Diaries of a Canterlot Librarian

by Cloud Shaker

Dusty's Entry: I'm bad at this game

Alright, so remember how two days ago I was talking about my date with the loveliest creature this side of Equestria?

Yeah, yesterday it didn't turn out quite as well as I hoped it would. Well, I know I left her hanging at that cafe but still! It got really awkward really quickly and I don't think I can do anything to fix this.

-------------------------------Cue Flashback-------------------------------

Dusty Scrolls was excited. After waking up at six in the morning, he'd spent the next five hours thoroughly washing and preening his coat while making sure his mane was combed and styled to perfection. He'd even sprayed some "Eau de Toilette" to give his coat a fresh scent while making sure everything down to his hooves were free of the dust and dirt of his occupation. Once again, he thanked Celestia that today was a rare day off that he'd allowed himself. After all, he'd finished organizing the "Starswirl the Bearded" wing ahead of schedule, giving him time to relax and enjoy the day. Now, rummaging through his closet, he managed to find a clean suit that he could wear. Now if only he remembered how to put it on.

Struggling to get his legs through the sleeves, he sighed. "Darn unicorns and their fancy horns that allow them to just magic their clothes on." Remembering that his boss was, in fact, a unicorn did nothing to help his temperament, and he scowled. Growing increasingly careful so as to not tear a hole, Dusty finally managed to get his suit on in once piece.

Passing by a nearby mirror, he winked at himself. "You hot stud, you. Time to go get 'em." He confidently walked down the castle hallway, making only a single stop to pick up a bouquet of flowers he'd requested yesterday from the royal gardener.
Growing more animated with each step, he was practically skipping up the stairs that lead to the guest suite where his date would be staying. Standing in front of the door to compose himself, he knocked.

And waited. And waited and waited and waited. When five minutes had passed, he decided to knock again before the door opened by itself. Peering inside, he found the suite in a state of organized chaos. Linens littered the room in barely recognizable piles, while the table was covered in bold new patterns obviously meant for Rarity's new clothing line.

Dusty Scroll suppressed a sigh. He'd really thought he'd scored this time, but apparently his "date" was just fooling with him. Turning tail to head back down the stairs, he bumped into somepony holding bags upon bags of cloths.

"Oh, I'm ever so sorry, whoever I bumped into, but would you be a dear and hold the door open?" Rarity poked her head around her large load. "Oh, it's you Mr. Scroll! To what may I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I, uh. We had made plans to lunch together?" Dusty was confused. She seemed to remember him well enough, but could she have simply forgotten about their plans together?

"Oh, that! Please, do come inside! I'm getting rather tired holding up all these bags."

"Allow me, Ms. Rarity." Taking as many bags as he could onto his back, Dusty moved into the room and deposited them neatly by the bed.

"Thank you ever so much for your help, Mr. Scroll." Rarity fluttered her eyebrows at him, causing him to blush.

"It was my pleasure, Ms. Rarity. And please, call me Dusty," he said coyly, giving her a quick wink.

"My, my, Dusty, don't you know how to play the ladies?" Rarity tittered, a sound that Dusty found to be more beautiful than any produced by the Canterlot First Orchestra.

"I try my best, madam." Offering his hoof, he smiled winningly at her. "Shall we?"

Rarity reciprocated with a playful smile of her own. "But of course, darling. Lead me away." The two of them grinned at each other as they headed down the stairs, eager to get a bite to eat and to get to know each other a little better.

-------------------------------Flashback End-------------------------------

Well, after dining for the better part of the hour, our conversation turned from light-hearted to a little more personal. I learned that Rarity actually hailed from a place called Ponyville, the name sounding very familiar to me but I forgot the reason why. She also confided that she was one of the Elements of Harmony and was in fact the one who represented "Generosity". I found that seriously amazing. It's not every day you find a mare that's stunningly beautiful as well as one of the saviors of Equestria. When the conversation started gearing towards me, however, I started sweating.

She got interested in things like my education, my hometown, where I grew up and how I liked working under the Princesses at the Archives. They were all innocent enough questions, but I was loathe to talk about my colthood in front of her. Not because I didn't trust her, for she was one of the most sincere mares I've met and I knew she wouldn't betray my confidence.

It's because my childhood is sort of an embarrassment to me. Being the son of two drifter earth ponies, I was always made fun of whenever we moved to a new village or town because the other foals thought I was homeless. In a sense, they were kind of right. I was too young at the time to know, but my father was escaping his debt collectors by constantly being on the move. The longest I've remembered staying at a place is maybe six months, tops. Those days, I never smiled, I never had friends, and I never experienced love into into my adolescent years.

That's probably why I'm so unrestrained right now and why I'm always chasing after the mares. I guess I'm trying to make up for lost time, but I couldn't just tell my date that on a whim. This was deep, personal, and just plain awkward history for me; she insisted on pressing onward, however, and her genuine curiosity at my avoidance of the subject forced me to end our date early.

I realized that this probably was not the best move I could have made. It was immature and petulant. Now, she won't even allow me to apologize to her, whether in person or through letters.

Even though I hate to admit it, I need Artemis' guidance. He's one of the smartest ponies I know, and if anypony knows how to fix this problem I have, it'll be him. Even if he's a stick in the mud all the time.

-Dusty Scroll, Secretary to the Chief Scholar of the Canterlot Archives