Runeplate: Gemstone Hunter

by FaustiusRune

Chapter 3

Morning already, feeling groggy, Runeplate wakes up with just five hours of sleep. Eyes are blurry, headache pulsing everytime he tries to think or just turn his head. He goes to the bathroom's medic box for a hangover pill, and refresh himself from last night's drinks. The thought-giving shower and the quick curing pill recover his memory from the mental-blocking headache. "Right... Rarity." few minutes, he finished his shower and suited up along with his saddlebag. Picking it up, a locket with a yellow gem in the middle fell down. He looked at it, he closed his eyes and cherished the only gift he did not add to his hidden cellar of collections. A tear fell, he shed it and recollected of what he should be up to. Checked out of the inn, he went back to the nearly ground-zeroed boutique.

Arriving at the shop-- glass-less windows, no doors and newly cemented wall; he saw Twilight fixing up few "Hey, Twilight. Is Rarity in there?" she stopped her levitation and confront Runeplate. "She's inside. You just wait here. I'm sort of fixing the place... You know... because of yesterday." He felt shy after feeling guilty, looking down the ground and scratches his shoulder. "Yeah... Sorry about that. I've forgot how anger can amplify her magic."

Speaking of anger, "I never saw her angry like that before. We sometimes see her rage whenever her little sister do something she doesn't like. Or that time when Spike was threatened by other dragons. She even said 'but I'll rip you to pieces if you touch a scale on Spikey Wikey's head!'" he laughed with her story. "Well, I guess there's no point not telling."

They sat down on the couch inside the shop. "It all started when my little problem in myself crossed the line. We share the same passion in gemstones if she haven't told you. We like those things. We have somekind of eyes that can really see the beauty of a gem. It's what made me fall for her in such young age, too." sighed, and picked the locket from the bag. "You're still not telling me how she's still mad at you."

"Right." he nodded.

It was after founding her cutiemark. At the night of that big performance, I saw all those gems shining by the spotlights. Her works were pretty mesmerizing. Those refracted lights flickering. I can't take my eyes off of those.

Next day after the performance, I tried to talk to her. I thought a skinny colt like I was should not had the chance to talk to the little miss popular Rarity... but she was nice. She smiled and talked with me during recess. Funny thing is that she offered her lunch thinking I haven't eaten all day. She didn't know me that time. I'm sort of a loner back then, that lurked out of the cave. We started to know each other. Had a small puppy love between us. But that wasn't the point I wanted to get closer to Rarity. I want to see what her newfound ability. I took the advantage of the locals teasing us as love birds. Being a lady-like pony, she's too flattered with the attention. With that, I made her think I'm serious with my feelings for her, too.

"You kinda lost me now." Runeplate just shrugs. "Don't you like hearing a story? This part is gonna get good, and besides, Rarity seems to be enjoying whatever she's doing upstairs."

"Alright then, continue."

Few days after all those flirts, talks and moments, she fell for me. What a love can do? We defied our age for love and became like the hottest celebrity pair in Ponyville. She's living the dream of what any filly could and I got closer of... well, using her. I insisted her to take me to the digging site to 'help' her find some for new designs. Few hours of non-stop digging with hooves, shovels and basic area levitation, we found a cartful of gems. After we were finish, we sat down on a nearby yellow oak tree, strangely with cherry blossom leaves.

He just shook his head and continued. While having snacks, I caught her looking at me. She turned back staring at the clouds. I just keep looking at her, pushed myself closer and our front hooves touched. She looked at me again, and we gaze at each other. It's like we're having a staring contest.

"And then what happened?" she asked, then a slow creak on the door is heard.

"Happened what?" coming out of the door, a white mare dressed in puffy robe, with curlers again, tapping her back hoof. "Is he telling you our little past? Yes, I fell in love with him like a diamond dog happily found a zircon thinking it's diamond..." She walks by them and turned her head to at him, chin-up, and a narrowing look. "...and he took advantage of it and used me to find Mayor Mare's prized necklace."

Slowly nearing to Runeplate "Don't cook up a story with something like... false romantic moments." he barely pretends to smile but he knows she's telling the truth.

She takes a deep breath and heads to the staircase, "I'll clean up and remove these curlers upstairs. Twilight, dear, thank you for fixing all the damage this colt had caused. We have a cancelled spa treatment to attend."

Before she raise a hoof on the first step of the stairs, he stands blocking her path. "Rarity... I'm sorry. I just got a bit overboard in telling that." he paused for a moment but she walks to the staircase before he can start to mumble and unleash a heart-stopping, breathtaking surprise. He chased her up and interrupts her trot, "I just want to meet you today because I need you to forgive me. Forgive me for all of what I've done. If those gems are not enough for you, fine, I'll take you to the Royal Symphony Orchestra Performance next week. I have an invitation for two for exclusive front row seats near the two Royalties, with VIP Passes for everything. We can even look around the castle without being halted. Also, fashion's big names like Mrs Stilleto and Her Highness Heels will be there, even... oh I don't know, Mr. Fancypants, too? I think he'd be happy to see you." She stopped for a while, turned herself to him. She's just gazing at him. The shop became too silent, neither one of the two showed any expression.

Runeplate breaks the deafening silence "Rarity, as I've heard around, you're the best tailor in Ponyville. Photo Finish and Hoity Toity even mentioned you in some social gatherings I attended. They're so proud with your designs. They had a little argument about who will take you, PF's crew or Toity's." he coughed and bowed in front of her as if he's proposing a marriage. Would you do the honor of making a suit for me? The best but simplest of all the stallion suits you've made. Expenses are all on me. Food, travels, materials, heck I could even rent a place up high in the palace just for your own workroom."

All of what he said are sudden. She felt her heart stopped of a moment. She can't let out a word from her slightly opened mouth but her eyes tells him she's accepting the invitation. She pretends to be calm, supressing the excited feeling even with the slowly-widening grin, and walks past him. Taking a deep breath and removing the smile on her face, he went near him and posed a lady-like figure, chin up and a narrowing gaze. "Alright, I accept your invitation. Meet me tomorrow morning to start our travel. I must reschedule all my appointments and do the remaining orders before leaving." finally reaching her room's doorway, "Be reminded I don't want anymore planned shenanigans that may ruin my reputation to anyone... and I mean anyone."

Finally... Runeplate went down the stairs and exits the shops. Leaving Twilight alone, like she was not there at all. "What did just happened?" She went up to Rarity's room to have a small catch up of the previous event.

***

Comments

[Chill Mists(Chilly)]

Cool, keep it up.