests and his holdings in the business community. As Fleur told it, it had taken her very little time to decide what to do with her family’s company, but within the week she had approached Fancy with a proposition to sell him the company. Her only conditions had been that she remain a controlling interest in the company’s decisions and that her family receive their share of the revenue. Fancy Pants, being the business-savvy pony that he was, readily agreed to the deal and, being the gentlecolt that he was, also agreed fully to her terms. The deal had been signed and their friendship had grown from that day forward.

Rarity smiled again. I guess Fancy Pants truly enjoys helping mares in need! A true gentlecolt, through and through! She giggled lightly as she turned down another street, quickening her pace as she continued towards her destination.

The buildings around her quickly faded from small, well-kept shops to beautiful homes. This particular end of Canterlot was not known for its huge, elegant estates, but what the houses here lacked in size they made up for in a well-kept grace. They were the kinds of homes that felt lived-in: warm and inviting to look at while still maintaining the sophisticated air of Canterlot. To one side of her a house loomed large in the twilight. In the light from the street lamps she could just barely make out the dusty red tiles on the high steeples of its roof. The sides of it were all smooth, cream-colored material that made her think of some of the small towns that she and her friends had seen far to the south on their way to Appleloosa. The lights inside were on, shining a gentle golden glow out of its small, circular windows, and it somehow made Rarity think of brilliant starry nights out on the desert flats.

She turned her head, her mane bobbing in the warm summer night. Just across the street sat a marvelous home with a high, flat roof and several large stone pillars out front that reminded her of some of the ancient ruins that Twilight had such a fascination with. Two pillars on each side of the front of the home seemed to hold the roof up, allowing the two stories beneath it to nestle comfortably behind their steadfast support as their own windows added to the golden blush of the street.

Each home on this street seemed to be different, as if each pony had simply chosen a part of Equestria as their inspiration and built a house around it, but each one had something very much in common: they were all immaculately kept with beautiful front lawns, artfully trimmed hedges, and perfectly kept façades. The kinds of touches and detail that let everypony who knew what to look for know that somepony with plenty of money lived there without rubbing it in anypony’s face.

Rarity smiled broadly. Someday, I’ll have a home just as beautiful and well-kept! Oh, someday! She nodded slightly to herself as she approached the home at the end of the street. A home that was simple with an all-brick construction and a clean gray roof. It had many large windows on both top and bottom floor, all of them blazing in the night as Rarity approached the home of her friend, Fleur de Lis.

With one hoof she threw open the door and was immediately bathed in golden light as she dashed inside, slamming the door behind her. Before her in the towering foyer rose a large stairway that led into the second story of the home. To either side of the front door stretched two long halls, each giving access to the various rooms on the bottom floor. The walls were all white, easily reflecting the warm light of the various lamps and lights in the home and filling it to the brim with illumination. The unicorn turned back and forth for a moment, trying to decide which direction to go. I’ve been in this house almost two weeks and I can barely find the bathroom without help! She thought with a twinge of irritation. It’s not such a big house! I should be able to do this..!

Normally, Rarity would simply have set out and explored the home until she found the other unicorn, wherever she may have been – minimal fuss, little to no disturbance of the household – but tonight she was just not in the mood. She took a deep breath and started shouting.

“Fleur?” she called into the home. “Fleeeeuuurrr?? Where are you? I need to speak with you!” She looked first down the hallway to the left then to the one on the right. “Fleeeuuur!” she called again, but as she drew yet another breath to continue her calling, the gentle but insistent clearing of a throat nearby caught her attention and caused her to turn towards the hallway on her left.

From the first door down the hall came a petite rose-colored earth pony mare with a soft blue-gray mane and deep brown eyes. She smiled at Rarity as she closed the door behind her and approached the entryway.

“Is there something I can help you with, Miss Rarity?” she asked, her voice level and polite despite the tinge of amusement that colored it.

“Oh yes, Rosette,” she said, her ears drooping slightly in relief. “I am looking for Fleur. Could you tell me where she is, please?”

The head maid of Fleur’s household nodded, the small white head-dress she wore bobbing gently in her mane as she did so. “Yes, miss. She is in the reading room at the end of the south hallway.” She pointed with a hoof towards the hallway that branched from the right side of the door. “She’s been expecting you. In fact, she was expecting you almost an hour ago, miss.”

“Yes, I was expecting to be back almost an hour ago, Rosette,” she said with a sigh, brushing her mane out of her face with a hoof. “I was unavoidably detained, however, and that is what I would like to speak to her about.” She turned and pointed down the south hall. “The reading room, you said?”

Rosette smiled minutely again, her chocolate eyes sparkling. “Yes, miss.”

“Thank you, Rosette.”

“Will that be all, miss?”

“Indeed. Thank you again.” Rarity gave the maid a quick nod and darted off down the hallway, her hooves thumping solidly against the carpet as she left the entryway and the smiling maid behind. She passed three closed doors until she reached the half-open door at the very end of the hallway and didn’t even hesitate a moment before pushing it open and hurrying inside.

The room was large, perhaps only a little smaller than the entry hall she had just been inside, and it was a room that she knew Twilight Sparkle would love very much because it was about as full of books as a room could get. They dominated the room from floor to ceiling, leaving only space for several large windows as well as a sizeable fireplace along the southern wall. The fireplace lay dormant this night – the summer night was warm enough for anypony – yet even so the room was brightly lit by a large chandelier hanging from the middle of the ceiling, a brilliance supplemented by various smaller lamps standing at the corners of the room.

In the very center of the room were several comfortable-looking chairs and a brilliant red chaise lounge arrayed around a small table with a lamp surrounded by half a dozen books, a teapot, and two cups upon saucers. One of the books levitated in a blushing pink aura and hovered over to the white unicorn who lay across the long chaise, her pink mane falling gently about her as she turned her violet eyes to Rarity and smiled.

“Well, there you are,” she said, her melodic tenor voice filling the quiet room with music for just a moment as she shifted on the couch, setting the book down next to her. “I was beginning to wonder if you had decided to go out on the town for the night!”

Rarity smiled and rolled her eyes. “Fleur, you know perfectly well that I would do no such thing – a lady does not simply go out on the town on a whim, you know.” The words were sharp, but her tone was not and Fleur simply laughed lightly as she sat up.

“Oh Rarity,” she said, “You may need to loosen up a little bit. After all, you’re only in Canterlot for a month and what is a month in Canterlot without a party?”

“Well…” Rarity paused, her eyebrows raised. “I suppose you’re right…” She tapped a hoof to her chin pensively for a moment before shaking her head vigorously. “But that wasn’t what I was doing tonight, Fleur – I had the most unusual customer this evening.” Her hostess levitated the book back to the table, her violet eyes wide with curiosity.

“Oh is that so? You normally have several tales to tell about your customers throughout the day. Today it’s just one?”

“This mare was different, Fleur! I can’t even begin to…” She sighed heavily. “I just need your advice, darling. Please.”

The taller unicorn watched her for a moment, her eyes seeming to take all of Rarity in at a glance before she smiled benevolently and patted the lounge next to her.

“Of course, Rarity, anything for you.”

Rarity sighed and moved to the lounge, flopping herself down next to her friend.

“Well, I was a half hour away from closing the shop when out of the twilight walks this gray mare…” With expert precision, Rarity poured the story of the unusual evening out to her friend. From Octavia’s mysterious appearance and atypical behavior to her rapid and equally mysterious departure, sparing no details save the minute rump-wiggle the other mare had employed to get Rarity’s attention on her cutie mark. She had no idea why she left it out except that it made her blush when she thought about it and she didn’t want to take the time to explain what exactly she was blushing about.

“—and then she just vanished into the night like a phantom,” Rarity finished as she poured herself a cup of tea. The aroma of fresh berries filled her nostrils as she levitated the cup to her and she sighed contently. “It was the strangest visit I’ve had since coming to Canterlot, that’s for certain.” She made some of Pinkie Pie’s visits seem normal and Pinkie walks on the ceiling sometimes!

Fleur simply nodded, her pink magical aura lifting the teapot Rarity had set down and filling her own cup with it. She settled the pot back down onto the table and lifted the cup to her lips, taking a slow, delicate sip from it. Rarity watched her closely, waiting with baited breath for the mare she had begun to look upon as a big sister to give her some kind of advice, some brilliant nugget of wisdom that would make this whole evening make sense. Finally, she sighed happily and turned her luminous eyes to Rarity, gazing at her over the top of her teacup.

“She certainly sounds interesting,” Fleur said casually. Rarity snorted and levitated her cup back to the table.

“Interesting doesn’t begin to describe it, Fleur,” she said, tossing her mane indignantly. “She was mysterious, abrasive, insulting, and imperious! She was flattering, kind, quiet, and scintillating!”

“And those are all traits that would fall under the title of interesting, dear Rarity.” Fleur’s lips curved almost invisibly. “Every once in a while we all have the fortune to meet a pony who piques our interest, even if we are not looking for them – just as I met you, my dear.” Rarity nodded graciously, and Fleur sipped at her tea before continuing. “So it is safe to assume that you are looking forward to seeing her again in a week?”

“Indeed I am,” Rarity said, her smile becoming determined. “And next time, she won’t get away so easily!” Fleur paused with her tea halfway to her lips, an eyebrow cocked inquisitively.

“…pardon?”

Rarity sat up straight, her hoof held before her chest dramatically. “Oh, that mysterious gray filly may have gotten the jump on me today, but next time…” She rubbed her hooves together with fiendish glee. “Next time, I’ll be ready!”

“Ready?”

“Ooh yes, I’ll be ready for her. I’m going to work on an entire list of questions to ask her. All about her career, her life, her family, everything, Fleur!” She giggled slightly. “Oh just you wait! One week from now, I’ll be coming back from the shop to tell you absolutely everything there is to know about this mysterious Octavia!”

Rarity’s mind quickly filled with questions for her gray customer as well as techniques to get her to open up a bit more about herself. So focused was she on her new mission that she completely missed the small roll of Fleur’s eyes and the hint of a knowing smile that touched her friend’s lips.

Rarity, Improvvisando

It was a well-known fact in Equestria that out of all three races of pony, unicorns were the most curious. Their inquisitiveness about life and everything that went on in it led many unicorns to pursue intensely studious lines of work and wherever some great discovery was made, there was bound to be a unicorn involved.

However, even when a unicorn was not interested in particularly scholarly aspects of life their curiosity often led them, and it was this natural curiosity, coupled with her own brand of tenacity that bordered on obsession, that drove Rarity forward in the days following Octavia’s visit. Over the next several days Rarity set about designing and refining the dress for her unusual gray client, carefully and artfully sketching gentle, flowing lines on paper that would eventually become soft, subtle waves of fabric. She poured herself into the design, agonizing over every stitch and fretting over every swatch of color as she had not done in a very long time, and it would not be until much later that Rarity realized that she had been slowly giving Octavia’s dress more attention than she had given any dress in her life, including her other current projects for her prestigious customers.

Yet despite the amount of attention that Rarity lavished onto the design of the dress, she still managed to find a way to work on a side project as well: the list of questions that she was determined to ask her mysterious customer when next they met. It seemed to Rarity that for every few minutes that she worked on the design for the dress a new question would pop into her mind and demand to be written down until the dressmaker soon had a stack of questions ten sheets thick, filled front and back.

Finally, the sketch of the dress was complete and as Rarity lifted her red glasses from her nose she had to admit that she was inordinately proud of it. The lines were absolutely perfect, as was the neckline and the drape. All in all, a wonderful addition to her portfolio of unique, amazing dresses for soon-to-be-satisfied clients! The unicorn tapped her glasses against her bottom lip as she gazed at the drawing, a small smile touching her face as her expert eyes swept it from collar to hem, ensuring it was just as perfect as she imagined it was. One cannot let overconfidence cloud the truth, after all, she reflected sagely as her horn lit up. Even one misplaced line can throw off the entire pattern. The picture lifted from the table and floated before her, allowing her to scrutinize it more closely. After several long minutes of following each and every line at least twice, Rarity allowed herself a moment of victory. She sighed and levitated the sketch to the other side of her desk, where she placed it at the top of her stack of sketches of the other dresses she had yet to make.

“A beautiful design, if I do say so myself,” she said proudly, sliding her red glasses back onto her nose. “I’m certain that Octavia will be more than pleased with it!” She sighed in contentment, allowing the warm glow of accomplishment to envelop her briefly. “Once it’s finished, she will never doubt that Rarity is the best at what she does!” She tossed her curled mane proudly, “as I most certainly am.”

She turned her eyes back to her desk where another stack of papers sat full of her questions for Octavia and her brow furrowed slightly as she frowned.

“Now, I just have to decide what to do with you,” she said accusatorially to the papers as she reached out and took them in her hooves. She tapped them lightly on the desktop making sure that they were all aligned before staring at the front page for what felt like the hundredth time. The paper was covered with not only words, but various symbols and scribbles that Rarity had made as she’d reviewed the questions she’d written. Check marks indicated questions that were definitely going to get asked and X’s next to ones that had, upon a second glance, fallen short of Rarity’s high personal standards. Then there were check marks with little circles next to them, showing that the question was not bad, but certainly not at the top of the list; then checks with triangles, to show that they were tertiary questions only to be asked if she ran dry of anything else. Then there were also squares, pentagons, hexagons and octagons, each meaning something different in the grand scheme of this question-asking adventure and the shapes had only stopped because Rarity couldn’t think of any more off the top of her horn. The shapes were supposed to make the list easier to decipher and make it easier for Rarity to choose between the multitude of questions she’d written down, but as her eyes roamed the pages trying to make sense of everything she’d scribbled she felt her ire rise and after several minutes of straining to try and remember exactly what the tiny decagon on page 4 was supposed to mean she growled angrily and dropped the pages back to the desk.

“Oh for the love of Celestia,” she muttered. “There is just no way that I can ask her all of these questions, even if I DID have a filing system that I could understand!” The unicorn sighed dramatically and slumped in her chair, one hoof rising to her cheek as she stared up at the ceiling. “Tiny shapes and check marks will NOT help me get through this Pride and Pegasus-sized book of questions when she comes in! For pony’s sake, this is more questions than I could ask an entire assemblage of Octavias…” She sighed again and turned her head, allowing her vision to fall once more upon the stack of designs for dresses that she had yet to make. “Even if I was making all of these dresses for her, that wouldn’t be enough time to…”

Suddenly, her eyes widened as a solution bloomed in her mind like a bright tongue of flame, pouring light upon her previously darkened mood. She sat bolt upright in her chair, her glasses almost flying off her face as she banged her hooves loudly on the top of her desk.

“Ah-HAH!! That’s IT!” she exclaimed, drumming her hooves on the desktop gleefully. “I’ll just ask the other ponies I’m making dresses for about her! What better way to get to know somepony than to ask other ponies about them?” The unicorn giggled loudly in the silence of her shop as she dropped back to her chair, her curled tail fluffing around her backside as she settled against the backrest. “Oh Rarity, that’s absolutely perfect,” she said to herself, pushing her glasses back up her nose with the point of her hoof, the lenses flashing in the morning sunlight that poured through her shop’s front window. This way I’ll be able to get a better idea of what kind of pony she is before I see her again, and in doing so I’ll be able to narrow my questions not only by virtue of being asked but also by finding out more about her as a whole! Oh Rarity, you are quite the investigator! She tossed her mane once more in satisfaction before hopping down out of her chair.

“Very well then!” she said aloud as she trotted to the front of her store. “Octavia returns to me in four day’s time and on my honor as a fashionista I will be well-armed with information by then!” The unicorn reached up and deftly flipped the sign on her window from Closed to Open, her eyes determined and her smile resolute. “And then we shall see what secrets this pony keeps!”

~*~*~*~*~

If this pony actually has any secrets to keep, she is much more competent at keeping them than she should be.

The same thought ran through Rarity’s mind several times that day and the days that followed as she tried to the very best of her persuasive, conversation-leading ability to get her lovely, well-to-do customers to spill whatever information they had about the pony named Octavia. Of course she could not simply ask them about her, heavens no – to be so straight-forward was almost a violation of the code of conduct that all ponies in the fashion industry shared, from spa ponies to mane stylists to designers: If you want to know something, be willing to do the hoof-work to get there. Asking outright if they knew Octavia was out of the question. She would have to dance through each conversation, delicately steering her clueless customers towards the topic that the designer wanted. Unfortunately, from the very first customer it seemed like there was going to be more fancy hoof-work for less information.

Her first customer of the day had yielded no information at all. The Pegasus had neither heard of nor seen anypony matching the descriptions that Rarity had dropped and even when the unicorn had mentioned Octavia’s name specifically the other pony had drawn a complete blank. Obviously she was not a music aficionado. Her next customer, a unicorn, had seen a pony matching Octavia’s description in several concerts that she had attended, but she knew nothing beyond the fact that the earth pony “seemed to know how to play, at the very least.”

Her next customer, one of her few male clients, had been able to tell her a bit more than the last customer… and truthfully a bit more than Rarity had wanted to know.

“Oh I remember her,” the unicorn stallion had said, his smile more than a touch licentious. “She played a garden party that I attended last year. She was quite good on her cello, and certainly more than a match for any of the mares I saw attending.” He had actually blushed while Rarity had been measuring his chest. “Aah, earth ponies…” he had muttered wistfully.

Rarity had refrained from asking him any more questions.

The day after had yielded little more than customers reiterating the information that she already knew about Octavia: that she played the cello among other things and that she was very good at what she did. No matter how Rarity phrased her questions, no matter how eloquently she probed and prodded, she could get nothing out of them that she did not already know and by the end of the second day she had come to the conclusion that this Octavia must be a phantom of some kind, with no history or past or family to speak of. That is the only explanation for this lack of information. NOPONY can live in this town and have no reputation whatsoever!

However, on the third day her luck finally took a turn for the better. Her very first customer of the day was a sky blue earth pony mare with a pale brown mane and tail. She was very polite, extremely well-spoken and articulate, and claimed to not only know Octavia, but had apparently played with her on several occasions and even went so far as to refer to the gray pony as “a friend”.

“Oh yes, I know Octavia very well,” the mare said, her lavender eyes shining brightly. “We’ve played several concerts together!”

Rarity felt her eyes light up and her magic flared sharply enough to make her levitating measuring tape snap taut near the other mare’s flank with an audible twang.

“So you DO know her?” she asked casually, trying to keep her tone as neutral as possible. She took a deep breath and let it out silently before applying the measuring tape to her customer’s back, taking extra care to ensure that she didn’t get swept up in her excitement and actually wrote the measurements down in her book. “Well, that’s curious, isn’t it – what a small world we live in!”

“I’ll say,” the mare mused. “Who would have thought that Octavia would come here to have a dress made?” She shrugged her shoulders gently. “Oh well, I suppose wonders will never cease!”

Rarity arched an eyebrow at her as her measuring tape flitted to the mare’s flank alongside her purple bass clef cutie mark. “Wonders?” prodded Rarity, her voice light and airy. “Why, whatever wonders would have to occur to make this… Octavia come and get a dress? Surely a mare such as she – and such as you, of course – would have ample occasion to wear beautiful dresses!” The unicorn laughed lightly, “I’m terribly sorry, my dear, I just realized that I forgot to ask you your name.” Inwardly, Rarity cringed. Come to think of it, I’m not certain that I asked the names of my last two clients yesterday, but if the blue mare took offense, she did not show it.

“My name is Beauty Brass, Miss Rarity!” She said with a smile, bouncing once on her hooves. “And as you say, there are plenty of reasons for musicians to wear dresses like you sell here, but Octavia…” Her nose crinkled slightly as she frowned. “Well, truthfully I’ve never seen Octavia in anything but the pink bowtie she wears to our rehearsals and concerts. Even when we were asked to perform at the Grand Galloping Gala two years ago, she wouldn’t hear a WORD about dressing up!”

“The Gala two years ago..?” Rarity asked, her pencil slowing slightly on her book. “Why, that was the first Gala that I attended.” She turned her eyes to Beauty Brass, her eyebrow arched. “And your group played there?”

“Oooh yes,” Beauty said with a chuckle. “I remember it specifically because… well, firstly it’s the Grand Galloping Gala – not just any musician gets asked to play for the Princess! But I also remember it because that was the performance that got interrupted by that whirlwind of pink pony who ended up on stage with us!” She put a hoof to her mouth and giggled lightly. “The look on Octavia’s face when that mare touched her cello..! Oh, it was priceless!” Beauty sighed wistfully and put her hoof back to the platform upon which she stood. “And then that same pink pony requested that we play the Pony Pokey, of all things! I’m certain you remember!”

Rarity felt a gentle squeeze at her temples at the memory, but she simply smiled a bit wider and hoped that she didn’t look as suddenly uncomfortable as she felt.

“Why yes, I do seem to remember that,” she said as her notebook floated between herself and the other mare, hiding her face so that she could relax into a grimace of distaste. “I… remember it quite well, actually…” And I gave Pinkie Pie quite an earful about it after the fact!

“Aaah, such fun memories!” Beauty said with a smile. “It’s not often you get asked to play something like that at such an important event. Octavia was horrified that I wanted to go through with it, but it would look unprofessional if one quarter of our quartet decided she wasn’t going to play. Although to be fair, she’d been acting strange for a good piece of that evening. Almost distracted, I would say.” The mare looked pensive for a moment, but as quickly as it had appeared the look vanished with a shrug. “Oh well, two years is a long time to try and remember these things! Best not to dwell on them.”

Rarity rolled her eyes behind her book as she moved around to Beauty’s other side. She sounds like she could get on very well with Pinkie Pie- all this talk about “fun” and “not dwelling on the past”. With a quiet sigh the designer tried to make her smile as casual as she could before allowing the book to float to her left side and bringing the tape measure back to the forefront, her eyes darting between her measurements and the mare before her.

“So how long have you worked with your quartet?” she asked lightly. “It sounds as though you know them all fairly well.”

Beauty nodded emphatically. “Oh we’re all quite close. The piano player Frederick and I are actually renting an apartment together, though we’re quite staunch on the lines of our friendship. We’re roommates and friends, but nothing else.” She rolled her eyes, but her smile stayed in place. “Octavia and Harpo, the fourth pony of our group, both had serious misgivings about him and me staying together, but we both needed a roommate at the time and had little other choice!”

“And why did they have misgivings?”

“Oh, Frederick and Harpo are old friends and they look out for each other as best they can. Harpo just doesn’t want Frederick getting into any kinds of situations that may hinder his music.” She chuckled under her breath. “Octavia was worried about appearances, of all things! She didn’t want it to seem as if we were all living together under the same roof like a group of street performers.”

“Well, I suppose there is a certain point to maintaining an image of propriety, at least,” said Rarity as she measured Beauty’s chest and forelegs. “I cannot fault her for that, but if she was so concerned with that, why didn’t she offer to be your roommate? Surely two mares staying together would raise fewer eyebrows, at least one would imagine.”

To her surprise, Beauty actually snorted softly and rolled her eyes.

“Please take no offense, Miss Rarity, but you don’t know Octavia the way that I do. If it came down to it, Octavia would sooner give me the money to rent an apartment on my own before she offered to take me into her home.”

“Oh?” Rarity blinked in surprise, allowing the measuring tape to fall slack in her magic as she took a half-step back from Beauty, her eyes inquisitive. “Well, I suppose that taking one’s friends into one’s home is not for everypony. Perhaps she lives in a very small home or apartment that would make such a living situation uncomfortable?” She asked as she turned towards her desk, her supplies floating in tow. Her measurements were complete and now there was simply the task of scheduling the next appointment… once she’d gleaned all there was to get from Beauty Brass, that is.

“Well, the truth of the matter is I don’t know where she lives,” admitted Beauty, her shoulders rising and falling in a shrug. “She never said and I never asked. None of us have ever seen her home – I don’t even know if she lives on the north side or the south side of Canterlot. Truthfully, I don’t even know if she lives in Canterlot at all.”

The unicorn plopped her notebook, pencil, and tape measure down onto her desk a bit harder than she’d intended and she felt the cool tickle in the back of her mind as surprise blossomed there. She turned back to face Beauty Brass with an arched eyebrow trying her best to keep her incredulity hidden beneath a mask of politeness.

“You… don’t know where she lives?” she asked as calmly as she could.

“I do not,” Beauty said with a shake of her mane. “I even asked her once, because I was trying to decide where we could hold a birthday party for Harpo, but she had said that we should look to renting a venue and not bother visiting one another’s homes.”

“But… but she’s your friend,” Rarity said, her surprise leaking through her carefully-placed barriers to tint her words. “I mean… surely you have made social calls to her, spent an evening with her…?”

Again, Beauty shook her head. “No, Miss Rarity, I’m afraid I have not.” She sighed softly and offered the unicorn a gentle, understanding smile. “I know that it may seem cold to have never visited a close colleague’s home, but it is not my own boundaries that keep me from doing so – Octavia has very set boundaries for herself and they do not come down easily.” The blue pony hopped down off the raised platform she had stood on and sighed, a sound that carried more than a touch of resignation to Rarity’s highly-attuned ears. “If I had to choose one word to describe my colleague, Miss Rarity, it would simply be professional. Octavia Melody is professionalism made pony and I have had to accept her as such.” Her brow rose and fell quickly as if she were accepting that very fact all over again before she turned her eyes to Rarity, her kind smile in place once more. “And when shall I return for the next fitting?”

Rarity watched Beauty Brass carefully for a long moment, as if simply by staring at the earth pony she could discern truth from fiction, but there was no untruth upon her client’s face or eye and after her long pause she allowed her tightly compressed lips to melt once more into a polite smile.

“I’ll schedule you for one week out exactly, darling. When you return I will have something magnificent for you to try on and we shall make certain that you will make quite an entrance to whatever event you are attending.”

Beauty smiled happily and nodded. “I shall see you in a week, then!” she chirped before turning and trotting to the door as she hummed a soft tune to herself. Rarity waved a hoof absently after her as she left, but truthfully she didn’t even see the earth pony depart. Already her vision was turned inward to her carefully laid plans and questions and with a despairing sigh she watched them disintegrate before her eyes.

If one of her closest colleagues knows next to nothing about her, what chance do I have? She thought miserably as she penned Beauty Brass’ next appointment into her calendar. She doesn’t even know where Octavia LIVES, for pony’s sake and if she can’t even get that information out of her… Rarity placed her quill down next to her calendar as the weight of predestined failure settled squarely upon her delicate shoulders, slowly and inexorably pressing her spirit downward.

But as her gaze slid across her calendar to the next day, where her own carefully curled script told her that Octavia’s visit was nigh, her eyes narrowed and she felt a warm surge of energy in her chest, forcing the crushing weight of doubt up and off of her as she straightened her shoulders.

“I do have a chance,” she said aloud, curling her foreleg before her and posing proudly. “I have a chance because I am Rarity and there has yet to be a pony in all of Equestria who can withstand my brilliant words, my divine conversational dueling!” She raised her head and tossed her mane, her eyes sparkling with the determination that surged through her, filling her with confidence and strength. “Octavia is the embodiment of professionalism, she said. Well, there is nopony more professional than Rarity, I say!” She closed her eyes and lifted her nose into the air as high as she dared as her glasses levitated from her desk and settled onto her face.

“Tomorrow, Octavia, you and I shall match wits and words once more, and you shall find that your commanding presence and mysterious eyes shall not sway me from my goal!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And so it was that the next day, as the sun slowly began to set over the city of Canterlot, Rarity found herself seated upon the upraised platform in the center of her shop, her mane up in a ponytail, her glasses seated firmly on her nose, and a pencil tucked securely behind her ear as she watched the windows of her shop expectantly. The rays of the setting sun slanted into her shop giving the entire room a beautiful orange tint the likes of which made a pony think of warmth and happiness, but to Rarity it simply put a lovely colored spotlight onto her discomfort. The confidence that she’d had the day before about her all-but-certain victory over Octavia’s defenses had waned greatly, but the traces of it still floated atop the bubbling miasma of unbridled curiosity and an inexplicable nervousness that filled the unicorn to her horn. Rarity fiddled idly with the notebook in her hooves, her sapphire eyes glued to the street outside her shop windows. Just calm down, Rarity, she told herself for the thousandth time. If you’re going to do this, you’re going to need to be cool, collected, and aloof! You cannot be worrying about this if you’re going to succeed!

The unicorn forced herself to take a deep, cleansing breath and let it out slowly, attempting to soothe her jumpy nerves. One step at a time, Rarity… she’s not a Princess or royalty there is no reason to be so nervous…

And yet she was. She could not deny that this appointment above all her others had taken root in her mind and worried away at her. She thought about this appointment and the pony it was for almost constantly and she’d had to force her hoof away from Octavia’s dress to work on the others during the past week simply so she didn’t get behind in her already-tight schedule. Rarity took another deep breath in and began to let it slowly out. Just be calm, Rarity… just be calm and collected like Twilight and everything will be just-

At that moment, a familiar gray silhouette slid before her shop’s window and Rarity felt her whole body freeze, her cheeks puffed out like they were full of marshmallows as her eyes followed the demure mare who made her way unhurriedly across the wide shop windows, taking in the changes that Rarity had made as she did. With careful grace Octavia opened the door of the shop and entered, her eyes falling on Rarity immediately. She blinked once and the tiniest hint of a smile quirked her lips.

“…is everything alright, Miss Rarity?” she asked quietly, her familiar oral cadence filling Rarity’s ears over the pounding of her own heart and stirring up the roiling soup within her, sending what little confidence the unicorn had left over spiraling down to the pit of her stomach.

After a moment, Rarity managed to relax enough to let the breath she’d held out in one loud, rather undignified whoosh. She winced and coughed exaggeratedly a time or two before doing her level best to appear calm and collected, raising her hoof to brush her mane out of her now-red face.

“Why of course! Everything’s just fine,” she cooed, her voice as smooth as warm honey. “I was simply… relaxing while I waited for you!”

The other mare’s eyebrow arched over one cool violet eye.

“That didn’t look very comfortable or relaxing to me…”

“Well, that’s as may be,” Rarity hurried on, leaping down from the platform. “But my physical calisthenics are not what you’re here for, correct?” She smiled as broadly as she could, her shame making the motion feel as forced as Applejack in a frilly dress. “You’re here to see the dress, are you not? Let’s waste no more time, then!” She hurried to Octavia and circled behind her, pressing the other mare forward to move deeper into the shop. “Come, darling – time waits for no mare!”

Octavia gasped as Rarity’s shoulder met her flank and for the briefest moment the unicorn hesitated, but to her relief Octavia said nothing and allowed Rarity to push her towards the dressing area. And now, Rarity thought with a sly grin, the REAL show begins!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Well? What do you think?” Rarity asked, hoping her voice didn’t betray the apprehension that simmered at the back of her throat. “I do hope that you’re as pleased with it as I am!”

Octavia’s face was impassive as she looked at herself in the mirror, her violet eyes sweeping coolly over the folds of black and gray cloth that covered her. The dress was what she had asked for – simple and elegant with very little of the showy frills that many of the other dresses Rarity designed had – but the designer had taken several liberties that she was not sure Octavia would like. Instead of simply sitting across the pony’s shoulders it sat across one, covering her left front leg in a long gray sleeve not far removed from Octavia’s coat color. The other leg and shoulder were left bare as the black body of the dress slanted across the pony’s chest and ended just below her right shoulder, where it connected with the back and continued down the bodice. A slash of the same gray as the sleeve slid across the back of the dress just above Octavia’s hips, following the same slant that the neckline did – a slant that was mirrored in the hem of the long skirt that flowed over her tail and finished the ensemble. It was a simple yet effective twist on a classic design, but as she watched her client agonize over every inch of fabric Rarity felt an uncomfortable twisting in her stomach. She doesn’t like it.

Octavia slowly turned first her head, then her whole body from one side to the other, eyeing the way the dress settled across her back and flank as well as how it draped along her legs and the longer she took the more Rarity had to fight to keep from nibbling on her hooves in a fit of fretfulness. Nopony else has ever looked at their dresses so long, she thought anxiously. It’s always been ‘Oh they look lovely!’ and then off!

The unicorn did her best to give the earth pony her space, but in spite of herself she was slowly inching forward as the minutes ticked by, as if proximity to Octavia would suddenly make Rarity able to read her thoughts. Rarity didn’t know if she had any real, practical knowledge of dresses or dressmaking, but the intense way she was studying every seam and stitch was putting the unicorn on edge. If she doesn’t say something soon, I’m going to eat my measuring tape!

Finally, after almost five minutes of Octavia viewing the dress without saying a word, the earth pony turned to Rarity, her eyes still unreadable. Rarity smiled broadly as her client took a breath, opened her mouth… and sighed once before turning back to the mirror. Rarity felt her eye twitch.

Oh dear Celestia give me strength.

“It… it’s not finished yet, of course,” said Rarity desperately, her voice high and tight. “Anything you dislike can be altered, of course – this particular meeting isn’t about finishing the dress, it’s simply about making sure it fits absolutely perfectly… a-and it does fit perfectly, doesn’t it?” she finished weakly, her smile wavering. “A-and of course if it does NOT fit perfectly I will spend every moment of my day ensuring that it-!”

“It fits perfectly,” Octavia interjected, her soft voice cutting Rarity off abruptly. The unicorn choked on her words and somehow managed to swallow them as the earth pony turned and gave her a small smile. “Everything is cut just as it should be…” She paused, and for the briefest moment her eyes twinkled with something that came very close to mischief before she turned her face back to the mirror. It may have been a trick of the light, but as the gray pony shifted her weight, her flank moved beneath the fabric and stretched it in a most flattering and appealing way that drew Rarity’s eye directly to her shapely backside. “Everything,” Octavia repeated softly as she gave her mane a flick, inspecting herself in the mirror.

Unbidden, the memory of her measuring tape running slowly over Octavia’s smooth rump leaped into Rarity’s mind with such striking and vivid detail that the unicorn felt her face color insistently. She blinked at the other mare as her ears began ringing from the rush of blood to her cheeks as she stood frozen in place.

She…she couldn’t possibly… Rarity thought, her eyes narrowing. Surely she isn’t…

Then the moment passed and Rarity smiled as she took a few steps behind Octavia to hide the blush that lingered irritatingly in her cheeks.

“Well of course the cut is perfect! Not even the tiniest measurement escapes my notice!” She said smoothly as she levitated a pin cushion to herself from a nearby table. Once safely behind Octavia and out of her line of sight, Rarity took one deep breath, then another, allowing the pin cushion to take as much time as it possibly could to cross the open space and get to her. When she was satisfied that her cheeks had once again returned to a normal temperature she turned back to Octavia, pin cushion in tow. “But for the sake of prudence, I must ask anyway: is there anywhere at all that needs to be altered, darling?”

Octavia’s eyes danced to her in the mirror and for a moment Rarity thought she might actually have somewhere that she wanted to have taken in or let out, but the moment swiftly passed and Octavia gave her the tiny smile that was slowly becoming her trademark.

“No, Rarity – everything is perfect.” She sighed softly and looked at herself once more, turning minutely to the side so she could view the violet sash around her midsection. “As you said, no measurement escaped your notice.”

The unicorn’s ear perked, twitching in her indigo mane. She sounds… almost disappointed, she thought as Octavia moved away from the mirror and towards the ponyquin that would hold her dress. But if the dress fits perfectly, why in Equestria does she sound disappointed? Rarity felt her ears droop slightly as she hurried to Octavia, her magic flaring around her horn and coating the dress in a soft sapphire light. If anypony should be disappointed, I should be… she thought, unable to keep a slightly sour taste from the back of her mouth. All of her carefully laid plans, all of her pages upon pages of written questions, had gone completely out the window because she had made a fool of herself. And since when did that stop you, Rarity?! She asked herself as she carefully assisted Octavia in removing the dress. She delicately levitated each piece from the pony to the ponyquin, ensuring that everything was perfect even as she raged at herself. You’ve walked through socially awkward situations before with nary a cringe! Forged the very depths of shame and come out smelling like a rose! For Celestia’s sake, you attended a Garden Party with a pony who thought that she actually had to PULL WEEDS there! THIS should be no problem for you! Her eyes narrowed in determination and she turned her gaze back to Octavia, who was once more glancing about the shop as if she had not a care or worry in the world. That’s it- she is NOT leaving this shop until I get my answers! I’ll… I’ll make a reason up to keep her here if I have to!

Then the gray pony’s eyes found a mirror on the far wall, her reflected gaze met and locked with Rarity’s own and, just as it had the week before, her amethyst gaze captured the unicorn. Rarity felt her eyes soften at the strange sadness that filled Octavia’s eyes, a melancholy that quieted Rarity’s thirst for information for the second time that evening. The last piece of the dress floated to the ponyquin and settled atop it as the white pony took an unconscious half-step towards Octavia, unable to take her eyes from the mirror that served as a conduit between them.

Then Octavia turned away and once again Rarity felt as though she’d had a door slammed in her face. Her shoulders sagged minutely as the gray mare took several quick steps towards the front of the shop.

“Thank you for your amazing work, Miss Rarity,” she said quietly, the gentle rhythm of her words filling the silent room. “It’s more than I could ever have imagined and I’m certain that I will be just as pleased with it when it is finished.” She looked over her shoulder, her eyes once again realms of calm and tranquility as she offered Rarity a small, delicate smile, “until next week, then?”

Rarity stared at her openly for what polite society would call “a moment too long” before giving her head a brief shake then nodding.

“Oh, y-yes, of course. One week it is! I shall have it sewn together properly, and then it’s all yours!”

Octavia’s smile widened slightly, but again there was that flash of melancholy through her eyes, the barest twinkling that tickled the edges of Rarity’s mind as if she should know what that look meant.

“Perfect. Until then.” Octavia gave her a deep nod before turning towards the door, her hooves clopped slowly upon the tile then paused as she reached up to push the door open and as Rarity watched her she felt something build up in her chest, something that she had only felt a few times in her life, but knew immediately that she could not stop even if she’d wanted to. It was a firm, insistent pressure that forced its way upwards, past her heart and into her throat before she could even blink. Before she could think twice about it she stepped forward, her own hoof extended.

“Wait! Please… please wait,” she said, her voice trailing off. Octavia paused and turned around, one eyebrow arched quizzically. “I… um…” Rarity opened her mouth then sighed softly. “I don’t suppose… I mean… it IS dinner time and I haven’t eaten yet… and assuming you eat dinner, which, I’m sure that you DO…” The unicorn sighed again, more sharply this time. “What I’m trying to ask is if you would like to go and get some dinner together? Unless… unless you have a prior engagement..?”

Silence once again wrapped its tendrils around the pair and it stretched on for several moments as Octavia’s eyes widened in an impressively vague manner. Rarity for her part managed to smile, even though she knew without the shadow of a doubt that the corners of her mouth were twitching from the effort of holding it in place. This is without question the stupidest thing you’ve ever done, Rarity! Fairly chasing the mare to the door, accosting her with silly questions… she probably thinks you are the WORST kind of pony now! The unicorn felt her smile slip minutely as Octavia turned back to face her squarely, her eyes broad pools of unreadable amethyst. She’s not only going to tell you leave her alone, she’s probably going to tell you to cancel her order and never talk to her again! Why, you’ll be lucky to avoid having the Royal Guards place a restraining order against you!! Oh RARITY you impossible, hopeless–

“I think I’d like that.”

Rarity’s train of thought came to a sudden thunderous crashing halt as Octavia’s smile became infinitesimally warmer, though the change may have simply been a trick of Rarity’s now half-scrambled mental faculties.

“Wha… what?” asked Rarity, her voice an octave higher than it was normally. Octavia let out a sharp breath of laughter through her nose and shrugged.

“I think I’d like that,” she repeated casually. “I am quite hungry and I suppose I wouldn’t mind some company.” Her smile quirked and as she spoke her words came a bit faster than before, as if she were reading them from a book instead of simply saying them. “I know a very nice, casual little restaurant that has an excellent menu.”

“I… ah…”

“I can take you there, if you’d like.” Octavia’s eyes sparkled in the soft evening sunlight as she turned back towards the door, her gaze never leaving the unicorn as she nodded towards the street. “Shall we?”

“Well, ah…” Finally, Rarity felt the propriety section of her brain reach out and slap the rest of her mental faculties into line, allowing her to return the smile to her lips. “Of course… lead the way.”

Octavia stared at her a moment longer, as if she hadn’t heard Rarity’s acceptance, then she turned without a word and opened the door, leading the bewildered and befuddled unicorn out into the city as Rarity tried her best to piece her sensibilities back together.

With an Open Heart and Empty Stomach

The two ponies exited the shop and stepped into the street, their hooves clopping smartly on the smooth paving stones beneath them. Octavia took several steps away down the avenue, clearly intent on starting the journey to whatever restaurant she had in mind. Rarity, however, stopped short and turned back towards her shop, her horn lighting up brightly as she brought her magic to bear on the lock that stood boldly out on the door. This was Canterlot, after all, and there were enough unsavory types in the big city that the unicorn felt she would be a fool not to lock up; however, as her racing heart pounded against her chest, she knew that this pause was for more than the security of her belongings.

As Rarity’s magic levitated the key out of her saddlebags, she took a deep, steadying breath. As she had done countless times before in her life, she let the air flow into her, absorbing her fears, her worries, and her uncertainties as it filled her lungs to the brim. She held that breath for a heart beat or so before letting it out slowly, allowing it to take her negative feelings and emotions with it. The cleansing breath was something she had used ever since she had first gotten involved in the fashion industry and it was something that she considered invaluable in her daily life. As the last air left her lips, she could already feel the anxiety that had filled her beginning to calm. She allowed her lungs to empty completely before taking another deep breath slowly in then slowly and quietly let it out. Her pounding heart paused in its frantic beating for a fraction of a second before resuming its pumping at a slightly more reasonable pace. Her emotions cooled rapidly and came under her control, giving Rarity the moment she needed to firmly get a hold of herself. By the time she inhaled the third in the series of cleansing breaths her heart had fallen to a much less frantic cadence and she was well and truly in control of her thoughts once more.

Rarity’s ability to calm herself in an intense or surprising situation was not something that she had been born with, to be certain. In fact, it was something that she’d had to work on for many years to perfect and often times that perfecting was done in stressful, awful situations that she would have preferred not to be involved in. However, it was that skill above all others in her considerable repertoire of abilities that made her a true professional. And I will traipse around Canterlot in a teal and crimson polyester jumpsuit before I let my professionalism come into question!

The lock clicked smartly in the door and with one last deep, even breath Rarity pulled the key out of the door, tucked it back into her thin saddlebag, and turned around, her eyes intent on searching the street for Octavia, who had most certainly gotten a good deal ahead of her in the time it had taken to lock the shop. To her surprise, however, Octavia was standing several paces away from the unicorn, her right front leg pulled up to her chest as if she had stopped mid-step and simply frozen there as Rarity had locked her door. Rarity blinked at her in surprise before giving her a smile and a wave of her hoof.

“Oh by all means, darling, lead on!” she said lightly as she turned on her hooves and started towards the other mare. “I promise you won’t lose me along the way – I know the city well enough not to get lost!”

Octavia hesitated for a moment as Rarity approached, as if that was exactly what she was worried about, and as the unicorn drew abreast of her the earth pony’s eyes flashed over Rarity from mane to hooves once, her expression unreadable. The unicorn felt her eyebrows arch before she could stop them, but before she could ask her if everything was all right the other mare turned and started off down the street at a brisk pace, her long tail swishing back and forth as she moved away from the unicorn. Rarity found her steps slowing as her eyes narrowed on the mare’s back.

Did she just..? It wasn’t the first time that Rarity had been the target of unique glances, but that particular look had been different, somehow. Oh, stop with this nonsense, Rarity! She chastised herself as she forced her hooves to continue following Octavia. I swear you truly can see the deepest ocean in the shallowest of pools and more often than not you dive in and hurt yourself! The unicorn shook her head and tried to pry her mind off of the cryptic expression the other mare had been wearing. You shouldn’t be worrying about stray glances you should be worrying about how you’re going to handle this situation!

Rarity hastened her steps until she caught up with Octavia, her hooves clicking smartly on the cobblestones as she matched her stride to her client’s. This is not a regular outing, she reminded herself. This is a fact-finding mission and you mustn’t lose sight of your goal! Her lips curved into a tight, determined smile as the image of the stack of papers that held her questions flashed through her mind. I shan’t lose my head this evening and, on my honor, I shall have my questions answered!

The unicorn quickly lost herself in her thoughts as the two ponies turned from the small side street on which Rarity’s shop lay and onto one of the larger thoroughfares through Canterlot, a wide, welcoming avenue divided down the middle by perfectly spaced, artfully trimmed trees. The street itself was beautiful beyond anything the rest of Equestria could present: it was lined on either side by the classical stone architecture that the city was all but revered for and because this particular section of the street was the market district every building had a unique, tasteful storefront that seemed to exude a warmth and grace that made a pony feel at home even if they were from the other side of the world. Each shop window was filled with nick-knacks and products, all arranged as meticulously as an exhibit at the Canterlot Museum of Art, and a pony could easily lose herself for an entire day wandering from window to window trying to decipher the meaning of each display as one would attempt to decode a classical painting.

But as beautiful as the street was, that evening the show was stolen by the sunset. The street ran through Canterlot in an east-west line and as Princess Celestia slowly but surely drew the sun to rest its last golden rays poured into it like water pouring through an aqueduct. Every inch of cool stone blazed to life, seeming to glow of their own accord as the warm light painted walls, windows, and even the trees with dancing shades of yellow and orange. Many ponies who were out simply stopped in their tracks, their errands forgotten and their chores discarded as less important than the simple beauty of the sunset – for the chores and errands would still be there if left unfinished, but this sunset was something that nopony would see ever again.

Unfortunately for Rarity, she was so involved with her own planning and reviewing that she didn’t bother to notice the blazing street paved in golden sunlight. Her eyes stared ahead as she looked inward, quickly and concisely categorizing her questions in such determined fashion that she didn’t notice how the brilliant sunlight caught her snowy coat, causing her to appear as if she were an ancient pony idol cast out of purest gold… and she certainly didn’t notice the wide-eyed glances that Octavia directed at her as she walked.

After a few short minutes of walking, the two mares came to a large intersection where another sizeable avenue crossed the one that they were currently on. Octavia turned and took the lead once more, crossing to her right and heading north along the smaller street. Rarity turned with her, though her introspection was intense enough that she didn’t quite realize what was happening until the pair had passed into the long shadows of the new street. As the warmth of the sun was replaced by the cool touch of the shadows of the buildings to her left, Rarity blinked rapidly and cast her eyes around the street, her heart skipping a beat as she realized that they weren’t on the same thoroughfare that they had been. She inhaled sharply as her mind struggled to store away the newly-filtered questions and identify her surroundings all at the same time, but after only a few moments of scrutiny the unicorn smiled. Oh, I know this street, she thought as they continued walking, their hooves clopping rhythmically along the stones. This is the street with the restaurant that Fleur likes so much!

In fact, it was the street with the most restaurants per capita of any street in Canterlot: High Street, home of the most delectable dishes and the most scrumptious desserts in the whole capital. It didn’t matter what you were hungry for – if it existed, you could find it here and, if for some reason you couldn’t find it here, you could more than likely find somepony who was willing to make it for you. High Street was a place where culinary dreams came true and was the most incredibly varied strip of eateries found anywhere in Equestria. Neighponese, Prench, Equestrian and every cuisine in between could be found here and some restaurants even served some rare dishes from Zebrica and Cervidas that more adventurous ponies could try. Rarity’s eyes widened as they walked past the Prench restaurant that happened to be Fleur’s favorite, La Cuillère d’Argent. The other unicorn had taken Rarity there the night she’d opened up her shop and as the pair passed by Rarity could all but taste the potage aux legumes she had ordered that night. There were no windows on the outside but Rarity knew that it was as beautiful inside as its food was delicious and found she was disappointed as Octavia led her onwards down the street. I’ll have to find a good occasion to come back here with Fleur, she thought with a small pout as she glanced over her shoulder. It was superb…

The restaurants along the street slowly slid past Rarity as the pair walked, the façades of each as unique as the smells wafting out of their doors and windows, smells that teased Rarity’s nose and made her stomach growl in a most unladylike fashion. The unicorn winced as a particularly loud growl made Octavia’s ear twitch in her direction. Oh don’t do this to me, stomach, she demanded silently. I will not be made a fool of by you! She clenched her jaw and set her face into a stoic frown, but that of course did nothing to cease the lamenting of her hungry belly which seemed to only grow louder with each passing moment. Just when she didn’t think that she could take walking in the delicious smelling air any longer, Octavia stopped in front of one of the last restaurants on the street and turned to give Rarity a very slight smile.

“Here we are,” she said simply. Rarity glanced up at the restaurant before them and felt her eyes widen in curiosity. Before her stood a large building with almost no identifying marks on the outside whatsoever, let alone anything that would signify it as a place to eat. It was very sleek and very clean with polished wood so dark it appeared black, holding several large windows across the façade, all dark except for two paper lanterns at the corners of each. Like several of the other restaurants along the street, it had no view to the inside to give the unicorn a hint of what kind of theme it held or what kind of food it served, but as her gaze swept the building she noticed something that gave her pause. There was a small sign next to the door, a sign holding a series of intricate white lines, three to be exact, one atop the other as if they had been stacked. Rarity frowned at the sign and its lines, her mind whirling with every ounce of information available to her until finally something clicked. I know this writing… it’s Neighponese! And I… have absolutely no idea what it says! She glanced at Octavia and gave her a curious smile.

“So… what kind of a place is it? I know I haven’t eaten here before…”

Instead of answering, Octavia moved past her towards the door and pushed it open with a hoof, gesturing for Rarity to follow her. The unicorn arched an eyebrow at her, but the only response Rarity received from the earth pony was that infuriatingly vague quirk of her lips that she seemed to be incredibly fond of giving others when she didn’t want to actually answer their questions. With an inaudible sigh Rarity steeled herself and walked through the door.

