//------------------------------//
// Accidental Circumstances 
// Story: Unfamiliar Patterns 
// by TheVClaw 
//------------------------------//

As Ponyville slowly moved from Celestia's sun into Luna's enchanted night time, the Carousel Boutique stood still as the outside began to stir silent. Meanwhile, the inside of the Boutique was fairly active, as laughter from Rarity and Zecora could be heard while they sat on the couch. While Rarity poured herself yet another glass of the strawberry champagne, Zecora was content with the two she already had while she sat comfortably.

As the bottle between them slowly began to become more empty—mostly due to Rarity—the unicorn and zebra were becoming more relaxed as they chatted happily. And with a growing blush from her face due to her massive alcohol consumption, Rarity was barely able to keep herself from cackling loudly as she listened to Zecora finish her story.

"… And that was when I got kicked out of the bar!"

Clenching her eyes shut, Rarity almost spilled the glass of champagne in her aura as she cracked up laughing. While the unicorn had been known to have an occasional drink or two, downing more than half a bottle of champagne in a couple of hours was something she wasn't prone to doing.

However, despite Rarity's tipsy nature, Zecora didn’t say a word about it, knowing that the mare probably needed to unwind a little after everything that happened today. When she finally managed to stop laughing out loud, Rarity repositioned herself on the couch before noticing how little was left in the bottle.

"Oooohhhh, nnnooooo…" slurred the mare as she used her magic to place the bottle back on the coffee table, "I… am really going to regret drinking this much tomorrow morning."

Chuckling to herself, Zecora looked away to hide her grin from the unicorn, glad that she didn't drink nearly as much. While she was still fairly buzzed, the zebra was still able to sit upright without feeling like the entire room was spinning. Even though she could've taken this chance to tease the mare a little, Zecora decided against it and merely gave a light reply.

"Oh, you shouldn't worry. At least you are feeling well. I think you needed to unwind after Sweetie Belle."

Hearing that name, Rarity groaned as her head slumped over the back of the couch. Remembering why she decided to drink so much in the first place, the unicorn's frustration was apparent as she recalled what her sister did to her cat.

"Uuuggghhhhh…” Rarity groaned in her slurred state. "I still can't believe that filly! I mean, I love her, I really do, but sometimes I wonder what goes through her little head."

"You shouldn't blame her for being uncouth,” responded Zecora in an assuring manner, "it is merely a consequence of youth."

"Mmmmmm… maybe…" Moving her body weight back forward on the couch, Rarity almost fell over before she responded to Zecora's claim. "I mean, you—you're right, I guess, but… but she does the weirdest things! I mean, I told you about that relish thing, right?"

Remembering Rarity's story, Zecora struggled not to laugh as she nodded. Even though she felt bad for all those ponies who were at the stadium that day, the zebra still thought it was hilarious that Sweetie Belle was able to cause that much mayhem with just a radish, a balloon, and a cart full of pickles. Seeing Zecora's reaction, Rarity hiccupped a little before she continued to speak.

"Well, I actually don't think that's the worst thing she's done! I mean, technically it should be, but it's not the worst thing she did to me…"

With Zecora now looking at her with great interest, Rarity made sure she wasn't going to fall off the couch before she went on.

"I remember, when I first bought this place, I got a lot of business in the first month. Because of that, one of the first big purchases I made was my bed upstairs. Nice bed, king-sized with really nice sheets made of Saddle Arabian cotton, and really, really fluffy blankets…"

Rarity giggled to herself as she thought about her bedding, not realizing that she was starting to lose focus. After a quick cough from the zebra to catch her attention, Rarity shook her head clear before she continued her story.

"Oh! Any—anyways, I… I was asked by Mom and Dad to look after Sweetie Belle for the afternoon, and this was back when she was a little, itty-bitty filly. Like, she was still getting used to walking and talking, and just finished potty training. And I figured, hey, how bad could it be?"

Remembering what happened, Rarity's gaze went to the floor as she kept talking in a slurred state.

"Well, they were going to be gone for a while, so I decided to make spaghetti for her. And all while I was getting it ready, she was whining about me not letting her help, saying to me, 'I wanna help, I wanna help!' and I kept telling her that she can help later. Well, I ended up getting the noodles and sauce done, and I figured I would just let her stir it together to say she helped. Well… I had them on the counter before I went to get the garlic bread from the oven, and when I came back, they were gone!"

Seeing where this story was heading, Zecora tried not to snicker as she listened. Groaning at the incident in her head, Rarity looked to the zebra before she kept going.

