After breakfast, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Fleur, who had kindly paid the bill, went their separate ways, with Fluttershy and Rarity heading for a nearby park. As they walked, Fluttershy said, “I like her.”
Rarity said, “so do I, and I really do think you made a really good call in agreeing to go on a date with her tonight.”
Fluttershy smiled at hearing Rarity's approval, but didn't have a response so she let the silence fall between them.
After a moment, though, Fluttershy said, “I wonder where we're going on our date tonight?”
“She didn't say, did she? Well, I'm sure it'll be somewhere absolutely extravagant. I'm almost jealous now that I think about it. Almost. By the way, do you want me to make you a dress for tonight?”
“Um...Maybe. I'll think about it.” Fluttershy said, remembering how Fleur was naked every time she saw her, despite almost all the ponies she saw in Canterlot being clothed to some extent.
“Don't think too long,” Rarity said.
“I won't.”
They arrived at the park shortly thereafter. Said park was a large affair, consisting of a grassy, tree-lined field with a moderately sized lake in the middle. It was a popular gathering spot in the afternoons, but right now, at mid-morning, it was largely deserted. Fluttershy and Rarity went down to the water's edge and sat down. After getting comfortable, Fluttershy took a moment to process the events of the day thus far. She glanced at Rarity and saw her eyes glazed over and a big smile on her face, then thought, she probably can't believe what's happened today, either.
She then looked out at the lake, saw a flock of ducks and smiled, thinking that tonight would be a good night.
A few minutes later, a hoof shook her out of her reverie. She turned to Rarity, who owned the hoof in question and said, “Oh, sorry. I was just thinking. Did you say something?”
“Yes. I just wanted to ask if you wanted to go back to the market with me. I need to pick up some materials if I'm going to make you a dress for tonight.”
“Um, no, that's okay. I think I'll stay here with the ducks for a while.”
“Okay, if you insist. Just meet me in the market at eleven thirty, near where you first saw Fleur. I think we still have our lunch with Fancypants,” Rarity said.
“Okay.”
As Rarity trotted off, Fluttershy spotted the lake for the flock of ducks she had seen a few minutes earlier. She flew over to them, and said, “hello friends, how are you today?”
The ducks, upon hearing her speak, waddled over, quacking happily. She said, “Oh, I'm doing wonderfully, thank you for asking. In fact, tonight I actually have a date with a beautiful mare, living right here in Canterlot.”
She got more happy quacking in response.
She spent the next hour playing with, talking to, and otherwise spending time with the ducks, before hearing a now familiar name being spoken by what sounded like an older stallion with a Trottingham accent nearby.
“-hear Fleur de Lis came out as a fillyfooler? Now why would she do that?”
“I did. Of course, if I had to guess, she only 'came out' because stallions couldn't stand her stuck up attitude or she wanted to increase her fame. I mean, nopony is naturally homosexual, least of all an extremely famous model,” an older mare with the same accent replied.
“Of course. It's all the rage among the young'uns to come out as gay. Disgusting! In my day, no one would dare claim to be gay and anyone who did would be run right out of town!”
Fluttershy turned to the couple, annoyance creeping over her. She asked herself if she should go over and tell them how wrong they were about Fleur and sexuality in general. At the same time, though, she wondered if they were right, and Fleur had just put on her best public face for her. Eventually her natural shyness got the better of her, and she turned back to the ducks, the couple's comments occupying her thoughts.
A few minutes later she decided to find Rarity and talk to her about what she heard. Remembering that Rarity said she was going to the market, she flew there to search for her.
She found Rarity a few minutes later, haggling with a shop owner over some fabric, and landed next to her. Rarity briefly acknowledged her, then turned back to the shopkeeper and continued her negotiations.
A few minutes later, the two of them managed to work out a suitable deal, and Rarity took her fabrics. She then turned to Fluttershy and asked, “so, done spending time with your duck friends?”
“Y-yes. Also, there was something I wanted to ask you about.”
“Oh? What is it?”
Fluttershy briefly described the conversation she heard in the park, which Rarity listened to patiently. When she finished, Rarity asked, “you don't believe anything they said, do you? Because to me they don't sound like they know what they're talking about.”
