The library door opened smoothly to a soft purple glow as Rarity entered with Twilight right behind her as they talk.

"-uld let me help you with your mane before you go to such a function next time darling. And a dress! Yes, something in a soft summer green with light- oh yes, thank you dear." When inside Twilight removes her saddle bags with a flick of her magic and sets them at the base of the stairs up to her bedroom. She then gave a side look to Rarity and waits for a light nod before levitating the other mare's bags over to the same location.
It was the polite thing to as the host but it was also considered rude to just work magic on another's belongings without their permission.

"You don't have to do either Rarity, and I really don't know when the next time I will even be going to another meeting like that will be." Twilight closes the door behind them with a light click-clack that makes Rarity jump ever so slightly, the white mare looking nervous all of a sudden. But it was only for the briefest of moments, her regal facade settling back over her features. Twilight either didn't notice or chose not to comment, moving into the kitchen. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Yes, a spot of tea would be ever so nice if you don't mind." Twilight looks back and gives her a light smile before moving into the other room.

"Sure thing Rarity, just make yourself at home." Rarity nods back and turns to look at one of the many bookshelves in the library while she waited.

The Books and Branches Library was, well, small. It was hardly a library at all. There was only one room that actually served as the library proper, with the rest being set aside for normal house rooms, kitchen, bedroom and the like.
In truth it had been a stallion named Dusty Tome that had made his home into a public library for the small town of Ponyville and after his passing the tree, the still living tree, passed into the mayor's office awaiting it's next owner. The single stipulation for said ownership being that it would get to remain a library and anyone who moved in would take on duties of part-time librarian.
Rarity had lived in Ponyville her whole life and had in fact meet Mister Tome once or twice as a young filly. Her memories of him were, well, dusty to say the least. She did remember that he was well spoken and kind, always trying to get the younger foals to read more. Other than that she couldn't have told you anything else about him, not even his coat color or just what his cutie-mark was.

So lost was she in her reminiscing that Rarity didn't notice the fact that Twilight was back in the room, levitating a tray with a steaming pot, two cups with saucers and a small plate of wafers. The purple mare gives a light cough and Rarity is removed from her thoughts, giving a very light shake of her head and a small smile.

"Oh, yes, thank you darling." Twilight sets the tray down on a small table off the side and settles onto one of the pillows, Rarity sitting across from her. The purple glow shifts from tray to pot, lifting it and pouring a light brown liquid into one cup, said cup and the saucer under it being enveloped in the same magic and floating to rest in front of Rarity. Twilight knew that Rarity took most of her tea straight so she hadn’t bothered bringing sugar or honey or anything else to add to the drink.
The white mare waits for the purple aura to fade away before enveloping the cup with her own light blue one, lifting it up to take an ever so small slip from the steaming tea. It was quite good, and helped steady her nerves.

Twilight looks like she is about to say something but instead just pours herself a cup of tea, sitting the pot back down again. She then sits the plate of wafers between the two of them, lifting one of the biscuits to her mouth and nibbles some.
The two unicorns sit there for a while, just quietly sipping tea and nibbling wafers, not looking at one another. Twilight starts to inspect the grain of the table, running her hoof over it lightly while Rarity lets her eyes roam over the bookshelves again. It was an awkward silence, but not painfully so. Finally Twilight breaks it with a light cough and asks the question Rarity had almost hoped she wouldn't.

"So, are you still, erm, willing to give it a try tonight?" Rarity finally looks over to Twilight, the librarian still looking at the table and running her hoof gently over the grain. It occurred to her just how cute Twilight could be when shy like this. With a dry swallow, something quickly fixed by another sip of tea, Rarity clears her own throat before speaking.

"To tell you the truth Twilight? I am not sure… ." She looks down now, taking a deep breath. She really did not wish to disappoint her friend but this was so strange, so new. And so frightening.
Twilight looks up now, settling her hooves on the table and sitting her cup down, taking a deep breath of her own.

"I understand Rarity. Most everyone has second thoughts their first time. I know I did. And third and fourth and so on. I think I got up to sixteen before Celestia managed to calm me down again and help me work through it. It really comes down to two things." Rarity looks up again when Twilight pauses there, making short eye contact with the other mare for a heartbeat or two before looking down to her own hooves, now also resting on the table.

"What two things are that dear?"

