//------------------------------// // The outfit maker! Wait, it's not Miss Rarity? // Story: Golden Love // by enigmaMystere //------------------------------// Flick wanders the streets, lost in thought once more. He then promptly stops and shakes his head, remembering the last time he let that happen. “Get it together. Can’t run beak first into another pony.” Nodding, he takes another step- And is promptly bowled over by a speeding scooter. As he lays on the ground, he silently ponders what life choices led to this. Not his own, of course, but the ones of the orange and purple blur speeding away. He feels a different set of hooves helping him up. "You alright there, hun?" Flick blinks, holding his head with his free talon, the other gently placed on what feels to be a mare’s shoulder. “Decent. What took the harshest blow was my dignity.” "Well, I'm glad nothing else got hurt." Her voice is smooth as she speaks. "That filly doesn't really mind much for where she's going. She rides to ride." “What, is it her destiny to use ponies like bowling pins?” He finally turns his attention to her, and blinks in surprise. The sight that awaits him is quite unusual, yet not unwanted in this little town. The mare before seems to simultaneously exude an aura of wildness from her tufted ears and slitted eyes, yet at the same time her voice, smile, and the way she carries herself are that of a lady above your league that you would yearn for. Those unusual eyes are pools of purple that match her almost silk-like mane and tail. Her dusky yellow coat seems to have a volume to it most ponies' don't. Finally, the set of matching purple wings certainly draw the eyes to her, in no small part due to their leathery bat-like design instead of pegasi feathers. He then realizes her lips are moving, and he lets out a breathy, “Pardon?” once she finishes speaking. She smiles a bit wider. "I said, it's nothing personal, but if it happens again, there are ponies you could talk to who could get through to her." “Oh. Okay.” He reaches out with a claw, flinches, then extends it towards her barrel instead of her face. “Flick. I’m new in town.” She lets out a small sound of amusement as she takes his claw with her hoof. "I thought so. I hadn't seen you around before. Enjoying yourself so far?" “Yes, especially if I get to meet stunning mares like you.” He gives a small smile, letting go before he was tempted to rub her foreleg with a talon. Her fur just looked so soft, he had to know. She laughs softly. "Well, I see you're a charmer. I hope the mares know to watch out." His gaze turns to the sky as he thinks out loud. “Well, so far there’s been a mare who doesn’t get flirting, one who has started to turn it back on me, another that just blushes profusely, and then a mare who gets angry when I chat with the former. Oh, and then there’s Pinkie Pie.” He chuckles quietly. “How about you? Do you want to-“ A tennis ball smacks the back of his head, sending him face first into her chest. “...if you were a minotaur, this’d be more awkward than it already is.” "Oh, definitely, but for now..." She gently lifts his head out of her fur with a wing. "I know it was an accident." “Yea, thank you...” He looks down, then back up at her with a smile. “If it helps, your fur is the softest I’ve ever felt.” She puts a hoof to her chest, a twinkle in her eye. "Why thank you. I'm glad you appreciate it. Oh, I almost forgot, she offers her hoof once more. "I'm Silk." He chuckles, taking the hoof in his claw and gently touching his beak to it. “A lovely name fitting a lovely lady.” "Well now, you really are quite the interesting new addition to the town." Her eyelashes flutter a few times. He smiles quietly, leaning in for a second before he realizes what he’s doing. He quickly straightens up and clears his throat. “So, Miss Silk, I told a pony that I’d help his business. Would you be willing to accompany me?” He smirks. “All we have to do is eat.” "Hmm... well, I am out for lunch." She looks off to the side as she thinks, turning back to him with a smile after a moment. "I think I'd be delighted to." He grins, his feathers fluffing out a bit. “Great! Follow me!” He turns and moves to hurry off, quite visibly excited. The mare giggles behind him. "Very interesting, indeed..." He glances back at her, smirking cheekily. “I try my best.” She smirks right back, catching up to him. "So, do I need to dress up for this place?" Flick pauses, turning to her curiously. “...are you just looking for a reason to dress up?” "No, but I figured it was a decent enough question to lead into asking what kind of place it is." She winks. "Why, want to see me dressed up already?" He stares blankly for a moment before he turns away, cheeks tinted pink. “...I wouldn’t say no, per se...” She laughs softly, patting his back with a wing. "It's alright, hun. Why don't you just start by telling me what kind of place it is?" “It’s a casual place.” He smiles as he glances over his shoulder. “I think we might have company, though.” A blue blur lands in front of them, chest and feathers puffed out to appear threatening. “What was up with leaving like that? I still had stuff to say!” Her