It didn’t take her long to realize it, maybe a minute or two, but eventually the reality set in that Rarity had the house all to herself. Her husband and son out fishing and her daughter celebrating her twenty-first birthday with her colt friend. It seemed as though everyone was enjoying themselves today, all while she was alone sewing dresses?
I think not.
Claire and Illusion wouldn’t be back any time soon, this left Rarity with several hours of silence. A luxury that she will admit has been lacking in recent years. But now she finally had time to herself and she wasn’t going to waste it by working. “Ah yes, a nice salad bowl, a fresh brew of tea, and a riveting novel.” Said Rarity as she levitated all three objects with her to the living room.
“Everything I need to enjoy a perfectly quiet evening alone.” With a smile Rarity placed them on the table. But before she had the time to sit down and enjoy any of them, she heard the bell of her door chime. “After I shoo away a customer…” Rarity said with a groan, in her excitement she had forgotten to flip the sign and lock the door. But it was only a small inconvenience, one that would be fixed quickly so that she could go back to enjoying her day.
“I do apologize, but we’re closed for the evening.” She called as she entered the room “But you’re more than welcome to return tomorrow.” She added.
“Aw, and I was really hoping to see you today.” As Rarity heard the sarcasm filled reply she paused, she recognized that voice.
“Sweetie Belle?” she called out as she reached the front door. Sure enough there she was, her little sister standing by the door.
“Hey sis!” she said with a smile.
“Well now isn’t this a surprise!” said Rarity as she gave her sister a hug “I thought you’d be in Manehattan today, what brings you to Ponyville?” she asked. Sweetie Belle arched a brow at her sister’s question, she thought the answer would have been obvious.
“Come on Rarity, did you forget what today is?” she asked. Rarity looked back at Sweetie Belle and gave a small chuckle.
“Believe it or not but it had slipped my mind until this morning.” She said as she and Sweetie Belle made their way back to the living room. “Made for a rather rude realization when I checked my planner.” she added to which Sweetie Belle giggled.
“Still haven’t gotten over my twenty-first have you?” Sweetie Belle asked, all Rarity did was shiver slightly. “Come on it wasn’t that bad, and your eyebrows grew back…eventually.” She added with a sheepish smile. Rarity’s silence was enough for Sweetie Belle to know to change the subject.
“Okay so I got out of control, but that’s why I came today. I figure that the two of us could take Claire to a bar together, this way we can both keep an eye on her.” By the time she and Rarity reached the living room Sweetie Belle noticed that no one else was around. “Where is she anyway?” she asked.
“I’m afraid you just missed her, darling.” Said Rarity. Sweetie Belle looked a little disappointed by that.
“Did Spike take her?” she asked only to notice a slightly annoyed look in Rarity’s eyes.
“No, Spike had other plans today, but she asked Illusion to take her.”
“You let your daughter go out drinking with her coltfriend?” Sweetie Belle asked with an arched brow “Seriously?”
“Oh don’t worry, I had a little chat with him.” Rarity said with a smirk.
“Used moms little intimidation technique?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Indeed,” said Rarity “Only I used a cucumber.”
“I plan on using a cheese grater.” Said Sweetie Belle to which both she and Rarity laughed out loud.
“All jokes aside, I really do trust Illusion to keep an eye on Claire, he’s a good boy.” Said Rarity.
“I guess so,” said Sweetie Belle “But honestly I’m surprised you didn’t want to go with Claire yourself. I mean sure it go so well when you first took me to a bar, but that was still a great day for me.”
“Really?” asked Rarity with high skepticism.
“Well yeah, back then I was starting my music career and I was spending a lot of time with Button. So much of my time was being taken up that we hardly got to hang out anymore, so even if that day wasn’t the best, I still got to spend it with my big sister.” Throwing her foreleg around Rarity’s neck Sweetie Belle pulled her in and nuzzled her. Rarity froze for a moment, she hadn’t thought of it like that before.
