//------------------------------// // The Three Horseshoes // Story: A Not-So-Subtle Romance // by sherbetsix //------------------------------// “My, but this Martinez is simply divine!” Rarity said, taking another sip of her drink, which was a clear amber color and garnished with a lemon peel. She was wearing a simple, red-striped dress that clung to her back and legs. “I usually prefer my cocktails to have more – ahem – fruit in them. And perhaps a little sugar never hurt anypony. But the complexity of flavor, simply divine!” “See? I knew you could appreciate a good drink, even if it isn’t gussied up in tiny umbrellas,” said Applejack, arriving at the table and sliding behind it, taking a seat next to Rarity. The group was seated at a booth with a high-backed, padded bench that wrapped three quarters of the way around the table. The booth was nestled behind chairs and tiny tables, near the corner of the large room, lit by lamps hanging from ropes that extended high into the gloom near the ceiling. Beyond the chairs, a large floor space was lit with dancing purple lights, and filled with many ponies hopping and bobbing along to the beat of large woofers. A white-maned pony stood behind the speakers and a stand covered in various electronic equipment, holding a pair of large headphones to one ear and twiddling some knobs on the equipment with the other. The music, a stylish mix of classical orchestra and dance beats, was tastefully loud. Rainbow Dash held up a mug full of cider and swished it around in the air. “I’ll drink to that!” she said, and took several gulps, nearly finishing the mug. She had a weak grin on her red-tinged muzzle, and was bobbing her head slightly to the beat of the music. “Seems like you’d drink to just about anything tonight, sugarcube. I reckon you should pace yourself if’n you don’t want to trip over your own hooves out there,” Applejack said, raising an eyebrow in Rainbow’s direction. Fluttershy sucked on her own dark red drink through a thin straw, eventually filling her mouth. She tilted her head up and swallowed, then let out a small sigh. She turned to Applejack, grinning. “Oh, don’t worry about us, AppleJacks. Us pegasuses have a good meta – hic! – metabolism for these kinds of things, don’t you worry.” Pinkie gasped, removing her muzzle from a glass of neon pink liquid and licking pink sugar crystals off of her face. She stared at Fluttershy, her eyes shining. “Really? I am like, so, so, jealous of you pegasuses right now. If I didn’t get weird in the tummy, I’d drink this stuff all day long! Look at how pink it is!” She squealed, licking some more sugar off the glass rim. Applejack chuckled. “I don’t know about you, Pinkie, but I would lose the farm if I drank like this every day. O’course, it’s great to celebrate and spend your bits every now and then.” “AJ, you’re such a silly pony,” Rainbow said, waving a hoof. “Don’t you know there’s more to life than bits? Like, so much more.” Her gaze drifted across the table to Twilight Sparkle, who looked up to meet her eyes and jumped slightly in her seat. “Of course I know that! Why, I wouldn’t sell my farm, or my family, for anything in the world. For that matter, I wouldn’t trade anything for you girls, as infuriatin’ as one rainbow-maned pony can be.” “Hmm, so you wouldn’t sell your farm even for a hundred thousand bits?” Rainbow upended the mug of cider over her mouth, her eyes fluttering closed. Applejack squinted and took a sip of her amber-colored drink. “A hundred thousand? Sure, we could buy a better barn after that, but that place is our home, I don’t know if I could leave it with a clear conscience.” “Then what about one million bits?” Rainbow smirked, biting onto a corner of her hoof. Applejack paled. “One million? I… I’d have to think about that one…” “Girls, please! All this talk of finances is reminding me of a rather large dress order, one which I’d like to forget about right now,” Rarity said, “Why don’t we head out onto the dance floor?” She turned to Twilight, who was nursing an opaque drink garnished with lime. “Twilight, dear, will you come dance with us? Perhaps what you need is a little time on your hooves.” Twilight looked up, feeling a slight blush on her face. “Um, of course! I’ll dance for a bit.” Before anypony stood up, however, a stallion wearing a black shirt approached and placed a tray of six green drinks garnished with apple slices on the table. “From two gentlecolts at the bar,” he said, pointing a hoof before turning and trotting away. Two stallions sat on high chairs next to the bar set into the side of the room, looking