“… And so, I go back inside and I’m just thinking like, what is up with this guy? I mean, I’m just concerned of what he will bring up, and is it bad? You don’t think so do you?” I ask, giving her a pleading look.

Rainbow Dash blinks once… I think that was a yes… Or was that a maybe? I didn’t really think the reply system through, and outside the other kids having conversations with each other, I get the feeling that this one conversation is very one-sided.

“Look, buddy,” Rainbow finally decides to join in. “Remember when we signed that little contract of ours last year?”

“Contract? You mean the one in which you pinned me to a wall and terrified me to the point of tears?” I ask with a cynical tone.

“Of course! That one,” she replies without any hint of mocking. “And if you remember, there was something under subsection two, right?” she asks me. Of course, I have no idea what she is talking about, but I’ll bite.

“Well, it’s the section that hereby says ‘I don’t like you, I don’t give a crap what you have to say. Stop. Talking. To. Me’ I hope my reading was clear enough for you,” she finishes sarcastically, taking a bite of her sandwich.

Loudly masticating, she continues. “Beshides, I don’f even fink I herd u ab all anyway.”

“You not hearing was what I was counting on,” I reply, feeling satisfied by the unamused look she gives me, just as Pinkie arrives with a small box of cereal and some chocolate milk haphazardly stored in her hair.

“Nothing riveting,” I quickly reply before Rainbow has a chance to do so. Our one-sided conversation was between me and your lack of interest, Dash.

“Oh! Poor river,” Pinkie replies, having me confused for a second until I finally get it.

“Wow Pinkie,” I groan, while she giggles on her own before chucking the whole carton of milk into the bowl. “Wow,” I add once more for good measure before going back to my lunch to eat in peace.

“What is it Pinkie? Kinda busy here,” I ask, taking a sip of my orange juice.

“Pinkie,” I reply calmly. “It hasn’t even been a week, we have nothing but free time, or some says our educational system.”

“Do you just say things to sound smart or what?” Rainbow asks, giving me an amused look.

“I am indigenous, I don’t need to sound smart,” I reply, and ignoring her confused stare, I turn to Pinkie. “Why are you asking anyway, Pinkie?”

“Oh! Because I have to help Rarity today, she has to do something very super top secret for the school!” she explains before digging into the remnants of her now soggy cereal.

“I just told you it was a secret! Back away, buster!” she yelps, poking my chest for a second before quickly removing it. “W-well, maybe if you wanted to help you could get in on it…” she lets out, looking to the side innocently.

Hanging out with Pinkie? Always good. Hanging out with Rarity? Huh… “Yeah, I’m afraid I have to decline, I have homework I’d rather be doing.”

“Well, at least Rarity is safe,” Rainbow once again jumps in, delivering backhanded comments.

“What can I say? I love to talk at your expense,” she finishes, taking the last of her sandwich and shoving it into her mouth. “Later Pinkie, I have to go, if I’m late again coach Spitfire will pair me up with Derpy again… I don’t want another concussion like last time,” she says, waving Pinkie goodbye, and me… Well, not. What a bitch… Ugh, insulting her doesn’t bring me joy anymore.

Anyway, the rest of the day goes by on a blur, or rather, I don’t really think much about it at all, funny how some stuff just becomes so repetitive that it just blends in.

And just like that, the last bell finally rings, bringing me out of my hypnotic stupor, and the eager teens rush out the classroom. Me? Well, I wait for a bit before I feel it has been long enough a wait, and I walk to the door, looking to both sides for signs of him.

‘Lemon, will you reply already? We really need to talk. I’ll meet you after school by the front’

“God dammit, Flash,“ I groan, locking the phone. Ever since that Friday talk he has been trying to expand on it. Of course he does. “Not gonna happen, ‘pal‘,” I say, walking to the back of the school, choosing to exit via the parking lot. “Ha, he is gonna be very dis-” I turn a corner and stop instantly, noticing none other than Flash himself staring at me right there.

“A-ah…” It was all a ruse! I turn to the side, noticing the front door off in the distance.

“Don’t even think about it, Lemon,” he warns, taking a threatening stance. “You may not agree, but I think our Friday conversation needs to be expanded upon.”

