• Published 17th Apr 2012
  • 37,911 Views, 5,094 Comments

Green - Steel Resolve



Rarity and Fluttershy have been friends for years, and every week they go to the spa. But after every trip, Rarity finds herself growing greener with envy over Fluttershy's beauty and grace, if not something more than just envy—

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Chapter 17: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Rarity had selected a small French restaurant that she often favored going to on a first date, as the tables tended to be relatively secluded from each other and the food was excellent. There was an obstacle she had not counted on, however.

“What do you mean we need a reservation?” Rarity asked the maître d’. She leaned in close and spoke quietly. “Monsieur, please don’t embarrass me like this. I would like to have dinner here with my new fillyfriend. You have been so kind to me in the past, surely you can find us a table somewhere?”

The maître d’ gave her an apologetic look. “Madame, as I have already explained, we have a very important guest tonight. He has booked much of the restaurant to ensure his privacy.”

“‘Much’ does not mean all. Surely you can find us something!” She fluttered her eyes at him flirtatiously. Feeling a small pressure on her shoulder, she turned back to see that Fluttershy was tapping it to get her attention. “Yes, my darling?”

Fluttershy stepped to her side and swept her forelock aside just a little, to better address the stallion who seemed to be holding up her fillyfriend’s plans. “Excuse me, sir, I hate to be any trouble, but couldn’t you find us anything at all? I recall having lunch here some time ago and the food was quite good. Plus, my fillyfriend seems to have her heart set on this restaurant. Would you be so kind as to accommodate us in some way? I know it’s a bother, but I am certain an intelligent stallion such as yourself would not have this position without being clever and adaptable.”

The maître d’ gulped just slightly; few indeed could remain unmoved by the full force of Fluttershy’s cuteness. However, it was more than just her demeanour causing his discomfort; he recognized this filly. His daughter had admired her greatly when, for a short time, she had been the darling of the fashion and advertising world, appearing at the most exclusive photo shoots and fashion shows. Her face had been everywhere, and every single magazine and billboard had been plastered with her image. There had even been buzz of a possible movie deal with UniVersal or Pony Pictures. Then, as quickly as she had appeared, she had disappeared from the public eye. The gossip rags had provided no details for why it had happened, simply reporting that she had retreated from fashion. Even now, years after her departure, her image was still used for various advertising campaigns. His little girl, to this day, kept the filly’s picture on her dresser, to inspire her in her own budding modeling career and remind her that she too could be a glamorous model without being arrogant and shallow.

“Madam, I would be happy to find you a table; in fact, we will do so now.” He hesitated, but continued, a slight stammer in his voice. “This is embarrassing. I normally hate to intrude on the privacy of any of my patrons... however, if you will grant a doting father a simple request, you could make a filly very happy if you’d be so kind as to sign an autograph?”

Fluttershy squeaked at the request, trying to hide behind Rarity.

“Please, I don’t mean to cause you any discomfort,” he quickly continued. “But you see... my daughter admired your career, and you... so much. To know that somepony so shy and reserved as yourself could not only make it into the modeling career, but succeed in such fine style really inspired her. You took the fashion industry by storm! It would mean the world to her if she could get your autograph.” He looked at her pleadingly. “This is not ‘quid pro quo’, you understand, but would you consider it?”

Fluttershy peeked up from behind Rarity, still upset at this jarring reminder of her traumatic time as a model. However, if it was for a foal, and one who found some inspiration in what to her had just been a horrid time... “Um... okay. What is her name?”

She took the paper and quill he offered and delicately put her signature on it, writing what she hoped would be words of encouragement.

“Thank you! I’ll have a table for you momentarily.”