Sure Claire still lived with her, but for how much longer? How long until she moved on with her own life and they began to see less of each other?
“I see your point, but I suppose there’s nothing I can do about that. Not at the moment anyway.” Said Rarity. She didn’t know where Illusion was taking Claire, and there were far too many bars in Canterlot to check them all.
“Tell you what, how about we both enjoy ourselves tonight. And tomorrow the three of us will share a glass, just like it should have been?” Rarity offered.
“Sounds like a plan.” Sweetie Belle said excitedly “So you’re not a little worried about how Claire can handle her drinks?” she asked.
“Come now darling, she’s half dragon.” Said Rarity with a dismissing wave of a hoof. “What could possibly go wrong?”
“Can you believe my m-mom used some phony baloney sickness spell to try and *hic* get out of taking me to a bar?” said Claire, her arm wrapped around his shoulder. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and there was a slur in her speech. “What, did s-she think that it’d be like with Aunt Sweetie *hic* Belle?”
“Claire?”
“Well let me tell you something,” said Claire as she poked him claw on his chest “It’s her loss, cus’ we’re having the time of our lives, right?” she asked as she tightened her hold of him.
“Claire…”
“That’s right, say my name.” Claire said with a sly smile.
“Claire!”
“What?” asked Claire starting to get annoyed by her name being called over and over.
“I’m over here…” Claire blinked in a moment of pause before turning her head over. There she saw Illusion sitting next to her, his muzzle scrunched slightly, as if he was trying not to smile. Claire looked back at Illusion with a confused look on her face.
“W-when did you *hic* get there?” she asked.
“I never moved.” Again Claire paused, the gears in her head turning slowly.
“Then who’s this?” she asked as she turned her head back to whoever it was that she had a hold of. When she finally got a look at him she noticed that it was a Pegasus stallion wearing royal guard armor. His body was stiff and his eyes darted left and right awkwardly, not sure what he should do at the moment. Illusion would be lying if he said that he didn’t find the guards reaction to be a little funny.
“Oh…sorry.” Claire said with a sheepish smile and a giggle as she released the Pegasus and turned her sight back to Illusion. “So w-what was I *hic* saying?” she asked trying to regain her train of thought.
“Something about having fun?” said Illusion.
“Oh right, right, that’s it.” Said Claire as she patted Illusion on his chest “W-we don’t need them to have fun, we can- we can have fun with*hic* without them.” She said still patting Illusions chest.
“Uhh, Claire?” said Illusion when he saw that the patting didn’t seem to have an end to it.
“Your chest is fluffy.” She said looking at the black fur with a smile on her face.
“Um, thanks.” Said Illusion, his face growing a little red. “I try to-“
Illusion stopped the moment Claire placed her face against the fur of his chest. “Soooo fluffy.” She said as she nuzzled it. As Illusion listened closely he seemed to hear something rather odd from Claire.
“Is she…is she purring?” he asked himself, the blush on his face growing deeper when it grew louder.
“Looks like you two are enjoying yourselves.” Illusion blinked as he heard the voice. Turning his head to the table again he saw Shot Glass staring at him with a sly smile on her face.
“This isn’t what it looks like” said Illusion as he held up his hoof.
“So your marefriend didn’t just go full feline?” asked Show Glass.
“Of course not,” said Illusion as he looked down “Right Claire?”
“Nyaaa?” Shot Glass put both hooves over her mouth to keep herself from bursting out in a laugh. That fact that Illusions ears were turning red now did not make that any easier for her.
“So um…” Shot Glass began taking a deep breath to compose herself “Is there anything else I can get you?” she asked, a small snicker escaping her. Illusion was going to say no, but that was when Claire raised her claw and waved it around.
“Oh, oh,” she called out “Can I have some cucumber slices?” she asked causing Illusion to feel a slight stinging sensation, he won’t say where.
“Sure thing, be back in a jiff” said Shot Glass as she walked away to retrieve what Claire asked for. Once she was out of sight Illusion placed a paw on Claire’s head and gently tried to pry her from him. But it wasn’t easy as Claire wrapped her forearms around him so that he couldn’t push her away.
