Chapter 4: It's All Fun and Games!
It’s All Fun And Games!
Let’s Find You a Date! by soundslikeponies
“So which do you think Rarity would like more, a necklace, or a bracelet?” Spike asked.
Twilight pretended not to hear him, and continued sorting the library shelves across the room.
“Because, I think a necklace would look good on her, but that might be coming on too strong.” Spike paused to blow the dust off the cover of a worn leather bound book. “And do you think she’d like roses or carnations?”
“Uh, carnations, I guess?”
Spike hummed to himself, tapping a claw against his chin. “White or dark chocolate?”
Twilight sighed, barely suppressing a groan of annoyance. “Why are you asking me this again?”
“Oh.” Blushing deeply, Spike cleared his throat and opened another box of books to put away. “No reason in particular.”
There was a knock on the door, and both their heads swiveled around to the sound. Their eyes met for a moment, but Spike only shrugged and shook his head.
“Keep sorting these. I’ll be right back,” Twilight said, slipping a pair of books in her grip onto a shelf, before going to answer the door. She could faintly hear Spike grumbling at being left to do all the work behind her as she went to the door.
Twilight opened the door to see Carrot Top standing in front of her with a nervous, but eager smile. Her mane was a rich, glowing amber in the sunlight, and seemed bouncy, like she’d just had it washed.
“Hello, Twilight!” Carrot Top chirped.
Twilight looked around to see if anyone else was around, before looking back at Carrot Top and blinking. “Erm... hi...” she replied. Carrot Top stood there, fidgeting on her doorstep, and Twilight gave her an quizzical look. “Can I... help you with anything?”
Carrot Top cocked her head at the question, and then her eyes lit up. “Oh! I was just wondering if you were free and if we could talk, or maybe go out for lunch...” she trailed off, looking up at Twilight hopefully.
“We’re in the middle of sorting and shelving a new shipment of books we got,” Twilight said, glancing back over her shoulder at where Spike was working.
“Oh, I could help!” Carrot Top offered with an open, friendly smile.
“Thank you, but...” Twilight said, sucking air in through her teeth. “It’s really more of a two person job.”
“Oh, of course,” Carrot Top replied, her smile fading as she gave the ground a dejected look. “I would probably just get in the way... and stuff.”
Twilight felt her walls crumbling from looking at Carrot Top, and she let out a sigh. “You can come inside while we sort them, if you want. It shouldn’t take too much longer.”
“I wouldn’t want to get in the way,” Carrot Top said, poking the dirt with a hoof.
“It’ll be fine,” Twilight reassured her, almost regretfully.
Carrot Top looked up and gave her a small, tentative smile. “Really?”
“Absolutely,” Twilight answered with an affirmative nod.
Carrot Top began to beam at her with no trace of her former anxiety. “Okay!” she said, skipping in through the library door.
The two of them walked back to where Spike was sorting and stacking books. Upon seeing their guest, Spike stopped what he was doing and threw Twilight a questioning glance.
Twilight lifted a hoof to her mouth and cleared her throat. “Spike, this is Carrot Top. She’s, uh...” Twilight poked her temple with her hoof as she tried to think of a way to put it. “She’s somepony I met recently.”
Carrot Top giggled. “Hello, Spike!”
Spike looked queerly between the two of them. “Uh, hi.”
The three of them stood there, looking at one another as an awkward tension filled the room. Twilight bit her lip and glanced at the medium sized pile of boxes that still needed unpacking. “Hey, Spike, why don’t you go into town for a bit? I think I can finish unpacking and shelving everything.”
“Really?” Spike asked. “But you never let me get out of library work!”
“Well, it’s a nice day out,” Twilight said as she walked around behind him and began pushing him towards the door, “and a dragon your age shouldn’t spend it cooped up inside, so just go and have fun, and don’t come back for an hour or two, okay?” Twilight pushed him out the door and closed it behind him, before darting over to look at the front door from a window.
Spike stood at the door for a moment, scratching his head, before he gave a shrug and sauntered away from the door with a smile, his head held high as his little tail swayed behind him.
Twilight turned back to Carrot Top to see her waiting with a nervous smile.
“I hope you didn’t shoo him out because of me,” she said, shuffling her hooves.
“Well, yes, I did. But he likes any excuse to get out of work,” Twilight replied, glancing at the door. She looked back at Carrot Top, and began to shuffle nervously herself. “So... how have you been?”
“Oh,” Carrot Top gave a sidelong glance at the stacked book boxes in the room. “Not as busy as you’ve been. Harvest was a few weeks ago, and it’s the start of the off season now. I’ve got more free time than I know what to do with!” She turned, gave Twilight a smile, and chuckled, before pausing and lifting a hoof to cover her mouth “Oh, not that I want to brag, or—” Carrot Top cut herself off and stamped the floor, blushing. “Oh, geez! I’m making a foal of myself.”
“No, it must be nice to have so much spare time.”
“Um, yeah...” Carrot Top rubbed the back of her head with an embarrassed smile. “I guess why I came by, is...”
Twilight looked at Carrot Top in confusion, as the other mare twisted her hoof into the floor while mumbling with a bright red blush on her face. “Sorry, can you repeat that?”
Carrot Top’s blush only deepened, and she began to stutter. “I-I-I...” She closed her eyes, took a deep breath. “I-I was wondering if you’d like to go on another date!”
Twilight took a step back in surprise. Looking around, she wracked her brain for a reply. “Well, uh...” The hope in Carrot Top’s eyes as she waited for a reply was too much for Twilight to bear. “I, uh...”
A knock from the door saved her from having to answer. Twilight smiled, letting out a breath of relief. “I’ll go get that.”
“B-but—”
“It could be important!” Twilight shouted over her shoulder as she ran away to the door. She put on a pleasant smile and opened the door.
May Flower stood on her doorstep with a coy smile, her coat and mane groomed to perfection and just a touch of blush on her cheeks.