Her sigh turned to a gasp as she entered the building because once she was inside she felt as if she had walked through a portal into another world – a chic, stylish world of clean lines and defined colors that made Rarity’s designer senses squeal with joy. The two mares entered the building into a small space with a rug that took up a good portion of the floor. Beyond the rug was a raised hallway with beautiful polished golden wood for the floor and walls made of the same immaculately polished wood as the outside of the building which, upon closer inspection, turned out to be a dark red-brown instead of black as she had first thought it to be. Rarity’s eyes were wide as she raised her hoof to advance into the hall, but before she could set her hoof onto the golden wood Octavia cleared her throat sharply. The unicorn flinched and turned her eyes back to Octavia, who pressed her lips together and arched an eyebrow.

“You really haven’t eaten here before,” she said quietly. She stepped onto the rug and wiped her hooves thoroughly, one at a time, before she stepped up onto the wooden floor. “It’s a Neighponese custom,” she explained as Rarity repeated the wiping process. “If we were visiting the home of someone in Neighpon there would be slippers for us to wear throughout the home. Here, a thorough wiping will do.”

“How unusual,” Rarity said softly as she stepped up onto the floor of the hall. “Though, I will certainly be the first to say that I am not familiar with the traditions of every country in our world.” She gave her companion a smile and a shrug, and Octavia’s smile grew minutely wider.

“Neighpon is a country full of custom, tradition, and etiquette,” she confided as the two mares turned and walked towards the end of the hall. “It is all but impossible for somepony not born there to understand and follow every one of their customs, but they are polite enough that you would never know if you were offending them.” Her words were careful and even as they had been all night, but as Rarity glanced at her companion she noted that her smile slipped just slightly as she spoke. “You’d never even know…” Octavia murmured, almost to herself.

The unicorn frowned at Octavia and opened her mouth to ask her what exactly she meant, but before she could do so the pair arrived at the end of the hallway and her words were stifled by a gasp. The whole restaurant unfolded before them: a single large room with brilliant white walls and low black tables that sat in neat rows. Along the walls Rarity could see many hangings all done in stark black ink across snow-white paper depicting scenes ranging from landscapes to portraits to what looked to be simply writing across the banners. The dark wood from before climbed the walls, accenting the door frames and sliding across the ceiling as beams that broke it into equal, symmetrical sections. The same wood from the hall covered the floor, but around each of the twenty-four low black tables there were small mats instead of chairs. At several of the tables sat a few pairs of ponies, each holding low conversations with each other as soft, hauntingly beautiful music drifted across the room from an unseen source. Rarity’s eyes widened as she took in the gently lit room and she opened her mouth to allow the torrent of questions she now had inside her to flow out, but before she could speak a rich voice filled the silence.

“Konbanwa, Miss Octavia. It is a pleasure to see you again so soon.” A beautiful silver earth pony mare with a mane so blue it was all but black approached the pair, her dark eyes sweeping first Octavia then Rarity with the quick, measured strokes of a professional. She wore nothing to identify herself as a waitress or server or anything, but that didn’t seem to bother Octavia in the slightest, she merely inclined her head to the silver mare ever so slightly, her mane bobbing once as she did so. The newcomer returned the nod, her blue-black mane shimmering as it slid around her shoulders with the motion. “Shall we prepare your usual table, Miss Octavia?” asked the mare as she straightened her neck, her words as delicate and precisely placed as if they were glass figurines. Rarity’s ears twitched as the mare continued. “Or would you perhaps like us to prepare a private table for you and your friend?”

“A private table will not be necessary, Silver Blossom,” Octavia replied politely, though Rarity could have sworn that she heard a bit of a hurried catch in her words as she had voiced her denial. How interesting… “My usual table will do,” continued Octavia with a small smile. “Provided nopony else is seated there, of course.”

Silver Blossom quirked an eyebrow at Rarity’s companion, but when she spoke her voice was measured and calm. “Of course, Octavia,” she said with another slight bow of her head. “It would be most impolite of me to suggest I provide you with your usual table when it was already taken.” She turned away from the two mares and out of the corner of her eye Rarity saw Octavia wince. “Please, this way,” Silver Blossom said, her voice light and polite as she led the way into the restaurant. Octavia let out a sigh before nodding to Rarity with a smile and following Silver Blossom with a flick of her tail and Rarity couldn’t help but narrow her eyes at her companion. I feel as if I’ve missed something, she thought. I really don’t enjoy feeling as if I’ve missed something. She gave her head a shake and followed Octavia’s gray form deeper into the restaurant.

The trio wove through the rows of tables to the far side of the room where a table sat almost against the wall. Silver Blossom stopped next to the table and bowed as she gestured with a hoof, indicating that the two mares should take their seats. Octavia moved around the low table and sat on the mat closest to the wall, and after a moment Rarity moved to take the mat directly across from her.

“Your waitress will be along momentarily,” Silver Blossom said. “Please, enjoy your meal.” Octavia inclined her head deeply towards the other mare.

“Arigato, Silver Blossom,” she replied. “You are a credit to the White Lily and her staff.”

Rarity’s ear twitched violently and she felt a thrill of excitement run through her chest as Octavia spoke. Something about Silver Blossom’s voice had seemed tantalizingly familiar to the unicorn, but it hadn’t been until Octavia had spoken Neighponese that it had hit Rarity square in the face: the way the two mares spoke was all but identical! The same syntax, the same hesitations, the same soft way they said their ‘r’ sounds… it was practically the same. Of course… why didn’t I hear that before?! Silver Blossom watched Octavia for a moment, and Rarity could feel the tension between the two ponies rise as the silence stretched longer and longer. Finally her façade cracked and she gave Octavia a warm smile.

“You are too kind.” She bowed once more, the midnight curtain of her mane hiding her face from view. “Arigato gozaimasu, Octavia-san. I truly hope that both of you enjoy your meal.” Silver Blossom straightened and turned away, her silver coat shimmering in the soft lighting as she moved back towards the front of the restaurant. Rarity watched her go and as soon as she was out of earshot she rounded on Octavia with a jerk.

“And what was that all about?” she asked, her voice low. Octavia arched an eyebrow and looked genuinely puzzled.

“What was what all about?”

“That whole thing that just happened!” Rarity said, gesturing broadly with a hoof. “All that tension and Neighponese and… did she call you Octavia Sun? Is that some kind of last name?” The earth pony stared at her for several seconds, then let out a small sigh and pressed her hoof to her forehead like she was slowly getting a headache.

“That was just some Neighponese etiquette,” she said softly. “I told you that it’s all but impossible for non-natives to grasp every shred of their manners without missing some here and there… that’s all that was.” Her lips quirked upwards at the corners and she let out a soft chuckle as she put her hoof back to the table. “And no, it was not Octavia Sun, it was Octavia-san. It’s merely an honorific, like miss or mister before a name here in Equestria.” She shrugged. “I’ve been coming here long enough that much of the staff calls me that, as opposed to Miss Octavia.”

“I see…” Rarity gave Octavia a smile, but behind it she was frantically storing away this new information about her mysterious client. She’s not telling me everything, she thought, and she knew it was true – Octavia had definitely been put on guard by the mare at the door and Rarity knew that she would now have to work even harder to get the answers she wanted. She let out a small sigh. “Well, I suppose I should be grateful that you seem to have a positive reputation, at least,” she said, arching an eyebrow. The earth pony across from her returned her arched eyebrow as Rarity reached for one of the menus left on the table.

“Ah, yes… positive. No harm in you believing that for a while yet.” Rarity paused half-way to the menu, her eyes widening as she looked at Octavia, but the gray earth pony simply grabbed the other menu in her hooves and opened it, her expression carefully neutral. The unicorn’s eyes narrowed as she pulled the other menu towards her, sliding it off the edge of the smooth table and into her waiting hooves. In the center of the otherwise blank black cover was a single, beautifully stylized lily blossom with the same Neighponese words she had seen out front placed vertically down the left side of the menu. Octavia called this place The White Lily… so I’d assume that’s what these words mean. She chuckled softly to herself. Of course, they could say something dreadfully insulting and I would have no idea. She felt a flash of panic in her chest as it occurred to her that the whole menu may be in Neighponese, but as she flipped the cover open she was happy to see that it was all done in perfectly legible Equestrian. She let out a sigh of relief and began to peruse her options for dinner. For several minutes she read the words over and over again, trying to figure out exactly what the strange names meant. These are more confusing than the code on my notes, she reflected sadly. She had just resolved to simply order something with confidence and eat whatever arrived when Octavia cleared her throat softly.

“Have you ever eaten at a Neighponese restaurant before, Rarity?” Rarity glanced over the top of her menu at the earth pony who sat with her hooves neatly crossed atop her own closed menu. Normally, the insinuation that she could not handle herself in a new social environment would have irked Rarity into an angry, defensive mindset that could have destroyed any hope of this being a pleasant evening; however, there was something about Octavia’s tonality when she’d asked her question that stopped Rarity’s knee-jerk reaction. She had not accused Rarity of not knowing what she was doing, nor had she interjected her assistance without asking first – she had simply offered Rarity an opportunity to seek guidance in a gentle, unassuming fashion that many ponies in Canterlot seemed to have forgotten. The unicorn met her gaze evenly from across the table for a long moment, silently warring within herself until finally she let a sigh slip from between her lips.

“…no, I’m afraid I have not,” she admitted, her shoulders slumping as she let her menu fall to the table. “And truthfully, I have no idea what any of this food is. That, of course, makes it quite hard to order anything.” The admission tasted strange upon her tongue, like a flavor of candy that she hadn’t tasted in years, but at the same time it felt natural. How strange… she thought. As she watched Octavia smile, visions of her friends flickered past her eyes and suddenly she felt a wave of ease and comfort wash over her. She felt her shoulders relax and the tension in her neck ease and even though she couldn’t see it she knew that her smile had warmed a few degrees. Across from her Octavia’s eyes widened minutely and it took her a moment to find her voice.

“Well, I would be happy to order something for us, if you’d like,” Octavia suggested, her voice soft as her words hurried out of her mouth. “I’ve been coming here for quite some time, so I know what kinds of things would be good for a pony new to the tastes of Neighpon to try… how does that sound?” She looked down at the table and straightened her menu, her ears twitching like a cat’s in Rarity’s direction.

“I think that sounds wonderful,” Rarity said with a broad smile, shutting her menu with a snap. “I daresay you’ll do a better job than I would if I tried!”

Octavia’s eyes flashed to Rarity and went wide enough that the unicorn feared for a moment that they may pop out of her head. The moment quickly passed, however, and Octavia’s look of shock melted into one of relief. She gave Rarity a slow, deliberate nod before raising her hoof to get the attention of the waitress who had been standing off to one side, awaiting her signal. Octavia ordered quickly and concisely, as if she had known what she would order for the two of them the whole time Rarity had been staring blankly at her menu. The waitress thanked Octavia and bustled away, leaving the two mares to wait. The unicorn felt a smile curve her lips. But we will NOT wait in silence, not if I have anything to say about it!

“I’m afraid I don’t know much about Neighpon,” Rarity said idly as she ran her hoof around the edge of the small cup of water that their waitress had brought. She looked to Octavia and smiled. “You seem to know quite a bit about the country… perhaps you could tell me a little about it while we wait?” Octavia blinked at her as if she couldn’t decide whether or not Rarity was joking, but the unicorn simply raised her eyebrows and smiled winningly. “What better way to pass the time?”

Octavia’s lips slowly curved into a smile, and she gestured with her cup. “I can’t think of a better one. Though, you may be sorry you asked.”

“Nonsense, darling!” said Rarity with a wave of her hoof. “I never ask questions that I don’t wish to know the answer to.” And besides, she thought as she raised her cup to Octavia, this will give me the perfect lead-in to asking her the questions I want. It’s absolutely perfect. I’ve got her right where I want her- nothing can ruin this!

A Hole in the Wall

“But wait, darling, wait, that’s… that’s not even the best part!” giggled Rarity as she reached for the tan ceramic bottle that sat between Octavia and herself. “The… the absolute best part of the whole thing was that a week later Rainbow Dash broke her wing!” She giggled again so hard that she actually snorted as she poured the warm, clear alcohol into her small cup – a cup that must have been getting smaller and smaller as the evening wore on because it was getting harder and harder for her to get her drink into it. “I was so… SO ANGRY at her for leaving me w–” the unicorn blinked rapidly for a moment, then let out a small hiccup, “–with Pinkie Pie in the desert, but after her stay in the hospital… well, I guess I felt like I was vindi… vinty-cait… Oh what’s the word..?”

Across from Rarity, Octavia sat with her elbows on the table and her hooves pressed together beneath her chin, her eyes luminous as she gave Rarity her undivided attention.

“Vindicated?” she offered gently. Rarity clapped her hooves together once and pointed to her.

“YES! …vender-rated.” The unicorn raised her hoof and flipped the curl in her mane a bit more violently than she had intended causing the room to swim before her eyes. Goodness… Perhaps I shouldn’t have any more of that… whatever it was. “Anyway, Rainbow spent several days in the hospital and when she got out she ended up being chased by the police, so I feel as though justice has been… swerved.” She giggled again, picked up her cup, and drained the liquid inside in one quick draw. “Dear Celestia that is… good? I think it’s good… I think,” Rarity muttered as she placed the cup gingerly back down. “What is this, anyway? I don’t think… I’ve ever had anything quite like it.” The unicorn blinked again, and this time she could have sworn that one of her eyelids moved faster than the other.

Octavia’s eyes didn’t change, but the satisfied smile that had sat undisturbed on her lips for the better part of an hour grew slightly. “You’re just now asking?” she commented, her words tinged with amusement the same way Rarity knew her cheeks must be tinged with pink. “You’ve had four cups of an unknown alcohol without inquiring about its strength?”

“Ponies in glass houses shouldn’t… wait, no…” Rarity frowned for a moment as she fought to find the correct metaphor through the warm fuzzy fog that was currently coating her brain. “A Pegasus in the hand is worth two in Detrot… no, that’s not it…” Her eyes widened and she pointed a hoof at Octavia, her features bursting into a broad grin. “AH! Never look a gift horse in the mouth! That’s-!” Her expression dropped instantly and she clapped both hooves to her mouth in horror. Oh for Celestia’s sake, Rarity, you sound like a drunken idiot, she thought. Shouting like that in a fancy restaurant… Why, I bet all of the other ponies in here are… She slowly forced her eyes to move away from her table companion and to the rest of the room, and to her great surprise she found it empty except for Silver Blossom standing off to one side. The hostess mare was occupying herself reading a book, and looked completely unconcerned with the dealings of Octavia and Rarity. The unicorn blinked and looked back to her companion, her hooves slowly sliding back to her sides.

“Wha… what happened to everypony else?” she asked breathily. “I know that I didn’t imagine the other… pony couplings here earlier.” To her surprise Octavia’s cheeks turned a rather modest shade of pink at the word coupling, but the other mare took a short breath and gave Rarity a smile.

“They all finished their meals and left a while ago- probably somewhere around your third cup.” She raised her hoof reassuringly as Rarity opened her mouth in horror. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t because of you. You’re actually not being that loud at all.” Octavia looked thoughtful for a moment then gave the unicorn a nod. “The White Lily really slows down this time of night, which is why I come here. It’s very relaxing… especially when you have a nice cup of sake with your meal.”

“Sake?” Rarity repeated, her brow furrowing delicately as her foggy brain again tried to find information. Octavia let out a breathy chuckle and raised a hoof to forestall her.

“It’s a rice alcohol favored by the Neighponese. It’s traditionally served warm, which is what we’re drinking now. This particular brand is called Suihō, and it’s a personal favorite of mine.” She gestured to the now-empty plates that sat between the two mares. “And did you enjoy the sushi?”

“Oh… oh yes! I did!” Rarity gushed. “I have to admit that I was a bit...” Her brow knit again, but this time she managed to find the right word and she smiled triumphantly. “I was a bit uncertain when I tried them but after I did, I really, really enjoyed them! They were so sticky and… and crunchy, but soft… and green-tasting…” Rarity slowly clamped her mouth shut, her eyes widening in horror. New note on drinking: when you open your mouth and Pinkie Pie comes out, you have had too much. She blushed deeply, expecting Octavia to look at her in horror. That’s certainly one way to lose a client’s confidence, but to her surprise the other mare’s smile widened and she nodded.

“Green… I suppose they do taste that way,” she said. Rarity stared at her in disbelief as she reached out and poured herself another cup of the clear alcohol. “I have to admit I’m quite surprised at how well you’ve taken to sake.” Octavia lifted her cup, one hoof holding it from the side and one from below, and took a delicate sip from it before placing it back on the table still half full. She turned her bright eyes back to Rarity, her smile unreadable. “I’ve seen full-grown stallions who can’t drink it as quickly as you do.” Rarity stared at Octavia’s cup before mentally face-hoofing. Of course… these aren’t shot glasses, Rarity! That does it: no more late-night challenges from Rainbow Dash! My stubborn pride is going to get me blacklisted by ponies with taste! “It’s always wonderful to bring somepony to Neighponese culture and hear what their thoughts are afterwards,” Octavia continued, crossing her hooves on the table and leaning forward ever so slightly, her shoulders relaxed. “Some ponies like you appreciate the detail-oriented culture of Neighpon. Others… well, they don’t.”

“Well, I do appropriate details,” Rarity said hesitantly as she did her best to scrape together her last few shreds of dignity. She must think I’m a complete fool, the unicorn thought with a small, miserable sigh. A soft laugh floated across the table, tickling her ears and causing them to twitch.

“Appreciate?” Octavia offered in a soft, amused tone. Rarity’s ears drooped as the last wisps of her pride blew away like discarded ribbon on the wind.

“…yes… A-appreciate, of course…” Rarity blinked deliberately several times as she tried to clear her eyes and her head. So distracted was she with attempting to sober herself up that it took her several long seconds before her ears shot up and her eyes focused sharply on Octavia once more. “And… speaking of details,” she said slowly, forcing her words to come at a more measured pace than before so she could choose them carefully, “I couldn’t help but notice that you… seem to know a lot about Neighpon and the customs there.” Rarity’s hoof reached for the bottle of sake of its own accord, but she forced it to pick up her water glass instead. Perhaps that will help clear this fog out of my head. Octavia’s eyes betrayed nothing except the warm glow of the alcohol she had imbibed, but her smile slipped minutely as she sighed.

“I suppose you could say I do know quite a bit about them,” she said, her voice carefully neutral. Rarity felt a warm surge of triumph in her chest, a strange rising sensation that seemed about to lift her out of her seat. Yes! Yes, tell me your secrets!! She felt her lips begin to part in a smile, but before they could get that far she forced her celebrations to a halt with a firm clench of her teeth. No, don’t lose sight of the goal, Rarity! Don’t get too excited yet, she hasn’t actually told you anything. Just ‘play it cool’ as Rainbow would say. The unicorn’s eyes refocused on Octavia who was giving her a look full of concern from her seat. Rarity blinked at her once before realizing that she must have been staring off into space as she’d had her bit of inner housekeeping. Dear Celestia… no more drinking for you, Rarity! This is getting embarrassing. With a shake of her head Rarity cleared her throat and placed her elbow casually on the tabletop making sure that it had firm purchase, and wasn’t sitting in any of the food, before placing her chin atop it in the most casual posture she could possibly contrive.

“It seems like they have a fascinating culture,” she said slowly, forcing her mind to pick and choose her words more carefully than Twilight picked her moves in chess. “But if you don’t mind me saying so, you seem to have a knowledge that is much more–” she chewed the word several times before finally smiling and continuing, “–intimate than a simple scholar would have. I never would have known that I was supposed to wipe my hooves at the entrance, or that bit about the slippers.” Octavia breathed a chuckle and shook her head gingerly.

“That’s very basic knowledge,” said the mare dismissively. “Anypony could pick up a book and tell you that. It’s truly nothing special.”

“Perhaps not, but what about proper etiquette with the chopsticks?” pressed Rarity as she watched Octavia closely. She dug deep into her memory, fighting against the alcoholic fumes that pervaded her thoughts until she found what she was looking for. “I saw other ponies in this restaurant tonight using magic on their chopsticks and nopony looked at them twice, but when I did it you mentioned that such things are actually frowned upon in Neighpon and that a pony should use her hooves instead.” Her brow furrowed and she flexed her right hoof. “I think I’ve got the hang of it now, but I swear my hoof is going to be sore tomorrow.”

“Mmm… you did beautifully,” the gray mare sighed wistfully.

Rarity’s ear twitched violently and she blinked. “I… I’m sorry, what was that?”

“Oh, um…” Octavia’s eyes widened as she sat up and something very close to panic flitted through them; however, even before Rarity could be sure she’d heard what she thought she did, the possibly imagined panic was gone and the mare across from her was waving her right hoof dismissively through the air. “I just said… you did wonderfully, d-don’t worry about it.” She let her hoof fall back to her lap and the slight smile returned to her features. “But that information… I… it’s all but general knowledge, really…”

It was all Rarity could do to keep from glaring at the mare across from her. No… no, you will not escape me this time! She thought vehemently. There’s got to be something… something I can use to get past this barrier! She shifted through everything she could remember about Octavia: everything that she had seen since coming here tonight that could provide her with a way through the other mare’s immaculate defenses. Her eyes darted around the room, trying to remember every last detail as they alit on the hostess, Silver Blossom, and like a flash of lightning Rarity was handed her opening.

“Not to mention that small bit of interaction I saw between you and the hostess,” Rarity said quietly, her lips curling into a smile she hoped looked more all-knowing than she felt as she let her words trail off into silence. I can’t remember why it stood out to me, but it did… so let’s hope this does it! It was a long shot. If there really had been nothing going on there she would look like a fool, and even if there was something going on there Octavia certainly wouldn’t have to tell her what it was. But it was, quite frankly, the only thing she could remember at the moment to use.

Octavia held Rarity’s gaze firmly in her own, her face calm and collected as the moments ticked by. The unicorn felt her hopes begin to dwindle and die as the earth pony watched her, her mouth set in a firm line that seemed bound and determined to keep Rarity from what she wanted. The long pause stretched onward until it bordered on inappropriate and finally Rarity sighed inwardly. Well, I suppose it was too much to ask… I could be mis-remembering after all and-

“...you’re right.” Octavia’s gentle words cut through her thoughts like a razor, and Rarity’s eyes refocused on her companion. The other mare let out a barely audible sigh and dropped her eyes to the table where her hoof was playing with the condensation on her water glass. “I know a good deal about Neighponese culture because–” Octavia paused and even Rarity’s sake-soaked faculties could detect a crack appearing in the wall that had always been between her and the truth, “–because I have family in Neighpon.” She took a deep breath and looked back to Rarity, the tiny smile that the unicorn had come to recognize sliding back onto her features. “I don’t get to see them very often, but, ever since I was a filly, I’ve always tried to meet their rather rigorous standards.” Her eyes dropped back to the table. “Not always successfully, I might add.”

The same lifting sensation that she had felt before again filled Rarity’s chest and the unicorn sat up a little bit straighter on her mat as she fought the urge to giggle like a schoolfilly. Yes! I KNEW this would work! She thought triumphantly.

“I see.” Rarity forced her voice to remain calm and even despite the whirling elation and sake inside her. She took a deep, steadying breath and a quick drink of water before turning her attention back to her companion. “Your family lives in Neighpon, then?”

“Not all of them.” Octavia’s ears drooped against her dark mane. “My father and his side of the family are Neighponese. They all still live there and I visit as often as I am able.”

“Ah. And your mother? Does she live there as well?” As soon as the words had left her mouth Rarity wished she could take them back as Octavia’s ears flattened themselves against her head and her eyes dropped from Rarity’s face to the top of the table. Touchy subject, I see… best avoid it for now. The unicorn set her glass of water back onto the table and cleared her throat. “Well, I’m glad to know that I hadn’t simply imagined the sophistication I saw in you earlier,” she said lightly as she gave Octavia a smile. “At least your parents come from a society that prides decorum and class…”

Octavia’s ears shot back up to attention as her eyes moved from the table back to Rarity. “I take it that your parents are not what you would call sophisticated?” she asked quietly, her voice again careful and controlled. Rarity let out a short, sharp snort and shook her head vigorously.

“Oh dear Celestia, not in the least – my father is a former hoofball player who enjoys fishing, of all things, and my mother is… well, she cooks, we can just leave it at that.” The unicorn sighed, perhaps a bit more dramatically than she would have liked. “Ask her to bake cookies or an apple pie and she does beautifully, but I ask her one time to make a crème brûlée and the entire kitchen ends up on fire!” Her eyes rolled as she remembered the look on her mother’s face as the fire ponies had doused their kitchen with their hoses. “That day she swore off so-called fancy cooking and decided she would dedicate herself to what she calls ‘the classics’. She jokingly insists that my little sister will surely get her cutie mark in ‘fancy cooking’,” Rarity used her hooves to make quotation marks in the air, “just so she can cook food for me.” A vexed sigh growled in the unicorn’s throat. I swear, my mother and her opinions on my taste in food…

“So you have a sister, then?”

“Hmm?” Rarity blinked rapidly as she re-focused on Octavia. “Oh, yes I do! Her name is Sweetie Belle, and she is…” She chuckled and shrugged. “Well, she is a filly without her cutie mark. What else is there to say? I’m certain we were all the same at that age.” Octavia gave one of her breathy chuckles, the sound barely teasing Rarity’s ears as she settled her front hooves back to the table. “And speaking of siblings, do you have any?” Again Octavia’s ears did more talking that the mare herself: they twitched mightily as if they longed to plunge against the shelter of her mane, but after a moment they straightened.

“I have several, but I see them so rarely they feel more like friends than siblings,” she said, her voice soft and sad. “They live with my father, and… well…” She gave her head a shake. “It’s not important. What is important is Silver Blossom.” The earth pony raised her hoof to point at the hostess across the room who was still seemingly enthralled with her book. Octavia’s smile became shrewd and she arched an eyebrow at Rarity. “Don’t be fooled by the book, she’s been listening to our conversation the whole time.”

“…what? Really?” The unicorn’s eyes darted to the earth pony across the room just in time to see her left ear twitch twice. Octavia snickered under her breath and turned back to the table between them.

“Oh yes, she’s quite good at that. Silver Blossom is my cousin on my father’s side and has been more of a sister to me than anypony.” Octavia’s voice became distant as she spoke, her eyes gazing into her memories. “Her family has lived in Canterlot as long as I have and we grew up together. Her family owns this restaurant, that’s why I come here so often, you see. It’s a nice chance to have some of the culture from Neighpon and a good opportunity for us to see each other.”

The effects of the sake had slowly been wearing off and Rarity finally felt as though she was piecing things together. “I see. And the little confrontation at the door..?”

“That? That was nothing, I assure you.” Octavia shrugged nonchalantly. “When I come here she ensures that I conduct myself in proper Neighponese style. It’s all for practice, but when we came in today I slipped and she upbraided me appropriately.”

“Upbraided?” muttered Rarity sullenly. “I didn’t see any kind of braiding, up or otherwise…” If what she’s saying is true then she’s right about one thing at least: I really WOULDN’T know if I was offending a Neighponese.

“Make no mistake – she expressed her displeasure in no uncertain terms…” Octavia colored slightly. “Well, she did… to a pony who knows to look for such things.”

“Perhaps I’m better off NOT knowing the apparently large list of things that could offend a Neighponese pony,” mused Rarity. I can’t imagine having so many small things to watch out for, she thought. Why, the social etiquette of Canterlot is challenging enough – these ponies seem to watch every word and gesture like hungry griffons waiting to pounce on the smallest faux pas. Suddenly her eyes widened as a thought came thundering out of the back of her mind. Oh Celestia, what kinds of things have I done to offend her?! The very thought horrified Rarity, but even as she opened her mouth to begin what she knew would be a long process of complex apologies Octavia raised a hoof, the delicate smile back on her lips.

“Before you begin to think too much on the details of Neighponese manners, Rarity, I want you to know that you have been nothing but the picture of politeness and kindness since we met. No creature, Neighponese or otherwise, could find fault with you.”

Rarity’s mouth hung open for a brief moment as her cheeks suddenly grew warmer than they had been moments before. She blinked at the earth pony across from her as she sat back and took a thought-gathering breath. Faultless, is it? She thought. Well… I certainly wouldn’t go that far, but… She raised her hoof to her mouth and cleared her throat delicately before speaking again.

“Well, thank you,” she managed after a pause. “But I’m certain that somepony as well versed in their customs as you are would have noticed many things that I did wrong and I’m certain that you or any Neighponese could simply pick my etiquette apart.”

“Ah, but you forget: I’m half Equestrian.” Octavia’s eyes twinkled in the low light like dew-kissed amethysts. “And that means that I’m much more inclined to look at the pony than at her manners.”

The two mares sat together, their eyes searching one another’s intently for several long moments of silence until Rarity finally broke it. She giggled quietly and inclined her head towards her companion, hoping that her cheeks weren’t as red as they felt.

“Well in that case, thank you. I’m certainly glad you know what you’re looking for.” Her smile widened coyly as she raised her head again, her mane bobbing playfully against her neck. “I just hope you’re looking in the right places.” Goodness, sake certainly makes my cheeks flushed… The mare across from her placed her elbows on the table, put her hooves together and rested her chin atop them, her smile warmer than it had been the entire day.

“A musician always knows the right places to look,” Octavia said softly. “One cannot understand the dynamics until one learns the song.”

Rarity nodded in agreement and, as the two mares sat, the conversation turned to their professions; however, it was not the perfectly constructed masterpiece of verbiage that it had been before. As the minutes ticked by and slowly turned into an hour, the easy conversation continued, both mares happy to talk about their chosen careers and more than happy to listen to one another do so. Rarity chatted about her successes with her friends’ dresses for the Gala the year they had gone as well as the various other gowns and outfits she had designed while Octavia spoke of the many grand venues she had played with her quartet and the unique life of a classical musician. Rarity found herself completely enchanted by the mare’s stories, often losing herself in the warm silk of Octavia’s voice without realizing it. The cellist certainly had a charming voice and the simple fact that Rarity found it so soothing seemed to make her stories that much more entertaining.

After an hour of idle chatting, Silver Blossom made her way slowly to the table and informed them that the establishment would be closing soon. Octavia thanked her with a bow and this time Rarity did her best to mimic Octavia’s movements. Silver Blossom’s composed features cracked into a smile as she did so and after a glance at Octavia the hostess complimented Rarity on her form.

“Few can bow so well with so little practice,” she said, bowing in return. “Arigato, Miss Rarity.” She swept their dishes from their table and onto her back before making her way to a door at the far side of the room, pausing only long enough to cast a glance back at the pair before disappearing through it.

“She’s very sweet,” Rarity commented as she rose to her hooves, stretching her legs and rump as she did so. Sitting on the floor isn’t bad, but doing so for as long as we have tonight certainly makes one’s backside ache. “I hope that I’ve made a good impression on her,” she continued, giving her mane a gentle shake to settle it into its proper place. “I rather like this restaurant and would like to come here again.” Octavia rose to her hooves as well and stretched in similar fashion before turning a smile on Rarity.

“I’m glad you enjoy it so much. I know Silver would like to see you again, she seems to like you quite well.”

Rarity frowned. “How can you tell?”

“She didn’t spill any of the food on you when she took it away.” Octavia rolled her eyes but her smile remained warm. “She does that when I… um…” Her smile wavered and the earth pony seemed to lose her words. As Rarity watched she glanced away, allowing her mane to cover her face from view. “She’s done that… for a long time,” Octavia corrected. “On ponies she doesn’t particularly care for. It discourages them from coming back, you see, and by doing that she influences who she sees on a regular basis.” She tossed her mane back out of her face and turned her smile back to Rarity, but the unicorn could see that it was vaguely tighter than it had been. “She’d like it if you came back, I’m certain.”

“That seems a bit odd, but I am grateful she likes me, at the very least.” Rarity smiled as the two mares made their way toward the door, but out of the corner of her eye she spied the now empty table, and her smile shrank again. “Did we already pay? I’m afraid that the middle of the evening is a bit of a blur.”

“Don’t worry,” Octavia reassured her. “I have a tab here. A musician doesn’t always get paid on a consistent basis, so I pay them monthly.” Her demure smile widened and she chuckled quietly. “It can be very convenient to have good friends who understand the situations you go through in your life.” Silver Blossom poked her head out of the door she had disappeared through and waved a hoof at Octavia, who returned it with a broad smile before turning back to Rarity. “Here in Canterlot ponies don’t always care about how often you get paid or the fact that you can’t find work, they simply want your money and they want it now.” She sighed and shrugged as they entered the hallway with the polished wood floor, their hooves clopping gently across the shining surface. Rarity felt her brow crinkle as she frowned. Really? I… I’ve never gotten that impression from Canterlot before… she thought. Every time I’ve been here, the majority of my visit has been extremely enjoyable… “But such is the way of the big city, I’m afraid,” Octavia concluded as they stepped down onto the entry way. “Though I doubt you’re a stranger to such things.”

“Well… I…” Rarity began, but Octavia turned towards her and gave her a knowing smile.

“You fit in so well in Canterlot,” she said quietly. “You look the part and act it accordingly, but you’re…” She hesitated, as if the words were stuck in the back of her throat. “…You’re like Silver and her family,” she said finally. “And that’s refreshing. It gives a mare hope.”

Rarity’s cheeks grew warm once more, and she silently cursed her inability to hold her alcohol. Oh, that’s the absolute last time I drink sake! She cleared her throat as pride swelled up in her chest, tossing her mane over her shoulder before giving Octavia her most winning smile.

“Well, I thank you very much,” she said with a nod. “I suppose there’s more of Ponyville in me than I thought – and that may indeed be a good thing after all.” The pair exited the restaurant into the now-dark street, the cool night air flowing across Rarity’s warm coat and causing her to exhale thankfully. Luna’s moon shone down brightly on the city now, casting everything into silver light and black shadows. Rarity took a deep breath and glanced towards the north end of the street before turning her smile back to Octavia. “Thank you for the wonderful meal, Octavia. It truly was unique and I have to admit that I would love to come back again – soon, if it’s possible!”

“I… I’m so glad you liked it,” replied Octavia. “And well…” The earth pony shifted on her hooves in the moonlight, the cool light from the half-full moon shimmering across her well-kept mane. “If you liked it so much, perhaps… perhaps we could…” Rarity arched an eyebrow at her, but before she could speak Octavia let out a sigh and tossed her mane out of her face, allowing her eyes to meet the unicorn’s own. Again Rarity was taken aback by the other mare’s gaze and in the moonlight Octavia’s deep eyes seemed to shine with brilliance all their own. “Perhaps we could come back here together for lunch? They have an excellent menu for lunch and I’m sure you eat lunch, so perhaps lunch?” Her words came out in a rush, as if she’d had a hard time convincing them to come out at all.

“I most certainly do eat lunch,” Rarity said with a smile. “And I think that would be lovely. But I insist that you allow me to buy next time – a lady does not ask for a free lunch, after all.” She giggled and to her delight Octavia laughed with her, a soft, melodic laugh that made the moonlight feel as warm as a summer breeze.

“Of course, Rarity,” she said after a moment. “So what do you say? I know that our next meeting is not for another week, but perhaps I can meet you here for lunch in two days?”

“That sounds absolutely wonderful.” The unicorn gave her a warm smile, and ever so slowly the two mares turned to walk opposite directions down the street. “Have a good evening, Octavia,” Rarity said as she turned north along the boulevard.

Behind her, she heard Octavia mutter something that sounded suspiciously like “I already have” before she heard the other mare’s hoofsteps moving away to the south. Rarity reached the end of the street in no time at all and before she turned the corner she cast a glance down the street behind her. At the far end she could see a figure standing in the middle of the street, her coat bathed in moonlight, her face turned to the sky as if in prayer. Rarity watched the pony for a moment before smiling happily.

“It truly was a wonderful evening,” she muttered wistfully. With a contented sigh the unicorn turned her hooves on the cobblestones and started her journey to Fleur’s.

Author's Note

Unfortunately I have limited resources when it comes to translating things, but for individual words I'm usually quite comfortable using the translation software available to me. In this case the sake they're drinking is named 水泡 , as defined to me by Google Translate. :3

La Mattina Dopo

The next morning dawned bright and as clear as the night had been, the unobstructed sun pouring its light eagerly out onto Equestria as it peeked over the edge of the horizon. The golden rays ignited the eastern sky in a brilliant orange blaze that slowly faded to bright blue at the edges and, as the morning’s light spread across Canterlot, it roused both wildlife and citizens alike. Before long the city was alive with the cheerful chirping of birds as they greeted the new day with their flurry of songs. Canterlot did not boast the diversity of animal life that smaller towns like Ponyville did, but birds they had in abundance and their melodies filled the morning air in a myriad of twisting tunes that roused the sleeping ponies of the capital as the morning grew brighter.

The trees around Fleur’s home never lacked for avian life and this morning was no exception – in fact, it seemed that today there were even more than usual as the twittering, chirping, and singing of dozens upon dozens of birds filled the air outside and inside the house. One bird, a brilliant crimson cardinal, swooped down and perched lightly upon the sill of one of the many open windows in the house. The cardinal, a proud specimen of a proud species, ruffled his feathers and puffed out his chest importantly before he opened his beak and began to sing his brilliant, clear song.

“Fweeet fweeet chir-chir-chir-chir-chirp!” The bird ruffled his wings and cast his shining brown eyes around haughtily, certain that no other bird could match his beautiful call; however, another cardinal from a tree in the neighboring yard echoed his song loudly, with more chirps and a longer fweet. The cardinal felt his feathers puff up of their own accord and without hesitation he drew his chest up and called again.

“FWEEEET FWEEEEET chir-chir-chir-chir-chir-chir-chir-CHIRP!” The cardinal tossed his head decisively, the crest of feathers on his head rising importantly as he waited for what surely would be a remorseful response. Seconds later the call rose from the tree across the way, but it was again loud and boastful, with importance and pomp to match the cardinal’s in every respect. Now the bird’s eyes narrowed and with a final, deep breath he drew himself up for a call that would never be forgotten in the history of all bird-kind.

“FWEEEEEEEEEET FWEEEEEEEEEEET CHIR-CHIR-CHIR—,” but that was as far as he got. For in the middle of his splendid call an alarm clock flew from the room behind him and impacted him solidly, knocking him out of the window and into the open air with a loud, “Squawk!” The clock and the cardinal plummeted from the window, but in an instant the cardinal’s wings opened and carried him indignantly to the nearest tree; however, the clock had no other choice but to continue on its way to the ground where it bounced once, then twice, before coming to rest in one of the bushes outside of Fleur’s home.

From the window through which the clock had flown came a series of dissatisfied and grumpy mumblings as Rarity let out a vexed sigh. “I swear that the birds in Ponyville have more consideration than you do!” She said loudly towards the open window. With a delicate, “Hmmph!” she reached her hooves up to the sleeping mask that she had hastily pushed up to her forehead just below her horn, intent on replacing it over her eyes and going back to sleep. I’m certain that it’s far too early for me to be awake, considering how late I was out last night, she thought groggily. She squinted in the sunlight streaming through her window and to her dismay an insistent, dull throb began to pulse behind her eyes the longer she sat upright. Surely I have more time to sleep this off. She glanced at her nightstand to see what time it was and her face scrunched in irritation as she remembered that the alarm clock that should have resided there had only moments ago been used as an anti-bird projectile. Oh… yes. Well.

With no way of knowing exactly what time it was and unwilling to risk sleeping late on a day when she needed to work as much as she could, Rarity shifted to the side of her bed and slid from beneath the succulent sheets out into the open air. She took her first reluctant step towards the vanity across the room and winced as the clop of her hoof against the floor sent a wave of uncomfortable pain throbbing through the front of her head. She hissed through her teeth and raised a hoof to her forehead below her horn as a firm pounding settled in behind her eyes like the bass drum Pinkie Pie played in her one-pony band.

“Dear sweet Celestia,” she whispered, confusion mingling with irritation in her voice. “Do I actually have a hangover?” She shook her head in disbelief and immediately regretted it as the throbbing behind her eyes surged in time with the beating of her heart. With a soft squeak Rarity squeezed her eyes shut tight, hoping that doing so would ease the pain. It’s been almost a year since I had a hangover, she thought ruefully. I’ve been very careful ever since that cider-tasting party at Sweet Apple Acres. I suppose I drank a bit more than I thought last night.

Suddenly, Rarity’s eyes flew back open and in spite of her pounding headache a broad smile burst onto her lips as the memories of the night before flooded back into her pain-crowded mind. Last night! The restaurant, with Octavia! The unicorn giggled and reared up on her hind legs, kicking her forelegs happily. I… I actually did it! I can hardly believe it! I… Suddenly her exuberant laughter turned into a sickly groan in the back of her throat and Rarity hastily dropped back to all four hooves as the entire room began to spin around her. All right, Rarity… no more celebrating like THAT for now, she thought as she quickly covered her mouth with a hoof, the taste of bile rising in her throat. A more sedate celebration is in order… and perhaps a cup of coffee.

Despite the pain in her head and the nausea in her stomach, Rarity could not deny the bubble of ecstatic excitement that her recollection of the night before had blown up in her chest. With a softer, more subdued giggle the unicorn headed for the door of her room, intent on telling her hostess all about what had happened over breakfast, but as she hurried past the vanity she caught a glimpse of her mane in the mirror and its sorry state caused her to slam to a halt in horror. It was a sight to behold and looked as though one of the birds that had woken her had made its nest there for three seasons in a row.

“Oh my stars,” she muttered, touching her frazzled curls with a hoof. The brush that sat atop the vanity lit up with blue magic and levitated forward to hover in front of Rarity, who gave her unruly hairstyle a firm glare as she pulled her sleeping mask off with a hoof. “Breakfast will have to wait until I have put you back where you belong!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Several pain-filled minutes later, Rarity shut the door behind her as she turned right out into the hallway outside her room, her mane finally back in its perfectly combed curls after a prolonged and painful battle. The unicorn wiped one last tear away from her eye as she descended the stairs in the home’s impressive foyer, then turned right into the northern hallway as her head throbbed from the violent brushing she’d had to employ. Drinking is bad for my hair, apparently, she thought ruefully as she made her way down the long hallway at the front of the house. Perhaps if you intend to make a habit of this you should keep a hairnet nearby, Rarity, that way you can complete your transformation into a true drunken sophisticate… honestly, that is the LAST time I drink in such a fashion! She sighed in vexation as she made her way to the very end of the hallway. Fleur had few clocks in the more public areas of her home, so Rarity still had no idea what time it truly was, but the smells of all things breakfast wafted down the hallway at her from the single swinging door at the end and that was enough for Rarity. Without a moment’s hesitation she pushed the door open and entered yet another of the spectacular rooms in Fleur de Lis’ home.

Fleur had two large, beautiful areas at either end of her home: at the southern end, she had her gorgeous library and reading room with its walls full of books and, at the northern end, she had the only other room to rival the library’s brilliance: the dining room. The décor was simple and clean with two sets of large windows that lined the pristine eggshell walls and stacked atop one another from the warm honey-colored pine floor that gleamed in the morning sunlight to the high vaulted ceiling lined with white crown molding and, as Rarity allowed the door to swing shut behind her, she felt some of her irritation ease. There was, after all, nothing that soothed the designer’s ire quite like being in a place of beauty. And Fleur’s home is nothing if not a never-ending supply of beautiful spaces, Rarity reflected. The morning sun streamed in through the large windows, its rays caressing the crystalline chandelier that hung from the ceiling, the twin of the one in the library. Its many-faceted hanging crystals bent the light and sent bright beams shooting off into the darker corners of the room and Rarity couldn’t help but stare at it for a moment before smiling and allowing her eyes to fall back to the rest of the room. The furniture in Fleur’s dining room, from the main dining table and chairs that sat in the center to the smaller tables and chairs that sat along the windows, were all made of beautifully polished oak wood that contrasted perfectly with the light wood of the floor. The room was not set for a fancy dinner or a party, but, nevertheless, the main table was adorned with a large centerpiece: a brightly polished silver vase sat proudly in the middle of the table, full of masterfully arranged flowers, feathers, and bits of the various trees around Fleur’s home, all tied together with a few perfectly twisted ribbons. It was an arrangement that screamed “summer” to anypony who looked at it and it seemed to brighten the already bright room just a bit more, even if it was a good deal larger than something Rarity would have designed herself. Less is more in occasions such as this, Rarity reflected as she gazed at the enormous conglomeration – it was wide enough that several seats were hidden from view entirely and tall enough that it seemed to be competing with the chandelier for dominance of the room.

The unicorn’s eyes darted first to one side of the room and then to the other, seeking the other mare with whom she shared the house, but Fleur was nowhere to be seen. At least, she was nowhere that Rarity could see from the door. The designer arched a critical eyebrow at the centerpiece, her lips set in a thin, judgmental line. If a decoration hides a large portion of guests from the host’s view, it is NOT a good centerpiece, Rarity reflected before she turned smartly and started around the left side of the table, hoping that Fleur was on the other side.

The table was set modestly with several serving trays of eggs, pancakes, alfalfa strips, and the little honey seedcakes that Rarity was fond of nibbling. The smells of those foods and, perhaps more importantly, the smell of coffee that she had detected from the hallway engulfed her and caused her stomach to growl enthusiastically. Well, I’m certain I can tell the story while we eat! Fleur certainly won’t mind, I’m sure! As Rarity moved around the side of the table, Fleur slid into view from behind the centerpiece, her smile warm as she greeted Rarity with a wave.

“Good morning, Rarity,” she said. “I hope you slept well.” Rarity let out a laugh, but it was more resignation than mirth.

“Aah ha… as well as could be expected, I suppose,” answered Rarity softly, her hooves carrying her slowly around the table. “But my sleep experience aside, I have some intriguing news to share with you!” Her voice bubbled with excitement and she couldn’t keep herself from giggling despite the steady throbbing in her head. The other unicorn smiled, but to her surprise it wasn’t Fleur’s voice that answered her, instead it was a deeper, masculine voice with a chipper, clipped accent that spoke into the silence.

“For not sleeping well, you’re in a rather jolly mood for this time of the morning, Rarity!”

Usually Fleur was alone when Rarity came down to breakfast, always rising earlier than the designer felt was absolutely necessary to prepare for the day, but today as the unicorn rounded the table, and could finally see past the enormous centerpiece, she saw that Fleur had a guest – the dapper, monocle-clad figure of Fancy Pants, the stallion who had so generously helped Rarity with her shop in Canterlot. Rarity’s spirits lifted even higher than before and her smile grew in kind.

“Fancy Pants! What a wonderful surprise! I had no idea you were going to be here today!”

The white unicorn stallion gave her a winning smile and brushed his blue mane out of his face with a hoof, pausing just long enough to straighten his fashionable moustache before placing his hoof back to the table. “I do apologize if I startled you. Did Fleur not inform you that I occasionally just pop by to say hello?”

“She did not, as a matter of fact,” said Rarity as she slid into a seat on Fleur’s right. “Not that it’s a problem, Fancy – I’m always glad to see you, even if it is–” she glanced at the windows then back to the stallion, “–earlier than I’d expected.”

“And the feeling is mutual, even if you’d rather not be awake just yet,” he said with a smile. Fancy Pants lifted his left hoof from the table and reached out to run his foreleg over the back of the fluffy white cat that sat atop the table next to him. “I’m equally glad that Opal doesn’t seem to mind my presence, either!” Opalescence, Rarity’s notoriously ill-tempered feline, simply purred and arched her back into the affectionate touch, her muzzle never leaving her silver dish as she lapped at what looked to Rarity to be thick cream. Rarity’s eyes widened as Fancy Pants gave her luscious coat several long, unhurried strokes before returning his hoof back to the table, undamaged and entirely whole.

“Opal… she…” Rarity pointed with a hoof and felt her mouth open once or twice in disbelief. “She let you… touch her?” Fancy Pants arched an eyebrow at Fleur before turning a confident smile to Rarity.

“Well, yes of course. Is there any reason she wouldn’t?”

“IS there?!” Rarity shook her head slowly. “Normally she’d have all but taken your hoof off! Even I still get claws as often as purrs!” Admitted Rarity, her eyes glued to the seemingly bottomless enigma that was her cat. “I can’t recall her ever taking so well to anypony so quickly.”

“That’s what I told him,” agreed Fleur as she levitated her fork off the table. “I still can’t approach her without getting hissed at.” The fork moved to her plate and began shifting food around as Fleur smiled at Rarity again. “She hissed at Fancy Pants, and I warned him against touching her, but… well, you know Fancy.” A portion of scrambled eggs floated up on the fork, and the very sight of food made Rarity’s stomach growl loudly. “He simply went to Opal, chided her gently for such ‘unladylike behavior’, and scooped her up with the promise of food.”

“Simple as that, my dear,” Fancy assured her with a wink. “I suppose I just have a certain way with delicate ladies.” He turned and extended his hoof to Opal again, who actually left her bowl of cream and sauntered her way to him, her white fur pillowing against his hoof as she rubbed against him. “Isn’t that right, Opal?”

The cat rubbed against him and let out a satisfied meow before turning to Rarity with a smug grin. Delicate ladies, is it? Rarity thought as her cat turned for another round of petting. Perhaps it’s cantankerous, finicky felines he has a certain way with…

“But enough about Opal,” said Fleur, “Its breakfast time and you don’t want these delicious eggs to get cold.” She gestured to the food laid out before them. “Eat up! And once we’re done, you can tell us all about what kept you out so late last night.” Rarity’s eyes widened and Fleur gave her a wink. “Oh yes, I heard you come in, Rarity, and I must say that the uneven hoofsteps I heard on the stairs deserve an explanation.” Rarity blushed beneath Fleur’s words and without thinking she opened her mouth to respond, but the other mare simply raised a hoof and gave her a knowing, big sisterly smile. “Ah ah, Rarity – breakfast first, explanations after!”

Rarity’s mouth snapped shut of its own accord and after a moment she nodded, certain that her face was as brilliantly red as the roses in the centerpiece. I should have known that Fleur would still be awake when I came home, the unicorn thought as she levitated her plate to the platters full of food. But it’s not like anything happened. I mean, I had dinner with a client and learned more about her. We had a few social drinks, and I came home a bit tipsy, that’s all! She shifted in her seat and felt her ears droop slightly as her brow furrowed. But if that’s all, then why do I feel like I got caught with my hoof in the cookie jar?

