It's been a day since Sunset's... offer. It was mid-December and it snowed hard enough to cancel school, so I had nothing to do but tend to this dump.
My house isn't much. Hell, it's practically nothing. I mean, it's big, but it's rotten wood, broken windows, dripping pipes, and the fact that it's set next to a polluted lake gives it a poor-hermit vibe.
Before you ask, no, I didn't want Rarity inside the house. I just wanted her to help me out with getting it fixed to back when my dad was a kid: Bold, proud, and cheerful. But then he started drinking, and the house started collapsing around us.
I was about to check the house for termites when I saw a swarm of them by the bathroom. This being a common situation due to the rotting wood, grabbed what was left of the spray and opened fire. They stopped moving, now I just had to dispose of them-- the harder part. I put them all on a dustpan and took them to the lake for the fish. I felt the bitter, raw cold as I dumped the bugs... onto ice.
"Damn..."
I knew the ice would melt sooner or later, so I headed back inside and applied the egg solution to insure that this wave of eggs won't hatch.
"So, you live here?" A voice asked behind me, chuckling.
I jumped back and saw Sunset and Snails, the latter leaning against a rotting wall.
"Aww, you two look so adorable together." I teased sarcastically.
Sunset seemed unfazed, but definitely disgusted. Snails's face became blood red by the time I was done with my joke.
"Lighten up, Sunset. It was a joke." I said as I shut the door behind them.
"It wasn't a good one." Sunset said as she noticed a chair and took a seat.
That was my dad's favorite chair...
"That was my father's chair..." I said, angry.
"Okay, so what?"
"Get. Off."
"Make her." Snails said, getting between us.
"It's fine, Snails. It's his house..." Sunset said as she got up and moved to another chair.
"What do you want?" I asked her.
"Oh, just to chat. I heard something about you wanting to redecorate the place." Sunset said, propping her feet on my table.
"Well, redecorate is a weak word, but... yes." I confirmed.
"Maybe I can help you, if you'd let me..." She said, softening her tone.
"Why does this sound like yesterday? Look, I don't care who you are, or who you set yourself up to be-- I don't want you. That is not happening until the day I die." I said to her.
"Worth a shot..." Sunset sighed.
"Oh, by the way, I saw you're out on that bug spray." Sunset said as she tossed me a bottle of the bug spray I use.
"Seems like you want something in return..." I said cautiously.
"No, I just like you. Not romantically, don't worry. I just wanna break you down, understand you. That's all." Sunset said as she and Snails exited the house.
Good, they're gone...
Now back to checking the house.
After I was done with the perimeter sweep, I decided to see if there were some food left in the pantry. My father collected dried foods for multiple years, enough to last me decades. I never had to grocery shop a day in my life...
I grabbed some hash and got the oven going. I had some time to grab a book and get a few chapters into it...
Daring Do and The Quest for The Sapphire Stone. My father's favorite book when I was 12, before he left. I managed to reach to the climax when the oven beeped and it shook me awake.
After finishing the hash, I decided to go for walks like I tend to do in the afternoons. After reaching the city, and getting waves and "hellos" from students and residents, I wound up at my destination: Everfree Park.
The park was here for multiple years. I always walked through it and cleared my head on whatever stressed me. However, I saw someone very familiar in my vision.
"Cloud?" Rarity asked to my right.
I nearly jumped, never expecting anyone I knew, least of all her, in the park.
"Oh, uh... hey Rarity." I said.
There was a silence, and Rarity seemed to receive the brunt of it.
"Look, I'm sorry if I... surprised you. It's just--"
"I understand, darling. You couldn't hide it anymore, you said as much."
"It's not just that. I wanted your help about something, but I need you to promise me not to freak out."
Rarity blushed slightly.
"N- not like that! I... I need help with the house." I confessed.
"Well, it's about time, darling." Rarity said unfazed.
"What... what do you mean?" I asked.
"Sunset showed me the photos. Cloud, why didn't you say you needed help? I would've been glad to help."
"But after what I said?" I asked.
Rarity sighed.
"Yes, after what you said. Don't beat yourself up over it, I've heard many, many worse date offers before, most from strangers. I wanted to think about it, and in truth I still am. But let's not get wrapped up around that. You want my help? You have it."
Rarity held me in an embrace. But as soon as we broke off, I saw a bright, quick flash of light.
I saw Snails with his phone.
"Crap..." I muttered as Snails ran off.
I tried to chase him, Rarity right behind me. But we lost him and he ran free.
"Damn it..." I said, falling on my knees, out of breath.
"It... it's alright, darling. I've heard rumors about us before, this will just have them riled up for a week." Rarity said, trying to comfort me.
"No, it's more than that. If he gives Sunset that photo... who knows what she'll do with it."
"Don't worry about Sunset. She's just a cruel woman spreading sadness and fear." Rarity said as she knelt next to me.
I knew she had a point and there was no finding Snails, so I let the subject go.
"You... saw the house, huh?" I asked her.
"Yes I have... It... wasn't the worst residence I've seen." Rarity said.
"But it's below the standard." I said.
"N... yes. Yes it is." Rarity confessed.
"So... what now?" I asked.
"Have... anything planned tonight?" Rarity asked.
I turned to her and I saw some red on her cheeks.
Was she asking me on a date?
"No... no I don't." I said.
"Well, I have a rather serious dilemma. I have two tickets to see the new play at school tonight, and I was going to take Sweetie Belle. But, alas, she has a playdate, or arrangement, or whatever she and her friends prefer.