“Hey, Twilight,” May Flower said, batting her eyelashes.
Twilight felt her heart skip a beat. “Um,” she stalled, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Sorry, the library is closed.”
“Twilight? Who’s at the door?” Carrot Top’s called from inside, walking over to see what was happening.
Twilight winced and glanced over her shoulder, before very slowly turning back to May, who was looking at her with an amused smirk.
“My, Twilight, you’re already taking after me, bringing innocent mares home. I don’t know if I should be jealous or proud.”
“Listen, May, I really don’t think this is a good time—” Twilight was cut off as May Flower walked past her. “Hey!” Twilight chased after May Flower, only to butt into her rear end as she suddenly came to a stop.
May Flower stood face to face with Carrot Top.
“Oh, Twilight, who’s your friend?” Carrot Top asked, staring at May Flower with a smile.
“Yes,” May Flower said, looking back at Twilight with a grin creeping onto her lips, her voice full of mirth. “Do introduce us.”
Twilight looked anxiously at May Flower, wondering what the pony was planning. “May Flower, this is Carrot Top,” she said, gesturing to the pale orange farm pony, who gave May Flower a small wave.
“Hi,” Carrot Top said.
“Well,” May Flower said, glancing back at Twilight. “Isn’t this just fun?”
Twilight looked nervously between the two of them. May Flower had a devious grin, glancing between her and Carrot Top, and no doubt already planning how to convince them to have a threesome. Carrot Top just stood there dumbly, looking blissfully unaware of what was going on.
May Flower’s grin grew as she turned back to Carrot Top. “You know what would be a good idea?” she asked, smiling with her eyebrows arched mischievously. “We should go back to my place.”
Twilight cut in between them, her smile twitching. “That sounds lovely, May Flower,” she said with a small chuckle, “but I think now is a really bad time.” Twilight began pushing her towards the door. “Maybe we could try it sometime next year!”
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous.” May Flower wove around Twilight, and moved to stand back in front of Carrot Top. “It’s summer, and I have a pool. It would be a great place for the three of us to go and have fun,” she said, finishing the last word with a waggle of her eyebrow.
Carrot Top leaned forward slightly. “A pool?”
“Oh, yes,” May Flower said, nodding. “The three of us could go back to my place and get wet.”
Twilight blushed beet red. “May!”
May Flower gave her an innocent look, as though she didn’t have a clue what Twilight was getting so worked up about.
“That actually sounds like a lot of fun,” Carrot Top said, looking at Twilight eagerly. “Can we go?”
“No!” Twilight shouted.
“Oh, come on, Twilight,” May Flower whined. “It was so much fun last time you came over, and we—”
Twilight shoved her hoof in May Flower’s mouth. “—That time we went swimming, and she splashed me with water, so we had a water fight! I remember that!” she finished, chuckling nervously.
May Flower licked Twilight’s hoof, making the unicorn pull it away from her mouth and shoot a sharp glare at her. May simply gave her an innocent smile and stuck out her tongue, as if she was inviting her to do it again.
“We should go, Twilight!” Carrot Top said, taking a step towards her and looking up at her with large, round eyes. “Please?”
Glancing back and forth between the two mares, who were both looking up at her with pleading expressions, Twilight gnawed her bottom lip. May Flower seemed all too keen to tell Carrot Top all about what Twilight had been up to.
She practically had to do it. For Carrot Top’s innocence.
“Fine,” Twilight relented with a sigh. “Let’s go.”
May Flower and Carrot Top beamed at each other and cheered, as Twilight’s shoulders slumped and she sat on the floor.
Twilight, May, and Carrot Top walked into May’s place, the light from the glass wall by the pool streaming into the living room. Carrot Top walked ahead of them and looked around at the lavish decorations in awe.
“Your place is amazing!” Carrot Top exclaimed.
May Flower gave a small curtsey. “Why thank you.” She watched Carrot Top wander around the living room with a gleam in her eye. “Feel free to make yourselves at home.”
May Flower was about to walk into the living room and sit down, but Twilight yanked her back by the tail using her magic, and stuck her nose in May Flower’s face.
“Listen,” Twilight hissed, “I don’t know what you’re planning, but leave Carrot Top out of it.”
May Flower arched an eyebrow. “Are you two dating?” she asked, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
Twilight blushed, and glanced over at where Carrot Top was still looking at various things around the room, oblivious to their hushed conversation. “No, not exactly.”
“Then what exactly are you two?”
“We went on one date. One. And I think she’s sweet, but...”
A look of knowing dawned on May Flower’s face, her mouth forming a small circle. “But you like that other mare, Rarity?”
“Yes.” Twilight’s blush deepened, wondering why she was even telling May Flower about it.
“So you don’t want to crush poor Carrot Top’s feelings, and break her itty-bitty heart.” May Flower glanced at Carrot Top with a smirk. “I can see where you’re coming from. I’d almost feel wrong taking such a sweet and innocent girl for a romp around the block.” May Flower paused, watching Carrot Top tilt her head to look at a painting on the wall. A devilish smile spread across her lips. “Almost.”
Twilight rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Look, do you have any idea what I should do?”
May Flower looked back at Twilight with an incredulously raised eyebrow. “You’re asking me for advice?”
“Yes.”
“Well, you must really be lost then,” May Flower said with a light chuckle. “But you shouldn’t keep leading her on. Anypony would tell you that.”
“I know, I know, but how do I tell her that?”
May Flower tilted her head and stared cluelessly at her.
“You don’t have a clue, do you?” Twilight asked.
“I’ve never actually been one to have a marefriend,” May Flower said, shrugging.
Twilight let out a sigh of exasperation. “Great. Thanks for the pep-talk. It’s been really enlightening.”
“No need to be sarcastic,” May said, pursing her lips.
“Sorry.”
Carrot Top bounded up to the two of them, a wide smile on her face. “Hey, what are you two doing over here? The pool’s outside!”
