Rarity shippings...Eligible candidates?

Being a fan of the Applespike romance, the topic of Rarity's future always comes into question. I find that some of the best stories (for romance that is) have more than one pairing in the story, with the focus varying between main couples and sub/background pairings. This is simply to add depth to characters and ultimately makes it more enjoyable to read. As my brother said "there's more than one ship in a fleet"
Cheesey I know, but so brilliantly punny.
But if Spike were paired with another, then the question remains:
Without Spike, WHO THE CRAP PAIRS UP WITH RARITY?

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Is Rarity destined to being pushed aside as a background pairing, because no one really has any clue pertaining to her love life? Is she always going to be the underdog, simply receiving the left-overs? So going around this logically, we really only have 4 solutions:

First, we have the most logical of solutions, but one that is the most at risk to scrutiny and spite. This one being, just find another male.
Yeah, no problem there right? Seems straight forward. I find these however, are often sloppy at best. I mean, Fancy Pants, Thunderlane or Big Mac? It just seems you're scrapping the bottom of the barrel a tiny bit. Without a proper back story it's just another case of the Batman-utility-belt-effect; just one convenient thing after the next.
True you could just pull out OC out of nowhere, but the same principals apply.

So it seems everybody's favourite fashionista is a tad down on her luck with the blokes...so what about the flip side?

That's right, second we have another highly common one. Pair her with another female. Okay, so I ain't a fan of this one for many reasons, but for Rarity, again it seems doesn't have much of a roster. I've only seen her paired with AJ or Fluttershy on occasion (mainly because I don't exactly go treasure hunting for F/F Rarity fics) but I already enjoy AJ and Fluttershy with other characters, so what then?

Well fillies and gentlecolts, this brings us to our two final solutions. The first of which doesn't really solve the problem at all.

This would be pair her with no one
...
Now I'm not even gonna allow that idea the luxury of being pondered, it's just...meh.
I mean, what is it? I dunno! Moving on.

So here it is. The final option. Now this one really grinds my gears. that's right, you guessed it! The last and final option is a harem.

Ahh, yes. The glorious team harem. The pinnacle of uncreative intelligence. The holy grail of improbability drives! The ultimate escape route...a giant 'screw you' to honest readers if you will.
The...yeah, yeah, get the picture yet?
This one allows the author to bring a sloppy close to a story leaving the readers wanting a bit more. Frankly, it's lazy, uncreative and doesn't really provide closure at all.

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So what do we do? How do we come up with an intelligent pairing without it being an utter Ship-wreck? (pun intended)
Guys, I'd like you to write any input you have and possibly discuss this further, along with suggestions of other characters to pair with her and/or decent back stories as to why they like each other.
I think that's one of the main reasons I don't quite like Rarity and Fancy Pants. Sure he's from Canterlot and a gentlecolt, but is that it? Where's the depth of character?

Marshall out.