towards the group, one with a light mane swaddled with a lavender scarf, and one with a dark brown mane and hazel coat. The light-maned stallion smiled and waved a hoof at the mares. Pinkie Pie pulled the green drink nearest her to her muzzle and began to lap up the contents. “Ooh, sour!” She waved a hoof to the stallions, saying, “Thank you!” in a loud stage whisper. The others took drinks as well, Applejack raising her glass to the stallions before taking a sip. “Oh no, girls, I guess we’ll just have to – hic! – finish these drinks before we can gets to dancing,” said Fluttershy with a giggle. She held hers in her hooves, studying it and breathing through her nose to frost the glass. Rarity looked up towards the bar for a moment and sighed. “It looks like they’re coming to chat, how clichéd. Hopefully this won’t take long.” “I bet they’re really nice ponies, Rarity! And who could say no to new friends?” Pinkie said, smacking her lips. Rarity scrunched up her face. “You might be right, Pinkie. But, I think I can spot a – how to put this lightly – poser by appearance alone. Let us hope that I’m wrong.” After a few seconds filled with the rhythm of the music, the two stallions arrived at the booth and stood a short distance from the end of the table. Applejack greeted them with a tip of her hat. The brown-maned pony addressed them in a slightly rushed voice. “Hey, uh, don’t think we’ve ever seen you all before, so we wanted to say ‘hi.’ Great place, huh? We’re kind of regulars. Are you from around here?” He smiled. While he spoke, the pony with the scarf was glancing around the table, spending some time on Rarity and her dress. “I’m personally from Canterlot, but we’re all here from Ponyville. It’s my first time in this part of the city, though,” Twilight said. The light-maned pony spoke up. “Ah, Ponyville, quaint town. I have a few friends who traveled through there, and they had nothing but good things to say.” His voice had a touch of a Canterlot accent. “The ponies there sure know how to have a good time! It’s the party capitol of Equestria, thanks to yours truly!” Pinkie said. The stallion nodded to Pinkie. “Oh, no doubt.” He turned to Twilight. “I’m Pish Posh, and this is my friend McCaspian Leatherby.” The other scowled. “That’s not my-” “Maybe, once you’re done here, we could show some of you fillies around?” he continued, “This part of Canterlot has many hidden gems.” “Um…” Twilight began. “We’d be pleased to share a few dances with you, darlings, but tonight for us is more of a girls’ night out, surely you understand,” Rarity said with a polite smile, drawing the light-maned ponies gaze. “Oh? And what good is a girls’ night out without a handsome stallion to liven things up? I’m referring to myself of course, but McCaspian here will gladly tag along.” He chuckled, while his friend scowled at him again. “Surely you can’t all be into mares.” Rainbow Dash set her glass down with a loud clink. “And what if we are?” she said, glaring at the stallion. Pish Posh raised a hoof in a placating gesture. “My apologies, Miss… Multicolored. Let’s just forget I said that.” “I hope these two lowlifes haven’t been bothering you,” said a third stallion with a short, dark mane. He walked up beside Pish Posh and draped a fore leg around his neck, seeming to apply some pressure. “Unfortunately, I think we are,” said McCaspian, with a sidelong glance at Pish Posh. “Oh, no bother at all, just a slight misunderstanding.” Rarity batted her eyelashes a few times at the newcomer. Pish Posh made a choking sound. “Yes! We were – gack! – just having a polite conversation with these wonderful folk about the city.” “Right,” said the third stallion, “I don’t believe you, and I don’t believe her. I knew something like this would happen tonight.” His gaze moved around the table and fixed on Twilight. His eyes widened. “And, of course, you idiots chose to hit on Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends.” McCaspian jumped. “Princess Twilight?” “Eh heh,” said Twilight, turning her body so that her wings were more visible. McCaspian paled slightly, then bowed. “We are so, so sorry to bother you, princess.” Twilight blushed. “Please, that’s not necessary.” The short-maned stallion nodded to Twilight. “I’m also sorry, that I ever agreed to come here with these two. I sincerely hope you don’t banish us to the Everfree, but I would agree with the sentence. We’ll leave you be.” The short-maned stallion turned, leading Pish Posh back the way they had come by the head. McCaspian followed on their heels, bowing once again. Pish Posh