The two of them glanced at Carrot Top and then at each other, silently agreeing to continue their talk later, before following Carrot Top out to the pool deck.
The surface of the water sparkled in the sun, and Carrot Top wasted no time galloping up to the pool and jumping in, splashing water up on the deck with her jump. She came up to the surface, her hair wet and flat against her head, and gasped, before looking back at the Twilight and May with a smile. “The water’s really nice!”
Twilight smiled and held a hoof up in a placating gesture. “That’s okay, I think I’ll just sit over on the—” she was cut off by a hard push from behind that sent her crashing into the pool. Swimming to the surface, sputtering, she looked back to see May Flower looking up at the sky and innocently whistling.
Twilight glared at her. “Hey!”
May Flower began to snicker, but froze as a magic glow surrounded her. She looked at Twilight to see the same color glow around her horn, and her eyes widened. “No, wait—”
There was a gigantic splash, as Twilight tossed her into the pool.
May Flower surfaced and immediately swam to the edge of the pool, taking out her hair clip and placing it on the tiling before turning back to Twilight with a glare. “I was going to say, ‘let me take out my hair clip first.’”
Twilight smiled innocently, doing her best to imitate the way May Flower did, and shrugged.
“So what do you do, anyway?” Carrot Top asked, looking at May Flower. “I mean, to have a pool and such a nice house and everything.”
“Modeling,” May answered as she began to swim across the length of the pool.
Carrot Top’s eyebrows rose, her mouth dropping open slightly. “Oooh, what’s that like?”
“Well, I’ve caught ponies staring a few times,” May Flower replied, glancing at Twilight. “But I don’t mind. They’re free to look any time they’d like.”
Twilight blushed and sunk down below the water, leaving just enough of her muzzle above water to breathe.
“But other than that, it’s a living. And I find ways to have fun while on the job.”
“Like trying on dresses and stuff?” Carrot Top asked.
“Sure.” May Flower chuckled to herself fondly. “Let’s go with that.”
The three of them swam aimlessly in the pool for a while, simply enjoying the cooling water on a hot summer day, until Carrot Top came up with the idea of playing a game of keep away using a beach ball that had been lying uninflated in a corner of the pool deck. She’d managed to coax Twilight and May into playing, although Twilight had been slightly more reluctant than May Flower to agree to play.
They decided to go with having the one pony with the ball try to run away from the other two, and set down some basic rules. Carrot Top easily managed to hold onto the ball the most. Whenever Twilight managed to get it, May Flower would leap at her and tackle her underwater, usually leaving Carrot Top to pick up the ball. She could have sworn the mare had only gone along with the game as an excuse to cop a feel as she tackled the ball away from Twilight.
Still, she was laughing and having fun as she ran away with the ball. It was rare that she had a chance to forget about her responsibilities and just have fun.
May Flower tackled her into the water from behind, causing Twilight to relinquish her hold on the ball. Carrot Top dove between them and grabbed it, quickly swimming away with it before the other two surfaced. Twilight broke the surface of the water with a gasp, and looked to see May Flower standing in the water beside her with her hoof covering her mouth and a guiltless smile on her lips.
“Oops.”
Twilight groaned, swimming to the edge of the pool, and climbed out of the water.
Carrot Top stopped swimming away with the beachball, and turned to watch her go. “Are you getting out already?”
Twilight stood on the deck, dripping head to hoof, and gave May Flower a look, before she turned back to face Carrot Top. “I’m just a little thirsty,” she apologized.
“I’ll help you get a drink,” May Flower offered, and climbed out of the pool beside her. She turned back to Carrot Top and smiled. “We’ll be right back.”
Twilight grabbed two towels out of a small wooden cupboard near the edge of the pool, and handed one to May Flower as they walked inside.
“Impatient to pick up where we left off?” May asked in a whisper.
“Yes.”
May Flower paused, thinking for a moment. “Pick up where we left off with the conversation earlier today, or where we left off that time we were making out?”
Twilight shot her a flat look.
“Okay, okay,” May Flower said, as she dried off her hair with the towel. “Just checking.” She stopped and gave Twilight a grin much like a gossiping school filly would. “So Carrot Top wants to get together with you, but you like Rarity.”
Twilight glanced around to make sure the topic of their conversation wasn’t listening. “Yes.”
“And you need some way of letting Carrot Top down gently.”
“But how do I do that?”
“See how she’s outside right now?” May Flower said, gesturing to the mare swimming back and forth aimlessly in the pool. “Well, if we were to wait until she’s about to open the door,” she said, as Twilight leaned in closely and nodded. “And then we start making out right in front of her.”
Twilight’s hope plummeted, and she fixed May Flower with an irritated glare.
“What?” May Flower asked innocently. “I’m fairly certain she would get the idea.”
Twilight stamped her face with a hoof, groaning in exasperation. “Can’t you take anything seriously?” She let out a sigh, regretting what she was about to say. “If we kiss, will you actually help me?”
May Flower’s eyebrows rose, and she touched a hoof to her chin and thought for a brief moment, before pointing it at Twilight. “Deal.”
Twilight took her hoof and shook on it. “Later though,” she said, glancing back outside, where Carrot Top was doing backstroke across the length of the pool. “When she’s not around.”
May Flower pouted for a moment, but quickly relented. “Fine.” She gave a sidelong glance to the pool, before looking back at Twilight. “I know her type. Awful in bed, since they don’t have much experience, but they listen to a kind and confident voice, and there’s tons of fun in teaching somepony for their first time.”
Twilight’s brow furrowed from trying to sort through the sex for the useful information. “So how does that translate to this?”
“She’ll listen to you if you’re convincing enough,” May Flower said, taking the damp towel from around her shoulders and tossing it on the carpet. “Tell her how much better it would work out if you were friends, offer to take her to a bar and introduce her to other mares.” A smirk crept up on May Flower’s face. “I certainly wouldn’t take you as first pick for a wingmare, but I’m sure she’ll be happy to have you.”