The two were eventually seated at a quiet corner of the restaurant. Just as they were told, the majority of the main dining room was empty. Rarity was actually rather pleased; whoever this pony was, his actions had indirectly set up the perfect date environment for herself and Fluttershy. She could make out the party going on for the ‘V.I.P; it seemed to be in its own little section of the restaurant, blocked from view by strategically placed topiary. The lighting at their table was low and romantic, and the location somewhat secluded. It was distressingly close to the bathrooms, but with the majority of the restaurant empty that should not prove any great difficulty. She looked to her fillyfriend, cringing to see her still curled in on herself. “Darling, are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I just don’t like being reminded of that time. Everypony was always staring at me. I hated it.” She brightened a bit. “But if it made some little filly happy, maybe it was worth it. I don’t think I’ve ever been somepony’s hero before. Well, maybe the Cutie Mark Crusaders’, but I think they were just being nice.”

“Actually, Sweetie went on about you for weeks after you saved them from that horrid beast in the Everfree. Trust me, you have other fans.” Rarity smiled warmly while reaching a hoof across the table to rub Fluttershy’s own gently. “I am sorry, my dear. I never intended things to go so far. Had I known you were unhappy, I would have asked you to stop much sooner.”

“I was happy, at first.” Fluttershy blushed hotly, remembering the feeling of excitement she had experienced. “I-I agreed because I liked the way you looked at me!” She pushed her forelock aside and gazed levelly at Rarity, heat in her eyes. “I loved the way you asked me to pose. It made me feel strong, confident. I-I was fine with it when it was only you watching. Then she came in. She wanted me to act like... me. Then she wanted me instead of you, and she stuck me in front of other ponies, she made me late for our spa appointment—”

“Wait a moment, ‘late’? You mean you still made it?”

“Rarity, I would never miss it! I got there just after you left! Didn’t Twilight tell you?”

Rarity grumbled loudly. This had a familiar ring to it. “No, but then I suppose I did ask her not to share the fact that I was upset with you. I made her promise. I suspect you did the same, yes?”

“Um, yes.”

“There we are, then, not talking to each other and our only source of cross information sworn to secrecy. I cannot blame Twilight, then, only myself. I am sorry, my darling, I got quite upset with you for missing that appointment; so upset that I went to your fashion show, despite avoiding your career out of petty jealousy up to that point. If I am being perfectly honest, I went there hoping to watch you fail. What I actually saw quite shocked me! What came over you on stage?”

“Um... Twilight tried to make me look foolish in front of those ponies so they wouldn’t want me to model any more. But everypony got so mad instead, I thought they were going to start throwing things at me! But then... you saved me. I was... sad, because Twilight’s plan had failed, but I was happy because you were there!” She blushed again, caressing Rarity’s hoof softly. “I like it when you watch me. You make me want to be sexy for you.”

Rarity’s mind went blank a moment, but she rode it out. She was getting slightly more used to the effects Fluttershy had on her; they were delightful, but did make rational thought difficult. “I am sorry if I spoiled your plans, but I could not let those ponies ridicule my Fluttershy—I mean, my friend... Oh, you know what I mean.”

Fluttershy looked at her in amazement. “You mean... you felt it too, even then? I thought it was just me. You were always daydreaming about your prince, so I didn’t even hope you might like mares back then. But when you started dating Snow after the Gala... I thought maybe... but I never had the courage to ask!”

The fashionista grimaced. I didn’t really know what I wanted back then. “I felt... something, that at the time I could not define. I was so certain of the idea of love before the Gala! When I was a filly, my father filled my head with dreams of a kind, gentle prince, and I was so certain that Blueblood was all I had dreamed of. Then I met the bastard, and needless to say my hopes were quite dashed. I did try to find somepony else, but all the stallions I met were such uncouth ruffians, so not what I had always envisioned.

“I just threw myself completely into my work after that, growing ever more certain that I would be a lonely old cat lady who could never find love. I never would have considered the idea I might be a fillyfooler if not for an timely discussion with... with a dear friend.”