“Well, not about sexuality, but, um, I did start wondering if they were right about Fleur being stuck up.”
“Why would you ever think she was stuck up? She was such a sweetheart during breakfast.”
“But what if she was just putting on a nice face for me, and she really is stuck up most of the time?” Fluttershy asked
“I seriously doubt she's like that. If you're still worrying about it by lunchtime, you can talk to Fancypants about it. Anyway, we should go back to the castle so I can drop off these fabrics.”
A few hours later, they were back in the marketplace, looking for Fancypants. They found him by a small cafe, similar to the one they had eaten breakfast with Fleur at.
Rarity said, “Hello, Fancy, I assume we're still having lunch?”
“Of course, if you want to. Also, I understand Fleur found you this morning?” Fancypants said.
“Yes, right as we left the castle, actually.”
“And, I am also led to understand that she asked you out on a date, Fluttershy?”
“Yes,” Fluttershy said.
“You know she means date in the romantic sense, right?” Fancypants said, as he led them inside the cafe.
“That's what I thought she meant.”
Rarity asked, “what other context would she mean it in?”
“Um...I don't know. Ignore me,” Fancypants said, blushing.
Rarity couldn't help but chuckle in response. Fluttershy had other things on her mind, however.
After they went inside and ordered their food, Fluttershy said, “Um, earlier I heard something about Fleur from an older couple and I was wondering if it was true.”
“What was it?”
“They said she was stuck up and only going out with mares because stallions don't want to deal with her anymore,” Fluttershy said.
“Well, she has that reputation, at least as far as being stuck up, but it's entirely undeserved. She's actually really friendly in general and has never dated a stallion in her 23 years. Tell me, though, why would you worry about this? Was she badly behaved over breakfast or something?” Fancypants asked.
“No, she was an absolute darling at breakfast,” Rarity said. “I think Fluttershy is just concerned that she isn't quite who she seemed.”
“Well, she was excited enough to meet you that she practically ran off when I told her where you were staying, if that's worth anything.”
“She was?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yes. I asked her when she wanted to meet you, and she said, and I quote, 'right now', then immediately left to find you,” Fancypants said.
“Wow...”
“By the way, do you have any idea where Fleur is going to take Fluttershy tonight?” Rarity asked
“She asked me to make a reservation for her and Fluttershy tonight at La Rose Sur la Falaise. I've been working on it, but I can't say whether it will happen or not.”
“The Rose on The Cliff? The most expensive and extravagant restaurant in Canterlot?”
“The very same.”
“Now I really am jealous!” Rarity said.
“Will she be paying?” Fluttershy asked.
“Probably. I imagine she wants to make a good first impression, since you're her first date since she came out,” Fancypants said.
“I am?”
“Yes. She dated other mares before her public coming out, but you're the first since. No need to worry, though. She obviously likes you,” Fancypants said.
Fluttershy nodded, the butterflies in her stomach subsiding somewhat. The waiter returned with their food, and they ate in silence for a moment.
Rarity broke the silence by asking, “speaking of love, do you have a marefriend or anything, Fancy? I haven't heard you ever mention one.”
“...No. I've considered asking a few mares out, but I've never had the time to justify a date with how busy I tend to be,” Fancypants said, glancing away from Rarity.
Rarity said, “I know what you mean. I've been so busy with my dress business and everything else my friends and I do that I haven't had time to find a date since the fiasco with Prince Blueblood.”
Fancypants nodded. Fluttershy then asked, “um...do you think I'll need a dress tonight?”
“For such a high end restaurant, I would think so!” Rarity said.
“Actually, I think you're better off going without,” Fancypants said.
Rarity's eyes got as big as dinner plates as she said, “What? Why?”
“Well, Fleur only wears clothes when she absolutely has to, or it's Nightmare Night, and I'm pretty sure she can get away without wearing anything to La Rose Sur la Falaise,” Fancy explained calmly.
“She won't wear anything to La Rose Sur la Falaise?” Rarity asked before fainting.
The other two ponies watched Rarity with some concern, then, when satisfied that she was okay, Fancypants asked, “So, do you have any other questions for me, Fluttershy?”
“Um...no.”
“If you say so,” Fancypants said, looking over the bill and taking out a few bits.