Twilight, Fluttershy, and I trotted off the train to Canterlot. “Thank you again for inviting me on your trip with you, Rarity,” Fluttershy said.
“Think nothing of it, dear,” I said, making sure my burgundy Victorian hat was tilted just so. “I’m sure Twilight will be wrapped up in her archives most of our visit, and I thought it’d be nice to have somepony to promenade with. You have my dresses, right?”
“Yes, but… do I really need to be dressed up the entire time we’re here?” she asked, fidgeting with her knee-length blue and green dress. (She really could pull off those spring colors just marvelously. What I wouldn’t give for her coloration.)
“Not at all,” I said while Twilight collected our (well, mostly my) bags from the conductor. “Obviously, I don’t expect you to wear my dresses while you’re sleeping, or when we’re in our suite, but clothing is more a necessity with the nobility than it is in Ponyville.” Which meant Twilight’s court was going to be an absolute gold mine for me. Would it be gauche of me to stitch “Designs by Rarity” in the corner of all my banners? Yes, absolutely. I couldn’t detract from the regality of Twilight’s court by crass advertising. Still, a part of me couldn’t help but laugh at the idea.
“But you never had me dress up any of the other times we went to Canterlot,” Fluttershy said. “Well, you do when it’s for the Gala, but the other times…”
“Yes, well, we’ll be in some of Canterlot’s most exclusive venues during this trip, and I just want you to look the part. Plus, this way I get to show off more of my hoofwork.” Everything I said was technically true, even if it might not have been the main reason I was making her wear a dress.
Fluttershy frowned as I grabbed half of the bags with my magic. “Alright, girls, are you ready?” Twilight asked, wearing the dress I’d made for her birthday some years ago that was honestly little more than a yellow tunic. Why she liked it so much, I’ll never understand.
“Of course, darling, and thank you for taking me on this little excursion of yours,” I said as we started our trot.
“Don’t worry, it is for you, after all. Plus, I thought it’d be fun if we had a few days of not having to worry about my…” She trailed off and glanced at all the ponies surrounding us. “You know.”
“Indeed, I do. I hope you don’t mind my inviting Fluttershy, but I thought it would be nice if the two of us could spend a little girl time together while you’re studying. I promise, we’ll spend our evenings together discussing whatever you want.” And when we weren’t, I’d be wishing we were. No, bad Rarity. Unrequited love is for schoolfillies and particularly tedious romances. Besides, you’ll be telling her your feelings soon enough.
Twilight frowned for half a second. “No, it’s fine. I get waiting around the castle all day can be kind of boring, and this is your vacation, too. I wouldn’t be a very good friend if I just expected you to sit next to me while I read through the archives.”
I sighed and rubbed my forehead, trying not to think about Spike’s earlier words on Twilight’s feelings for me. “Twilight, did you want me to spend time with you while you read through the archives?”
“No, of course not, that would be selfish of me,” she said.
“Of course,” I said, running through the directions to Fancy Pants’ estate in my head. “Whenever I’m in the castle, I’ll stop by to see how you’re doing.”
“Thanks,” she said, smiling and looking at the ground, while I tried to ignore the squeak coming from Fluttershy. It was nothing, Twilight just liked having me around to talk to while she researched. Of course, she did. I was a wonderful conversationalist. “Anyways, we should probably hurry up, I bet Princess Celestia can’t wait to welcome us.”
♦♦♦
The welcome was about as cordial and low-key as a welcome by the sovereign ruler of Equestria and bringer of light could be, but the entire time we spoke over tea, I could feel one of Princess Celestia’s eyes on me. She had to have known what Twilight was looking up. If Twilight was right, and I was distantly connected to Princess Platinum, would I have to swear a vow of celibacy? Did I still have a claim on the throne? Not that I’d ever press it, but I could understand why Princess Celestia might be wary.
“Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked the next day as we trotted over to Fancy Pants’ estate. “You’ve kind of been zoning out the entire walk.”
“Yes, completely fine, darling. Just thinking about all the work we still have to do at Twilight’s castle. As sweet as she is for coming out here, we really can’t afford a vacation.”
“Well, I think it’s very kind of you helping her plan court. I could never in a million years dream of taking on all that pressure, and dealing with nobles… I think I’ll just stick to my animals,” she said.
“Oh, Fluttershy,” I said as we reached our turn off of Canterlot’s main shopping boulevard. “While we’re in the neighborhood, do you think we could meet a friend of mine. I always like visiting him while I’m in the area. I promise, it won’t be more than a few minutes.”
“Oh… Uhmm, I suppose that’s fine. Is he nice?” she asked as we turned. At the end of the street, his private estate loomed, lit up like something out of a fairy tale.
“One of the nicest ponies I know,” I said. “I’m sure you’ll love him.”
We reached the gate and the doorpony opened the gate for us. “Nice to see you again, Miss Rarity,” he said, nodding his head at me and Fluttershy. “Fancy Pants is in the main building.”
“Oh, Fancy Pants?” Fluttershy asked as we strolled through Fancy Pants’ garden. Flutttershy’s eyes kept darting between various blooms. “From the garden party?”