"Well, the first is if you want to do it or not. I will never force you into anything you don't want to do Rarity. Your caution and your curiosity are at war. You want to find out what it is like but don't want to take the risk, right?" Rarity just nods, biting her lower lip ever so gently, not speaking or looking up, lost in her thoughts. Twilight waits just a moment before continuing. "And the second thing is, well, if you trust me or not." Rarity's head snaps up at that, her hooves spreading a bit as he makes eye contact with Twilight again.

"Yes, absolutely dear, without a doubt." Twilight gives a light smile at that, closing her eyes for a moment to bask in that trust. Opening her eyes again they had a light shimmer to them, as if she was about to cry but wasn't quite near enough to tear up. Her voice was soft and low when she spoke again.

"Thank you Rarity, that means a lot to me." She gives a light cough, looking to the side for a brief moment and blinks her eyes a few times to clear them, locking eyes with Rarity again when she looks back. "So trust in me tonight. I can't promise you that you will like all of it, or even any of it, but you won't know until you try." Rarity nods, breaking eye contact and not making it again she works her lip in her teeth again before speaking.

"Yes, yes, of course darling, you are absolutely right. It-it is just such a, a big step to take after all… ." Twilight reaches across the small table and places her hooves gently over Rarity's, the white unicorn not pulling back from the contact, looking up again.

"I know, believe me I do. It took me about a month to really give it a try, and I am very glad I did. But you have to be willing to take that leap, to give it the try. Hum… ." Twilight looks to the side, her gaze becoming a little unfocused.
Rarity knew that look; it was the look of somepony coming up with a new solution to a problem. It was a look she was sure she had late nights when a new dress was being stubborn and just wouldn't come out right no matter how hard she tried until that little stroke of inspiration took hold and everything was solved and she had another happy customer.

"Did you have something in mind that might help Twilight?" The other mare jerks lightly, being pulled from her thoughts. She shakes her head a little, looking back to Rarity.

"Uhh, maybe. We'll talk about that in a bit. First off, do you remember what we talked about last night?" Rarity bites her lip again, looking to the side for a moment before looking back.

"We talked about so much last night dear, you are going to need to be a little more clear please."

"Well, how about the safe word we agreed on last night?"

"Oh, yes, that." Nibbling her lip again Rarity thinks for a moment. "Ah, yes, yes I remember." She stops talking again and Twilight just waits, looking at her. "Hum? Oh, yes, sorry darling. It was xylophone."

"Yes. Now say it again."

"Xylophone."

"Come on Rarity, say it like you mean it!"

"Xylophone!" While Rarity might not be as soft spoken as Fluttershy she also wasn't like Rainbow Dash. She was a lady, and a lady never raised their voice. So that was about the best Twilight could expect from her, but it was good enough in the end.

"Yes, good. I don't want you to be afraid to say it if we get into something that makes you really uncomfortable, ok?"

"I still do not see why we even need this safe word in the first place Twilight. Is 'stop' not good enough?"

"Well, a few reasons Rarity. If we find something you really like and get into and you say 'don't' stop' then I just hear the 'stop' and do so. Or if we get into something you're not sure about you might want to say 'stop' but if you have to pause to say a word you don't normally say then you might find the new sensations enjoyable after all."

"Ah, yes, of course, that does make sense." She taps her hoof gently against her chin, thinking about it.

"We should talk about limits, dos and don'ts."

"Hum? Yes, well, I will just let you be the judge of that Twilight. As I said before I trust you and frankly I wouldn't have any idea of what to do for this." Twilight swallows, wiping her eyes.

"Tha-that's very generous of your Rarity. But that is you isn't it?" They share a light smile and Twilight clears her throat again. "Well, I won't try anything I think might be too out there but if we get into something that really makes you nervous or sick or anything like that you safe word on the spot and we'll stop at once, ok?" Rarity nods.

"Yes, of course." Twilight nods as well, biting her own lower lip for a moment, her facial fur lifting up a bit from a hidden blush.

"Ok, ok, right. Well, one thing really does need to be talked about first before it comes up. How, um, do you, ah, feel about anything, ah, sexual?" Rarity blinks, her own face turning a bit pink and fur fluffing up from increased blood flow.

"Well darling I kind of just assumed when I agreed to this that… certain things would happen between us and –" She is cut off however as Twilight gives a light giggle. Rarity gives her a slight narrowing of the eyes and Twilight gives a light cough, quickly pulling herself together again.

