After the ordeal in New Mexicolt, Rarity had barely left her room for the past three days. They had rushed directly home after her rescue, of course. Twilight immediately confirmed that she would be alright, but would need care to recover. The diagnosis was electrical burns, bruising, and intense physical and magical exhaustion combined with blood sugar collapse. And of course a harmless residue of the foreign magic clinging to her clothes and skin. Twilight had said, in a choked voice, that it could have been much worse. That was probably true, but it had been more than enough at the time.
She honestly remembered very little of the trip back, even now. Twilight using the last juice of the dimensional transmogrifier to upgrade the first aid kit, healing her wounds before the battery flickered out to the sound of Twilight's vivid swearing. Fluttershy patiently feeding her juice and bottled broth while the others looked on in concern. Sleep, a great deal of sleep, with remarkably unpleasant dreams she was glad not to remember.
And that left her, finally, at home to recover. Sunset had sold her parents on a story of food poisoning combined with a travel flu. It had been excellent for privacy and yielded a number of homemade cookies. But it had also led them, in a fit of well meaning concern, to keep her friends from visiting while she was 'contagious'. She had, in fact, been under strict orders to do nothing but rest and especially remain calm. She hadn't needed the instructions the first day, but after it had led to utter boredom and exasperation. At least her friends had been texting. They were wonderful at keeping her from brooding too much on the frankly awful events, especially Pinkie, but calm was not something that was coming.
Especially not right now. Rarity sat on her bed, staring at the text notification on her phone, trying to control her breathing. It wasn't working. Her nerves were completely on fire, adrenaline rushing like someone had aimed an armed death ray at her. A comparison she was, unfortunately, now intimately familiar with.
And to think, she thought, it used to be unexpected cell phones. And before that it was mirrors. At least this one isn't likely to come up day to day.
Just relax. It's only Twilight. It's been days since...since The Incident. And a message from her is hardly at that scale. They both told you they don't mind your feelings for Sunset. Twilight still doesn't hate you. There's no need to go through this every time you get a message from her. It's the usual chat, just like the last six times she's texted you. Just read it. She sighed, braced herself, and opened her phone.
Hi Rarity! I'm not quite sure how to say this so I hope it isn't awkward. Sunset and I were hoping we could talk about...
She reflexively dropped the phone like a snake, threw herself back onto the bed, and groaned.
Of course. Of course there was no way they could all just pretend her foolish, foolish, stupid admission had never happened. Admittedly it had been something of an emotional moment, holding Sunset's dimensional duplicate hostage to buy time for others to escape. She'd given herself even odds of dying or being trapped in another universe, and if you weren't going to confess your hidden loves under those circumstances there was clearly something wrong with your heart. All her stories assured her so.
Well. Romantic fiction had a great deal to answer for. And somehow it never had anything to say about actually facing the consequences of your desperate confessions. Ah well. One does what one must. She steeled herself and picked up her phone again.
Hi Rarity! I'm not quite sure how to say this so I hope it isn't awkward. Sunset and I were hoping we could talk about everything. Maybe we could go to dinner together, just us? It could be like a thank you for saving us. Or friendly talking things out date. Or a one and a half date. And now Sunset is telling me...
...I'm freaking out and to just hit send which is completely unfair since she hasn't even read anything I'm typing and I'm not freaking out, I'm just
Rarity giggled a bit at that, despite the singing tension shooting through her at every word. She could easily picture the whole scene, complete with Sunset stealing the phone at the end to stop the purple girl's adorable ramblings. Probably sitting on the couch together, under a blanket, holding hands as... she stopped herself and shook her head. There was no reason to be making things harder for herself.
Or would it be? The text was almost hinting at...but wouldn't she have said? Unless of course she was simply overthinking her words. Or underthinking. Or thought it was obvious. Or...
Another text pinged, interrupting. From Sunset.
Hey Rares. First, sorry this is so sudden, we just couldn't come up with something better. Making sure nothing got lost in translation: we both like you, alot. We should all go on a date soon to figure things out. Maybe at La Belle Dame Chevalier? I just hope you answer before Twilight passes out ;)
Oh. Oh my. Rarity flushed. So she meant exactly what it sounded like then. Oh my. Coming to some kind of...of arrangement had crossed her mind, of course, but she'd dismissed it for a number of reasons. Not that it hadn't figured in a fantasy or two. But now they were making the suggestion themselves. In reality. Oh my.
Well she should still say no of course. She had thought this out. But.
Yes. But.
Well that sounds truly delightful darling, what a wonderful surprise. Certainly more than I had dared hope for. Do tell Twilight she can start breathing again, I'll gladly accept. Perhaps tomorrow? I suspect I can talk myself out of quarantine by then.
Also I must say, between the circumspection and straightforwardness this is the most unique invitation I have ever received. And somehow, despite the strangeness, it leaves my heart going much faster.
She sent the messages desperately quickly, before she had time to think and stop herself. And then she immediately buried her head under the pillow and struggled not to kick her legs in giddy nervous frustration. She'd actually sent that. Oh this was such a bad idea. But, well, it wasn't as if her instincts about anything regarding this situation had been accurate.
And the thought of actually being with Sunset? She'd imagined it so often, far more than she would care to admit. Sunset leaning over her to kiss her, her hands running up her legs...she shivered happily. And then a whimsical image dropped into her head, of Twilight observing. In a loose lab coat, practically falling off, and nothing else. Taking detailed notes on the experiment, Rarity too speechlessly lost to object at the impropriety. And suggesting they take it further. For science.
Well. If nothing came of their date, it would certainly not be for lack of desire. Frankly, if anything this seemed to be far too easy.
Her optimistic enthusiasm lasted for a whole ten minutes before nerves set in again.
It is an often inconvenient fact that magic resonates with magic. Particularly magic dedicated to Harmony. By its very nature it seeks common ground and synthesis, striving to become something new and greater than the sum of its parts.
There wasn't much of the otherworldly aetheric energy clinging to Rarity, even after exposure to alien weaponry and healing devises. What little existed was quickly drained away from her by her amulet's protective intent and Harmonic resonance. Even gathered, it was barely enough for the metaphysical equivalent of a static shock.
Nothing would have come of it if a silverfish had not happened across the amulet, triggering a spark, and the amulet itself had not decided that throwing in a dash of its own magic would be Generous.