“The very same,” I said. We reached the door and I gave it a quick series of knocks. It swung open a second later.
“Ah, Rarity, come in,” he said, ushering the both of us inside. “And… Fluttershy, is it?”
She nodded, glancing away from his gaze. “Yes, it’s very nice to see you again. We… We… uhmm… We met at the garden party, remember?”
He laughed as we stepped inside. “How could I forget? You and your friends left a very distinct impression on the Canterlot nobility. Oh, how differently things would have gone if they’d known a future princess and the Element Bearers were in their midst. Why, I’m sure your friend Pinkie would have been busy for days planning parties. Syncophants, the lot of them.”
“Surely, you don’t mean that,” I said, following him deeper into his mansion. “There are a few exceptions that are as kind-hearted as anypony I know.”
“Emphasis on few,” he said, leading us into his dining room. The view was spectacular. No matter how many times I’d seen it, I could swear we could see all of Equestria laid out before us. If I squinted, I could see the faint smudges of Cloudsdale in the distance. Next to me, Fluttershy’s mouth hung open and her knees were… not locked. Good. Impressed, not terrified. “But yes, they’re not all bad. It’s just that the ones who are, have a tendency to linger on like a foul odor you can’t quite place. Oh, lease, make yourself comfortable,” he added as he noticed we were still standing. “There are very few ponies I like making my home open to, but you’re on the short list.”
I laughed and took a seat at his dining table. “I bet you say that to all your guests.”
“Of course I do, but very seldom do I mean it,” he said, darting over to pull ingredients out of the joined kitchen. This was his casual dining room, the one he used to entertain friends. “So, Fluttershy, how are you liking my humble city? Stuffy? Pretentious? You wouldn’t be wrong. Frankly, I’m looking forward for the opportunity to spend some time in Ponyville. A change in scenery is just what I’ve been needing.”
Fluttershy was still staring at the vista outside his window. “It’s beautiful. How could you not spend all your time here?”
“Hmm?” he asked, looking over at us. “I suppose it does look rather nice, but after a while, the gilt tends to rub off. No, Ponyville has a genuineness to it, something very hard to come by. If you find it, do take care not to lose it.” An image of Twilight’s smiling face flashed at those words. I wonder how she’d like the view. Living in Canterlot, I’m sure she was desensitized to sweeping panoramic vistas by the time she could talk. No, I couldn’t imagine Twilight getting desensitized to something, especially since I’m pretty sure she never saw a view quite like this. Maybe I’d show it to her sometime. She might like that.
“I believe Fluttershy is talking about the view, dear,” I said, glancing at Fancy Pants. “Honestly, I’m not sure if she’s heard a word we’ve said since she saw it.”
“No, I’m fine,” Fluttershy mumbled. Fine, maybe she heard every other word
“Yes, it is quite the view, isn’t it?” Fancy Pants said, trotting over to us, his horn glowing. Back in the kitchen, a knife cut slices of bread. “One of the few things that will keep me coming back to Canterlot, I’m sure,” he said.
Fluttershy nodded. “When the birds migrate, do you get to see them fly by from here?”
“Oh yes. If I threw a net out the window, I could probably catch half a flock,” he said, his eyes darting to her cutie mark. “You like animals, then?”
Her eyes lit up. “Oh, yes, do you have any? I couldn’t help but admire your garden on the way in. Your flowers are very pretty.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Do you know most of my guests don’t even notice them? You’d think–”
I cleared my throat. “Excuse me, Fancy Pants, do you think I could have a word with you in private?”
“Right away, Rarity,” he said as I trotted to the hallway. “We’ll be back in a second, Fluttershy, just make yourself comfortable.”
We were silent until the door to the dining room-kitchen clicked shut. “Yes, Rarity?” he asked.
“Fancy Pants, I understand that you’re charming and charismatic, I know you’re a master of glib conversation, but Fluttershy is a very dear friend of mine. Now, obviously, I think the two of you might get along, that’s why I’m introducing you, just… be genuine with her,” I said, deciding to not to go with my planned line about distributing his body parts between all the different deserts in Equestria if he was just using her.
He winked at me. “Oh, of course. I wouldn’t dream of hurting your friend and facing the wrath of at least one princess and quite possibly more. I just want to get to know her, and if we both get along, then I’ll consider a proper courtship. I swear, I’ll be a proper gentlepony, like from gallant tales of old.”
I smiled. “Good, I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. You know how disastrous some misunderstandings can be.”
He nodded and opened the door, laughing. “I’ll be sure to pass that message on if I see him,” he said, nodding at me. “Now, who wants watercress sandwiches?”
♦♦♦
“Hello, Twilight,” I said, trotting around the stacks of books that threatened to envelop her. “How’s the research going?”
She turned around to beam at me. “Great, I’ve traced your family all the way back to an estate just south of Northgait. It’s not a strong link to nobility, but your family did live on a small, rocky, barren estate at one point. Of course, they could have been the shoe shiners, but…”
“Thank you for going through all this trouble for me,” I said, resisting a sudden compulsion to hug her. Yes, hugs could be platonic, but this didn’t feel like that. Of course it didn’t, how could anypony not want to– Not the time for that thinking, Rarity. Once Twilight starts her court, then maybe we can broach the subject with her. She doesn’t need any added pressure right now. “You really didn’t have to, but–” I looked at the genealogy she’d drawn. “–I do appreciate having a maternal family history.”