Twilight frowned at the small jab, but still mulled over what May said. “So... basically try to show her what a great time the two of us could still have even if I wasn’t her marefriend?”
“I think she’ll appreciate the honesty and the friendship. Plus, it opens an avenue for her to adventure and have fun a little, rather than locking herself down to the first mare that shows interest in her.”
“Huh?” Twilight faltered, pointing a hoof at herself. “What makes you think I’m the first?”
May Flower shrugged. “You’re the first, or at least one of the first. It’s painfully clear that she doesn’t show interest in you like an adult would. She shows interest in you more like how a filly crushes on some boy at school, blushing and giggling, and she twiddles her hooves anxiously whenever you talk to her.”
Twilight raised a hoof, wanting to speak up and defend Carrot Top, but found herself lowering it as she realized what May Flower said was true.
“So... offer to take her out somewhere to meet other mares?”
“Well, yes, after you clear the air between you.”
Twilight took a deep breath and thought it over. The plan actually sounded surprisingly good, and she was about to turn and head out to the pool deck to call Carrot Top over, when she felt a tug on her shoulder. She jerked her head around to look at May Flower, who had her hoof on her shoulder. Stepping a little closer, May Flower gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Twilight felt a blush rise to her cheeks. The action didn’t hold any of May’s usual lust or desire. Rather, it seemed genuinely thoughtful and sincere, and Twilight looked at her in surprise.
“For good luck,” May said. She turned and picked up her towel off the carpet, before disappearing with it down one of the hallways and leaving her alone to talk with Carrot Top.
Twilight shook her head and looked back through the glass sliding door at the pool. Carrot Top spotted her looking and stopped her swimming to wave.
Gulping, and repeating what May Flower said over and over in her head, Twilight opened the glass sliding door and walked to the edge of the pool, where Carrot Top had already swum over to, and was resting her front hooves on the deck.
“Hey,” Twilight said.
“Hey,” Carrot Top replied, and Twilight couldn’t help but notice the way she fidgeted with her hooves.
“You remember that thing you were talking about before May came over at the library?”
“Oh,” Carrot Top said, her voice reducing to mumbling and her face becoming bright red. “A-about the date?”
“Uh, yeah.” Twilight tried to give her a warm smile, but it only caused her to look away nervously. She winced ever so slightly, letting her smile drop. “I was wondering when you’d like to do that?”
“Um... does the day after tomorrow work for you?” Carrot Top asked, climbing out of the pool and dripping water all over the pool deck. “I-I was thinking we could go someplace for lunch.”
Twilight did a quick mental check of her schedule. “Sure, I’m free for that part of the day.”
“Great! So, uh...” Carrot Top sidestepped over to the cabinet with the towels and stood next to it with one hoof on the back of her wet hair. “I’ll see you then?” she asked, about to reach for a towel before she froze. “I mean, I’m seeing you now—I mean—” Carrot Top cut herself off before she rambled any longer. “Can I call you my marefriend?”
Twilight couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped her lips, which only seemed to embarrass Carrot Top even more. “Maybe we should talk about it over lunch.”
Carrot Top nodded, reaching once more into the towel cabinet and pulling out a fluffy pink towel to dry her mane. “Okay!” she said, grinning from ear to ear. Her smile faded slightly, and she stared at the pool tiles with her front hooves crossed over one another. “Well, I should probably head home. I was planning to do some baking tonight and I still need to pick up a few things from the market before ponies start closing their stalls.” She walked towards the sliding door, and threw a glance and a smile back at Twilight as she opened it. “I had a lot of fun. And if you could, tell May Flower I had a great time, too.”
Twilight waved goodbye to her. “Feel free to drop by the library any time you want.”
Carrot Top nodded, her face lighting up at receiving an invitation to visit her. She picked up the towel off her back and hung it over a wooden rack by the pool entrance, before opening the glass sliding door. She crossed the living room with a small bounce in her step, and exited the house.
“Well, that went quite well, didn’t it?” an amused voice said from behind her.
Twilight jumped and whirled around to see May Flower standing by the pool with a broad smile. “H-how did you sneak up on me?” Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “Were you eavesdropping?”
“There’s another door to the backyard around the side of the house,” May Flower said, blatantly ignoring the second question. “So,” she said, rocking back and forth on her hooves. “Are you sticking around?”
Twilight gulped at the thought of being alone with May Flower in her house again. She let out a false laugh. “I’d love to, but I really should go back to the library and sort those books.”
May Flower raised an eyebrow, and her lips pulled into a thin line of amusement. “Well, I wouldn’t want to keep you from your book sorting,” she said with a hint of playful sarcasm. “Just don’t forget about our deal. I’m looking forward to our kiss.”
“I know, I know,” Twilight said. Although if she were to be honest, a small part of her was looking forward to it.
“Try not to sound so uneager,” May Flower said as she walked past Twilight, and brushed Twilight’s face with her tail in a teasing manner. “I’ll be sure to make it enjoyable.”
Twilight shivered as May Flower’s tail slid away, leaving a tingling sensation where it touched her cheeks.
May Flower giggled at the look on her face as she held the sliding door for her. “See you soon.”
Spike stood in front of a mirror that was leaning against the library’s wall, posing one arm and cupping it with his other hand to feel his muscles, or lack thereof. “Hey, Twilight, do I look muscular to you?”
Twilight lay on a rug in the center of the room, her cheek propped up on a hoof, and her horn glowing as she sifted through a botany encyclopedia she’d pulled off the shelf after she’d finished sorting all the new books. “You’re still a baby dragon, Spike. Just give it some time.”
Spike poked one of his short, stubby arms with a claw and deflated. “But I need to impress Rarity!”
Twilight rolled her eyes and groaned, considering zipping his mouth closed with a spell.
