Chapter the Last - A Fool of a Paragon
“Forty-three dresses, sixteen overcoats, twenty-six hats, thirty-five articles of jewelry, and nine different sets of shoes, yet none of these seem quite perfect for the occasion. I have nothing to wear!”
Rarity frantically tore through her walk-in closet, her magical aura parading each of her clothes through her line of sight before unceremoniously tossing them into a corner of the room. The other Elements of Harmony were all present, having agreed to help Rarity get ready for her date. However, they were finding themselves with little to do other than try to soothe her rising anxiety. Fluttershy kept Opal busy and out of Rarity’s way, while Rainbow Dash and Applejack distracted each other with whispered comments and chuckles and kept the overexcited Pinkie Pie from doing more harm than good. Nervously eyeing the growing pile of discarded dresses, Twilight Sparkle was the first to speak up.
“Rarity! Calm down! You’ll damage your dresses if you keep this up! I’m sure whatever you choose will look won-”
A ruffly dress, all silk and lace, flew through the air and landed on Twilight’s head, muffling the end of her sentence. Ever more panicky, Rarity collapsed on her haunches, the dizzying sight of a depleted closet now surrounding her.
“Calm down? Calm down!? How can I calm down when I’m about to go on a date with the most handsome, most amazing pony in all of Equestria and I have nothing to wear! Oh, this is hopeless!”
Lifting the garment off of her head and folding it nicely before leaving it to rest on a nearby chair, Twilight blinked a few times.
“Okay. I can see why you’d panic, but-”
“Ooh! Ooh! I’ll help! I’m sure I can find something good!”
Pinkie Pie leapt out from behind Applejack and Rainbow Dash and vanished into the pile of clothing which, by any standard, should not have been capable of hiding a young filly, let alone a grown mare. Rarity stepped out of the closet, her mane and tail completely disheveled.
“Pinkie! Be careful! You’ll damage those!”
A few seconds later, Pinkie burst out of the clothes clad in a simple royal blue dress lightly glittering with sequins. Her hooves bore neat gilded sandals, and her front right foreleg was decorated with an elegant bracelet of the same composition. Completing the ensemble, a pair of earrings, sapphire embedded in gold, hung from her ears while a matching necklace circled her neck.
At odds with the ensemble, a black silk bow-tie surmounted the necklace.
Taken aback by the sudden invasion of her property, Rarity stomped a hoof to emphasize her disapproval.
“Pinkie Pie!? What are you doing!? That color doesn’t suit you at all.”
Chuckling to herself, Applejack cut in.
“Uh, Pinkie? I thought we were tryin’ to find something for Rarity to wear.”
Pinkie giggled and hopped over to Rarity.
“Oh! Right! Rarity, come with me!”
The others watched as Pinkie dragged Rarity into one of the boutique’s changing rooms at a breakneck pace. After a few seconds of unbelievable brouhaha, Rarity staggered out of the stall, wearing the outfit. Pinkie emerged behind her, still bearing the bow-tie.
Once her head stopped spinning, Rarity glanced at herself in her full-body mirror.
“My, Pinkie Pie, I don’t know how you did it, but... this looks gorgeous!”
“Well, Duh! It’s like cookies and milk or punch and pie or cupcakes and hot sauce or trampolines and candy canes!”
Rarity paused, desperately trying to find the connection between desserts, trampolines, and fashion, until Twilight Sparkle gently placed a hoof on her shoulder.
“It’s Pinkie, Rarity. You know better than to try to understand.”
Rarity gave a calm smile, levitating a brush over to correct her frazzled mane and tail.
“In any case, thank you, Pinkie Pie. This looks simply divine.”
Before the pink pony could answer, Rainbow Dash walked up to her, inspecting the accessory that still hung from her neck.
“I gotta ask, what’s with the bow-tie, Rarity? That doesn’t look like the kind of thing a mare like you would have.”
“Oh! That thing? A few days ago, not long after Prince Blueblood visited me for the first time, Opalescence came home dragging it behind her. I assumed she had swiped it from some unlucky stallion. I fixed it up nicely and hung on to it so I could give it back to whomever it belonged, and...”
Rarity’s cringed as she thought back to Blueblood’s first arrival in Ponyville. She had missed a very obvious connection, and now all was becoming clear.
“Oh dear! This bow-tie. I just realised... It’s Blueblood’s! Rainbow Dash, you’re the fastest amongst us, would you be a dear and deliver this to its proper owner? Just give me a moment, and I’ll write a note to go along with it.”