“Um…” I mumble, gulping in panic. What do I do… Wait… It’s her! “Yo, pass it!”

Flash looks momentarily lost. “What are y- ouch!” he groans, falling to the floor as a ball rolls to the side. It worked!

“Nice shot! I mean that!” I shout approving, noticing a grin from her as I turn to run in the opposite direction.

“Aaah!” I shout, running faster. “Fuck… Ugh… Tired,” I wheeze heavily. “I. Hate. Running!” I bust through the front door, just to notice my bus leaving alongside any hopes of escaping. “Aaaaah! Why did I wait so long!” I shout, continuing my run past the statue… Seems that I’ll have to lose him on the streets… And he has a car. I’m so screwed.

*Screech* a car suddenly halts right before me, the sound of the door unlocking. I stare at it confused, and jump back when the back door opens slightly. “What the…”

“Lemon!” I hear a shout from behind the statue. Doesn‘t take a genius to know it‘s Flash. “I told you to wait!”

I look at the statue and to the car repeatedly conflicted. “Grr… I’m sorry mom, I am about to disobey the number one rule!” I apologize, quickly jumping into the strange car and slamming the door shut “Go, go, go!” I order, and thankfully, the driver does as they are told and drives off, with the voice of Flash quickly lost in the distance. “… Oh, thank God,” I sigh happily with my eyes closed.

“Well, howdy there, Lemon!” greets me a stereotypical accent. Aah! I’m going to be molested by hillbillies!

“Fluttershy?” I say surprised, opening my eyes to see a familiar yellow leg right besides me. And now that I’m able to see my surroundings carefully, I seem to be sitting in sort of limousine style car of sorts, what with two girls sitting both to my left and right with copious amounts of space in between. “Girls?”

“Ah!” I yelp, suddenly blinded, I rub my eyes rapidly, and notice a familiar pink face.

“Hiii, Lemon!” Pinkie greets me, suddenly laying down to my right with a camera in hand.

“Taking pictures, silly!” she explains, quickly getting back on her seat. Okay.

“H-hi,” Fluttershy joins the greeting, waving her fingers weakly in a similarly weak attempt.

“Well, isn’t it nice of you to drop by,” Rarity unfortunately says from my right. “It’s actually nice, we never get to hang out.”

Ugh. “I’ll try to not make it a habit, trust me on that,” I reply. I’d much prefer to be free of the constant teasing, thank you very much.

“Well, I’d much prefer you to not make a habit of laying down the way you are when four girls are wearing skirts,” she says with a gruff tone, making both AJ and Shy blush with varying degrees of embarrassment on their faces.

“Wait, wh- Oh!” I quickly realize what she means, sitting down on my knees. To be fair, they should’ve been wearing something that does not bode well in the cold. How do they resist this cold with bloody skirts!?

“Miss Rarity, is he giving you trouble?” comes a funnily familiar gravely voice from the front.

“No, everything is alright, just keep on driving, dear,” Rarity replies with a dulcet tone.

“Y-yes ma’am!” the driver replies with a stutter. Wow, Rarity has this guy on a leash, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was someone from school who is driving her to…

“Lemon! Such language!” Rarity groans. Bite me. “But if you really want to know, we are taking Applejack and Fluttershy to Sweet Apple Acres.”

“Winona has been looking a bit sick, so Ah’m having Fluttershy here have a look,” AJ explains, with Shy nodding her head in agreement. “Good thing Granny let me off today, so we’ll even be spending the night at my place so she can be up and about bright and early!”

“Um, cool?” I reply confused. Who wants to get up at an ungodly hour. God created clocks for a reason, you heathen!

“What isn’t ‘cool’, Lemon, is you being on the floor and not on a seat,” Rarity complains. “If we get a ticket, you are paying.”

“Nope!” I quickly sit next to Pinkie who seemed to had lost interest in the conversation ages ago and taken upon the window seat. Something worth mentioning is that I wanted the window seat.

We arrive at the Acres fifteen minutes later, stopping by the house so the pair doesn’t have to walk.

“Bye girls! See ya tomorrow! I’ll bring cake!” Pinkie waves accompanied by Rarity who doesn’t say anything and lets her own wave do the talking. Translators note says it means ‘bye‘.

