~Hush now, quiet now,
It’s time to lay your sleepy head.
Hush now, quiet now, it’s time to go to bed.
Drift, drift, off to sleep, exciting day behind you.
Drifting off to sleep, let the joys of dreamland find you... ~
Rarity allowed herself a satisfied smile as the three crusaders fell asleep, cuddled together for warmth just a few hooves away from Fluffy. Now that everything was quiet, she actually have a chance to think.
She was still quite personally livid with Fluffy for having soaked her in his attempts to get the crusaders into the tub. Yes, he was successful in the end, but there were just some things that were not proper to do in the presence of a lady!
Shaking her head to herself, Rarity crept out of Celestia’s room, having calmly brushed her mane as best as she could while singing her sister and her friends to sleep. She still had to catch up with her friends, after all! The question now, though, was problematic, if only for a moment. Where did they go? We split up awhile ago...
Rarity hummed to herself a moment, before smiling to herself. A lady was never without resources, after all, so long as she kept her wit about her! She summoned her gem-location spell, and focused it on the Element of Magic in particular. Rarity preened inwardly as she followed the slight tug on her horn, congratulating herself on how to find her friends. After all, with Twilight being a princess, she was required to wear some form of regalia, so Twilight had chosen to wear the Element of Harmony, since it was already a tiara. It was, as Applejack put it, ‘Mighty practical of ya, Twi.’
Rarity rolled her eyes as she thought on that statement, but a small part of her argued that it was more practical to wear her tiara than to have a new one created for her. If disaster struck, she would have to change crowns otherwise, and with the Element of Magic naturally matching Twilight’s colors, it would never clash.
Still, Rarity sighed to herself. It would have been quite the challenge to create regalia for a new princess, making sure she didn’t clash with the other princesses, while still remaining true to herself. Alas, it was not to be...
Rarity blinked as she realized that she had been following her horn absently, and as her thoughts drifted, so had her attention. She found herself in the middle of the royal kitchen, which was moderately busy, much to her surprise. I suppose that the night staff needs to eat too, the guards and the maids and the Lunar Court’s staff, but why on Equestria would Twilight be near here?
Apologising quietly, she left the room, fine-tuning her spell now that she was much closer to Twilight, redirecting her to what appeared to be-
“A... pantry?”
Quirking an eyebrow, she trot forward, getting ready to open the door, but paused when she heard Twilight talking. Curiosity getting the better of her, she leaned forward, her ears twitching as they found the best angle with which to eavesdrop.
.o.O.o.
Twilight sighed as she heard the spoon hit the bottom of the cardboard container. As Blueblood ate the last bite of ice cream, Twilight shook her head. “Blue... You are such a mare, you know that?”
Blueblood grumbled quietly as he savored the last of his frozen treat, the sugar helping him get out of shock. He never cared that he would have to work off the calories later, so what was the problem? “Yeah, well... You’re purple!”
Twilight blinked, then started to giggle despite herself. “Yeah, and you’re a mare. That over-rides my being purple, so you lose anyway, bleh!” Twilight stuck her tongue out petulantly, knowing she had already won the argument.
Blueblood began to laugh as well, licking the spoon one last time. “Yeah, well... Thanks, Light... I’m sorry, I tried not to freak out around your friends, and then-”
“It’s alright,” Twilight sighed, massaging her head. Seriously, why can’t I get him to call me that in public? It’s like...
“Hey Blue? Why won’t you call me that in public? You’re always so formal! You’re never going to work up the nerve to ask her out if you don’t learn how to relax!” Twilight argued, crossing her forelegs.
“Yeah, well,” Blueblood muttered, dumping the empty ice cream container in the garbage. “You know how I get around mares, a-and even thinking about asking her out is- is...”
Twilight threw a foreleg around Blueblood sympathetically, nodding. “I know, Blue... But one of these days, I’m going to get you to spill the beans on who she is! If she were as perfect as you say she is, then why isn’t she seeing anyone? There must be something wrong with her! Nopony’s perfect!”
Blueblood laughed bitterly, murmuring, “Maybe one or two things, but she’s still perfect in my eyes...”
“Well... come on, Blue! Just tell me one bad thing about her! Just one! Please?”
Blueblood stiffened, eyes widening as he recognized that tone. He knew that tone very, very well, and it only ever meant one thing. Don’t look into her eyes. Don’t look into her eyes, don’t look into her- crap.