Rainbow Dash beamed. While she had little interest in anything mushy, Rarity’s compliment had flared up her spirits and she was more than happy to help a friend in need.
“Sure! What good is being the fastest flier in Equestria if you never put that talent to use! Uh... does anypony know where I can find him?”
Having replaced the fallen dresses neatly back onto their hangers, Twilight turned to the group.
“According to what he told me, he’s staying in room six at the Coltfort Inn, just south of the market place.”
“Alright, I’ll be back in a nanosecond.”
Rainbow turned back to Rarity, who was in the middle of writing the note. The pegasus tapped her hoof impatiently as she waited, until finally, after several agonizing minutes, Rarity lifted her quill from the paper. With a nervous giggle, she held out the note to her friend along with the bow-tie.
“Okay, it’s ready, sorry to keep you waiting.”
Rainbow took hold of the accessory and the letter from Rarity’s magic, speaking around the items.
“Finally! Alright, I won’t be long!”
As the pegasus sped away from the scene, the fashionista turned to the other girls, brushing a wayward strand of her mane away from her face.
“I think I’m going to need to arrange my mane again; all this stress is making it impossible to keep it nice and orderly.”
Making great haste, Rainbow Dash charged out of the door and took off into the skies, the bow-tie and note carefully held in her teeth. She smiled to herself. If Rarity felt Blueblood was the right stallion, then she was going to give him a chance to prove his stuff. However, she’d have to be sent to the moon before she let him approach Rarity again without a good warning...
~~~
"Blasted thing! The legendary Starswirl the Bearded and all of his magic wouldn't know how to make you obey!"
Horn and hooves both desperately at work, Blueblood struggled with a maroon tie. Clad in an increasingly-wrinkled white shirt, the Prince had been reduced to desperate trial-and-error, attempting random loops and knots in the vague hope that the tie would fall in place correctly.
Frustrated, Blueblood let out an incoherent shout of frustration, batting at the accessory with both forelegs just to get it away from him. Seconds later, the stallion found both his front limbs and his neck entangled, leaving him tied up with his rear legs pointing up at the ceiling. The fallen prince kicked at the air in irritation.
“Where’s a tailor when you need one? Somepony get me out of this!”
A knock on the room’s balcony door startled the prince, who craned his sore neck to try and identify the new arrival. In his ridiculous position, however, this proved to be an impossible task.
“Who goes there? Show yourself! I have a horn and I’m not afraid to use it!”
“Blueblood, just open this door, will ya? It’s Rainbow Dash! Rarity told me to bring you something.”
The Prince sighed. Of all the pegasi that could have flown up to his balcony, it had to be the one he had an outstanding conflict with. Still, his tie-induced entanglement left him with no other choice. Blueblood focused on the door’s lock and nudged it open, bracing for the worst.
Rainbow Dash stepped in.
“Blueblood? Where are y-”
The pegasus interrupted herself as she found the prince in a compromising position, her mouth falling agape. Not a second later, Rainbow Dash burst into uncontrollable laughter, clutching her sides with her forelegs.
“Miss Dash! Would you please stop laughing and help me?”
Slowly recovering, Rainbow Dash stood back up, still cracking up as she tried to speak.
“S-s-sorry, it’s just... you look so... ridiculous!”
She pointed out his reflection in the mirror that decorated the room’s closet door. Blueblood rolled to his side and observed, still attempting to kick out of the fabric’s hold. He looked like he was being attacked by some kind of vicious fabric-snake and was futilely struggling to get away.
How he had even managed to get so badly entangled remained a mystery even to him. Blueblood attempted to keep a straight face but it was futile. He burst into laughter in turn, with Dash soon joining him again, neither of them able to control themselves.
“Oh dear! Hahaha! I look like such a fool!”
“Hah, that reminds me of that costume Rarity made me for the Grand Galloping Gala. You wouldn’t believe how much I struggled with those sandals. My hooves were sore for days!”
Blueblood chuckled, but a wayward cramp reminded him of the situation at hand.
“That is a rather amusing story, Rainbow Dash, but I would really appreciate if you could help me get untangled from this accursed thing.”
“Oh, uh, right.”
After a few minutes of struggling and pulling, the Prince was finally free. Stretching his sore neck, he turned to the pegasus.
“Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I’m not sure what I’d have done without you.”