Rarity squinted in concentration at the design planned out on her easel. She laid some patterns across the ponnequin, trying to envision how the fabric would fall. The fashionista motioned to Spike, who ran to the pattern and pinned it in place. She tapped her chin with a hoof, shaking her head in frustration. “Still not quite right. I can’t seem to make it work!”

“You okay, Rarity?” Spike looked at her in concern.

She sighed heavily. “I am fine, just... distracted is all. It will come to me.”

“You don’t sound fine. You sound really stressed out. I could get you some tea if you want; I make really good tea. Or maybe I could go get cupcakes?”

She chuckled ruefully. “No, thank you, but I don’t think baked goods will solve the problem.”

“So there is a problem then? Do... you want to talk about it?”

She started a bit, wondering at just how transparent she’d been just now. “Spikey, I am sorry if I am worrying you. I do have problems. However, meaning no offence to you... I do not think you could understand, much less help.”

Spike looked hurt. He glared at her for just a moment. “I can so help! You’re my friend too, you know! Don’t you trust me?”

Rarity backpedalled quickly. “I do not mean to imply that I cannot trust you, or that you are not my friend because you cannot help. You are a wonderful friend, Spike. I simply do not think you have the experience to understand what I am going through. Goodness knows I barely understand it myself.” She patted him on the head consolingly.

“So you don’t really know what’s wrong?”

“Well...” She looked at him, his eyes pleading to be trusted with her burdens, but he couldn’t possibly understand what she was experiencing... Perhaps if I explain it in as general a way as possible... “Spike... have you ever had a dream, a desire, something you always wanted... Then one day, fate sees fit to place that dream within reach of your hooves—err, claws in your case—only to find it was not at all what you expected?”

Spike nodded in excitement. “I have dreams sometimes. Usually about giant mountains of ice cream! I can eat all I want and never get a tummy ache... but when I try that when I’m awake it really hurts!”

Rarity tittered in amusement. “Well, I suppose that fits. I found out my... ice cream made me sick. And now I have a dilemma; I would still like to find something nice to make me happy, but none of the other flavors seem to please my refined palate.”

“Huh... so you have a favorite flavor, but ice cream makes you sick?

“It... It’s more like I haven’t found my favorite. Oh, a few I like here and there. But not the one.”

“Maybe ice cream is just too cold for you? Pinkie makes lots of different cakes, in all different flavors. Maybe the flavor you really want is in one of those instead, and you don’t have to worry about the cold?”

“Wait... you mean that perhaps the problem is not so much that the flavor is bad, it is the ice cream itself?”

“I dunno, but I never seem to get sick eating too much cake. Well, not as sick.”

Rarity was dumbfounded. Could it possibly be so simple? Maybe... No, that can’t be it. Yet the more she thought, the more sense it made. I can find what I want... just not where I am looking now. If no stallion seems to appeal to me, then maybe the problem... is that I’m looking at stallions in the first place?

From this, her mood brightened considerably. Unknowingly, Spike had led her to a solution, of sorts. She smiled happily and kissed him on his forehead. “Thank you, Spikey! I think that maybe I see a solution now!”

“Wait, uh, just so we’re clear. Was this one of those meta, um, metaphorical conversations? Or were we actually just talking about desserts?”

“Never mind that now, let’s go get cupcakes!”


“I did a lot of thinking after that. A bit of experimentation too, if I am being quite honest. The bookstore where I normally get my romance novels caters to all tastes, so I picked up a couple of books that dealt with fillyfoolers. I thought I would find myself repelled but... I found romance is still romance, regardless of the forms of the partners.” She blushed heavily. “I also found myself more than a little affected by the imagery. The authors were quite tasteful, but as always the love scenes were written in a very sensual fashion. I could easily envision myself in the scene in place of either mare and find it very exciting. Very... very exciting. B-but one does not discuss such things in public.