protested, shuffling his feet to keep up. “Ow! Must you be so cold-hearted? I was making headway!” Soon, the music drowned out his voice. “Hey Rainbow, would you mind scooching over?” Pinkie said, bumping into her with her flank. “Oh, sure.” Rainbow’s dark expression vanished, and she slid off the bench and stood up. She looked over at Fluttershy as Pinkie slid over. “Hey Fluttershy, you okay?” Fluttershy started and opened her eyes. “I’m awake! Oh, are we dancing now? That would be nice, I just need a moment.” She yawned, covering her mouth with a hoof. Pinkie stood up next to Rainbow. “I’m gonna go chat with those guys. Maybe I can get them to come dance with us!” “You’re gonna talk to those rapscallions?” Applejack wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, they’re funny!” Pinkie said. “They may not have seemed the most sophisticated of ponies, but I do admit that they were rather interesting,” Rarity said, downing some of the green drink. “Well, all right then, good luck, Pinkie,” Applejack said. “C’mon, y’all, let’s get to the floor and start this hoedown!” Pinkie cheered, and started walking towards the bar. The other ponies slid off of the bench and stood up. Fluttershy hurried after Pinkie, saying something about ‘making sure she’s all right.’ Twilight paused at the edge of the bench, scrunching her eyebrows. “Hey Rainbow, can I talk to you for a second? We’ll catch up,” she said with a smile to Rarity, who smiled back and led Applejack onward. “Huh?” Rainbow turned around but stayed where she was. Twilight fiddled with her drink on the table. “We haven’t really had a decent conversation in a while. I was just hoping we could talk for a bit.” Rainbow worked her jaw. “Uh huh,” she said, and took a few steps to the other side of the table. After a brief pause, she sat down on the bench. “So, how’ve you been?” Twilight smiled, her face still lightly blushed. “I’ve been pretty great, actually.” Rainbow chuckled a couple times. “Is that because you’ve spent all your time in that dusty library? I haven’t even seen you outside the castle since all that crazy bird stuff with Pinkie Pie. You should come watch me do my stunt practice. Fluttershy’s been coming, too. I know you’d enjoy the show.” She smirked. Twilight’s cheeks reddened further. “Yes, I’ve been forgetting to get out of the castle a little more. But, I was doing some important research.” “Working on that never-ending flashlight again? It sounds important I guess, but nothing’s important enough to keep me indoors for so long. Unless it’s Daring-Do.” Twilight shook her head. “No, I haven’t worked on that project all week.” “So, what’s so important?” Rainbow said, turning her head towards the dance floor. “It’s a new area of study for me. I was reading psychological treatises, and some other – ahem – documents, to help me analyze my own personality and determine my compatibility with – well, with you! And my strong hypothesis is that we would be complementary to each other.” Rainbow’s ears twitched. “Yeah? And what does that mean? We are best friends, right?” Twilight chewed on her lower lip. “Listen, when we were having tea, Fluttershy told me that you two used to be marefriends.” “She did?” Rainbow whipped her gaze back towards Twilight, her eyes wide. Twilight looked back at her with a serious expression. “Yes, and I want you to know that I accept that part of you one hundred percent. In fact, recently I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m bisexual, too.” Dash glanced down to the table. “Well that’s news to me! I had no idea you were like that.” Twilight frowned. “Really? I could’ve sworn that you, uh, noticed.” “Nope! I haven’t seen you date any mares, so how would I know?” Rainbow fidgeted in her seat. “You didn’t notice anything at all. I thought I was being pretty obvious about my feelings for you, Rainbow. I really like you.” Twilight let out a breath, and smiled at the pegasus, blushing. “You don’t know how good it feels to finally say that.” Rainbow said nothing for a second. Her wings rustled. “Uh huh?” she said. Twilight’s smile faltered. “Rainbow, what do you-” “I have to go.” Rainbow Dash slipped off the bench onto the hard floor, turned, and walked away in a straight line. Her pace picked up, and she flapped her wings, taking off and skimming over ponies’ heads. Twilight sat still for a moment, watching, then jumped off the bench and followed Rainbow at a trot. “Rainbow! Where are you going?” she yelled, as Rainbow landed and galloped through an exit, disappearing from view. Twilight slowed to a stop and stood frozen in place. “What the