//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Sweet Tooth // by RaritySimper44 //------------------------------// The next day was uneventful and boring for Rarity, all she did was sit around making dress designs and read books from the castle library. She was glad when seven came around. She stood outside the restaurant in a line to get in, the sky outside was a mixture of pinks and blues as the last rays of the sun set slowly beyond the buildings preparing to be snuffed out to make way for Luna's night. A large security pony stood beside the door. She wasn't worried though as she walked up to him. "Name?" He said bluntly, looking down at her from indifferent eyes. "Rarity." He took out a list and looked it over, he stepped aside and she gracefully walked into the party. She scanned the faces of the upper crust ponies and smiled when she found Fancy Pants not far off. Surrounded by gentlemen and ladies. She strolled on over to the group with a smile. "Hello Fancy Pants." He looked to her and smiled, "why Rarity, you're looking marvelous as ever. Good to see you!" The others greeted her as well and agreed with him quickly. "Oh, thank you, you all look delightful as well", she said with a wave of the hoof. She smiled warmly at Chocolate Sun, he stood beside FancyPants, it was a brief smile but it was returned just as warmly. She turned her attention back to Fancy Pants just as fast as it had left him. "Cucumber sandwich ma'am?" Rarity turned to the waiter, who was offering the food and smiled, " I will have one." She took a sandwich in her magic, "thank you sir." she tipped him and daintily ate it, taking small bites so she didn't get any on her dress or face. She wiped her face with a napkin from her dress. "So Rarity-" she looked at Fancy Pants expectantly, a charming smile on her face. "How is your work?" "Oh it's marvelous darling, as usual. Soon I'll be opening a new store." "Congrats." The others said the same as him. "I absolutely love your dress, your fashion sense is impeccable!" "Indeed." "Yes I am pretty amazing aren't I?" Rarity said proudly. Suddenly Rarity felt the need to go to the bathroom, excuse me a moment would you all? I seem to need to use the little fillies room. she stated with a smile. "Upstairs and down the hall to the left Rarity." "Thank you." She then trotted off to the bathroom. She went up the stairs, the marble stairs clopping under her feet. She got to the top of the stairs and just stopped, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. A stallion and a mare who she recognized to be Chocolate Sun's wife, Swan Song, were making out. They didn't seem to notice her, or just didn't care, Rarity cleared her throat and got their attention fast. "Hello there….." "R-Rarity, how nice to see you…." Swan Song said. A forced smile on her face. "We um… didn't expect anyone up here…" "It's fine!" She trotted by them and into the bathroom and closed it calmly. "I told you we should have gone into the bathroom." The stallion stated annoyed. "And I said we should have waited until after!" She said angrily. Rarity stood in front of the mirror, hooves gripping the sink as she listened to the two argue about where they should or shouldn't have been trying to eat each other's faces. She felt sick in the stomach, she stared into her reflection's eyes a moment. She didn't want to get into anyone else's business but Chocolate Sun deserved to know. She didn't know what she'd tell Chocolate Sun. She was absolutely telling him though. She took a deep breath and sighed. "I need to pee first." She walked out of the bathroom and found the two were gone. "Hmph. Good riddance." She went back downstairs and she saw Chocolate Sun, no longer by Fancy Pants but by a new group of people. He was facing away from her but his cutie Mark was easily seen. She trotted over to him and put a hoof to his shoulder, he turned around meeting her eyes and smiled. "Oh, Rarity what can I do for you?" "I need to talk to you. Do you have time?" "Of course I do." "Good." "You don't mean now, do you?" Rarity looked at him annoyed, "yes I mean now! It's important! And….a bit personal…" she said moving her eyes back and forth. He looked at her with a mix of confusion and surprise, he nodded though. "Gentleman, if you'll excuse me." With that, he walked to the exit, followed close by Rarity behind him. "Why are we leaving?" Rarity asked confused. "We won't get much privacy in a place like this." Chocolate Sun replied. I beg to differ. "If you say so, sir." She replied as they walked out into the streets of Canterlot. Once they were a good distance away he looked down at her thoughtfully, "so what do you need to tell me of all people, Rarity?" "What do you mean?" "You and I have never had a connection or any real meaningful conversation. Literally ever. What makes you think I'm a good pony to tell anything personal to?" Rarity rubbed her leg uncomfortably at this, "well you see…. It's about you." He stared at her surprised. "Excuse me? What could you possibly know about me? He asked, growing defensive." "I'm sorry to tell you this, Mister Sun, but you deserve to know." "What are you talking about?" "I caught your wife kissing another man." He stared at her surprised and looked away. "I was on my way to the bathroom when I caught them in the middle of the hallway pretty much trying to eat each other's faces!" Chocolate Sun sighed, "it doesn't matter to me who she kisses at this point, it's not my problem." Rarity stared at him, mouth agape in shock, she couldn't believe her ears! Before she