"I'm sorry Rarity, I'm not laughing at you. It is just that that is a common misunderstanding. Yes BDSM can incorporate more intimate acts but it doesn't have too. So, if, you know, you don't want to, um, do anything like that we don't have too… ." The white unicorn thinks for a few moments before giving the purple one another light smile.

"You are a rather attractive mare Twilight, in that 'next door' sort of way. Really darling, if you'd just let me do your mane more often I am sure you'd have to beat the stallions off with a stick!" Twilight blushes again, shifting some in her seat and then gives a light little giggle.

"Only if they ask nicely." Rarity blinks for a moment before her eyes widen and face flushes a deep red when she realizes how what she said could be interpreted.

"Twilight!" Twilight just giggles a bit more, coughing and covering her mouth with a hoof, getting herself back under control.

"Thank you for the complement Rarity, you are very attractive yourself." Rarity turns to the side some, fluffing her mane a few times.

"Well of course darling, everypony knows this." However she can only keep the act up for about half a minute before she busts into small giggles, her and Twilight sharing in the mirth for a bit before she takes a deep breath. "Thank you Twilight, I know a lot of ponies say that to me but very few of them mean it beyond a superficial level."

"It is no problem Rarity, you're my friend and it is the truth. I think you're just as beautiful on the inside as you are on the out. Even in the morning. I've seen you with bed-mane after all." Rarity gives a light humph sound and pouts.

"You swore never to speak of that!" Twilight giggles again.

"We promised not to tell any other pony. I'm sure Rainbow teases you about it as well."

"Yes, well, she is a barbarian!" Rarity then gives a ghost of a smile, narrowing her eyes some at Twilight. "And I hear she is not allowing you to forget our last little group sleep over." Twilight blushed again, looking away and Rarity relaxes her expression, reaching across the table to gently pat Twilight's fore-leg. "There there dear, we both know it is just her way of showing she cares for us. But that does remind me of something I wanted to ask before, well, before we started."

"Hum? Yes?" Rarity bites her lips again, pulling her fore-legs back and crossing them in front of her on the table.

"Are you sure the Princess will be… alright with us doing this? She is, is, your, your… ."

"Mistress."

"Yes, mistress, of course, right. You are sure she will be fine with us… doing this?" Twilight just nods but Rarity wasn't really looking at her so she reaches across the table again, placing her hooves on Rarity's knees, pressing gently until the other unicorn looks at her.

"The Princess is perfectly alright with me 'playing' with others Rarity; I wouldn't have made the offer if that wasn't the case. Her one rule on the matter is that I never try to hide the facts from her. So if she asks if I had a bit of fun with someone else I will tell her that I did but not who. Normally she doesn't ask any details such as whom and what was done." Rarity looks relieved at that.

"Oh, that is good then. Yes, perfectly fine."

"Rarity, are you stalling?"

"I do not know what you are talking about Twilight." She looks to Twilight but can't keep a straight face, looking away again. "Maybe a bit… ."

"If you don't want to do this tonight we can try again some other time." Rarity worries her lip some, taking a deep breath and shaking her head a little.

"No, no, I have to do this tonight. If, if I back out now I do not think I will ever be able to give it a try." Twilight gives a light nod and gently pats Rarity's fore-hooves for another moment before pulling back, biting her lip again and giving a light cough.

"What if, what if it… wasn't you that was doing this tonight?" Rarity frowns, tilting her head to the side a bit as well.

"What do you mean Twilight?"

"Role Playing. Acting. You pretend to be someone else and that allows you to do things you wouldn't normally do."

"But I would still be the one doing these things Twilight."

"It's just an idea Rarity. Not everyone does it but I've found that it helps me at times."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I don't need it as often as I did but it still helps me get into certain mindsets. I have this one personality I call 'Dawn Light'. She's really super submissive, almost to the point of not being able to do anything on her own. When it comes right down to it she is me, just without my… drive, my desire to learn. When I play Dawn I can just let go and follow orders like a good little pony without having to think twice about anything." Rarity gives a light nod, shifting on the pillow some, looking to the table.

"I am not that creative Twilight, at least when it does not deal with dresses. I do not think I could come up with such things on my own."

"Well, I know you read a lot of romances. I've seen your collection." She gives a light giggle and Rarity carefully neither confirms nor denies that accusation. "Did you ever read the Glittering Gem trilogy?" Rarity thinks for a moment, tapping her chin.

"Yes, the first one. I picked it up because of the name but I just couldn't get into the series as a whole."