“Ah‘ll be looking forward to it, Pinkie!” AJ replies before turning to Fluttershy. “Ah’ hope you can manage to find out what’s wrong with the old girl!”

“Don’t you worry, I’ll make sure to ask thoroughly,” Shy replies just as the car’s door closes, but not before I can manage to notice a very lost look from AJ. Good to see Dr. Dolittle accept her ability like she has.

“… If you may,” I hear Rarity finish saying to the driver before we pull back into the street.

“So, where are we going now? If you don’t mind my asking?” I ask as politely as I can manage.

Rarity takes notice of this and nods approvingly. “Well my dear, we are going to my boutique, oh, sorry, my mother’s boutique… The way I handle the place just makes it appear mine,” she laughs in a dignified manner. Gag.

“Anyway, where is ‘stop at Lemon’s house on the way’ part in that line, Rarity?” I ask her.

“Rarity said so! That‘s why you were so eager that you jumped on the opportunity! Right?” Pinkie explains while I turn to give Rarity an incredulous look, one she doesn‘t bother to return since her face remains like the Swiss - neutral and out of the topic.

“Pinkie, I didn‘t,” I stop, realizing what I am about to do… Yeah, it would lead to questions I am not willing to answer. “I… Didn’t want to let you know about it, surpriseee…” ugh.

“I knew you’d come!” Pinkie shouts excitedly, proceeding to crush me with an affectionate hug. “We are gonna have sooo much fun!” she says, pointing the camera away and to our cheek touching faces, bringing upon me another round of momentary blindness.