buck just happened?” she said. Tears welled up in Twilight’s eyes, and she blinked, turning her head to see a few nearby ponies staring at her. One mare with a green hat took a step towards her. “Are you okay, hon?” Twilight blinked rapidly. “Um…” She lit her horn and vanished in a burst of lavender light, reappearing on the cobbled street outside of the Three Horseshoes. The evening was chilly, and Twilight winced and wiped a tear off her face. The muffled beat of the music could still be heard. She tilted her head up to skies, eyes darting between bunches of clouds colored by the sunset. “Rainbow!” she yelled, towards the clouds. Her ears swiveled towards the sound of a nearby carriage, then to some distant conversation. She stood there for several seconds, looking up and turning in place, before lowering her head and beginning to walk slowly back. A day passed after that night, and another morning. In the afternoon, Twilight was woken by Spike shaking one of her legs. “Twilight, Rarity’s here to talk to you,” he said, looking at Twilight with a worried expression. “How are you feeling?” Twilight pulled a sleep mask off of her eyes, and stretched her hooves, yawning. She sighed. “Oh, I’m feeling much better after that nap. Thanks for taking care of me, Spike.” “Of course!” Spike said, “As your assistant, my first duty is to ensure that you are healthy and happy! And if I do a good job, someday I’ll become your executive assistant.” His eyes grew round. Twilight sat up in the bed, blinking her eyes. “Oh really? Who told you that?” “Luna. She said that during the lessons about numbers and stuff.” He shuddered. “But it’ll all be worth it.” Twilight chuckled. “Was Rarity waiting for me?” Spike jumped. “Oh yeah! She’s at the entrance hall, I told her I’d see if you were awake. And I guess you are now.” He smiled sheepishly. Twilight hopped down off the mattress, and began walking towards the doorway. “It’s good that you woke me up, I would want to talk to her.” She continued through the door and the castle hallways, Spike in tow. She rounded a corner, and saw Rarity fluffing her mane, looking in a mirror near the castle doors. Rarity turned around at the sound of hoof steps echoing in the room. “Twilight!” She said with a smile. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. “Wah-ha-ha!” “Good afternoon, Rarity! What does ‘Wah-ha-ha’ mean?” Twilight walked until she was a few feet from the mare. “Oh, hehe, you might want to run a brush through your mane a few times, darling,” Rarity said, cringing slightly. She shook her head vigorously. “But that’s not important right now. I need you to do a favor for me.” Twilight touched her own mane in a few places, then shrugged. “Of course, Rarity. What can I help you with?” “I need you to come to movie night tonight! We’re going to watch ‘The Scroll’.” Spike’s expression brightened. “Oh! I’ve heard of that one! I mean, I’ve heard that it’s a filly flick, that’s it. Nothing exciting.” He looked down, examining his claws. “You’re invited, too, of course,” Rarity said, smiling to the dragon. “Well, I guess I’ll come, just to make sure Twilight’s okay,” Spike said in a nonchalant tone. Rarity’s smile faltered. “Yes, we all want Twilight to be okay.” “I’m doing much better. Really,” Twilight said. “Where will it be?” “Rainbow’s offered to host this time.” One of Twilight’s ears flicked. “She said that she really hopes you can come. I hope you can make it, too. After all, I can’t cast the cloudwalking spell. No pressure, though, dear. We can always reschedule.” Twilight sighed. “No, no, I’ll come.” Rarity squealed. “Fabulous! Now, we’re meeting at Sugarcube Corner in two hours.” “That should be perfect!” Spike said. “I was just about to finish cooking dinner.” “How splendid! I’ll see both of you in a little while, then.” She turned towards the door. “We’ll all be happy to see that you’re doing well, Twilight,” she said, starting to walk away. Spike ran forward and opened one of the doors for her. “See you later, Rarity!” He waved as Rarity nodded and slipped outside. He shut the door behind her. “Oh, boy!” he said, hopping on the spot. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you want to see that filly flick, Spike,” Twilight said, smirking. Spike grinned up at Twilight. “Well, I know you can keep a secret, so I’ll tell you. I’ve been wanting to see that movie since it came out, like, four moons ago.” “Today’s your lucky day,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes. Spike scampered across the floor, heading for a hallway. “Gotta get dinner finished first, though!”