//------------------------------//
// The date 
// Story: Beyond Her Bravado 
// by Starlitomega 
//------------------------------//

	"Oooh, where did I put that marvelous magenta?"

Rarity dug through her makeup cabinet, opening and closing drawers rapidly to try and find her missing lipstick.
Suddenly, a knocking from the front door elicited a gasp from the unicorn.

"Oh no! She's here!" Rarity grabbed the nearest lipstick she could find and with a flourish, applied a fine layer.

"I suppose mauve will have to do. Coming!"

Rarity ran through the showroom and to the front door. She took a moment to compose herself and double-check the ruffles in her dress before answering.

"Good evening, Rainbow. I was just finishi—oh, my..."

Rarity's jaw dropped. Standing there on her doorstep was a sight she would never have imagined in her wildest dreams. Rainbow Dash smiled shyly at her. Dressed in a pink dress with purple highlights, she was nearly unrecognizable. She wore crystal shoes and light purple—almost pink—lipstick. Her hair, neatly separated, flowed straight down her neck and shoulders, and even her tail was neatly braided.

"Why... you look gorgeous!" Rarity exclaimed.

A bright crimson blush broke out on Rainbow's face. "Don't be ridiculous. I… I just clean up good."

"Where on earth did you get such a magnificent outfit?"

"I hope it's okay, but I kinda told Twilight about our date. She flew with me to Canterlot to help pick this out. I thought you might like it."

"Like it? I love it! I practically feel naked now!"

Rainbow smiled and blushed even harder. "Anyway, if you're ready, we'll go get dinner."

Rarity's smile faded just a little bit. "I suppose I am, but, are you sure this is safe?"

"No worries. I'll make sure nothing happens. Besides, I caught you once, you don't think I can do it again?"

"I wish you would stop bringing that up," Rarity said through clenched teeth."

"Heh heh, sorry. Are you ready?"

Rarity patted herself down and straightened her dress. "I suppose so."

Rarity walked out of her boutique, closing the door behind her. Her eyes went skyward and she took a deep breath. "Ready."

Rainbow’s strong arms wrapped around her, lifting her up with relative ease. All Rarity could do now is hang on and trust her friend..





"Here we are!" Rainbow gently let go of Rarity to make sure she didn't plunge through the clouds.

The unicorn tugged a few wrinkles out of her dress. "I'm rather shocked you flew so slow."

“Yeeeah, well I know how you hate getting your clothes all messed up and stuff."

Rarity smiled. "Well, thank you. That was very thoughtful of you. So, you dragged me all the way to Cloudsdale. I assume you have some place in mind."

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, follow me," she said, breaking into a slow trot. 

The evening sun had fallen below the cloudline, and it wouldn't be long before the entirety of Cloudsdale went dark, apart from the street lights.

"You were raised here, weren't you?"

Rainbow nodded. "Sure was! Cloudsdale is the premiere city for pegasi. We put out the best fliers in all of Equestria!"

"You mean ponies like yourself?" Rarity asked with a cynical tone.

"Yup. Here we are."

Rainbow and Rarity stood in front of a large building that looked more like a concert hall than a restaurant.

"'Plumes Aussi Frivole', supposedly the finest restaurant in all of Cloudsdale... at least according to those weird magazines Twilight gets."

Rarity stood stockstill as the pegasus marched toward the entrance.

"Aren't you coming?" asked Rainbow.

Rarity bit her lip. She did actually want to see what the place was like, having read about it before in Twilight's 'weird magazines'.

But, something stopped her.

"You've never been here before, have you?"

Rainbow turned to face her. "Huh?"

"This restaurant. You've never been here before, have you?"

Rainbow scowled. "No, I haven't. Jeez, not all of us got to go to places like this when we were growing up, or even wanted to."

"Then I'm not going," Rarity stated, turning her nose up.

"Wh—what? Why not?"

"You went through all of the trouble to get me here to Cloudsdale, a city you seem to love so much, and the first place you try to take me is some restaurant you've never been before. How does that make sense?"