"Historical fiction isn't for everyone, no. Especially not the more accurate stuff like Glittering Gem." Rarity's eyes widen as she looks back to Twilight.

"You mean that actually happened?" Twilight lifts her right fore-leg and tilts her hoof back and forth a few times.

"The majority of the characters were never real ponies, a few were based off public figures of the time and a few were actual historical figures such as Countess Ruby. She and the speech she gives in the last third of the book are real and taken from historical documents; a few other real historical figures also show up in the latter two books. But the situation the books are based around was real enough back then." Rarity gives a light shiver and pulls her fore-legs close for a moment.

"That's just horrible! To think such, such acts of barbarism took place!" She gives a light swoon and leans over the table. Twilight just rolls her eyes and gives it a moment. Rarity sits back up, done with the melodrama for the moment, and acting as if she hadn't done anything odd. "Why do you bring it up dear?"

"Well it makes an easy backdrop for some fun play, as long as we don't take it too far. Also makes it easier to come up with a character to play, since a lot has already been decided for you."

"I am not following darling."

"Well, everything was explained in the book. So you could be a third or later filly of a low noble house like Glitter. Maybe go with somepony with a little less stubbornness. Just a little submissive, not fully so since a little disobedience can lead to some fun punishment play."

"Pu-punishment?"

"Nothing serious, some light spanking with a paddle, maybe some crop. It is a bit early for anything else really." Rarity didn't look too sure about that but she didn't say anything, nibbling her lip again as Twilight continues. "A little pain, in the right amounts done the right way, really helps heighten the pleasure. I know you won't believe me now but just keep that trust you have in me. We'll be experimenting with a lot of things as we go along but I won't try anything I think might be too much for you."

"Of course darling. Well I, I think it best we begin before I totally lose my nerve." Twilight nods and just sits the tea set to the side of the table to be put away later, standing and moving over to the back wall of the room, Rarity following along. "We'll be using your lab?" Twilight gives a light chuckle, sending her magic through a particular bookcase which springs open on hidden hinges.

"I have a multi-displacement portal set to my magical signature on the archway." At Rarity's blank look Twilight explains a bit more. "It means I can make the doorway lead to more than one place."

"Oh. That's quite a convenient spell." Twilight starts down a set of winding stairs, Rarity following a few steps behind, focusing on each step instead of thinking of other matters.

"It's not an easy one though. I didn't have it in place till about nine months after moving to Ponyville." They go down three loops before coming to a metal door. Twilight stops and looks to Rarity. For her part the white unicorn looks at the door and swallows lightly, her fear and curiosity at war in her mind as her eyes dart back and forth. She then feels a light touch on her right shoulder and looks to Twilight who gives her a warm friendly smile. Rarity takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, focusing and finding her center.
It was a trick she had picked up from the many nights she was over loaded with dress orders and just couldn't pick one to work on first.
After a few calming moments she opens her eyes again and gives a light nod to Twilight.

Twilight smiles back at her and turns to the door, opening it with her magic and motions for Rarity to go in first. The room beyond the door was dark, which didn't help ease her fears any. With another quick glance to Twilight she steps forward into the unknown.

Author's Note

Ok, so, this chapter got a little bigger than I expected it to so I'm going to break it down into two. I'm going to try and keep the chapters around three or four-thousand words but if I can't come up with a good breaking point I'm not going to put an upper limit on them.
I know none of the "fun stuff" happened here but I never promised every chapter would have that in it. I want a bit more than just clop-clop-clop all the time so this is a nice character interaction chapter.
I really hope I was able to keep both Rarity and Twilight at least somewhat in line with normal cannon. Everyone is going to be a little different in this world than the show but I still want then to be recognizable. Because if they aren't I've just got a bunch of OC's running around stealing cannon names… .

Speaking of "everyone" I would like to note that when Twilight says it it's not a typo, since she's dealt with a lot of the other races. But if another of the main six say it then that's a mistake. Well, other than Pinkie Pie.

No editor for this one, I wanted to get it out before Christmas and I'll fix it up as things move along. Don't worry Knight of Cerebus, you can help me with the next one.

I'm already at work on the second part of this and since I've got the rest of the year off from work I'll be able to do spend a bit more time working on my writing.

And now for the (un)recommended vladspellbinder story drinking game! Takes a drink every time I use an ellipsis. Anywhere. Story, Author's Note, comment. It's an easy way to get drunk… .