“I’m tellin’ you, she was sending me some serious signals yesterday,” Spike said, baring his teeth at the mirror and using his claw to pick something out from between his fangs. “I think I should act on it. Like, maybe now is the perfect chance to tell her how I feel.”
Twilight glanced over from her reading to see Spike wetting his hand and brushing back back his spines. “Wait, you aren’t seriously thinking of going over there right now, are you?”
“So what if I am?” he asked, walking towards the door.
Twilight stood and ran in front of him, blocking the way. “You shouldn’t!”
“Huh?” Spike asked, scratching his head. “Why not?”
Twilight swallowed, glancing over her shoulder at the door, and she didn’t want to admit it, but a small part of her was jealous of the way Rarity coddled Spike, but more importantly, she knew Rarity had just been patronizing him the other day, and she didn’t want to see him to get hurt. “She’s...” Twilight paused, trying to think up an excuse. “She’s really busy with an order today.”
“She is?”
Twilight nodded emphatically.
“Oh...” Spike tapped his claws together. “Well I wouldn’t really want to try doing this at a bad time for her...” He looked up at Twilight, his eyes large and round and pleading. “Do you think you could go over there and find out when she’s free?”
“Uh...” Twilight rubbed the back of her neck, but then her eyes lit up with an idea. If she didn’t know what to tell him to keep him from going to Rarity’s, maybe Rarity would. “Yes, actually I can!”
“Really?”
Twilight’s eyes were turned up in a smile as she nodded at him. “Yep! Just wait right here, and I’ll be right back!”
Spike clasped his claws together. “Oh, thank you so much, Twilight. You’re a life saver!”
“No problem,” Twilight said, laughing nervously and inching towards the door. “Just, uh, stay right here, and I’ll be back, okay?”
“Right!” Spike said, giving her a thumbs up.
Twilight stepped outside and closed the door, before rushing over to Rarity’s to talk with her.
“So you see the problem,” Twilight said, sitting in the carousel boutique and taking a sip of the tea Rarity had laid out for her.
Rarity was staring at her own cup from across the table, tapping her hoof to her chin. “That is quite the dilemma.”
“I could just say you’re really busy for the rest of the day, or maybe that you seem frustrated at the moment, and convince him it’s a bad idea to try right now.”
Rarity put a hoof to her chin and hummed, mulling it over. “I think we should invite him over here.”
Twilight froze with her teacup partway to her lips. “Wait, really?” She set the tea down and fixed the pony across from her with a hard stare. “But you know what will happen!”
“Now, Twilight, I promise to let him down in the most gentle way I can,” Rarity said, holding her hooves in a placating gesture.
“You know how he is! He’ll still be heartbroken!” Twilight shouted, getting up out of her seat. She looked at Rarity and felt a pang of guilt for yelling at her friend, and sitting back down, she hung her head and sighed. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “It’s just a childish crush. I think we should just wait it out.”
“What if it isn’t though?”
Twilight looked up. “Isn’t what?”
Rarity was still staring intently at the surface of her tea. “You and I both know I’m not going to return his feelings. And as much as I sometimes... exploit his kindness, I do think he’s a sweet kid, and I don’t wish to see him hurt either, but if we simply ignore this, it could turn into an obsession.” Rarity reached across the table and rested her hoof on Twilight’s. “What he needs is to move on.”
Twilight bit her lip looked at the table cloth. “I... I guess you’re right.”
“Now run on back to the library and invite him over,” Rarity said, taking a sip of her tea. “I’ll just be... thinking on what to say, I suppose.”
Twilight nodded and stood, leaving her half finished cup of tea and walking to the door, but she stiffened on the way there, and turned to look back over her shoulder. “You’re really sure about this?”
Rarity took a sip of her tea nodded. “Absolutely positive.”
Twilight left the boutique with a small frown, hoping she was doing the right thing. Rather than sprinting back, like she had to get to the boutique, she walked and tried to puzzle things over in her head.
She couldn’t let her feelings about Rarity cloud her judgement on how to handle the situation, and for the time being she decided to put the crush on her friend out of mind and focus on Spike.
Twilight walked into the library to see Spike checking himself over in the mirror, and adjusting a red bow tie he’d put on. “Oh, hey, Twilight!” he said, waving at her. “How do I look?”
“Great!” Twilight walked over to him. “I’m sure Rarity will love it,” she said, inwardly frowning upon what she was about to do.
“Huh? You okay Twilight?” Spike asked, leaning on his tiptoes to peer at her.
Twilight took a deep breath. She shook her head and gave him the best reassuring smile she could. “It’s nothing really. I’m fine. In fact, we can go and visit Rarity right now if you want.”
“Yes!” Spike hissed, pumping his fist. “That’s great!”
Twilight swallowed, trying to force down the feeling of guilt building up in the back of her throat. “We should go right now, though. She did still seem a little busy.”
“Oh, right.” Spike glanced at the mirror. “How do I look?”
Twilight’s mouth slipped into a small frown as she looked him over. She could only hope, and trust in Rarity to let him down easy. Surrounding Spike’s bow tie in a pink glow, she adjusted it slightly, and smiled at him. “There. Perfect.”
“Hey, uh...” Spike scratched the back of his head. “I’d rather go and talk to her alone, since... you know...”
“Oh, uh, right,” Twilight said, searching her brain for an idea. “How about I just wait outside?”
“Well, I guess that’d be alright.” Spike turned and walked to the door, Twilight walking alongside him. “Just don’t get spotted by her. I want to seem more grown up, and having you walk me there would definitely not help with that image.”
Twilight stifled a giggle. “Sure, Spike. Whatever you say.”
The walk to Rarity’s was quiet. Twilight kept looking away, and wondering if she was making the right decision in leading Spike there. It seemed like it took forever, and no time at all for them to arrive at Rarity’s place, and Twilight stopped on the path leading to its door.
Spike walked to the boutique’s doorstep, and turned to Twilight with a smile. “Wish me luck!”
