Well, today had been a tiring day, but a productively tiring day. At least, that’s what Rarity thought. Plenty of commissions significantly progressed upon, a couple finished and a couple more even made. Today had been a dizzying rush! Why, she could’ve given Pinkie Pie a run for her money, she dare thought. All in all, there had just been one hiccup.
One particular customer, almost lost over a misunderstanding and Rarity’s own woeful ignorance. The memory of it made Rarity stumble on her way up the stairs, mumbling an apology to no pony. A look outside reminded her how long ago that incident was.
He wanted a dress based on a sea slug. At first, Rarity was reticent; slugs were not very fabulous creatures at all. And, at first, the customer was quite put out with her opinion, one she really should have learned to keep to herself, honestly. It was like she was channeling Applejack on a bad day.
Worst was when she found out how very wrong she was, so proven when the huffy client dragged her to the library. Also, better, because sea slugs, far beyond their terrestrial cousins, were indeed fabulous, absolutely fabulous, as Spike so enthusiastically showed her. Now, Rarity didn’t just want to make this stallion a dress, she wanted to create an entire line-up! The client must have seen how sincere she was, because he accepted her apology and pre-ordered a few more of her upcoming line-up as well.
All in all, it turned out so well, it set the tone for the rest of her day. So invigorated then by this, she got a lot more work done besides. By the end of the day, the crash of her high finally came but it was a very satisfied weariness that hit her. She was ready to go to bed now, so she thought as she entered her room, with a satisfied smile on her-
Violins began to play.
“Ooooh, when starlight hits your blue sapphires~!”
Then the trumpets sounded.
“Ooooh, it lights in me so many fires~!”
Rarity dashed for her window and threw it open, looking on outside.
“Let me tell you where this heat stems~”
“Becuase the cascade of your tail~
“It would never, ever fail~”
Rarity gawked, her eyes darting across the scene on her front lawn. There was an entire burro mariachi band, with a trumpet player, two different guitars- bass? Was that a bass? -a harp even and there was Pinkie Pie, all dressed to match her frie- was that Cranky? -Pinkie hopping about with a violin.
“To bring my eyes to your azure gems~”
Hold on, was that about her butt? Rarity was getting awfully suspicious this was about her butt. She’d listen to a few more lyrics though, before she jumped to any conclusions.
“Between the tail of your dock~
“And the leg of your hock~
“I just cannot look awaaay~”
Nope, okay, yep, nope, this was a song about looking at her butt. Admittedly, a nice looking butt, if Rarity did say so herself. She worked hard for this butt. Not exactly a Fluttershy butt, but who is really?
“But if I may be frank~
“It’s not just your flank~
“That gets me going everydaaay~”
Oh, we’re getting past the butt part? That’s nice. Admittedly, a lot of classical love songs were extended metaphors for coitus, so she couldn’t fault Pinkie for cutting a little closer to the chase. Besides, it made her feel sexy.
“Your eyes, your face, the dip of your waist~
“You’re a vision of modern beauty~”
Rarity settled her face on her hoof, smiling half-lidded as she settled in for a very pleasant ride. This was turning out to be a surprisingly good evening, all things considered.
“Your guise, your grace, the height of your taste~
“Sure, you’re a little bit snooty~
“But that’s why I love you~
“You’re incredibly vain~
“About that beautiful mane~
“But you’d take any jane~” Pinkie pulled in Matilda. From where, no pony or donkey kno- oh, no, wait, she was waiting over to the side for her cue. This wasn’t it, though, and Matilda was spun away with shriek, in part delighted, just a split second later.
“And make her not plain~
“Not matter the strain~
“You’d give anything to make anypony just as pretty as you~
“You’d give it all to make the world a sparklier place~
“You’re digging for gems, getting dirty and gritty, it’s true~
“Whatever it takes to keep your boutique in the race~
“You’ve got a mighty greed~
“A really terrible need~
“But that’s just the seed~
“We all must concede~
“That your wants will recede~
“When you hear any plead~”
On the one hoof, being reminded of some of her less desirable aspects made the faintest grimace briefly on Rarity’s face, but she understood the sentiment. Her flaws were reputed and in some turned around into her greatest strengths. She sighed, shivering in delight, knowing she was loved, warts and all.
Oh, she certainly didn’t want any actual warts though! Ghastly!
“Generous and greedy~”
“Giving and needy~”
“You’re a high class mare~”
“From the middle of nowhere~”
“It almost sounds like fiction~”
“That kind of contradiction~”
“But you make it work and that’s why I love yoouu!!”