“It’s no problem,” she said, closing the book she’d been reading. “Unfortunately, I can’t find any pre-Discordian records for your family. We could… Well, we could go to your family’s old estate and see if there are any records buried there. Ooh! I’ve never led an archaeological expedition before; this could be so much fun.”
I smiled at her. “I’m sure it would be, but there’s really no need to go through all that trouble on my expense. Especially not when you have your first court date so rapidly approaching.” Yes, it was terribly romantic, me being the lost scion to one of Equestria’s greatest lineages, but… it was so unlikely, and the last time I’d indulged in fairy-tale thinking had led to, well, Blueblood. Romantic thinking was fine in the books, but not so much in real life. Still… Twilight had given me a nice daydream, at least. Actually, she’d given me several.
“Don’t worry about it,” Twilight said. “You’ve done so much to help me lately, this is the least I can do. Oh! How was your day with Fluttershy?”
“Fine,” I said, trotting to take a seat next to her. Thankfully, the Archives didn’t have a no-talking policy. I suppose when only a few select ponies have access, there’s no real need. “We had lunch with Fancy Pants, and I think the two of them really hit it off. They spent a whole lunch talking about the Canterlot Botanical Gardens and Fancy Pants’ conservation efforts.”
“Oh?” Twilight asked, “I didn’t know he’s involved in conservation efforts. I thought he was more about land development, which is… kind of the opposite of conservation.”
I rolled my eyes. “He only had a passing familiarity with wildlife conservation when lunch started, but by the end he was talking about converting one of his estates into a wildlife sanctuary.” Yes, unlike the rest of the nobility, Fancy Pants was suave and charming, but a part of me couldn’t help but feel that I’d just offered Fluttershy to the kindest wolf in the pack. Well, she’d dealt with wolves before. I smiled at the image of her subjecting the entirety of the nobility to her stare. Yes, she’d be fine. If she wasn’t, I’d just have to kill Fancy Pants.
“Wait, are you saying he and her are... “ Twilight asked, tilting her head. “That’s just… so unexpected. I thought if he was going to date anypony, it’d be you.”
“We… I thought about it, to be sure. He’s the closest you can get to being a prince without actually having royal blood, and unlike Blueblood, he’s actually charming, but… After your birthday party, I realized I really didn’t want to live in that world. Not like he did. Of course, I’d visit, I’d cater to them with my business, and more than gladly take their bits, but I’d much rather stay in Ponyville and live with you girls than live in Canterlot.” I laughed. “Although, I suppose with Canterlot coming to Ponyville, I might have to rethink that. I can spend the days with my friends and then dance the nights away with the nobility.”
“Well, I’m glad you decided to stay in Ponyville. I don’t know how I would have gotten by these last few weeks without you,” Twilight said. Was it just my imagination or did she lean incrementally closer to me? No, she couldn’t have. I was just looking for things that weren’t there to justify my feelings.
“Yes, me too,” I said, smiling at her and ignoring the electric tingling coming from my side closest to her. A few inches closer and we’d be touching. “I can’t imagine spending so long without seeing you girls, and I know Sweetie would have hated being away from her friends.”
Twilight tilted her head. “Wouldn’t she have just stayed with her parents?”
Yes, of course, she would’ve. What was I thinking? “How often are my parents around, Twilight? Not nearly enough to raise a filly, and… believe me, I’d know. She’d have either stayed in Ponyville without somepony around to raise her properly or been separated from her two closest friends in the world. Either situation has its problems, and me staying in Ponyville allowed her to avoid both of them.”
“You’re a good big sister,” Twilight said, smiling at me. “I know, you’re going to object to that because of… what happened, but you always tried to shield her from the bad things in Equestria. My brother did the same thing with me.” She laughed. “It might’ve been annoying sometimes, but my days were always brighter thanks to him. I can only imagine how much harder that job was for you without parents to help.”
I pursed my lips. “Yes, it wasn’t an ideal situation, and…” My expression softened. “Thank you for saying that, Twilight. Sometimes it’s nice to hear about the good things I’ve done. Definitely better than the voice that’s constantly chastising me.”
“You really feel that way?” Twilight asked.
“Sometimes,” I said, shrugging and closing my eyes. “It’s all too easy, with hindsight, to see how much better things would’ve been if I’d just done this or that differently. Things have been better lately, though.” Since I came to the castle. Since I had you to show me how ridiculous my fears are and make me feel wonderful.
“Anyways, I’m going to do some more digging through the genealogies. Do you want to stay with me?” she asked, floating a book down from the top of one of her stacks. “Some of this stuff is really fascinating.”
“Then I’d hate to distract you from it,” I said, smiling and getting to my hooves. “I’ve actually planned to do a few meetings today, just so I don’t have as much work waiting for me when we get back to Ponyville. Would you care to join me?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m going to be doing more than enough listening to ponies talk soon. I think I’m just going to savor the quiet time I have with my books while I have it.”