could lay into him though he continued. "We divorced." "Um...what?" "We divorced quietly, we decided to wait as long as we could before telling anyone about it." "Who else knows, there's no way you could have kept everyone out of the limelight." "Fancy Pant, Blue Blood, and you as of now. a few others as well though they are not important enough to worth mentioning." Rarity stared at him unsure of what to say. Then she noticed his expression. Pain. she walked up to him and laid a hoof on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry Mister Sun. If I'd known I'd have never brought it up." "I know, and I thank you for that Rarity." "Would you… like to talk about it?" He gave her a glare forcing a sheepish smile to her face, "sorry. I just really like juicy drama." "Don't we all." He stated with a bitter tone. Rarity frowned at him, "I'm sorry." He gave a heavy sigh, "so am I. I shouldn't be glaring at you like that." "No, you shouldn't, but I understand you're stressed and upset with all of this. How…. long ago was it?" "I just said I don't want to talk about it." He stated bluntly. "I know but-" she sighed and breathed calming her nerves. "Sorry." "It's fine", he looked at his watch a moment before meeting Rarities gaze. Let's head back to the party." "Agreed. I love your watch by the way, wherever did you get it?" "It was my father's." "Oh how sweet, a hand-me-down." "Of sorts I suppose. My great great great grandfather's great great great grandfather made it from scratch." "Oh My, that's an old watch. And a lot of great's for one sentence." "It's been passed down to the men in my family for generations." "I love an item with history!" She said with a smirk. "May I have a closer look at it?" "Of course, but be careful." "I only want to look at it, not touch it." He held his hoof out and she looked it over. It was a gold watch with various sapphire gems lining it. "Oh my, it's gorgeous, and in peak condition. I can only imagine the work that goes into its care." "Thank you, it does take a lot of work." "Who takes care of this?" "Not me, I can assure you." "Well yes, obviously not you, this would take a professional with a talent specifically connected to this." "It doesn't matter, let's keep walking." He said pulling his hoof away and walking off. Rarity was asleep in the bed of the castle's west wing, she had had a long night, first, she had to go through a lot of drama, then after she got home she couldn't sleep, she had been thinking of Chocolate Sun all night long. Why had he gotten a divorce? Either way, she hoped the drama was over with. If she couldn't know about it, then it shouldn't exist. Suddenly a knock had come to the door waking her with a yelp. She took off her sleep mask and put her robes on before going to the door, she opened it annoyed. "Who is i-" standing in front of her was Chocolate Sun. "Mister Sun, what a surprise, what can I do for you?" "Forgive me, I thought you'd be awake, I was wondering if you'd like to go for a walk in the park, perhaps later would be best." "Oh, um, yes of course I will join you for a walk darling." She said forcing a smile at him, she was still exhausted from the night before. "Excellent, meet me in the park at three." "I'll do that", she said and closed the door. She got right back into bed and fell asleep. Rarity woke up to Opal waving her tail in her face, "ugh Opal why are you doing this?!" She waved her off to no avail, she opened her eyes and looked at the clock remembering her walk with Chocolate Sun, it was two. She quickly got up, showered, and got ready. She put on a dress and walked out the door towards the park. It took about five minutes to get to the park she had come towards the entrance because she figured he would have been waiting there for her, as a gentleman should. As expected, Chocolate Sun stood there waiting for her, dressed in his vest. Rarity smiled at him waving as she trotted over. "Hello!" "Rarity, right on time, as usual", he said with a smile, the two of them walked into the park down the sidewalk. "Punctuality is very important obviously, so why did you ask me to come here with you exactly?" "It's a nice day, I wanted to talk is all." He said simply. "Oh, I see", Rarity said, "better than sleeping the day away I suppose. so… why did you two divorce?" Rarity asked him gently, too curious not to pry. He tensed at this a moment, Rarity almost apologized but then he spoke. "I spent a lot of money on my father, he was ill, very ill. Eventually, he passed away, I had spent half our savings trying to help him, she was furious and left me soon after, we quietly divorced. Rarity gasped at this, "that's horrible!" She said angrily. He shushed her angrily and she smiled sheepishly, "sorry. I'm so sorry to hear that darling, that's a terrible thing she did." He nodded, "it is, but I'm not mad, I can't be. The relationship was dying anyway." "How so?" "It doesn't matter, just that it was." She didn't say anything to this for a while. They walked in silence for a while, finally, Rarity broke the silence, "darling why did you ask me to come here? I dont believe it was just to have small talk." He sighed, "Rarity I've been through a lot, my father died, my wife left me. I've been depressed for a long time, but being around you makes me happy." "Are you saying you asked me here as a date?" "I did, he said with a smile, Rarity would you like to come to my home for dinner this weekend?" She blushed at this but smiled, "I'd love to darling." "Wonderful!" He said with a smile, "I look forward to you being there."