Puppy eyes. Blueblood’s one weakness when it came to mares in general. It was impossible to be afraid of something that had its eyes take up half of their face magically. As he stared into Twilight’s shimmering violet pools that others called eyes, Blueblood felt his willpower drain to nothing. “W-well, s-she’s very stubborn, I suppose. S-somewhat assertive...”
“Well that doesn’t sound good!” Twilight protested, backing away from Blueblood as her eyes returned to normal. “Is that really worth putting up with?”
“W-well, it’s not like she abuses it or anything,” Blueblood continued, smiling. “I don’t think she even knows she is assertive, so it’s not really a problem.”
“Ah! Itch, itch, itch!” Scrambling, Twilight lit her horn, frantically searching her wing for the problem. As she tore out the offending feather, she sagged to the floor, panting in relief.
“ Molting?” Blueblood asked sympathetically, settling down on the floor next to her, offering his shoulder. “Auntie says that drinking tea helps you relax, and distracts you from the itching.”
“I’ll have to try that, thanks, Blue.” Twilight gave a sigh of relief as she sagged against Blueblood, allowing her wing to stay propped up as she nuzzled her way through her feathers, searching for one last, elusive itch.
Blueblood blushed as Twilight continued her preening, but said nothing while she finished. “So Blue, have I met the lucky mare?” Twilight mumbled around her feathers, her teeth busy.
“W-well yes,” Blueblood admitted, nodding.
“Do you want me to ask her for you? N-not on a date,” Twilight clarified quickly. “But to see if I can, you know, figure out what she thinks of you. Maybe put in a good word or two for you?”
“N-no, that wouldn’t work,” Blueblood said quickly, shooting down Twilight’s idea. “She already knows me too, so that would be pointless.”
Twilight huffed impatiently, wracking her brain for options. She had no personal experience with romance, true, but it was her job as a friend to offer good, sage advice, right? Of course right!
“Then why are you so afraid of asking her? If she already knows you, then why haven’t you-”
“B-because I’m not good enough,” Blueblood mumbled, hanging his head. “She deserves somepony better than me. I mean, I get startled when mares even touch me! W-what if she wants foals? What if I’m a horrible father, and can’t do anything right for them?”
Twilight groaned in frustration, barely restraining herself from just hitting the stupid stallion. “Blueblood, I think that asking her out is a little more important than wondering about-”
“What if she says no?” Blueblood whispered, barely hiding the tears that threatened to fall. “I’ll never be the stallion she deserves, and even if I were, what if she says no? I can’t... I couldn't accept that. I couldn't risk ruining...”
Twilight sighed once more, rubbing the bridge of her muzzle with a hoof, before bonking Blueblood on the head gently. “Idiot... You’re never going to know until you ask... Besides, you’re forgetting about the other side of the coin...”
“... And that would be?”
Twilight smiled gently, giving Blueblood an encouraging nuzzle. “What if she says yes?”
“I don’t know... I-I’ll think about it, maybe,” Blueblood answered, looking away from Twilight. “M-maybe one day I’ll get enough courage, but I don’t think today-”
*SLAM!*
“Blueblood!”
Twilight and Blueblood shot up into the air, frightened for their lives. A banshee had escaped from the pits of Tartarus! If their hearing still worked after that scream, and if they were lucky, they might be able to distract it long enough to evacuate Canterlot before more citizens were injured or killed!
At least, that’s what Twilight thought it was. What she and Blueblood saw instead, however, was much, much worse.
It was Rarity, and she was livid. Describing her mane and tail as being ‘on fire’ would be a grievous insult to the heat and light emitting from her coiffure. ‘Lava’ would certainly be a word much closer to justice, and her coat, if white before, was simply spotless now.
“You tell her right this second, Blueblood, or I swear I’m going to do it!”
The fire quickly died out from her mane and tail, but it still showed in her eyes, burning fiercely. It was all Blueblood could do not to wet himself. “Y-y-you c-can’t!” he stammered, panicking. “Y-y-you wouldn’t!”
“Rarity! You’re scaring him to death!” Twilight yelled at her friend, stomping her hoof loudly against the stone floor as she raised her wings in defense.
“Oh yes I would, and you know it,” Rarity snarled, narrowing her eyes. “I refuse to let one of my best friends become an old maid just because you are too cowardly to ask her out! You ask her right this second, or I’m doing it for you!”