“You didn’t seem to have any problem inviting me to sit and talk with you just a moment ago,” I said, turning back to look at her.
“You don’t count,” Twilight said, laughing. “Listening to you talk while I’m reading is more relaxing than anything. Anyways, I’ll see you tonight?”
“Of course.”
♦♦♦
“Thank you for accepting my invitation to tea, Rarity,” Princess Celestia said, stirring her cup of tea from across me. “It’s been so long since we last talked. Are you sure Fluttershy can’t join us today?”
I grabbed some sugarcubes with my magic and shook my head. “I’m afraid not. Fancy Pants invited her to lunch today to talk about his conservation plans, and she was more than eager to see him again. I think the two are becoming fast friends.” Or more, quite possibly.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Princess Celestia said, bringing the teacup up to her lips. “I’m always happy to hear when a noble breaks out of his or her insular little bubble. I was hoping something like this would happen, once you and your friends started taking up more of the nation’s attention.”
“And thank you for hiding us from the public’s attention the last few years. A lot of Ponyville’s old timers aren’t happy that the town’s no longer Equestria’s best kept secret,” I said, raising up my own teacup and taking a sip. It was pure unadulterated bliss, but then, I suppose the Princess’s personal tea stash would be.
“Of course,” she said, wearing her usual serene benevolent smile. “It would have been cruel of me to thrust you girls on the national stage without giving you time to prepare. Do I look cruel to you, Rarity?”
I shook my head. “Of course not, Princess. Your generosity and kindness are the thing of legends. Perhaps you’re… a bit intimidating, but that’s only because of your reputation.” Well, the fact that she was twice as tall as anypony else in the room might have something to do with it, too. “It’s not every day you meet the pony who raises the sun and could end your life with a word to her guards.”
“Yes,” she nodded and closed her eyes. “Sometimes, I hear the rumors ponies tell about me, and I have to wonder just how they get started. I’ve done nothing but rule with Equestria’s best interests at heart for a thousand years, but to hear the talk on the street, I’m either a tyrant, an incorrigible prankster, or some sort of depraved…” She shook her head. “It confuses me, sometimes.”
“To be fair, Princess, you did invite Discord to the Grand Galloping Gala, so I can at least see how one of those rumors started,” I said, preparing for some sort of backlash. Yes, I probably wouldn’t get banished, but she might very well–
She laughed and shook her head, her ethereal mane not moving at all. “Yes, I admit I am a bit of a prankster, but I’m not incorrigible. I just dislike all the decorum of court life. After a few centuries, you’d start valuing levity, too.”
“I suppose so,” I said, smiling and putting the tea down. It was wonderful, but it wouldn’t do if I guzzled it.
“Rarity, I wanted… Twilight asked me to speak with you about your sister. She thought I might be able to offer some insight, considering our similarities.”
Similarities? Did she mean? I thought of the first princess I met, a midnight-blue alicorn who’d just been saved from being a terrible nightmare monster. Yes, that would be the commonality then. “Really, you don’t have to Princess, I’m fine.”
“Of course you are,” Princess Celestia said. “You have to be. You might want to wallow in misery and despair–” Yes, that’s what ponies wallowed in. “–but ponies depend on you, so you keep going on. You do what you have to do to keep the sun moving and focus on your work and wait for the day she might come back. You’re fine, but then, one day, you’re not. It’s a tiny crack, and suddenly the dam bursts and a thousand painful memories come pouring out. Regrets, things you could’ve done differently, the good times you lost, the good times you could be having. All of a sudden, you’re not fine. There’s this thing burning through you from the inside, and when it fades, you’re nothing more than a husk.” She didn’t even have to ask if her description was correct. Of course she didn’t, she knew.
“It’s okay to have bad days, Rarity. It’s okay to have days where you’re not fine. If you’re lucky, you’ll have somepony to go through them with you.” She smiled at me. Not her usual one, this one felt sincere. Less practiced. “And do you know what, Rarity?”
“What?” I asked, ignoring the lump building in my throat.
“I think you’re a very lucky pony. So is Twilight, actually. She told me how much you’ve done to help her prepare for court. How you’ve been dealing with the nobility for her. You’re her shield, keeping her insulated from the worst of high society. She doesn’t know how much that means, she doesn’t even know what you’re doing, but I do, and… thank you.”
My cheeks felt flushed at her praise. “It’s really nothing, Princess. Just happy to do my part.”
“Oh, it’s more than that, I think,” she said, taking another sip of her tea. What did she know? “You know, I was glad when Twilight said she was bringing you with her for this trip. I was wondering just why Twilight would write me at three in the morning saying she wanted to start her court at the end of the season, and I think I know why now.”
Wait. Twilight did what? But that would only make sense if… Three in the morning, presumably the same morning she’d convinced me to stay in the castle with her. Why would she tell a lie just so I’d– Oh. A shiver of excitement ran up my spine as the realization clicked into place. How do you know when you want to date somepony? Twilight’s words from our dinner were thrown back at me. How could I have missed it?