“Yeah… Fun,” I say in monotone, giving the window reflection of Rarity a very angry stare while she looks out the window… With a small hint of a smile on her face. She soo planned this, didn't she? Or maybe it’s just the fact I took off my glasses and that I’m partially blind… Either way! I do wonder what the hell she is up to with this.

~~~~~

Forty five minutes later, we finally come to a stop by this gaudy looking shop. I take it this is what passes for Carousel Boutique in this place, so I give it a glance while Rarity dismisses our driver, and I have to say… Yep, still gaudy.

“Alas, we are here! Lemon!” she nearly shouts, turning to me in a dramatic fashion. “Welcome to the boutique!”

Losing the chance to see her indignant face, we make our way inside, passing by numerous girls looking at very normal looking clothes. Not an extravagant business when everyone wears clothes, huh? We keep walking and we go through another pair of doors by the back, arriving at an area that looks far more akin to Rarity’s Ponyville workshop -- which admittedly, feels like a very surreal experience here.

“And this is where the magic happens!” Rarity yells out much louder than earlier, spinning with her arms open to make her point.

“I see,” I reply mechanically, giving the place a more throughout look, as it doesn’t look quite pony as I thought, what with the mannequins being actual people sized, and the changing room actually being a separate room and not just a stand in which to present yourself, and what appears to be a stick flying straight towards m- “Aaah!” I yelp mid-thought, jumping to the side in order to avoid the object which smashes against the wall behind me before flinging down in front of me.

In case I repress this memory later on, the thing that almost killed me is basically a stick. If the multiverse theory is real, that is a sad way to go, alternate me.

“Oh no! I’m sorry!” shouts a very familiar voice, followed by a number of footsteps.

“You okay there, Green?” another voice asks very nonchalantly. I can’t see them, but I already have a good idea of who they are.

“Name is Lemon, thanks for not killing me by the way.” I say sarcastically, looking up to find the three girls I expected to see; the cutie mark crusaders… Or in this world, probably just crusaders.

“You are welcome,” Scootaloo replies. See? This is why you were never my favorite. “Cute name by the way, heh,” you did not just say that, welcome to my shit list, now you get to join Rainbow Dash in there.

Rarity looks at the group furiously, unable to find the right words. “Scootaloo! Applebloom! What are you doing here!?” she shouts at the pair before looking at the third girl. “What are you all doing here? Sweetie Belle! You know mom said you aren’t allowed in my work area!”

“Sorry!” the obviously-older-than-she-should-be Sweetie Belle replies. “We were just doing what y- I mean, we were making… Something, but we didn’t know where else to do it but here! Please don’t tell her!”

“Well…” Sweetie Belle begins reluctantly, looking at the murdering stick at my feet.

“I changed my mind, I don‘t want to know…” Rarity says dismissively. “But I’ll be generous and let you use the materials you may need… As long as you don’t interrupt our work, understand?”

“Yes, ma’am!” she salutes Rarity before turning to the others. “Come on, girls! Um, we have work to do!” the group runs back the way they came, leaving us on our own again.

“Bye girls, good luck! Break a leg really hard!” Pinkie shouts after them, much to my amusement.

“Don’t encourage them, Pinkie,” Rarity sighs. “That little sister of mine can be such a disaster, she is lucky I’m letting her use my stuff.”

“What are they doing anyway?” I ask. “It’s not like they are trying to get their cut-” I cough instantly, stopping myself before I give myself away. Close one there.

Ignoring my cough, Rarity sighs wistfully, walking to the middle of the room where a mess of different clothes related items are strewn randomly about. “It’s going to sound very silly, but they are trying to become internet famous, and their attempts so far have been… Lackluster at best. In any case, we have our own work to worry about!”

“So, care to tell me what this ‘work’ we are doing actually is?” I ask annoyed. “Neither of you have filled me in on the details.”

Rarity laughs and fans her hand in the air. “Oh Lemon, those are but silly, silly details.”

“Lemon, I merely jest! No need to get so huffy, now!” I promise I won’t be once I shove my foot up your pasty, white as- “In any case, we are here to prepare.”

“Prepare for what? Will you just cut the details and give it to me straight.”

“You lack so much imagination,“ she sighs disappointed. “For the talent contest, of course!” she replies as if it were the most obvious thing. It isn’t.

“Um…“ I turn to find an answer from Pinkie wh- *Flash* Sigh… Riveting, Pinkie. “I take it back, some detail might be nice,” I groan growing more impatient by the second.

“A-and me! I‘m taking pictures to save the memories!” Pinkie jumps in eagerly.