“Shortly thereafter, I met Snow, and you know well how that ended. I really find it rather funny now. All my life, I was looking for the things I admired in my imaginary prince. But without that push, I might never have come to the conclusion that what I was really looking for was a princess.” She leaned forward slightly and kissed Fluttershy chastely on the lips.

“After things fell through with Snow, I withdrew again. I knew then that S—my friend had been right; I was attracted to mares. But the relationship had failed, and I did not know why at the time. Mother and I were talking it over while you and Father were chatting and plotting to give me a heart attack. I came to realize... I let it fail. There was nothing stopping me from standing up to Father and making him understand. Though I knew what I wanted by that point, it took me some time to at last realize who I wanted. When I finally did so, my troubles only got worse, because it was you I wanted.” She looked down in sorrow.

Fluttershy reached forward and tilted her head back up, kissing her lightly. “Rarity, no, if anypony understands what you went through, it’s me! You think it’s bad to want to be with somepony you’ve fallen in love with for two years? I think I fell for you... well, the day I fell to the ground! You were so unlike anypony else I had ever met. I was far too shy to try dating like you, but I knew what I was looking for, and it was somepony like the kind filly I had met that day.

“When I came back to Ponyville I hoped you might still live here, but when you found me in the marketplace, I was so happy that you remembered me too! You asked me to spend time with you! I wanted so much to be with you, even as a friend, so of course I said yes when you asked me to join you at the spa each week. It was so easy to be your friend, and yet so hard at times, because I desperately wanted to tell you how I really felt about you. I wish I’d been bolder, but it’s all been worth it now. You’re here, with me.” Tears of happiness ran slowly down Fluttershy’s cheek.

Rarity got up, walked to Fluttershy’s side of the table, and held her gently. “I am here. I am not going anywhere.” She leaned Fluttershy’s head back and kissed her softly but firmly. “Neither are you. I spent my life trying to find you, and I won’t lose you now.”

A quiet cough sounded from behind them, causing them both to turn their heads. A light blue unicorn stallion in a tuxedo was studiously looking anywhere except at them, but nevertheless had finally been forced to get their attention. “Ladies, I am sorry to disturb you, but are you ready to order?”

Rarity nodded, making a mental note to tip this stallion handsomely for his discretion. She gave her fillyfriend a final peck and sat back down. “I believe I shall start with a dandelion salad aaaaand... the ‘Pommes duchesse’, please.”

“I see, and to drink?”

“Do you have any of the Apple Family’s Finest on hand? Something well-aged, mind.”

“Of course, madame. And for your guest?”

“I’ll have the dandelion salad as well...” Fluttershy glanced at the pictures, finally recognizing what looked like an apple tart. Her French was a little rusty. “Um, and ‘Tarte Normande’ for my main course please.”

“Would either of you care to order dessert?”

Rarity nodded. “I believe we’ll have two orders of ‘Mousse au chocolat’ please. Does that sound good, my darling?”

Fluttershy merely nodded, smiling happily. Mousse was her favorite.

“Very well, your starter course will arrive shortly.”


Dinner was pleasant; while eating, their conversation turned from the past to less weighty matters as time wore on. Fluttershy was at first reluctant to try the hard cider, but after some gentle persuasion (and a few little playful caresses of her calves from Rarity’s hind legs) she at last tried a cup, then two, then a few more. Now they were both more than a little rosy cheeked. It was entrancing to see that little blush on Fluttershy’s cheeks for a reason other than embarrassment for once.

Fluttershy was beginning to have a little trouble with her coordination. She was down to eating with her muzzle now, no longer quite able to control the currents of her magic to allow her to grip the fork through magnetism. She was also having difficulty holding a cup, and was daintily lapping at her drink, something Rarity was finding increasingly distracting for less than pure reasons. “Darling, let me help you with that.” Rarity began to feed Fluttershy bites of salad, gently maneuvering the fork to her fillyfriend’s lips with her magic. Fluttershy nodded gratefully.

