//------------------------------//
// The One and Only Chapter 
// Story: Flirtation 
// by Bell 
//------------------------------//

        Rarity had to look her best.
She was going to the park for a picnic with her friends, and it simply wouldn’t do to be seen looking anything less than immaculate. She stood in her bedroom at Carousel Boutique, in front of her full-length mirror, running a brush through her freshly-washed violet mane. As she did this, Rarity thought of how most mares wouldn’t go to such trouble just to get ready for a day at the park. Then again, she prided herself on not being like most mares.
Rarity finished brushing her mane and then put curlers into it, to give it that trademark twirl. She sat down and waited for the curlers to take effect, all while still contemplating on how she was different from the majority of mares in Ponyville. She didn’t mind being different. In fact, she rather liked it. Being different was what made her exceptional. 
Even among her friends she was the odd one out when it came to refinement. Though she and Fluttershy did share a similar taste in spa treatment, Fluttershy spent all day in her cottage full of animals. That was certainly an unrefined way to spend one’s free time if Rarity ever saw one. 
But without a doubt, the most rude and crude pony in her circle of friends was Rainbow Dash. That fast-flying pegasus never knew when to slow down and enjoy the finer things in life. Rarity shook her head, remembering the failed attempt to coax Rainbow into getting a hooficure. The polychromatic pony was undoubtedly her polar opposite.
Rarity came out of her thoughts to see that it was time for her hair to be let loose of the curlers. She took them out to reveal, as usual, a perfect curl in her mane. She then put some finishing touches on her look. Applying a little mascara, some eye shadow, and just a dab of perfume, Rarity was satisfied with her look (and scent) and stepped out the door to make her way to the park.
When she arrived, Rarity found her five friends already setting out their picnic fare onto a checkered blanket, spread out upon the green grass. “Good afternoon, girls.”
“Hi, Rarity,” they all said.
“You’re sorta late,” observed Rainbow Dash.
“Fashionably late, dear,” Rarity said. Of course Rainbow would know nothing of the concept.
“Whatever.”
“Umm, girls,” Twilight interjected. “How about we just eat?”
“That would be splendid,” Rarity said.
“Yeah, I’m starving,” Rainbow Dash agreed.
Twilight opened her picnic basket and brought out a plateful of dandelion sandwiches. “Here, everypony,” she said, “I made them myself.”
They all took a sandwich and started eating, except for Pinkie Pie. “Hey, Twilight,” she said, “do you have any mustard?”
Twilight looked through her basket and shook her head. “Sorry Pinkie, I must have forgotten to pack some.”
Pinkie sighed. “You know I can’t eat dandelion sandwiches without mustard.”
“Well, Pinkie, I guess you should’ve brought your own,” Twilight said.
“Girls, girls,” Rarity interrupted, “I think I know where to get Pinkie some mustard.”
They all looked on as Rarity stood and walked over to another picnic in the park, this one being enjoyed by a group of stallions. “Excuse me,” she said. “Terribly sorry to bother you fine gentlecolts, but it seems I forgot to pack some mustard for my picnic.” She flashed them an intensely seductive smile. “And I couldn’t help but notice that you have a bottle just there.” She pointed to an inconspicuous yellow container on their blanket. “Now, don’t you think some big, strong stallions such as yourselves could help a lady by giving her some mustard.”
Rarity could tell she had drawn them in. “Sure, take our mustard,” one of them said goofily, practically drooling on himself. “We were done with it, anyway.”
She picked it up with her magic. “Thanks, boys,” she said, giving them a flirty wink. She then walked back to her friends’ picnic, one bottle of mustard richer than when she had left them.
“There you are, Pinkie.” She put the mustard down in front of her hyperactive friend.
“Gee, thanks, Rarity!” Pinkie gushed as she squeezed a fountain of the bright yellow condiment onto her sandwich.
Rarity sat back down, thoroughly satisfied with herself.