“Of course!” Rarity agrees. “Anyway, it was decided to have an event for some friendly competition! Maybe make some money for the school, and Pinkie here is in charge to overlook and help its preparations since we are being sponsored by Sugarcube Corner,” Rarity continues.

“And the camera!” Pinkie adds to the conversation, taking a picture of Rarity who seems annoyed at the action. Glad to see not only I will suffer.

“Right…” I nod, understanding well enough. “Still it’s weird, I haven’t heard of it at all till now.”

“Of course you haven’t, it’s only January. The contest proper isn’t for about another three months,” Rarity explains.

… Huh. “I’m sorry, what?” I ask flabbergasted. “Then care to explain why we are here now!?”

“It doesn’t hurt to prepare early, Lemon,” she replies. “I had time, so I told Pinkie we should get some preparations out of the way just in case.”

“I…“ I feel I am at a loss here. “Well, you obviously don’t need me then, why, you are so prepared! So, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be going,” I say with a groan.

“Oh, come now, Lemon. Is that the way to treat me after I helped you?” I hear Rarity say, stopping halfway to the door and slowly turning. I knew it, she did have a plan.

“Lemon? I thought you would stay to help,” Pinkie says looking at me, holding the most adorable puppy dog eyes… Both in her face, and in a picture she just took with the camera. Dammit.

“What Rarity means is that she helped me decide to come here… I must have forgotten that,” I say between gritted teeth, turning back to whitey.

“Excellent! So how about we get to it, girls?” Rarity states satisfied. I swear, she is totally fucking with me, isn’t she?

“Woohoo! It’s work time! Come on Lemon!” Pinkie says, acting specially grabby and pulling me to a table nearby, completely ignoring the fact that Rarity just indirectly blackmailed me, but hey, it’s clueless Pinkie today.

For the next hour, we spend the time brainstorming for ideas, with Rarity politely cutting in whenever Pinkie and I -mostly Pinkie- say something that won’t necessarily work/is stupid -- again, mostly Pinkie, of course.

“For the last time, we are not using gems! Are you insane!?“ Rarity asks me astonished after I give my idea… For the third time.

“You obviously didn’t! Do I look like I’m made of money?” she is baiting you dude, don’t answer that. “Honestly Lemon!” she shouts at me without restraint. God, I feel like I fell in an episode of the Weird Zone.

… Hey, I said it was mostly Pinkie who says stupid things, just not the stupidest!

That aside, we actually have a fun time -outside you know; blackmail- as we humor each other while we work, and outside the very expected teasing from Rarity, it all goes surprisingly well, heck, Rarity actually lets me have some fun with this. Go figure.

… Buuuuut even if, I’m lazy, so. “So, why did the Cakes choose you to do this, Rarity?” I ask as an excuse for a break, drinking from my cup of cocoa with Rares putting down her pen to talk. Hooked.

“I’ve done this before,” she begins. “I’m actually part of the student council and I take my job seriously! Although I’ve helped Pinkie plan numerous events before I ever was one. The fact that the principal is lenient enough to let us have creative freedom certainly tosses some incentive for me to try.”

“Rarity actually planned the first Falling formal three years ago!” Pinkie chimes in, taking a very awkward sip of her own cup and splashing her blouse. How she can organize anything is beyond me.

“Oh, sorry! I meant Fall formal! The other name didn‘t really catch on,” Pinkie explains. Well, that certainly explains the past formal taking place in the Summer and not the Fall, been wondering about that.

“Oh, right, that…” Rarity sighs. “It’s the only event I haven’t been involved in for a while, unfortunately,” she says very dispirited. “A-anyway! What about some more cocoa! I will be back!” she dismisses herself grabbing my half empty cup, ignoring my look of distraught and walking off.

“What was up with that?” I whisper annoyed. “I mean, she sure left in a rush when you brought it up,“ I explain before she turns my question into a joke.

“I can’t really say,” she looks at me instantly sad, seemingly uncomfortable with my question. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up to begin with, I Pinkie promised not to tell anybody, but it really hurt her,” Pinkie explains vaguely. “I can‘t say any more than that.”

“It’s okay,” I say understanding. “Call me crazy, but I have a feeling a certain orange girl was involved,” I say very sure of myself, not that I’m right, but I did see three pictures of Shimmer as Fall formal princess in Celestia’s office… Kinda easy to fathom a guess.

“And you would be right,” Rarity says as she returns with the drinks. “Oh, come now, don‘t give me those looks. I was ten feet from you,” she says rolling her eyes, placing the cups down before crossing her arms annoyed.

“I’m sorry Rarity! Please don’t be mad!” Pinkie apologizes quickly, looking devastated. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.