“No you won’t!” Twilight retorted, keeping her magic at the ready. “Blue doesn’t have to do anything! I can stay one step ahead of you all the time, Rarity! I can force you to stay with me if I have to!”
Rarity blinked, unable to come up with a retort for several moments. Finally, after finding her voice, Rarity looked between Blueblood and Twilight, noticing that the former appeared to be steeling himself for... something, and that the latter was genuinely angry.
Rarity’s eye twitched as she tried to comprehend how Twilight could be that blind. “I... you... How in Equus is that going to keep me from telling her?!”
“Because if you’re with me, then you can never tell her without my knowing, and then Blue will be able to ask her in his own time!” Twilight declared proudly, puffing her chest out.
Rarity’s left eyelid started spasming as she began to hyperventilate. “How... You... But...”
“Err, L-Lady Twilight?”
Groaning, Twilight rolled her eyes at the sudden formality. “Blue, seriously, don’t worry about it. Rarity has always been overly dramatic, you don’t have to worry about anything. It won’t take much to keep an eye on her, and I’m sure I can ask Fluttershy and the rest for help too. They’ll understand, I’m sure.”
“W-well, if you put it like that, then....” Blueblood started to turn away, ready to leave, but something made him stay. “T-Then no.”
Twilight double-taked, looking at her friend, confused. “Huh? No what? It’s not like I’m going to-”
“She... She’s right,” Blueblood said slowly, with growing confidence. “I have to ask her some day, or else by the time I do ask her, getting what’s left of me that’s worth to be gotten won’t be worth getting whatever it is I’ve got left.”
Twilight blinked as she tried to make heads or tails of what he said, before he asked, “So, I’m going to ask her out on a date. Wish me luck?”
“Good luck, Blue,” Twilight exclaimed with a squeal, hugging him tightly. “She’d have to be a complete idiot to say no to you!”
“Y-yes, about that... Would you... Would you like to take a ride on my airship this weekend?” he asked hopefully. “You said you wanted to see it close up, so I thought maybe you’d like to take a ride, maybe see a play or two in Manehatten?”
Twilight blinked in shock, then giggled. “So you already know she’s into airships? While that sounds like a great idea for a date, don’t you think that might come off as being a little, I don’t know, stalker-ish?”
“I, well, it only depends if you think it was stalkerish of me to ask you,” Blueblood said nervously, chuckling slightly.
“Well, not me, no, but shouldn’t you practice saying something more general to get her attention first? Don’t worry, Blue, we’ll figure out the top five ways to ask her out if it takes all night!” Twilight exclaimed eagerly, getting out some parchment, quills, and ink. “We can make it a research paper, and I’m sure that Rarity would love to help you practice, right, Rarity? Um, Rarity?”
Rarity, having been hyperventilating for awhile, had passed out, her eyes crossed beneath her lids. “Odd... I would have thought she’d love to help,” Twilight mused, levitating her materials to the ready. “Normally it’s the getting her to shut up about romance that’s the hard part...”
.o.O.o.
“Thanks again for lettin’ us all bunk with ya, your highness,” Applejack said for everypony, following behind.
“Now Pinkie, you’re sure that the doozy is over now?” Rainbow Dash asked nervously. “I mean, your sense has been going off like crazy! Especially when we were in the guest room. Were there like traps or something?”
Pinkie Pie giggled, shaking her poofy mane. “Sorry Dashie, can’t tell! I promised I would keep it a secret! Everything will be fine in the end, though, I’m sure of it!”
Celestia opened the door to her room with her magic as they approached, but halted suddenly, causing everypony to crash into each other end to end. “Princess, what in tarnation-”
“... Damn that’s cute,” Applejack murmured, her eyes wide open.
“Yeah, what she said,” Rainbow Dash agreed softly, trying to understand how what she was seeing had happened.
“U-um, does anypony have a camera?” Fluttershy asked timidly. “Er, that is, if nopony minds. I wouldn’t want to wake them up or anything...”
Pinkie Pie just bounced forward, whipping out an old-fashioned tripod camera, covering her head with the red felt, giggling, “Say ‘Fuzzy Picklebarreled Kumquats!’”
Celestia smiled widely at the sight, sighing in relief. “Perhaps there’s hope for a peaceful harmony and coexistence with them after all...”