With a few deft maneuvers with her magic, Rarity filled her plate with eggs, two pancakes, and a small serving of alfalfa strips before bringing the delicate china plate sailing back to her, where it landed gently on the table before her. The blue of her magic leaped from the plate to the fork next to it and, after a moment’s hesitation, she lifted it off the table. Her eyes darted to Fancy Pants and Fleur as she argued with herself, her attention only half on her fork as her magic moved it. I really don’t think that I should wait to tell them exactly why I was late and… compromised last night, she thought. But then again, Fleur did say breakfast first. After several heartbeats of indecision Rarity sat up straighter in her chair, determination settling in her eyes. No. No, I shan’t wait a moment longer – they should know why I was late. She opened her mouth to begin speaking, the words that would exonerate her at the tip of her tongue, but before they could come rushing out, her fork full of eggs rushed in, filling her mouth with the soft, warm fluffiness that only perfectly cooked scrambled eggs can have. Her eyes widened in surprise, but only for a moment. As soon as she began to chew the eggs, the words that had seemed so important seconds before seemed to mean less than nothing as her whole body relaxed. Oh my stars! These are simply divine! Her stomach growled again and, this time, she swore that there was an appreciative tone to it. Very well then, she told her cacophonous organ as she chewed happily. We’ll wait until breakfast is finished. Her magic lit up the handle of the coffee pot that sat next to her and poured the hot liquid into her waiting cup. The earthy, invigorating scent quickly filled Rarity’s head and chased the throbbing away, driving it back into the abyss from whence it had come. Fleur was mostly right, she reflected. The order must be coffee first and explanations later.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“She was very kind, even after I so clearly made a fool out of myself,” said Rarity as she gestured with her fork, her eyes darting from Fleur to Fancy Pants and back again. “She put the whole meal on her tab – she has a TAB at a restaurant of that caliber – and we left, saying our goodbyes before parting ways in the street.” The unicorn shook her head and let her fork drop back to the tabletop next to her empty plate where it clattered loudly on the wooden table, the utensil missing the white placemat beneath Rarity’s plate entirely. Breakfast had been delicious, but Rarity had admittedly eaten much faster than she did normally so that she could begin telling her friends about the events of the night before. She couldn’t even recall the taste of the eggs or pancakes she’d eaten less than a half an hour ago. In fact, as she had told her story, the sweet, tangy taste of the sushi she’d eaten the night before had invaded her mouth, every sip of her now lukewarm coffee reminded her pointedly of the warm sake she’d had at the White Lily, and a pair of brilliant purple eyes leaped into her mind at the very thought of either of them. “We had a very nice evening, truth be told, even if some of the details have become a bit vague to me this morning.”

Next to her Fleur set her own fork down, her plate now empty as well. “It sounds as though you had a very eventful evening,” the other unicorn remarked. “And this is the same Octavia that has monopolized your thoughts in the past week, correct?”

“YES, and she’s ever so much more than I thought she was!” Rarity lifted her coffee cup and took a sip, heedless of its less than ideal temperature as her eyes turned to the window. “I mean, I never would have dreamed that she had such a complicated life! And I can’t imagine what it must be like to have a family divided in such a fashion.” She gave her head a slow, gentle shake. “She’s so strong, Fleur. I can’t imagine…” The unicorn took another sip of her coffee as she stared at the window. She could picture Octavia now, sitting across from her at the table – her hooves crossed before her, her eyes watching every move Rarity made with the precision of a premier socialite…

“Octavia, Octavia… yes, I remember her,” Fancy Pants said as he pushed his own plate away. He turned in his chair to face Rarity and Fleur more squarely as he gestured with his hoof. “She was that delightful mare who played the cello at my Garden Party last year, along with the rest of her quartet.”

“Indeed she was,” said Rarity, “and she played the Gala two years ago when I attended with my friends and had my–” she shuddered, “–fiasco with Prince Blueblood.” The mare gave a deep sigh and her ears drooped almost to her mane. “To think I was that close to her and I can’t even remember listening to her play…” The thought drew a dark shadow across Rarity’s heart and to her surprise she realized that she felt absolutely horrid about not being able to truthfully tell Octavia that she remembered her playing. Well that’s just silly, Rarity, she told herself firmly. You had so much going on both those nights – what with the Gala being ruined and Fancy’s party being such a complicated affair thanks to your desire to be in two places at once – it’s a wonder you remember HALF of the things that you do about either event! Rarity sighed again and set her empty coffee cup down onto the table. But if that’s true then why do I feel so dreadful about it?

“Why the frown, my dear?” Fancy Pants’ voice drew her from her reverie and back to the waking world. Rarity blinked quickly and gave her head a tiny shake before turning it back to the stallion, who gave her a reassuring smile. “Come now, Rarity. Surely you’re not… what’s the phrase? Beating yourself up over this?” The stallion levitated his own coffee cup up off the table until it hovered before him, his eyes warm and kind as he met Rarity’s gaze. “From what little I learned about her last year, Octavia is not a pony who is going to hold the fact that you can’t remember her playing against you. In fact, I have the feeling that if anything she would tell you that if you remembered her playing, then she wasn’t doing her job correctly.”

Now Rarity’s ears perked back up even as her brow crinkled into a frown. “And why is that?” she asked as Fancy sipped his coffee and, after several long seconds of watching the stallion savor his drink, he sighed softly and smiled at her.

“It’s very simple,” said Fancy as he gently set his cup back to the table. “In that kind of atmosphere, a musician such as Octavia would feel that it was her duty to blend in with the environment. If you will, it was her task to perform perfect mood music for the party and if everypony remembered the music, it would mean that something was odd about it to them.” He shrugged. “Not remembering details about the music means that she played the perfect tempo, tonality, and temperament for that particular party. At least, that’s what many of my guests have told me over the years.”

“It’s true,” Fleur agreed as she levitated her plate onto Fancy’s then onto Rarity’s before moving them to the end of the table with her magic. “I can tell you that when I’m modeling or doing a runway show the music can’t be too invasive, but neither can it be too restrained. If it’s too loud, too soft, or doesn’t fit the mood in some way, the entire performance by the models will be forgotten by the audience and the only thing that they’ll remember was the awful musical choice.”

“Ponies tend to latch on to the bad here in Canterlot, Rarity,” Fancy noted with a shake of his head. “It’s a sad fact of our capital, but there it is. So again, the fact that you don’t remember would probably be taken as a compliment.”

“But…” Rarity sighed and shook her head. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I WANT to hear her play. I want to be able to tell her what I thought of her music, to converse with her about her profession in a more personal manner.” Her ears drooped slightly again. “Is that so much to ask?”

Fancy Pants and Fleur shared a glance and Rarity frowned at the unseen communication that passed between them. Rarity liked to think that she knew this pair well enough, but they had been friends long before either of them had met Rarity and sometimes it felt as though they had no need for cumbersome words to transmit their thoughts and emotions to one another. A singularly irritating thought, reflected Rarity as her companions turned back to her, their expressions full of shared knowing. After all, what chance does a mere mare like me have against a telepathic duo as suave as these two?

“I suppose the best answer to your question is a simple no,” Fleur answered with a quirk of her lips. “It’s not too much to ask and the answer is quite a simple one: you need to hear her play during a concert.”

“A concert?” mused Rarity. “That would certainly solve the problem, but I thought you just said that musicians prided themselves on blending in and not being noticed?”

“Aaaah, they’re not always so modest.” Fancy chuckled lightly, the motion causing his mustaches to bounce merrily on his nose. “A musician at an event that is not purely about music will certainly take pride in blending in, but a musician in a concert that is all about the music and those who play it?” He pointed at Rarity with a hoof and winked. “THAT is the time when you will hear what they are truly capable of.”

Fleur levitated a glistening pitcher of orange juice across the table to her, the condensation on its outside glittering like gems in the morning sunlight. “And that goes doubly if you can listen to her play solo,” she agreed as she carefully poured herself a glass of the soft orange liquid. “No musician shines brighter than when she puts her soul on display, the gleaming beacon of her innermost self awash in the brilliant lights of the stage.”

Fancy Pants smiled brightly. “Very nicely put, my dear – I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

“Thank you, Fancy,” said Fleur with a nod.

“Hmmmmmmm…” Rarity tapped her lower lip with a hoof pensively, her mind whirring with possibilities. “I suppose actually listening to her play would solve my problems, there’s no doubt about that, but how to do it? I mean, I suppose I could ask her to play for me at the Boutique but that would…” she trailed off as her thoughts churned furiously and into the silence came Fleur’s voice.

“…but that would be a bit too direct for your taste?” she teased, and Rarity shot her a flat glare.

“NO, Fleur, it would be… beneath her, I feel.” Rarity sat back and shook her head in defeat. “I couldn’t simply ask her to play there because I would feel awful doing so. She is a musician of the highest caliber and I would think it incredibly rude to ask her to play in such a place.”

Fancy Pants took the pitcher of juice from next to Fleur and poured himself a glass. “Well, what about practicing?”

Rarity frowned again. “Practicing? What of it?”

“Well, she must practice somewhere, correct? You said yourself that none of her friends have been to her home, so it is safe to assume that a quartet with such large instruments must practice somewhere that could hold them all comfortably.” The stallion took a sip of his juice. “And if she is as detail-oriented as you claim she is, she would want the acoustics to be proper for their practice, so...”

“…so that means that they MUST practice at a concert hall!” Rarity exclaimed as she sat up straight and thumped her hooves onto the table in excitement. “And a concert hall is somewhere that I can get into with no problems, I’m certain, and THEN I’ll get to see her play! Oh Fancy Pants you’re a genius!”

“I’m glad to see that she likes the idea,” he muttered to Fleur, who giggled lightly under her breath. Rarity’s eyes blazed with determination as she slid out of her chair, pausing only long enough to push it in before hurrying for the door.

“I’ll ask her about where she practices when I see her in two days. Oh, thank you both so much for listening and for helping me,” she gushed. “I truly do appreciate it, but if you’ll excuse me I have quite a lot of dresses to make before my next meeting with the cellist!” She paused only long enough to toss a hurried “Au revoir!” over her shoulder before vanishing through the swinging door.

Fancy Pants and Fleur listened to her hoofsteps hurry down the hall. The front door opened and closed and the dull, wooden thumping turned into a crisp, sharp clopping as Rarity moved out into the street at almost a full gallop, her mane and tail blowing in the breeze as the duo watched her dart down the street towards her shop. The stallion let out a sigh of relief and allowed his shoulders to slump.

“I suppose I should be glad that she caught on to the idea so quickly,” he said with a smile at his companion. “It can be dreadfully difficult to steer that mare onto the right course once she’s decided that she’s lost her way.” The stallion reached out and began to caress Opal again, who had simply curled up onto the table next to him and gone to sleep after her saucer of cream was finished.

“I most certainly agree,” said Fleur, but her smile was warm as she watched Rarity vanish around the corner at the end of the street. “She can be terribly bull-headed, but she is tenacious to a fault, our Rarity, and it’s clear that she cares for this Octavia very much.” She gave Fancy Pants a knowing smile and as he returned it, a gentle ringing sound tickled Fleur’s ears. Her smile melted slowly into a frown and her ear twitched jerkily as the ringing continued. “Do you hear that?” she asked quietly.

“I do… where do you suppose it’s coming from?” Fancy mused, his own ears twitching as he searched the room.

Outside the windows of the dining area, one of the ponies in charge of landscaping Fleur’s lawn hurried to one of the bushes just off the house and, with a look of profound confusion, he pulled a ringing alarm clock from its leafy depths.

“Well will you look at that,” he muttered to himself as he turned the clock off with a hoof. “I’ve never seen a thyme-keeper before…”

Of Sushi and Sisters

Rarity took great pride in knowing herself and, while it always sounded a bit silly when she tried to explain it to anypony else, she knew that it was something that a civilized pony should strive to do. It was true that despite her desire to know herself she sometimes reacted to unforeseen situations in a strange and completely different manner than she would have thought herself capable of – her trip to the Gala two years ago being a perfect example of such a variable – but, for the most part, Rarity considered herself well-educated on the subject of her own physical and mental reactions, especially where the concept of “waiting for something you want” came in to play. At the most basic level, the unicorn knew that if she allowed herself to simply wait and ruminate on the upcoming lunch meeting with Octavia, she would drive herself mad with “what-ifs” and thoughts on the possibilities that such a rendezvous could hold. It was with that knowledge in mind that Rarity hurried to her shop after breakfast and poured herself into her work as she had not done in years, filling her mind to the brim and busying her hooves until they ached to make the days pass at a more tolerable rate. She had no appointments until the end of the day she met Octavia again and that meant she had a full day and a half to work on the dresses without the interruption of the ponies who were purchasing them from her.

Her hooves flew across the sewing machine and her magic pulled bolt after bolt of fabric around the workshop, the entire space becoming a whirlwind of creative energies that would have no doubt overwhelmed a lesser pony and burned them out in the first half day. A lesser pony, perhaps, but not Rarity: Rarity’s fire grew by the hour as she worked feverishly and soon she lost track of the rest of the world outside of her four walls. Everything in Rarity’s existence shrank down to the fabric she was working on, the thread that she would use, the pattern that had to be cut, and then the pieces it would be sewn to, all blending together into a maelstrom of creative brilliance that drove thoughts of everything else from her mind.

Before she knew it, the first day had ended and Rarity went home weary, but happy. The designer only allowed herself time to have a meal with Fleur before heading off to bed, exhausted mentally and physically by the day’s toil. She slept well that night, her soul adrift in the warm blackness of dreamless depths until the morning sun woke her gently. Then, barely stopping to grab a bagel from Fleur’s generous breakfast table, Rarity bid her friend farewell and hurried back to her shop, determined to make the most out of the remaining hours until she met Octavia again. She started early that second day and by the time that the clock on her wall had chimed 11 a.m., she had done more work than she could have possibly foreseen. So much, in fact, that she was now easily back on schedule and perhaps even a bit ahead. I never would have believed I could do so much, she thought as she ran her eyes over the collection of completed dresses that had burst into existence in the past 36 hours. Perhaps I should try and distract myself more often!

She gave her head a shake and headed for the door. That’s a thought for another time, Rarity. For now, you’d best not be late for your– she hesitated as she closed the door of her shop behind her –meeting. She finished finally, her hoof turning the key in the lock before placing it into her saddlebags. Yes, meeting is the most appropriate term, no doubt, she thought, but as she turned and started towards High Street she couldn’t help but think that the term “meeting” felt strangely empty when applied to her time with Octavia.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“…and after that my sister learned the value of asking permission before entering someone’s home, as well as learning how to remove jam from the covers of library books.” Rarity shook her head and chuckled lightly at the memory. “I swear I have never seen Twilight Sparkle so angry! If there is one thing that you do not want to do, it is disrespect a book physically or compositionally in Twilight’s presence. Express an opinion about one? Absolutely! But disrespect one?” Rarity let out a sharp breathy tsk. “There isn’t a force in Equestria that could keep you safe.” The unicorn flexed her hoof and used her chopsticks to squeeze one of the few pieces of sushi left on her plate, her brow crinkling in concentration as she did her best to ensure that her grip was solid. “She’s rather protective of her literary charges, but my sister and her two friends managed to talk their way out of serious trouble – something not just everypony can manage with Twilight.” Confident that her grip on the rice-clad tidbit of food was secure, Rarity lifted it off the plate and up to her mouth with an amused smile at her table companion. “I suppose that we must be siblings if she could charm her way out of that debacle.” Across from her Octavia gave a quiet chuckle as the unicorn popped the sushi into her mouth, savoring the crunchy, tangy taste of what was quickly becoming her favorite Neighponese food.

“Indeed,” agreed the earth pony as she moved her chopsticks idly around her plate, her eyes on Rarity. “If your friend Twilight Sparkle is anything like my father, she would be very hard to–” she paused and thought for a moment, “–placate if a book was harmed.” Rarity nodded as she chewed and silence fell over the two mares as Rarity kept true to a single, rigid rule that she had always held key above all others: never talk with your mouth full. Better to have a bit of silence in a conversation than to open your mouth and let everypony view your enthusiasm for your food, she thought. I wish I could impress that upon Rainbow Dash back home. That filly could do with some manners.

As the moments ticked by, Rarity’s eyes darted from her companion to the rest of the ponies in the White Lily that noontime. There were few enough of them, though there had certainly been more when Rarity and Octavia had arrived. A few odd pairs and groups of four sat around perhaps five tables combined, leaving a good portion of the restaurant filled only with the bright sunlight that poured into it. Rarity glanced at the front wall of the Lily where a huge wood and paper wall had been slid back and folded away to reveal the large windows that she had seen two nights ago. She had assumed that they were nonfunctional and simply for decoration, but when she had arrived today, she’d found that the windows had been pushed open to allow the fresh air of the gorgeous summer day to fill the Lily to the brim and she had to admit that something about it made the food taste even better than before. There’s truly something mystical about the Neighponese culture, she thought as she turned her attention back to Octavia. The other mare’s eyes darted to her plate as Rarity’s gaze fell on her and, as Rarity swallowed, Octavia’s chopsticks picked up her last bit of sushi.

“Hard to placate,” Rarity repeated with a wry smirk, “is the understatement of the century, darling. I’m surprised she lets any of us – that is, our group of friends – into that library at all, what with all the trouble we’ve caused it over the years.” The unicorn smiled, but it quickly became sly as her eyes narrowed at her companion. “And you say that your father is also a bit defensive of his books, as well?” she asked casually. Octavia met her gaze evenly, her lips quirking up at the side into the tiny, secretive smile that Rarity was coming to know so well before she opened her mouth and ate the last bit of her sushi. Rarity arched an eyebrow at her, but Octavia simply lifted her chin and smiled at Rarity coquettishly before glancing around the restaurant as the unicorn had done moments before. Rarity’s smile became a broad grin and she let Octavia have her moment of peace. First rule, after all. No doubt she’s just as opposed to speaking with her mouth full as I am. Rarity’s chopsticks touched her last piece of sushi, but after a moment she set the wooden sticks down across the top of her plate with the tips to the left, as Octavia had instructed her.

Lunch had been exceptionally pleasant so far and the conversation that had thrived between the two mares had been the highlight of Rarity’s day. In fact, it was nothing short of a miracle that either of the mares had actually managed to eat her lunch with as much talking as they had been doing. I can’t believe I ever thought she was quiet, mused Rarity as she watched her companion set her own chopsticks down on her plate. The earth pony had done more than her fair share of the talking today, telling Rarity about how her current practices were going after Rarity had shared her successes with her sewing. The almost two days of hard work weren’t exactly what Rarity wanted to talk about, but it had been a grand conversation starter none the less, and their talk had meandered from there to touch on the weather, then their respective homes of Ponyville and Canterlot, and eventually had settled on Rarity’s family and friends. Of course the unicorn had plenty of stories involving her friends and little sister, but Octavia had been strangely silent during the latter part of the conversation, avoiding any comments about her own relationships with her parents and siblings.

Rarity’s lips curved into a determined smile as Octavia swallowed her food, reached for her water glass and took a drink. Now, let’s see if we can’t get something out of you. The unicorn opened her mouth to try and get her friend to open up, but before she could even begin the earth pony spoke of her own accord, her eyes wistful and melancholy.

“Defensive of his books is, as you said, an understatement,” said Octavia softly. Rarity stared at her in surprise, but after a moment she closed her mouth and allowed herself to relax as Octavia shifted on her mat and sighed. “My father, Quarry Crest, is a skilled craftspony in our town in Neighpon. He works cutting stone the traditional Neighponese way, with hoof and chisel. Stone cut in such a way is used in the construction of homes as well as for ornamentation.” As Rarity watched, Octavia’s eyes slowly lost their focus as she stared through her memories, back to her home so far away. The other mare smiled and it was such a gentle expression that Rarity felt a pang of sympathy in her chest. “He is a pony of brawn, but for as long as I can remember he has told me that his mind is his most powerful weapon. In our home he has a library that he adds books to as often as he can and, as a filly, it always seemed to me that he had every kind of book ever written.” She shrugged as her hoof idly played with her water glass, sliding it back and forth on the cushion of water that it left on the table. “It is nothing as grand as that, in truth, but it is his favorite place to be and, as such, was a place that I wanted to be very much. Of course, he was very selective about allowing me or my siblings into it, as young ponies are rarely careful with books.” Her lips quirked again, but this time there was an edge of something else in her expression that made Rarity’s eyes narrow. “Not that my sister Snow Blossom ever showed much interest in the library…” Octavia let her words trail off into silence and Rarity felt a surge of panic as she watched the doors to her new friend’s inner workings begin to close. No, no please! Don’t shut me out again!

“And why not?” persisted Rarity, deftly volleying the conversation back towards Octavia. “I mean, I can’t think of a single pony I know who doesn’t love a good book now and again.”

“My sister…” Octavia’s voice was calm and level, as easy as if she were talking about the weather again, but as Rarity watched the edge in Octavia’s eyes grew sharper and easier to see. “My half-sister, I suppose I should say. Snow Blossom is the oldest of my siblings and she is not much of a reader, I’m afraid.” The other mare’s eyes veritably flared when she said her sister’s name and Rarity was surprised to see that the light in her friend’s eye was something she had battled with herself: jealously. “She is young and beautiful with not a care in the world. Truthfully she has none, since she has already had several offers of marriage to powerful families in the area even though she is not technically of age yet. She shows no interest in anything except stallions, but Father–,” Octavia’s words stopped mid sentence and, after a moment, it was obvious that she did not wish to continue with that particular train of thought. Her eyes, however, said everything that her silence tried to eclipse. The violet orbs were no longer calm and at peace, but were instead suddenly alive with a flurry of emotions as they had been the day of Octavia’s second fitting. These emotions were different than those had been, however: as Rarity watched, Octavia’s brilliant amethysts pulsed with an inner fire that bespoke deep anger, regret, and pain. And the very thought that she could harbor such unhappiness towards her sibling caused Rarity to frown. They must have a fairly checkered past if she has such a hard time keeping her feelings in check. She watched as Octavia’s eyes finally refocused on the present and, as the earth pony turned her gaze to Rarity, the fire within them cooled and vanished like a candle flame being snuffed out. “I… I apologize,” Octavia said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes dropping to the table as her ears drooped. “I should not have lost control of my temper.”

Rarity snorted to herself. If that is considered “losing control” of your temper in Neighpon, I’d be labeled a sociopath inside of a week. “So your sister Snow Blossom doesn’t care much for the library your father has,” said Rarity after a moment. “What of your other sister, the youngest?”

“Maple Flourish,” said Octavia quietly and, as she said the name of her youngest sister, her ears perked up slightly. “Maple is a sweet filly, barely grown out of her awkward ‘in-between’ phase. She is the only unicorn of our family and the second filly born to my stepmother, Lilac Shimmer. Lilac has always favored Snow Blossom and seems to see her as the perfect daughter, but Maple has never cared. It was as if she were born into this world knowing exactly how to find her own happiness.” The mare shook her head, but there was a fondness in her eyes and softness in her smile that told Rarity volumes about Octavia’s relationship with this youngest sister. “Maple likes to read, but she only reads books that she feels will help her master her magical abilities,” Octavia’s smile quirked as her hoof fiddled with her water glass, “and she also reads the comic books that are so popular with the younger ponies.”

“Magic books and comic books, is it?” Rarity grinned. “Make sure that she doesn’t mix the two – that could end in something unpleasant for all ponies involved!” To her delight Octavia’s expression lightened and the soft, beautiful sound of her quiet laughter tickled Rarity’s ear.

“I will be sure to mention that the next time I see her,” Octavia assured her with a smile. She gave her head a gentle shake as if to clear out all of the unpleasant thoughts she’d had about Snow Blossom, her mane shimmering in the sunlight as it swished back and forth behind her graceful neck. “I wish that I could see them more often, but I have obligations that keep me in Canterlot and it is difficult to circumvent them.”

“I can imagine it would be hard to travel all that way with any kind of regularity,” agreed Rarity with a sympathetic shake of her head. “It must be hard to live so far away from all of your family.” The unicorn took a breath and let it out slowly, pausing a moment before continuing. “But you never told me where your mother lives. Surely she lives closer to you than Neighpon.” It was a risky maneuver, she admitted – a simple question about her mother had not gone over well at their last meal together, after all. But perhaps the subject is a bit less touchy today, since neither of us have been muzzle-deep in a bottle of sake as of yet…

Unfortunately, as it had two nights before, the mere mention of her mother caused Octavia’s ears to droop towards her mane and it was again clear to Rarity that the earth pony did not want to talk about that side of her family; however, before Rarity could voice an apology and attempt to recover the conversation, Octavia’s eyes flashed with something very close to anger as she sighed and settled both of her hooves down onto the table top as a gentle breeze wafted through the restaurant, wrapping itself around the two mares and causing Octavia’s mane to flow around her face for a moment.

“My mother,” murmured Octavia, her voice soft and carefully measured, “lives here in Canterlot, but she and I do not speak to one another.” Rarity frowned, but before she could speak, Octavia’s hoof shot up off the table to forestall her. “It is not something I like to talk about, Rarity, and I hope that you will forgive me for not doing so. I know it must seem strange to you, but I hope that you will respect my decision when I ask you. Please, do not ask about my mother again.” Her gaze met Rarity’s, and floating amid the maelstrom of emotions in Octavia’s eyes was one overarching plea: let this drop.

Rarity’s frown deepened infinitesimally. It was not in her nature to let sleeping dogs lie, but Octavia had shown nothing but hesitance as she had opened up to Rarity, and Rarity had no doubt that if she pressed this issue the musician would only close up and draw further away from her again. That’s what I would do, after all. And that is the absolute last thing I want.

The unicorn had just opened her mouth to diffuse the situation and redirect the subject of the conversation to something a bit more palatable for both of them when a third pony approached their table, her silver coat and bluish-black mane shining in the sunlight as she drew up next to them and dipped her head in a bow.

“I trust that everything was to your liking today?” Silver Blossom inquired quietly as she gave the pair a warm smile. “Did you enjoy your sushi again today, Rarity-sama? We have two itamae in our restaurant – one for lunch service and one for dinner service – so your sushi was made by a different itamae today.” Rarity arched an eyebrow at Octavia, who smiled knowingly as she shifted their plates around with her hooves.

“Itamae means chef,” she said quietly. “But here, Blossom is referring specifically to a chef of sushi. It can take years of training to become a sushi itamae and they are considered to be artists in the kitchen.” Octavia stacked the plates near Silver Blossom and, after ensuring that they would not slide or topple, she turned back to Rarity, her smile warm. “And -sama is an honorific, much like san, except it is a little more formal and often used to refer to customers.”

“Aah, I see.” Rarity turned her eyes back to Silver Blossom and favored her with a brilliant smile. “You may tell your…” she paused, her brow furrowing as she worried over the pronunciation of the word. You mustn’t get this wrong, Rarity – you can handle this! “You may tell your itamae that the sushi was exquisite. I enjoyed it immensely and hope that he continues to bring his art to my table for many years to come.”

Silver Blossom’s smile quirked wider in that familiar way Octavia’s did and, after a moment, she muttered, “Kanojou wa waribiki o shutokushiyoutoshi teimasu ka?” under her breath. Across the table, Octavia’s hoof shot to her mouth as a giggle rose in her throat and Blossom gave her a knowing glance before bowing to Rarity. “I shall tell him personally, Rarity-sama,” she said, her words full of amusement as she raised her head and allowed the curtain of her mane to slide back over her shoulders. “Is there anything I may do to be of service to you before I leave?” Octavia waved a hoof dismissively and opened her mouth to answer, but before she could get a word out Rarity pressed her hooves against the table and leaped verbally into the gap.

“Yes there is, actually,” said Rarity quickly. Octavia blinked and gave her a questioning look as she closed her mouth, but the unicorn just smiled at her and cleared her throat before focusing her attention on Silver Blossom. “I was just curious about a few things,” she said nonchalantly. “Like… oh, I don’t know…” Rarity let her eyes wander the room for a heartbeat as she tapped a hoof on the table in mock indecision, but when she turned her eyes back to Blossom they were collected and determined. “…what do you think of Octavia’s sister, Snow Blossom?”

Silver Blossom’s eyes widened noticeably, but to her credit her face betrayed no other hint of surprise at the seemingly random question. “Her sister, Snow Blossom?” she repeated quietly, blinking at the unicorn several times. Rarity nodded as she mentally prepared everything she needed to explain herself fully to the hostess, but to her surprise Blossom did not press her for a reason behind her question. Instead she took a deep breath and turned her eyes slowly to Octavia, whose expression was unreadable for a heartbeat as their eyes met. Rarity’s gaze narrowed at the pair as unspoken communication passed between them in very much the same way that it did between Fancy Pants and Fleur and, while she couldn’t see Blossom’s face enough to observe what emotions may be dominating it, she saw quite plainly the understanding that spread across Octavia’s features as the moment of silence stretched between them. The moment seemed destined to become a minute and Rarity was about to smile, wave her hoof and tell them to forget it when Silver Blossom finally gave a small nod to her cousin and turned back to Rarity, who blinked in surprise at the difference a few seconds had made in the hostess. Her smile had been replaced by a thin-lipped expression that bordered on a scowl and her eyes burned with unspoken, virulent emotion where there had only been cool, calm politeness before. Blossom’s ears flicked once then lay back against her mane angrily and Rarity felt a pit open in the bottom of her stomach. Oh dear Celestia, I’ve gone too far, she thought, her own ears dipping back towards her head. The unicorn opened her mouth to apologize to the two earth ponies, but before she could get a single word out Silver Blossom spoke.

“I loathe to speak ill of my family,” Blossom said, her voice tight and hushed, “but if I was to be truthful with you, Rarity-san, I would say that Snow Blossom is a vile, spiteful creature who only feels alive when she is torturing Octavia-chan. She is as beautiful as a winter’s day with just as much warmth to give and I pity my aunt and uncle for having to claim her as their own.” The hostess held Rarity’s gaze for a pair of heartbeats before sighing sharply and closing her eyes. “If you will please excuse me, Rarity-sama,” with a flick of her tail she turned from the table and hurried away, her ears flat against her mane as she moved quickly to the door at the far side of the room and vanished through it.

Silence reigned across their table as Rarity watched the door swing shut behind Silver Blossom. She knew that her mouth was hanging open like a dead fish, but at that very moment there wasn’t anything she could do about it. That was much more of a reaction than I had anticipated, she thought. I mean, at most I had expected veiled hints and deflected half-answers, but she just… With a gentle shake of her head, Rarity forced her mouth closed and turned her eyes back to Octavia, every inch of her expecting to see the same kind of shock on her friend’s face, but, to her further surprise, the other mare’s expression was not one of shock, surprise, disbelief, or anything in between. Instead, Octavia sat with her hooves on the floor in front of her, her cheeks flushed delicately with pink as she watched Rarity with a decidedly impassive expression.

“What just happened?” whispered Rarity, her eyes darting from Octavia to the door Blossom had passed through, half expecting the other earth pony to come thundering back through to give her a piece of her mind. “I truly didn’t mean to offend her, I was just–,” Suddenly Octavia raised her hoof and made a small, quick sideways gesture with it, cutting Rarity off mid-sentence.

“As I told you before,” said Octavia after a moment, “Silver Blossom has been more of a sister to me than anypony else, so she knows intimately the troubles I have had with Snow Blossom.” The other mare sighed as she lowered her hoof back to the table, her eyes softening as she managed a smile for Rarity. “I would apologize for her outburst, but she would not want me to.”

“Well I should say not, darling. The fault was mine and she has nothing to apologize for.” Rarity’s ears drooped guiltily. “I had no idea asking her about your sister would garner that kind of reaction.”

“Oh no, Rarity, you misunderstand.” Octavia gave her head a slow shake, her eyes closing for a moment before meeting Rarity’s again. “I will not apologize for her outburst because it was something she wanted you to see because she trusts you enough to show that emotion to you. That is not something she would show to just anypony.”

The unicorn frowned, but her ears rose from her mane nonetheless. “I’m not sure I understand,” she murmured, but instead of explaining further Octavia merely gestured dismissively with her hoof.

“It is nothing to worry over, Rarity. Just know that Blossom holds you in high regard and that you should continue with our meal today as if nothing extraordinary has happened.” Octavia shifted her hoof to her water glass and took a drink, as if that ended the whole discussion, but Rarity couldn’t get the emotions that had shown themselves in Silver Blossom’s eyes out of her mind – the burning fury, the frigid distaste, the sweeping worry that had filled the calm mare’s visage for a matter of heartbeats and shown Rarity a side to the demure mare that she would otherwise never have known. But if that’s something she wouldn’t show to just anypony, why did she show it to me? She pondered as she helped Octavia move the rest of their utensils and glasses to the far side of the table.

It was a question that hung in her mind as they waited in silence together until Silver Blossom returned to whisk away their plates and give them their bill, her features back to the friendly composure that was typically displayed there. She thanked them both for their patronage and bowed to them both – first she bowed to Octavia and then she gave a slightly deeper bow to Rarity. The unicorn’s brow furrowed as Blossom turned and continued on to another table where other customers needed her assistance. This just keeps getting more and more curious. Her mind had just begun whirling with ideas and reasons for Blossom’s behavior when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Octavia reach for the bill. Without thinking, the unicorn’s hoof darted out and snagged the piece of paper from the table top, the motion allowing her to sweep it off the edge of the table then into her other waiting hoof. She turned her head back towards Octavia, whose smile quirked knowingly as she withdrew her hoof.

“Ah yes, I forgot,” she murmured. “What was it that you said? A lady does not ask for a free lunch?” Octavia’s purple eyes found Rarity’s again and, this time, there was something about them that made Rarity’s breath catch in her throat. Perhaps it was the way that the sunlight teased the edges of Octavia’s face or perhaps it was the appealing way that the breeze caused her mane to sway gently, but whatever it was, Rarity had to swallow an extra time before she was able to speak again.

“Indeed she does not,” replied Rarity finally. She smiled cheerfully and gave Octavia a wink. “Especially when…” Rarity hesitated, but after a moment she sighed as her smile became soft and genuine, “…especially when said lunch is a golden opportunity to treat another beautiful lady to something nice.” The other mare blushed gently and, as Rarity shifted the bill between her hooves, she also felt some color seep into her cheeks. “I… I truly enjoyed coming back here with you, Octavia,” she said softly. “It was wonderful to take a break from my work and have lunch with you.”

Across from her, Octavia shifted in her seat as her blush deepened and her ears lowered humbly before the praise. “It has been my pleasure and honor to be with you again, Rarity,” she said, her voice barely audible. “I always count it as a good day when I can leave the concert hall and be near the beauty of the city for a while.” Her eyes fairly glowed as she watched Rarity through her long eyelashes. “I thank you for the chance to do so.”

The concert hall! Rarity’s ears perked up from where they had been sitting half-cocked. That’s right! Oh Rarity you can be such a complete and total fluffhead if you don’t concentrate!

“Speaking of the concert hall,” said Rarity as she shifted the bill in her hooves. “I was curious, are you allowed to bring guests? To view your practices, that is.” Octavia’s eyebrow arched, though her eyes remained warm and her smile grew.

“Guests?” she repeated. “As in ponies who would like to hear us play, but do not wish to wait until the next concert to do so?” Her smile quirked mischievously as she placed her elbow onto the table and allowed her chin to settle onto her waiting hoof. “I am not certain, Rarity. Too often we have ponies who try to hear us play simply because they do not wish to pay for concert tickets.”

The unicorn felt her chest swell up and her muzzle scrunched as she frowned. “You know very well that I would pay for admission if I could,” she said quickly, but before she could take offense to the comment Octavia’s smile grew even more and Rarity felt the fires of her rising ire vanish in the warm breeze from the windows. The earth pony sat forward eagerly, her eyes dancing as she placed her other hoof onto the table.

“I would very much enjoy having you view our practice, Rarity,” she said, her voice breathy and hushed. “I will have to ask the other members of my quartet, but I don’t think they will mind.”

Rarity grinned and felt excitement fill her from nose to rump. “That’s wonderful! I want to hear you play so very much, thank you!” Octavia shook her head slightly.

“No. Thank you, Rarity. A musician’s greatest desire is to have somepony want to hear their music.” She sighed, and it didn’t take much to hear the happiness in the simple exhalation. “Three days. If you meet me for lunch again in three days, I will take you to the hall and I will play for you.”

It felt to Rarity like her smile would split her face in half as she held the gaze of her companion. Three days… dear Celestia, will I be able to wait that long? She thought as she sat back and allowed the curl of her mane to cover one of her eyes. The thought of having to patiently wait that long to hear Octavia play seemed impossible, even though Rarity had waited longer amounts of time for larger events. This feels like waiting for the Gala all over again, she thought, yet even as she thought it, she knew that the two events weren’t the same in the least. The Gala had consumed her for months as she fretted over every last detail of her dress and her friends’ dresses, as she had daydreamed about meeting Prince Blueblood, and as she had fantasized about what this mystical event would entail…

…and she knew deep down that during the next three days she would put those months to shame.

The two mares sat together for a long time in silence, the pair simply enjoying one another’s company as the restaurant bustled around them. After a moment Rarity shifted the bill and glanced down at it on the table. Her eyes darted across the numbers and then to the total at the bottom. Hmm… that’s strange, she thought. With a subtle shake of her head she re-figured the numbers again and then again when they didn’t add up to what she thought they should have. Being the owner of her own business, Rarity prided herself on being good with numbers and these weren’t adding up. Finally, Octavia shifted on her mat and broke the silence.

“Is everything all right?” she asked softly.

“I’m not entirely sure,” replied Rarity, her brow crinkled as she did the math once more in her head. “This doesn’t seem to show everything. I know about what our meals should have cost, but these numbers don’t come anywhere close to where it should. Here, look.” She pushed the piece of paper over to Octavia, who swept the numbers with her eyes rapidly several times as she did the calculations herself. Suddenly, she put her hoof to her mouth and laughed the same gentle melody that teased Rarity’s ears and made her feel as though a small, fluttering insect were trapped inside her lungs. Rarity frowned at her in spite of the giddy feeling inside her chest.

“And what are you laughing at?” she inquired. Octavia simply pushed the bill back to Rarity, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

“Do you remember when you complimented the sushi and Silver Blossom promised to tell the chef personally?” Rarity nodded and Octavia giggled again as she pointed to the bill. “Apparently the itamae liked your compliment because he gave you a discount.”

Rarity stared at Octavia for a moment before she felt the laughter in her own chest rising to meet Octavia’s and soon the two mares were giggling together like a pair of schoolfillies. Eventually, the laughter passed and Rarity paid for the meal as she had promised, making sure to leave Silver Blossom a sizeable tip before making her way out of the restaurant and into the street with Octavia. Their goodbyes were brief, since both mares had their work to return to now that their lunch was finished, but they were not made without promises.

“Meet me for lunch in three days,” Octavia reminded Rarity, her eyes gleaming with mischief in the noonday sun. “Don’t get so caught up on your dresses that you forget about me.”

“Oh darling, I don’t think that’s possible,” said the unicorn with a smile. “Until then?”

“Until then,” Octavia agreed and, with a nod, she turned and hurried down the street, never pausing to cast a glance backwards. Rarity watched her go, her smile broad and warm as she did so and it was not until the other mare passed out of sight that the unicorn turned and started towards her shop, her hoofsteps light and merry.

It’s only three days, Rarity. You can do this, she told herself as she turned off of High Street and onto the main avenue that would take her back to her shop. And besides, you do have one more appointment to keep you distracted today, at least. Her lip curled into a wry smile. IF she decides to show up, that is.

Scratching the Surface

Anypony who runs a successful business will tell you that their clients/guests/customers/etc. are the cornerstone of whatever their business happens to be. Every business depends on other ponies to purchase their goods or services – from hotels to furniture stores to mane salons to dressmaking shops – and the ponies who run such businesses know that it is ultimately their customers who allow them to be successful in the first place. It is also a well-known fact among such businessponies that to make a good impression on their clients/guests/customers/etc. they must sometimes go an extra mile – sometimes begrudgingly, sometimes not – to make their business stand out from the myriad of competitors in the world and ensure that their current clients come back to them again.

It was a dance that Rarity knew intimately and one that she had worked hard to master as her career had advanced. The delicate, poignant melding of a client’s wishes with the designer’s vision, the rigid yet supple steps of ensuring that everything went to schedule while still knowing where there was room to improvise – it was a complex dance, to be certain, but the unicorn had begun to believe that she had all but mastered it. If a client was being too demanding, she knew whether she should draw a line in the sand or concede a few steps and, if a client was being too indecisive about something, she knew when to let them be and when to be bold and forthright. It was an ever-changing enigma that Rarity thrived on and, through her constant trials and tribulations with the ponies she worked with, she was always confident that she could handle any situation correctly.

Some clients, however, break the mold of my decision-making process entirely, she thought with a sigh. The mare sat back on her stool and placed her hooves onto the desk behind which she sat, her eyes darting to the clock above her door again as her lips pressed together into a flat line. Her right hoof tapped sharply on the top of the desk, its rhythm contrasting discordantly with the clock’s perfectly rhythmic ticking as the unicorn stared out the front windows of her shop into the deepening twilight over Canterlot. It had been almost six hours since she had come back from her lunch with Octavia, full of delicious food and bubbling excitement, and the unicorn had expected the wonderful experience to keep her mood chipper and lively through the rest of the day. That had been, as it turned out, far too much to ask even for a lunch as amazing as hers had been.

This was the absolute last client that she had scheduled for a second fitting and the fact that this mare had been one of Rarity’s first clients when she’d opened shop three weeks ago and still had not come back for her second fitting said more about her than Rarity ever would. Rarity had attempted to contact her via letter when she had missed her first appointment, but the letter had gone unanswered. Then the unicorn had hired a messenger to find her wayward client and, even though the messenger claimed to be the best in the city, it had taken him almost three days to find her and deliver a new fitting date. That date was today and, even though Rarity had scheduled this last client’s appointment as far back into the day as she could, it still seemed as though this second fitting was not high on her list of priorities. Honestly, this is getting ridiculous and I’m running out of polite ways to confront her about it.

The client in question was a pony whom Rarity knew personally and, as with her friends and their Gala dresses two years ago, Rarity felt that this client was becoming a tax upon her will that she could not afford to have. Unlike her friends, however, this pony was not inundating Rarity with requests to change things with her dress. If that’s what she was doing, I could handle it, Rarity thought with a soft snort. With another shake of her head, the designer turned away from the gathering night outside and swiveled on her stool, allowing the rotating seat to swing her around in a half-circle that moved her from her desk to her sewing machine in one smooth motion. I’m used to clients trying to give me too much input in their dresses, but what does one do when a client expresses almost no interest in the very dress that she has ordered? The unicorn’s horn lit up brightly and, with a twitch of her head, Rarity brought one of her ponyquins closer to her, its base scraping softly across the floor as it half-floated towards the unicorn. I swear that Rainbow gave me more help on HER dress than this mare has! She thought as she settled the half-dressed ponyquin next to her sewing machine. It had been almost two hours since the other mare had been scheduled to arrive and since then, Rarity had busied herself with small tasks around her shop. Those tasks, however, had been finished quickly and efficiently due to the complete and total lack of interruptions. So, after waiting for twenty minutes with her hooves tapping idly on her desk, Rarity had finally decided that she had waited long enough. Yet another mark against her, I’m afraid. I suppose I’ll simply have to cancel her order.

The sparkling aura of Rarity’s magic shifted from the ponyquin itself to the clothing that lay draped across its back and, with practiced delicacy, the unicorn lifted her unfinished design from the model, ensuring that every trailing piece of fabric had cleared the smooth white surface of the ponyquin until the dress hovered in midair next to the sewing machine. Well, at least I can get a bit more done on this dress, Rarity thought as she lifted her glasses from the desk and slid them onto her nose. She squinted discerningly at the seams she had done up before lunch, her mind leaping at the chance to be busy with something, anything to forget the botched appointment. Yet, even as she prepared to busy herself with another dress, she could not keep from glancing across her shop to another dress on a ponyquin, a dress that had been set over by her tri-fold mirror for the express purpose of being shown off. Oh well… I suppose not EVERY dress I design is destined for greatness… Rarity lamented with a sigh as she threaded her sewing machine.

She had just fitted the next pieces of the dress together and placed them onto her sewing machine when she heard a loud thump against her door, followed immediately by the tell-tale jingle of the bell above it. Rarity’s ears twitched violently as she sat up straight, her glasses sliding down her nose slightly. It can’t be… she thought incredulously. She shifted in her chair to spin around, but even before the bell had ceased ringing over her door, a brash tenor voice washed over her shop like a swirling whirlwind of hip coolness.

“Yo, Rarity – I’m really, REALLY sorry I’m so late. I got hung up on some stuff and I… I’m really sorry.”

Rarity’s lips quirked into a wry smile and she couldn’t help but chuckle breathily to herself. Ah, so the wayward filly arrives after all, she thought. A bright feeling of relief and happiness welled up inside her at the thought of her friend actually getting to wear the dress Rarity had made for her, but before it grew too bright to hide, the unicorn quickly forced her eyebrows into a frown. That filly… I can’t believe that she’s showing up NOW! Now! Hours after her appointment! Rarity’s muzzle scrunched in indignation as she sat up straight on her stool, her curled mane bobbing as she did so. Oh, she’d better have the excuse of the century for making me wait like this! With a vexed sigh, Rarity twisted her torso and pushed off of her sewing machine with her hooves to spin herself back around to her desk. Her momentum was light enough that simply using the friction of her hooves on the desktop allowed her to slow and stop in perfect alignment with the desk and the rest of the room, giving her an image that she hoped would not be unlike a villain in one of those adventure stories Twilight and Rainbow liked so much. Slowly, she lifted her eyes from the top of her desk, raising her head higher and higher until her eyes alit on the object of all of her recent worry and anxiety, the reason she had finished all of her small tasks around her shop, and the one pony that she had not expected to see that evening: her missing client, the ever popular, and sometimes forgetful, unicorn named Vinyl Scratch.

The other unicorn shifted uncomfortably beneath Rarity’s gaze and even though the white mare wore large sunglasses that hid her eyes from Rarity’s view, they did nothing to hide the very visible discomfort that the rest of her displayed. Rarity’s eyes narrowed at her guest as words began to pile up behind her teeth, begging to be let loose upon their hapless victim, but instead of leaping into the myriad of undoubtedly irritated-sounding questions that she had for Vinyl she held her tongue. I think I deserve to know what happened in the past week that was so dreadfully important that I couldn’t be informed about a change in our schedule, Rarity thought as she sat back and crossed her hooves over her chest, her face an impassive mask as she watched Vinyl. But I don’t want to sound TOO cross with her. She IS my friend, after all, and ill-said words can end friendships faster than Rainbow can finish a mug of cider.

Rarity and Vinyl had known each other for quite some time as professionals, but had only recently become close enough to be called friends. The designer had hired the DJ two years ago for the ill-fated fashion show that she and her friends had put on after Rarity had finished their Gala dresses and, even though that particular show had ended in disaster, Rarity had received various compliments about the DJ. Not being one to ignore such comments, Rarity had kept in contact with Vinyl on a professional level, knowing that one day she may have need of her talents and it was a good thing she had because it was through Rarity that Pinkie Pie had been able to hire Vinyl Scratch as the DJ for Princess Cadence’s wedding. That night, at the Princess’s reception, Rarity and Vinyl had talked at length and by the time the evening had drawn to a close, the two unicorns had become friends beyond the professional. Rarity frowned slightly. Unfortunately, that makes situations like this even harder, she reflected as the seconds of silence ticked by. New friendships were delicate and had to be nurtured for quite some time before they could become resilient and strong and Rarity knew that mishandling this very kind of situation could and would kill a fledgling friendship in a heartbeat.

As Rarity’s inner monologue tried to find the most tactful way to broach the subject of her disappointment to Vinyl, the quiet moment between the two mares slowly became two and, as it stretched onwards, she watched Vinyl’s ears twitch violently, straighten back up for a heartbeat, then slowly droop down, down, and down until they settled flat against her jaggedly cut, dual-toned blue mane. The DJ’s shoulders quickly followed suit, slowly sagging beneath the daunting weight of Rarity’s stare until she made a defeated noise in her throat and took the decision away from the designer.

“Geez Rarity, I said I was sorry,” she murmured. Her tail flicked in agitation, the vibrant electric blue shimmering against the deeper natural blue in her tail like sunbeams lancing through a tropical sea. “You don’t have to give me the silent treatment.” Vinyl shifted on her hooves again and Rarity couldn’t help but smile to herself. Well, well, the DJ pony can’t stand silence. I’ll have to remember that. From the back of Rarity’s mind came the thought that she should remain silent and see just how long she could keep it up, but, even as she thought it, she dismissed it. No, Rarity, that would be terribly mean to Vinyl. It’s clear that she doesn’t like silence and pressing it further would do just as much damage to her as angry words would. Despite her summations, Rarity’s lips curved into a small, secret smile as she watched Vinyl’s muzzle scrunch into a frown. Although I have to admit that letting the silence do my talking for me is much, much easier. With a gentle sigh, Rarity uncrossed her hooves from her chest and pressed them firmly against her desktop.

“Vinyl, what am I going to do with you?” She asked her voice light, but focused. “We set the date for your second fitting for a week ago, giving you a week to ensure that your schedule stayed open for that day or at least to give you ample time to cancel and reschedule.” Rarity shook her head gently. “Yet, even with that amount of time, I didn’t receive a cancellation. You just didn’t show up! And THEN I had to send a messenger to find you and it took him three days to get my message to you! What in Equestria HAPPENED to you?” She hesitated for a moment before adding, “I was getting worried about you, you know…”

“Well,” Vinyl sighed loudly and raised her right front hoof to rub the back of her neck, “it’s kind of a long, complicated story, but the short version is that I took what should have been an easy gig the night before our appointment and, let’s just say, it got messy real quick.” She gave her head a shake. “But yeah, I’m really, really sorry I didn’t get in touch with you, Rarity. Can… can we set up a new appointment or am I totally screwed?” She chuckled as she finished her sentence, but Rarity could hear the disappointment in Vinyl’s attempted levity. The designer watched her visitor closely for a moment before giving her head a gentle shake.