Because I wanted to, obviously. Because it was easier to keep things like they had been than acknowledge something so big and massive and important and obvious. So painfully obvious. Everypony else had seen it. Even the other girls had glimpsed it during our dinner. Why did so many important things happen while we were eating? Either that or they happened in her study. What had she said about liking watching me work? Oh yes, I was a very great idiot.
And all that meant… I tried not to giggle at the news, but my composure might have cracked ever so slightly. She liked me. If I asked her out tonight, she’d probably say yes. That invited a whole host of other problems, but what had I told Spike about doing the impossible? No, no, what are you thinking, Rarity? This is a terrible idea. Remember how your last relationship with a friend ended? It ended because it was terribly unhealthy and you knew there had to be something better out there for both of you. Applejack’s dating Rainbow Dash, and the two of them seem fine. I giggled as I got to my hooves and downed my tea in front of a Princess. It burned on the way down, but I didn’t care. Madness. This was the epitome of romantic insanity. “Excuse me, Princess Celestia, I have to… I have to do something.” Something very very foolish.
She smiled, her eyes twinkling. She knew exactly what she’d done. No, not an incorrigible prankster at all. “Of course, Rarity. Oh, when you’re talking with Twilight tonight, tell her to look up the name Tarnished Silver if she has time tomorrow. If I’m not mistaken, I believe she’s mentioned in Princess Platinum’s will. I can’t remember all the details, of course; that was a bit before my time.”
I nodded, not properly listening as I floated out of her chamber. This was so reckless and stupid and almost certainly going to end in tears and heartbreak. I couldn’t be more excited.
♦♦♦
I sat in Twilight’s room, filled with a nervous manic glee that threatened to tear me apart. Every second was a struggle not to burst into dance, to sing in exaltation the song of love, a tearing ululating sort of thing that threatened to rip a hole in the world and devour us all. When was the last time I was this excited? The Gala? Maybe the first night with Applejack, but with less fighting and heartbreak. Float much higher and you’ll asphyxiate. This was new. More than a crush, I think. Yes, it had to be, but even if it wasn’t, how could I resist? She liked me. For whatever reason, Twilight felt the same way about me that I did about her. Did that even make sense? It doesn’t have to, not right now. This is a terrible idea. Words could not even begin to describe how stupid what I was about to do was.
But you’re still going to do it, right?
Of course.
Everything was going to be perfect. She’d walk into her room, she’d ask what I was doing here, I’d take a step forward and, in my best sultry voice, say “I know.” She’d look confused, but then a look of understanding would pass between our eyes. We’d laugh and hug and talk about how long we’ve felt this way, and she’d say she felt so silly about making up the story about court to get me to stay, and I’d say I was only wanted to leave because I was terrified of getting close to her and that it was dreadfully foolish of me. I laughed. I felt effervescent. A cloud rising up in the atmosphere, expanding as it rose. Yes yesyesyes. Yes.
Calm down, Rarity. What will Twilight think if she comes in to her room and sees you dancing around like a schoolfilly. I feel like a schoolfilly. Shush. We have to be adult. We need to approach this in a mature responsible way to make sure nopony gets their feelings hurt. She literally fell asleep on top of you, and you didn’t realize she had feelings for you until today. More laughing. She did, didn’t she. Blind. We were blind. Looking at the ground instead of what was right in front of us.
What had I done to deserve this? Who cared? I had it, and I wasn’t about to forfeit it. Lose and lose, but sometimes life gives instead of taking. Today, it gave. Oh, did she have to spend so long reading her books? Of course, she did. She was Twilight, her bookishness was wonderful, but right now, it was getting in the way of this big romantic moment. Why are you so excited, this can’t end well. But it can! Yes, it hasn’t before, but with Twilight… If it can end well with anypony, it will end well with her. Love loves to love love. It was pure nonsense, but right now it was gold. Here you sit, struggling not to prance around like a schoolfilly because some mare has a crush on you. I know, isn’t it marvelous?
The door opened. Twilight trotted in. Beautiful. Resplendent. Surprised. “Rarity, what are you–”
We kissed. Me touching her. Strong, passionate, drawing into each other. She kissed back, inexperienced tongue banging against the gates of my lips. For her, they yielded. Our tongues embraced. She leaned into me, back leg kicking the door shut. Not a mistake. She kissed back. No drawing away, no shock. Eager acceptance. We kissed. The world kissed with us.
I pulled away, tittering as I realized just what I’d done. “I’m sorry, Twilight, I just meant to talk with you, but…”
“No, I’m…” She smiled at me, wings popped out and her face looking flushed and feverish. “Glad you did. I didn’t think that was how my first kiss would be, but I’m not going to complain.”
Oh no no no. Rarity, you great fool, you just took Twilight’s first kiss. It should be this grand romantic thing, something perfect, and instead you just stole it away. Snatched it in your very first instant together. “I’m sorry, Twilight, if I’d known it was your first kiss, I’d have... “ Well, I was planning on waiting anyways, but when the moment came, impulse beat conscious thought. “I’d have tried to do things differently.”
“It’s fine, Rarity. It was my first kiss, but it was a great first kiss. Actually, since the invention of the first kiss, there were five first kisses that were rated the most pure, the most passionate. This one left them all behind,” she said, moving to sit next to me, flank brushing against mine as she sat.