“No Pinkie, it’s alright dear, you didn’t do anything wrong. To be honest, I would have just ignored it if Lemon hadn’t brought up the ‘orange girl’ bit,” she says, soothingly stroking Pinkie’s head.

Intrigued by her wording, I decide to ask. “Is it tragic story time then?” Hey, she blackmailed me, she had that one coming.

“It was nothing that dramatic;” Rarity shrugs. .“It’s just that Shimmer sabotaged my chances to become Fall formal princess, that’s all there is to it… But I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was very disheartening, so much so that I didn't plan another one again.”

Losing something that you want. Yeah, if she hadn‘t been blackmailing me, I would relate. Hard… Never mind that. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

Rarity giggles and places a hand on shoulder. “Thank you, that’s very kind of you, it’s almost like you are a different person, Lemon,” she laughs. “Don’t worry about me. Anyway, how about we continue a little bit more before calling it quits?”

... That being said, I can’t focus much, as Rarity’s words float on the forefront of my mind… Funny words coming from her.

“Ah!” I yelp, surprised out of my thinking stupor by that stupid camera. “Sorry, what is it?”

Rarity eyes me suspiciously before speaking. “It seems that your mind is on other things… But it’s alright, brainstorming brought some interesting ideas for us to work with, so we can call it a day,” she finishes, closing a notebook she had been using and getting up. “We did good here.”

“It was fun to do it with you guys!” Pinkie states, happily optimistic and about as physically huggable as always.

“Indeed,” Rarity says, turning her head and looking thoughtful. “This is sudden, but if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check on the girls… I hope that they haven’t started a fire, right Pinkie?” she winks at her before quickly walking to the other room.

Minutes pass with -a surprisingly silent- Pinkie and I staying on our seats, so I take out my phone, just to realize I’ve been here for little over an hour, huh, it certainly felt both shorter and longer if that makes sense… It really doesn’t, but who is gonna correct me? Not you, brain.

“Hm, Lemon…?” Pinkie calls me in a low voice, I almost confused her for Fluttershy there.

“Huh? What is it?” I reply looking at her curiously, as she is shaking for some reason. “Um, you okay there?”

“Wait, do you have a fever?” I ask, walking towards her. “Are you sick?”

She shakes her head slowly, certainly urging me to think otherwise. She must have caught a cold, I knew wearing a skirt this time of year was bad news! Well, she probably just started feeling the effects of whatever because… Reasons. I don’t know, I’m no Doctor Fluttershy.

“Here, put this on,” I say, grabbing my jacket and placing it around her shoulders. “Geez, take care of yourself,” I say annoyed. A sick Pinkie is not a happy Pinkie. And Pat likes having a happy Pinkie.

She looks up again, looking into my eyes with a stare I just can’t place. She has to be sick, she has being acting weird all day, and since this is Pinkie of all people, that’s saying something.

“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle’s voice reaches my ears, thankfully breaking whatever the hell just happened. “Give me that!”

Rarity herself comes out of the room, holding a folded roll of fabric. “N-now, now, Sweetie Belle, you need to learn to share.”

“Ironic coming from you! You promised to let us use things!” Scootaloo ‘retorts’ sounding about as emotional as a cardboard box.

:”Oh, really,” Rarity says rather smugly. “Well, I did promise I wouldn‘t tell mom, didn‘t I? It would be a shame if she were to somehow know.”

“What!?” Sweetie yelps in a very obnoxious and cracking fashion I might add. “You wouldn’t dare! You promised you wouldn’t!”

“Yeah, I ‘did’,” Rarity replies, quoting with her fingers. I should get her a ‘Number One sister’ tea cup for her birthday. She deserves it.

“Um…” Pinkie mumbles, looking unsure. Oh, right, sickness. Guess she is out of commission for the day, meaning… Fuck.

“Rarity!” I interrupt their ongoing discussion. “Can I talk to you real quick?” Rarity turns swiftly, ready to respond, but I quickly intervene. “Alone.”

She gives me a sour look, but nods. “Very well, we can chat in the next room, but this isn’t over, girls,” she says to the group before we move into the previously occupied room, which is apparently only a storage shed. How did they work here?

“Yes, that’s my name. What do you want to say, Lemon?” she asks straight to the point.

“Well, I guess I want to say ‘what’ and ‘is’, and maybe add ‘wrong with you’ to the mix!” I growl.

“You know? Being a jerk to Sweetie Belle, and after you so ‘generously’ let her use your things only to take it away for no reason, maybe? Who does that!”

She looks at me surprised, her eyes scanning me as if I were some sort of foreign object. “Lemon…” she begins with a look of disbelief. “Do you have a crush on my sister?”

“Oh my god. No! It’s not that at all, it’s just about you being, well, a jerk!”