Rainbow's eyes narrowed, deep in thought. "I uhhh, I just wanted to take you some place special?"

Rarity walked forward and gave a gentle smile. "Then take me someplace that means something to you."

Rainbow bit her lip. "Are you sure? The places I used to hang aren't exactly up to your standards."

"Rainbow, don't you remember when we all ate at Pony Joe's after the gala?"

"Good point.."





A ringing bell filled the air, catching the attention of the pony behind the counter.

"Welcome to The Dine and Dash, what can I get for—holy smokes!"

Rainbow walked over to the counter and patted one of the stools. Rarity hopped up next to her.

"Hey, Vittles. We're starving. What's still good, and by good, I mean least likely to put us in the hospital?"

Vittles narrowed his eyes, his face taking on a disapproving look. "I don't believe it. After all this time, who all but Miss Sonic Fricken Rainboom comes marching into my diner wearing a dress more expensive than a week of my pay."

"It's not that expensive," Rainbow protested.

"Hah! You sure you're the same filly that knocked those two bullies senseless? You look like you got all frou frou'd up," the older pony teased.

"I assure you, Rainbow here still likes to get dirty," Rarity said, cutting her eyes at the pegasus.

The older pony turned to Rarity. "And you? A vision of beauty gracing a dump like this. You girls sure know how to overdress. What brings you two here tonight?"

"To eat, obviously, old man," Rainbow said, grinning wryly.

The gruff old pony laughed heartily. "Ha ha ha! I don't know why you came here, then. Only thing you'll get here is a case of indigestion!"

Rarity leaned into Rainbow's ear. "Is the food here really that bad?"

"Nah, me and Vittles just have a bit of fun," Rainbow reassured her. "Anyway, what's still good here, old man?" she asked, turning back to Vittles.

"Ponies say I make the best darn hay fries a thousand feet off the ground, so that's an easy choice. Since you last been here, I added a grilled cheese with basil and tomato sandwich that's been featured in one of them fancy pants foodie magazines."

Rainbow looked to Rarity who gave an approving nod.

"Alright. Give us two of those, an order of hay fries each, and two of the chocolate chip ice cream milkshakes, too."

"You got it, Rainbutt. You two hang tight and I'll have it done in no time," Vittles said as he moved to the kitchen.

"Just one little thing, darling," Rarity said. "Instead of two milkshakes, make it ‘The Heartthrob’."

Vittles raised his eyebrow for a moment before firing Rainbow a sly grin. "So this is a date then. You lucky devil."

"Don't you have something to cook?" Rainbow asked as she shooed the older pony away. Vittles let out a hearty laugh and retired to the kitchen.

"The Heartthrob?"

Rarity cleared her throat. "I do happen to read those ‘fancy pants foodie magazines’, and they highly recommended it for a romantic date. Now it's time I asked you something."

"What's that?"

"Rainbutt?"

Rainbow snickered. "We kinda joked with each other a lot.  Vittles is a cool guy. We used to come here everyday after school."

"We?"

Rainbow pulled a straw out of the dispenser and started toying with it. "Yeah. Me and Fluttershy. See, one day, after school let out, I met Fluttershy for the first time. She was walking out the doors, looking pathetic and with a growling stomach. It took some work, but I finally got her to tell me what was wrong. She told me some bullies had stolen her lunch money, so she had to skip that day."

"How wretched!" Rarity scowled.

"I know. So after school, I marched her down here and gave her my lunch money to eat here instead," Rainbow explained.

"Wait... your lunch money?"

"Yeah. I never liked the food at school, so I saved it until I got out and came here everyday instead. Vittles isn't dumb. When he saw me give Fluttershy my money, he made a lunch for me too, on the house. From that day forward, we ate here together everyday after school."

Rarity smiled. "What a great story. I guess it goes to show, not all gentlecolts wear a suit."

"Yeah, Vittles is cool."





"Here you are ladies. One Heartthrob Milkshake."

Both ponies sat in stunned silence. Vittles had placed a retro-style mug between them; the kind anypony would expect to find at a place like this, the only difference being that it was a little over one foot tall. The hulking monstrosity had been adorned by two straws, which bent into a heart shape in the middle. 