"I had no idea where they went, and I knew I put them right there! I looked all over the kitchen, and couldn't find them anywhere! I thought I went crazy or something! But then, I heard my sister upstairs…"

Closing her eyes, Rarity struggled not to laugh before she went on.

"I heard her… jumping on my bed… and I… I thought that was all she was doing. But… when I went upstairs, I noticed a few drops of spaghetti sauce on the floor leading to my bedroom…"

Zecora put a hoof to her mouth to muffle her laughter, realizing what Rarity was saying her little sister did. "Oh, no no nooooo…" muttered the zebra, "where does this go?"

"Well…" began Rarity again as she tried not to laugh herself, "when I opened the door, I saw spaghetti sauce EVERYWHERE in my bedroom! I mean, that filly took the dinner I made, poured it all over my bed, and then proceeded to jump up and down on it like a trampoline!"

No longer able to hold it in, Zecora almost fell off the couch as she cracked up laughing. Not waiting for the zebra's laughter to subside, Rarity kept going as she struggled not to laugh along as well.

"And—and that's not the best part! I mean, she got it everywhere in my room! On the walls, on the floor, all over my blankets, even on the ceiling! And I was so mad, and I was screaming at her like, 'What are you doing?!' And she just looked at me with the biggest smile on her face and said, 'I'm cooking!'"

At that last part, Zecora finally fell off the couch, laughing her head off as she laid on the floor. Laughing along with her, Rarity's head slumped down on the coffee table before she finished her tale.

"And the worst part, was that my vacuum cleaner was broken, so I had to get the broom and sweep off little bits of spaghetti from my bed for over an hour!"

Still lying on the floor, Zecora's eyes were clenched shut as she put up her hoof, motioning for Rarity to stop so she could take a moment to breathe. After a few seconds of uncontrolled laughter from both of them, Rarity took a breath before she completed her story.

"Well anyways, the mattress was still good, but I had to get all new bedding. I also had to repaint my walls and shampoo my carpet, and Mom and Dad promised I wouldn't have to look after Sweetie Belle for a while."

Finally able to breathe normally, Zecora managed to get herself back on the couch with Rarity. Waiting until the zebra sat herself down, Rarity repositioned herself before she lifted the bottle of champagne back up with her magic. "Of course, that was back when she was almost a foal, so she doesn’t even remember doing that. Eventually I got around to foalsitting her again, but things like that still happen from time to time."

After finally getting to a point where she could actually speak, Zecora took a deep breath before she replied cheerfully, "Well, it's good to know that you keep a high spirit. You care for your sister, and I'm glad to hear it."

"Yeah…" Even with that story to lift herself up a bit, Rarity's face slowly became more morose as her gaze went back to the floor away from Zecora. Thinking of the zebra's response, Rarity sighed before she spoke in a more faint and unhappy tone of voice.

"It's actually nice to know that I can feel that way sometimes."

The room started to become silent as Zecora looked at the unicorn with a surprised look on her face. After how happy Rarity was looking a moment ago, she didn't expect her to say something like that. Just as she was about to open her muzzle and ask what the heck she meant, Zecora wasn't able to get a word out before Rarity spoke again.

"I mean… sometimes… sometimes I just feel like… like maybe I'm too disconnected from ponies to appreciate the little things."

Shocked to hear that, Zecora didn't wait for Rarity to continue before she quickly intervened. "Rarity, why the heck are you speaking this way? Are you not listening to the words that you say?"

“Yes, I am!" said the unicorn quickly as she kept venting. "I mean, I know I'm a good mare and all, but… but sometimes I just feel like I'm too focused on myself to appreciate others!"

"But you're the Element of Generosity!" shouted Zecora, not wanting to see her friend act this sullen while drunk off her flank. "Why are you carrying this animosity?!"

"Because sometimes I don't think I deserve that title!"  

Scrunching her face in, Rarity struggled not to tear up as she sat next to Zecora on the couch. As the room began to get silent again, Rarity sniffed a little before she kept going in a slightly slurred voice.

"There are so many times where I just acted so… so selfish! Like, a few months ago when I was looking after Sweetie Belle, I yelled at her all day for all these little things, even though all she was trying to do was help me out! After how nasty I acted, she tried to say that Applejack was a better sister to her than me!"

Struggling not to cry, Rarity took a deep breath and shut her eyes before she went on. "Luckily, I… I managed to fix things between us, but… but I still think about that…"

Seeing how much this was getting to her, Zecora reached toward her and put a hoof on her shoulder. Despite appreciating the zebra's reassuring touch, Rarity still spoke in a saddened state as she went on. "Also, I constantly think of that… that stupid wedding!"