“I’m sorry, Vinyl,” she whispered, “but we’re not going to be setting up a new appointment.” Vinyl’s ears flattened against her head even farther, if that was possible, and she sighed in loud disappointment.

“Oh, well, y’know, I understand,” she said, her voice tight. “It was a really crazy thing and I know you’re busy, so–,” She started to turn towards the door, her hooves dragging across the tile of the floor like they were made of lead, but before she could move more than an inch, Rarity’s hoof shot up and forestalled her verbally and physically. The designer gave her friend a warm smile and set her hoof back down to the desk.

“We’re not going to set up a new appointment,” she reiterated a bit louder, “because we’re going to do your second fitting right here, right now.”

“What… really?!” Vinyl’s ears shot straight up and her entire being seemed to grow before Rarity’s eyes as hope returned to her face. “You’re not just messing with me, are you? You’ll… you’ll really do that for me?” Rarity laughed lightly as she hopped down from her stool and hurried to Vinyl, her smile broad and her eyes bright.

“Of course I will, Vinyl. What kind of dressmaker would I be if I turned away one of my clients because of unforeseen circumstances?” Her smile warmed as she extended a hoof and placed it gently onto Vinyl’s shoulder. “And what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t give a friend a little bit of extra grace, hmm?” The DJ’s face broke into a broad smile and, to Rarity’s surprise, the DJ leaped forward and hugged her firmly.

“Rarity, you’re the best! Seriously, I don’t know what I would have done if I had to miss out on getting this dress!” Rarity giggled at her friend’s enthusiasm and, after a moment, the other unicorn dropped back to her hooves. “So, let’s get started! I’m itchin’ to see this dress!” Rarity nodded eagerly.

“Yes, let’s do get on with it – I’m eager to see what you think! But I do have one stipulation, Vinyl.” The other mare arched an eyebrow from behind her shades, and Rarity gave her a wink. “You have to tell me ALL about what happened at this show of yours that led to you cancelling our appointment.”

Vinyl snorted and chuckled darkly. “Are you sure you wanna know, Rares? It was pretty nuts…”

“Please, Vinyl – if it was exciting I want to hear every last detail!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“…and so, after being in the protective custody of the Canterlot Royal Guards for three more days, I was released and Big Tony, the underworld hard apple cider kingpin, was found guilty on all charges. They took him off to jail and Princess Celestia herself personally thanked me for my part in bringing down Big Tony’s smuggling ring. I literally JUST got finished visiting her and Princess Luna at the Castle and was on my way home when I remembered our appointment.” Vinyl Scratch nodded once, the jagged edges of her mane bouncing decisively as she grinned at Rarity’s reflection in the mirror. “And that’s why I missed our last appointment and was late today.”

Rarity stared back at her friend, her mouth hanging open and her horn still holding the needle and thread against the hem where she had been tacking it in place – the same spot she had been tacking ten minutes ago when Vinyl’s story had reached its climax. It had been such an incredible tale of luck, bravery, and sheer nerve that Rarity had found her work slowly coming to a halt as she’d listened intently to her friend’s every word.

As the tale came to a close, however, Rarity couldn’t stop her mouth from closing into a small, dubious smile as she let out a breathy chuckle and allowed her magic to resume her needlework. “Well, that’s certainly a tale to be told, Vinyl,” she said, doing her best to keep her voice light and easy. “Although you have to admit that it’s a tad unbelievable.”

“Yeah, you’re totally right,” agreed Vinyl as she shifted from her left hooves to her right. “I’ll tell ya, if I hadn’t been right in the middle of it, I wouldn’t have believed it myself!” She chuckled and shook her head again before the reflection of her circular sunglasses turned towards Rarity. “So how’s it going down there? Almost done?” Rarity’s smile quirked slightly as the needle and thread moved a few inches to Rarity’s right and slid through the fabric once again. She’s not even trying to hide her impatience. It’s almost refreshing not to have to guess what a client is thinking.

“I’m almost there, darling,” murmured Rarity, her eyes trained on the needle and thread. “Just have patience, my dear, and I’ll have you done momentarily.”

“All right, cool.” Vinyl flexed her left rear leg and winced. “My leg hasn’t really recovered from the jump over that fence yet and I’m ready to get off of it.”

This time Rarity couldn’t help but roll her eyes silently at her friend, her lips curving into a knowing smile. I swear, she could have just told me that she forgot, she thought. Or even that she “partied” so hard that she lost track of what day it was. Those things I’d believe much more readily than this whole “I broke up a smuggling ring” story. Honestly, who comes up with that? She pulled the needle through the fabric and knotted it as an image of Rainbow Dash’s face flitted through her mind. Her smile grew minutely as she pulled the thread tight. Well, all right – SHE might. Rainbow Dash and Vinyl have a great deal more in common than I first thought, it seems. She pulled the needle with her magic, drawing the string taut against the knot she had just tied in it. With deftness that came from years of being a professional seamstress, Rarity leaned forward, touched her teeth to the thin thread, and with a perfectly measured twist of her head she snipped the filament off neatly.

“There,” she said, rising to her hooves next to Vinyl and taking a few steps away. “What do you think of that? I raised the hemline to where it should be, but if there are any places you would like me to take in or change, please let me know.” The DJ nodded and turned to view herself in the mirror, but before she could start examining it in-depth, Rarity held out a hoof. “And Vinyl, please – take off those sunglasses so I can see if the magenta I used is at least close to your eye color.” And I’ll be sent to the moon before I let one of MY dresses be worn with sunglasses as an accessory, she thought vehemently. The other unicorn turned to face Rarity, her expression impassive and unreadable behind her large, opaque lenses.

“Why? I’m gonna wear my shades with the dress, so it’s no big deal,” she said with a shrug. “Besides, it looks awesome either way, right?”

Rarity’s left eye twitched violently as her worst fears blossomed in her chest, but even as she opened her mouth to say something, anything to dissuade her friend from following through with her dubious and downright distasteful plan, Vinyl’s façade cracked and she let out a loud, genuine laugh.

“THERE’s that face!” she snickered, pointing at Rarity with a bright grin. “Aw, come on, Rarity, you know I’m just kidding – I would never wear my shades with a dress like this.” She paused and tapped her chin with a hoof as Rarity’s heart thudded anxiously in her ears. “Well, okay, I totally would, but not a dress YOU made for me. I know how much you care about this stuff, so I’ll ditch my shades.”

I swear this mare wants to give me a heart attack, Rarity thought as she struggled to smile in a way that didn’t make her look sick to her stomach. “Well, thank you for your consideration, Vinyl,” she said as she tried to catch her breath. “I… I’m glad that you’re willing to have some class for my sake, at least.” The DJ laughed again and the happy sound filled the room like a ray of sunlight, chasing the shadowy tendrils of shock away from the designer and lightening her heart.

“Class isn’t something I usually worry about, Rares,” Vinyl admitted as she removed her glasses, “but for you I’ll make an exception.” The DJ tossed the round sunglasses onto a table nearby and turned her brilliant magenta eyes on Rarity with a knowing wink. “There, is that better?”

“Much,” said Rarity with a smirk. Despite Vinyl’s banter and sometimes confusing mannerisms, the warmth that Rarity had felt earlier in the day was slowly returning to whisk away the clinging chill that the disappointment prior to Vinyl’s visit had left behind. Rarity gave Vinyl a broad smile and, once again, couldn’t help but feel completely comfortable around her, as if they had been best friends for years instead of casual friends for less than two months. “You have such beautiful eyes, Vinyl! I’ll never know why you hide them behind those obtrusive sunglasses of yours.” Vinyl made a face and shuddered in exaggerated fashion before turning back to the mirror.

“That’s why I wear the glasses, Rarity,” she said with a grin. “To keep adoring fanmares like you from totally losing control of yourselves and trying to get with me only to have your hearts broken. It’s for your own good, really.” Rarity arched an eyebrow at Vinyl for a moment then let out a soft snort as she rolled her eyes.

“Well, of course. How thoughtfully considerate of you, Vinyl,” she said, her lips curling into a wry smile. Dear Celestia, she and Rainbow really ARE cut from the same cloth, aren’t they? She chuckled silently before clearing her throat and turning to face her client more directly. “Now tell me – what do you think? I did my best to ensure that your dress would look every bit as hip and edgy as you do.” Vinyl smiled broadly as she turned back to the mirrors before her and, as she examined the dress, Rarity took a moment to stand back and admire her handiwork.

The dress was one of Rarity’s simpler designs, but just like the mare standing before her, the uniqueness of the dress was in the details and not the overall construction. The white dress had a tight bodice with a low sweetheart neckline that curved down along Vinyl’s chest before rising and encircling her body leaving her shoulders and neck bare. The dress was divided in the middle by a wide sash of black and magenta that tied into a large bow atop Vinyl’s back and, as it moved towards the DJ’s flank, it flared into a wide, bouncy skirt that owed its body to transparent dual-toned crinoline that stuck out jaggedly from beneath it. The dual colors of the crinoline matched those in Vinyl’s mane and tail and the magenta that accented her black sash, the black shoes she wore on her front hooves, and the black bow she wore behind her left ear matched her eyes perfectly, much to Rarity’s relief. I was certain I’d have to go back and change that color, she thought as she methodically checked every stitch and seam as Vinyl turned back and forth in front of the mirror. Celestia knows I’ve seen her eyes few enough times…

After sating her compulsion to quadruple-check her stitching, the designer’s eyes turned from her creation to her client as the other unicorn performed pose after pose in the mirror. As she watched, Rarity felt a smile creep back onto her lips. Vinyl’s background as a performer was quickly becoming obvious to her, especially when Vinyl moved in such undeniably eye-catching ways and posed so that she gave her imaginary audience the best view of the dress, and of herself, as possible. If there was ever a mare that belonged on stage, that mare is Vinyl Scratch, Rarity thought as her friend executed the sassiest turn and pose that Rarity had ever seen, even among the models she had worked with. And she has such a commanding stage presence. Rarity’s eyes narrowed in determination. One day I’ll have to find out exactly where she learned all of these perfect modeling techniques and exactly what got her into the music industry in the first place.

“Rarity, I’ve got to hand it to you, this dress is amazing!” gushed Vinyl as she turned from the mirrors with a huge grin. “Seriously, I don’t dig dresses, okay? But I dig this one. Whatever you did to make this dress different is pure magic, Rares!” The other unicorn leaped from the platform and landed next to Rarity, her eyes bright. “I can’t wait to wear this to the concert at the end of the month! Man, everypony’s gonna be, like:” Vinyl raised her hoof to stroke her chin pensively and, when she spoke again, her voice was gruff and carried the thick accent of a Canterlot native. “Who is that gorgeous, impetuous young mare? Why, ‘tis that rapscallion Vinyl Scratch masquerading as a lady! Preposterous! Imposturous! Hufflety-pufflety and all that!” The DJ made a face that Rarity had only seen on ponies after Applejack’s fiasco in the “Baked Bads” incident and, before she could even think of stopping herself, Rarity let out a snort that was followed immediately by a fit of uncontrollable giggles. Vinyl grinned at her vivaciously and joined in with her loud, unashamed laugh as Rarity wiped away a stray tear that had formed at the corner of her eye.

After several moments of loud laughter, Rarity finally felt her giggles cease and she took several long, deep breaths to ensure that she wasn’t going to hyperventilate. “Oh Vinyl… sometimes I wonder about you.”

“Only sometimes? Geez, I’m gonna have to step up my game,” Vinyl commented cheekily before giving Rarity a wink. The designer sighed and rolled her eyes, but before she could think of a witty retort, Vinyl cut her off with a low whistle as her eyes found the clock above the door. “Holy Luna, look at the time,” she muttered. “I’ve kept you way here later than I wanted to!”

“Oh now don’t you worry about it,” said Rarity with a dismissive wave of her hoof. “I wouldn’t have offered to do this for you if I wasn’t willing to stay here as long as it took to get you properly fitted!” She gave Vinyl a smile and a wink of her own. “Besides, it was fun to hear about your little adventure last week.” It was all Rarity could do to keep a straight face as she mentioned Vinyl’s over-elaborate excuse, but through years of conditioning and training she managed it. “Now come on, let’s get that dress off of you so you can be on your way!”

“Yeah, last week was kind of crazy,” Vinyl admitted as the two mares turned and moved towards Rarity’s desk where the ponyquin that would hold her dress stood. “Royal Guards, judges, criminals, Princesses… not your average week, even for me.” The unicorn stopped next to the ponyquin and turned to face Rarity. “And speaking of last week, you never told me how your week went. I mean, I really hope that it wasn’t as eventful as mine was, but y’know.”

Rarity opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak a pair of amethyst eyes leaped out of the back of her mind and into the forefront once again, causing the designer to pause conspicuously mid-step as she moved towards Vinyl.

“Ah, well…” she said softly. With a subtle shake of her head, Rarity finished her previously uncompleted step and closed the distance with Vinyl. “It may not have been eventful in the same way as yours, Vinyl, but my week was still eventful nonetheless.” Her horn lit up and illuminated the zipper on the other unicorn’s dress as Vinyl’s eyes narrowed and her lips pursed thoughtfully.

“Oh is that so?” She lowered her head as Rarity’s magic carefully unzipped the dress and, as it slid down her back legs, she lifted first her left hoof then her right hoof to allow the garment to slip off of her body. She gave her tail a flick as the crinoline lifted away from it, her eyes never leaving Rarity as she stepped out of the shoes that had decorated her front hooves. “And what sort of events have you been part of, Mizz Rarity? Hmmm?”

Rarity tsked dismissively as she levitated the dress over to the ponyquin, even though she made certain that her gaze stayed firmly locked on the dress. “Oh now Vinyl, don’t make it sound like it was more than it actually was,” she chided as she settled the white garment back onto the soft skin of the ponyquin, lifting and fitting the dress precisely until it sat perfectly centered on the life-sized doll. “I simply met a pony during the fittings and chose to spend a bit more time with her, that’s all.” Her magic flared slightly as she took hold of the zipper and closed it up with a quick flick of her horn. “She’s been quite lovely to talk to, actually, and introduced me to a wonderful restaurant that I hadn’t tried before.”

“Hmmmm,” mused Vinyl, her narrowed eyes watching Rarity closely as her pursed lips slowly curved into a knowing smile. “Sounds like you’ve been having fun, then.”

“I suppose I have been, yes.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that your trip to Canterlot wasn’t full of just work from morning ‘til night, at least! A mare’s gotta have some fun, right?” Vinyl’s horn lit up and the brilliant electric blue of her magic plucked the bow from behind her left ear. “So who did you start hanging out with? I know everypony in Canterlot and who knows? I might be able to tell you a bit about ‘em.” The bow drifted lazily across the gap to the ponyquin where Vinyl took extra care to place it perfectly against the faux-pony’s ear. Rarity’s hooves stopped halfway through her usual second-fitting straightening process as she turned her head and arched an eyebrow at Vinyl.

“Everypony in Canterlot?” she chuckled. “Vinyl, please – nopony can know everypony in Canterlot and I’m certain you don’t know this mare.”

“Oh yeah?” Vinyl gave her mane a firm shake then grinned at the designer, her eyes full of challenge. “Try me.”

Rarity didn’t even attempt to hide the roll of her eyes this time and, with a gentle shake of her head, she resumed the fluffing of the crinoline that would ensure it lay correctly the next time it was worn. She’s definitely like Rainbow Dash, no doubt about that, she thought wryly. It’s always “Challenge me to do this!” or “Dare me to do that!” Honestly! After a moment of Vinyl staring at her expectantly, Rarity’s shoulders sagged and she sighed loudly.

“Vinyl, I am not going to–,”

“Come on. Try me.”

“Vinyl, I–,”

“Come oooon, tell me her name.”

“What? No.”

“Her name, Rarity! Tell me her name and I’ll bet you that I know who she is!”

Rarity sighed in vexation and ran her foreleg once over the back of the skirt before dropping back to all four hooves. “Vinyl, I swear you are the most obstinate, unreasonable...” She gave her head a shake and took a deep breath, swallowing the irritated words that had begun to pile up behind her teeth. After a long moment she let the breath out in a sigh and turned her eyes back to the other unicorn. “Fine, if you won’t let this go…” Vinyl shook her head eagerly and Rarity rolled her eyes yet again. “All right, then. She’s an earth pony, so I doubt you’ll know her…”

“Oh, I know plenty of earth ponies,” dismissed Vinyl with a wave of her hoof. “C’mon, stop stalling and lay it out, Rares!” she said as she moved to the desk and picked up her sunglasses in her hoof.

Rarity bit her lip for a moment as another vision of Octavia flashed through her mind and she couldn’t keep from smiling as she exhaled slowly. “…her name is Octavia.”

Rarity truly didn’t know whether she expected Vinyl to know Octavia or not, but either way she was certain that Vinyl’s reaction to the name would be loudly vocal in victory or defeat. To her surprise, neither excited nor disappointed words greeted her answer; instead, silence was the only response to her admission and if Rarity hadn’t been looking directly at Vinyl when she’d spoken she had no doubt she would have missed Vinyl’s much more subdued reaction. As soon as the name left Rarity’s lips, Vinyl’s glasses paused on the way to her nose and her eyes widened for a heartbeat. She inhaled sharply as if she had been suddenly doused in ice cold water and her lips moved silently as if she were uttering a curse or a prayer. Rarity’s eyes narrowed as the moment of silence stretched between them, but as soon as she opened her mouth to ask Vinyl what was wrong, the other unicorn’s lips curved into a smile and she placed her glasses firmly onto her nose.

“Octavia?” she repeated, her voice light. “Oh yeah, I know Octavia – we dated for a while about a year back.” The DJ turned to face Rarity squarely, her smile easy despite the emotion that had invaded her visage mere moments before. Rarity could not keep her brow from knitting delicately as Vinyl tossed her mane and looked up at the clock. “Well, it’s getting really late, so I’m gonna–,”

“The two of you dated?” interrupted Rarity, her voice soft but insistent. “I… I’m sorry, I had no idea. I truly didn’t mean to dredge up bad memories, Vinyl…” Her ears folded back and laid flat against her head as shame welled up inside her. Well done, Rarity. You should have just kept your big mouth shut, she chided herself. Nopony likes to be reminded of their romantic shortcomings and that’s just what you did. You apologize to her right now, before-

“Hey, whoa there, girl.” Vinyl’s voice interrupted Rarity’s inner chastising and Rarity had to blink twice before she managed to re-focus on her friend who gave her a reassuring smile. “Rarity, I didn’t say they were bad memories, did I? I…” The other unicorn glanced towards the front of the shop, her sunglasses making it impossible for Rarity to tell whether she was glancing at the clock or judging how quickly she could get to the door and vanish; after a moment, however, her head dipped towards the floor and she let out a sigh before straightening and turning back to Rarity, her smile small but genuine. “Look, here’s the short version: Octavia and I met two years ago, just by random chance. We bumped into each other at a coffee shop and I guess we just hit it off.” Vinyl shrugged. “We dated for a year and eventually she told me that she was done, so it was done. Truthfully, by the time we called it quits, I could tell that she wasn’t too heartbroken about it. In fact, I could tell that she’d kinda lost interest a month or two before that, so I was actually kinda glad that she’d stepped up and broke up with me instead of waiting for me to do it.” The unicorn lifted her hoof and rubbed the back of her neck. “But yeah, there it is. No messy breakup, no lingering baggage that’s floating around causing trouble in either of our lives. We tried and it didn’t work out, simple as that.”

Rarity stared at Vinyl, her mouth hanging open ever so slightly in disbelief. Without so much as a moment’s hesitation, Vinyl had told a very personal story to her with no preamble or any kind of explanation as to why she was telling Rarity even a short version of such a chapter in her life and yet Rarity could not deny that hearing that story had made her feel better, somehow. Almost as if Vinyl’s words had lifted a shroud that she hadn’t known was there away from her mind and heart.

“Well, I…” Rarity gave her head a gentle shake, a smile touching her lips as she did so. “I suppose I’m glad that things aren’t bitter between the two of you,” she said finally. “And… thank you for sharing that with me, Vinyl. I know it couldn’t have been easy for you.”

To her surprise, Vinyl snorted a sharp laugh. “Rarity, seriously – it was a year ago and things didn’t get that serious between us. It wasn’t a big deal, so stop making it one, all right?” She turned and started towards the door, her shoulders loose and her smile light, and Rarity unconsciously fell into step next to her. “But enough about me and Octavia,” said Vinyl as the pair crossed the open area of Rarity’s shop. “What about you and Octavia, Rares? Give me the low-down on the two of you.”

“The low-down?” Rarity blinked at the other unicorn then gave her head a firm shake that made her curled mane bounce and bob. “There isn’t any kind of ‘low-down’ to give, I’m afraid. We’ve been out for a casual dinner then a casual lunch. And that is something that all kinds of designers do for their clients,” she added hastily as Vinyl’s grin grew broader. “She and I, well…” The unicorn took a deep, slow breath. “We’re just friends,” she said finally. “Friends who share a love of Neighponese cuisine and who both have rather unusual families. That’s all.” She turned her eyes back to the door and gave her tail an authoritative flick, indicating that she was absolutely done with that line of conversation, but there was nothing she could do to stop the warmth that inevitably crept up her cheeks as Vinyl’s grin slowly morphed into a soft, knowing smile. The designer sighed in vexation as she hurried forward, her eyes fixed on the door and the cool night air beyond it. Surely that’s all I need, she thought as she reached a hoof out and took hold of the doorknob. Just a little fresh air and I’ll be right as rain. She shifted her body to turn the knob and open the door, but before she could even get the door open a crack, Vinyl’s hoof settled onto her own and kept the door shut tight. Rarity blinked and turned her head back to face Vinyl, whose smile had been replaced by a soft line that when matched with the opaque lenses of her shades made her expression entirely unreadable.

“Rarity, I have to ask you to do something for me.” The DJ’s horn flared to life and, with a flash of light, a small card appeared between the two unicorns. Vinyl’s bright magical aura caught the card in mid-air and, after a moment, she levitated it over to Rarity. The designer gave her a puzzled look, but when Vinyl gestured with the card, Rarity knew better than to refuse her. Her own horn lit up and the magic around the card faded from Vinyl’s electric blue to Rarity’s sapphire blue as the two unicorns changed possession of the object. “Take some time for yourself and go to this club,” the DJ said as her horn went dark. “I don’t know how much you get out on the town, but trust me – head out there three days from now, at around 11 at night. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

Rarity arched an eyebrow at her friend before turning her gaze to the card itself. It was a business card, small and unassuming, that had tidy black print across the front next to an embossed black top hat. The unicorn squinted at the small text and it took her a moment to decipher it.

“The Magical Hat,” she read. “And what kind of club is this? I truly am not interested in hopping around to clubs here in town, Vinyl.”

“Trust me,” said Vinyl as she stepped forward and pushed the door of the shop open. “I know this is one that you won’t regret going to.” She turned her hidden eyes back to Rarity, a small grin on her lips. “Get there at 11 o’clock P.M. three days from now and enjoy.” Without another word, the DJ pushed the door open all the way and moved out into the street, her tail flicking jauntily as she did so. “I’ll be back in a week to pick up that dress, Rares! Don’t make me wait!”

Rarity stood at the door of her shop, her magic still holding the small business card as she watched Vinyl Scratch strut away into the night. “I somehow doubt that she’ll be the one waiting in a week,” she muttered to herself. She gave her head a small shake as her magic took hold of the door and pulled it closed, shutting out the night so that Rarity could well and truly close up shop. It was well past closing time, after all, and Rarity knew that she still had a good deal of work ahead of her tomorrow.

Yet, as she turned back towards her desk, the unicorn’s attention went back to the small, unassuming business card that she had received and to the cryptic instructions her friend had left with it.

“Three days from now at 11 p.m.” she repeated to herself. “That’s very specific.” Her brow furrowed as she frowned. “But… why?”

Clouded Day, Clearing Heart

The next three days passed by in a work-filled blur for Rarity, who once again had decided to employ the same strategy she had the last time that any span of time had stood between her and something she wanted: work until exhausted, sleep, then repeat. It was a system that Fleur had frowned upon when Rarity had told her about it, but nothing the older unicorn could say could dissuade the younger. After all, it had worked before – why not again?

And so the whirlwind of creation had once again swept over the Boutique, catching everything and anything in its beautiful, awe-inspiring wake as Rarity poured herself into her tasks with all of the infectious zeal of an eager foal who had only to complete her chores before being given a treat. She allowed herself to be absorbed in each and every stitch, to be one with the needle and thread as the fabric became patterns became garments, and slowly the minutes turned to hours, then hours to days as she toiled ever onwards, heedless of the limited amount of sleep she was allowing herself and the fact that she was skipping every other meal. Thankfully, Rarity wasn’t the only pony looking after her well-being and, by the afternoon of the second day, Fleur took it upon herself to visit Rarity, armed with a large basket of food and drinks and a determination to get the unicorn out of her Boutique and into the beautiful summer day. Rarity had at first declined, but the growling of her stomach made it impossible for her to refuse politely – and despite her drive to work Rarity knew that if she could not decline politely, she would not decline at all. She had reluctantly agreed, but within the span of two hours she had returned to her shop with a full stomach and renewed energy despite Fleur’s insistence that she slow down. “You don’t want to burn yourself out, after all,” she had warned. But Rarity could not, would not be stopped – not now, not yet. Her orders were almost filled, her stamp of perfection here in Canterlot almost complete, and this was her chance to ensure that she finished all of her gorgeous projects with plenty of time to spare.

Yet, even as she did her best to focus every fiber of her being into the tasks at hoof, there were thoughts that pierced the veil of her concentration like rays of sunlight through a slit in the curtain of her mind. Thoughts of shimmering gray silk, coal black ribbon and shining amethysts that were sprinkled with a shining top hat and Vinyl Scratch’s enigmatic words: Three days from now, at 11 p.m. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Her longing to find out what those words meant combined with her desire to see Octavia again and fueled the fire in Rarity’s heart, causing it to burn bright deep into the second night and drive Rarity to work on much later than she had anticipated. The results could not be argued with, however. By the time she finally stopped working very early in the morning on the third day, the unicorn had put every last one of the sketches she’d made into the “finished” pile and had all of her dresses ready to show her clients. It was an amazing amount of work and had pushed the unicorn to her limits, but as Rarity had tucked herself into the comfortable little cot she’d set up in the back of the shop, she had felt a clear and brilliant sense of elation and a warm certainty that the next day would be a perfect day.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, the ponies of Canterlot were not greeted with one of the brilliant, dramatic sunrises that they were accustomed to. Instead, the darkness of night gave way to a gloomy, dull graying of the sky and, even after the sun was fully raised, the capital city remained awash in faded colors and the scent of impending rain as a deep curtain of clouds kept the sun from sharing its bountiful warmth. This was, thankfully, not a surprise to the citizens of Canterlot who were always kept well-informed about the kinds of weather they would be experiencing by their trio of experienced Pegasus weather teams. The leaders of the three teams always issued their reports via the daily Canterlot paper and told every pony of their schedules for rain, storms, etc. several days in advance so that any events that needed to happen outdoors could be scheduled around the city’s much-needed rainfall.

Rarity had read the paper in the time between her lunch with Octavia and her appointment with Vinyl Scratch three days ago and had been disappointed that their special day would be dreary and rainy, but she had been determined not to let such a triviality keep that day from being gorgeous and amazing. As she left her shop and headed up the avenue towards High Street, however, she swore she could have kissed the Pegasus in charge of the weather for Canterlot. She squinted into the dim light as she walked, her eyes aching and dry from her less than adequate night’s sleep, and deep inside the cotton that had half-filled her head in the night she knew that, if the sky hadn’t been filled with clouds, she would have had to resort to drastic measures to simply be able to see at all.

Rarity, sometimes you can be absolutely incorrigible when it comes to your work, she reflected with more than a hint of irritation towards herself. Fleur warned you, didn’t she? Don’t work yourself so hard, you’ll regret it. Well, that will teach you not to listen to good advice, won’t it? The unicorn let out a heavy sigh as she trudged along the street, her head held low and her ears drooped halfway to her mane. I’m just lucky that I always keep an extra brush on me at all times, she thought as she gave her head a gentle shake that made her perfectly curled mane sway gently next to her face. I would’ve had to hurry back to Fleur’s to brush and run otherwise... She winced as even the subtle shake caused her eyes to throb and her muzzle scrunched unhappily as pain filled the front of her head. …and I’m not certain how THAT would have worked out.

Around Rarity the city bustled as usual with ponies moving here and there along the street as they went about their daily business. It didn’t surprise her that ponies were out and about – the weather report had assured the city that there would be no rain until later, after all – but what did surprise her was the obvious effect the cloud cover was having upon the citizens. She glanced across the street to a mare and her filly as they hurried down the street, their heads held low as they hustled towards their destination, their eyes casting worried glances skyward as if the storm was bound to break at any moment. Rarity’s head rose from its position closer to the ground as her brow knit in curiosity, her ailments dimming slightly behind the fire of her thirst for knowledge. I wonder why they’re fretting, she thought. The weather report said no rain until later, so I would think that they wouldn’t be in such a hurry. If somepony in Ponyville says that we will get rain at a specific time, it will happen within ten minutes of the time announced. Perhaps things are run differently here? The unicorn gave her head another small shake and, this time, she was thrilled to note that the pain was much less than before.

I’ll have to ask Octavia, she decided as she turned her hooves onto High Street and headed north. High Street was a hive of activity, just like the rest of the city that day, and even more so because of the time – it was growing close to lunch time – and the street with the best restaurants in Canterlot was earning its lunch hour revenue. She’ll know what’s going on and perhaps she can tell me if I should be scurrying around like that. Her lips slowly turned up at the corners as the single thought of Octavia blossomed into a garden of memories, thoughts, and feelings that filled Rarity’s mind and chased some of the cotton filling the confines of her mind away. I’m certain that if I should be, she’ll tell me in no uncertain terms. She can be very honest in that way, she thought. Her smile grew broader as she pictured Octavia: the small, secretive smile that the other mare wore so well, her brilliant, sparkling eyes, and her breathy, teasing laugh.

In spite of her less than rested state, Rarity found her hooves becoming lighter the farther she walked and, as she passed the first of the restaurants on High Street, they finally felt like they were no longer made of lead. The tiredness that had plagued the first part of her day seemed to be slowly ebbing away as she made her way around the city and, in spite of the dreary dampness that threatened the capital, Rarity felt as though the sun were shining just for her as her thoughts dwelt on the earth pony she was on her way to see and the plans the pair had for this afternoon.

I wonder what her quartet will play, she thought as she hurried past La Cuillère d’Argent, her ears perking up as her thoughts raced. And I wonder how much they’ll play. It would be absolutely marvelous if they played more than one song for me. I mean, I’m not expecting an entire private concert or any such thing, but… oh, a mare can hope, can’t she? The unicorn allowed herself a small, girlish giggle of excitement as she hurried down the sidewalk, carefully skirting around patrons exiting the restaurants as well as random pedestrians on the street as if her hooves were separate entities that controlled Rarity’s path and were determined to see her get where she was going no matter how distracted she became. Oh, I can’t wait to hear her play!

Thoughts of Octavia filled her mind to the brim and, as they did, Rarity felt a bubble of excitement welling up in her chest. It threatened to not only overwhelm the tired, almost nauseous feeling that had dominated the unicorn before, but also to override her common sense and good judgment as the desire to simply break into a sprint to get to the restaurant faster burst to life in her mind. Oh don’t be a fool, Rarity! She chided herself as she wove through a particularly thick knot of ponies who were standing in front of one of the restaurants offering Zebrican fare. That would be reckless in this crowd and the last thing you want to do is look like a crazy mare in front of Octavia! She gave her head a firm nod as she stepped around a pony who had his head craned upwards as he gawked at the skyline. Yet, even as she reaffirmed her ladylike approach to the situation, the bright warmth of her excitement continued to build, growing larger and more brilliant with each step that carried her closer to Octavia.

Finally, after what seemed to Rarity like an eternity of weaving through group after group of diners either entering or exiting their eateries of choice, she spied the top of the White Lily through the crowd and, in spite of her determination to appear calm and collected, she felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of it. There it is! At last! She felt a smile begin to grow upon her lips as she hurried forward, her excitement swelling up in her chest and pressing it outwards until the unicorn thought she would faint. As she approached the restaurant, a large knot of ponies swarmed out of an establishment right next to the Lily, blocking the entire sidewalk with noisy, bustling motion.

Rarity felt her smile become a frown in an instant and all of the excitement glowing in her chest suddenly fanned into a burst of anger at the blatant disregard for others that this group was displaying. How absolutely abominable! She thought crossly as she moved to the far right of the sidewalk and pressed herself as close to the façades of the buildings as she could in an attempt to circumvent the group. Some ponies have NO sense of common courtesy. Rarity made her way around the crowd as seamlessly as she could, though she had to slow her pace considerably so she wouldn’t bump into anypony else. Several of the ponies in the crowd that had blocked her gave her apologetic smiles and begged forgiveness as their assemblage finally morphed and started down the street and it was all Rarity could do to offer them sincere smiles and polite dismissals without glaring at them. Even so, Rarity knew that the heat behind her eyes could not be hidden completely and at least one of the poor mares who apologized to her did so twice before scurrying out of the designer’s way as if Rarity were a burgeoning storm cloud. The unicorn winced as the mare gave her a tentative backwards glance, her eyes full of fear. Calm yourself, Rarity, she thought firmly. Those ponies didn’t set out to make you angry, they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. There’s no reason to let your own desires turn your excitement to ire, now is there? She turned and offered an apologetic wave of her own to the group, but either none of them noticed or they were too terrified to turn back.

With a sigh, Rarity let her hoof fall back to her side. Oh well done. Nothing like making other ponies feel like they’re scum for no reason. The unicorn gave her head a small shake and turned her body back towards the White Lily even as her eyes lingered on the retreating crowd. Honestly, Rarity, you’ve got to keep your emotions in check or else somepony is going to get – her head finally followed the rest of her body and, as her eyes lit on her destination, the silent chastising that she had been giving herself fizzled and became the barest murmur inside her own head, – hurt, she thought weakly, her eyes widening as they lit upon her destination and the one thing she had longed to see more than anything else that day: Octavia.

The musician stood just outside the door of the Lily, her hooves pointed demurely as she craned her neck to see over the crowd, her eyes searching the street full of ponies eagerly. Rarity watched as she turned this way and that, looking all around the street for several long moments before the gray mare shifted on her hooves and settled firmly back onto her pads as she obviously did not find what she was looking for. Her mouth curved into a slight frown, but her eyes continued to search the crowd with zealous excitement in spite of her less than happy expression and, as Rarity watched her, she felt her cheeks grow warm as realization blossomed in her chest.

She’s looking for me. The thought burst into Rarity’s mind like a flash of brilliant light and the glow of excitement inside her blazed brighter than she could ever remember it having burned before. Even the excitement that she’d felt before the Grand Galloping Gala or Princess Cadence’s wedding had been nothing compared to the flame that flared to life inside her chest, its dancing tongue of eager happiness so bright and forceful that it filled her to the brim and threatened to lift her up into the sky with its heat. Her heart began to pound inside her, hard enough that she could feel its throbbing in her head and hear it in her ears as Octavia’s amethyst eyes swept the crowd again, her face impassive despite the franticness of her searching and, as Octavia’s gaze finally found her own, every sound in Rarity’s world faded away into silence.

The other mare’s eyes were dazzling, even in the low light of the cloudy day, and as Rarity watched, she could see as deep into them as she had back in her Boutique the very first day they had met. She could see her excitement mirrored in those amethyst depths: excitement and eagerness that burned together with a deep need that made Rarity’s heart flutter in her chest as her body took an unconscious step towards the other mare.

What is going on? She reflected quietly as her hooves moved her closer to Octavia. I knew that I was excited to see Octavia again, but this… She took another step and this time Octavia moved as well. She took a step towards Rarity, her momentum causing her dark mane to shift and shimmer around her brilliant eyes as she started forward. Rarity felt her cheeks warm yet again and, in the back of her mind, she heard herself whisper.

…this is something more.

She and Octavia drew up to one another, Rarity’s gaze riveted to that of her companion as Octavia’s lips curved into a smile. It was a small, conservative smile and one that Rarity would have put no stock into before she had gotten to know the mysterious mare, but today the unicorn could see that Octavia’s smile was full of joy and the tiny smile the other mare offered her sent a thrill of happiness up Rarity’s back.

“I’m glad that you made it,” said Octavia softly, her voice the only sound in Rarity’s whole world. The unicorn’s ears stood up straight for the first time that day as the flame inside her grew even brighter at Octavia’s words and, even as Rarity tried to maintain some composure, she knew that she was blushing brightly.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world, darling,” replied Rarity quietly and, as she watched, Octavia’s cheeks colored as well. The two mares stood together for several blissful moments, their eyes searching one another as if they were trying to memorize each other at that exact moment in time. Their ears ignored the sounds of the street and their eyes forwent the buildings and other ponies around them in favor of the pony who stood before them and, as Rarity stood there, she realized that if somepony were to freeze her in place like this and lock her into this moment forever she would be a happy mare.

Finally, it was Octavia who broke the trance. She took a deep breath and shifted on her hooves, her subtle movements shattering the crystalline sphere that had kept the sounds of the rest of the world out and plunging the two ponies back into the real world.

“Well, sh-shall we go in for lunch?” she asked, her voice a touch breathless. “I… I know Blossom is expecting us and if we are going to get back to my rehearsal with time for me to actually play you anything…” Her eyes sparkled as she gazed hopefully at Rarity who took a breath of her own and gave her head a brisk shake to bring herself back to a state of mind in which she could actually form coherent speech.

“Oh, y-yes, of course!” she agreed eagerly. “I wouldn’t want to keep Blossom waiting for us and I certainly don’t want to make you late for your rehearsal!” Octavia’s smile returned and Rarity felt her own grow in kind as the two mares turned and moved towards the door of the White Lily. Octavia reached the door first and pushed it open for Rarity and, as the unicorn moved into the building, she heard the other mare’s voice.

“And how are you feeling today, Rarity?” she inquired.

Rarity thought for a moment and, as Octavia let the door close behind her, the unicorn gave her a brilliant smile. “I’ve never felt better,” she said softly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The hour that the two mares took for their lunch passed more quickly than all three of the days prior, at least it seemed so to Rarity. For her, it felt as though all of the stress, anxiety, and tiredness that she had accrued during the previous days simply melted away into a haze of eager smiles, easy laughter, and coy glances that filled her to the brim with warmth and happiness. The food was delicious as always and, despite Rarity’s brief trepidation at the thought of seeing Silver Blossom again after the strange events of their last lunch, the hostess mare did not treat her any worse than she had before. It was quite the opposite, in fact, and throughout the whole meal Blossom treated Rarity with more familiarity than she did formality, a turn that both surprised and pleased the unicorn to no end. Octavia seemed pleased with it as well and, by the time the two mares had finished their meal, neither of them were especially eager to leave the comfortable environment of the White Lily. In fact, both mares agreed that if they had been left to their own devices that day they probably would have stayed much, much longer in the warm, forgiving atmosphere of the restaurant that had come to mean so much to the both of them, but even as they hesitated in the Lily’s entry way, one thought drove Rarity back out into the street with Octavia:

If we don’t leave the Lily, I don’t get to hear her play.

It was with that thought ringing in her ears that Rarity set off with Octavia down High Street, the sunlight in her heart contrasting sharply with the gathering storm clouds overhead. The two mares walked in affable silence, their soft smiles from lunch lingering on their lips as they passed by the avenue that Rarity usually took back to her Boutique and instead continued on for several more blocks before turning right and moving deeper into the city itself.

Around the pair, ponies moved quickly about their daily business with the urgency and efficiency that Rarity had come to expect from Canterlot, but for the first time in weeks, the unicorn felt none of that urgency in her heart. Her hoofsteps were gentle and even instead of hurried as she walked beside Octavia and, even though she knew that they had somewhere to be with little time to get there, she could not seem to make her destination matter while she walked with Octavia. After all, it’s the journey that makes the adventure, is it not? She glanced sideways at Octavia and smiled brightly as she found the other mare’s gaze on her, Octavia’s eyes glowing with emotion so brightly that they warmed Rarity to the tip of her nose.

“Is there something wrong, Octavia?” the unicorn asked quietly as they crossed a small intersection, their hooves clopping in perfect time with one another as they moved from curb to street. The musician’s tiny smile grew and she gave her head a small shake as they approached the curb on the other side.

“Oh no, there’s nothing wrong,” she replied quietly. Her smile grew again as the pair stepped back up onto the sidewalk and, as they did, Octavia took a step that was a bit wider than necessary so that, when she had finished the simple step upwards, she and Rarity were walking just a bit closer together than they had been before. Rarity felt her heart skip a beat at the other mare’s closeness and to her delight and dismay she felt her cheeks begin to blush warmly as Octavia’s tail flicked against her rear legs in a lingering half-touch. “Quite the opposite, in fact,” Octavia whispered, dipping her eyes demurely before turning them back to the sidewalk as the two mares continued on.

I’m glad she knows where we’re going, Rarity reflected as she, too, turned her head back to her front, because I have no idea where we are right now! Octavia was so close to her that Rarity could feel the heat from the other mare’s body against her left side and, even though the unicorn’s eyes were on the street, every ounce of her attention was on the ever shrinking space between her and Octavia. The street slowly began to blur around her as every one of her senses honed in on her companion, the world gradual losing focus as every ounce of Rarity’s being reached out to Octavia. With every breath Rarity took, she could smell the other mare’s perfume – a gentle lilac scent that filled Rarity’s head and brought her thoughts to a halt – and with every step, the unicorn could feel Octavia’s tail swishing against her back legs. Every contact causing her heart to pound louder and louder until it began to drive out the sound of the street. Everything that was Octavia was slowly filling Rarity’s head and, after several more minutes of walking in silence, Rarity finally managed to pry her attention from the gray pony. When she looked up at the buildings around her, she realized that, if she was lost before, she was most definitely lost now. Dear Celestia we need to talk to one another. She forced the thought through the hazy veil of lilacs and silk that had filled her mind as she blinked rapidly up at the gray sky. Otherwise I’m going to be a complete gibbering fool by the time we reach the concert hall.

“So, I believe I may be missing something,” Rarity said as her eyes finally refocused on the clouds. “I read the weather reports like everypony else and, according to the paper, there isn’t supposed to be any rain until much later this evening, correct?” She arched an eyebrow at Octavia. “But if that’s so then why does it seem like everypony but you and I are in a horrible hurry today? Did I misread the report?”

To her surprise, Octavia’s smile became amused as she shook her head, her mane flowing gently around her shoulders as she did so. “You did not misread the weather report, Rarity – it said exactly that.” The two ponies glanced as one across the street where a small group of three ponies hurried along the storefronts as if a hurricane were coming down on them. “There is one problem with the reports, however, and that problem is named Captain Cloudflair.”

“Captain Cloudflair?” Rarity repeated, arching an eyebrow. “Is he somepony I should know?”

“You do not live in Canterlot so I would not expect you to know him, but here we have all come to know his name and, more often than not, we end up using it as a synonym for missed appointments.” The musician’s lips pursed together and she rolled her eyes before continuing. “Captain Cloudflair is the commander of all the weather teams here in the capital and he is very new to his position. So new, in fact, that he is having a hard time coordinating the proper weather patterns in so large an area as well as finding great difficulty in causing the weather to happen at the correct and appointed time.” Octavia gestured to the sky with her left hoof. “So, on a day like today, the rain may come as scheduled or it may come tomorrow or it may come in five minutes. He has not missed his schedule by more than a day either way so far, but I am beginning to have my doubts as to the chances that he will keep his job very long.”

Rarity winced. “Oh my, that is quite a margin of error,” she agreed as the pair made a right off of the previous street and onto another broad avenue. “I’m certain that Rainbow Dash would have some very colorful things to say to your Captain Cloudflair.” Now it was Octavia’s turn to arch an eyebrow and Rarity gave her an apologetic smile. “Oh, pardon me – Rainbow Dash is one of my friends in Ponyville and she is a first-class weather pony! We haven’t missed a shower in almost an entire year since she took up her position.” The thought that she’d brought Rainbow up in conversation before tickled the edges of Rarity’s memory, but Octavia nodded without giving any indication that she’d heard of Rainbow before so the unicorn pushed the thought away.

“I see.” Octavia’s eyes twinkled happily. “That must have been the rainbow-maned filly who saved the Wonderbolts in Cloudsdale two years ago. That was the talk of Canterlot for quite some time afterwards, I should tell you. I would very much like to meet her someday and perhaps she would be gracious enough to come and… what is the expression? Perhaps she could whip the Captain into shape?”

“Oh, I have no doubts that she could, no doubts whatsoever!” Rarity gave her mane a shake and opened her mouth to continue the conversation, but before she could do so Octavia stopped in her tracks. The unicorn skidded to a halt and turned back to her companion, her brow furrowed in concern. “Octavia? Is there something wrong?” asked Rarity, her voice tight with worry. To her surprise, the musician let out one of her teasing, ear-tickling giggles before shaking her head.

“No, there is nothing wrong. We’ve arrived, that’s all.” She turned to her left and gestured upwards with her hoof. “Welcome, Rarity, to the Canterlot Metropolitan Concert Hall!”

Rarity blinked in surprise, but as she turned to her right, the surprise in her chest was quickly smothered in a wave of awe as the unicorn’s gaze found the enormous building that Octavia had indicated. She had been to concert halls in the past, but the Metropolitan Concert Hall dwarfed even the largest venue Rarity had ever been to and, as much as she loathed admitting it to herself, Rarity knew that, even with the grandeur of Canterlot sprouting up all around, the scope of the Hall surprised her. The building was huge and squat, easily three times wider than it was tall, with huge pillars in front that held up the gigantic triangular roof to the entryway. The building was constructed out of what looked like pure granite and was complete with the biggest dome roof that Rarity had ever seen, a roof large enough that she couldn’t see past the curvature of the front. In itself, the building was not truly remarkable, but in sheer size, design, and type of material used in construction, Rarity knew that this Hall was a marvel in its own right and that it was something that was made to outlast everything around it.

“I… I can hardly believe how big it is!” Rarity muttered under her breath. “I can’t believe I haven’t been here before!” Next to her, she felt more than saw Octavia stand up just a bit straighter in pride.

“It is a beautiful place, inside and out,” Octavia agreed. “A symbol of the firm desire that Princess Celestia has in preserving and forwarding the arts.” Rarity turned back to her companion and Octavia favored her with a rare, dazzling smile – a smile that made Rarity’s thoughts of the grandness of the Concert Hall fade away into the back of her mind. “Come on, let’s go inside. I’ll get you a seat and you can watch everything.” Without waiting for a response, Octavia darted out into the street, her movements quick and light as Rarity watched her, dumbstruck. The other mare made it most of the way across the street before she turned, gave Rarity another excited, brilliant smile, and gestured with her hoof. “Come on! The others will be waiting on me!”

“Oh! Oh yes, of course,” Rarity mumbled. She blinked her eyes rapidly and hurried into the street after Octavia, determined not to make her any later than she already was, yet even as the other mare turned to lead the way up the steps to the Concert Hall, Rarity could still see Octavia’s bright smile in her mind and she knew, deep down in her heart, that she would do whatever it took to keep seeing that smile time and time again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If Rarity thought the Concert Hall looked big from the outside, she was absolutely flabbergasted by the size of it on the inside. The center of the dome stood easily a hundred feet above the lowest level of seats and, with the lights in the building low as they were, it felt as though the ceiling were miles away, even from the box that Rarity had been directed to by Octavia. The unicorn allowed her eyes to rove the massive structure as she tried to grasp the sheer size and scope of what was easily the largest theater she had ever been inside. It’s almost hard to believe that this structure isn’t supported by some kind of magic, she thought as she sat back into her chair and turned her gaze upwards towards the balconies opposite the one she sat in. I don’t know much about architecture, so this whole place seems almost… implausible, I believe is the word. Her eyes wandered the beautiful pillars that accented the walls from level to level as well as the curtains and tapestries that closed off the balconies and decorated much of the empty space in the room. The theater was so dark in its upper reaches that the trappings and trimmings looked almost black in the dimness, but the lights near the stage revealed them to be a rich dark red trimmed with gold. The designer smiled broadly at the color choice. So beautiful! That color is absolutely perfect for a theater like this. Her eyes swept back up the far wall where they found a single banner that did not match the rest of the building’s color scheme. It was brilliant white and trimmed in the same gold as the rest of the decorations, but instead of being plain it bore the bright golden sun of Celestia at its heart. At least we can see that our Princess of the Sun has good taste!

The unicorn gave a contented sigh and savored the cool, musky scent of the theater itself as she sat forward again, her gaze moving back to the stage at the center of the room. I’m certain that, if Twilight Sparkle were here, she would have a never-ending supply of facts about this building: when it was built, who Celestia commissioned to build it, et cetera, et cetera. She settled her elbows onto the edge of the balcony and allowed her weight to settle comfortably onto them, her shoulders rising as she sat forward, her eyes on the as-yet empty stage expectantly. Although I’d be willing to wager that Octavia knows just as much about it as Twilight does and maybe more.

The mere thought of her gray coated companion caused Rarity’s heart to thump loudly in her chest and the unicorn’s smile grew slightly. The earth pony had bid her a hurried farewell in the entry hall and had given her an exact place to sit before dashing off towards the main auditorium, her mane and tail trailing elegantly behind her. It had all been very abrupt, but if there was one thing Rarity understood, it was not wishing to be late for an appointment. So she had watched Octavia hurry off as excitement had welled up inside of her, but now that she was nestled safely up in her box seats she felt a strange sense of anxiety that she couldn’t exactly explain: a niggling, persistent feeling that sat in the middle of her enthusiasm and slowly began to turn that bright excitement into muted trepidation.