“You know? You let your sister do a thing, and you just take it away in a flash just because? You did the same thing with me, doing a generous act and basically asking for something out of it! That’s not being generous at all!” I explain. She is the damn element of Generosity. This conversation shouldn’t even be taking place.

She tilts her head, grabbing her chin with her hand. “Do you even know the details of what happened?” she asks.

“I don’t have to, “ I quickly reply. “It’s just mean spirited. Both situations are.”

She shakes her head, sighing. “I suggest you just stop,” she begins. “Otherwise I might let a certain something slip up, maybe Pinkie will hear.”

“W-well…” I struggle to respond. Is this really worth it? I mean, it’s just a sister’s quarrel and all, right? I shouldn’t get myself involved.

“I suppose this conversation is over then,” Rarity says smugly, heading for the door, with me letting her get away with her crap.

“No, you listen to me!” I interrupt her, making her back away from the door. “Who do you think you are? Making others do things you want under the guise of being nice! That’s guilt tripping for your own necessity, a-and…” I stop, taking a breath of air. “And is that something you want your friends to know you for? Because if so, go right ahead and say it! I hope you get just exactly what you deserve for it!” I finish, breathing heavily.

Wooh! Is it just me or is the oxygen in the room thinning… I think I’m gonna pass out.

“Lemon,” she is gonna hit me! “I…” she is gonna punch me! “No one has ever spoken to me like that…” she walks towards me, placing her hands on my shoulders. “Just… Wow.”

“Sorry,” I apologize instantly, the destroyed look she is giving me certainly cut me down to size -- which just means she is going to hit me.

“Huh? Really?” I ask. “Aren’t you gonna hit me or something? Not to give you ideas, or anything…” Crap! Idiot!

“Hit you? I certainly would not!” she says surprised. “Lemon, you just opened my eyes to something I wasn‘t even aware off… I‘m thankful to you.”

“Oh… Then you are thanking me… ON the guise of being nice before you hit me, aren’t you!?”

“Lemon, I am not going to hit you, I am thanking you,” she grins as she shakes her head.

"To reiterate once more; I. Won't. Hit. You," Rarity smiles, placing her arms around me in a very brief hug. “I’m glad that you aren’t the jerk I expected you to be.“

“I honestly don’t know what I was expecting, well, outside the punch,“ I say honest. This took a weird turn real fast.

“Well, how about this?“ she says, reaching out and kissing my cheek. “I say this counts for both a compliment, and of course, a thank you, don‘t you think?”

I can‘t help but stand, um… Where am I? “Duuuhh…” what was that about pancakes?

"Pinkie won't know a thing,” she states, doing the familiar Pinkie Promise motions to my relief.

“Er… Thanks, I appreciate it,” I reply awkwardly, the feeling of the kiss still on my cheek. Not gonna forget that for a while.

“Ah!” I yelp as the sound gets me out of my stupor. “U-um… I think the girls might be causing some trouble out there…” I point out, whatever the case, I just don’t want to be alone with her in here any longer.

Rarity looks at the door and nods. “I may have been the cause of said trouble… Let’s fix this mess, shall we?” she says cheerfully, reaching for the handle.

I smile and nod back “Of course, and hey, I’ll take a humble Rarity any time of the day!”

She turns her head back, giving me a sultry smile and a wink. “Oh, I promise I won’t make a habit out of it.”

And so, with that we arrive at a happily ever after, right? Well… Not quite. After they all made-up, Rarity left with Pinkie, possibly to give her some medicine or something or other, promising me a ride home once she was done giving her something.

“Argh!” I groan, having laid down on the floor for several minutes as I waited for them to return, hoping to annoy her for a bit once she returned. Funny how that worked out.

“Then no, I’m not,” I sigh, arching my head backwards to get a good 'look' of her, to her credit, she kept herself far away enough to avoid such a thing. Clever. “So, ready to give me a ride home? I seriously have homework that I need to be do- Fuck.”

“I forgot to grab my books on the way out thanks to freaking Flash S-” I stop myself, realizing what I’m saying. “Never mind.”

“I thought you wouldn’t ask about the issue,” I groan annoyed. This is the last thing I wanna talk about.

“I am not. I’m simply stating a fact,” she explains. “It’s just surprising, I never thought I’d see him and Trixie together again.”

She nods. “Of course. I went to middle school with them… I wasn’t really part of their little trio, but I certainly saw them around,” she explains.

“I guess that makes sense…” it certainly fits with what Trixie sa- wait. “Did you say ‘trio’?”

Rarity frowns, her eyes shifting strangely. “Of course… They were inseparable…”

“Would you tell me about it?” I ask eagerly. Anything to help against Flash and his shit.