“Nyyooo,” she said “Must have *hic* the fluffy!” she said tightening her grip. It seemed as though nothing would make Claire let go of him; that is until Shot Glass returned.
“Here ya go!” she said placing a bowl of sliced cucumbers on the table.
“Yay!” said Claire as she released Illusion and reached for the bowl. One by once she munched on them with a content smile on her face.
“How much has she had to drink again?” asked Shot Glass as she leaned in towards Illusion. Looking over to the other mug Illusion reached out to it and gave it a weight test. After a few seconds he made a rough estimate.
“About a half of a mug…” said Illusion as he looked inside to verify. Shot Glass looked into the cup as well, a look of disbelief in her face.
“You can’t be serious,” she said “Never known anypony to be that much of a lightweight.”
“I wouldn’t say she’s a lightweight.” Illusion tried to defend. Shot Glass arched a brow towards him and pointed her hoof over to Claire. When he looked over he saw that she was still eating the cucumber slices, but her face was now buried into the bowl. Illusion opened his mouth to make a reply, but couldn’t come up with one.
“Well this is the first time I’ve ever had to do this before someone ever finished a dink.” Said Shot Glass as she grabbed Claire’s drink “But I think it’s time to cut her off, Celestia only knows what would happen if she drank the whole thing.”
“No wait!” said Claire as she raised a claw, her head still down in her bowl. “I haven’t *hic* finished!” she called out trying to reach for the mug that wasn’t there.
“Actually I think this might be for the best, Claire.” Said Illusion “Doesn’t look like you can hold your drinks…”
Claire raised her head from the table “That’s a lie!” she said “I can totally hold my *hic* drinks, who are you to…to…” Claire paused as she turned her head to look around “Where are you?” she asked. With a small sigh and a light hearted smirk on his face Illusion used his magic to pull the bowl off of Claire’s face. When he did some of the cucumber slices fell on to the floor.
“My cucumbers!” Claire said with a gasp, she hunched over, as if to go after them but quickly grabbed on to the table and straightened herself out.
“See, you can’t even sit up straight on your own…” Illusion pointed out. Claire looked away and pouted her cheeks:
“Yes I can…” she said.
“Oh really?” said Illusion as he grabbed Claire’s drink from Shot Glass. “I’ll make you a deal, if you can sit up straight without holding on to the table, I’ll give you the rest.” He told her. Claire looked to the drink then back to her claw that had a firm hold on the table. There was no doubt in her mind that she could come out on top in this.
“Deal.” She said as she let go of the table and held up both her claws to show that she wasn’t holding on to anything anymore. Illusion looked surprised, he was sure that she wouldn’t have been able to pull it off. “See told you I could do it.” Said Claire as she cross her forearms and puffed out her chest proudly. She held this pose for several seconds, Illusion was just about to own up to his promise when he saw Claire was starting to tilt backwards.
Claire herself figured this out quickly, but saw no way to stop was what coming. “Mare overboard…” Claire said flatly as she fell back off her seat landing on the ground with a loud *thud*. Both Illusion and Shot Glass winced at the sound she made, both looking over to make sure she wasn’t hurt.
“You alright, Claire.” asked Illusion as got off his seat to check on her.
“I’ll be fine as soon as the floor stops spinning...” groaned Claire, her eyes closed shut. If it wasn’t clear that she was drunk before, it sure was now. Illusion gave the mug back to Shot Glass before turning his attention back to Claire. Using his magic he lifted her off the ground and gently placed her on his back.
“How’s that?” he asked.
“Better…” said Claire as she wrapped her forelegs around his neck for a better hold. With her softly on his back there was only one thing left for Illusion to take care of.
“Check please.” He said turning back to Shot Glass.
“I think I’m about to taste those cucumbers gain…” Claire groaned followed by a dry heave. Illusions eyes opened wide with realization and quickly made one last request:
“And a wet towel!”