“Good luck!” Twilight said, as Spike stepped inside the boutique and closed the door behind him.
When the door closed, Twilight let out the breath she had been holding since she’d gotten back to the library, and her smile faded. Sitting down next to the boutique’s doorstep, she looked over her shoulder at the building, hoping Spike wouldn’t be too heartbroken by what Rarity was about to tell him.
After a moment of waiting by the door, doing nothing, she heard the sound of Spike shouting inside, followed closely by a Rarity’s slightly more subdued voice, trying to calm him down, and then the boutique went silent again.
Next to Twilight, the door opened, and Spike walked out. His head was hung low, and he refused to meet Twilight’s eyes.
“I...” Spike paused and sighed, his shoulders slumping. “She just wants to be friends. And she told me to move on.”
“Spike...” Twilight trailed off, looking down at her hooves in shame. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’ll be alright. I think. It hurts though,” Spike said, looking down at his claws and twiddling them. “It just seems unfair that I could feel so strongly about her and she just didn’t feel the way back.”
Twilight stared out into the distance and sighed wistfully. “It’s scary how you can’t entirely choose who you fall for.”
“Yeah...”
Twilight looked at Spike out of the corner of her eye. He was kicking his foot back and forth and staring at the ground, and he let out a sigh. It was all too easy for Twilight to see herself in his exact position, and she couldn’t help wonder if Rarity would return her feelings.
Once she got around to telling her them, that is.
They were both brought out of their thoughts by Sweetie Belle, who came skipping up to the shop.
“What have you been up to?” Twilight asked, wondering what trouble The Crusaders had been up to lately.
“I just got back from seeing if I’d get a hair styling cutie mark!”
Twilight chuckled. “Who did you get to model for you?”
“Oh.” Sweetie Belle glanced around nervously. “Uh, I did Applebloom’s hair, but it didn’t turn out so well.” Sweetie Belle glanced at Spike, noticing how dejected he looked. “Hey, Spike, you look sort of down in the dumps. Would you like to go get ice cream?”
Spike glanced up in surprise at the offer. He looked at Twilight, silently asking for permission, to which Twilight gave a small nod. “Sure,” he said with a shrug. “I could use some treats to get my mind off something.”
Twilight floated a small handful of bits into Spike’s claws, extra enough for him to buy Sweetie Belle an ice cream in case she didn’t have enough. “Just make sure you head back to the library before dark.”
Spike nodded, and turned to walk away with Sweetie Belle.
“So what’re you at my sister’s for?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Twilight watched the two walk away with a subtle smile on her face. “Eh, it’s a long story,” she heard Spike say.
Beside her the door opened, and she turned to see Rarity leaning against the door frame and watching Spike and Sweetie Belle walk away.
“How did he take it?” she asked with concern, glancing at Twilight.
“He took it pretty hard,” Twilight answered quietly, “but I think he’ll be okay.”
Rarity tore her eyes away from the two children walking away from the boutique and sighed, looking at Twilight. “Would you like to go for our drink early?”
Twilight glanced at the sun, the horizon was just starting to become tinted orange. “What time is it?”
“Six.”
“I don’t see why not.”
Twilight stood, brushing the dirt off her backside with her tail, as Rarity closed the boutique door behind her.
“I just wanted to let you know I took no joy in that,” Rarity said, flipping her mane and looking at one of her hooves. “He’s a sweet young boy, and I hope he finds a girl that’s right for him.”
“Yeah, me too.” A frown spread across Twilight’s face. “I led him straight into a trap. It took every bit of my willpower not to make up an excuse for him not to go.”
“You did what was best for him.”
“That doesn’t make it any easier,” Twilight said, walking side by side with Rarity to the bar. “You remember that thing about ‘drinking so much you wish you were dead the next morning?’”
“Yes?”
“I think I’d like to try that,” Twilight said.
A smirk that Twilight couldn’t help but feel had sinister intentions came to Rarity’s lips as she snaked a hoof around Twilight’s shoulders. “Then let’s go have some fun!”
Twilight danced, shaking her head and swinging her hips to the beat of the music being played at The Salt Around the Rim. The dance floor was hazy from smoke machines that had been set off earlier, and the air was hot and humid, and smelled of alcohol and sweat. It wasn’t exactly a terrible smell, though. Twilight wasn’t sure if it was the drinks, the air, or the music, but she felt light-headed and off balance, and she was loving every minute of it.
“I really think I’m starting to like this kinda music!” she shouted, dancing next to Rarity.
“What?” Rarity asked, swiveling an ear in her direction.
Twilight waved her off dismissively, focusing on the dancing. She moved around the floor and danced with other mares, but she’d lost track of how many she’d danced with at somewhere around two. The bar was packed, and she saw one or two faces she’d recognized from the other nights there, but the place was largely filled with mares she’d never met before.
Twilight’s eye caught the glistening shine of the strobe lights off Rarity’s silver-white coat, and she found herself, not for the first time that night, watching her friend dance. Rarity moved in a way that almost wasn’t suited for the music being played, but that didn’t matter, because it was suited to her, as if she danced to her own music.
Rarity turned and spotted her looking. She kept dancing, shooting Twilight a small smile, before closing her eyes and losing herself in the music.
Twilight gulped, feeling the liquid fire from the cocktails she’d had running through her veins. Slowly, and with a small strut in her step, she walked closer to Rarity, until their flanks were touching, and began to dance. It didn’t seem like the unicorn minded, and she made no move to stop her.
Emboldened by the drinks, and the hot and heavy atmosphere, Twilight began dancing with her the way she’d seen some of the other mares dance together. The touch of their bodies sent electric jolts across Twilight’s skin, and the way she was dancing made Rarity open her eyes and give Twilight a second glance. She seemed unsure, hesitant. So Twilight smiled and played it off casually, looking anywhere but at the mare she was dancing with.