I’m certain it’s simply the building, Rarity reassured herself as she fidgeted with a piece of the sash that decorated her balcony. While Octavia did give me precise directions, finding one’s way around a new place is difficult and often taxing on one’s emotions. I’m certain that’s it. She nodded her head, determined to convince herself that she’d found the answer to her question. Yet, as her eyes darted back to the still-empty stage, she could feel the trepidation grow in her chest.

The mare let out a sharp sigh and sat back into her chair, her hooves dragging across the edge of the balcony before falling away to thump against the plush padding of her seat. You need to relax, Rarity, she thought. It’s just the stress from the past few days coming to a head. Just sit back and be calm, take deep breaths. She breathed out gently, expelling all of the air in her lungs before sitting up straight and inhaling deeply, steadily filling her chest with air until she could take no more. Once she had inhaled all she could, she forced herself to hold it for a brief moment before opening her mouth and exhaling slowly, trying to allow all of her negative emotions to flow outward from her like water from a vessel, but even as the trepidation vanished, a new sensation rose up to fill it: a hard, unmoving lump in the sea of Rarity’s emotions that bobbed to the surface and refused to be moved. The unicorn frowned. What in Equestria is going on with me? I knew this was going to be a lot of work when I decided to do this, but this doesn’t FEEL like work stress. She allowed herself a soft snort and a wry smile. I know exactly what work stress feels like, and this is NOT it, but if that’s not it, then what IS it?

She took several more relaxed breaths in the same fashion as the first one, but no matter how much negative emotion she tried to give up, the lump inside her would not go away. It remained where it had appeared, unmoving and immovable at Rarity’s center, and no manner of poking, prodding, and positive thinking could assuage the strange pit in her center.

Just when Rarity was beginning to feel her stress level start to rise once again, she heard a sound that rescued her from her inner workings – the tell-tale clop of hooves across a wooden stage and not just one set of them, but several congruent cadences of hoofsteps sprang to life in the empty cavern of the theater – their obviously different rhythms breathing life into the formerly still and silent Hall. As the sounds of other ponies fell on Rarity’s ears, she forgot all else and darted to the edge of the balcony, her forelegs grasping the railing as she leaned forward, her eyes trained on the stage once again.

The first pony to appear was a stallion with a soft brown coat and pale blond mane who carried himself with an almost imperious level of importance as he made his way from the curtains at stage right across the stage towards the grand piano that sat to the audience’s left side. His hoofsteps were firm and measured and he never once glanced back at the side of the stage from whence he had come. The second pony was one that Rarity recognized immediately as Beauty Brass, the exuberant mare who had called upon her more than a week ago. She trotted eagerly across the stage, her movements measured yet so alike to Pinkie Pie that Rarity could not help but think that perhaps the two were related. It would be distant, though I could very easily see it… but perhaps that’s simply due to having spoken to her before. Rarity smiled as both the piano player and Beauty Brass reached their instruments – the piano and a tuba respectively. It’s hard to believe that someone so excitable could have the patience for music, though, come to think of it, Pinkie Pie DOES play instruments…

The next pony hurried out onto the stage as if wasting another moment of their practice time would absolutely ruin the music. His coat was a delicate periwinkle and his mane a brilliant blue and, as he flung himself bodily at the large golden harp that stood at stage right, Rarity knew without doubt that he must be the one Beauty Brass had called Harpo. That means the piano player is Frederick, she recalled as the three ponies readied themselves at their instruments. That makes three of the four ponies accounted for. Now where is-

She didn’t even have time to complete the thought before the pony she had come to see made her way sedately onto the stage, her face a perfect mask of poise and grace. The lights from the stage seemed to illuminate Octavia’s entire body and, to Rarity, it appeared as though she were glowing of her own accord as she made her way to her cello which stood just to the left of center stage next to Frederick’s piano. As soon as Rarity’s gaze settled onto the gray coat and charcoal mane, she felt her anxiety ease and, as it did so, she felt the strange lump in the middle of her chest give a strange yet undeniable twitch. The unicorn frowned as Octavia reared up on her hind legs, took hold of her cello in her left hoof, and drew her bow like a saber with her right. What is happening in there? She asked herself silently. What are you trying to tell me?

“All right, now that Octavia has deigned to join us–” Frederick’s voice was low in the enormous space, but the irritation in his words was impossible to miss even from Rarity’s distance. He turned on his piano bench and gave the gray mare a withering glance, “–perhaps we can get some rehearsing done today?”

“By all means, Frederick,” replied Octavia, her voice cool and perfectly smooth. “I apologize for the late start. If we had started when I arrived twenty minutes ago we would have been only slightly behind, but I understand the need for all of you to hear my reasons for being late in great, exhaustive detail, so I’m afraid that the fault is all mine.” Rarity’s eyes widened and she brought a hoof to her mouth to suppress her knowing snicker as Frederick straightened indignantly on his bench.

“I didn’t need to hear your reasons,” Beauty Brass chimed with a smile as Frederick and Octavia stared at each other. “It was Frederick who kept going on and ON about how you couldn’t be doing this and even when you told him we should just go practice he kept going on and ON and-”

“Point taken, Beauty!” Frederick snapped. Rarity’s smile widened as she turned her eyes back to Octavia and, even though she couldn’t see her eyes very well from this distance, the unicorn knew that they would have subtle, almost imperceptible satisfaction in them at Frederick’s reaction. After a moment of tense silence, the blue stallion at the harp spoke up.

“If it’s not too much trouble, Frederick, would you mind starting us off?” he asked pointedly. “I’m afraid that all of this arguing is going to make my harp strings sound a bit sadder than usual if we don’t start soon.”

Even from her box seat, Rarity could see Frederick roll his eyes. “Ugh… fine. Harpo is right, of course – we need to practice for the audition next week. The spot for the Grand Galloping Gala this year is open again and I want US to fill it. So let’s have no mistakes this time through, all right?”

Harpo ran his hooves lovingly down the golden sides of his harp. “No arguments from me, Freddie.”

Frederick made an annoyed sound deep in his throat that reverberated through the room much more loudly than it should have, but with a shake of his head he turned back to his piano and placed his hooves gently onto the keys.

“One, two, one two three four…” he counted off, and on the next unspoken ‘one’ the quartet began to play.

At first Rarity could hardly hear anything different about the room – it was still as silent as it had been to her ears and, with a frown, she strained her ears for the telltale sounds that would herald the music starting. After a few moments, however, the unicorn realized that the quartet had started playing exactly when Frederick had directed them, but so softly that, from this distance, Rarity could barely hear it. Slowly the music rose in a steady crescendo, cresting like a wave in the sea as it flowed up from the stage and filled every space in the theater. The forceful piano swirled above the surge, rising and falling tempestuously while the harp plucked a sorrowful counterpart, bowing and scraping before the piano’s commanding presence yet still managing to subtly duel it for dominance. The two instruments danced with one another in a coursing tide of sound as the tuba filled the spaces that they left behind with its low, mournful call, echoing like the hollows of forgotten coastal caves as the tide thrashed to and fro.

And then, below everything else, there came the sound that Rarity had longed to hear, the sound that had drawn her to this theater today and a sound that sent a wave of goosebumps down her neck: the deep, throaty rumble of Octavia’s cello, lifting and moving the other three instruments along their winding paths as if it were a riptide sweeping the entire song away into the abyss of the sea. It rolled and purred as the other instruments tinkled, strummed, and hummed away above it and, as the unicorn sat forward, she could feel its powerful depths calling to her more seductively than any siren ever could. Her gaze locked onto Octavia as the quartet played and, to her surprise, the earth pony’s eyes were closed, her face relaxed. Rarity’s brow furrowed, but before she could wonder too intently about Octavia’s technique, the upwelling of sound calmed, the instruments falling away into tentative softness. All of them, that is, except Octavia’s cello.

The earth pony’s expression never changed, her eyes remaining closed as her bow wove back and forth across the strings of her cello as if she knew that she played better by instinct than by sight. The deep thrum of her cello sang into the open space of the Hall, its melody lifting from the depths of the sea where it had started to soar upwards until it danced amid the life of a forest, weaving back and forth easily, almost playfully, as Octavia wielded it with expert precision. Rarity’s vision slowly blurred as tears formed in them, tears drawn out by the beautiful sounds of Octavia’s cello – it was deep and rich like the finest chocolate, soft and strong like Neighponese silk as it wrapped around Rarity’s whole world and held her tightly in its embrace.

It was within the folds of the cello’s song that Rarity noticed movement in the strange lump that had taken up residence in the center of her emotions: a shifting, shuddering movement that stirred her emotions to a boil as the sounds of Octavia’s playing filled her being to the brim. Rarity felt her breath catch in her throat as the tumult inside of her rose higher, sending waves of excitement and deep, wholesome satisfaction washing over her as she watched the stage.

No, not the whole stage, she thought to herself as she leaned forward again. Just one very specific part of it… She settled her gaze firmly onto Octavia and, as the other instruments of the quartet rose again into the musical fray, the unicorn could not help but smile at the earth pony. She truly is magnificent, so at home on the stage, so elegant… Heat slowly blossomed in her cheeks and, after a moment’s hesitation, she finally allowed herself to admit something that she had long thought but never voiced.

…and she is so very beautiful.

The thought seemed to explode into Rarity’s mind like the first light of a new dawn spreading over the dark, eager land and it was in that moment of solitude, with Octavia playing below her and the seemingly infinite expanse of the Concert Hall stretched above her, that a bolt of realization struck Rarity squarely in the chest. A blazing epiphany so brilliant that the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and caused her heart to race wildly as she gripped the edge of the balcony with her forelegs. She is beautiful, she thought again and, as the words formed in her mind, the unusual hollow spot inside of her suddenly burst in an explosion of feelings that caused a thrill to run down Rarity’s spine all the way to her tail. Relief, excitement, hope, and an unreadable mess of ten thousand other emotions threatened to overwhelm the unicorn as she realized that when she thought of Octavia as beautiful, she did not mean it in a friendly way, or a professional way, or a platonic way.

No, she found the other mare beautiful and, as the lights of the stage danced across Octavia’s unblemished gray coat and perfectly combed charcoal mane, Rarity finally realized that any thoughts she had about the cellist were not platonic in the least.

That’s… that’s why ‘meeting’ seemed so hollow when I thought about getting together with her for lunch, she realized with a rush of fresh heat to her cheeks, her eyes glued to Octavia half the room away. I stopped thinking of them as meetings after our second one and without knowing it I started thinking of them as dates.

Inside of her, the small seed of emotion that had burst forth continued to grow outwards, filling the unicorn with an unusually warm and fuzzy feeling from her nose to her hooves. She is so beautiful, she thought again, the words coming more quickly and easily now that the walls of propriety had been broken down. Beautiful and talented, smart and witty, clever and coy, she’s incredible and I…

Rarity allowed that particular thought to fade away into the blissful miasma of emotion inside her as the quartet finished their first song and quickly leaped to the next. Frederick directed them once again as they started and, as soon as he put his hooves to the piano, the soft, sweet refrains of the new song seemed to grab hold of Rarity’s heretofore ignored exhaustion from the night before and encourage it to be ignored no longer. The unicorn gave staying awake her most valiant efforts, but the song seemed to accentuate the warmth of the building around her and, wrapped as she was in the exquisite silk of newfound feelings, Rarity quickly found it impossible to resist the pull of sleep.

Slowly, inexorably, the gentle melody of the sonata drew Rarity down into a warm, gentle darkness as she lay her head down onto the seat to the left of her own, the voluminous curl in her mane falling elegantly over her eyes as she tucked her hooves up onto the cushions of the chairs and nestled down comfortably. I’m certain that Octavia won’t mind… she thought groggily. She… she really is… wonderful…

The unicorn let out a single yawn and allowed her eyes to close, surrendering to the needs of her overly-taxed body, but even as she slipped into the realm of gentle sleep, visions of Octavia danced in her mind. The cellist’s gemlike eyes, glittering in the abyss of Rarity’s dreams as the world faded away around her, were replaced by the flowing, supple reality created by the music that filled her head and heart.

It seemed to Rarity that she drifted for only minutes as the music moved her along, her soul adrift on the boundless black silk of sleep as thoughts of her newfound feelings filled her mind. Flickers of dreams danced behind her eyes as she rested – dreams of Octavia playing, of the other mare sitting opposite Rarity at the White Lily, of Octavia walking beside her as they went about their day – images so real and full of burgeoning emotion that Rarity felt as though she could reach out and touch them.

Reach out and touch her… Rarity thought as the mirages slowly filtered away into a single image of Octavia’s smooth features that hovered above her. With a slow, blissful smile, Rarity reached out with her hoof towards the ethereal visage of the mysterious mare to brush the dark mane out of her face and to Rarity’s absolute astonishment, her hoof met not the ghostly emptiness of a dream but rather the soft, warm coat of a real flesh-and-blood pony.

The unicorn’s smile shrank as the dream faded around her, the façade of her subconscious falling away to reveal the Concert Hall balcony where she had fallen asleep as well as Octavia standing over her, her eyes wide and unreadable as Rarity’s hoof pressed gently against her cheek.

“Oh!” The peacefulness of Rarity’s sleep shattered around her as the unicorn withdrew her hoof rapidly from Octavia and bolted upright in her seat, her cheeks immediately flushing deep crimson. “Oh Octavia, i-is your practice over already?” she asked breathlessly, her heart pounding in her ears as she experienced the strange rush in her head that sitting up too quickly out of a sound sleep can cause. “I, um…” she stuttered, but even as she struggled to recover from the awkwardness of the situation, a slow, creeping horror spread through her chest as she realized that she had just committed one of the cardinal sins of any proper socialite: she had fallen asleep at a concert. And what’s worse, Rarity, is that this wasn’t even a concert – it was a private rehearsal that a friend had to essentially sneak you in to! You ridiculous, thoughtless mare! “Octavia…” she stuttered, but even as she tried to find an excuse she knew it was pointless. The elation and emotion of her earlier epiphany quickly rose back to the forefront of her mind in Octavia’s presence, flustering her in a way that she could not remember ever having felt before. A teasing, fluttering sense of pressure rose in her chest and quickly combined with her shame to create a wall through which any words that may exonerate her simply would not pass and, as the hush between the two mares stretched, Rarity’s hooves darted to her mane, the action of straightening and primping it from its slightly rumpled state at least giving the unicorn an excuse for remaining silent.

Finally, she opened her mouth to say something, anything, to fill the silence between them, but just when she thought that she may be actually able to get something out, Octavia smiled at her, a smile so gentle and so happy that Rarity again felt her words vanish at the tip of her tongue.

“Oh Rarity,” Octavia whispered, her voice carrying easily in the perfectly silent Hall. “You must have been exhausted.”

The words that Octavia spoke were simple and to the point, but the emotions in them were anything but simple. The deep, genuine concern that filled the other mare’s breathy voice made Rarity’s skin prickle with goosebumps and the unicorn gasped silently as the brilliant wave of emotions inside her welled up into her mind, filling it to the brim with feelings that made forming a coherent sentence almost impossible.

“W-well, yes… yes I was,” she muttered finally, her cheeks flushed so brightly that she felt like she should be lighting up the booth. Even though Octavia seems to be the one glowing, she thought wistfully. “And your music was so beautiful and soothing that… well, I suppose I couldn’t help myself, darling.”

Now it was Octavia’s turn to blush brightly and Rarity couldn’t help but look at the mare differently now that she had admitted the level of her interest to herself. She truly was attractive and the way that she dropped her gaze when she became embarrassed made Rarity’s heart pound so loudly in her chest that the unicorn was surprised that Octavia couldn’t hear it.

“I… I’m glad that you liked my playing so much, Rarity,” she said breathily. “And… and I am also glad that you found rest amid my songs, but please, let us go – they have to lock the Hall soon and… and we have to get you home.” Octavia stepped away from Rarity and gestured towards the door, her eyes sparkling in the lights of the theater. “This way, please…”

Rarity stood from her chair and took a moment to stretch her back before stepping up to the gray pony, her heart still pounding in her ears as the two mares rounded the back row of seats and exited the box together. Silence reigned between them as they hurried through the building, both of them eager to not force anypony else to wait on them, but as they approached the exit, Rarity glanced at Octavia from beneath the curl of her bangs.

“Why did you call them ‘my songs’, Octavia?” she asked quietly as they approached the exit. “Surely, you didn’t write all of those, did you?” To her surprise, Octavia blushed and dipped her chin low enough that a large lock of her mane fell across her face.

“I did, actually. Most of them, at least – Frederick enjoys my compositions, even if he would deny his reliance on me. Did… did you truly like them?” Her head came back up and her gaze met Rarity’s, the amethyst depths of her eyes rippling with thrilling desire and excitement as the pair turned and stopped at the door of the Hall. Rarity’s breath caught in her throat and, after a long moment of gazing into Octavia’s eyes, she smiled gently and nodded.

“Yes. I loved them,” she said emphatically. “I only wish that I could have heard more of them.”

The earth pony flushed even brighter, if that was possible, and, after a moment, she gave a brisk nod and hurried out the door into the open air. Rarity grinned broadly and followed, pushing the door open and exhaling in relief as the cool air from the cloudy late afternoon washed over her flushed form. The sky was even darker now than it had been before, but the rain that had been promised for Canterlot had still not fallen, if the dry cobblestones outside were any indication. The unicorn inhaled deeply of the moisture-laden air as she tried to steady her hammering heart, but one glance back to Octavia, who stepped forward and allowed the door of the Hall to close behind her, told Rarity that she would no doubt be flushed long after she went home.

“Well,” said Rarity, giving Octavia a happy smile, “I’m so grateful for this, Octavia. I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful afternoon.” The earth pony smiled broadly back at her and from somewhere in the back of Rarity’s mind came the almost unbearable urge to be closer to Octavia and Rarity flushed as the thought left exactly how close they should be completely up to Rarity’s willingly overactive imagination. Now, let’s not be too hasty, she reminded her inner thoughts vehemently. I-I mean, I haven’t even told HER how I feel! I haven’t really even figured out how I feel myself!

But, as Rarity’s eyes met Octavia’s again, she could not deny that she felt something for the mare who had brought so much excitement to her life in the past two weeks and, after a moment of silence, Octavia stepped towards Rarity, her movements slow and deliberate as she reached her leg out and gently slid her foreleg around Rarity’s own. The touch of the other mare’s silken coat sent a thrill through Rarity’s body and in spite of herself she let out a small gasp as Octavia’s muzzle came tantalizingly close to her own.

“Nor could I,” she whispered, the depths of her eyes rippling with emotion as she held Rarity’s foreleg. Then she let the grip go, her hoof sliding delicately across Rarity’s own as she withdrew hesitantly. As soon as their hooves no longer touched, however, the earth pony turned and hurried to the door, disappearing through it without any further words.

For Rarity, however, more words would have been completely irrelevant for in that simple touch she had received the one thing that she had needed more than anything else in the world right then: confirmation. The unicorn could not keep the smile on her face from growing in proportion until she was certain she was grinning like a fool, but for once in her life, she would not let that stop her. She giggled aloud as she turned away from the Hall and started down the street, her heart light enough that she felt like she would surely lift off the ground and fly with the Pegasi.

So giddy was she, in fact, that she was three blocks away and humming a gentle tune to herself before she stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide.

“I have no idea where I am,” she murmured.

Acciaccato- Pt. 1

Half an hour later, Rarity thanked the taxi driver who had brought her home and tipped him extravagantly before turning and making her way towards Fleur’s front door, a faraway smile upon her lips. He was lovely, she thought absently as she hurried up the front steps, her hooves feeling as if they were barely touching the ground. Her whole body felt light as air and everything in her mind was awash in bright rose-colored light, its corners stuffed full of Octavia and all things related to the cellist and, if she hadn’t seen the cab’s meter for herself, she would never have believed that it had taken thirty minutes for her to arrive back home. It certainly doesn’t seem like it’s been a half hour since I’ve seen her, Rarity reflected as her magic lit up the front door and opened it, allowing her to move into the house gracefully without having to stop. And yet it feels like forever since we parted!

Once inside the foyer she turned elegantly about, her motions perfectly smooth as she twitched her horn and shut the door quietly behind her. It wasn’t late, to be sure, but the last thing she needed to do was upset the whole household just because she was in a good mood. She lifted her front right hoof in the middle of the turn and used her momentum to spin herself back around, her mane and tail flowing around her artfully as she pivoted in the center of the room until she faced the staircase once more. Her heart felt lighter than it ever had before and, with a happy sigh, the unicorn leisurely climbed the stairs, her hooves gliding over them as if she merely floating over the tops of them on unseen wings.

I can’t believe I did that, she thought dreamily as she ascended, her mane swaying gently as her eyes stared past the house and into her recent memories involving the cellist. Touching her face in such a way! A shiver teased its way up her right leg as she remembered Octavia’s soft, meaningful touch. And to have her respond like she did, it’s almost like something out of a romance novel! The unicorn giggled softly to herself as she reached the top of the stairs and turned towards her room, her hoofsteps light and unhurried as she swayed from side to side in the hall. She found herself humming the song that Octavia had played that day, the melody caressing Rarity’s heart and soothing the sudden ache that she had in her chest to see the earth pony again as she made her way to the door of her room. Oh Octavia, Rarity thought as she gently bit her bottom lip, her hoof rising to the doorknob. I can’t wait to see you on… what day was it again?

Her hoof stopped atop the knob and her expression of sublime bliss slowly melted into a frown of concentration. What day WAS it? She thought. I’m certain we arranged our next date, didn’t we? She felt concern rise into the fluffy cloud of her happy emotions as she wracked her brain for a date or a time when the two mares would meet again, but to her supreme horror, the longer she dug through her memories the more obvious the dreaded answer became: the two had not, in fact, decided when to meet again. She felt her elation fold in onto itself and threaten to collapse into her stomach as her mouth dropped open in disbelief. I… no, I can’t believe it, she thought desperately. I’ve barely maintained my composure even WITH knowing when I was going to see her again! Without a date to look forward to… Rarity’s ears folded back against her mane and her bottom lip quivered as a wave of unbelievable despair and sadness enveloped her, her emotions fluctuating wildly as she fought to keep herself afloat in the maelstrom of her inner workings.

Just when it looked as if the bleak riptide would drag her under and kill her exuberant mood, a brilliant ray of hope suddenly lanced through the murkiness and lifted her skyward once more. Her ears slowly rose up and her tail flicked once eagerly as one singular thought rose among her myriad of others: She still has to pick up her dress. Yes, yes that’s it! She still has to pick up her dress and, to do that, she HAS to come to the shop! Her pout melted away into a determined smile as she repeated that thought to herself a few times, the hope within those simple words burning away the despondency that had quickly filled her before. Don’t worry your pretty head, Rarity – you’ll see that pony again, she told herself finally with a firm nod. Her hoof tightened on her doorknob. And when you do see her… Rarity giggled again as she pushed her door open and hurried into her room, closing the door behind her firmly before rising to her back hooves and pressing her back against it with a wistful sigh.

“When you do see her again,” she whispered, her hooves rising and crossing tightly over her chest, “you can tell her how you feel.” The simple thought of confessing her feelings to the object of her affection brought another fit of giggles to Rarity as she squeezed herself tightly, her excited laughter filling her room as she bounced from hoof to hoof in nervous elation. “Oh, won’t that be amazing?” she said to herself after her giggles had subsided. “Looking deep into those gorgeous eyes, reaching out and touching that sleek, velvety coat, and telling her that I…” Her hooves flew to her face as her cheeks flushed deeply. “Oh, th-that’s quite far enough!” She giggled softly, the heat from her face warming the pads of her hooves. “Calm yourself, Rarity. If you’re going to confess your attraction to another pony, especially this pony, you’re going to have to be calm and collected.” She took a deep, steadying breath and dropped back to all four hooves, her heart pounding in her chest even as she tried to force a calm expression on to her face. “You’re going to have to tell her poetically, perfectly, and, somehow, not trip all over yourself in the process,” she muttered. With a determined sigh, she closed her eyes and gave her head a small shake. “A pony like her will settle for nothing less, so you must make it fantastique and magnifique...”

She opened her eyes and stepped away from the door, but as she did so, her gaze alit on a piece of her dress making supplies that she kept here at the house instead of at the shop. It was, of all things, a fishing tackle box sitting next to her closet door at the far side of the room. It was not something she used for its intended purpose, of course, but rather it was something that she had purchased on the advice of a fellow designer a few years ago for the storage and organization of all of the small knick-knacks, tools, and paraphernalia that were required in the most delicate and precise of all a designer’s tasks: the making of coordinating jewelry to go along with a client’s ensemble. Inside the unassuming green and white plastic box, she kept every last ring, cord, chain, setting, and backing that she would need for any of her jewelry making endeavors as well as all of her pliers, tweezers, and, most importantly, magnifying glasses that allowed her to work in any size or shape. It was one of her favorite items in her arsenal of dazzling talents and, as she gazed upon it, her eyes widened and her smile grew until her cheeks began to hurt.

“…and most importantly, bring her a gift! Of COURSE!” she exclaimed. “WHY didn’t you think of that EARLIER, Rarity?!” With yet another giggle, she leaped forward, her horn igniting brightly as she magically grasped the tackle box and lifted it from the floor. With a deft flick of her horn, the unicorn whisked the box over the side of her bed to land gently atop the checkered quilt that lay pulled taut across her mattress. Rarity released the tackle box from her magic and turned it next to her closet. The folding doors flew open with a loud snap as the unicorn trotted around her bed and began to rummage through the dark space inside, tossing clothing and shoes and luggage about as she muttered to herself. “I know I left it in here,” she grumbled as she shifted an entire mountain of scarves to the side, her eyes darting to and fro in the crowded closet. “I just brought it back from the shop two days ago after I finished the last dress with gemstones, so how in the name of Celestia did it get buried so deep… AHA!” Her magic flared brighter as it wrapped around a box quite a bit larger than her tackle box and, with a grunt of exertion, Rarity backed up out of her clothes depository, pulling with her the pièce de résistance of her entire dress making supplies: the wooden chest in which she had brought all of her gemstones to Canterlot.

The unicorn gritted her teeth as she carefully maneuvered it towards her bed as well, turning her body as gently as she could manage without sudden movements one way or the other. Lifting small things was easy with magic, but the larger an object was the easier it was to lose control of it with a quick jerk of one’s horn and that was the last thing she needed to do right then. The chest floated serenely across the open air and settled gently onto the quilt, causing her bed’s box springs to creak in protest against its weight as she removed her magical support. Rarity grinned broadly as she moved back to the right side of her bed, her eyes sparkling with possibilities.

“Very well, then – what kind of stone should I use?” She muttered, reaching her hoof up and pushing the lid of the chest open. “It should be something that can be worn whenever, but something that should still be able to dazzle.” She gave the lid a shove and, as the modest light from Rarity’s ceiling and bedside lamps fell into the chest, its contents gave it back tenfold, sending sparkles and motes of light dancing out to paint the eggshell white walls of her room a myriad of ten thousand colors. Gems of every shape, size, color, and quality glimmered and sparkled inside of Rarity’s chest and, without exaggeration, Rarity knew that she could easily buy Fleur’s home with this box full of jewels, but at that moment the unicorn wasn’t concerned with cost. To a pony who could find such gemstones on a whim they became almost utilitarian instead of extravagant and Rarity had become immune to all but the most dazzling and impressive of stones.

Muttering softly to herself, she used her magic to gently lift the gems out of the chest one by one, her deft control allowing her to levitate them close together into a constantly moving line of stones that came out of the chest, floated past Rarity and her discerning eye then up and onwards in an ever-widening spiral of gems that quickly encircled the unicorn and filled the room with suspended gems that glittered and twinkled, turning Rarity into the center of a miniature galaxy.

“Hmm, not quite right,” she said as she squinted at the constantly moving gems. “Too few facets on this one… oh my, too many facets on that one…” She blinked diligently, forcing herself to do so every three gems so that her eyes did not dry out and miss some minute flaw that would turn her gift from perfect to worthless in a heartbeat. “Too blue, too red, my goodness, can you imagine that with her eye color?” Rarity snorted gently as the parade of gems continued onwards and onwards and soon one minute became five, and five became ten, and then ten became twenty as the unicorn looked and looked.

“No… no… n-WAIT.” The procession of gems halted in mid-air, the entire line shuddering precariously as Rarity leaned forward, her eyes darting over every corner and facet of the gemstone in front of her. “Hmmmmmm… the shape is perfect,” she muttered, her muzzle darting from one side of the stone to the other as she scrutinized it. “The color? Divine. The cut? Flawless.” Slowly, the unicorn sat back and held out her hoof. With perfect precision, she allowed her magic to drop just that one particular gemstone out of its grip while still holding on to the hundreds of others that she had passed by and, as the stone hit the pad of her hoof, she knew that she had chosen the right stone. It was a diamond shape, almost exactly like that of the diamonds in her cutie mark, but its color was a perfectly clear amethyst – easily the clearest she had seen in her chest thus far. Its facets were wide and immaculate and, as she rolled it in her hoof, it caught the light from her lamp and blazed to life with purple fire, burning like a violet star.

“THIS is the one,” she declared proudly. Her magic flared in the room and, as the train of gemstones reversed its movement, the gems streamed back into the chest as the gentle clacking of stone against stone filled the room. What had taken her twenty minutes to construct took her mere seconds to destroy and, in the span of several heartbeats, the string of gems had returned to the chest. Rarity’s magic took hold of the lid and closed it with a loud thump before taking hold of the entire chest and levitating it back to her closet, but so enthralled was she with the gemstone that she had found, that she didn’t bother to be too terribly careful with the chest. She cut her magic without a thought and unceremoniously dumped the chest back into the closet with a thud that shook her portion of the house as she turned to her vanity, her eyes almost as wide as her smile.

“This stone is going to be perfect!” She gushed as she moved to the wide, wooden piece of furniture, her gaze never leaving the gem. “Now, I just have to decide what to DO with you, my lovely little gemstone!”

Ideas had just started to form in Rarity’s mind when frantic hoofsteps in the hall drew her attention and, before she could even move to her door, it burst open to admit Fleur, her brow creased and her eyes worried.

“Rarity!” she exclaimed, her magic dying as the door swung wide. “What on earth was that noise?!” The designer blinked at her blankly for a heartbeat before her conscious mind finally caught up with her and, when it did, she at least managed to blush gently and look sheepish for her hostess.

“Oh, that… I’m terribly sorry, Fleur, but I was putting my gem chest away and, well, I suppose I was less than careful when returning it to the closet.” Her ears drooped. “Please, do forgive me. I didn’t mean to upset the household.”

Fleur’s eyes narrowed at her slightly, but after a moment the older unicorn’s features lightened into a benevolent smile. “You didn’t upset anyone,” she replied with a roll of her eyes, “But when loud noises make the walls of my dining room shake, I tend to hurry into action.”

“Again, I apologize,” Rarity said humbly, her wild creativity slowly coming back under her control. You have to remember that this is NOT your home, Rarity, and that if you start throwing things and putting holes in walls, it is not coming out of YOUR pockets! She chastised herself. Honestly, worrying Fleur like that… but, even as she finished rebuking herself mentally, her forehead creased into a frown as she raised her eyes back to her friend. “But why were you in the dining room?” she asked after a moment. “You only go in there to eat.”

“Well, that IS what a dining room is for, Rarity.” Fleur chuckled lightly as she stepped into Rarity’s room and shut the door behind her. “And I was in the middle of supper when it sounded like something exploded up here.”

“You were having supper at this time of day?” Rarity’s frown deepened, her magic lighting up once more as she picked the gem off of her hoof and lifted the tackle box from her bed at the same time. “It seems a bit early to have supper, but I suppose there’s no reason not to.” The box and the gem both floated to the unicorn who trotted to the vanity and began to eyeball the items strewn across its top. I’m going to have to clear this off so that I can have ample space to work! Next to the door, Fleur rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Rarity, do you know what time it is?” she inquired. “Because it seems to me that you may have lost track of time.”

Rarity raised her right hoof to sweep the vanity of the items cluttering its surface, but at Fleur’s question, she paused and blinked at her friend, her hoof suspended across her chest. “Do I know what time it is?” she repeated. “Well of course I do, darling. It’s–” her eyes darted to her bedside table where her alarm clock sat, or had sat, until recently. The unicorn winced inwardly. Note to self: timepieces do not make the best projectiles. “–it’s, um,” she held her pose for a long moment as she warred with herself as to whether or not she should simply make the best guess that she could or if she should admit that she had, indeed, completely lost track of time, but, after several long, silent moments, the latter won out. “I have no idea what time it is,” she finally admitted, dropping her hoof back to the floor and giving her friend a sheepish look. “Is it truly suppertime already?”

“It’s actually past suppertime,” Fleur admitted with a gentle shake of her head. “It’s almost 7:30.” Rarity blinked in surprise.

“7:30?” she muttered before giving her head a small, disbelieving shake. “But that’s impossible. I only got home thirty minutes ago!”

“Actually, you got home over an hour ago,” Fleur corrected. “You came in the door at six o’clock on the nose.” The other unicorn arched an eyebrow at the designer and the look was one of such sisterly reproach that Rarity’s ears drooped lower against her head. “I was standing in the foyer when you came in and I tried to speak with you, but, while you were physically here, you were clearly somewhere else mentally.”

“Oh dear Celestia,” Rarity murmured with a wince as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “I honestly don’t remember seeing you there...”

“Well I’m not surprised. The smile on your face was so blissful that it was a wonder you knew where you were to begin with.”

Rarity sighed shakily and pressed on as her ears twitched under Fleur’s gaze. “B-but I promise there is a reasonable explanation for my behavior. You see, it was–” suddenly, Fleur’s hoof shot up between them, stopping the flow of Rarity’s words as her hostess’ face slowly blossomed into a smile so full of knowing that Rarity’s blush deepened in spite of herself.

“Oh, I think I know what it was,” Fleur said, her eyebrows rising as her lips pursed. “I’d know that vacant stare anywhere, though I’m surprised I didn’t notice it earlier.” The taller unicorn reached her hoof out and poked Rarity gently in the chest, her eyes squinting conspiratorially as she grinned. “That bedazzled smile, that bright, faraway gaze? There’s only one reason in the world that you would have a look like that on your face, Rarity.” Fleur bit her lip and leaned back as she removed her hoof from Rarity’s chest and dropped it back to the floor as the cadence of Rarity’s heart pounded out a march in her ears. With a soft chuckle, Fleur tossed her mane casually before turning her focused gaze back onto Rarity and, when Fleur spoke, her words were calm, conversational, and deceptively light. “So tell me, Rarity. How is Octavia doing tonight?”

The simple mention of the earth pony’s name made Rarity’s heart pound in response and, after a moment, her ears began to ring, signaling to the unicorn that her blush had increased in magnitude from ‘slightly embarrassed’ to ‘caught red-hoofed’. She opened her mouth to say something snide and witty about having no way of knowing Octavia’s state of well-being, but the heat in her face evaporated her words and left her with her mouth hanging open like a fish out of water. This is proving to be more difficult than I thought, she thought with a sigh. She gave her head a gentle shake and forced herself to swallow before attempting to speak again. Come on, Rarity! You can do this! Just ‘play it cool’ as Rainbow Dash would say. She steeled herself and opened her mouth again to say something in her defense, but as her eyes met Fleur’s gaze she stopped. In her friend’s eyes she saw no judgment, nor teasing or disappointment. Instead, she saw curiosity sparkling in Fleur’s violet eyes – curiosity and an eagerness to be excited about the things Rarity herself was excited about – and, after a moment, the unicorn smiled and sighed happily.

“Octavia is… wonderful,” she whispered, her ears dipping bashfully towards her mane as she dropped her chin demurely.

“And is it safe to say that she is the reason you floated up the stairs as you did?” Fleur asked just as softly. Rarity nodded slowly in response and brought her eyes back to her friend, biting her lip as she did so.

“Yes… yes it is..!” she giggled. “I… I am…” The words rose in her throat, shoving everything else aside as they rushed forward to finally be said aloud: “I am completely in love with her, Fleur!”

Silence filled the room for a moment as if those words carried such weight and gravity that they had cleared all other sound from the space, but, as one heartbeat became two, the sound rushed back to the world in the form of Fleur’s own excited giggle.

“Oh Rarity – I knew it, I just knew it!” she gushed, shifting daintily on her hooves in her excitement as she grinned broadly at Rarity. “Since the very first day you mentioned her I knew that you were interested, but to hear you say it… Oh I’m just so HAPPY for you!” She hurried forward and hugged Rarity across the neck as the pair giggled happily together. Rarity leaned into the hug whole-heartedly, burying her face into Fleur’s baby-soft coat and silken mane as the taller unicorn’s support for her made her entire day burn even brighter than it had before. After all, it is one thing to realize that you’re in love and quite another for somepony to be happy for your love.

“Thank you, Fleur,” Rarity said after a few moments, pulling herself out of the embrace with a bright smile. “I just came to the realization earlier today at Octavia’s rehearsal so it’s all very new to me and I haven’t even told Octavia yet.” She twitched her horn to the right and the gem shifted into Fleur’s view, still shimmering in Rarity’s magic. “Don’t worry about that, though – I’m going to tell her very soon! But I decided that I just had to make something to give her when I do.” She turned back to her vanity and sighed wistfully. “After all, what mare wouldn’t love a beautiful gift along with a profession of love?”

Fleur’s smile dimmed slightly. “So, you didn’t tell Octavia?”

“Well no, not yet – but, as I said, I plan to do so very soon!” Rarity gave her a winning smile and a wink. “When she comes in to get her dress in the next week I’m going to tell her as well as give her something for her to wear – something that is just as beautiful as she is.” The unicorn giggled again as she took the remaining step that separated her from her vanity, raised her right hoof across her chest, and with a single swipe knocked the few odds and ends that had occupied the vanity’s top onto the floor. Her hairbrush bounced across the room and a few mismatched pairs of earrings and her glasses careened this way and that as she cleared her workspace. With a flick of her head, she brought her tackle box sailing over her to settle squarely in the middle of the now-empty space. She released the small box from her magical grasp and stepped up to the vanity, the gem levitating down and settling gently in front of the box full of supplies as Rarity sighed, her ears lowering slightly against her head.

“And besides,” she continued softly, “I don’t know exactly how I feel yet. I mean, I know that this feeling – this wonderful, bright feeling inside me...” She smiled and lifted her hoof, placing it tenderly over her chest as she turned her gaze back to Fleur. “I know that this is love, but I barely know her, Fleur, and…” She shook her head. “And I would rather have a few days to let this fire burn down to embers before I go professing my love to somepony. Does that make sense?”

Fleur watched her for a moment her expression unreadable, but just as Rarity’s ears decided that they may be better off nestled in her mane the taller unicorn’s face broke into a proud smile.

“It does make sense. In fact, it’s very mature of you, Rarity,” she said, giving Rarity a nod.

Rarity smiled winningly and gave Fleur a small, humble nod in return. “Thank you, Fleur. I do try very hard to be,” she said as she turned back to her vanity. Her magic grasped the box and unclasped the lid and, with slow, careful movements, the unicorn pushed the top open, ensuring that the multitude of sliding trays inside would not jostle and spill their contents.

“Now, if only you extended your maturity to how you clean off your workspaces,” Fleur muttered as she glanced at the floor, kicking one of Rarity’s wayward earrings away from her hoof as she did so. “What a mess.” Rarity finished pushing the top of her tackle box open and allowed her magic to go dark before turning to face Fleur again, her brow furrowed as a flash of irritation sparked behind her eyes.

“Don’t worry about those trinkets, Fleur,” she reassured the other unicorn. “I’ll be picking them up as soon as I’m done with Octavia’s gift, I promise.” A process that would be going much better if you were not critiquing my work habits, she thought with a silent sigh. She opened her mouth to ask Fleur politely to leave her be until she was finished, but before she could do so Fleur’s eyebrows knit and she stooped low to the floor.

“What is that?” The other mare’s horn lit up brightly and, after a moment, she stood up straight, bringing with her a small business card. Rarity blinked at the find and Fleur brought it closer to herself in the aura of her gentle pink magic. “Hmmm… what is The Magical Hat?” she asked after a moment, her gaze darting over the top of the card to Rarity. The designer frowned as the words fell over her. They were familiar, but for some reason she was having a hard time remembering why. It was as if they were screaming at her from behind a large glass wall – she could see them and felt as though she should know them immediately – but she was having a hard time recalling their significance.

“The Magical Hat…” she mused aloud and that was all it took. Her eyes widened as the face of Vinyl Scratch flashed through her mind, the other pony’s broad sunglasses and unreadable smile appearing before her as if she had been thrown back in time to that very moment in the Boutique when the DJ had given her that card. “Three days… eleven o’clock…” muttered Rarity, her words hushed and incredulous. “Dear Celestia I’d completely forgotten!”

“Forgotten what?” asked Fleur as she levitated the card back to the top of the vanity. Rarity stared into space for a moment more before she gave her head a firm shake and turned back to her friend, mild shock and surprise written all over her face.

“A client of mine, Vinyl Scratch, gave me that card three days ago and told me that I should go to that club tonight at eleven o’clock.” She picked the card up with her hoof and gazed intently down at it. “It was one of the two big events that I had been looking forward to, but with the revelations of earlier today I simply forgot.”

In truth, while Rarity did certainly feel bad that she had forgotten such an interesting and mysterious event in her daily life, she was having a hard time mustering anything beyond mild disappointment at the prospect of not going to it. The elation she had felt earlier with Octavia was still very much alive inside her and the desire to complete something as a gift for the cellist was a great deal stronger than any interest that she may have had in going out on the town. I truly should just stay home, Rarity thought as she placed the card back onto the vanity. My thoughts wouldn’t be there, anyway, and it would be rude to go somewhere only to ignore everything going on. She sighed gently, but just as she was about to voice her thoughts on the matter, Fleur’s words cut through the quiet in the room.

“A club, you say?” she mused, smiling craftily as she touched her hoof to her chin. “Well that would certainly help you relax, I’m certain of that much. I think it sounds like a wonderful way to spend an evening.”

Rarity let out another sigh, this one much sharper than the last. “Honestly, Fleur – again with this nonsense?” she muttered with a roll of her eyes. “As I told you before, I have no interest in running amok amidst the nightlife of Canterlot.”

“And I recall you saying such a thing,” Fleur acknowledged with a nod. “But I would like to re-open this debate, si vous plaît.” She smiled slightly at Rarity as the designer shifted her hooves on the carpet and turned away from the vanity slightly so that she could glare more directly at Fleur and her perfect Prench.

“Si nous devons,” grumbled Rarity as she settled her hooves firmly into the carpet. Fleur’s smile quirked at the corner as the taller unicorn gave her head a gentle shake, allowing her beautiful mane to shimmer around her shoulders.

“Oh we must, Rarity.” Fleur arched an eyebrow at her as she lifted her hoof and poked the business card atop the vanity. “I know that I’ve talked to you about going out a few times in the past weeks, but this time I think you truly should. You were specifically invited out by a friend and given a specific time to be there. It would be terribly rude to refuse, wouldn’t it?”

Rarity winced. And there is the elephant in the room, as it were, she thought with a silent sigh. Vinyl DID invite me out specifically and who knows for what reason. It’s possible that she’s going to be playing there and is looking forward to seeing me outside of my official capacity again. Guilt welled up inside her pushing her elation aside as it surged into her throat. I’d feel awful if that were the case. She bit her lip uncertainly, but, after a moment, she swallowed and forced the guilt back down into her stomach where it belonged before looking back to Fleur.

“Normally I would agree with you, Fleur,” she said, doing her best to keep any exaggerated emotions out of her voice, “But today has been a bit of an extraordinary day and, given my emotional state at the moment, I’m not certain that I’d be very good company.” She turned her gaze back to her vanity and couldn’t keep her lips from forming a soft smile. “Besides, I want to get this done for Octavia, and I want to have it done tonight.”

“It’s not even eight o’clock yet,” Fleur countered smoothly. “That gives you over three hours to finish this accessory that you’re making – two if you’d like to be there on time.” Her smile became almost reproachful as she arched an eyebrow. “Not to mention that I’m certain you’re going to need to eat something before we go, considering that you haven’t eaten a bite since lunch.” Rarity’s eyes narrowed and she felt irritation flare along her shoulders.

“And how in Equestria do you know that?” she grumbled, her ears drooping. “Perhaps I grabbed something on the way home, or–”

“Oh come now, Rarity, we both know better.” Fleur rolled her eyes. “With the state you were in when you came into the house, it’s a miracle you remembered my address.”

Rarity gasped in indignation and turned to face Fleur more directly, her irritation quickly swarming into her head to ignite a fire behind her eyes. She knew that she shouldn’t be angry at Fleur – she was just trying to look out for her, after all – but the roiling emotions that were bubbling inside her seemed ready and willing to take whatever stimuli that came Rarity’s way and amplify it tenfold. “What a ridiculous thing to say!” she began sharply. “I’ll have you know that I–”

At that exact moment, however, her stomach decided that it’d had enough of being fed solely on unwanted emotions and let out a long, angry statement of its own, a guttural gurgle so loud that it cut Rarity’s tirade off mid sentence and so lengthy that both unicorns had time to share several awkward glances before it was finished. After what seemed like forever to Rarity, her irate internal organ fell silent, though the gnawing sensation that suddenly welled up in her midsection made certain that she would not forget her stomach’s proclamation. She blinked into the silence and, as she watched Fleur’s smile quirk upwards at the corners, she felt her anger fizzle and fall away leaving embarrassment and hunger to dominate her.

“W-well, perhaps I should eat something,” she muttered sheepishly as her cheeks began to burn with an entirely different kind of heat than before.

“And?” Fleur pressed, leaning forward slightly. “You know that I’m right, Rarity. Getting out will help your emotions cool and that is what you want before you make any decisions about how you want to approach Octavia, is it not?” Rarity’s ears drooped against her mane and she sighed again.

“Yes… yes it is,” she admitted reluctantly. “I suppose that visiting this club would be the best thing for that.” Her ears perked up slightly. “Perhaps I’ll get to see Vinyl again – she has a way of distracting a pony from her problems.”

“That’s the spirit!” said Fleur as her smile became a happy grin. “All right, it’s decided then. We’ll leave the house at 10:30 so that we can arrive at this club before 11.” Her eyes narrowed playfully. “And you, my dear, are going to accompany me downstairs right this instant for a late dinner.”

Rarity’s gaze darted to her vanity, where her jewelry making supplies sat untouched. “Um, right this instant?”

“Yes, right this instant,” Fleur reiterated with a roll of her eyes. “You’ll have plenty of time to make whatever beautiful trinket you’d like for your fair lady after you have a bit of sustenance.”

Rarity’s stomach grumbled loudly again and this time Rarity couldn’t keep herself from smiling. “I loathe leaving a project unfinished, but it would seem that I am out-voted.” She pried her gaze away from the amethyst on her vanity and gave her head a small shake before looking back at Fleur. “All right, lead the way! Hopefully I’ll be better able to create once I’ve eaten.”

“And then?” asked Fleur, her eyes gleaming. Rarity rolled her eyes at her as she stepped away from her vanity and towards the door which Fleur opened with her magic.

“And THEN we can go to The Magical Hat,” Rarity conceded, a defeated smile touching her lips. “After I finish this project for Octavia, of course,” she added as she stepped out into the hallway, her side brushing the doorframe as she moved around Fleur. “And perhaps you’re right,” she admitted as Fleur shut her door behind them. “I’m certain that a trip out of the house will do wonders to soothe my spirit.”

Fleur nodded in agreement and started down the hallway towards the stairs, leading the way back to the dining room. Rarity followed closely, wincing to herself as her stomach grumbled even louder than before in the quiet space. Maybe this really is for the best, she thought as the pair turned right at the end of the hall and started down the stairs, their hoofsteps echoing softly in the foyer. I’m certain that I wouldn’t have been able to keep working with my stomach eating itself.

Even as Rarity’s hooves touched the floor at the bottom of the stairs, however, she knew that it was more than just her hunger. The flames that had enveloped her heart for the better part of the day were still burning brightly and the rational part of her knew that she wouldn’t be able to make calm, unemotional decisions while they did so. And when it comes to making decisions that include the pony of your affections, it is imperative that you make calm, rational decisions, she thought. The two mares moved from the foyer to the hallway on their right at the base of the stairs and, as they headed towards the dining room, Fleur turned and gave Rarity a happy wink. Rarity smiled in return. Not only that, but I believe Fleur is correct – getting out of the house and allowing my focus to turn to something else will do wonders in helping me think clearly again. Even making the decision to go to this club that Vinyl had suggested had brought her focus away from Octavia and back to the mysterious way that her friend had dealt with the subject three days ago and, as Rarity and Fleur entered the dining room at the end of the hall, the unicorn couldn’t help but wonder once more why her friend had been so furtive about it. In fact, she was just about to start pondering it full-force when the delicious aroma of perfectly prepared food wafted to her from the table. In a heartbeat, every thought that wasn’t about food became unimportant and Rarity made the executive decision not to think about anything until her belly was full.

Besides, she thought as she hurried to the table with Fleur, her eyes wide and her stomach growling, all of my questions will be answered tonight and I’m certain I’ll have fun once I’m there!

The Diamond and the Amethyst

The Diamond and the Amethyst

The rain that had started when Rarity and Fleur were leaving the Magical Hat lasted much longer than anypony had expected it to and, to everypony’s disappointment, it quickly became clear that while the Weather Team may have started the storm, they were no longer in control of it. Rain continued to pour down onto the capital city as the sun rose the next day and the citizens of Canterlot all quickly came to a firm and unanimous decision: this was the last straw for Captain Cloudflair. Complaints were filed rapidly by seemingly everypony in Canterlot and, by the time the storm had reached its second full day, Captain Cloudflair had been relieved of his position and sent back to Cloudsdale for re-evaluation. His former second in command, a mare named Peregrine who had successfully led the dangerous Everfree Patrol for years, had become his replacement by the third day and she immediately took it upon herself to rally the disheartened weather ponies and get this storm under control. Her statement to the city in the newspaper had been one of apology for her predecessor followed quickly by a confident statement that she and her new team could mop up the out of control storm in less than a day. The citizens had been skeptical after Cloudflair’s lackluster performances, but the newly promoted Captain Peregrine had been absolutely true to her word: the storm had broken around midnight on the third day and, as dawn shed its brilliance over the rain-soaked city, the skies were crystal clear for the first time in half a week. Ponies rejoiced as if they had been saved from certain destruction as the golden rays of Celestia’s sun lit their homes with warmth and the Canterlot Weather Team’s new leader won herself an important first victory against the forces of nature.