I smiled at her. “You’re going to misquote The Princess Bride? To me?! Are you mad? Who’s spent the last three Nightmare Nights dressed as the Dread Pirate Rarity? I’ll give you points for playing to your audience, but to butcher the ending like that is simply unforgivable.”
“Hey,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I wasn’t butchering anything, I was paraphrasing. I thought it worked better if we were just talking about first kisses, since that way it allowed for better kisses in the future.”
“Oh, and I appreciate that,” I said, struggling with the urge to lean in to her. Was it too soon? Sure, we’d just had our first kiss, but… I leaned in and the day went to the bold. “But Little Miss Eidetic Memory switched the words pure and passionate. Philistine.”
She laughed and snorted. “Okay, you’re right, I totally messed that up. I guess having a pretty good memory can’t make up for watching the movie twenty times.”
“More than twenty,” I said, smiling. The conversation trailed into silence.
“So…” Twilight eventually said. “I guess we have some things to talk about. First of all, how did you figure out I had a crush on you? You did figure it out, right?”
“Princess Celestia told me you wrote her asking to start court at the end of the season. From there, I could put two and two together pretty easily,” I said as Twilight draped a wing over me. This felt right. Natural. “Do you know why I tried to leave in the middle of the night?”
“Because you had to do some work at the Boutique?” she asked, tilting her head.
“That was the pretext, Twilight. I had to leave because I realized my own feelings for you, and I was afraid I’d do something to jeopardize our friendship. You’re too dear for me to lose,” I said, closing my eyes and drinking in the sensations of the moment.
“You too,” Twilight said. “That’s why I kind of tricked you into staying. I just liked having you around so much, and I thought if I could get you to stay a little longer, I could figure out some way to tell you how I felt. Sorry about that.”
A slow sleepy smile spread on my face. “It’s utterly fine, dear. Considering what it led to, I can’t find it in me to be too terribly upset... although I suppose we should figure out just what exactly this is.”
Twilight’s voice pitched. “I was about to ask you the same thing. I’d feel a lot better if we could quantify and define exactly what we’re doing, instead of just guessing. Are there rules? Protocols?”
“Every relationship has its own unique boundaries, things that are and aren’t acceptable, and they’re all based on what we want from our partner,” I said. “I used to be rather demanding about what was and wasn’t acceptable.” That would be putting things mildly. If a pony wavered even for a second from my predefined notions of what a relationship should be, they went to the curb. “These days, not so much.”
“Okay,” Twilight said, nodding her head. “So… how do we figure out where we are? Normally, I know there’s supposed to be this ‘getting to know you’ thing at the start of a relationship, but I’ve known you for seven years, and I’ve spent the last few weeks living with you. You’ve already met my parents and my brother. I’ve never met your parents, but that’s…” My body tensed, and she noticed. “Not important. And then, we kissed before we told each other how we felt; the whole relationship timeline is messed up!”
I nuzzled her neck to take the rising panic from her voice. “It’s fine. Yes, we should generally get to know each other before kissing, but as you pointed out, we have already spent several years getting to know each other. What we’re doing now, is exploring how we work as a couple, as we transition from friendship to relationship.”
“Okay,” Twilight mumbled to herself. If I strained my ears, I could hear the gears in her head turning as she mulled over what I’d just said. “So what about dating? Dating’s usually an important part of the getting-to-know-you process, but since we already know each other, it’s lost that role, but I’d still really like to go on a date with you. Can we do that if we already know each other?”
I nodded, careful not to poke her with my horn. Horncaps might be worth investing in for the two of us.“We can, Twilight. Going on a date isn’t just about getting to know a pony; it can also be about trying new things, or just spending an evening making your partner the most important thing in your life.”
Twilight let out a happy little sigh. “Great, I was hoping we could. I’ve been reading about dates in your books, and they sound really fun.” Of course, she’d never gone on a date before. She wouldn’t have had time when she was in human-land, and… Yes, her first date would have to be perfect. I’d make sure of it. Would she like a royal chariot ride by moonlight? So far above the clouds, she’d have a much better view of the stars. Hmm… What else? A picnic? She liked picnics, generally, and they could be romantic under the right circumstances. I made the planning of our first date my highest priority.
“Still, as much as I’d love going on a date with you, I don’t think we can take any more time off from preparing for your first court since a certain somepony said she’d have it by the end of the season,” I said. “Meaning we have a little more than a week to get everything ready.”
“I know,” she said, “and we won’t be getting back to Ponyville until tomorrow night, so… basically just a week. Still, it was for a good cause.”
“As long as you’re hoofing the bill for my weekend at the spa after all this is over, I won’t complain too much,” I said, smiling at the heat radiating from her body. She was warmer than other ponies. Did alicorns have a higher body temperature than regular ponies? It wouldn’t surprise me. Either way, it felt nice, like a heated bed I could just sink into.
“Only if I can go with you,” she said. “I think after a few days of being surrounded by ponies vying for my attention, a weekend with you will be just what I need.”