The music ended with a flourish, the kind of musical flourish that seemed like it was going to be a twirl but did a one-eighty at the last moment and became a whirl. Rarity broke into applause, clapping her hooves together more daintily rather than stomping her feet.
“Bravo! Bravo!” Rarity stuck her head further out the window. Out the corner of her eye, she saw neighbors sticking also watching this nighttime show, some rather blearily and even a few annoyed. She didn’t mind, this was her moment. And Pinkie’s. Which she was giving to Rarity. “That was wonderful, honeybun!”
Pinkie Pie took a bipedal step front from her band, sweeping her sombrero off her head to bow. “Why thank you, Lady Rarity.” Seemed like she should have been saying it in borrico but ah well. Rarity squealed at ‘Lady Rarity’ anyway. Pinkie continued, “Would you do me the honors, Lady Rarity, of joining me for a candlelit dinner?”
Lady Rarity covered her mouth to hide the wide grin on her face. “Oh ho my! Oh, of course, Pinkie my honeybun darling. I’d love too!”
“Great!” Pinkie through her sombrero back and dashed for the Boutique’s front door. “See you inside!”
“... what?”
Rarity found herself turning around to go right back down her stairs she had just been going up a moment ago. It was dark downstairs, yes, she remembered turning off the lights. She didn’t remember lighting all these candles though. She stopped short just two-thirds of the way there when her, er, date showed up. Wow.
Pinkie… Pinkie looked rather dashing in a tux. With her hair pulled back so it was flat around her head with a massive, fluffy ponytail. It looked rather butch. Rarity felt an electric tingle travelling up her spine which she tried to bite off at her lower lip.
Pinkie took off her hat- she was wearing a fedora. An actual fedora, not a silly trilby. “M’lady.” Well, okay, still Pinkie Pie, she couldn’t resist herself.
“Pinkie-” Rarity stopped, taking in some of her surroundings, her home by the way. “Pinkie. Why is my work area curtained off?” She looked at the normally open archway towards her shop and then- “And all my clothes in the kitchen?” The little back kitchen was stuffed full of racks and- not any of her ponnequins, thank heavens.
“Eeeh-” Pinkie put her hat back on. “Eheheh. Well, ya see Rarity, I kinda needed your runway for something but I didn’t want to spoil the surprise but I also wanted to give you a chance to, ya know, dress-up?”
“With my merchandise?” Rarity gave her a half-lidded frown. “Honeybun, I have my own private selection for every occasion.” She smiled then, making Pinkie relax. “Wait one moment.”
Rarity didn’t open her antique vicoltian armoire, a unit far more curvy and top-heavy than it needed to be, so much as unfurled it. Each opening door and compartment revealed another and one could almost hear the sound of robots transforming out of their disguises.
Rarity eyed the rows of dress, hats, saddles and then some with a critical eye. All the while, her mind whirled.
So, am I really going along with this?
Black is always a safe color.
Well, why not? Pinkie is a good friend.
Red also has a certain universal appeal.
This is all so sudden, though!
But are either really my color?
Not for her, she clearly put a lot of thought into this.
I am clearly a blue mare.
What would this mean for us?
What shade of blue though?
It doesn’t have to mean anything.
Something a bit on the purplish side, I think.
We all gave her permission to show her affection.
Green is not my color.
I knew, or I should have known, exactly what I weas getting into with that.
Straps? No straps?
And she’ll be over it in a little while.
Sparkles? Definitely sparkles.
In the meantime, I get everything I ever could have wanted.
Wait, this looks like Maud’s dress.
…
Pick something else.
Do I really want that to end?
Perfect!
Did you know Matilda can sing in ancient asinine? Rarity didn’t. At least she now knew what Pinkie needed her runway for, that was for the show. The burros had switched out their mariachi outfits for fancy tuxes of their own and proved to be quite talented by switching to similar instruments for a more classical genre. Cranky was still on the harp and Matilda belted out tunes in a dead language Rarity had no hope of understanding.
Rather convenient for me, really, so I don’t have to transcribe them. If it helps, imagine the sort of song conceived for a long lost lover, promising that your heart will go on. Maybe throw in a sinking boat in there somewhere. A lot of ponies died but who cares? Only half the happy couple survived, that’s the real tragedy!
The surrounding decor and entertainment was amazing, but then there was the spread. It seemed like Pinkie had stripped the donkeys of their burro music and transferred it over to the food. Lots of beans, cheese, olives and chopped up greens and veggies, and thin flatbread meant for folding and wrapping around these ingredients.