Rarity, however, did not join in the celebration of the sun’s return. In fact, she found her mood soured dramatically at its return to the world. The rain had kept the majority of her clients from coming to pick up their garments and that time to herself had allowed Rarity to make a much faster recovery than if she had been inundated with customers. The first day she had been a sobbing mess who had barely been able to pull herself together to deal with the scant half-dozen ponies who had ventured out into the rain and she doubted she would have been able to do even that much without the help of the pony that was quickly becoming her best friend: Fleur de Lis. Fleur had insisted on going practically everywhere with Rarity, including the Boutique, on the grounds that “the last thing a mare needs after a fight with her love interest is to be left alone”. That had been Fleur’s sentiment and, in spite of the rain and Rarity’s denials that she needed such a thing, the other mare had been true to her word. She had been there for Rarity to talk with, to vent to and, perhaps most importantly, to keep Rarity from falling away into a bottomless pit of despair as she had begun to. By the second day of the storm, Rarity had regained much of her composure. It had still been a hard day for Rarity and they didn’t speak about Octavia or what had happened, but as Fleur had said, “That will come in time.” The older unicorn had insisted that Rarity calm herself for several days before they spoke about the incident and Rarity hadn’t protested one bit – after all, why would she want to talk about such a glaring error in her own judgment? The third day passed without incident and, by the time the storm finally broke on the morning of the fourth day, the designer had strapped bandages across her emotional wounds and almost returned to her normal attitude. In spite of Fleur’s excellent support, however, Rarity’s spirits had dimmed dramatically at the return of the sun because with the sun came talking about Octavia… and her mistakes.

I never thought I’d miss the rain so much, she thought sardonically as she sat at Fleur’s dining table, her forelegs folded on the surface in front of her. The rain had held the city in a state of semi-permanence for its duration, but it had done much more than just keep her customers away. It had also kept one particular pony at his home – a stallion who was going to want to know exactly what had happened – and that meant an explanation.

Now, that very stallion sat across the table from her, his teacup levitating halfway between his saucer and his lips, his face calm and unreadable as Rarity’s story finally drew to a close.

“…and that’s when Fleur and I came home,” the unicorn finished quickly, her ears held tightly against her head. “I didn’t think that Octavia would much care to see me again that night, so I thought it would be best.” She squeezed her eyes shut as the retelling of that night caused a pit to open up in her stomach. The past three days had been sad and lonesome for the designer, but somehow reliving the events that had taken place in that alley brought back all of the insecurities that had become synonymous with the rain. “I haven’t seen or heard from her since,” she muttered as she opened her eyes once more, “though I’d say that’s probably a blessing.”

Fancy Pants watched her for a long moment before casting a sideways glance at Fleur and settling his teacup back to the table, its contents untouched. He let out a gentle sigh and turned his gaze back to Rarity, a smile touching his lips. “I’d say it probably IS a blessing,” he agreed after a moment. “It sounds like both of you were a bit out of sorts that night and it can take a few days for emotions like that to settle down.” Rarity snorted half-heartedly before turning her gaze back to the bowl that sat in front of her.

“A bit out of sorts,” she grumbled with a snort at the bowl. Fleur had made the most delicious oatmeal for everyone that morning, but despite the earthy sweetness and delectable cinnamon scent wafting up from the bowl Rarity hadn’t been able to eat more than a few spoonfuls. “It was more than a ‘bit out of sorts’, Fancy. We actually yelled at each other! Right there in that alley.” The unicorn winced at the memory and in spite of herself she felt tears well up behind her eyes. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she never wanted to speak to me ever again.”

Even saying those words made Rarity shudder and the tremor caused her skin to crawl from her spine to her neck. To never speak to her again… she thought morosely. That would be the worst thing that I could think of, but it’s the inevitable outcome of a fight like the one we had, really. I mean, why in Equestria would she want to have anything to do with me after that? That very thought had been the one that had haunted her every waking moment in the past three days and it still hadn’t become any easier to deal with.

After a moment of introspective silence, Fancy Pants smiled at her and nodded his head. “Yes, I suppose that would certainly be one way to react to that situation.” His eyes darted to Fleur and back to Rarity before his smile quirked at the corners. “After all, isn’t that what your friends back in Ponyville would do?”

The statement was so unexpected that it took Rarity a moment to realize what he’d said and, when the meaning of his words had finally sunk in, it sparked shock and surprise in the unicorn. “What?” Rarity’s ears perked up as her head rose from her folded legs, her nose wrinkling indignantly. “Absolutely NOT! My friends would NEVER do something like that!”

Not that we haven’t come close, she thought as she glared daggers at Fancy Pants, but he doesn’t need to know that!

To her surprise, however, Fancy didn’t seem to be alone in his questioning of her friends’ loyalty. Across the table, Fleur pushed her own empty bowl away from herself as she arched an eyebrow at Rarity, her expression carefully neutral. “Never, Rarity?” she asked. “Not even if you got into a horrible fight with one or more of them?”

Fancy’s left eyebrow raised quizzically as Rarity’s mouth opened and closed once, then twice, as she struggled to rebut their attacks on her friends. But why are they bringing up my Ponyville friends in the first place? She wondered as she struggled to make her words actually rise in her throat. I mean, they don’t have any bearing on this situation–

Suddenly, Rarity sat up a bit straighter in her chair, her eyes narrowing as she frowned, first at Fleur, then at Fancy Pants, the meaning behind their question suddenly leaped into perspective. “I see what you’re doing,” she said carefully, her right hoof rising from the table as she pointed it at Fleur. “I see what you’re doing, but my friends are completely different from Octavia in this matter.” She shifted in her seat and folded her front legs across her chest defensively. “My friends in Ponyville… we’ve all been through difficult adventures together,” she said quietly, “trials and tribulations that have made our friendship stronger and stronger. But Octavia..?” She snorted breathily. “Octavia and I have three weeks of time together at best. Why would she–,” Rarity’s words stuck in her throat as images of the cellist rose in her mind, but after a moment, she gave her head a shake and managed to plow on. “Why would she even bother giving me a second thought after a night like that?”

“Why indeed?” Fancy asked as he levitated his teacup into the air once more, his expression so conversational that Rarity couldn’t help but squint at him in suspicion. “Why would a pony you barely know want to have anything more to do with you after such a fight, hmm?” He took a sip from his cup, his eyes betraying the disinterest in his voice as he watched her carefully over the cup’s rim. Rarity sighed and rolled her eyes, but before she could repeat that Octavia WOULDN’T want to have anything to do with her, Fleur leapt into the silence, her eyes bright as she met Rarity’s gaze.

“I think that’s the wrong question, Fancy Pants,” she said quietly. “I think the question is: why do YOU want to have anything more to do with HER, Rarity?” She leaned forward slightly. “Perhaps you should answer that question first.”

Rarity blinked, her ears flicking back towards her head at the sudden shift of topic. “Wh-what?” she gasped. “I… well, I mean–,”

“Yes, quite right, Fleur,” said Fancy Pants, his smile quirking so pointedly that it almost became a smirk. “Perhaps answering that question would help you make a properly informed decision, Rarity.” His magic lit up once again and, this time, it moved his cup and saucer forward on the table so that the stallion could lean forward, his eyes full of knowing. “So tell us, Rarity: why would you want to have anything more to do with a mare who said such distasteful things to you?”

The unicorn’s gaze darted from one pony to the other, her indignation at their earlier question suddenly inverting into a profound sense that she had been utterly and completely trapped. Oh these two are good… She watched her two friends alternately for several long moments, her thoughts jumbling up behind her eyes in their hurry to be sorted and said. A week ago, she would have answered without a second thought: Because she’s my friend. It was an easy answer, and certainly one that could avert this whole situation, but even as she tried to say it, her throat seemed to veto it into oblivion. She frowned, her mind searching for another acceptable answer. Because she needs me, was another one that she could use, but truthfully she didn’t feel like she knew Octavia’s mind as well as she thought she did anymore. I… I suppose I could lie, she thought, but even as she thought it, she rejected the idea. Even if she could lie convincingly to these two – and I highly doubt that I could – would she really want to lie to her friends? She gave herself a mental shake. Of course you don’t want to lie to them! Don’t be a nitwit, Rarity! You’re… you’re just going to have to tell them the truth. It was the only option, but it was a truth that Rarity had been denying for the past three days – a truth that she had hidden away to spare herself the worry about an inevitable future conflict. Finally she let out a low, defeated groan and plopped her head down onto her folded legs with a thump that shook the table.

“Because–” she muttered, her eyes fixed on the woodwork of the table beneath her head, “–because she means just as much to me as any of my friends in Ponyville… and I would never let an argument like that stand between myself and Twilight, or Applejack, or Rainbow Dash…”

“My my, that sounds like a rather strong bond the two of you must share,” said Fancy with a nod. “But that doesn’t exactly answer my question. Friends can enter and leave our lives, Rarity, and sometimes there isn’t anything we can do about it. Why do you feel your friendship with Octavia is different from those that we lose?” At the mere mention of losing friendship, Rarity’s head shot up from her safe haven of folded limbs, her eyes narrow and her ears flat against her head.

“Octavia and I will never lose each other!” she snapped, her voice clipped and sharp. “Because we’re in lo–,” the word touched her lips and the taste of it caused Rarity to freeze where she was. Her expression melted from the mask of irritation that Fancy had coaxed forth into a miasma of confusion, desperation, and pleading. “I…I just couldn’t bear to lose her,” she whispered, her bottom lip quivering as the hole that had resided in her chest for the past three days returned with a vengeance. Fancy Pants watched her closely for a moment, his smile dimming into a gentle shadow of its former inquisitive self and Rarity felt her eyes well up with tears at the tender understanding that she saw in his face.

“Because you’re in love?” he finished quietly. Rarity felt her heart leap at the word, in spite of the pit in her stomach, and she nodded vigorously as her throat tightened.

“Y-yes,” she managed to squeak. “Yes… because we’re in love. Th-that’s why I’ve forgiven her for what she said to me.” Her eyes suddenly filled with the tears that had threatened her earlier and, before she could stop them, they were spilling down her cheeks as she choked out her words. “Th-that’s why I… I would do a-anything to m-make this right.” She sniffled loudly and, before she could even blink, Fleur was sitting in the chair next to her, one leg wrapped around Rarity’s shoulders consolingly as she smiled gently.

“So, you’ve forgiven Octavia for everything she said?” she asked softly. Rarity sniffled again and nodded.

“O-of course I have. How could I n-not forgive her?”

Fleur’s smile softened even further as she leaned forward and pressed her head against Rarity’s own, their manes mingling as she gave the designer a supportive nuzzle. “Then why do you seem to think that Octavia hasn’t already forgiven you?”

Those simple words struck a chord deep within Rarity, a burst of sunlight into her maelstrom of emotions that caused her tear-filled eyes to widen in surprise. “Why… why would she do that?” she whispered and, though she had intended her words to be dripping with disdain, they came out tinged with hope. “Why in Equestria would she ever forgive me for saying–” Rarity winced “–saying the things that I said?” Fleur chuckled softly and squeezed Rarity firmly with her leg.

“Because you share a common bond,” she whispered. “You cannot be in love with somepony without the feeling being reciprocated, can you?” Rarity pulled away from Fleur and sat up straight, her eyes widening as Fleur’s bright gaze met her own. “You know that I’m right, Rarity,” she giggled, a smile bursting across her lips and growing as she spoke. “Love is the reason you worked so hard in your shop, love is the force that wrenched control of your emotions away from you at a critical moment, and love is the reason that you are so able to forgive Octavia now.” Fleur’s eyebrows arched. “And if there is one thing that I know, Rarity, it is that you cannot have forged a love so bright on your own and that, if you did not forge it on your own, then Octavia has no doubt forgiven you – just as you have forgiven her.”

Now, Rarity’s eyes swelled with tears of a different kind and she could not keep her bottom lip from quivering yet again. “B-but... but why did I lose control in the first place?” she whimpered. “I… I don’t do that! A-and how can I trust something that m-makes it so hard to control my emotions?”

“Love is stronger than anything you’ve dealt with in the past, Rarity,” Fancy Pants said with a nod. “Any other emotion pales in comparison to love’s strength – it is a raging river compared to the swimming pool you’ve been paddling about in and has the strength of a rising sea compared to a river. It is greater and more powerful than anything you’ve dealt with before and you may never be able to fully control its ebbing and flowing tides.” Now, it was Fancy’s turn to smile knowingly and, with a hoof, he removed his monocle so that he could gaze unobstructed at Rarity. “But love is, above all, a uniting force. It unites two hearts into something stronger than they could ever hope to be on their own and in doing so it fosters trust, honesty, loyalty, compassion, and most of all, forgiveness.” He chuckled and gestured with his monocle. “Of course an apology will be in order, no doubt – that’s still required, I’m afraid, no matter HOW strong your love is for another pony – but after that, my dear, I believe you may be surprised.”

Rarity found herself leaning towards Fancy Pants, her eyes wide. “And do you really think Octavia will forgive me?” she whispered, her right hoof rising to clutch Fleur’s hoof as it rested on her shoulder. Fancy smiled, but after a moment, he shrugged noncommittally and replaced his monocle back where it belonged.

“Very little about this kind of situation can be put into certainties. I cannot tell you that Octavia will forgive you, but I do know that if you don’t try to set things right, things never will be right.”

“And… and do you think things can be ‘right’ again? Can… can things go back to the way they were between us?” Rarity felt as though all of the blood in her body were rushing away from her head as hope rose in her chest for the first time in three days and clashed dramatically with the overwhelming amalgam of sorrow and self-loathing that dominated her. “Do you think that maybe, just maybe, I can fix this to make it as though it never happened?”

To her horror, Fancy Pants sighed and shook his head slowly. “Unfortunately, Rarity, I don’t believe you’ll ever be able to be quite the same as you were before. Disagreements such as yours… well, they forever change the way that one pony looks at another, for better or for ill.” He took a deep breath and looked to Fleur, who gave Rarity’s shoulder a comforting squeeze even as the hope in the designer’s heart suddenly flickered and threatened to blink out. That’s it, then, she thought despairingly. We’ll… we’ll never be able to be what we were… The clouds of despair rose over the waning light, seemingly determined to snuff it out forever, but before the roiling blackness could even come close to the fragile beacon, Fleur’s voice drew Rarity’s attention.

“But that’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Fleur said, picking up as if she and Fancy had rehearsed it. The taller unicorn shifted so that she sat closer to Rarity and gave her an encouraging smile. “Think about it, Rarity. Before this, you had an idealized version of Octavia, a version of her that may or may not have existed: a perfect, flawless version of her that could never live up to your expectations. Now that the two of you have had this fight, you know one another even better than you did before.” Fleur’s smile grew and she squeezed Rarity’s shoulders with her leg. “And knowing one another better is NEVER a bad thing.”

Rarity watched her friend closely for a moment, her mouth open slightly as Fleur’s words slowly sank in. An idealized version of Octavia; actually, that doesn’t sound too far off from what I was doing, she thought and no sooner had the words flitted across her mind than the flickering light within the maelstrom solidified and began to glow with a warm, forgiving radiance. It didn’t grow any bigger, but that didn’t matter to Rarity just then. She could feel its glow, the rejuvenating resonance of hope that pushed the clouds of her darker emotions away even if it wasn’t quite strong enough to banish them completely.

The unicorn felt her eyes begin to ache as tears threatened her once more, but before they managed to join their friends as wetness on Rarity’s cheeks she sniffled loudly and wiped a hoof firmly across her eyes. “Well,” she said, clearing her throat before returning her hoof to her side. “I suppose that means I know what I have to do.” She turned and offered Fleur a thankful smile and, with a grin, Fleur leaned forward and bumped her head against Rarity’s. “If I want to have a chance, I have to apologize to her personally and hope that she forgives me.” She turned her eyes back to Fancy Pants and, for the first time that morning, Rarity felt at least a little like her old self again. “And I’ll do it when she comes to pick up her dress. Hers is one of the last to be picked up and, with today being the last day that the Boutique is officially open for business, she’ll have to come get it today.”

Fleur sat back and gave Rarity a subtle frown. “But Rarity, what if she doesn’t come to get her dress?”

“Oh don’t you worry,” said Rarity with a knowing smile. “I’m certain she’ll be coming in to get it and, when she does, I’ll be ready for her.” The unicorn turned a thankful smile to Fancy Pants, who simply gave her a wink as her hoof snaked out and pulled her bowl of oatmeal close to her again. The only option I have now is to apologize, Rarity repeated to herself as her magic lit up the handle of her spoon. It might not work, but the alternative is losing Octavia forever. She winced as she stared down at her lukewarm breakfast. I just hope it’s not too little, too late…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Despite the brilliant day blooming around her, Rarity felt the shadows from breakfast looming in her heart even as she headed towards the Boutique for her last day of business. The air was moist and warm as the sun heated the trees and grass that lined Fleur’s street and a gentle breeze caused the leaves to rustle in waves of relaxing sound that reminded Rarity greatly of the sea and, as she turned the corner at the end of the lane, Rarity had to admit that it was an absolutely gorgeous summer day, even if she couldn’t bring herself out of her own thoughts long enough to enjoy it.

Today must be the day, she thought to herself as she headed towards the business district of Canterlot, her steps measured and methodical. She’s got to come in today… Deep inside, Rarity knew she should be thinking about how she was going to close up her shop tonight. She should be thinking about how she was going to pack things back up and how she was going to move everything back to Ponyville in the next few days, but as she made her way towards the Boutique for the last time, she could not help but think about the very thing that had been at the forefront of her mind for the past four days: her precarious position with Octavia.

At the thought of the cellist, Rarity felt her brow furrow and, in spite of the beautiful day, she felt a shiver run down her neck. The past few days have been just awful, she reflected as she walked. Not knowing if she would suddenly appear at the door of the Boutique, never knowing if I wanted her to or not… The unicorn sighed and gave her head a shake before turning her eyes determinedly back to the street before her. But now I know that I want her to come in, and more importantly… She turned her head and glanced back to the saddlebags that she wore across her back. More importantly, I know what I have to do, she finished with a smile. Fancy Pants and Fleur had been absolutely right at breakfast and, if there was one thing Rarity had learned to do over her years as a designer, it was how to take the good advice of others.

Her pace quickened as the Boutique came into view and in spite of the trepidation still swirling in her heart Rarity felt her smile grow larger and stronger at the sight of it. She hurried down the last stretch of the street, her magic igniting and pulling the key out of her saddlebags even before she could come to a stop in front of the Boutique’s door. Today must be the day, she thought firmly as she inserted the key into the door. It must!

She pushed the door open and hurried inside, closing it gently behind her before crossing the empty area in the front of the store, her hoofsteps echoing almost sadly in the growing void of the building’s interior. It was, of course, the natural progression of events: first the store became filled with dresses as Rarity made them and then, as their new owners took possession of her creations, the store slowly emptied until it was barren once more. It was the cycle that happened every new season back at the Carousel Boutique in Ponyville and one that Rarity knew should not make her sad, yet as she cast her eyes around the tidy corners and the neatly packed pile of boxes that contained the final dresses to be claimed, she could not help but feel an upwelling of melancholy at the knowledge that this was, in fact, her last day at this store.

Her ears drooped as she made her way to her desk, the hollow sounds of the all-but empty building settling onto her with an almost tangible force. I have to admit, I’m going to miss this place, she thought as she levitated her saddlebags onto the desk’s top. It’s strange how quickly one can become attached to a place that has absorbed so much of your time and energy and how sad one can feel when that location is suddenly no longer the same as it was. The unicorn turned and gazed at the front windows as the morning sunlight poured in, coloring the white tiles in the front of the shop a bright, glowing orange that shimmered and danced as she watched.

For Rarity, of course, it wasn’t quite as hard to realize why she was going to miss this extension of her boutique and, after a few moments of reminiscence, she sighed. “Well, time to get to work, Rarity,” she muttered to herself. Her horn ignited and flicked the switch for the lights at the back of the room, filling the dark space with warm yellow light that mingled with the bright orange from the sun and brought glorious light to the Boutique for its final day of business. Rarity smiled and, after a moment, her magic left the light switch and jumped to her saddlebags. With a deft flick of her horn, her magic opened the left flap of the bags and gently removed a small box from within.

Rarity’s smile grew softer as the box floated through the air to hover in front of her. The container itself was not very remarkable – it was a small, simple box covered in soft black cloth that many jewelers used to house their creations – but atop it, Rarity had added a single personal touch: an artfully scrawled treble clef adorned the face, its soft violet tone standing out in stark contrast to the black material that covered the wooden vessel. Rarity gazed at the clef for a moment before her magic cracked the box open on its single hinge, her heart leaping in her chest as her gaze settled onto its glittering contents.

Inside the box and nestled into a cushion of black velvet was the amethyst that she had picked out for Octavia, its facets sparkling in the clear morning sunlight streaming in the windows. She had agonized over its presentation and how she could best show off the simple beauty of the stone without making it so gaudy that Octavia wouldn’t wear it. Eventually, she had made a decision that was completely against her own personal tastes. She had set the amethyst into a small, unobtrusive silver backing that wasn’t visible from the front, placed a link onto the backing and attached it to a single strand of black silk ribbon that would tie around the wearer’s neck. It was simple and elegant, two of the traits that Rarity felt best described the cellist, but it had taken all of her restraint not to set the gem into a glittering array of diamonds and sapphires that could be seen from miles around on a clear day. That’s the difference between making something for yourself and something for somepony else, Rarity, she reminded herself as she smiled down at the necklace. You have to think of their taste… and I believe this will suit Octavia to a tee.

She had, of course, considered not bringing the necklace with her today. She had considered simply leaving it in her room and worrying about it at another time, perhaps once things between herself and Octavia had settled a bit, but she knew that she couldn’t. She had to bring it with her, no matter what happened.

The unicorn let out a sigh and, just as she was about to lose herself in thought about Octavia again, she heard the front door of her shop creak slowly open. The bell that hung over the door tinkled softly and drew Rarity’s gaze like a magnet, her smile immediately brightening to her “greeting customers” level of intensity, but as her eyes fell upon her first guest of the day, they widened in surprise. She gasped silently, yet even as she inhaled it felt as though all of the air in her lungs had been magically sucked out, leaving her chest to feel tight and her head to swim as her heart leaped against her ribs…

…because standing in her doorway was the one pony she had longed to see for half a week: the cool, calm gray figure of Octavia.

Rarity’s mouth opened and closed several times as the other mare paused in the doorway, her body and saddlebags bathed in the golden light of the morning as she hesitated on the threshold. She glanced around the shop once, almost as if she were uncertain of where she was for a moment, before her gaze came to rest on Rarity. As soon as it did, however, her ears perked up and she stood up straighter as she held the door open with her left hoof.

“I… I am sorry for showing up at your shop so early,” she said into the silence of the Boutique. “But I have a lot to do before this evening, and I was hoping to–” she paused, and to Rarity’s surprise, her muzzle scrunched as if she’d had to bite several of her words short to keep them from bursting out, “–I was hoping to get my dress before I did anything else,” she finished after a moment, her words careful and even.

Her words snapped Rarity out of her reverie and, in a moment of pure panic, the unicorn’s magic snapped the box floating in front of her shut with a loud and extremely obvious click that echoed in the room for much longer than it should have. Rarity winced at the lingering sound, but managed to levitate the box back to her desk before turning her own gaze back to Octavia, her heart pounding in her ears.

“O-of course,” she stammered, her words shaking despite her attempts to the contrary. “Please, come in and I’ll get everything ready for you.”

Instead of answering her, Octavia simply nodded before stepping inside the Boutique, shutting the door silently behind her as she did so. Rarity offered her a nod before turning quickly to the stack of dress boxes that sat behind the desk, her heart thudding against her chest so hard that she thought for certain that Octavia could hear it. Oh dear sweet Celestia, why is she here already?! The unicorn thought as she stared blankly at the neatly packed boxes, her eyes unseeing as she tried to steady her nerves. I didn’t think she would be here first thing in the morning! I-I’m not ready! I haven’t thought of what to say to her! I haven’t even thought of what I’m going to do with her necklace yet!!

Rarity felt panic begin to rise in her throat, but after a moment she took a deep breath and, with all of the skill of a professional designer, forced the bubbling nervousness and sour taste in her throat all back down into her stomach. She exhaled quietly then took another silent breath in and, after a few repeated breaths, her thoughts came sidling nervously back to her like skittish foals during their first thunderstorm. Now just stay calm, Rarity, she told herself. You need to keep your head. It’s clear that she’s not here to start a fight… The unicorn risked a sideways glance at Octavia, who was looking around the room and doing her level best to appear bored as she waited for Rarity to find her dress.

…and that means that you just might have the chance that you wanted so desperately.

Rarity’s magic took hold of the box on the very bottom of the stack and slid it carefully out, settling all of the other boxes back to the floor as she moved the first one. With careful, deliberate movements, the unicorn lifted the box up and settled it onto her desk before she turned to Octavia, her smile soft and genuine as she met the other mare’s gaze.

“Here you are,” she said quietly, her knees quavering slightly behind her desk. “Everything is prepared and the dress is ready to wear as soon as you would like.” Octavia stepped up to the desk, her eyes and expression just as cool as they had been moments before, but as Rarity watched the other mare, she felt her eyes narrow. There’s something different about her, the unicorn thought as the earth pony reached up and touched the large box with a hoof. Perhaps it was a trick of the morning sun pouring in the front windows, or perhaps it was simply Rarity’s own excited and semi-panicked mind looking more deeply into things than it needed to, but as she watched Octavia she began to notice… well, she didn’t exactly know how to describe them. The other mare appeared just as unflappable as she always had, but somehow Rarity was seeing small, infinitesimal things that seemed to scream at her that Octavia was not as unflappable as always right at that moment. The way the earth pony kept shifting her weight from hoof to hoof, the way her ears kept flicking expectantly towards Rarity even though she wasn’t saying anything, and especially the way that Octavia’s beautiful eyes kept darting to her own, as if hoping to meet Rarity’s gaze for just a second longer.

She’s uncertain, Rarity realized as she watched. She doesn’t know how I’m going to react to her, but it’s clear that she wants to say something about the other night. She felt her lips press together in a tight smile. But she won’t say anything first. If I learned anything about Octavia in the past three weeks, I learned that she would rather suffer in silence than rock the boat, as it were, so it’s going to be up to me this time.

“Excellent.” Octavia nodded and offered her a smile that was perfectly measured for the situation. “I’m certain that the dress is immaculate, so there is no need to open the box on my account.”

Rarity’s eyes widened and, without a second thought, she waved her hoof dismissively. “Oh come now, darling,” she said with a gentle chuckle. “That would be absolutely against my policy. I insist that we open this box and allow you to take a look at the dress before I send you on your way.” To her surprise, Octavia blinked rapidly twice before giving her head a small, polite shake.

“That will not be necessary,” she began, but Rarity held her hoof up and forestalled her with a smile.

“Oh none of that, Octavia!” she said. “It’s my rule to never send a guest on her way before she’s seen the finished product–” her voice dropped gently and she managed to catch Octavia’s gaze firmly in her own before continuing, “–and you wouldn’t want to buy a dress without first seeing its imperfections, would you?”

To her surprise, Octavia snorted gently. “Your dresses have no imperfections, Rarity,” she answered with a knowing smile. “You are far too meticulous for that.”

“On the contrary,” said Rarity with a shake of her head, “every single one of my dresses has imperfections.” Her magic lit the top of the cardboard box that held Octavia’s dress and lifted the top away, revealing the folded black and gray material within. The sash that was meant to be tied around the dress’s waist was folded neatly across the top of the fabric and just a hint of the lace that decorated the hemline was visible along the bottom of the folds. Without waiting for Octavia to comment, Rarity’s magic grasped the dress and pulled it halfway out of the box, levitating the ribbon and separate cuff safely out of the way as she prodded the neckline with a hoof. “For instance, the neckline of your dress, here? I was forced to pull that seam out four different times as I tried to get it to settle right against the ponyquin and, because of that, the neck dips a bit more right here than along the rest. And here,” she shifted the dress in her magic and pointed to where the dress shifted colors from gray to black. “I had actually intended this stripe to be wider, but I found out that I only had enough gray to do this much so I had to improvise. And along the bottom, in the lace? There’s actually a large hole in the lace that I used, but because I had so little available I had to use it anyway. I’ve checked it from every possible angle and there’s no way to see it, but I’ll still know it’s there.” She blushed slightly as she admitted it. “It’s silly, perhaps, but it’s something that I’ll always know about this particular dress.”

Her magic settled the garment back down onto the desk, its fabric draping over the edges of the box as Octavia gave her head a small shake. “And… and why are you telling me all of this?” she asked quietly after a moment, her eyes suddenly sparking with a hint of emotion. “Why tell me all of the flaws in a dress if you are embarrassed about them?”

Rarity smiled knowingly at Octavia. “Because no dress is perfect, Octavia,” she said softly. “Each and every one has flaws, but that is what makes each one special…” Her heart leaped in her chest and, after a moment, Rarity reached her hoof out and touched Octavia’s gently. “…and knowing the flaws of each dress makes it easier to enjoy it for what it is – a dress that is yours and only yours, a dress that is unique to you, even if there are a thousand more like it out in the world.” Her eyes met Octavia’s and she felt her throat tighten as the sparkling depths she had fallen in love with suddenly flared to life before her. “Because knowing a dress’s flaws allow you to truly love it.”

Silence fell over the two mares as they stood together, their hooves touching over the midnight fabric of the dress and, as the seconds ticked by, Rarity felt her heart swell in her chest. Please, Octavia, she begged silently. Please let me love you, don’t run or hide any more.

“Knowing its flaws allows you to truly love it.” The gray mare repeated softly, her eyes dancing with emotion. “I don’t think I have ever heard such a thing before.”

Rarity let out a choked laugh as she struggled to keep herself from crying. “W-well perhaps it’s more of a dressmaker’s analogy,” she managed to say after a moment. Across her desk, Octavia’s lips quirked into a smile, but after another moment, she gently withdrew her hoof from Rarity’s touch, her lip quivering.

“Perhaps,” she whispered. “But a musician’s imperfections are more noticeable, more obvious, and less acceptable than a dressmaker’s.” She winced and turned away from Rarity, her eyes tightly shut. “I envy your ability to look upon the fruits of your labor with such a discerning yet understanding eye, Rarity, and wish that I could do the same.”

Rarity’s heart sank in her chest, but even as she felt the clouds of despair rise inside her, a fire blazed to life in her heart and forced words out of her mouth. “Well, perhaps it would merely take somepony with a willing heart to help you see your dropped stitches and torn fabric with fondness instead of bitterness?” she suggested, her eyes pleading. “I’m certain that there is a pony out there willing to do so.”

Octavia turned back to Rarity and opened her eyes and the unicorn felt her breath catch in her throat. The other mare’s amethyst gaze sparkled with unshed tears and, as she took a deep breath, she looked so absolutely conflicted and melancholy that it was all Rarity could do to keep herself from snatching her up into a hug and simply holding her forever.

“Perhaps,” Octavia whispered finally. “But… I…”

Don’t run away! Please!

“…I have to go,” Octavia finished weakly. “I have lots to do today a-and, if I get too far behind, I won’t be able to finish everything in time.” Her ears flattened themselves against her mane as she turned away from Rarity once more. “I’m sorry.”

Rarity felt her chest deflate and, in spite of her best efforts, she knew that her shoulders had slumped noticeably. Oh Octavia, she thought with an inward sigh. If this is what you really want, then why are you stopping yourself? She watched the other mare for several long moments before nodding slowly.

“As you wish, Octavia,” she said gently. Her magic lit up the dress once more and folded the garment neatly in mid-air before replacing it in the box, but as the beautiful dress settled into its temporary home, Rarity’s hoof snatched up the small jewelry box on her desk and slipped it deftly into the larger box. In a matter of seconds, the small box had vanished into the silken folds of the garment. Rarity’s blue magic leaped to the box’s top, lifted it, and replaced it before tying two pieces of sturdy string around it to hold it in place. After she was certain that everything was secured just right, the unicorn turned back to Octavia and gave her a warm smile. “There you are. All ready to go.”

The earth pony nodded and offered the unicorn a deep bow. “Thank you very much, Rarity,” she said softly. She turned, stuck her nose into her right saddlebag, and withdrew a thin, elegantly decorated folder with her teeth. Without hesitation, she placed the folder atop the box and allowed Rarity to grasp it in her magic, her eyebrows rising in surprise.

Letters of credit weren’t used very often in towns like Ponyville, let alone some of the smaller hamlets that were scattered across Equestria, but in large cities like Manehatten, Las Pegasus, and Canterlot, where ponies often paid thousands upon thousands of bits to one another, letters of credit were a common sight. It was safer and much more dignified to walk into an establishment with a single piece of paper in an ornate envelope than to try and haul three wagons full of bits across whichever city you lived in and Rarity had been paid exclusively in them here in Canterlot, but Octavia’s revelation of a letter of credit surprised Rarity. I honestly didn’t expect her to be able to get one of these, she admitted silently, but regardless of her thoughts, the unicorn levitated the folder across the desk and slid it neatly beneath the dress box.

“Thank you very much, Octavia,” she replied, repeating the bow as perfectly as she could. “I… I truly hope that I will get to see you again before I leave Canterlot in three days.” She lifted the dress box in her magic and settled it gently onto Octavia’s back, her heart aching as it appeared that once again the matter between them would remain unresolved.

“I certainly hope so, as well,” the earth pony replied, her eyes meeting Rarity’s firmly. “I feel there are still things that we could discuss and I’m certain that Silver Blossom would wish to see you before you left, as well.”

“Tomorrow afternoon?” asked Rarity, her lips quirking into a sad smile. “At the White Lily?”

Octavia let out a breathy laugh and nodded. “Yes, that sounds wonderful,” she said, though Rarity could hear melancholy in her voice. She inclined her head once more before turning towards the door and, without a single glance back, Octavia walked to the door, opened it, and stepped out into the morning air.

Rarity watched her as she turned and made her way down the street, her shoulders drooping even further as she plopped herself down into the chair at her desk. Her eyes welled up with tears as anger and bitterness surged in her heart and, before she could stop herself, she swatted the folder that Octavia had paid off the top of her desk, sending it spiraling across the room.

“STUPID!” she shouted at the door. “How can you be so STUPID AND BLIND?” She slammed her hooves into her desk and opened her mouth to shout out her frustration at the whole situation, but just as she was about to unleash her inner fury, something fluttering caught the corner of her eye. She turned with a jerk to see the folder with the letter of credit settle to the floor, part of its contents slowly fluttering down beside it. “What… what is that?” she muttered. Normally, such folders only held one piece of paper: the letter of credit itself, a large and ornate document that a pony had to take to the bank, but there was something else inside the folder. Her anger quickly faded as Rarity leaped from her chair and hurried to the folder, her horn lighting up and grasping the smaller piece of paper that had fallen out.

She lifted it from the floor and, as she turned it over, she felt her heart leap into her throat.

“This… this is a concert ticket,” she whispered hoarsely, “to… to the Canterlot Metropolitan Concert Hall for tonight!” She frowned. “But… but who is playing there tonight?” Her magic flipped the ticket over and her eyes widened. “The Metropolitan Concert Hall cordially invites you to view the Canterlot Quartet as they audition for the Princesses. Featuring Frederick Horseshoepin, Harpo Gildedstrings, Beauty Brass and–” Rarity’s heart pounded in her chest and, in spite of herself, she felt tears trickle from the corners of her eyes as she smiled a quavering smile, “–Octavia Melody.”

Her eyes darted to the door again, but this time she felt no anger. Instead, she felt as though she had perhaps glimpsed yet another of her favorite dress’s imperfections and she stood, the concert ticket clutched desperately in her magical grip as the letter of credit lay forgotten on the floor.

“Tonight, at 8:30 pm,” she finished reading. “I’ll be there.”

The Lily Blooms

The rest of Rarity’s last business day in Canterlot went by in agonizing, painful slowness. She knew that she couldn’t close up her shop before her last customers came to get their dresses at the earliest and, at the latest, she would have to stay open until 5 p.m. to give all of her customers ample time to pick up their purchases and both options left a very excited and very emotional unicorn with very little to do in the confines of a small shop.

At first, Rarity had tried simply distracting herself by cleaning, but that particular idea only lasted the length of time it had taken her to find the remains of her dress sketchbook lying atop a stack of boxes. As soon as her eyes had settled onto the few blank pages that lay within her tome of creativity, her excited, nervous energy grabbed hold of her muse and, within minutes, she had been sketching furiously away, her eyes bright and her horn glowing. After all, she had the time – why not make herself a brand new beautiful dress to wear to Octavia’s concert that night?

She had sketched and sketched, her pencil flying over the pages as she drew up dress after dress after dress and, by the time her next customer had arrived at a quarter to eleven, she found herself faced with a half dozen of the most beautiful dresses she had ever designed. Each one was original, beautiful, and unique in presentation and color, but after her customer had picked up her order, Rarity had returned to the sketches and, after almost an hour of poking, prodding, and scrutinizing, had decided that none of them would work for her. They were beautiful, to be sure, but she thought that ultimately they would be more beautiful on somepony who was not her.

And so it had gone for the rest of the day – Rarity had drawn multitudes of dresses, certain that she would eventually find one that was perfect for that night if she simply continued on, but before she knew it, she had handed her very last customer her very last dress and waved goodbye to her final business day at a little after four p.m. She had flipped the sign on her door from “Open” to “Closed” as something very close to panic started to build in her chest because it had been at that moment when the truth of her situation had finally hit Rarity like a mishandled muffin cart: she had not come up with a single dress design that she had liked despite having worked the entire day towards that specific goal and she’d gotten so swept up in trying to find the absolute perfect design that she’d lost track of time. Now, it was far too late to begin work on something brand new and original and, in spite of the giddy excitement Rarity had felt, a tinge of queasiness had crept into the back of her throat as she’d locked the door of the Boutique and turned for Fleur’s home. No matter, she’d thought as she had turned down the street towards her destination. I’m certain there’s something for me to work with back in my luggage!

Two and a half hours and ninety percent of her possessions later, it slowly dawned on Rarity that a horrible, impossible thing had happened to her.

“I have absolutely NOTHING to wear!” she cried aloud as she tossed yet another of her myriad of dresses onto the ever-increasing pile in the corner of her room, the vibrant flash of her magic illuminating the other various piles of clothing that had sprung into being during Rarity’s quest to find something suitable to wear. The unicorn sighed in exasperation as she frowned at the completely unhelpful little black dress that she’d discarded. “All of these clothes packed and for what?” She aimed a kick at the haphazard mountain of garments, her hoof making a soft thump into its side. “I packed outfits for all occasions in all kinds of weather and I don’t have ANYTHING suitable for this concert!” She let out an angry growl that would have echoed in her room if not for the sound absorbing capabilities of an acre of unfolded laundry that filled the space. “Dumb clothes!”

Her eyes darted to the clock that had been restored to her nightstand just before the rain had started four days ago and, after removing one of the many lacy delicates that had come to decorate the room from the clock’s face with her magic, Rarity’s eyes widened in panic.

“Dear Celestia… Seven o’clock already! I-I have to start getting ready, but–” her head swam slightly as she turned away from the clock and cast her eyes back to the various hills and mountains of shirts, skirts, dresses, and drapery that had proven useless to her, “–I can’t just go without wearing something!”

The thought that she could simply not go to the concert flitted across her mind, but as quickly as it appeared, Rarity squashed it. No, no I will NOT miss this! She told herself firmly as she stalked along the edge of her bed, her hooves sliding through one of the only clear spots left on her floor. I’m going to this concert even if– she paused in her pacing and winced –even if I have to go without an amazing, memorable outfit for the occasion.

The very thought made Rarity’s skin crawl, but with a shiver and a soft growl, she shook her head and turned a determined gaze out her window towards the setting sun as it cast its warm red glow over the city and her piles of clothes. “This isn’t just for you, Rarity,” she reminded herself quietly. “Octavia wants you to be there, and even if–” she winced again “–and even if she doesn’t reciprocate your feelings in quite the same way as you’d hoped, you have to go.” She lifted a hoof and clenched it firmly before her. “I have to be there for her, no matter what!” She finished after a moment, her voice soft.

She stood amid the garment catastrophe for several long seconds, her expression resolute as she stared off into the distance, but as the seconds rolled into minutes, her eyes began to dart to the clothes around her once more and, after half a dozen heartbeats, she let out a sharp sigh.

“All right, ONE more look around!” she muttered frantically. “I mean, just because I WILL go without an outfit doesn’t mean I WANT to!” Rarity’s hoofsteps faded from the clop of hoof against wood to an almost silent step as she waded through the knee-deep sea of clothing around her towards her empty closet, her ears twitching in panic. “Maybe there’s something shoved into the back! Something that I packed and don’t remember, perhaps?” It was a stretch and she knew it – after all, she’d remembered every OTHER outfit that she packed, so why would there be one she’d forgotten – but deep inside, she knew that she would not be satisfied until she had checked every last nook and cranny in this room for a potential outfit. Her horn lit up brilliantly and shifted a mound of clothing at least as big as she was out of her way as she shoved her way into the empty closet, her magic illuminating the interior of the sizeable space more brightly than any light bulb could have. “Something… ANYTHING..!” The blue of her magic fell across the neatly painted walls and ceiling of the closet as Rarity cast her gaze frantically around the miniature room and, after a moment of frantic glances about the inside of the closet, her eyes widened in surprise and shock.

“I… I don’t BELIEVE it!” she breathed. The glow of her magic slowly expanded as she reached deeper into the closet and, as she stepped back into the cluttered space of her room, she brought with her the sole remaining contents of the luggage she’d brought from Ponyville: a broad, opaque dress bag with a hanger poking out the top, its contents causing the zippered bag to puff out on the sides. The unicorn turned away from the closet, her eyes wide and unblinking as she tried to take a step towards her bed. Her hoof stopped before she could get even halfway through her first step, however, and the moment was broken so abruptly that Rarity gave her head a small shake before sighing and making her way along the single winding path through the mountains of clothing to the side of her bed that remained clear. She levitated the bag along with her and, once she made it to her bedside, Rarity gave her horn a flick and brought the garment bag to rest atop her quilt reverently, her eyes bright with excitement. I don’t remember packing this, she thought as her magic released its hold on the entire bag and focused on the zipper that ran up the back of it. I suppose I brought enough clothing that it wouldn’t be a surprise if I’d forgotten packing something, but even so, it seems unlikely that I’d forget packing something this large.

But whatever the reason or explanation may have been, Rarity wasn’t about to look a fortuitous dress in the hemline and her eyes widened as her magic pulled the zipper quickly about its track. The bag relaxed and, as soon as the zipper reached its end, the unicorn reached out and flipped the bag open with her hoof. As her eyes fell onto the contents of the mysterious bag, Rarity felt her heart swell with joy and her eyes widen in amazement.

Inside the bag lay the dress she had worn to the Grand Galloping Gala two years ago as well as a note that had been carefully attached to the hanger by way of a tied string so that it would not damage the dress in any way. The unicorn let out laugh that was half joy and half disbelief as her eyes wandered the dress’s delicate pink folds and golden trim, her head spinning as she tried to wrap her mind around what had just happened.

“I… but I KNOW that I didn’t pack this!” she gasped. “This doesn’t make any sense at all… not that I’m complaining, mind you, I’m just… quite surprised, that’s all!” she finished quickly and it was a testament to her shock that Rarity didn’t quite realize that she was speaking to nopony at all. “But who did this?” she wondered aloud again. “There’s no way that anypony could have known that I would need this.” She reached a hoof out and touched the gold tiara that had been lovingly and carefully secured to the hanger so that it would not fall into the bag and get potentially lost and, after a moment, she shifted the hoof to the note that hung next to the small crown. A gentle pull released one side of the string and allowed the folded piece of paper to come away undamaged and, after taking a deep breath, the unicorn unfolded its single flap and began to read the concise, flowing script within.

Dear Rarity,

We all decided that it would be a good idea to send this with you. It IS Canterlot, after all, and even though you’re there to do business, we agreed that all work and no play would make ANYPONY a dull pony – so we hope that having this with you will remind you to have a little bit of fun while you’re there! We’ll see you in a month!

By the time that Rarity reached her friend’s signatures at the end of the note, tears had filled her eyes, blurring the names that she knew even without being able to read them: Twilight’s name, written in the same script as the rest of the note; Pinkie Pie’s sloppy, irrepressible scribble; Rainbow and Applejack’s simple two-letter signings; and finally, Fluttershy’s flowing, beautiful penmanship all adorned the bottom of the paper, and by the time she reached the end of the note it was all Rarity could do to hold back her sniffles.

“Oh… you girls…” she whispered, her tears slowly filling her eyes until they spilled down her cheeks. She let out another small laugh and wiped her eyes before reading the note again, her smile growing as every word filled her with the strength and joy that her friends gave her. They wanted to make sure that I was taking care of myself and in doing so they helped me in a way that they never could have imagined. Rarity’s smile grew as she grasped the note in her magic and levitated it to her vanity, ensuring that it was placed carefully before turning back to the dress. Her heart swelled with the love that her friends had given her and, to her absolute astonishment, it chased away the dark clouds that had surrounded the beacon of her hope earlier that day like a burst of brilliant sunlight into a world of fog. She felt warmth spread out from her heart and fill her entire body and, after a moment, she scooped the dress off of her bed with her left leg. She pulled it close to her and hugging it for all she was worth and, as she did so, she could feel the hearts of her friends there with her. Twilight’s wisdom, Applejack’s persistence, Rainbow’s passion, Pinkie’s enthusiasm, and Fluttershy’s gentleness seemed to permeate the fabric of the dress she now held and, in that moment, she felt her heart ache not for the love of a mare, but for the faces of the friends she held close in her heart.

“Thank you all,” she whispered into the dress. “I miss you, each and every one of you, and I can’t wait to see you all again…” She took a shuddering breath and lowered the garment back to the bed, her eyes full of determination and strength as she smiled at the clock. “But for tonight, I have to take this gift you’ve given me and make the most of it!” Her magic ignited and covered the dress as her smile became a grin. “And make the most of it I shall!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The clock in the foyer was just chiming eight o’clock when Rarity hurried out of her room, the short train of her dress trailing behind her as she descended the stairs as quickly as she could without tripping and sending herself sprawling to the first floor. Her mane bounced perkily in its single binding near her shoulder as she hit the bottom of the steps and started for the door, her mind whirling with thoughts as her magic settled the golden tiara against her horn. I’m going to have to catch a taxi, she thought as she paused at the door, her hoof rising to touch the tiara and ensure that its ends were firmly entwined in her hair. Otherwise I’ll NEVER make it on time! She nodded and, satisfied that her crown wasn’t going anywhere, raised her hoof to the doorknob so that she could begin the final leg of her journey, but before she could so much as turn the brass knob, an inquisitive voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Why in Equestria are you dressed like that, Rarity?” The voice belonged to Fleur. Rarity had been around her long enough now to recognize it, but the unicorn kept her eyes firmly fixed on the door as she spoke, her expression determined.

“I’m going out to a concert, Fleur, and I’m afraid that I don’t have a lot of time to explain – it starts at 8:30 and I’m running the risk of being late as it is!” She gave her head a small shake. “I promise to tell you all about it when I come back, but please, no questions now!” Rarity turned towards her left with the intent to tell her hostess that she had to quickly find a taxi but as her eyes left the door and found the other unicorn she felt her words die on her tongue.

Fleur stood in the doorway of the first floor hall, her creamy white coat covered with a soft pink, tight-fitting dress with a low-cut neckline and a slit from her rear left hoof almost to her flank. Her tail draped elegantly over the rear of the garment and a single pink gem hung against her chest and, even in her hurried state, Rarity couldn’t help but stop and admire how absolutely chic and beautiful the other unicorn looked. The model pony gave her a winning smile and lifted her right front leg to pose for Rarity, allowing the long open sleeve of her dress to hang dramatically into mid-air.

“Well? Do you like it?” Fleur placed her hoof back to the floor and executed a single, graceful turn as her head maid Rosette emerged from the hallway behind her. “It’s the first time I’ve worn it and I have to say that I’m very pleased with it.”

“I… I do like it,” Rarity managed after a moment. The unicorn blinked furiously several times and forced herself to focus before giving her hostess a smile. “I think it looks marvelous on you, darling, but why are you dressed like that? Are you going somewhere, as well?”

To Rarity’s surprise, Rosette was the one who spoke. “Actually, Miss Rarity, from what you said a moment ago, I believe you and the mistress may be going to the same event.” She lowered her head, pulled something out of the front pocket of her apron, and offered it to Fleur who took it with her magic and brought it to float in front of her even as she shook her head. Rarity’s eyes shifted from Fleur to the piece of paper held in her magical grip and, as soon as she saw the words upon the cover, her eyes widened.

“That… that’s it!” exclaimed Rarity. She turned the rest of her body away from the door and hurried to Fleur, her clear crystal shoes clacking authoritatively as she stopped with her nose practically pressed against the floating ticket. “That’s the concert I’m going to!” Her panic suddenly lifted into her chest and became a bubble of excitement that threatened to lift her off her hooves and float her to the ceiling. “That means that you’re going, too? Oh thank Celestia! Does that mean you have a ride coming soon?” Fleur blinked in surprise.