“Heh, with the laugh you gave me, I should be thanking you. You know, you’re not so bad after all. I thought you’d be a lot more stuck-up.”
Blueblood gritted his teeth at the words, but chose to keep the peace. After all, he had rather deserved such a title before, and it would take time before it became clear to all that he was no longer so uptight.
“Well then, you’re very welcome. Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
Rainbow Dash’s eyes shot open for a moment, and she fumbled to find something until she pulled out a small package that had been tucked under her wing.
“Oh, right. Rarity wanted me to get these two things to you. She said you’d know what to do with them.”
Blueblood’s eyes sparkled with amazement as he saw the accessory that his magic now held afloat.
“My favorite bow-tie! Wherever did she find it!?”
Rainbow Dash snickered.
“Apparently, her cat dragged it home. It was in a pretty banged-up state, but Rarity patched it up lickety-split.”
Blueblood admired the craftsmanship on the few repairs that had been applied to the item. Rarity’s work was certainly polished: He could hardly tell where her fixes had been made. The item now smelled of light, flowery perfume. Rarity’s, he guessed.
“I’m very thankful for the delivery, Ms. Dash. I’ll take good care to peruse the letter as well.”
“Hah, it was nothing!”
Rainbow Dash grinned, only for her expression to gradually turn somber as a thought came to her.
“Hey, while I’m around...”
“Yes?”
“I just wanted to say, about the other day with the puddle and everything...”
Noting Rainbow Dash’s hesitation, Blueblood extended a foreleg towards her, offering a conciliatory hoofshake.
“Let us speak no more of it. You and I both got carried away on that day. What do you say we leave that behind us?”
The pegasus energetically bumped her hoof against his with a smile, leaving the prince somewhat confused by the more casual gesture.
“Sounds good to me. Anyway, I’d better get back to the boutique before Rarity goes crazy.”
Blueblood accompanied Rainbow Dash towards the balcony.
“Have a good flight back, then.”
“I sure will!”
Dash kicked off the balcony’s ramp and into the sky, only to turn back after a moment.
“Oh, and Blueblood...”
“Yes?”
Rainbow Dash cracked a mischievous smirk.
“I’m giving you a chance with Rarity because she really likes you, but if I hear you’ve hurt her again, Applejack and I will buck you straight back to Canterlot before you can let out a whinny!”
Blueblood blinked twice, surprised, before suddenly displaying an understanding smile.
“I would expect no less of Rarity’s friends, of course.”
~~~
Esteemed Prince Blueblood,
It has come to my attention that this bow-tie belongs to you. I am afraid it was somewhat damaged during the events that led it from you to me, and I have taken the liberty of fixing it. I hope this is not a problem for you.
I would be delighted to see you wearing this beautiful accessory during our little outing tonight, and it is with hope that I await this fated encounter with the new you.
I do believe I owe you an apology for taking so long in showing you any consideration. After all, you have been doing much good in Ponyville and at Sweet Apple Acres. I will confess that I was worried that we would have a repeat of the Gala, but after seeing for myself the results of your scuffle with those vile creatures, these doubts have been completely banished.
Setting aside the letter for a moment, Blueblood’s eyes fell to his bandaged chest. The mark left there by the Diamond Dog was healing well, and would thankfully not leave any scars. Smiling proudly, Blueblood resumed reading, pacing around his hotel room in the evening’s tranquility.
I am very impressed by how much you have improved your attitude over these last few days.
I became rather doubtful after your rather ridiculous presentation at my door, and your conflict with my friend Rainbow Dash had only emphasized these negative feelings. Not that I didn’t give her some grief for her rude treatment of your person, of course.
Contrary to my expectations, you soon began showing a completely different side whose existence I had never expected. I began hearing so much about you. Dropping off Sweetie Belle at school, I encountered Ditzy Doo and her daughter, who were quick to tell me about how you had covered for them at Sugarcube Corner. Twilight recounted to me how pleasant you had been during your visit with her, as well as how you had been nice to her back at Celestia’s school.
I clearly recall Sweetie Belle coming home overjoyed some days ago, after you had recounted your cutie mark story to her and her friends. Then, of course, you completely blew me away by taking on a ferocious and utterly revolting beast in order to protect my dear little sister. For that, I am eternally grateful.
I suppose what I really want to say is: Thank you, Blueblood. Thank you for the good you’ve done in Ponyville. You have truly become a paragon.