Looking at the unicorn, Zecora started to grow worried as she saw how much angrier Rarity was looking at saying that last part. Clenching her hooves on the couch, Rarity kept her eyes on the floor as she kept speaking.

"Before that whole invasion thing… Twilight… she was the only one who knew something was off! She tried to warn us several times beforehoof, but… but we all thought she was just upset because she was told about her brother's wedding so late. And when… when she finally tried to confront that bug thing in front of us, we… we…"

A tear finally came from the unicorn's eyes as she kept away from Zecora.

"We completely ignored her! All of us! Her brother didn't want her at the wedding, and… and I was more concerned with my bucking dresses than my own friend's well-being!"

Hearing Rarity sniff a few times, Zecora took action and wrapped her hooves around her, pulling her in for a tight hug. Feeling the zebra's warmth, the drunken mare wept softly as she kept speaking woefully. "I… I never thought she would forgive me for that. Luckily she didn't hate us, but… it was still one of the most selfish things I ever did!"

Keeping the bottle of champagne in her grasp, Rarity kept her moistened eyes shut as she felt Zecora hold her. While the zebra hugged her tightly, Rarity savored her warmth for a moment before sighing deeply. Opening her eyes, Rarity thought for a moment before looking at the bottle in her aura, grimacing before she added to her building guilt. "And then… and then there's Blueblood…"

Unsure of what Rarity meant by that, Zecora slowly let go of her as she saw how much angrier the mare was looking. Groaning in frustration, Rarity leaned back on the couch before she spoke in an upset tone. "That STUPID Prince Blueblood!"

While Zecora wasn't that aware of Equestrian politics—although she did try to keep up with current events—she was unsure of what the Prince had to do with Rarity's livid attitude. Shaking her head, Rarity sighed before she continued her increasingly slurring rant.

"You know how many stallions I rejected over the years?! For so long, I… I ignored so many nice guys! Dozens! Heck, maybe hundreds! And why?! All because I wanted that stupid buttface Blueblood!"

Despite being slightly surprised to hear such a dainty mare like Rarity say the word "buttface,” Zecora didn't reply as she kept her attention on the unicorn's venting. Before she could keep going, Rarity glanced at her bottle before she pulled it to her face, tipping her head back as she downed the rest of the champagne in front of the surprised zebra. Not caring about how uncouth it was to drink straight from the bottle, Rarity tossed it aside before she spoke angrily.

"I was so convinced I was going to be Misses Blueblood! 'I'm gonna marry Blueblood!' 'I'm going to be a Princess!' 'I'm going to live in a frilly castle!' But then… I actually met that jerk! And now… now all I can think about is how much time I wasted, because my standards were too high, and I focused so much time wanting to be with a Prince! I could've… I could've been with a really nice stallion by now if it wasn't for my stupid standards!"

Realizing why Rarity looked so upset, Zecora sighed before she put a hoof to her shoulder again. Waiting until Rarity looked back towards her, whose blushing cheeks were slightly matted with tears, Zecora only held a warm smile as she spoke in a caring tone towards the mare.

"Rarity, you are not selfish at all. We all make mistakes, some big and some small. Despite what you think, you have a big heart. And you're so kind, I don’t know where to start."

Hearing her words, Rarity mustered a weak smile under her blushing face, struggling not to tear up as she looked into the zebra's eyes. Staying silent, Rarity's blush began to grow deeper as she noticed how unique the shade of blue was in Zecora's eyes. Carrying a slightly duller tone than the unicorn's, the deep blue hue of Zecora's eyes still held such depth, really extenuating the years of wisdom and knowledge that were behind them. While her drunken state couldn't remember what that exact shade of blue was called, Rarity still admired them as they stared back at her.

Before anything could happen, Rarity fell back a bit before she regained her balance, making herself dizzier in the process. "Oop!" muttered the mare as she tried to sit upright on the couch. "I… I'm fine. I'm fine, really."

"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Zecora with a slightly worried look. "You had a lot today."

"S' alright, I'm good,” slurred the mare, taking a second before she turned to Zecora and pointed a hoof to her chest. "And YOU'RE good, too! I mean it, you… you are a good friend, Zecora!"

Before the zebra could reply, Rarity lunged forward and hugged her chest tightly. With the drunken mare clinging onto her, Zecora began to blush a little as she kept hearing Rarity's voice muffled through her chest. "You are a VERY good lady…"

Slightly uncomfortable from how close the unicorn was acting, Zecora tried to move back as she replied, "Well… I don’t know. If you say so…"

"If I say so?!" Rarity quickly let go of Zecora as she sat back upright on the couch. Looking at the zebra, Rarity's face kept a look of confusion and light anger as she tried to comprehend Zecora's words. "Zecora, you… you are the nicest zebra EVER! Why would you… why… tell me one pony or zebra who would try to say otherwise!"