“The same concert, but… but that’s impossible – the tickets for this concert have been sold out for months!” The taller unicorn said, incredulity painting her words. “How could you have–” suddenly, Fleur’s eyes darted from Rarity to the ticket and, when her lavender eyes found their way back to Rarity, they held understanding instead of confusion. “Oh, I see,” said Fleur as a knowing smile spread across her lips until it became a grin. “And should I get in the habit of simply expecting to see you wherever the name Octavia Melody pops up?” she asked quietly.

The very mention of Octavia’s name sent goosebumps down Rarity’s neck, but after a moment, she shrugged. “I… I’m not quite sure,” she admitted quietly. “We spoke today and she gave me a ticket to this concert, but…” She let out an exasperated sigh and looked at the clock, which now showed five minutes after eight o’clock. “But there’s no time to talk about this right now!” She turned back to Fleur and took a step towards her, her eyes wide. “Do you have a taxi coming or am I going to have to run the whole way there? Don’t think I won’t!”

Fleur’s eyes widened for a heartbeat, but her look of surprise quickly melted into a smile and with a soft chuckle she nodded towards the door. “I believe he might have the answer to that.” Rarity blinked and turned back towards the door to see Fancy Pants standing just inside the threshold, his hoof still holding the door open as he watched the two mares with a small smile.

“And the answer is that you shan’t have to run anywhere, Rarity,” he said with a wink and a nod through the open door to the taxi that sat outside. “Though I believe the ride to the Hall will give you ample time to fill us in on all of the details we’ve obviously missed.” His monocle glinted in the light as he chuckled. “Though, I daresay, that may take the entire ride there, from what I heard of it.”

Rarity felt tears of relief well up in her eyes and, after a moment, she managed to give a weak chuckle. “Well, perhaps the driver can go slowly so you can hear the whole story in one go,” she managed to squeak. The stallion simply grinned at her and nodded towards the waiting wagon.

“Well? Come on then, the both of you, into the cab so we can be off! We wouldn’t want to miss the opening of the concert, now would we?”

Fleur stepped up next to Rarity and gave her a friendly nudge. “I have a feeling Rarity wouldn’t let us, even if we tried.”

Rarity chuckled and shook her head, but instead of wasting more words, she hurried out the door and into the waiting cab, her heart pounding in her ears as she hopped over the side and took her seat near the driver’s side window. This is it, she thought as Fleur bid Rosette farewell and started towards the cart with Fancy. I’m not only going to see her play in a full concert, but I have the feeling that I’ll get the answer that I’m after tonight. Her eyes darted to the east where the moon was just barely raised over the horizon. Though, whether it is the answer I want or not, that’s another story all together.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Her explanation, as it turned out, went much faster than she’d first thought it would and she finished it in fairly short order. The rest of the ride to the Hall was spent in conversation with Fleur and Fancy Pants, who seemed ready and able to keep her mind occupied and her emotions cool for the duration of their trip. The designer was grateful for their concern and chatted amiably with them and, to her surprise, she learned along the way that Captain Cloudflair, the Pegasus that Octavia had spoken of who had continually botched Canterlot’s weather until he had been recently removed from his position, was to be reinstated the very next day.

“But why in Equestria would they give him back his job?” Rarity asked in shock. “If he was so terribly bad at it, why would he be given a second chance?”

“Because his second in command, Peregrine, was sabotaging his efforts,” Fancy said with a shake of his head. “Overloading the weather machines, redirecting jet streams, the old girl used every trick she’d learned in the Everfree to make Cloudflair look incompetent. The poor lad didn’t stand a chance of actually doing his job with that harpy doing her level best to get him demoted, or worse, so I hear.”

On the other side of the cab, Fleur made a disgusted noise in her throat. “Some ponies are willing to do anything to get what they want. And how did they catch her, Fancy?”

“As it turns out, one of Peregrine’s confidants went to Weather Patrol Command and confessed everything she knew. Peregrine was stripped of her rank and actually arrested, if you can believe that. Not many ponies get the hospitality of the Royal Guard these days, but she’ll be enjoying it for quite a while, so I hear.”

The conversation meandered here and there as they drove and before Rarity knew it they were pulling up and stopping in front of the Canterlot Metropolitan Concert Hall. The unicorn turned her gaze out the window and the sheer sight of it caused her heart to skip a beat. The entire building was adorned with gently glowing magical lights, orbs of illumination that floated along the top edges of the entire structure as if it had been dabbed with the very stars from the heavens. It must have taken them HOURS to do all of those, she thought. Her eyes slowly dropped to the plaza in front of the large building and, through a small crowd of ponies still milling about, she could see a well-ordered line of ponies making their way inside. As Rarity’s eyes followed the line, she noticed that a banner had been hung on either side of the large entryway – a bright golden sun with a white background on the left and a gentle silver moon with a blue background on the right – and, even if she hadn’t read her ticket a thousand times this afternoon, she would have felt it a safe guess that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were in attendance tonight. It’s no wonder the tickets for this concert sold out months ago – anypony in Canterlot would give their left ear for a chance to be near them!

The cab driver hurried around and held out his hoof for Rarity, prompting her to extend her own hoof and allow him to help her from the carriage. She stepped down in the most ladylike fashion she could muster and offered him a grateful smile before turning and taking her first steps towards the Hall.

To her surprise, Rarity felt in complete control of herself. She had been so excited about being here when she had first received the ticket that she had been certain she wouldn’t be able to contain herself, but now that she was here she felt… underwhelmed. Not in a bad way, she admitted as Fleur and Fancy fell into step next to her, but honestly I thought that I’d be jittering out of my pony mind. She glanced at Fleur, who offered her a reassuring smile, then at Fancy Pants, who gave her a knowing nod, and finally, she took a deep breath and felt the weight of the dress on her back, the strength of her friends flowing into her from its very fabric, and not for the first time, she understood just how much stronger her friends near and far made her.

Thank you, everyone, she thought silently as she turned her eyes back to the Hall before her. I promise you, I won’t let any of you down. Octavia’s face flashed behind her eyes, and a smile flitted onto Rarity’s lips. ANY of you.

The three ponies made their way towards the doors of the Hall, but they didn’t even get halfway there before a voice rippled out of the crowd and caught Rarity’s attention.

“Rarity! Yo, Rarity, over here!”

Rarity frowned as her ears twitched and, as she turned towards the voice, a pony melted out of the crowd and made her way towards her. It was another white unicorn wearing a white dress with blue, black, and magenta trimmings and to Rarity’s absolute chagrin it took her a moment to recognize the other mare. When she did, however, she blinked and rubbed her eyes in exaggerated fashion before giving the other pony a smile.

“Why, Vinyl Scratch, I hardly recognized you without those glasses of yours!” she said as the DJ pony approached. Vinyl gave her a wink with one brilliant magenta eye and shrugged nonchalantly as she stopped next to Rarity.

“Hey, when the designer of your dress gives you a direct order, you listen.” She grinned and lifted her right front leg, showing off the ripped black stockings that she was wearing on her front legs. “Plus, I kinda added a little touch of my own anyway, so I figured it might be a good idea to hold to the whole glasses thing.” Rarity eyed the stockings critically and arched an eyebrow at her friend, her lips pursed.

“And did I give you permission to wear those stockings?” she asked, her voice playfully tight. Vinyl rolled her eyes and wrinkled her nose at Rarity, giving her jagged mane a shake as she did so.

“It’s better to ask forgiveness than permission, Rares,” she said. “And besides, you couldn’t expect me to NOT add SOMETHING. This is Vinyl Scratch you’re talking about!”

Rarity opened her mouth to banter playfully with her friend, but to her surprise, Fancy Pants was the one who spoke next, his eyes bright and his smile broad.

“Vinyl Scratch?” he asked. “The young mare who broke up that hard cider ring owned by Big Tony?” Rarity felt her eyes widen as Vinyl’s grin grew, if that was possible.

“The very same!” said Vinyl with a nod. “Yep, that was a pretty exciting week. Did they put it in the paper or something?”

“I dare say they did, and that was quite a feat, young mare! Big Tony has been a blight upon our fair city for far too long and it’s a wonderful thing that he’s been taken care of, but to be brought down by a humble DJ–” suddenly Rarity’s hoof shot up, forestalling his words.

“Wait… wait just a moment,” she interrupted, her eyes narrowing at Vinyl. “You… you actually did that?!”

The other unicorn just shrugged and nodded. “Uh, yeah. Didn’t I tell you about it?”

Rarity’s eye twitched for a moment, her hoof still held out in front of Fancy’s muzzle and it wasn’t until Fleur cleared her throat on her right side that Rarity managed to snap back to the real world. She gave her head a small shake and dropped her hoof back to the ground, her cheeks coloring ever so slightly.

“Vinyl, I’m afraid I owe you an apology,” she said softly. “I… I didn’t exactly believe you when you told me that, I’m sorry.” She winced as she said it, certain that Vinyl would be upset with her for not believing something so important, but after a moment of silence, her friend simply chuckled.

“Hey, it’s no big deal, Rarity! I told you that night that, if it hadn’t happened to me, I wouldn’t even have believed it, so I really can’t blame you for thinking I made it up!” She arched an eyebrow as she reached out and poked Rarity in the shoulder. “Maybe I’ll make you buy me a drink sometime soon to make up for it, eh?”

Rarity’s smile returned, and she gave Vinyl a happy nod. “I think I’d like that.”

The DJ pony grinned and opened her mouth again, no doubt to suggest somewhere expensive where Rarity could pay up, but before she could speak, a large stallion stepped out of the Hall’s front doors and cleared his throat loudly enough that it could be heard clearly over the myriad of conversations happening out front.

“Excuse me, fillies and gentlecolts, but the concert is about to begin,” he announced. “Please enter the Hall, show your tickets, and take your seats!” His words sent a thrill racing down Rarity’s back and she could feel her heart thump once in her chest as Vinyl gave her a wink and started towards the doors with everypony else. This is it, she thought as she fell into step with Fleur and Fancy, her ears perking forward eagerly. Whatever Octavia wanted from me, it will happen at this concert…

She reached up and touched her chest above her heart as she walked, a smile growing on her lips. …and for the first time in this whole month, I think I’m ready for her answer.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fleur and Fancy Pants hadn’t been lying when they said that the concert had been sold out for months and the reality of that situation hit Rarity squarely as they passed from the entry hall into the concert hall itself – every seat that she saw before her was packed to capacity and, as the three friends checked their tickets, they discovered that they weren’t sitting anywhere near one another. Rarity felt a hint of her former trepidation creep back into her heart as Fleur and Fancy Pants bid her farewell and headed towards their seats, but as she turned and headed up the stairs towards her own seat, she gave her head a firm shake and forced it away, focusing instead on the bubbling excitement that she felt growing inside her. Don’t let this get in the way of enjoying the concert, Rarity, she chided herself as she climbed the stairs, the bauble in her mane bouncing against her chest as she did so. Just find your seat and everything will be fine.

She paused outside one of the private booths several floors above the ground, checked her ticket, and realized with a start that the seat Octavia had given her was the same seat that she had sat in when she’d seen the rehearsal. Her eyes widened and, in spite of herself, a bright smile materialized on her lips. Yes… yes, this is a very good sign! She giggled softly and hurried forward, raising her hoof to brush the drapes away from what was no doubt a very crowded booth…

…but to her surprise, she found the booth empty save for one single pony, a mare who was seated at the far right of the booth. Rarity blinked at the group of perhaps ten seats that sat empty before her and, before she could stop herself, she glanced out at the completely packed floor below her. This… this doesn’t seem quite right, she thought, but after a moment, she offered the other pony in the booth a nervous smile.

“A-ah, excuse me,” she said softly as she shimmied her way forward, her ticket held out before her like a shield. “I-is this the right spot? I was certain that this balcony would be packed full…”

The mare who shared the booth with her was a Pegasus and had a beautiful pale yellow coat complimented with a mane that was soft pastel green streaked with a vibrant sky blue. At Rarity’s inquiry, she arched an eyebrow at her over bright purple eyes and with a small smile she sat forward to examine Rarity’s ticket. As she did, however, something about her tickled the edges of Rarity’s mind and caused the unicorn to frown slightly. Have… have I met her? She wondered. I suppose it’s possible, though if I did, it wasn’t because I made her a dress. In a theater packed with some of the most well-dressed ponies in all of Canterlot, this mare wore nothing except for a light jacket that covered her torso and left her wings bare – jackets much like those that Rarity had seen Pegasi like the Wonderbolts wear. The designer managed to stifle a sniff at the mare’s choice of wardrobe and, after a moment, the Pegasus sat back and nodded.

“You’re in the right booth,” she said, her voice soft, yet commanding. “That’s a bit of a surprise. I was under the impression that nopony sat up here besides me.”

“Well, I hope you won’t mind company,” said Rarity hesitantly as she moved towards the front row of seats. “Just for tonight, at least..?” The Pegasus shrugged and, to Rarity’s relief, there was nothing aggressive or agitated about her movements.

“I suppose one night won’t hurt,” she muttered with a small smile. Rarity returned it whole-heartedly and turned back towards the stage, her heart leaping into her chest at being in the same spot as the last time she’d been in the theater.

The unicorn’s eyes roamed the crowd below, her hopes of spotting Fancy Pants or Fleur in the maelstrom of ponies quickly dashed as the lights in the interior space began to fade slowly away, encouraging everypony to take their seats. Oh well, it’s not like they could see me anyway, she told herself as she allowed her eyes to wander the rest of the theater. Her gaze followed the ground floor seating to the wall at the back of the room and then meandered upwards and, as she spotted the ponies sitting at the backmost balcony, she felt a smile burst onto her lips. There, seated in their regal glory, were Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, the alicorn rulers of Equestria and two ponies that Rarity had met on several occasions. Perhaps I’ll get a chance to say hello to them, she thought, but even as she thought it she knew it was silly. Don’t be a foal, Rarity – at an event like this, chances are good that you couldn’t even get close to the Princesses without some Royal Guard tackling you.

Suddenly, the lights in the main room dimmed dramatically while the lights on the stage flared brightly and, with a jerk of her head, Rarity’s entire world refocused. The stage was set up exactly as it had been during their rehearsal and, after a moment, the quartet came onto the stage in exactly the same manner that they had during their practice. First came Frederick who went straight to his piano, his expression calm and collected; then came Harpo, his expression almost dreamy as he made his way in unhurried fashion to his harp; after him it was Beauty Brass, who bounced onto the stage wearing the dress that she had purchased from Rarity earlier that week. The designer smiled broadly and gave herself a mental pat on the back for such excellent work. After all, I had to design that dress to function with a tuba. I’d dare anypony else in Equestria to try such a thing!

She smiled happily at her triumph, but just as suddenly as the smile had arrived, she felt her breath catch in her throat and her heart squeeze in her chest as Octavia appeared on stage.

The folds of black and gray swirled behind her as she walked and the brilliant sash of violet cut perfectly into the heavy darkness of the rest of the garment. The dress looked perfect on her and, as Octavia made her way to her cello, Rarity couldn’t take her eyes off of her for even a moment. She was mesmerizing, enchanting, and gorgeous in ways that Rarity had never thought another pony could be and, even after their less than productive encounter earlier in the day, the unicorn could not deny the glowing, pulsing love that she still felt deep inside for the earth pony. As the earth pony reached her instrument and reared up onto her hind legs to grasp it properly, Rarity felt her chest squeeze so hard that she feared she may faint. She… she’s wearing it… she thought weakly as her head spun. She blinked just to ensure that she wasn’t hallucinating, but after blinking and even rubbing her eyes, the unicorn could not deny what she was seeing.

Around Octavia’s delicate neck hung the necklace that Rarity had made for her, the brilliant amethyst glinting beautifully in the light of the stage.

“Um… are you going to be okay?”

The voice caught Rarity completely off guard and she turned towards it with a jerk and a gasp to find the Pegasus mare who shared the balcony with her sitting a few seats away, her brow knit with concern. The unicorn’s heart raced in her chest as she took several short, quick breaths and, after several seconds, she finally managed to reply.

“Y-yes, I-I’m just fine,” she gasped as calmly as she could. “Why do you ask?”

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” the other mare said with an apologetic smile, “but you were clutching your hooves together over your chest so hard that I thought you might be getting sick or something. You okay now?”

Rarity nodded eagerly and turned her eyes back to Octavia, who was conversing quietly with Frederick as Harpo fiddled with his harp. “Oh yes, I-I’m afraid I just got a little overwhelmed, that’s all.”

To her surprise, she heard the Pegasus chuckle softly. “Came to see somepony on stage, did you?”

“Yes,” Rarity slowly turned back towards the Pegasus, her own brow knit and her eyes narrow. “How did you know?”

“That was the same look I had on my face when I first came here to listen to the Quartet,” the mare answered with a smile that tickled Rarity’s mind once more. The Pegasus shrugged and moved back to her seat at the far end of the balcony, her tail swishing gracefully behind her. “I hope you enjoy the show – the four of them are very talented.”

Rarity’s eyes narrowed even further as the other mare sat and turned her gaze to the stage. This pony is very strange. Why is she up here all by herself? Rarity mused. And who is she here to see?

The silence of the room was suddenly filled by the notes of Frederick’s piano and Rarity’s attention was drawn away from her unusual companion and back to the stage as the show began. As music rose from the stage and slowly filled the theater, she felt her heart surge in her chest because the notes that teased her ears were familiar ones. So they ARE playing their songs in the same order! She thought with a grin. Excellent! That means I’ll get to hear the rest of their songs after all! The unicorn sat forward and wrapped her forelegs around the railing at the front of the balcony, her eyes riveted to the stage and, for the first time in four days, she didn’t feel the least bit sad that she’d fallen asleep during that rehearsal because that meant that tonight she would be able to experience most of their music for the very first time.

Her feeling of elation did nothing but grow as the song continued for, as amazing as Rarity had thought the quartet had been during practice, it was clear that they had truly been saving themselves for this performance. The currents of the song wove themselves together just as she remembered, but this time, she could hear them more clearly, more concisely as they both worked together and warred for supremacy over each other. It truly did give her images of the ocean and, once Octavia’s cello joined the musical scene, Rarity could picture the sea itself, its waves churning before the coming of a storm while its depths silently writhed in a beautiful and unstoppable dance that had been happening since time immemorial. The four ponies played on and on, their music weaving the tapestry of song broader and tighter as they did so and, as she listened, Rarity slowly became convinced that there must be other kinds of magic in the world that even Twilight may not understand.

Too soon, the instruments slowly fell silent and, as soon as the last notes had died, the scene before Rarity’s eyes faded away, leaving only the silent Hall before her. The unicorn blinked slowly at the stage and, after a moment, she raised a hoof to her heart as she waited to see if anypony would start some applause. To her surprise, however, nopony did, though the performers on stage didn’t seem the least bit surprised by it. Instead, they simply continued with the next section of their performance which saw Octavia, Frederick, and Harpo relax at their instruments while Beauty Brass stepped up to the front of the stage. Rarity frowned at the perky blue and gold pony as she gave a short bow towards the audience before straightening with a smile and beginning a solo for the tuba.

That’s odd, thought Rarity, her lips pursing in curiosity. I can’t remember there being such movements in any other symphony I’ve ever heard. Her eyes narrowed at the stage as Beauty’s robust brass notes rose into the hall, their tones so joyful and bright that the entire atmosphere of the room seemed to grow less dim from their presence. And she’s playing a solo, but why? The unicorn’s gaze swept the crowd once more, but it wasn’t until her eyes fell upon the Princesses that her eyes widened and she smiled broadly. Of COURSE – the Princesses! The ticket said it all, Rarity, you dunce – they’re auditioning for the privilege of playing the Gala so of COURSE they’re going to try and show off each of their elements individually! She giggled to herself as she turned her attention back to the stage, her ears perked forward and her tail swishing gleefully beneath her gown. And that means it’s only a matter of time until Octavia gets a solo.

Beauty’s song ended on a jovial note and she gave a happy smile to the audience before bouncing once in place, a motion that made her tuba wobble comically and elicited a light laugh from the audience that was followed by a wave of gentle applause which Rarity joined wholeheartedly. The earth pony gave one final bow towards the Princesses before hurrying back to her spot on stage and the moment she was back in position Frederick’s piano began the next song.

The rest of the concert was the most beautiful experience Rarity had ever had with music and for the rest of her life she would always use it as the benchmark for how good a performance was or was not. The Quartet may have been exclusively earth ponies, but their music was pure magic that wove a spell over the audience the likes of which any unicorn would be jealous of – songs of nature and hope, love and despair the Quartet played with equal skill and Rarity quickly lost track of the number of times tears came to her eyes at the perfect beauty of their music. After a few more songs, they allowed Harpo to have his solo and then, after a few more, Frederick followed and, from that moment on, the end of each song brought Rarity to the edge of her seat as she waited for Octavia’s turn.

Finally, just when Rarity didn’t think she could wait any longer, Octavia carefully picked up her cello and moved it to the front of the stage, her expression cool and confident as she positioned herself away from the other members of her group. Rarity felt her heart swell in her chest until she thought it would burst and, in spite of her giddy excitement, she heard a nagging voice in the back of her head.

Why are you still so excited to see her? The voice asked pointedly. She rebuffed you, you idiot. She didn’t take your hoof, so she doesn’t want to be with you! It was something that had bothered her the entire night, niggling at the back of her thoughts the whole performance: why was she so excited? Why did she even come here tonight?

They were doubts – the doubts that Rarity had about this… this thing that she and Octavia had between them. Doubts about Octavia’s level of interest, doubts about her OWN level of interest, doubts about how deep the feelings went or whether or not they should be pursued in the first place, but even as she acknowledged the doubts, Rarity could feel her heart pressing down on them like a hot iron, squishing her doubts down farther and farther as it swelled.

Because she’s conflicted, she thought back to the nagging voice in her head. She’s just as conflicted as I am, yet she made it clear that she was interested in the shop. Her smile grew as Octavia gave Frederick a nod. Because she gave me this ticket to see her play, which means she wants me near her… Octavia turned and gave Beauty a nod and the other mare smiled giddily from behind her tuba. …and she’s wearing the necklace I made for her, which means she… Rarity’s eyes widened as Octavia gave Harpo one last nod and, with a wink, the harp player made a gesture to somepony off stage. Frederick’s eyes widened and he waved a hoof sharply, but Harpo either didn’t see him or decided to ignore him completely and instead turned back to Octavia and pointed to her.

“Thank you, Harpo.” Octavia said and the audience gasped as her voice filled the theater as if she were standing directly next to everypony in the room. Rarity blinked in surprise. That’s magic, she thought. An amplification spell… has that been on the whole time? On stage, Octavia smiled and gave her head a small shake. “To those of you wondering, and most of all to you, Your Highnesses, I would like to tell you that this spell has not been active during our performance; one of our stage hands is a unicorn and I have asked him to allow me a moment to address you all before I play the final piece of the evening.”

The crowd murmured excitedly for several long moments before finally falling silent again, and out of the corner of her eye Rarity noticed the mare in the booth with her sit forward eagerly, her eyes wide and her smile soft.

“Tonight I had planned on playing my most popular composition, Rhapsody of the Spring Dawn, to end our performance…” Her ears drooped against her mane and she gave her head a small shake. “But I am afraid that I will not be playing it.” At his piano Frederick looked like he was about to have a heart attack and, after a moment of open-mouthed staring, he made another hoof gesture towards Octavia and said something, though it was obvious that the amplification spell was not affecting him. The cellist must have heard him because she turned towards him sharply, her dress flowing about her like liquid night as she raised her bow and pointed it at him, her ears shooting back up aggressively. Her voice, which had started out so calm and collected, suddenly took on a fire of passion as she leveled a glare at the piano player. “No, Frederick, I will not stop. I will not be quiet and I will NOT play that song!” The audience gasped and, after a moment of silence, Frederick lowered his hoof, though his expression said that he would be berating Octavia for hours after the performance was done. If Octavia cared, however, she did not show it; instead she gave him a satisfied nod and turned back to the audience, the amethyst around her neck glinting proudly in the spotlight. “Tonight for you, fillies and gentlecolts,” she continued, her voice smooth, yet impassioned, “I will be playing a song that I have been composing for almost two years.” She took a deep breath and, even from her balcony, Rarity could see the nervous smile on her face. “It is not finished… well, not to my standards at any rate… but I must play it for you all tonight because…”

Suddenly, her eyes rose up and found the balcony where Rarity sat, and the unicorn felt a brilliant thrill run through her from nose to tail as Octavia sighed. “…because a very wise mare once told me that to truly love something, you must see its flaws… and to express my love, I must play.” The earth pony flicked the bow once out next to her before bringing it to her instrument. “This is Il Mio Diamante.” Behind her Harpo gestured offstage with his hoof and the amplification spell dropped away from Octavia.

Then, without further ado, she began to play.

The song began slowly, her notes rising up to fill the now-silent theater as they had before, but this time they were soft and solemn and, even through her elation, Rarity could feel the complete and pervasive loneliness that lay within the currents of the music. It was as if Octavia had taken the currents of the first song they had performed and swirled them, casting them into a downward spiral that would carry a pony down, down, down into the darkness of the ocean depths. The unicorn could feel that loneliness wrapping around her, smothering the happier emotions that she had been feeling mere moments before and, in spite of the warmth of the theater, Rarity shivered. Oh Octavia… she thought. I never knew that a pony could be so sad!

The slow, solemn cadence repeated itself several times, each one somehow sadder and lonelier than the last, until finally, just when Rarity didn’t think she could hold back her tears any longer, the music changed. Into the melancholy refrain came a subtle tweak of Octavia’s strings, a lilt of interest that lifted the melody out of the deep place it had come to rest in and allowed a brighter refrain to enter the song, but after a few quick repetitions, the bright, happy melody slowly faded away into the lonely melody from before, and this time, Rarity felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. It’s even sadder than before, she thought as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hoof. If she keeps this up, I’ll start sobbing.

Again, the lonely melody wound its way through the audience, slithering about like a serpent of despair until after what seemed like an eternity the bright melody sprang back into being. Octavia’s left hoof plucking simultaneously at the strings of her cello as the lift rose higher and higher until the lonely melody disappeared completely and was replaced by a brand new melody, a higher, brighter, and happier one that harmonized perfectly with the interested lift from before, though the initial lift vanished from the whole quickly.

Rarity felt a smile touch her lips at the happy notes, her heart singing in time with them as Octavia played. It’s as if she’s reaching right into our hearts and playing our emotions instead of notes, she thought in awe. I never would have thought that possible!

Her ears twitched as the happy melody that had filled the theater for several minutes suddenly grew softer, less defined as Octavia’s hoof and bow slackened across the strings and, as they did so, the familiar, lonely melody from before slowly wormed its way back into the song. Rarity gasped as the deeper notes sent a chill through her, and after a few repeats, the happy melody simply stopped. Octavia paused on stage, her body glistening with sweat that glittered like a thousand diamonds as she waited one beat, two, three, before her bow began to move again and, this time, it was a very sad, resigned refrain, a revision of the happy melody from before, but somehow deep and shadowed now. The melancholy notes wound their way around twice before slowly morphing into the lonely melody from before, this time broader, more forceful, and stronger than it had ever been. Rarity felt her heart ache and this time she could not stop a sob from rising in her throat as the mare on stage played.

Suddenly, the lonely theme was interrupted by a third lift of interest, but it was not soft and gentle as it had been before. This time, the lift was forceful and abrupt and the two melodies dueled back and forth across Octavia’s cello, warring for dominance in the musical theater. The lonely melody held the upper hoof for several long phrases, seemingly determined to snuff out the brighter, happier notes, but ever so slowly, the bright notes expanded, growing louder and louder until their light chased the lonely theme away. Now, Rarity’s throat tightened in joy as the dark loneliness of the previous music faded away entirely and she could feel the tears on her cheeks as she surrendered to Octavia’s magic. My Octavia, is all of this what you’ve been feeling? She wondered.

Now, Octavia threw her head to the side as the happy melody grew even louder, her bow flying across the strings of her cello as the music rose and filled every corner of the Hall, its glowing golden notes filling Rarity to the brim as several minor variations appear in the song: notes that made her think of excitement, nervousness, fear, and sadness all found their way into the finale of Octavia’s song, but even as they did so, another, more dominant melody grew beneath them – a theme that rose and became a harmony with the happy refrain, a theme that forced Rarity to stifle her sobs with a hoof as it rang deep in her very soul.

It was a song of hope – a brilliantly glowing refrain of pure hope that intertwined with the happy melody from before and completed it, rising higher and higher until it touched the very stars above the Hall. The unicorn’s vision blurred as her tears ran unabated down her cheeks and, in that moment, the nagging voice in her head fell permanently silent. Because in that moment, she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt exactly what she wanted.

The notes rose into a golden crescendo and, after holding it for several long seconds, Octavia withdrew her bow from her cello and cast the room into sudden and total silence, but the silence didn’t last long.

After a few moments of stunned quiet, the audience erupted into applause so loud that it became a roar and most of the ponies rose to their hooves to clop their front hooves on the floor as loudly as they could. Octavia stood in stunned silence for a few moments, her eyes wide as she looked out over the cheering crowd, and it wasn’t until Beauty and Harpo appeared at her sides that she blinked and managed a bow with them. A stage pony hurried out and took her cello from her as she straightened and Frederick joined the other three, his face a confusing mix of disapproval and happiness. Octavia fell back to all fours and, after a shaky smile to Frederick, the Quartet all bowed together to the raucous applause of the audience.

Rarity clapped from the balcony for all she was worth, her eyes still filled with tears. “Brava! Brava!” she yelled, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the quartet take one final bow before hurrying off stage. I… that was… Rarity tried to put her thoughts into a cohesive order as she sat back into her chair, but even as she attempted to restore order to her heart, one thought rose above all others:

I have to go to her.

It struck with such urgency that the unicorn bolted out of her seat, her eyes wide. “I have to go to her!” she muttered aloud, and without hesitation, she turned and headed for the door. However, her path to the door was obstructed – the Pegasus mare she’d shared the booth with the entire evening stood framed in the doorway, her silhouette dark against the curtains. Rarity danced to and fro even as she offered the other pony a polite smile. “Um, excuse me, ma’am,” she said as politely as she could. “But I really must be going – I need to catch one of the performers before she leaves so if you wouldn’t mind–,”

“Are you going to see Octavia?” the other mare asked quietly.

Rarity stopped in mid step at the mention of Octavia and, after a moment, her eyes narrowed. “…and if I am?” she asked carefully. To her relief, the Pegasus chuckled lightly and shook her head.

“I just wanted you to tell her something for me.” The mare met Rarity’s gaze once more, her brilliant purple eyes sparkling with unshed tears. “Tell her that Rhapsody of the Spring Dawn was overrated, anyway… she’ll know what it means.” And with that, the mare ducked through the curtains and disappeared.

Rarity blinked after her in confusion, and after a moment’s hesitation, she leaped through the curtain after the other mare, but to her surprise, she was nowhere to be seen. The unicorn felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. “Easy, Rarity… easy girl… don’t lose sight of the prize, here!” she muttered. She straightened and gave her head a firm shake, her determined smile returning to her lips. “I have to go find Octavia!”

Down through the Hall Rarity went, fording her way through the crowd of ponies who were all trying to exit the building as she tried to make her way deeper into it and it took her much longer than she would have liked to get to the stage area on the first floor. With a glance behind her to ensure that everypony else was focused on leaving the room, the unicorn turned to dart up the small flight of stairs that would lead to the backstage area, but as her hoof hit the bottom step, a pony cleared her throat at the top of the stairs, and with a jolt, Rarity looked up into the face of the very pony she had set out to find.

Octavia stood at the top of the stairs, her eyes sparkling in the low light as she smiled shakily down at the unicorn. Rarity felt her breath catch in her throat as she froze in place, her eyes widening.

“Octavia,” she whispered. “I… I was just coming to find you…”

“And I you,” Octavia replied, her voice soft and full of tears. She sniffled and wiped a hoof across her eyes. “I wasn’t certain that you’d come, but… I had hoped…”

The unicorn let out a choked laugh. “As if I’d miss this for anything in the world,” she took a step away from the backstage stairs, and as soon as the space was clear, Octavia hurried down the short flight to stand on the same level as Rarity.

“And… and did you like it?” Octavia asked breathlessly, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she took short, shallow breaths.

Rarity’s smile returned and, this time, she could feel warmth blossoming in her cheeks. “I loved it, darling.” She took a step forward so that the two mares were almost touching noses and, after a heartbeat’s hesitation, she raised her left hoof and caressed Octavia’s cheek gently. “I loved it… almost as much as I love you.”

As soon as the words left her mouth Octavia gasped, and after a moment the mare squeezed her eyes shut tightly and leaned against Rarity’s touch eagerly, as if she hadn’t ever wanted anything more.

“Rarity…” she whispered, “…I love you, too.”

The unicorn’s eyes welled up with tears again and, in spite of herself, Rarity sobbed as she smiled.

“Oh Octavia, I’ve wanted to tell you that for so long…” She sniffled then gave her head a brisk shake. “Why… why don’t we get out of here? Go somewhere that we can talk?”

Octavia opened her beautiful eyes and gave Rarity a quavering smile. “I know a place we could go.”

The concert hall slowly emptied of its occupants and, for most of the concert goers, the magic of that night would last perhaps the next day, another one after that if they were true music lovers, but Rarity knew that the magic of that night would stay with her forever, and as she and Octavia turned to leave, their bodies pressed against one another affectionately, she knew that a new adventure was just beginning.

Epilogue: Beneath the Stars

“So, why did you get so angry at me the other night?”

The night was beautiful in Canterlot and the waning moon overhead cast just enough light to give the trees in the park a silvery appearance as the two mares sat on a bench beneath a single street lamp, their beautiful dresses arranged delicately about them. Rarity’s heart hadn’t stopped pounding in her chest since she had told Octavia that she loved her and, as they sat together with their cheeks pressed against one another, she honestly didn’t think it would stop anytime soon. Next to her, she heard Octavia sigh and, after a moment, the earth pony nuzzled her cheek affectionately.

“I am sorry that I got so angry, Rarity. I should not have. I… I suppose it was because I had started to believe that you understood me so well that there was no way that you could make a mistake like that, and…” Rarity turned to look at her and, even in the low light of the streetlamp, she could see Octavia blushing. “I suppose… I was angry that you weren’t exactly… perfect. I… I know it sounds terribly stupid, but–”

The unicorn smiled knowingly and touched Octavia’s hoof with her own. “No, none of that, now,” she chided softly. “It’s not stupid, Octavia… because I did the same thing. I got angry at you because you weren’t exactly how I thought you should be.” She met Octavia’s gaze once more and smile lovingly. “But then I received some very good advice from some very good friends and they made me see that the perfect version of you wasn’t what I wanted – I wanted the real you. The one who makes mistakes, and has bad ideas, and… and is a real pony.” She leaned forward and nuzzled the other mare’s cheek gently. “That’s the Octavia I fell in love with,” she whispered, “and that’s the Octavia I want to be with.”

“Mmmm…” Octavia leaned into her nuzzle eagerly and let out a content sigh. “I suppose you’re wondering about Vinyl and about my song?” she asked.

“Only if you’re willing to tell me.”

Octavia’s smile grew and she nodded emphatically. “Well, Vinyl and I dated for a year. At first, I was very much in love with her, but I quickly realized that she was not what I needed in a partner. And that was that.” She shrugged, but after a moment she smiled sheepishly. “As for the song… Il Mio Diamante is all about you, Rarity. It starts before I first saw you, when I was deeply lonely, and goes through the times here in Canterlot that I have seen you: first at the Gala two years ago, then at the Garden Party a year ago, and then earlier this month, when you came here to make dresses.” Her ears folded back against her mane and she turned away from Rarity slightly. “I’ll admit… I first came to your shop to convince myself that you weren’t worth the time. I… I had fallen in love with nothing but what I had seen of you and then what my mind had made up about you. I had decided that nothing would break the ridiculous cycle of my wandering heart faster than seeing you for who you truly were.” She let out a sigh and shook her head. “I was convinced that you couldn’t possibly be as perfect as I’d imagined you, but you quickly proved me wrong.” She let out one of the soft, breathy laughs that Rarity adored so much. “Of course, then you proved me right, but by then, it didn’t matter.” She turned her luminous eyes back to the unicorn. “By then I had truly fallen in love with you, Rarity… and as you said, the real you was more amazing than I had ever imagined.”

The unicorn blushed deeply. “Oh Octavia…” She nuzzled the other pony again before sitting back. “I do have another question, though.”

“And what is that?”

“Well, why don’t you tell ponies you play at the Magical Hat?” Rarity arched an eyebrow at her and gave her hoof a squeeze. “You play so beautifully and with such passion! Why don’t you tell ponies about it?”

Now, Octavia winced, but thankfully she didn’t try to pull away from Rarity as she once would have. Instead, she took a deep breath and sighed. “I hide it because I fear my father will not approve,” she admitted quietly. “He always pressed me to do something that would honor our family and when I expressed an interest in classical music, he was overjoyed, but I do not know how he feels about jazz.” She sighed. “I fear he would take it as a sign that I am following my mother’s Discord-may-care lifestyle and–” she paused and sniffled before continuing “–and I fear that if he believed that, he would withdraw from me.”

“Aaaaah… I see.” Rarity gave Octavia’s hoof another squeeze, her heart thrilling at the touch of her velvety coat against her own. “I understand… and–” now it was Rarity’s turn to look embarrassed “—and, by Celestia, I am so sorry for what I said that night! I didn’t mean a word of it, and–,” suddenly, Octavia’s hoof rose from the bench and pressed itself gently against Rarity’s lips, stifling her words.

“It’s all right, Rarity,” Octavia whispered, her smile gentle. “I know that we were both… out of sorts, as my father would say. And I forgive you… as long as you will forgive me?”

Rarity smiled and brought her hoof up to Octavia’s so that the pads of their hooves pressed together. “Of course I do,” she whispered.

“Though, I think you were right,” Octavia admitted after a moment. “I do keep other ponies out… and perhaps that is not a good thing as I first thought it was.” She lowered their hooves back to the bench and smiled warmly at the unicorn. “Perhaps… perhaps I should make more of an effort to be a friend to Beauty… and perhaps I can meet your friends, as well.” Rarity giggled happily.

“Oh, I would love to introduce you to them! I’m certain that they’ll love you!” The unicorn’s smile shrank slightly. “But even if I was right, I was also wrong. Choosing to be alone and choosing to be more private are not bad things, and I shouldn’t have overstepped my boundaries and tried to force you out of your comfort zone before you were ready.” She met Octavia’s gaze again. “Perhaps you can show me the wonders that a more private lifestyle can afford a mare? I’m certain that everything is much more peaceful.” To her surprise, Octavia’s cheeks flared with color at the mention of a private lifestyle, but before she could press the occurrence, the earth pony nodded.

“O-of course I can… gladly.” She smiled, but after a moment, her smile dimmed. “And… I suppose that brings up the one question looming over us, Rarity. If you want to be together… how shall we do it? I have my career here in Canterlot, but you have your friends, family and career in Ponyville.” She shook her head. “I do not know what we can do.”

Rarity chuckled lightly. “Oh, my darling Octavia,” she cooed. “That’s trouble for another day. Tonight we have each other and that is more than enough.” She giggled and snuggled closer to Octavia, who rubbed her muzzle beneath Rarity’s chin. “I’ll come to Canterlot as often as I can,” Rarity whispered. “And you can come visit me in Ponyville whenever you want… and we’ll take this slowly.”

“…thank you, Rarity,” came Octavia’s whispered reply. “I hope that you know how much that means to me.”

“And when the time comes,” Rarity continued, giving Octavia’s hoof yet another squeeze. “I can always move to Canterlot. After all, my dresses seem to sell quite well here.” To her surprise, Octavia shook her head slightly beneath her chin.

“If that is your decision, but I would be more than willing to move to Ponyville with you–” she slid her muzzle out from beneath Rarity’s and locked eyes with the unicorn, “—because, wherever you are, that is where my heart lives and that is where my home shall be.”

The unicorn smiled brightly and nuzzled Octavia once more, her heart soaring to the stars above her. “We’ll be together and that’s what’s important,” she agreed softly.

Silence fell between the two mares for a long time, though how long it was neither of them could ever say, but finally, Rarity’s head came up with a jerk.

“Oh, that’s right!” She turned to Octavia, who blinked at her sleepily. “I’m so sorry, but I completely forgot! I met a pony at the concert who wanted me to tell you something.” The earth pony yawned delicately and rubbed her eyes.

“And… what did she say?”

“She said that… she said that ‘Rhapsody of the Spring Dawn was overrated, anyway’. Does that mean anything to you?”

Octavia’s eyes flew open in surprise, but after a moment, it melted into a soft, gentle smile. “Oh… is that what she said?” she muttered with an airy chuckle. “Well, I’ll remember that.” The earth pony let out a sigh and nuzzled close to Rarity’s neck once more. “My mother always did have a strong opinion on my music…”

~THE END~

Bonus Chapter- Aren't We Forgetting Something..?

“…and that’s how it all happened, from start to finish. It all sounds a bit far-fetched when I say it out loud like that, I must admit,” Rarity set her chopsticks down at the top of her plate before turning and smiling at the pony who sat next to her, “but it couldn’t have worked out more perfectly for the two of us.”

Octavia nodded, her eyes sparkling in the low light of the White Lily as her own chopsticks stirred her noodles idly. “I could not agree more,” she said softly before turning her gaze to the pony who sat across the table from the couple. “After that night, Rarity made the decision to spend an extra week or two here in Canterlot so that we could see more of one another. She told me that to leave when she was supposed to would not feel right and I told her that I agreed. We–” the earth pony’s cheeks flushed demurely as she stole a glance at the unicorn next to her once more and Rarity felt her own cheeks grow warm at the adoration in the other mare’s eyes, “–we needed more time together before we had time apart.” Octavia finished finally, her soft words carrying easily in the quiet of the empty restaurant as she reached up with her free hoof and touched the amethyst that hung at her throat.

Rarity’s smile grew as she turned back to Silver Blossom, the third pony at their table. “We wanted to figure a few things out before we parted ways, the most important of which being how we were going to go about this long-distance relationship and then how long we may have to do it.” The unicorn gave her mane a gentle toss and, not for the first time, she was happy that the restaurant was deserted. It can be a bit awkward to spill ones innermost feelings with strangers listening. “Since we confessed our feelings a week ago, Octavia and I have spent almost every waking moment together. She took time away from the quartet to be with me and, since my business here in Canterlot is complete, I didn’t have anything to do but be with her.”

“We have spoken on many things,” said Octavia, taking up the lead once more. “How often we should see one another, how long each of our visits should be.” She gave Rarity another smile. “Rarity has been very insistent that we take things slowly because we still need to be our own mares, as she so rightly put it, and I learned enough from Vinyl to know better than to move in with a pony too quickly.”

“Quite right,” said Rarity. “And besides, you have the Grand Galloping Gala to rehearse for now! That must not be sacrificed for time with me,” she reached out with a hoof and touched Octavia’s softly and, at her touch, Octavia brought her gaze back to Rarity’s, “because I am going to be here for you no matter what.” Rarity finished breathlessly, her heart pounding in her chest at the love that she could feel coming from the other mare. No matter what we realized about making a pony into an idealized version of who they are, she is perfect and there is nothing that can make me believe otherwise.

Silence settled comfortably between the pair as they proceeded to gaze lovingly at one another, but before Rarity could get hopelessly lost in Octavia’s eyes once more, the pony sitting across from them spoke.

“Well it certainly took the two of you long enough,” said Silver Blossom as she lifted another bite of rice with her own chopsticks, her eyes bright as they darted from Octavia to Rarity and back again. “I was beginning to wonder if Octavia-chan would ever gather the courage to confess her feelings to you.” The silver mare popped the rice into her mouth nonchalantly as her words sank in, and in a heartbeat, Octavia tore her eyes away from Rarity to level a flustered glare at her cousin, her cheeks coloring even brighter than before.

“S-Silver Blossom, urusai yo!” she hissed, her ears folding back towards her mane. Silver Blossom arched an eyebrow at Octavia as she chewed, and in return, Octavia’s eyes narrowed as her muzzle scrunched indignantly. Rarity felt her lips quirk into a smile and she had to bring a hoof to her mouth to stifle the giggle that was trying its best to wiggle its way out of her throat. I may not know much Neighponese yet, but you don’t have to be an expert to know ‘shut up’ when it’s said, she thought.

Blossom swallowed her bite and rolled her eyes at her cousin. “Gomen, Octavia-chan… but it’s true.” She sighed softly and gave Octavia a small, repentant smile before turning her deep brown eyes to Rarity. “Rarity, you are getting to know Octavia-chan very well, yes?”

The unicorn grinned behind her hoof and the giggle that had threatened her earlier slipped through her lips. “I’d like to think so, yes,” she said, her smile growing.

“And you wish to continue getting to know her, yes?”

Rarity’s eyes went to Octavia once more and, without hesitation, she reached her hoof out and looped it around Octavia’s. “Until there is nothing more to know,” she said softly.

Blossom nodded sagely, her chopsticks still held firmly with her forelegs despite the fact that she had eaten the last morsel of food from her plate. “Then as a pony who cares for Octavia-chan very much, I will do something for you: I will tell you her deepest, darkest secret.” Octavia’s eyes widened, and, as one, she and Rarity turned their gaze to Blossom. Before either of them could say anything, however, the dark haired earth pony nodded and spoke again. “Her deepest secret is… that she always puts other ponies above herself. Her dreams, her goals, her happiness – they have always come second to somepony else’s dreams, goals, and happiness.” Blossom’s eyes softened as she offered her cousin a gentle smile. “She is my sister, no matter our birth parents, and it brings me great joy to see her happy.”

“Silver Blossom…” Octavia whispered, and Rarity glanced at her just in time to see a tear start its way down her cheek.

“However,” Silver Blossom’s voice suddenly became very calm and, when Rarity turned back to her, the other mare’s expression was cool and emotionless. “This also means that Octavia can and will sacrifice her happiness to make you happy, Rarity.” The earth pony finally lowered her chopsticks to the table and, as Rarity watched, she pressed them firmly against the table top with their tips pointing directly at the unicorn. “You must promise me that you will do whatever it takes to ensure that this does not happen.” Blossom arched an eyebrow at Rarity. “Do you promise?”

Next to her, Rarity heard Octavia let out a sort of strangled half-gasp that bespoke surprise and shock. Rarity blinked in confusion, but finally she nodded and gave Blossom a strong smile.

“Of course I do,” she answered confidently. “I would never allow the mare that I love to sacrifice for me while I do nothing to help her.” She squeezed Octavia’s hoof with her foreleg. “If we are in this we are in this together, and if there’s one thing my friends in Ponyville have taught me, it’s that if one part of a team suffers, the whole team suffers.” Her smile became a grin. “Is that enough of a promise for you, Silver Blossom?”

The earth pony’s eyes searched her own for several long seconds and, just when Rarity was beginning to feel a creeping sense of discomfort in her chest, Silver Blossom’s lips curved into a soft, satisfied smile.

“More than enough,” she said quietly. Her hoof suddenly moved her chopsticks to the top of her plate and Rarity felt more than saw Octavia relax next to her. “But that brings up another important subject,” Silver Blossom continued, withdrawing her hoof to her lap. “When will you be meeting each other’s friends and families? Certainly before a marriage proposal, I would hope.” She leveled a pointed gaze at Octavia and, in spite of the look not being directed at her, Rarity blushed right along with the other mare.

“M-marriage!” breathed Rarity with a giggle. “S-Silver Blossom, give us a little bit of time! I… I love Octavia, to be certain, but marriage–”

“–is something that we both must be ready for,” Octavia finished for her. Rarity nodded briskly, but when her eyes met Octavia’s, she saw glowing eagerness and desire that mirrored her own and, somewhere deep inside her, Rarity felt that perhaps things may not move quite as slowly as she thought they might. “But you are right about one thing, Blossom,” Octavia continued after a moment. “We will most certainly have to meet with our families before anything permanently and legally binding happens.” Her hoof squeezed Rarity’s firmly and the unicorn felt another thrill race up her back.

“So, you will be traveling back to Neighpon to visit your home, then?” Blossom asked quietly, her eyes full of concern. “To have Rarity meet your father, Lilac Shimmer, Maple and… her?”

“Of course,” Octavia said with a nod, “though, it will have to be after the Gala is complete. I’m certain Frederick would die if I tried to leave before that.” She turned a smile to Rarity. “But perhaps I can meet your family sooner than that? I would love to come to Ponyville and see your home.”

The unicorn grinned broadly. “And to meet my friends, of course – they’re practically my sisters now, after all!” To her delight, Octavia’s cheeks colored and she smiled happily.

“Nothing would make me happier.”

“Soon, then?” asked Rarity with a wink.

“Very soon,” replied Octavia with a giggle.

Acciaccato- Pt. 2

The clouds over Canterlot had not yet broken by the time Fleur and Rarity had decided to leave, but the heavy atmosphere that hung over the city had told the two mares all they needed to know about the weather that evening: the rain was coming and it was coming soon. It had been painfully obvious, even to Rarity who wasn’t particularly well versed in matters of weather, and after a brief discussion, the two had made the decision to call a taxi to get them to where they wanted to go. Their cab had appeared quickly, but when they told the driver where it was they wanted to go, he had arched an eyebrow at them as if he hadn’t heard them correctly. Rarity had waited for him to ask for clarification, but when the driver had simply shrugged and started pulling the cart along, she had decided to let the subject drop. The two mares weren’t sure how far away this club was, but Fleur had assured Rarity that any of the night clubs in the city were all within a thirty minute cab ride from her home so the designer wasn’t the least bit worried about time. Even though they weren’t expecting a long ride, the two mares had quickly lost themselves in excited speculation as to what the night had in store for them and Rarity even acknowledged that her previous trepidation about the evening was quickly falling away as they got closer and closer to their destination.

However, when the cab driver finally stopped in the street next to a long, dark alleyway, Rarity’s brow furrowed into a suspicious frown.

“A’ight, here’s your stop,” he said, his accent clipped and flippant. “That’ll be five bits.”