“I’m sorry, I—hic—don’t normally drink. But this is so nice. Thank you for—hic—helping me.” She pushed the fork aside and leaned forward to kiss Rarity. Unfortunately she lost her balance, slipped and fell from her seat, only to be caught in Rarity’s magic.

Thank goodness she is so light. I don’t know if I could have held anypony else up.

Fluttershy was looking at the floor above her in amazement, apparently not realizing she was upside down. Her wings fluttered about in confusion.

Rarity laughed lightly at her dumbfounded expression. She was going to set her back down when she had another idea and instead floated the pegasus gently towards her. When she was close enough Rarity held the upside-down face gently and, once they were properly aligned, kissed her passionately. She lovingly savored the taste of cider and fruit on her fillyfriend’s tongue. Fluttershy urgently returned the gesture, giving happy little squeals as she did so. Rarity at last broke the kiss, gave Fluttershy an affectionate little peck on the cheek, and gently floated her back down to her seat. Do remember you are in public, darling, you have a bedroom for such things.

This went on for some time; Rarity feeding her fillyfriend, Fluttershy expounding on the relative virtues of intoxication and how much she liked the sensation, Rarity leaning across the table to steal more than one kiss when the mood struck her. Her thoughts were quickly turning to conversations with her mother about the erogenous zones of the wing and what she might do with that knowledge tonight if Fluttershy were so inclined. Celestia please grant that she be so inclined!

Dessert was where things got even more interesting. Fluttershy wobbled just a bit as she was being spoon-fed her mousse, causing a fairly sizable dollop to land on her chest pelt. At first Rarity sought a napkin, then she grinned and stood up. “Hold still, darling, no need to waste good food.” She began to gently lick the dessert from Fluttershy’s chest. When she had removed the majority of it, Rarity reached up and kissed her, putting her tongue and the remnants of the dessert into her fillyfriend’s mouth.

Fluttershy licked her lips, breathing heavily. “Um... t-thank you. Could I have some more?”

Rarity smiled salaciously. “Shall I feed you by spoon? Or would you prefer to be fed like a baby bird again?”

Fluttershy blushed heavily. “I do like birdies...”

Dessert had never been so very enjoyable. The mood was beginning to be spoiled, however, by raucous laughter and loud conversation coming from the other side of the restaurant. Rarity did her best to ignore it, paying attention only to Fluttershy, but was finding herself thoroughly irritated by the grating tone and utter boorishness of the speaker. It reminded her of somepony she would really rather have forgotten all about.

The voice rose now, and she could make out what was being said more clearly. “I need to go relieve myself. When I return I had better not find you’ve finished the wine without me. You’d do well to remember who is paying for this meal.” Grumbles of assent were heard, not a few of them sounding grateful their companion would be gone for a few moments. No... fate would never be so cruel as this. I am dreaming, yes, that’s it. Any moment now I shall wake up in a cold sweat. Perhaps Fluttershy will be in the bed next to me. Yes, please let me wake up now with Fluttershy. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them.

But it was no dream; walking towards them was none other than Prince Blueblood, looking quite drunk. She straightened herself and tried to put on a brave face. Be civil, he did manage to avoid making a scene at the airship ceremony. Even if he did try to stroke my flank. “Blueblood, darling, you're looking well. I haven't seen you since we christened the Stellar Dreams together. I must say you look much less ‘tired and emotional’ today. I am sorry I had to take that bottle from you, but we needed it for the ship after all." She pointedly omitted his title; as far as she was concerned he was not worthy of it.

Blueblood’s bleary gaze snapped from Fluttershy’s rump up to Rarity’s face in shock, then he sneered. "You! I thought I smelled cheap perfume and shame. Tell me, have you given up pretending you’re a noblepony? Perhaps one day the stink of peasant will wash off you, after all. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go take care of some royal business. Perhaps you'd like a bottle of it to hide your scent?"

Oh, it. Is. ON!

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