Rarity slowly eased back into dancing, growing more comfortable with their proximity, and the two continued to dance the night away. A long, and particularly exhausting, song finished, and the two of them stopped dancing, and looked at each other panting.
“You want to stop?” Twilight asked between huffs.
“Yes, I think that’d be best,” Rarity said, equally short of breath.
The music began to pick up once again, but the two of them walked away from it and headed back to the bar, intent on buying another few rounds.
“Oh, what to go with this round...” Rarity hummed to herself, looking at the drinks written on a black chalkboard over the bar as the bartender walked over. “Long island tea, thank you,” Rarity said, watching the bartender go to fetch it.
“You were really great back there.” Twilight leaned on a hoof on the bar counter, staring at her. “You do this thing with how you move, that—” Twilight tried waving her hooves around to show it. “It’s just so amazing.”
Rarity covered her mouth as a small giggle escaped it.
“No, really! I could watch it for hours!”
“Why, thank you, dear, but I do believe you’re exaggerating,” Rarity said. The bartender placed a tall glass filled with what looked like tea, ice, and a few lemon wedges. “Everypony has their own way of dancing.”
“Hey, excuse me,” Twilight said, flagging down the bartender. “Could I get one of those, too?”
Rarity rolled her eyes with a small smile on her face. “Twilight, dear, I think you’ve had quite enough.”
“No way, I’m not drunk yet! Besides, I still have perfect pronunciation,” Twilight said, sticking her tongue out.
“With all the reading you do, I doubt that’ll change no matter how much you drink.” Rarity’s had a drunk-red hue on her cheeks as she grinned. “Have it if you wish, I’m not the one who’s going to have to deal with it in the morning.”
The two of them sat in silence as bartender came back with Twilight’s drink and set it down on the counter in front of her.
“So how are things with Carrot Top?” Rarity asked, rotating her glass on the counter.
“Oh, uh...” Twilight trailed off, wondering what she should say. “Good, good. She’s really sweet, and kind, and... um...”
“It’s great to see you two getting along so well after that date.”
“Uh, yeah.” Twilight took a sip of her drink through her straw, and looked at Rarity out of the corner of her eye. “I was wondering...” Twilight looked down at the counter, where she was fidgeting with her drink, and felt heat rising to her face. “If... well, I’ve only kissed Carrot Top—” she paused, an image of May flashing to mind, “—and one other mare, and I’m just worried that I might not be a good kisser or something, and...” Twilight stole a glance at Rarity to see her smile had faded.
“What are you getting at?” she asked, slipping into a small frown.
“C-could we kiss?” Twilight asked. The words had fumbled out of her mouth. No timing, a shamble of a lead up, and she even stuttered on the delivery. She immediately saw the uncomfortable look on Rarity’s face. “It could just be as friends, I mean. You know, uh... practice!”
Rarity slipped back into a smile and shook her head. “I think you’ve succeeded in becoming quite drunk.”
“No! I, uh...” Twilight stumbled, trying to think of something to say, but the music and the alcohol were muddling her thoughts. “I just always thought you were pretty, and I always wanted to kiss you.”
Rarity took a deep breath and sighed. “I think you’re pretty, too,” she admitted, giving her a comforting smile. “But I don’t think now’s the time to go down this road. And I don’t think these are the circumstances that you wanted while trying to go down it, either.”
“I...” Twilight wanted to crawl up somewhere and hide. Now she knew exactly how Spike had felt. “Yeah, whoo!” she hollered, pushing her drink away. “I’m really drunk!” She stood up and laid some bits on the counter, and turned to Rarity with a smile, trying to hide the pain she felt. “Just, uh... you should probably forget all that stuff I said,” she said, giggling perhaps a bit too much. “I don’t even know where my mind is right now! I should probably head home and sleep it off.”
Rarity nodded, and smiled at her, though Twilight could see it was forced. “That’d probably be for the best.”
Twilight’s smile slipped off her face, and she reached a hoof up to scratch the back of her head. “So...” She looked anywhere but at Rarity. “Thanks for the night out,” she finished lamely.
Rarity took a large sip of her drink, and turned and replied. “Take care.”
Twilight nodded and turned to make her way across the bar, every once in a while stealing a glance back at the white unicorn sitting down at the counter. She was about to open the door when a pink hoof planted itself in front of the doorway. Twilight followed the hoof back to its owner, and she saw May Flower, leaning against the door frame with smile on her face.
“Hey,” she said, lowering her hoof and stepping closer to Twilight. “I don’t suppose you’d be interested in coming back to my place tonight.”
Twilight opened her mouth to say no; turning down May Flower was almost a reflex at that point. But something made her stop, and look back at Rarity, who was sitting back at the bar and making small talk with the bartender.
Twilight shook her head and turned back to May Flower. She gave the mare a smile, and shrugged. “Well,” she said, her eyes tracing May Flower’s body as slightly drunken blush rose to her cheeks. “I do owe you a kiss.”
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Almost done Equestria from Dust part 4. Almost. I'm still not sure whether or not I want to post when I have 5 parts done, or wait for 7, or wait until I'm working on 6 and 7 before posting.
Should be updating Flying High, Falling Hard in a
few dayssoon™, now that this is out of the way.OH Twilight, this is gnna get ugly real fast... I feel sorry for her
migzmigzmigz.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/if-you-know-what-i-mean.png
Twilight! No! This will only end in tears.
This is turning into a car wreck. I can't look away! There is on way anypony is coming out of this undamaged. Except Mayflower, and maybe Rarity since she seems to be completely aloof.
Liquid courage strikes again, and unlike the movies, it fails again like it always does. Poor twilight, I just hope she'll get with Rarity eventually.
Wonderful chapter dear, feels very real
During the entire chapter, all I could think about what how the chapter's title ends. "until someone gets hurt" This is going to rough.
1068669
Same here. I'm also frustrated becasue Twilight is yanking poor Carrot Top around. I just wanna scream at her to end it she isn't into Carrot Top. Twilight should know better!