Rarity blinked at the driver before turning her gaze to the city around her and, as her eyes flitted from one shadowy building to the next, she could not deny that, while Canterlot was considered one of the safest cities in the realm, she did not feel entirely comfortable in this particular neighborhood. The street they had stopped on was near the downtown district and, as such, had the large buildings and businesses of the greater Canterlot area looming over it, their dimly-lit façades fading off into the bleakness that hung overhead. The street was narrow and the buildings around it taller than the usual style in Canterlot with most of their construction made up of tall brick walls that made the whole place feel even more closed in. It feels almost the same as walking into the Everfree Forest late at night, the designer thought with a shiver. The same foreboding, the same darkness… I suppose the exception is that, in the Everfree, we know WHY it feels that way.

She was certain it was just the weather looming over their heads that was turning an average night into a horror story waiting to happen, but she would be roped and branded before she would willingly walk into a horror story without some kind of preparation.

“But where is the Magical Hat?” Rarity asked, turning a suspicious gaze on the driver. “We asked to be taken to the Magical Hat club, sir.” The stallion gave his head a brisk shake before turning to her and smirking.

“And here y’are,” he said with a nod to his right. “315 Morrowood Drive, the Magical Hat.”

Rarity blinked and followed his nod with her gaze to the buildings next to her, worry creasing her brow. I don’t like the look of this. In the light from the street lamps, she could see that there was a gap in the foreboding wall of bricks, a sliver of blackness in the gray overcoat of the street. It was an alleyway and it was so dark that Rarity couldn’t see anything past the small triangle of yellow light that the streetlamps made across its entrance. The unicorn felt her excitement and elation suddenly wane drastically and her ears drooped almost to her mane in trepidation. This is starting to seem like a very bad idea, she thought, but before she could voice her anxiety Fleur sat forward with a smile.

“But where is the club, sir?” she asked. “My friend and I are used to going to clearly lit places with a sign out front, so you’ll forgive us if a dark alley seems to be a bit of a strange place for a club.” Rarity arched an eyebrow in Fleur’s direction at the forthrightness of her question. I’m a bit surprised at her – that question makes us sound like a pair of clueless out-of-towners, she thought with a frown, but without missing a beat the driver turned his head and gave a knowing grin to Fleur.

“Aaah, I getcha. Sorry I didn’t explain b’fore, ladies, but it ain’t often that a pony asks to come to a club like this an’ don’t know what she’s in for.” He turned back to face the alley and pointed with his right front hoof. “The club is down that alleyway jus’ a bit, not far, but far enough that you won’t be able to see the sign from the street.” He made a vague gesture with his hoof that drifted towards the front of the taxi. “Jus’ go in there an’ about thirty feet back you’ll see a sign set into the wall on your left, glowing neon sign, can’t miss it. An’ next to the sign there’s, like, three stairs, I dunno I don’t go there, three or four stairs that leads to the door of the club.” He dropped his hoof back to the ground and turned a comforting smile back to the two mares. “Don’t you worry none about the dark, neither,” he said with a nod. “This part of the city is older, but just as safe as the rest of Canterlot. It’s mostly for the atmosphere of it, really.”

“But why would they put a sign back where you can’t see it from the street?” asked Rarity, her already arched eyebrow rising higher on her head. “That seems oddly suspicious.” Instead of answering her, however, Fleur waved her hoof dismissively at Rarity before turning her smile back to the cab driver.

“Thank you very much for the ride and your help, sir,” she said sweetly. Her horn lit up and she levitated a small collection of bits out of her stylish saddlebag. “This is for the ride–” five bits separated from the stack and slid into the driver’s own bag, “–and this,” Fleur said with a wink, “is for the extra information. Thank you once again, sir.” Five more bits slid neatly into the stallion’s bag and his smile became brighter as he tipped his hat to the tall unicorn.

“No problem at all, ma’am. Happy to help an’ all.”

As Fleur nodded to him in return, Rarity felt her ire rise and it only burned hotter as her friend turned to her and gestured towards the street with a hoof, indicating that she was to get out. I know that I’ve said it before, but I truly do HATE feeling like I’ve missed something! She thought vehemently. She frowned hard at Fleur before standing in the wagon and hopping out, her hooves clopping loudly in the nearly silent street as she took several quick steps away from the wagon to regain her balance. Moments later, Fleur joined her, the taller pony stepping gracefully out of the wagon before turning and offering the driver one last, gracious nod. The driver grinned and offered the comely unicorn a wink before giving his wagon a heave and starting off down the quiet street, no doubt towards one of the busier parts of town. Rarity watched as Fleur waved after him, her frown deepening so much that when her friend turned back towards her Fleur blinked in surprise.

“Why Rarity, what’s the matter?” she asked. “You look like somepony insulted your family.”

“Insulted my intelligence, perhaps,” Rarity huffed as she turned towards the alley, her shoulders tight with irritation. She stared into the darkness off the street as she gave her head a small shake. “I mean, it’s obviously a private club of some kind, but why have it off the street in such a manner? I’ve never seen it done that way in other cities.” Over her shoulder she heard Fleur sigh loudly and, to her surprise, she heard the other pony’s light laughter float over her ears.

“Well Rarity, it’s not as if you’ve shown much interest in the Canterlot night life since you’ve been here,” Fleur reminded her as she took the few steps separating the two mares and drew up next to Rarity. “Perhaps if you’d allowed me to take you out once or twice instead of locking yourself away with your work..?” Rarity’s nose wrinkled as she glared at Fleur, but after a moment, both mares chuckled softly and Rarity relaxed.

“Yes, perhaps I should have,” she conceded, her hooves scraping across the stones beneath her as the pair started towards the alley. “But now that we’re out and about as you wanted, perhaps you could enlighten me, darling.” Rarity’s gaze danced over the entrance to the alley, taking in every bit of stone and mortar that she could. The stone was damp from the moisture in the air and as the two mares stepped from the well-lit street into the shadows of the alley Rarity could not help but feel as though she were stepping into a cave instead of a street. The earthy scents of moistened stone filled her nostrils, but to her surprise, that was the only smell that she could detect. There was no rotting garbage, no small animal traces, nothing other than the clean scent of wet stone reached her refined scent palate and, in spite of what the cab driver had said, Rarity felt surprise wash over her, quickly followed by a relaxing sense of relief. That means this place is well taken care of, she thought as she increased her pace, her hoofsteps echoing loudly off the bare walls in cadence with Fleur’s.

“Clubs like this one are private clubs in the most extreme sense of the word,” said Fleur quietly as they walked. “Here in Canterlot, there are many high-profile ponies who are so recognizable to the public that they simply cannot get a moment’s peace even when they go out to relax. Ponies like the Wonderbolts, Hoity Toity the fashion designer, Sapphire Shores the pop singer. They all wanted places that they could go relax, have a drink or two, and listen to other ponies ply their trade for a bit. So, a few enterprising businessponies decided to put together a few clubs that were different than your usual establishment: private clubs that were not only closed to the everyday pony on the street, but that were impossible to get into without being invited by a pony who already went there.” Ahead of the pair, a bright, colorful light slowly came into view, its radiance lighting up the wall on Rarity’s right even though the source itself remained hidden. Fleur turned her head and gave Rarity a smirk. “Who did you say invited you, again?”

“Vinyl Scratch,” Rarity said, her eyes riveted to the glow ahead. “She said I should come here.”

“Well, let’s hope that counts as an invitation, otherwise this is going to be a very short adventure, indeed.”

Rarity snorted softly and nodded, but despite Fleur’s words she couldn’t bring herself to feel any kind of trepidation. Instead, she could feel her enthusiasm beginning to bubble inside her once more as the two mares finally stepped into the bright glow that illuminated the wall and Rarity was forced to blink a few times as she peered eagerly towards the light source. It was a neon sign, just as the driver had said it would be: bright white lights made up the outline of the top hat from the card Vinyl had given Rarity while a square of deep purple lights served as the band across it. The entire hat sat atop three words that blazed magenta in the darkness, three words that made Rarity’s stomach flip with excitement: The Magical Hat.

The unicorn’s eyes widened as she stared at the sign, its brilliant colors dousing her with its multi-hued light and washing her normally pristine white coat a faded shade of purple. Here it is, she thought almost reverently. Finally, I’ll unravel Vinyl’s little mystery game and find out why she wanted me to come here! She could feel her hooves bouncing against the cobblestones as anticipation rose up and mingled with her eagerness and, as her eyes darted from the sign to the door next to it, she felt as though she were no longer standing next to Fleur but rather floating alongside her in the damp air.

A few moments passed as Rarity stared at the sign and the bright red door next to it, her mind racing with all of the thoughts and feelings that had been buried by the avalanche of her earlier revelations about Octavia. She continued to stare until she felt a gentle, yet insistent, nudge against her left side. The unicorn blinked and shook her head briskly before turning her gaze to her companion, who arched an eyebrow at her.

“Is everything all right, Rarity?” asked Fleur with a smirk. “Or am I going to have to carry you into this club?” Rarity’s nose crinkled as she rolled her eyes at her friend.

“You most certainly will not be doing that,” she said firmly. “I’m perfectly capable of moving myself, thank you very much.”

“Then why don’t we get inside before the rain starts, hmm?” The tall unicorn nodded towards the door. “I’ll even let you go first, since the pony that invited us is your friend.”

“But why would that matter?” Rarity frowned as she took Fleur’s advice and moved past the neon sign towards the door that led to the club itself. The door sat recessed into the brickwork of the building a good pony-length and lower than the street by three whole steps, giving the impression that one was entering into a burrow or another passage in the cave of the alley.

“Trust me, Rarity,” Fleur said as the pair descended the stairs to the landing below, “In a club like this, the pony who sent you matters.”

“I see.” Rarity felt a thrill of trepidation flash up her spine as she approached the door, causing her head to spin slightly. “Well, I hope that her name is enough, then.” She took a deep breath, lifted her right front leg, and wrapped her hoof around the doorknob, but just as she was about to turn it, she turned back to Fleur with a broad grin. “I wonder what kind of club this is going to be,” she whispered excitedly. “I mean, I guess I really didn’t think of it before now.”

Fleur smiled ever so slightly and rolled her eyes, but her voice held none of the sarcasm that Rarity had expected from her. “Well, what kind of mare is your friend Vinyl?” she asked, shifting on her hooves to stand closer to Rarity. “What kind of a club would she like, do you think?”

Rarity’s eyes widened as a vision rose unbidden into her mind: a vision of hypnotically flashing lights, mind-jarringly loud music, and eagerly gyrating ponies on a glowing, iridescent dance floor. “Oh my… I suppose I didn’t think of it that way,” she muttered, her brow furrowing. Next to her, Fleur let out a loud sigh, but the smile she gave Rarity wasn’t tense or irritated in the slightest. Instead, the smile that the taller unicorn offered her was the same kind of smile that Rarity gave to Twilight when she was over-thinking something – the gentle, encouraging smile that suggested action over deliberation. Rarity knew that smile well and, with a soft chuckle, she gave Fleur one in return. “You’re right, Fleur,” she said firmly. “Enough of this – let’s go in and see just what kind of mess that disc jockey has gotten us in to!”

Her hoof tightened on the knob then twisted it firmly and, after taking a deep breath, Rarity stood up straight, put on her best no-nonsense face, and opened the door.

Instead of the pounding, head-throbbing music that she was expecting to hear, Rarity was more than a bit surprised when a gentle piano solo washed over her, its notes calm and melancholic in the darkness of the interior of the building. She blinked as she released the doorknob and stepped forward, allowing Fleur to follow her inside and close the door behind them. The whole room was dark, though Rarity noted that it was a great deal more brightly lit than the alleyway outside. Perhaps that’s why there are no lights on the outside of the building, she realized. That way when you come inside, it immediately looks brighter. To her left, there was a large partition, a high dark wood obstacle that reminded her greatly of the large panels that had been used in the White Lily and, to her right, stood the inner wall of the building, its dark red bricks dry and handsome-looking compared to their damp cousins in the street. Her eyes roved the wall upwards, her gaze tracing the bricks as they climbed halfway up the wall before they stopped in an abrupt line and became a soothing off-white plaster. From there, the plaster climbed the rest of the way to the ceiling and spread out over the rest of the room, its far reaches hidden from view by the wooden barrier. That is its function, no doubt, Rarity thought with the quirk of a knowing smile. If what Fleur said is correct, then the owners of the Hat would no doubt be very particular about the privacy of their clients and this simple, easily assembled faux-wall ensures that, even if some random pony enters their club, they cannot catch a glimpse of some famous pony or other for use in their tabloids or whatever else they may do with that information. The piano tickled Rarity’s ears again and, in spite of herself, her smile broadened. A classy establishment indeed!

She let out a sigh and turned her eyes back to the narrow path before her and, as her gaze settled onto the broad shoulders and impassive face of the most enormous earth pony she had ever laid eyes on, her smile flickered and died out like a flashlight with dead batteries.

Ah yes, I forgot that classy establishments usually have bouncers, she thought weakly. Her ears slowly flattened themselves against her head as the earth pony approached them, his mere presence seeming to press Rarity down towards the floor. His coat was deep chocolate brown, his mane was charcoal black, and he had eyes that were the most intense blue that Rarity had ever seen. He was perhaps the most intimidating presence she had ever felt and he stopped mere feet from the two mares, his eyes darting from Rarity to Fleur and back again as his lips pressed into a thin line.

“Welcome to the Magical Hat,” he said, his voice deep and strong. “Can I help you?” Rarity opened her mouth, but even as the words rose in her throat she stopped herself before speaking. Hold on a moment, Rarity. If this club is of the caliber that Fleur claims it is, you’re not going to get in bowing and scraping like a servant. Stand up straight! She raised her head and shifted her hooves so that her shoulders realigned properly. Look confident! She took a deep breath and forced her expression to become neutral and businesslike as her ears popped back upright. Now – tell this stallion how he can help you!

“I certainly hope that you can help me,” she said with a toss of her mane. “A friend of mine recommended this club to me and I was hoping to find a seat.”

The stallion’s eyes narrowed slightly. “The Magical Hat is an invitation only club, ma’am,” he said quietly. “I’m afraid it’s not open to the public.”

Rarity stood up even straighter, trying her best to look the stallion squarely in the eyes despite being a good head shorter than he was. “And one of your patrons invited me,” she said confidently. “That does count as an invitation, does it not?”

“Hmmm…” The bouncer leaned down and peered at her closely, “and the name of your friend, ma’am?”

“Vinyl Scratch,” said Rarity as she met his gaze unblinkingly. As soon as she said her friend’s name, the stallion’s entire demeanor changed: his eyes widened and he immediately took a step back and, as he did so, Rarity felt the pressure in her chest ease as if his mere presence truly had been pressing her down.

“Oh, Miss Scratch invited you!” He said, his voice suddenly much less intimidating than it had been moments before. His deep tones shifted from a threatening blanket of thunderclouds to the warmth of a thick down comforter in a matter of seconds as he smiled. “That must mean that you’re Miss Rarity!” The unicorn felt a swell of pride in her chest at the way he said her name and, after a moment, she tossed her mane importantly.

“Indeed I am,” she said with a dazzling smile. “She mentioned me, did she?”

“Oh did she ever!” the stallion said with a deep, warm chuckle. “Ever since you came to Canterlot three weeks ago, you’re all she could talk about! She’d just go on and on and…” His eyes widened slightly and, after a moment, he raised his hoof to his muzzle and coughed lightly. “Well anyway, she mentioned a few days ago that you might be coming, so she told me to keep an eye out for you.” He extended his hoof towards her, his broad face splitting into a grin. “The name’s Bulwark, ma’am – it is such a pleasure to finally meet you.” Rarity blushed at the earnest enthusiasm in his voice as she reached out her right hoof and shook Bulwark’s firmly.

“A pleasure to meet you, sir,” she said with a smile. “So am I to assume that I am allowed in?”

“Of course, Miss Rarity! I’ll even show you to your table myself.” He lowered his hoof and his gaze flickered to Fleur. “Of course, we may have to have a word about your friend, unless she was invited by Miss Scratch as well?”

Rarity opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Fleur stepped up next to her, a confident smile on her lips. “I was not, but perhaps you could admit me anyway, Bulwark?”

The large stallion frowned, and suddenly his presence filled the hallway again as he took a step forward. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, ma’am,” he said quietly. “Not unless you are–”

“–somepony worth admitting?” Fleur finished with a grin. “Perhaps you could ask your boss if you’re allowed to admit Fleur de Lis.” Rarity glanced at Fleur, her chest suddenly tight from the tension in the air. Oh Fleur, please don’t be doing something stupid, she thought frantically, but to her everlasting surprise, Bulwark’s eyes widened again, so much that she felt certain they would pop out of his head.

“F-F-Fleur de Lis?!” he whispered sharply. “Oh wow, ma’am, I… I am so sorry I didn’t recognize you!” He cleared his throat and straightened his neck, his face once again businesslike and confident. “You’re definitely on our list of ponies to admit, Miss de Lis.” He bowed his head slightly, then turned in the confined space and gestured towards the opening at the end of the partition. “Please, this way.”

The two mares nodded as one and, together, the three ponies headed towards the rest of the room. As Bulwark pulled ahead of them, Rarity turned her head and arched a suspicious eyebrow at her friend.

“And how is it that your name just happens to be on a list of ponies admitted to an exclusive club?” she asked quietly, her mane bobbing with her movements as they walked. Fleur smiled secretively and gave her own mane a self-satisfied toss.

“There are a great many things you still don’t know about me, dear Rarity,” she whispered as Bulwark stopped at the gap in the faux-wall. “Maybe one of these days I’ll tell you all about it.” She winked as the pair reached Bulwark and, with a silent sigh, Rarity turned her attention back to the stallion. He smiled and nodded before stepping out into the main room and, as Rarity’s gaze followed the stallion, she finally got to see the thing that had plagued her imagination for days: the interior of the Magical Hat.

The club was, in Rarity’s opinion, the very definition of minimalistic style and class. At the center of the far wall sat a low stage where a gray stallion played the piano, the stage’s lights the only great source of illumination in the entire room. Deep, wine colored curtains hung to either side of the stage area and, as Rarity’s gaze darted around the room, she noticed that the theme of dark wood and deep red were repeated everywhere in the Hat – the chairs and tables in the center of the room near the stage mimicked the color scheme as did the woodwork along the booths set into the walls. Deep crimson curtains hung to either side of most of the booths while some were drawn closed and, as the trio moved along the edge of the tables at the room’s center, Rarity realized that those were privacy curtains. When combined with the soft lights that illuminated each booth from the inside, the ponies who sat in the booths along the edge of the room would appear as silhouettes, at best, even if they decided not to draw the privacy curtains. All in all, it was clear that a good deal of thought had gone into privacy at the Magical Hat. They must have some prestigious clients, indeed, if they feel the need to hide even when here, she thought as she followed Bulwark deeper into the building.

The thought of the Hat’s patrons wrenched Rarity’s attention away from the building’s décor and forced it towards the various ponies who sat throughout the room. It did not seem to be a busy night for the club and Rarity estimated that a good deal less than half the seats in front of the stage were full, but taking Bulwark at his word, she knew that each of these ponies was an individual she would call “the type of pony everypony should know”. I wonder if there’s anypony I know here tonight. Her eyes darted to and fro across the scattered crowd, their low murmured conversations creating a gentle thrum of noise that nestled itself beneath the piano player’s lonesome melody as if it were a warm blanket on a cool autumn evening. She kept her gaze moving steadily as the trio moved towards the booths directly opposite the stage, ensuring that she didn’t stop and stare at anypony for a length of time that would seem inappropriate, but it was a difficult thing, she had to admit.

Seated near stage left was a light blue Pegasus mare that Rarity recognized despite her stylish sunglasses hiding her eyes. No matter what she was wearing, Fleetfoot was not a pony that was easy to forget, especially with her shocking all-but white mane and cool demeanor. Rarity’s gaze shifted from Fleetfoot to one of the booths along the wall behind the Pegasus where she could see Hoity Toity relaxing with his signature sunglasses off for a change, his smile calm and peaceful as he sipped at a glass full of a deep red liquid. I can’t remember ever seeing him so at ease, she thought with a smile. It’s nice to see that he does have a haven where he feels so comfortable. She allowed herself a small, breathy chuckle as she turned her attention back towards her companion, but as she did so, her eyes caught movement in one of the booths that flanked stage right – a shimmer of ethereal blue that glimmered like a thousand stars nestled in the bosom of space that quickly tucked itself back into the privacy curtains drawn about the booth.

The unicorn blinked and paused in her walk, her brow furrowing. Was that..? She squinted at the booth, hoping that whatever it was would make a second appearance, but after a few moments she gave her head a shake and smiled even as her ears drooped slightly. Oh come now, Rarity, don’t be silly. You’re just seeing things. She snorted under her breath and hurried after Fleur.

Finally, Bulwark turned once sharply and stopped next to one of the curtained booths, his smile just as friendly as it had been before. “All right, ladies, this is your booth for the evening. Miss Scratch requested that we give you her own personal seat directly across from the stage.” His smile became a grin. “We love Miss Scratch, but we all know she only shows up for the music so this seat was really the natural selection for her.” He gestured with his hoof and dipped his head politely. “Please enjoy yourselves and Dawn will be over shortly to take your orders if you’d like something.”

“Thank you very much,” said Fleur with a gracious nod as she stepped up to the booth.

“Yes, thank you,” Rarity echoed as she moved to stand next to Fleur. “And if I could bother you for the time, please? Vinyl told me that I should try to be here before eleven, though I have no idea why.”

To her surprise, Bulwark’s eyes narrowed and his grin became broad as the two mares slid themselves into the seats of the booth. “Oh, is that why she sent you?” He nodded slowly, as if everything that had happened in the past five minutes had all been the pieces of a huge puzzle and Rarity had just given him the final one. “Yeah, one of her favorite bands is playing tonight at eleven. They’re only here two nights a week and, as far as I know, Miss Scratch hasn’t ever missed a performance. Until tonight, that is.” His brow furrowed slightly as the realization hit him and Rarity could not help but frown herself as he gave his head a shake and smiled once more. “Anyway, the band is called ‘Nothing But Treble’ and they’ll be on stage in about five minutes. I hope you enjoy, ladies.” Without further ado, the large earth pony inclined his head to Rarity and Fleur before turning and hurrying back towards the entry way. Rarity watched him go, her frown still creasing her features.

If she never misses a performance, then why isn’t she here? She wondered as her gaze flickered to the stage where the gray stallion, who had been playing the piano, finished his piece. He rose from the instrument and bowed once to a warm round of applause from the audience before hurrying off stage. And what’s so special about this particular band that she makes sure that she is always here? Rarity watched as a few stage ponies hurried out from behind the curtain and pushed the piano a few feet to the left so that it dominated stage left while two more crew ponies brought out two microphones and a drum set on a small cart.

“This is a beautiful club,” Fleur commented, her voice drawing Rarity’s gaze from where the crew ponies were setting up the drums back to the table. “I just might have to make this a place I frequent, especially if the music continues to be as good as that last stallion.” The other unicorn stretched and settled herself comfortably into the seat, her right hoof reaching out and dragging one of the menus left on the table towards her. “And it will also matter just how good their drinks are.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” said Rarity with a half-hearted smile as her eyes darted back to the stage. “Though, I have to admit, the whole thing is turning out to be a bit more mysterious than I’d first thought. Why wouldn’t Vinyl simply come here with us if she always comes to see this particular group play? Why would she give us her seat and then not show up herself?” The ponies on stage finished setting up the drums and cleared the area as two more ponies shuffled out from behind the curtains carrying a stool and a standing bass. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Well, the logical explanation is that she wanted you to see this show specifically and knew that, if she gave you her seats, you’d have the best view for it.”

Rarity sighed and turned back to Fleur, her expression melancholic. “But that still doesn’t explain why she didn’t come with us,” she said with a sigh. “There’s plenty of space here for the three of us. Why wouldn’t she come, too?”

The murmuring of the club filled the silence between the two mares as the stage ponies finished their changes and hurried away into the unseen world behind the curtains, but before either of them could find a satisfactory answer, four ponies entered from stage right and the crowd’s muttering fell away into silence as one of the quartet moved towards the microphone at the front of the stage, her crimson sequin-covered dress shimmering in the stage lights as she sauntered forward. Rarity’s eyes widened at the mare and it was all she could do to keep her mouth from dropping open in surprise as the soft gold mare stopped before the mic and gave her pink and red mane a toss that caused it to drape spectacularly across the left side of her face.

“Good evening, beloved patrons of the Magical Hat,” she purred into the mic, her clear blue eyes sweeping the building as her full red lips pursed into a coy smile. “Thank you all for braving the impending downpour just for us.” The crowd’s silence broke into a smattering of laughter and applause that caused the mare on stage to giggle tantalizingly. “Oh stop it, all of you – you’ll make me blush!” Her grin widened. “But wait, I already am.”

Behind her, the three other members of the group groaned in exaggerated fashion and, for the first time, Rarity’s eyes were able to focus on anypony other than the mare at the front of the stage. They were clad in wide-brimmed black hats with gray bands as well as dark gray trench coats that hid their features so completely that Rarity couldn’t even tell if they were unicorns, Pegasi or earth ponies. Part of their gimmick, no doubt, she thought as she shifted in her seat, turning her body so that she could better see the show. She was able to note, however, that it seemed to be an all-mare ensemble. That, at least, no mere coat can hide. One of the mares moved to the drum set and, even beneath the hat, Rarity could see the smile on her face. The other two mares remained carefully anonymous as they moved about, one moving to the standing bass while the other pulled a trumpet out from her case. The only thing that they gave away was the race of the trumpet player who shifted her coat and brought out two soft blue wings to play her instrument.

Out of the corner of Rarity’s eye, she saw the shimmering blonde mane of the pony who must have been their waitress arrive, but she wasn’t interested in drinks. Her gaze was riveted to the band. I’m certain that Fleur will be able to take care of herself, she thought.

The mare on stage giggled again and waved a hoof at her band mates before turning back to face the audience again with a seductive grin, her hoof wrapping around the mic stand. “That’s right, everypony – my name is Strawberry Blush and we are Nothing But Treble.”

As soon as the band’s name left Strawberry’s lips, the drummer sprang into action, her sticks kissing the cymbal on her drums before starting a gentle beat that filled the room like the pounding of a heart. The standing bass player joined in next, her hooves plucking the strings expertly as the trumpet player’s head bobbed in time, her instrument held at her side as she waited for her cue. The beat slipped into Rarity and, before she knew it, she was tapping her hoof along with the rest of the ponies in the room. After two cycles of the repeating melody, the trumpet player raised her horn and blew her crisp, clear notes through the foundation laid by the bass and drums, her counter melody winding around and around in a whimsical fashion until, finally, with a look through her bangs that would have made even the staunchest stallion melt, Strawberry Blush began to sing.

I can catch you with my smile,

and melt you with my eyes.

With a voice like honey,

and lips of burning red.

But I’m like a Changeling,

all of this is a disguise,

and once I’m done with you

there’s only one thing to be said.

Her words poured out over the club and even Rarity felt her cheeks begin to flush at the passion the red-haired mare poured into her song. She’s got the spirit for this kind of a show, that’s for certain. Strawberry shifted and gave her mane a toss as the drum, bass, and trumpet rose around her in a crescendo.

You’ll say I’m trouble

I wear hearts strung in my mane.

Yeah, you know I’m trouble,

but you’ll love me just the same.

The trumpet rose over the group as Strawberry took a step back from the mic and, as the Pegasus proceeded to play her solo, Rarity felt a hoof on her leg. She gave a start and turned towards Fleur with a jerk, her eyes wide.

“Are you going to be all right there, Rarity?” the other unicorn asked with a grin. “You seem a bit lost.”

“Oh, I-I’m terribly sorry, Fleur, I–,” before Rarity could even finish her apology, the other unicorn slid a drink across the table to her, a smile on her lips.

“No apologies, Rarity,” she said with a wink as she lifted her own glass that was full of a beautiful honey-colored liquid. “Just music and drinks tonight, enjoy.” The designer glanced down at the drink before her and smiled. The drink was one of the frozen, multi-colored fruity slush drinks that any socialite knew just barely contained any alcohol and was, therefore, the perfect choice for a night when one did not wish to get completely drunk, but still wished to have a good time.

“Thank you very much,” she said with a smile to her companion. “You really didn’t have to buy me a drink, you know.”

“I know I didn’t,” Fleur said as Strawberry resumed her singing. “But you were so enthralled by the band that poor Whiskey Dawn couldn’t get your attention, so I thought I’d take the liberty.” Rarity rolled her eyes sheepishly before leaning down and sipping at the drink through the straw poking out of it and, after a moment, she sat up with a grin.

“Strawberry and mint – oh Fleur, how did you know?” The other unicorn winked over her own glass.

“It’s my favorite drink too. Well, when I can’t get a good whiskey, that is.”

Rarity shook her head at Fleur as the music on stage grew louder once again, drawing the mare’s eyes back to the center of the room where Strawberry Blush held the mic tightly in her hoof.

You found some trouble

and you’ll never be quite the same.

I left your life in rubble,

but you’ll sigh when you hear my name:

You’ll call me Trouble~

The room filled with cheers even before the music had stopped and, as the applause washed over her, Strawberry all but glowed with pride as she took a deep bow. Rarity’s hooves clopped together eagerly along with the rest of the crowd, a happy smile on her lips as the lead singer wiped a hoof across her forehead and stepped back up to the mic.

“Thank you all, so much,” she said after a moment, gesturing for the crowd to quiet down. Rarity fell silent along with the rest of the room as Strawberry smiled out at them in dazzling fashion. “If you’ve heard us play before, you know very well that I’m not just the lead singer – I also play the piano.” She gestured to the unoccupied instrument at stage left, which had, Rarity noticed, been rigged with its own microphone so that whoever was playing it could also sing. “And, if you’ve heard us play before, you know that the singing isn’t just left up to me.” Her smile became brighter, if that was possible. “It’s not often that she does it, but our bass player Lilac Mist has quite the voice. You’re all in for a treat because she has a song that she’s been dying to perform and tonight is the night!” The crowd murmured excitedly and, after a moment, the sequin-clad mare turned and gestured behind her with a hoof. “So please join me in welcoming the beautiful and talented Lilac Mist to the mic!”

Rarity clopped her hooves together enthusiastically as the vibrant Strawberry stepped away from the mic and gestured for the bassist to approach, her long, luxurious mane bobbing boisterously as she did so. The mare at the bass hesitated, her hat still pulled down so far that Rarity couldn’t see her face, but after a little encouraging from Strawberry and the trumpet player, the mare’s shoulders sagged and she dropped to all four hooves. Strawberry giggled loudly enough to be heard even without the microphone and, without waiting another moment, she hurried to the piano as the pony she had called Lilac Mist made her way slowly to the front mic.

“I wonder what kind of song she’ll sing,” Fleur mused aloud. “That last one certainly set a tone for the evening.” Rarity shrugged without glancing at her friend, her eyes glued to the figure approaching the microphone. Lilac Mist stopped in the same place that Strawberry had stood, her hat still pulled down low over her gray face and, as Rarity’s eyes got a better look at the bass player, she noticed a few strands of charcoal mane poking out between the coat and hat, a color that struck deep into the unicorn’s heart.

No, she thought as her heart started to pound. That’s… that’s not possible. I mean, she would have told me if–

The trench coat clad pony reared up onto her hind legs, allowing her long, flowing tail to pool on the floor around her as she allowed the coat to fall from her body and, as “Lilac Mist” kicked her coat back towards the trumpet player, Rarity’s heart swelled in her chest until she felt she might burst because standing at the front of the stage was Octavia in all her beautiful glory.

Rarity was dumbstruck. Every sound in the club seemed to fade away as she found herself staring at the object of her affection far sooner than she thought she would be and, in the perceived silence, all of the puzzle pieces suddenly clicked together in Rarity’s mind. That’s why Vinyl always showed up here on nights when Nothing But Treble played – Octavia is in the band! And… and THAT’S why she wanted me to come here without being here herself – to avoid any awkward situations. Oh Vinyl, you sneaky thing. In the back of her mind, she heard herself wonder why Octavia was using a different name here in the Magical Hat, but at that exact moment, the rest of her brain just couldn’t be bothered with such trivial questions.

The stage lights shimmered across Octavia’s coat as she dropped back to all four hooves and her eyes were alight with a deep fire that Rarity had never seen in them before as she pushed her brimmed hat back with her left hoof before using it to grab the mic stand.

“Thank you, Strawberry,” she said, her velvety voice causing Rarity to gasp. “This is a song I’ve been working on for a very long time and I hope you enjoy it.” She pointed to the drummer and without hesitation she counted off the beat with her sticks before leaping into the next song.

Without the bass to back up the drums, the song sounded different, a little more hollow and empty than it had before, but as Strawberry Blush joined in on the piano, it surged and filled out into a slow, winding melody that made Rarity’s excitement wane just slightly. It sounds so sad, she thought in surprise. The trumpet player relaxed near the back, her horn at the ready as Octavia’s body began to sway back and forth in time with the music, but even as she did so, Rarity could tell that it wasn’t out of joy or an attempt to be seductive as it had been with the first mare. She’s not trying to be some dolled-up hussy out there, Rarity thought with a hint of pride, but before she could even begin to speculate about Octavia’s mood, the piano circled around again and the mare she loved began to sing with Strawberry backing her up from where she sat playing the piano.

Her voice was as smooth as glass and as beautiful as her cello playing and Rarity found that she was so mesmerized by the sound of Octavia’s song that she had to force herself to listen to the words:

The winter moon shines down on me and fills the fleeting night,

caressing my lonely heart with cold hard silver light.

The sparkling shine of champaign plays its echoes in my head,

I hear her come into the room, but not a word is said.

My ears are ringing loudly with the words I’ve heard all day,

so many ponies speaking, with not a lot to say.

Yet even in this storm of mine there’s a pocket of despair,

and my longing sighs escape my lips and filter through the air.

Because no matter where I try to go

and what I try to do,

there comes a time least once a night

where all I can think of is you.

Slowly, the music rose around Octavia and the mare closed her eyes, her calm, silky voice slowly filling with desperation and passion as the trumpet player joined in, her soulful brassy notes playing the perfect counterpoint to Octavia’s rising tone.

My heart is filled with questions, my soul with endless need!

I cross my hooves and wonder when I will be freed.

Her mane is bright with loving and a scent that is divine,

but all I can think of, baby, is ‘When will you be mine?!’

I can’t believe I have to live this way, can’t believe I’ve given in!

I lie and cheat and steal to live, wake up and do it ‘gain.

I have someone who loves me true, and makes me feel so right,

but my eyes see past her every time I stare into the night!

Oh baby don’t you see…!

The gray mare took off her hat and threw it to the stage next to her, allowing the lights to touch her face for the first time that night as the trumpet, drums, and piano slowly faded away around her leaving just her heart-wrenching, desperate voice to fill the room.

That no matter where my heart may go

or who it tries to love…

There comes a time once every night,

when you’re all I’m dreaming of~

The drums cascaded down as the song’s last notes faded away and, immediately, the club burst into woops and cheers of adulation that drowned out Octavia’s final words of thanks. Strawberry Blush turned on her piano bench and clapped her hooves as loudly as any of the other ponies in the club and, from the seat next to her, Rarity heard Fleur cheer noisily into the cacophony, but Rarity couldn’t cheer. She found herself riveted to her seat, her eyes glued to Octavia as she moved towards the back of the band to assume her position at her bass once more, her cheeks flushed and her smile modest.

Rarity had felt the flames of her love calm when she’d left the house with Fleur and she had been certain that a trip out to this club would be the perfect distraction from her feelings and desires as far as Octavia was concerned, but seeing her here had fanned the fire inside of Rarity even brighter and, even as Strawberry announced their next song, Rarity could not take her eyes off of Octavia. She… she was incredible, the unicorn thought as she watched the earth pony put her hat back onto her head. I didn’t know she could sing that way... and that song – so sad, so desperate…

The rest of the band’s set went uneventfully for Rarity and, when asked afterwards, she realized that she really couldn’t remember any songs other than the first two that had been played. The rest of the hour set had been spent with her eyes glued to Octavia, her mind racing with the lyrics of the melancholic song that the gray mare had written and the feelings that had been stirred up into her heart by Octavia’s appearance here. If the fire in her heart had been contained before, the other mare’s presence allowed it to spread like a wildfire, consuming Rarity in a way that she never thought she could be. Every moment she sat apart from Octavia seemed like an eternity and, whenever one of their songs ended, she felt her muscles tense, ready to leap from her seat at the first sign of their set ending. I have to talk to her. The thought was repeated in her mind time and time again until it echoed in her head. I have to talk to her. I have to make her feel better, somehow. I have to. I have to!

Finally, after a particularly spirited song about loving a stallion who was already taken, Strawberry Blush made a very distinct hoof gesture to her band mates before turning back to the crowd with another dazzling smile.

“All right, everypony – it’s time for our break! We’ll be back in twenty minutes, so take this time to get a few drinks! If anypony needs us, we’ll be outside getting a little fresh air!” She winked at the crowd before turning away and as one the band left their instruments and hurried off stage. Rarity forced herself to blink for the first time in twenty minutes and gave her head a shake before turning back to Fleur, her ears perked up excitedly.

“Fleur, I’m going to go after Octavia,” she whispered, her eyes glittering in the low light of the booth. “I have to talk to her again tonight – I can’t stand any more of this waiting!” Fleur arched an eyebrow at her from over her latest empty glass, her expression carefully neutral as she twirled the leftover ice in the bottom of the wide tumbler.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Rarity?” she asked quietly. “I mean, it’s wonderful that you got to see her here and all, but do you really think this is the best time to go running off after her?”

“Oh don’t be silly, Fleur,” Rarity scoffed as she pushed her untouched, now-thawed drink towards the middle of the table. “She’ll be delighted to see me and when I tell her that I–” she felt her cheeks flush “–when I tell her that I love her, I’m sure she’ll be even happier to see me!” Fleur’s eyes widened and she sat up with a jerk.

“Wait, you’re going to tell her now? Tonight?” she asked incredulously. “But… but what about your plan? Waiting ‘til the two of you were at the Boutique? The necklace you made for her?”

“Complications and nonessentials, my dear!” said Rarity as she slid out of their booth and onto her hooves. “Fate has handed me the perfect opportunity to tell her tonight and I MUST see her, TELL her!” The unicorn gave her companion a giddy smile before darting away towards the entrance, her hooves moving deftly across the floor despite having to dodge a few ponies who were rising from their seats. She darted through the small gap in the wooden partition and towards the door where Bulwark was standing guard, and when he saw her his face lit up.

“Miss Rarity!” he greeted with a smile that was wider than Rarity’s entire head, “How are you enjoying the show tonight?”

“Everything has been wonderful, thank you, Bulwark!” she gushed, grinning. “But I have to ask you, where is it that the band goes if they are outside? Do they go back through this entrance, or…?”

“What? Oh no, Miss Rarity,” he said with a chuckle. “There’s a separate entrance along the other side of the building. It’s in another alley, but if you go out through this door,” he gestured to the door behind him, “take a left once you’re outside and turn left at the end, you’ll be able to see the performer’s entrance.” Rarity felt her heart leap, and she let out a squeal of delight.

“Oh thank you, Bulwark! You truly are the master of this establishment!”

The large pony blushed at her compliment, but before he could respond, the unicorn darted past him and out into the cool, moist air of the alleyway. After the warmth of the club, the night air seemed almost cold, but it felt amazing against Rarity’s coat as she ascended the stairs in one large leap and hurried deeper into the alley. As it turned out, the entrance to the Hat wasn’t very far from the end of the alleyway and, within a moment, she was hurrying around the corner, but as her eyes lit upon the small knot of ponies standing thirty feet down the tight street, she skidded to a halt, her hoofsteps skittering loudly in the stillness. The sound caused the ponies ahead of her to turn their heads her direction and as her eyes began to adjust to the low light, she realized that they were, indeed, the members of Nothing But Treble. Even so, her ears flattened against her head in embarrassment as she lifted a hoof tentatively towards them.

“Um, excuse me,” she began softly. “I, ah, hate to bother you lovely ponies, but I was hoping I could have a word with–” she paused to take a breath and, before she could finish her inquiry, she saw Octavia step out of the group.

“Rarity?” Her voice was confused, but not unhappy and, at the sound of it, Rarity felt her heart flutter in her chest.

“O-Octavia,” she whispered. “Y-yes, could I have a word with you, please?”

The other mare cast a glance back at her group and, after a moment, Strawberry Blush waved a hoof with a grin. “Go on, talk to the lady,” she said. “She knows who you are, so no worries.” Octavia’s shoulders tightened ever so slightly, but she gave the lead singer a nod and, after a moment, she turned away from the group and hurried forward to meet Rarity.

The unicorn’s heart pounded almost uncomfortably in her chest as the earth pony approached and, in spite of her attempts to cool off and think with a clear head, every last one of the excited, giddy feelings that Rarity had experienced at the Concert Hall earlier that day surged back with a vengeance, filling her to the brim until she felt as if she might explode at the slightest provocation. I can’t believe I’m going to do this, she thought breathlessly as the other mare’s pace slowed until she stopped less than a foot away. Octavia had apparently discarded the hat and coat inside the club for she wore neither at the moment, no doubt so that she could cool herself off before going back into the warm environment of the Magical Hat, and her silhouette against the streetlights in the distance made Rarity’s throat tighten.

“Rarity?” Octavia repeated more quietly as she came to a halt. “What… what are you doing here?” Her voice carried more than a hint of surprise and, in spite of herself, Rarity grinned.

“I’m watching you play in an amazing jazz group, that’s what I’m doing here!” she responded cheekily. “And you sounded incredible, especially that song that you sang. You were amazing.” She couldn’t see the other mare’s face very well in the semi-darkness, but the way Octavia’s hooves shifted slightly closer together and the way that her ears flicked back slightly told Rarity that, even though she couldn’t see it, the other mare was blushing.

“Th-thank you, Rarity,” she said after a moment. “But I guess I just,” she let out a small sigh and gave her head a shake. “How on earth did you find me here, Rarity? I… please don’t take offense, but I wasn’t aware that you were one of this club’s patrons.” The unicorn giggled lightly and took a slight step closer to the earth pony, her desire to be closer to Octavia slowly overriding her sense of propriety in a public place.

“Well, normally you would be right, but a mutual friend of ours recommended this club to me and told me to be here today.” She stood up straighter and smiled broadly. “She obviously wanted me to see you play and I am so very thankful that she did.”

“A mutual friend..?” Octavia repeated slowly and, after a moment, she frowned. “But I haven’t told anypony that I play here.”

Now it was Rarity’s turn to frown. “You haven’t told anypony? But darling, why NOT? You and your group sound incredible and if Vinyl and I hadn’t gotten to talking about you I never would have–”

“Vinyl..?” Octavia interrupted. “You… you spoke to Vinyl? About me?”

“Well, yes, I did. Or rather, you came up in conversation.”

Suddenly, Octavia’s body language changed dramatically in the shadows: her shoulders tensed, her head shot up, and her ears piqued forward aggressively as her hooves slid apart just slightly and the motion was so abrupt that Rarity herself took a quick step back from her companion.

“And what were you doing talking to my ex-marefriend, hmm? I wasn’t aware that the two of you knew each other.” Rarity’s eyes widened at the tonality in the earth pony’s voice – it was not surprise that colored her words or a teasing sense of irony, but rather it was something sharper, something a good deal bitterer than surprise. Rarity’s eyes were finally adjusted to the lower light in the alley and now she could see Octavia all but glaring at her, the amethyst eyes she loved so much staring at her intensely. In spite of herself, Rarity felt her ears droop against her head.

“We met a few years ago,” Rarity said after a moment, her eyes narrowing in confusion at Octavia’s vehement words. “And we became friends after Princess Cadence’s wedding.” She gave her head a shake and raised a hoof in confusion. “Why does that matter?”

Octavia sighed sharply and, farther down the alley, Rarity saw the other members of Octavia’s jazz group scuttle through the door and back into the club as the earth pony stood up straighter, her eyes narrow and her lips tight. “The fact that you know her doesn’t matter, Rarity,” she said, “but the fact that I was your topic of conversation DOES matter.”

“What… and what does that mean?” Rarity asked, irritation flaring brightly amid the crashing waves of her love and adoration. She’s making telling her that I love her quite difficult.

“It means, Rarity, that I am a mare who values my privacy.” Octavia took a slow step to her left, circling out away from the wall as she spoke. “I do my level best to stay out of any kind of public eye, especially when it comes to the things I do in my personal life and with my personal time. I do everything I can to keep any gossip about me to a minimum and that becomes very hard when a pony such as yourself starts gossiping about me.”

Now Rarity’s irritation flared brighter still, flash-boiling her roiling emotions into steaming anger. “I was not gossiping,” she said sharply. “I was simply speaking to Vinyl about what we had been doing in the past weeks. I told her about you and she confessed to having been your marefriend.” She closed her mouth, but in the space of a moment, it shot open again as her anger rose into the place behind her eyes and forced more words out. “And even when I asked other ponies about you I wasn’t gossiping.”

Now, Octavia’s eyes became wide and the anger inside them was plain to see, even in the dark alley. “You… you asked other ponies about me?” she growled.

It was clear to Rarity that Octavia was angry and growing more so with each passing moment. It was obvious to the unicorn that a bit of diplomacy coupled with a strategic apology here or there would soothe the situation and no doubt end this evening the way that Rarity had wanted it to end, but at that moment, Rarity’s mind was a maelstrom of love, anger, embarrassment, outrage, and regret, all clashing together until bolts of angry lightning flashed down her spine and to her mouth. It was one of the situations she had trained herself to avert, but the entire day had been such an emotional drain on the unicorn that she simply did not have the self control left to tell herself no.

“I did, as a matter of fact,” Rarity said with a toss of her mane. “After our first meeting I decided that I wanted to know more about you, so I asked all of my clients if they knew anything about you.”

“…all of them?!”

“ALL of them.” Octavia’s mouth opened in absolute horror, and after a moment Rarity arched an eyebrow at her. “Of course, if you hadn’t been so close-mouthed about the whole situation and simply answered my questions I wouldn’t have had to resort to asking the general populace.”

“My LIFE is not the business of the general populace!” Octavia snarled, her voice rising in the alleyway until it echoed and filled the space. “My life is MY BUSINESS and it is mine to share when I feel ready to!” Her eyes narrowed until they were mere slits of blazing violet in the shadows of the alley. “But I suppose YOU wouldn’t know about that kind of privacy, would you, Rarity?” she hissed. “You’re glad to live in the spotlight, always ready and willing to be the center of attention.” Her eyes narrowed even further, if that was possible. “Just like my mother,” she whispered. “Just like Snow Blossom…”

Rarity felt the insults like a physical blow and that angered her even more. “Oh is that so?” she hissed in return. “Well perhaps if you weren’t so concerned with keeping your life PRIVATE you could actually have FRIENDS!” She took an aggressive step towards Octavia. “PERHAPS if you weren’t so tight-lipped about information about yourself you could actually SEE WHEN PONIES ARE TRYING TO GET TO KNOW YOU!!” She took a final step towards the earth pony, her eyes blazing with furious anger. “AND PERHAPS if you were more like your sister Snow Blossom YOUR FATHER WOULD LOVE YOU MORE!!!”

Silence fell in the alleyway as Rarity felt her anger burn brighter than she could ever remember it having burned before and so hot were the flames of her fury that her eyes felt warm. The echoes of her insults slowly faded away into the night and, as she glared at the earth pony before her, she watched Octavia’s face fall from anger to disbelief and every emotion in between until finally it closed to her completely, just as it had the very first day she had met Octavia. Every ounce of emotion that had been in the cellist’s eyes moments before simply vanished in an instant and, as she watched, Rarity again felt as if a door had been shut in her face, but this time she had seen what lay within and she felt its loss as keenly as a knife in her chest.

Finally, Octavia nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving Rarity’s face and, without a word, she turned and made her way sedately up the alleyway to the performer’s entrance to the Magical Hat, her hoofsteps echoing forlornly in the silence. Rarity’s anger faded as the other mare retreated, slowly cooling and dying away as Octavia opened the door. She glanced back at Rarity once then, without a word, she went back into the club and shut the door behind her.

As soon as she was out of sight, Rarity’s ire faded and the unicorn gasped aloud as the cold of the night wrapped its tendrils around her. “What… what did I just do?” she whispered incredulously. “I… I was going to tell her that I loved her, but…” Her eyes darted to the stage door and, for a moment, she considered running after Octavia, but the other mare’s eyes returned to her sight and, again, she saw nothing in their depths. No happiness, no laughter, no nothing.

The unicorn’s fiery anger inverted itself and seemed to shrink into a dark pit in her stomach, sucking in everything that she had felt in the past day until all she was left with was a blanket of horrible, unearthly despair that wrapped itself around her and so heavy was it that she sat down hard in the alley, her eyes staring unblinkingly at the door.

“Octavia… I…”

But it was too late and she knew it.

A sound behind Rarity drew her attention and, as she slowly shifted on her rump, she turned to see Fleur standing behind her, her eyes sad.

“Is… is everything okay, Rarity?” she asked quietly, but Rarity could hear the truth in Fleur’s words. She knew that Rarity wasn’t okay, but she was giving the other unicorn a chance to choose how she was dealt with right then. The designer took a deep breath and somehow managed to put on a shaky smile for her friend.

“Y-yes, Fleur, I’m fine,” she lied. “But… but I think I’m done being out for the night, if that’s all right with you?” To her relief Fleur smiled and nodded before gesturing with a hoof back the direction they’d come.

“Sure, Rarity, let’s go home for the night.”

Rarity nodded, causing the curl in her mane to bounce. After a moment, she took a deep breath and managed to haul herself to her hooves. She made her way to Fleur who smiled again and turned to walk with Rarity and, as they passed the door to the Magical Hat, the rain that had been forecast all day long finally came – huge, fat raindrops began to fall in an ever-increasing rhythm as the two mares made their way towards the end of the alley and a ride home. She normally would have been irritated at having to be out in a rainstorm, but for once, Rarity was glad to have it because at least she could blame her tears on the rain.