At that moment, Zecora sighed and looked away from Rarity's gaze. Biting her lip, the zebra contemplated whether or not to reply to Rarity's question. After a second of thought, Zecora breathed in before she responded faintly,"Despite the kind words you have about me…"

Closing her eyes, the zebra sighed as her head bent down to the floor. "It is not the same with my family."

Looking at the saddened zebra, Rarity's eyes widened in shock before she replied loudly, "WHAT?! I… I mean… what do you mean?!"

Taking a moment, Zecora breathed in again before she began to explain.

"Back in my homeland, we did not have much. We were not rich, but we got by and such. Well, a rich man asked me to be his bride. I refused, but my parents took his side. They said that I should comply and say yes. They were just greedy, from what I could guess…"

With Rarity listening intently, Zecora kept her gaze away from her as she continued.

"They said to refuse his hoof would be rude. But the man was lousy, boorish, and crude. They then tried to force me to go their way! So I packed my things. I just couldn't stay. I left for Equestria, just like that…"

Taking a deep breath, Zecora bit her lip slightly before she added her final rhyme in a much sadder tone.

"The last thing they said…'You're a selfish brat.’"

Exhaling deeply, Zecora managed to keep herself from tearing up at that last line. However, the zebra was only able to have one second of silence before Rarity quickly hugged her again. Keeping a death grip on her, Rarity squeezed as tightly as she could while speaking in a slurred tone of sincerity.

"You are NOT a brat!" shouted the mare as she nearly choked Zecora. "You are the greatest zebra I ever met! I mean, you're the only zebra I've met, but still! You make medicine for the sick! You're always so nice, and don't you dare say otherwise!"

Letting go of her, Rarity still kept her hooves on the zebra's shoulders as she looked her dead in the eyes. Keeping a serious (although slightly blushing) look on her face, the drunken unicorn used a hoof to poke at Zecora's chest as she kept speaking honestly.

"Zecora, you are good. You are the most generous, caring, sweetest, smartest, cutest, honest, and dependable zebra to ever exist! And if your parents can’t see that, then they're… they're buttheads! Just like Blueblood!"

With that, Rarity slumped forward and buried her head into Zecora's chest. With the unicorn clinging to her, Zecora's blush was even heavier as she took in Rarity's words. Even with all the kind things she was just told, Zecora was barely able to process most of it as she recalled what Rarity said in her drunken state. Putting caution to the wind, Zecora decided to speak up in an effort to clarify one thing she heard.

"Rarity, I know that I should stay mute…"

Hearing only a light "Hmm?" from the mare, Zecora breathed in before she asked her question. 

"But… did you really just say that I'm cute?"

Rarity's eyes shot wide open, thinking for a second as she tried to recall what she said a minute ago. Realizing she was still hugging the zebra, Rarity quickly let go as she shot back to the other side of the couch. With her face blushing a lot deeper, Rarity tried looking away from Zecora as she replied quickly. "Wha—I mean no! No I didn't! I just…"

Thinking about it, Rarity was barely able to remember a single word she said. In fact, the unicorn was barely even able to sit upright anymore as her body began to sway on the couch next to Zecora. Noticing her state, the zebra decided to stop trying to press the matter. Knowing that this mare was probably more than a little wasted, Zecora sighed before she spoke.

"You know what? Forget what I have stated. It seems that you're quite intoxicated."

"I'm not drunk!" Rarity shot back as she turned to Zecora with an insistent look on her face. "I… am a lady. And a lady… does not get drunk!"

Even though the slurred words of the mare did little to verify her claims, Zecora just chuckled a little before replying, "Alright my lady, whatever you say…"

Looking over at the clock on the wall, Zecora was surprised to see how late it had gotten. Even though she couldn't exactly go back to her hut since it was past dark, she still figured she should call it a night. Looking back at the tipsy mare, Zecora cleared her throat before she spoke. "I think it's best that we call it a day."

Looking over at the clock as well, Rarity only nodded a little before she tried to get herself off the couch. Since she was barely able to sit upright, let alone stand, Zecora was quick to hold onto her. Even with the room spinning in her vision, Rarity was still able to get up the stairs—although at a fairly slow pace—as Zecora helped her to her bedroom. Hoping that the unicorn wasn't going to be much of a nuisance, Zecora figured she could just sleep on the couch downstairs until morning.