“Betcha think that was real cool, don’t ya?”
Rarity turned to Rainbow Dash. “Pardon?”
“I said I betcha think that was real cool,” Rainbow repeated, “the way you just made those stallions fall all over you.”
“Rainbow, my dear, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I simply saw that Pinkie Pie was in need of some mustard, so I persuaded those good stallions over there to give us some.”
“Whatever, Rarity,” Rainbow Dash said. “You know you could have any stallion in Ponyville. Don’t you think it’s unfair to lead them on like that?”
“Rainbow Dash, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I can assure you I am not ‘leading anypony on’. I just saw that we were in need of something, so I got what it was that we needed,” Rarity retorted. “If I make a few stallions feel good about themselves in the process, then what’s the harm?”
Rainbow Dash seemed inordinately frustrated. “The harm is that you shouldn’t mess with ponies’ feelings like that!”
Rarity was insulted. “I am not ‘messing’ with anypony’s feelings.”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “You just don’t get it,” she said, clearly annoyed. “I don’t need this.” With that, Rainbow flew off in a blur of colors and a rush of wind.
Rarity just sat, confused as to what she had done that had upset Rainbow Dash so badly. She exchanged looks with the other four, who seemed to be just as clueless as she was. 
“Well,” Applejack remarked, “that was strange.”

Rainbow Dash sped through the sky away from the picnic. She just wanted to get home. Making it harder for her to find her way there were the tears clouding her vision. Rainbow Dash, who ordinarily prided herself on her ability to resist sappy feelings, was weeping.
She cried because of how inconsiderate Rarity was. She cried because of how oblivious her white unicorn friend was being, not only to the feelings of those poor stallions, but her own feelings as well. If Rainbow Dash was truly honest with herself, she admitted that she had a crush on Rarity.
This crush, while seemingly unlikely, was powerful. It made it painful to see Rarity use flirtation to get what she wanted. Rarity was good at making ponies fall in love, and Rainbow Dash saw that she herself was no exception. But she knew Rarity would never reciprocate, or even acknowledge these feelings. Rainbow knew Rarity knew that Spike had a mega-crush on her, and yet she wouldn’t even have the consideration enough to let him down easily. It seemed she and Spike were doomed to the same fate: forever pining for the beautiful, fashionable, flirtatious unicorn.
Rainbow finally made it to her house, flew up to her bedroom, collapsed on her bed, and cried. She, who was normally so stoic about everything, let tears flow onto her face, bed, and pillow.
Lost in her misery, Rainbow heard a small voice call to her. “Um, Rainbow Dash, are you okay?”
She looked up to see the bright yellow face and pink mane of Fluttershy, hovering outside her bedroom window. She sniffled and wiped away a tear with her hoof. “Yeah, Flutters, I’m fine.”
Fluttershy flew into Rainbow’s room and landed beside her bed. “Are you sure? I’ve never, ever seen you cry before,” she said, her quiet voice laden with concern.
Rainbow Dash smiled as she saw how much Fluttershy really cared for her. Out of all her friends, Rainbow thought she lived up to her Element more than any of them. Fluttershy was the kindest pony she’d ever known. “It’s just... I’m kinda upset about Rarity.”
Fluttershy looked scared. “Oh my,” she gasped, “are you two fighting?”
Rainbow shook her head. “No, not really.”
“Then what’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked. “That is, if you want to tell me.”
Rainbow Dash chuckled a little at her friend. “I...” she hesitated. Once she said this, there was no going back. Fluttershy would know she was a filly-fooler. She balked at the prospect of what her friend might think. Rainbow gulped and pressed on. “I... have a crush on Rarity.”
The next few seconds felt like an eternity as Fluttershy absorbed this news. “Is that why you’re upset?”
“Sorta,” said Rainbow. “I’m just upset at how she flirts with everypony. It’s like she doesn’t even notice other ponies’ feelings. It makes me feel pretty bad.”