“I’m… Sorry Lemon, but if they didn’t tell you anything about it, it is not in my place to intervene,” oh, now you decide to be all noble!

“I know who Pinkie is!” she pouts, groaning annoyed. “But what do you mean by sick?”

“Well, she was shaking and was all red earlier, isn’t that why you left with her after apologizing and whatnot?” I ask. I mean, what else could it have been?

“Oh! Of course!” she exclaims, loudly face palming. “Sorry, I was a bit lost, ahaha…” she laughs awkwardly. “Ahem… She is currently resting in the shop’s upstairs room, I‘ll wake her up later.”

“No. She is staying. That way we don’t have to have many trips tomorrow, Applejack would’ve come too, but Winona got sick, and then this happened,” she explains with a groan. “Sometimes life tosses us some strange needles!”

“Uh huh…” I murmur. “So, what’s the deal with that? You know? Staying over.”

"I do say! She had a minor concussion done by one of her teammates… I just don’t know what went wrong!” she says worriedly.

“Thankfully, she is alright, but visits weren‘t permitted today due to further tests, so we decided to see her before school tomorrow,” she explains. I guess that answers the waking time thing.

“Well, that’s nice, you are cool friends,” I say without sarcasm. Hey, I can be nice when I want to be!

“Um… No, thanks,” I decline quickly. “We aren’t really ‘close’ if I have to be honest…” I’m also not waking up at six in the morning for Douchie Mc. Gay Parade hair.

“Don't be that way, Lemon. She can be a sweetheart once you get to know her! Not to mention you get to stay over! I’ll let you bunk with Pinkie Pie~” she teases, winking at me.

“Are you still going on about that?” I groan. It’s like she doesn’t learn. “You know? You would think that by now you would be over that. I’ve said before that’s not the case, didn’t I?”

Rarity rolls her eyes, huffing out loud. “Honestly Lemon, you really need to cut the act.”

“Lemon!” she yelps. “Honestly, I’m not an idiot. I can see the way you look at Pinkie.”

“I am looking at her the same way I look at you Rarity,” I retort. “Except she is much nicer, cuter, and just fun to hang around with.”

She smiles, shaking her head amusedly. “You know, you are trying to insult me, but you are just helping my argument.”

“You are in love with her. Admit it!” she says with a satisfied smile plastered on her smug face.

“There is NOTHING to admit, okay!?” I nearly shout, she is certainly getting on my nerves. “And I don’t want to hear this from a girl who just blackmailed me just an hour ago!”

“Lemon!” she shouts clearly hurt. “That’s irrelevant to this! Besides, there was more to what happened than what you think.”

“Again, irrelevant,” she replies. “The point we are making is that you hiding your feelings isn’t fair for Pinkie, is all! What’s stopping you anyway?”

“Er…” I freeze up at the question. My head fills up with the memory of that Nightmare Night, my intentions, and that kiss Pinkie gave me after it all failed… Then Trixie’s confession… Both of them showed obvious infatuation, but… Do I even deserve such a thing after lying to them about my motivations?

“So? What do you have to say for yourself, Lemon?” she asks angrily. What is she? My mom?

“Shut up!” I shout, catching her off-guard. “Jesus! What do I need to tell you to make you see that I don’t like her! I never have, and never will! So get off my back already and put a sock in it!” I finish, breathing heavily, suddenly realizing what I just said. “Woah… That was far more intense than I meant it to be…”

“It sounded like the back door… I’ll be right back. We aren’t done here yet,” she says, going back inside and leaving me on my own.

“Just stay out of my business,” I sigh, sitting down on a chair feeling suddenly exhausted. Who would have thought that I would find myself in this situation? Even so, how would it work if I were to be with any of them? I mean, I’m a man, and they are women -- we are just too different.

“Oh no!” Rarity’s shriek comes through the door, I hear her stumping downstairs, and pushing the door agape, revealing a terrified expression behind it. “Pinkie!”

“No, you idiot!“ she shouts out of her usual composure. “S-she is gone! Pinkie is gone!” she shakes her head, her eyes shifting side to side as her mind races to find an answer to the problem. “Lemon… I think she heard what you said.”

“What?” I gasp, a feeling of dread instantly seeping into my body. “S-she couldn’t have, I mean, even if she did, I still think she is awesome! She should know, r-right!?”

“She isn’t exactly in the best position to be sensible…” she explains. “If only I hadn’t been so pushy…”

She looks at me, struggling to find the words. “It doesn’t matter right now. We have to find her!” she tosses me a jacket, and she grabs one of her own. “I’ll go through the front and ask around, you check the back, door is open!”

“Of course 'now'! Go!” she orders, and unable to think of anything, I run out the back, hoping to find Pinkie, and hopefully apologize.

Apologize before I fully regret it.

I just wanted to go to Equestria!

by Ditz

A Rarity of a Day