“That sounds delightful,” I said. “I suppose we’ll have to have our first date before spending a weekend together. It’s only proper.”
Twilight laughed. “Rarity, we’ve spent the last month together, I don’t think spending a weekend at a spa will be that much worse.. Plus, I’m a princess, I can just issue a royal decree saying something’s proper if I want to.”
“Yes, Twilight,” I said, nodding my head and sinking deeper into her fur. I needed a name for her that was ours alone. “Dear” and “darling” were classics, but they’d been co-opted by my everyday speech. “But we weren’t together while we were living together. Not officially, at least, although I suppose all of our friends were speculating. Now, we’re…” Dating didn’t seem the right word. “We’ve declared our feelings for each other privately. That changes things. Plus, I think you were planning something a little more intimate than our usual two-room affair.”
I felt her gulp. Well, you’ve stepped in it now. Everything was fine, and then you had to allude to something she wasn’t ready for. Not everypony is as bold as you. “I’m sorry, Twilight, I didn’t mean to imply anything. We’ll cross that bridge when you’re ready for it.”
She shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I… was kind of thinking about when we were going to do that. You know, it’s… all the books make it sound so wonderful, and I… I’m curious and eager, but also a little afraid. Does that make any sense?”
“Perfect sense,” I said. “Everypony’s first time is a confusing mess of conflicting emotions. I’ve never been of the belief that it makes you an adult, but it is something important. Something you’ll think about in the years to come, so I think it should be absolutely perfect. You don’t want to look back on it with regret.”
There was a lull as I listened to the sound of Twilight’s breathing. “Rarity, can I… can I ask you a personal question?”
I nodded, already suspecting her question. “Twilight, dear, you can ask me anything, but I reserve the right not to answer.” She’d want to know. She was insatiably curious, and I had pieces of the latest puzzle she wanted to solve.
“What was your first time like?” Voila. There it was, delivered with all the subtlety and tact of a sledgehammer to the knee.
“I regret it immensely,” I said. “It was done for all the wrong reasons: to prove I was an adult, to prove I wasn’t some social pariah, to cement my position as the queen bee, and to revel in the power of having somepony lusting for me. Honestly, I regret all the times before Applejack, save one.”
A silence stretched between us as Twilight weighed my words and doled out judgment. “Wow,” she finally said. “That… it doesn’t sound like you.”
“That’s because you didn’t know who I was back then. I was… like my parents: Selfish. I thought it natural, of course... look at who raised me. I always thought those other ponies with whom I went to school, with their happy families... I thought it was just an act. A charade they played out to feel better about themselves. This was all back when I was… before I was Sweetie’s age, actually. Then one day, mostly to spite my parents, I decided to do some charity work. I can’t remember what foundation it was for, something about babysitting seniors and bringing meals to them – but seeing their smiles, seeing how much such a simple act of kindness meant to them, something inside me clicked. I felt like I’d discovered my cutie mark all over again. Amazing how something so good could come out of something so selfish,” I said. There it was, she knew a… well, not my whole past, but a large portion of it. Enough to realize she made a mistake.
“That’s amazing,” Twilight said. Not exactly the reaction I was expecting. “To be so– I don’t want to say ‘bad’, because I don’t think you were ever really bad, but to be so unlike how you are now, and to rebuild yourself into this incredible mare. You’re even stronger than I thought. You went from being selfish to the Bearer of Generosity.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the memory. “Yes, I was actually rather shocked when you said I represented generosity back at the castle. I was almost positive we were all going to die because of that little mistake.” There was another lull in conversation. “Still, I wouldn’t say I’m strong, just... able to see my failings and fix them, perhaps.”
Twilight squeezed me with a wing. “To me, the ability to rebuild yourself by sheer force of will, to turn from what you were into one of the greatest mares I know, all while running a business and raising a sister? I’d say that’s close to the definition of strength. Maybe not like Hermules was strong, but…” She trailed off. “Maybe I’m just biased when it comes to you.”
“You most certainly are, Twilight Sparkle,” I said with a laugh before kissing her cheek. “But I very much appreciate it.” I yawned. “And with that, I think it’s time for me to go to bed. We’ll talk more about us when we’re back at your castle, unless you feel like telling Fluttershy we’re dating before we even had our first date.” I got up to my hooves and headed for the door. “Thank you for the lovely–”
“Wait!” Twilight said as I grabbed the door handle with my magic. “Don’t leave, do you think… Could you stay the night?”
I turned around and smiled at her. “Twilight, you’re very sweet and dear, and I promise we will cross that bridge when you’re ready for it, but I don’t think we should spend our first night as a…” I tasted the word before speaking it. “Couple together. You only have one first time, and I want it to be perfect for you.” I might even be able to put my… experience to good use.
Twilight’s cheeks burned red. “No! Not like that, I mean… I agree, we should both wait for that, I just… I always dreamed of having a special somepony I could fall asleep next to. Somepony I could talk with while I drifted off to sleep. It’s…” She looked at me with big saucer eyes from her seat at the foot of the bed, like a puppy begging for a treat. “It would mean a lot to me if you said yes. I promise, I don’t want to do anything more than talk.” With anypony else it would have been a patently obvious lie, the type that even the densest schoolfilly could see through.