Before Rarity could get to her bed, she stopped moving her hooves as they reached the entryway to her bedroom. Still unable to stand still, Rarity still kept a smile on her blushing face as she looked up to Zecora. Looking at the concerned zebra, Rarity stared at her for a moment before replying again in a slurred voice.

"Zecora… you are so nice to me…"

Not noticing how the zebra's blush was slowly coming back on her cheeks, Rarity's gaze instead focused on a small drop of champagne, which was sitting unnoticed on the side of Zecora's muzzle. Giggling a little, Rarity pointed a hoof up to her as she spoke.

"You… you have a little something…"

Before Zecora could respond, Rarity picked herself up and placed both forehooves around the back of Zecora's neck, making her stand on her hindlegs as she kept her eyes on the zebra. 

"Don't worry…" whispered the mare as she bent her head in closer to the increasingly blushing face of Zecora's. "…I'll get it."

With that, Rarity closed her eyes as her lips touched the side of Zecora's muzzle, lightly pressing against the zebra's soft fur as she gently sucked the drop of champagne away. Frozen at the spot, Zecora was unable to move an inch, slightly shaking as she felt Rarity's lips on her. 

As the suck slowly began to turn into something close to a kiss, Rarity kept her lips on her for another couple seconds before slowly backing away. Feeling the zebra's warm, shuddering breath slightly brush against her white fur, Rarity was still less than an inch from Zecora before she bent in again. Closing her eyes again, Rarity's lips now touched the tip of Zecora's snout, making the zebra's heart thunder in her chest as she felt the unicorn's gentle kiss.

Only keeping her light peck for a second, Rarity opened her eyes halfway as she slowly backed away again. Looking into Zecora's wide-open eyes, Rarity was still less than half an inch from the zebra as she looked at her drunkenly. Smelling the faint aroma of strawberry champagne from the zebra's hot breath, Rarity smiled faintly as she blushed even deeper than before. Closing her eyes one last time, the unicorn savored the feeling of Zecora's breath against her fur before she bent in once more.

Like some mystical spell, Zecora felt completely paralyzed, unable to make a single movement herself as she felt Rarity's soft lips press against her own. Keeping her hooves wrapped around Zecora's head, Rarity kept her eyes shut as she savored the taste of the zebra's lips, both warm and wet as they stayed pressed against her gently. For that one moment, not a single thought went through the unicorn's once-troubled mind as she kept her kiss on Zecora, only letting her racing heart and blushing face speak for itself as her lips pressed harder.

All that Rarity could think about was how amazing Zecora's lips felt. Her warmth. Her taste. Her gentleness. Nothing felt off or unusual at all, as she kissed the zebra known as Zeco—

Rarity quickly pulled away as she stood in front of Zecora, immediately realizing what she was doing. Looking at the wide-eyed zebra, Rarity's own eyes were completely open as well as she stood in a stunned state.

Breathing heavily, Rarity only blinked and stayed silent for a few seconds. Looking increasingly worried about what she just did, Rarity's blush was now at a shade of red close to Big Macintosh's fur before she quickly uttered out a statement.

"I'm drunk."

Blinking a few times, Zecora tried to comprehend Rarity's comment as she slowly tried to regain movement. Biting her lip a little, the zebra then opened her muzzle before she tried to reply. "But… you said that a lady—"

“I'M DRUNK!" Rarity quickly shouted before she began to hurriedly ramble to herself while backing up into her bedroom. "I'm drunk! I am drunk, I am very, VERY drunk! I have had way too much to drink, and now I need to go to bed GOODNIGHT!"

With that, Rarity immediately slammed her bedroom door, leaving Zecora to stand out in the hallway with a bewildered look on her face. Standing in silence, the zebra was in a stunned state as she tried to comprehend what Rarity just did.

Putting up a hoof, Zecora felt her lips for a second, trying to ascertain whether or not that kiss just happened. Feeling the faint moistness against her hoof, Zecora's blush was apparent as she stood there, frozen.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Zecora only stood in front of Rarity's door for another moment before slowly backing away. As she made her way back downstairs to the couch, all the zebra could think about was what she should do.

Knowing that Rarity was clearly drunk, Zecora was unsure what the next step should be. Should she talk with her about it in the morning? Should she just forget in hopes that Rarity will forget as well? Did that kiss even mean anything?

With that last thought floating in her mind, Zecora sighed and laid on the couch. Knowing she probably wasn't going to get much sleep until morning, the zebra tried to relax as she laid in the darkened room, her head still reeling as she tried to doze off with unease.