“Oh,” Fluttershy said. “I’m sorry.”
Rainbow Dash laughed. “Don’t be sorry, Flutters. You’re not the one who seduces every stallion you meet.”
“Oh, okay.”
Something was still weighing on Rainbow’s mind. “So you’re not even weirded out that I’m a filly-fooler?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “Not at all. If that’s what makes you happy, it’s your business.”
Rainbow Dash smiled and stood from the bed. She went over and hugged her oldest friend. “Thanks, Fluttershy. You always know how to make me feel better.”
Fluttershy returned the smile and hug. “So are you going to tell Rarity how you feel?” she asked.
Rainbow Dash sighed. “I don’t know. I mean, I’ve dropped some pretty big hints.”
Fluttershy tried to remember if she’d ever seen any of these “hints”. She couldn’t recall ever seeing one. “Really? I never noticed.”
“C’mon, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said. “Do you really think a pony can win the Best Young Flyer competition and still end up crashing into Carousel Boutique at least once a week?”
Fluttershy laughed softly. “I guess not.”
“So you really think I should tell her?”
Fluttershy nodded.

The next day, Rarity was shuffling around her workroom, still wondering what she had done to set Rainbow Dash off. She sewed fabric together absent-mindedly, trying and trying to think of anything that Rainbow may have seen as offensive. She drew a blank and sighed hopelessly. She hoped that she hadn’t upset Rainbow too much. As uncouth as the pegasus was, she was still one of Rarity’s best friends, and the possibility of losing that friendship was an unwelcome one.
Suddenly, she heard the tinkle of the bell above her door from downstairs. “A customer,” she thought, “just the thing to take my mind off of this ugliness.”
Rarity went downstairs to find not a customer, but Rainbow Dash. “Oh, hello, Rainbow.”
“Hey, Rarity,” Rainbow Dash said. “You think we can talk?”
“Of course, dear,” Rarity responded. She lead Rainbow farther into the boutique and brought out a chair, on which Rainbow Dash sat down. “If this is about what happened yesterday, I want you to know that I am completely over it. No hard feelings.”
Rainbow shifted nervously in her seat. “Well, it’s kinda about that, but kinda not.”
Rarity gave her a sympathetic look. “Go on and tell me, darling.”
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. “Okay. What I’m gonna tell you might be kinda shocking. Promise you’ll stay cool, okay?”
“I promise.”
Rainbow Dash ran a hoof through her mane unconsciously. “Here goes.” She swallowed hard. “I...I love you.”
Rarity looked puzzled. “Come again?”
Rainbow bit her lip anxiously. Did she really have to say this twice? Once had been hard enough. “I love you.”
Rarity blushed ever-so-slightly. “That’s what I thought you said.”
“Listen, Rarity, you don’t have to love me back,” Rainbow Dash rushed to explain herself. “I just had to get this off my chest, ya know?”
Rarity nodded. “I understand, dear. Undeclared love can be a difficult burden to bear.”
“You’re telling me.”
“Be that as it may, you must understand that I like you only as a friend. A very close friend, perhaps, but just a friend nonetheless.”
Rainbow Dash’s face fell. “I get it. I’ll leave. Sorry.” She stood and turned toward the door.
Rarity got up quickly and stopped her. “Rainbow, please don’t be sorry,” she pleaded. “It really is quite flattering to know you think of me in that way. I just don’t like other mares.” Rarity pulled her friend into a hug. “Please don’t let this ruin our friendship. I don’t think I could stand it.”
Rainbow Dash hugged her back, feeling conflicted at having her crush so close, yet knowing her feelings would never be returned. “It’s okay, Rarity, I’ll still be your friend,” she assured.
“Oh, thank you.”
Rainbow Dash sighed and released the hug. “Yeah, you’re welcome.”
Rarity gasped. “Idea!” she cried.
“What?”
“We should have a sleepover!”
Rainbow Dash smiled. “Sounds cool.”