Rarity didn’t know if this was appropriate for a candlelit dinner, or what the band might think of the cultural appropriation, but Pinkie was certainly trying her best. Everything else about this was simply magical, the countless little flames, and the spotlight down on Matilda, were the only lights around them. Besides, the food smelled good.
“You look really pretty, Rarity.”
Rarity looked up at Pinkie and breathed deeply. Pinkie looked even better now, thanks in no small part to Rarity’s efforts. The fashionista, she comes down in her resplendent gown, the one without a back, thank you, her hair and makeup done up too, with Pinkie waiting patiently down stairs, smiling, of course. She says much the same as she did just then but added something wonderful. “Could you help me dress-up too?”
Rarity was of the opinion that Pinkie’s hair, what she did with it that evening, was already great. Not only did she leave it alone, she used it as the basis for the rest. The tuxedo was merely okay, and used improvement. Seeing where Pinkie was going with this, and loving it, she cut everything to emphasize a masculine figure overlayed over Pinkie feminine form.
Pinkie’s suggestions of flannel were thoroughly rejected.
“Rarity? Marshmallow?”
Rarity snapped out of her reverie. That was just a few moments ago and she was still reeling in fantasyland about it. Heart beating, face flushed, she had to shake her head to shake it off and get her head back to reality.
Rarity leaned back, trying to play it cool but her poker face was slipping. “Mmm, yes, honeybun?”
“Are you okay?” Pinkie asked, pressing her front hooves together. “Do you need to, um, freshen up?” She asked with hoof quotes around the words.
What I need to do is resist throwing you over this table right now, Rarity thought.
She sniffed and her mouth watered some more. This was some good food here, maybe she’d ravish Pinkie when the food was cleared. Oh yeah, that was totally a normal thought to have.
“Not at all, honeybun.” Rarity gestured to the food. “I’m just wondering where to start. I’m afraid I don’t have that much experience with burro food. Could you show me how to eat this?”
Rarity gave a satisfied groan, feeling so very full. Maybe if Pinkie had some rather different set of equipment, this might suggest something completely different. With some finagling and imagination, it might still but, as is the case, it’s just Rarity in a food coma.
There had been pastries for dessert because of course there were. They were oh so good and Rarity couldn’t just stop at just one or just one more, no matter how many times she said that. The band also took a break to gorge themselves on sweets, and Rarity wondered if that was what constituted as their payment. She knew, in that moment, it would be well-worth it.
Rarity was in absolutely no condition to ravage anypony, but she wouldn’t mind having her bodices ripped of, goodness knows it was already pretty strained at this point, and letting Pinkie Pie- what would be an appropriate innuendo? Something to do with parties and maybe pants she didn’t wear.
This was just the first date, but surely Pinkie wouldn’t mind. There were quite a few signal she had been sending, things that made Rarity quiver in delight. The little moment with Pinkie, her tongue, some sour cream and a taco came delightfully to mind. That couldn’t have been an accident. Rarity sure hoped it wasn’t and couldn’t imagine it being anything else in her sugar-addled near-food coma-state delirious mind.
Pinkie carried the rather heavier mare up the stairs as she hummed in delighted imagination. Not that Rarity was heavier than Pinkie, just no, but Rarity after dinner was rather heavier than Rarity before. It wasn’t any problem for Pinkie, for as nontraditional as she was was still an earth pony. She even pronked up the stairs for goodness sake, an act which made Rarity burb. In her state, she couldn’t be mortified at her crude behavior but only enjoyed the sense of relief.
Rarity really wanted Pinkie to ‘pronk’ her, hoof quotes and all, for some real relief. They were already going to her bedroom, there is absolutely no other way this could go. Rarity tried to welcome Pinkie inside her abode, but had a small problem of being half-conscious on Pinkie’s back. Not that, it seemed, Pinkie was going to need much input from Rarity.
Like a gentlemare, Pinkie laid her out so softly on her bed. Rarity would just giggle demurely, sprawling herself out, waiting for more. With her teeth, Pinkie grabbed the laces of Rarity’s dress and slid the fabric of her body. Rarity closed her eye then, laying her naked self out. She felt a fuzzy warmth crawl up her body, and a loving kiss planted on her cheek.
Yes! Yes! Take me now!
“Good night, Rarity!”
Pardon?
Rarity struggled to get her eyes open, but managed to see the blurry pink form bouncing out of her room. She wanted to reach up and tell her to come back, but her body felt so heavy. Pinkie closed the door, leaving her alone and oddly cold under the warm blanket. She could only whimper a little bit, blinking blearily. It got a lot fuzzier and then black.
What a gentlemare, was the last thing Rarity thought with a smile.