“Alright,” I said, trotting to lie down on the bed, careful to get under the covers without disturbing the sheets too terribly. “I’ll stay, but nothing more than talking and some light cuddling’s happening tonight, is that clear?”
She beamed as she leapt into bed, instantly undoing all my fastidiousness. Why did I even try, sometimes? “Thank you so much, Rarity. I promise, nothing’s going to happen. I mean, some things will happen, but they won’t be…” She expertly snaked an arm between my body and the pillow and rested her head on my chest. Had she been practicing? I made a note to look at how Twilight arranged her pillows when – if – I saw her room. “This is all I want,” she said, making herself comfortable.
“And I’m happy to provide it,” I said, idly stroking her mane with one hoof. Hopefully, she’d let me style it before her first court date. Oh, with the right styling, she’d be magnificent. Or… more magnificent. Her mane was wonderful in its simplicity, but a little styling never hurt anypony, especially if they were about to appear before a large portion of the nobility. “How was your research today?”
Her breath slowly exited her body as she deflated into me. “Good, I’m sorry I haven’t found anything linking you to Princess Platinum, but I’m almost positive you’re matrilineally descended from nobility, so you should still have a direct claim on your family’s titles. Actually, it’s really interesting, your family only ever had one daughter in a generation. They’d have as many kids as it took to get a daughter, but that was it. Your mom was actually the first pony in your lineage to have two daughters.”
“Yes, well, I don’t think either of us knew about that particular tradition. I understand that my grandmother moved around a lot in her youth, so perhaps she lost it or forgot to tell my mother about it,” I said, ignoring the sudden tightness forming under where Twilight rested her head.
“Well, it’s pretty lucky they had that tradition, because it makes for a neat succession. I can’t tell you how many noble families have fallen into infighting over a title. Actually, I can. Thirty-seven major families and one-hundred-sixteen lesser families,” Twilight said, reciting the numbers like they were right in front of her.
“You really don’t have to go through all this trouble on my part, Twilight. I’m quite happy right here; I don’t need a claim on nobility,” I said, adjusting myself so I wasn’t crushing her foreleg. Yes, it would be nice to have a title – but then, I might be getting a title anyways. No, best not to think about that, it was a long way away, and it might not happen at all. The key thing was this moment right now, her drifting to sleep resting on my chest. What was a title compared to this?
She nuzzled into my fur. “I know, and I’m really impressed. I thought you’d start freaking out the second I said you might be descended from a princess.”
“Twilight, a lady must never freak out. At all times, she is to epitomize poise and grace. Besides, I’m trying not to get my hopes up, so they aren’t crushed when this proves to be a dead end,” I said, giving another yawn and struggling to keep my eyes open.
“Poise and grace,” Twilight said, nodding her head. “So that’s what you’d call ambushing me with my first kiss.”
I swatted playfully at her ear. “Hush, Twilight. Would you rather I take it back?”
She shook her head. “Just wanted to point it out. Surprise kissing me wasn’t very ladylike.”
“Well, naturally, there are situations where any reasonable pony would be forced to break her composure, to give in to the emotion of the moment. A lady may be allowed to slip from time to time, when the occasion is momentous enough.”
“Got it,” Twilight mumbled into the fur of my chest, her voice sending tiny vibrations up and down me. “So… just so I’m clear, finding out somepony likes you is more momentous than discovering you might be descended from a princess.”
“No, Twilight, discovering you like me is more important than discovering I might be a princess,” I said. For a long time, the room was silent except for the sound of our breathing in time with each other. Nothing more needed to be said.
“Oh, how was your talk with Celestia?” Twilight asked. I smiled at the sight of her head rising and falling with my breaths.
“Good for a myriad of reasons, the most important of which should be obvious at the moment,” I said, lighting my horn up and playing with her mane. She might look nice with Rainbow Dash’s mane cut. Bed-head was very chic these days, although probably not in court. Still, I could do what I wanted with her mane while she slept. Call it the cost of sleeping on my chest. “Still, I should thank her for the advice she gave immediately before that, and…” I vaguely recalled her comment before I bounced out of her room. Ooh, I’d have to apologize for my behavior tomorrow. “She said something about you looking up Silver Something in Princess Platinum’s will.” Which… Did that mean she thought Twilight was on to something? No, that would be silly. Probably. Maybe. A giggle lived and died in my throat. I didn’t need to disturb Twilight.
“Smart,” Twilight mumbled. “Hitting a dead end with your family, might find out more by looking through…” She yawned. “Princess Platinum’s personal documents. Maybe they weren’t vandalized like... were.”
“Get some sleep, Twilight. There will be time to research in the morning,” I said, ruffling her mane. Oh yes, she was positively adorable with bed mane, but that could be our little secret.
“But… Not tired… Swear,” she mumbled, her breathing getting deeper. She really was perfectly comfortable falling asleep on my chest like that. I was perfectly comfortable to let her.
I yawned, my horn lighting up one more time to switch the lights off as my limbs grew heavy. Her weight heavy and natural on my chest, I smiled as my eyes closed. “Sleep well, Twilight.”