Shame, I really wanted to see Twilight x Carrot Top. Mane6 shipping is so common that it's hard to get away from it without venturing into OCs, Trixie, or Princesses. With CT you'd taken a background pony, given her personality, and inserted her into a well-made story, only to drop her too soon. I mean, I know from the cover image and lead-in that it's Twilight x Rarity, but it's still refreshing to see someone else in the picture.
Honestly I was hoping it would go more like this: Rarity wants Twilight, and she sets Twi up with CT as "practice". Her plans are foiled when Twi and CT really do become a couple, which leads Rarity to try inserting herself in Twi's relationship, taking on some of the role May Flower has done here in Chapter 4.
Sadly, twas not to be, so here's hoping Twi gets things sorted out with Rarity sooner rather than later.
I'm going to make a guess that May Flower has taken things into her own
handshooves (hoofs?) and invited Carrot Top over to her house. At juuuuuust the right timing for her to walk in on May Flower and Twilight going at it. Just a guess, though.Well, you definitely deserve props for not failing to address Spike's inevitable involvement in a Twarity romance. I really like that he factors so heavily into the drama of this story.
What I do NOT like is that he's written as such an annoying bastard. Throwing cereal in Twilight's face? Not even in this situation. I also kinda found it upsetting that Rarity had to put on a performance to calm him down (canon Rarity would never patronize Spike) when he was mad at Twilight, and that as soon as she had done so, her mind did a one-eighty and dove straight into a date with Twilight. His only purpose in this story is to add drama to Twilight and Rarity's relationship.
At least his dilemma led up to a more-or-less satisfying conclusion. It sure would've helped though if both Spike and Rarity were just a little more in-character.
There's also a line that I feel would be appropriate in the majority of Rarity-centric ships: "I want my Fire Ruby back ... It was never yours."
Ho boy... Next chapter should be... interesting to say the least with Twilight and May
1219070 Though I doubt it, I hope that was remote a control plane...
scranton.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw7628-0192b4b65b2d2c94228f41c6fb3bbbe7_twilight_sparkle_seductive.gif
For
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
1219543 It's alright. I see what you were going for. He just got shot down big time. Call off the search, no survivors, etc. Try to be careful with gifs like that though. Someone might have known someone who died in a plan crash and they might be as kind. It's a big world we live in, but the Brony community is just as big.
t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQj9VN72QMLWzcgU9tFWyQCdwVSuFvJxnTlHCgG5FZVeTgvnF6Q5Q
TWILIGHT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? GET AWAY FROM THAT SHE-DEVIL!!!!!!!
Lol I love May! Had me laughing the whole time.
Twilight, drunk and feeling rejected, going to May's place.
No way this could go wrong.
Twilight should stay with Carrot Top darnit!
I like how you portray May Flower, a lot.
I will take this new chapter as a birthday present.
Lets Find You a Date! or, Explorations in the Pony Friendzone
I sense a shit storm a comin'.
spike x sweetie belle hmm
......also i feel a train wreck coming
She gonna get oooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuwwwwwwnwnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn..........
1219416
cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/22211217.jpg
Bow chicka wow wow
See's this in mail:
welp, this is heading for a total trainwreck
but still, twi & may
if you know what i mean 
This is shaping up to be awesome.
Hurray! I guess the RariTwi (?) part is out of the way. Good. Now, to get Twilight to decide she likes Carrot Top...
1220311
Do it Twilight!!! What? She's gotta pick up some experience somewhere.......
I really like how I'm genuinely not sure which of the three candidates Twilight is going to end up with, and even more so that all three candidates are actually really interesting characters. This is quickly becoming one of the best shipfics I've read. Have a moustache:
1219177
Dunno. Still seems like Rarity's sort of just squashing her own potential feelings for Twilight. Maybe seeing her with May'll light a fire under her powdered plot. Ooh, maybe we'll get to see a nagfight. :D Rarity gon' hoofslap a mare.
I was about to go to bed, check my favourites list one last time before bed. See update.
"Well, guess I ain't sleeping for another half hour."
“Fine,” Twilight relented with a sigh. “Let’s go.”
My reaction:
pinkie.ponychan.net/chan/files/src/133148446382.jpg
Why must you play at my motions!!!
But on a different note, I'm finding this to be a rather wonderfully written series, which I am more than eager to see the next chapter of. You hav earned a favorite & a watch...as well as
out of five.
Here's to hoping that the SS RariTwi will sail once more once everypony sobers up.
But everything changed when the fire nation attacked...
Sorry! That's the most appropriate disaster I could use to convey what is about to happen!
Dear Twilight,
Nothing good happens after 2AM
Yours,
A Friend
Okay, so far after every chapter I've been able to pick up the general direction of the story, but now, you've lost me.
I knew that as soon as the drinks were proposed, Twilight was going to try something. And I expected that to happen as well, but...
I wasn't prepared regardless.
Aaaaaand that, ladies and gents, is pretty much exactly why I don't drink.
damn it hasn't gone anywhere yet, still my fav rarityxtwilight fics. thanks for the new chapter.
I'm waiting for the moment that Twilight realizes that May's advice on how to let a naive pony like Carrot Top down easy is exactly what Rarity has been doing with her. I do wonder if a desire to protect Twilight from someone like May might draw more of Rarity's feelings towards Twilight, but as it stands now it seems she's just not that in to the purple mare.
May Flower is best letch.
Going to May's after getting rejected by Rarity?
cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/20152963.jpg
1219416 totally agree. Poor Twi seems to think she's in there too...
If wonder if May will be willing to go through with sleeping with Twi once she realizes how hammered and vulnerable Twi is. May doesn't really seem the type to settle for the drunk rebound and would much rather get with Twilight on the level as a point of pride after this many attempts.
I swear every time I read a new chapter of something my favorite pony changes. Carrot Top is best pony! At least until The Life and Times of a Winning Pony updates again.