eyes dart to the other mare, then back to him, confused. “Who’s that?” "And who is she?" The mare asks calmly, though some fangs he hadn't noticed before can now be seen barely poking out from her mouth. He blinks, focused on her mouth as he quietly mutters to himself. “How do those make her more attractive?” “I’m Rainbow Dash.” She smirks, buffing a hoof on the fur of her chest. “I’m sure you’ve heard of me.” "Hmm... I believe so." She nods, still looking her up and down. "I recall reading something with your name at one point, a newspaper." “Oh? Was it about the awesome tricks I pull?” She starts to lift off the ground. “Maybe how I helped save Equestria?” "Well, there was something about those, and something about a weather reprimand..." She smiles. "Everypony has flaws." Rainbow splutters a bit, then frowns and takes hold of Flick’s claw. “Come on! Let’s just get this over with!” He raises an eyebrow at her. “You make it sound like I’m forcing you.” “No! I mean, you aren’t-“ She groans, bringing her hooves up to cover her embarrassed blush. “Just let me go with you, already!” "Daww... she's shy." Silk titters. "It's just lunch, hun. Nothing to be worried about." “Yes there is!” She quickly bites her tongue, wincing and holding a hoof to her cheek afterwards. “...forget it. Let’s just go.” “Oh! Before I forget,” Flick smiles at the two of them, “you’ll want to bring something you want grilled.” "That's... a slightly odd request." Silk murmurs. He shrugs. “It’ll make sense when you get there.” "Well... alright." She looks thoughtful. "'ll need to go to my place, then. I don't make a habit of carrying food with me." “I’ll find you,” Rainbow blurts out before dashing away. “...I guess I’ll walk with you to your place, then?” He gives Silk a sheepish grin. "If you like, you can." She smiles. "I live above my store." He blinks, then looks at her curiously. “You never said anything about a store.” "You never asked, because it never came up." She grins back at him as she takes the lead. “Fair point.” He follows behind her, tilting his head slightly. “...so your name is Silk but your cutie mark is lace?” "I can work equally well with both materials." She swishes her tail. "My full name is Silk Tease." “...huh. Interesting.” He catches the end of her tail in her next swish, running his talons through the body part that almost hit him in the face. “How much of a tease are you, Miss Tease?” She looks back at him. "As much as I want to be. But the name is more of a clothing reference." She gently shuffles her wings. “Is that right...” He slowly starts to match her gait as he catches up, a talon lightly tracing along her spine. “...do you like teases, Miss Tease?” He gently drapes his wing over her back, looking around to make sure he can get his bearings, later. "As long as they know limits, I find it fun to spar with such ponies." She turns her eyes to him. He gives her a playful smirk. “I meant the clothes, Silk.” The wing pats her on the head. “I’m glad you are open to flirting, though. That’s better than the mare who threw her drink in my face.” She winces at the thought. "Well, some ponies don't react well. As for your actual question..." She motions ahead of them. "Maybe my store answers that." “It wasn’t the drink that was the problem, it was the... toothpick...” He trails off, eyes widening at the sight of her store. “...you’re a kinky filly, aren’t you?” "What makes you say that?" She leads him into her currently closed store, aptly called 'Silk's Select.' While at a glance you might think it's just a clothing store, a closer inspection reveals it's catering towards more... sensual attire. Everything from see-through unmentionables, alluring nightwear, and even a few adult costumes is on display, along with a few accessories. “The first letter of each word in your store’s sign are a collar and a leash,” he points out. "Oh, well, I have been thinking of changing it to not scare off some who aren't that extreme." She admits. He immediately perks up and grins at her. “Do you need an artist? I’m available, if you do!” "Do you take commissions for things like that?" She asks, stopping in the middle of the store as she was leading him through it. “Of course!” He nods, puffing out his chest. “I’m also really wanting to work with a beautiful mare like you. And those adorable gifted ears.” He plays with the tip of one as he finishes, chuckling happily. It flicks under his touch as she gives a light blush. "Hey now, how'd you know they were gifted?" “Well... it may have to do with assuming.” He looks away, embarrassed, before he sits down to play with both her ears. “Gotta love those little tufts.” She giggles as she tries to move her head away. "H-hey now, don't we have a lunch to go to and apparently business to discuss?" “That can wait a bit.” His eyes narrow as he leans in, his chin on her nose as he focuses on those tufts. Before she can say anything about it, he lowers his head to look into her eyes, her cheek cradled in his claw. “...wow...” Her eyes look into his, a light pink on her cheeks. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but is this a griffon habit?" He blinks, slowly lowering his claw as the most penitent expression forms on his face. “...no, I... I’m afraid that’s just me. You’re so... breathtaking. I couldn’t help myself.” "Oh my..." She brings one of her wings forward, fanning her face a bit. "You have quite the way with words for mere flirting." “To be honest,” he rubs the back of his neck, “I was thinking out loud.” “Gangway!” He turns just in time for a blue blur to slam into his body, knocking them both into a display that collapses on top of them. Silk actually growls at this. "I hope you're willing to pay for anything you broke there, Miss Dash." Surprisingly, there is not a response from under the piles of risqué clothing. "Hello?" She starts gingerly shifting this aside, trying not to rip anything. Rainbow’s head bursts free of the pile, her face the same shade as the red in her mane. “Nothing happened!” Silk hums. "Are you sure? You came in here in quite a rush." She flounders for an excuse, her hooves resting on a bit of the pile before her. “That’s not what-“ “Rainbow, please get off my lap.” She yelps and jumps up in the air, scattering clothes and revealing what looks to be a griffin whose face was made of vegetables and eyes were slices of bread. He carefully sits up, somehow not disturbing the food. “And apparently she thinks having her nose pressed against the top of my beak counts as a kiss.” “I never said that! Don’t put words in my mouth!” There’s a brief pause before the technicolor mare continues. “And that didn’t happen!” "Sure, hun." Silk rolls her eyes before she offers the griffon a hoof. "Are you alright, Flick?" “Could be better, could be worse.” He chuckles as Rainbow gathers her meal off his face. “Though I’d prefer not to be eaten.” “Duh. No one wants to be eaten.” She flies off to the side to try and reconstruct her sandwich, missing the pained look on Flick’s face as he tries not to go for the dirty joke. "Did any of the clothes get ripped?" The thestral checks over a see-through negligee. “Not that I know of.” Rainbow just scoffs. “Nice priorities you have there. You didn’t ask if I was alright.” "You jumped fine. You also sped into my store and crashed for no reason." She narrows her eyes at her. “I had a reason!” She huffs and turns back to her meal. “I just don’t want to share it.” "Fine, but damages are still coming out of you." She snorts, puttign everything back. "Did you find anything, Flick?" “Is this one broken?” He holds up what appears to be stockings that are distressed. "No, those are meant to be like that." She shakes her head. "It looks like things are fine." The griffon looks at her, then softly smiles. “Wait, there is one thing that’s off.” “Really?” Rainbow looks around, confused. “Did we hit anything else.” “We almost did.” He brings up a claw and gently brushes a loose lock of mane back into place on Silk’s forehead, the tips of his talons lightly dragging through the fur of her forehead. “There we go. Perfect.” She giggles, her wings adjusting. "Charmer. Come on, I still need to grab something for lunch." Rainbow pouts as Flick pats her on the head. “Ready to go, Dash?” She looks back at him and nods. “Sure.” "I'll just be a moment." Silk smiles at them both, heading to a door in the back and slipping through it. As he sits down, Rainbow sits down beside him, her sandwich in a bag under her wing. He gives her a questioning stare, but she doesn’t acknowledge it, just staring straight ahead. A wicked smile forms on his beak before he leans close and whispers in her ear. “You know, you don’t have to hide your infatuation with her.” She just scoffs, frown deepening. “Please, it’s not her I’m-“ Her voice catches in her throat, realization and dawning horror filling her features before she quietly continues. “...I don’t have anyone I like. Not like that.” He moves to follow up on that answer, even draping a wing across her back as a teasing joke, but the other mare returning put a stop to that. That’s when he became keenly aware of what it looked like. Awkwardly coughing, he gives Silk a nervous smile. “So, uh, find what you were looking for?” She gives him a sharp glance, waiting a few second before responding. "Yes... I did." “Great!” Rainbow darts forward out of Flick’s unusual embrace before taking the mare’s food and running out the store, leaving the two of them alone. There’s a moment of silence before he managed to find his voice. “I was just jibbing her. It’s hard not to when she gets flustered so easily.” "I see." Silk walks until she's next to him, looking at her door with a small frown. "But now she took my lunch. I might have to teach her not to do that..." He raises an eyebrow at this. “...how do you plan on doing that?” "I'm sure I'll think of something, unless she actually learns to behave." She sniffs, spreading her wings a bit. "Did she know where to go?" Almost as if summoned, the mare pokes her head back inside. “Were you two coming? I can’t go somewhere I haven’t been, before!” The other mare shakes her head, turning to the griffon. "Well, we'd better be off." "Yes, we'd better." He smiles and gives her a hug before walking out the door, feeling much less tense than he was a moment earlier.