//------------------------------// // Honor // Story: The Stallion in the Library // by leonidas701 //------------------------------//         “Hello madame,” said the silver stallion. “I am looking for a nice, warm, scarf. Could you assist me?”         “Oh certainly,” Rarity said as she motioned the stallion over to her rack of accessories. “Is there some sort of style in particular you’re looking for, Mr…?”         “Silvertongue. There is no need for the mister, madame.”         “Very well, Silvertongue. Now, about that style?”         “All I require is that it be warm. As for the style, I think I had best leave that up to your superior expertise. Whatever you think will look best.”         Rarity smiled at Silvertongue. It was always a nice experience trying to assemble outfits for others, even if it’s just a single piece of clothing. The brand new color scheme she had to work with for each pony presented a challenge that she always found rewarding. To make things better, today was a slow enough day that she could take her time with the matter.         “Well then, I think we had best start with trying to match you with a color. You do have quite a unique set of colors, I must say I have never seen a pony with a coat quite as shiny as your’s.” Rarity started levitating scarves off of the rack and contrasting the colors of each one with Silvertongue’s pelt. “If you don’t mind, may I ask you how you manage it?”         “I wish I could tell you. It is simply like this naturally.” Silvertongue looked genuinely a little upset that he couldn’t answer her question.         “Is that so? Then I’m quite jealous of you.” Rarity settled on using a color along the darker sides of red and green. She gathered up a large variety of scarves that fit her choice and motioned Silvertongue over to her mirror.         The ponies made small talk as Rarity put each scarf onto Silvertongue, one by one, arranging them in every possible way one can wear a scarf. Then, the chimes over the door rang again.         “Oh, I’m so sorry, I must go deal with that,” Rarity said.         “No worries,” Silvertongue said, as she moved back to the front area.         Waiting in the front area was a rather handsome, pitch-black pegasus with curly brown hair.         “Hello sir, welcome to the Carousel Boutique. How may I help you?”         “I’m looking for a friend of mine, about my height, silver, unicorn,” the pegasus said, “I think he’s in here somewhere.”         “Hello Shade,” Silvertongue said as he emerged from the back, carrying the last two scarves Rarity was debating over.         “Hi Silver,” Shade said. “Forgot your clothes again?”         “Yes, well, I was quite busy.”         “I bet you were,” Shade said, his voice laced with innuendo.         Silver tried to change the topic. “Which one do you like?” he said, showing him the scarves.         “For you? The wine.”         “Really?” Rarity asked. “What makes you so sure?”         “The red will stand out better against the snow.”         “I hadn’t even considered that. Good point.”         “Thank you.”         “So, will you be purchasing that now?” Rarity asked Silvertongue.         “Yes, however there seems to be quite a mess in the back now. Please, allow me to clean it up,” Silver said, already heading to the rear.         “Oh, I couldn’t possibly ask you to do that.”         “I insist. The mess was made on my account, the least I can do is clean it up.”         “You might as well let him,” Shade said. “He’ll argue about it until closing time. He’s done it before.”         “Well in that case, I thank you for your consideration,” Rarity said to Silvertongue.         After Silvertongue was in the back room, Shade spoke up again.         “Thank you, by the way.”         “Whatever for?”         “For keeping him out of trouble. My name is Shade,” he extended a hoof to Rarity.         “Charmed. I’m Rarity,” Rarity took Shade’s hoof but, rather than shaking it, he bowed and kissed it.         “Yes, you are,” he said went he went back up. “I wonder, are you doing anything for New Year’s eve?”         “I don’t believe I am at the moment.”         “In that case, would you care to accompany me to a party my friend is throwing?”         Rarity thought about this for a moment. He was certainly regal, and seemed polite enough. Besides, it’s not like she had very much else to do. Oh, but there was one problem.         “I would love to, but unfortunately I have to watch my little sister. Sorry.”         “Oh, she’s welcome to come along. There will a few foals there, so she won’t lack company.”         “Well then, I would be most delighted.”         “Fantastic! I’ll pick you up at nine.”         “I look forward to it.”         Just then, Silver finally finished putting all the scarves away. He paid for his new scarf and the two stallions left.         “So,” Shade said as they walked down the street, “Where’s Guile?”         “Oh I set him off on his own. He is more than capable of handling himself, and he knows where we are to meet up,” Silver said. “Now come on, let us go spar.”         “I know the perfect place. Big ol’ empty field.” -----Next Time-----         “What’s wrong?”         I sighed. I tried to keep on moving, I really did, but...         “Nothing, it’s just…” I sighed again and pulled up my hood. “I really hate my brother.”         I have no idea if Silver Spoon heard me or not, because I was already heading towards the bullies.         “Excuse me, gents.”