"My word, Rainbow Dash. I'm not sure we can drink all of this."

"This was your idea!"

"I know, and it seemed terribly romantic until right at this very moment."

"Don't forget your sandwiches, ladies," Vittles teased as he laid the plates out in front of them.

"We're doomed!" Rainbow cried out in anguish as her head fell to the counter.





"Ugggh. This was a very bad idea," Rainbow groaned.

The diner was empty apart from the two ponies and Vittles, who had moved to the kitchen to clean the dishes left over from the day. Between Rarity and Rainbow Dash sat two empty plates, and one empty monstrosity of a mug.

"I can't believe we finished the whole thing. I thought it would never end," Rarity lamented. "It did taste sooo good, though."

Rainbow clutched her bulging stomach and let her head rest on the counter. "I think I'll need to do some serious training tomorrow to work this off."

Rarity, too, let her head fall to the counter. Their eyes connected under the flourescent lighting, and a smile spread across both of their faces.

"I'm really glad we did this," Rarity said.

"Me too."

They sat quietly for some time, enjoying the feel of the cool counter upon their faces.

"Rainbow?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you mind if I ask you something?"

"Ummm, only if I can ask you something back."

"Why me?"

Rainbow blushed. "I thought we already talked about this at the barn."

"Yes, yes, but it was hardly a complete explanation. So let's hear it."

Rainbow lifted her head. "You let me be... well, me. Anytime I'm with somepony else, I have to constantly think about how I look to others. You don't care about that stuff though. If I wear some silly dress, I know you won't make fun of me for it. I'm tired of always being what everypony thinks I am. I want to be who I want."

"I suppose I could see that."

“Okay, my turn. Why did you say yes?"

"I'm not really sure. When you first asked, I had never really thought of you in that way. After you asked, however, it was all I could think about. I wondered why in Equestria you felt like asking me of all ponies out. After I realized you were serious, I began thinking more about it, and suddenly, I started to see you in a different light."

Rarity put her hoof out toward the pegasus. Rainbow smiled and took the offered hoof and squeezed it gently.

"What do you think the other ponies will say?" asked Rainbow.

"I don't know. It doesn't matter. I couldn't care less. All I know is how I feel, and right now, I feel happy."





The flight back to Ponyville was even slower than the one to Cloudsdale. Weighed down by a hearty meal, Rainbow took her time getting back. She hovered at the boutique's front door, allowing Rarity to get a solid foothold before lowering her gently. Once the unicorn had settled herself, Rainbow touched down as well. The silence between them grew longer.

"I, uhhh, had a really good time tonight," Rainbow said as a blush broke out on her face.

"Me too. We absolutely must do this again one day."

The quiet sounds of the night took hold as they both fell silent. .

"Well, I guess that's that. I'll catch ya later!"  Rainbow said as she turned to take off.

"Oh no you don't!"

Rarity lunged forward and bit Rainbow's tail, yanking her back.

"Woah! What are you doing?"

Rainbow fell back, hitting Rarity and sending them into a roll. Once they had stopped, Rarity shook off the impact and looked down at the pegasus beneath her.

"When you take somepony out on a lovely date like that, the only proper way to end it is with a kiss. Allow me."

Rainbow's cheeks went bright red as their lips met. Her natural instinct was to run or fly away, but she fought the urge. Soon, she relaxed into the kiss, letting her tensed muscles ease. Rarity slowly pulled away, savoring the look of amazement and surprise on Rainbow's face.

"Now that is how you end a date."

"That was… great! Wait no… it’s way more than that, it’s…" 

“Awesome?” Rarity suggested.

“Took the words right out of my mouth. You know, you've got grass and stuff in your mane."

Rarity turned and made for her door. "Good. I believe a bubble bath would be the perfect way to end such a lovely day. Good night, Rainbow Dash,"

Rainbow watched as the door shut behind the unicorn. She put her arms behind her head and laid back on the ground, content to spend a few more minutes looking into the starry night before heading home.