Blueblood chuckled to himself, eyeing the crumpled tie that lay in the corner of the room, now bathed in the light of the late afternoon sun.
“And yet, I remain a fool.”
I eagerly await our date tonight.
Sincerely,
Rarity
The Prince could almost have danced with glee. He stood tall and proud, and looked at himself in the mirror, a wide grin plastered on his face.
“This is it, Blueblood: Your big chance. You’re all dressed up and ready to go. Remember what Amethyst said: ‘If you want to see success, you’ll make her feel like a princess.’ Look out, Equestria, for a new stallion is coming to town. No longer is Prince Blueblood a stuck-up jerk. This new pony shall blow you away with his generosity and noble chivalry!”
Judging that the sun was low enough in the sky, the dapper stallion checked his outfit one last time.
“Bow-tie? Perfect. Undershirt? Nice and white. Vest? Great. Overcoat? Fantastic. No use keeping Miss Rarity waiting; here I go!”
~~~
Rarity paced about the boutique while Twilight and Fluttershy did their best to comfort her rising panic. Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie had been called to answer various other commitments.
“Should I go now? Will I seem too eager? The sun has just started to set. What if he thinks I’m too eager? What if he thinks I’m not eager enough? What if he thinks I’m so right on time I simply had to have been spying on him!? Oh, all this worry is going to give me wrinkles, I swear!”
Twilight moved into Rarity’s path, trying to get her to hold still, only for the fashionista to step around her.
“Rarity, calm down! I’m sure Prince Blueblood is as nervous as you are.”
Rarity stopped in her tracks, turning to face the voice of reason.
“You think so? Oh dear, now I have to worry about making him nervous too!”
Fluttershy turned away from the window out of which she had been watching the sun slowly descend.
“Um, Rarity?”
Oblivious to Fluttershy’s call, Rarity resumed pacing, with Twilight following along with her still trying to get her to listen.
“Am I overdressed? Underdressed? Do you think the bracelet is too much?”
“You look fine, Rarity. You look amazing. I’m sure Blueblood will like it.”
“Um... Rarity? Twilight?”
There was no reaction from the two unicorns. Rarity had now sat before a mirror, and was magically running a brush through her mane, going through several dozen hairstyles a minute.
“What about my mane? Does it look okay? Maybe like this? Oh no, this won’t do. Maybe this? Oh, I’ll never look good enough!”
Twilight’s aura interrupted Rarity’s own, stopping the brush mid-stroke. Rarity’s mane was now a complete mess.
“Rarity, please, breathe. It’s going to be okay. I know it, you know it, Fluttershy knows it. Isn’t that right, Fluttershy?”
“Um... Yes. I’m sure you’ll do fine, Rarity, but...”
“Thank you, girls. What would I ever do without you two, I wonder? I’m so sorry, this is all so troubling for me. Pray tell, Fluttershy, what’s so interesting outside that you’ve been watching it for the past few minutes?”
Fluttershy sunk down in shame, disappointed that it had taken so long for her to finally warn her friend.
“Um... Prince Blueblood is just about to....”
The boutique’s doorbell chimed, announcing the Prince’s arrival. Fluttershy let out a pained squeal. It was too late.
“... get here....”
Rarity shot up in a panic, rushing for the door and opening it without thinking of the wreck that was her mane. The Prince stood tall and strong upon the boutique’s porch, offering a ridiculously exaggerated smile. His chest was puffed out like an overly inflated balloon and his proud stance seemed to be about to make him fall forward face first. The prince gasped with all the credibility and intonation of a cardboard cutout.
"Oh my! What fortune! I have discovered the mysterious third princess of Equestria!"
Rarity and Blueblood’s faces both fell as they came face-to-face with each other. She looked as though she had been run through Rainbow Dash’s patented Rain-Blow Dry, while his introductory line could have made Discord’s petrified form wince. The two fell into silence, hesitantly looking at each other speechlessly until Twilight stepped in.
“Ooo...kay. Looks like we got off on the wrong hoof here. How about we close this door, fix up Rarity’s mane, find a better pick-up line and try again?”
Blueblood and Rarity both nodded hesitantly as the stallion stepped backwards off the porch and Twilight gently nudged the door shut. Rarity collapsed onto her haunches and sighed in despair.
“Oh, girls, I’ve gone and completely messed things up.”
Outside, the Prince traveled the short length of the boutique’s pathway a few times, berating himself, speaking louder than he seemed to notice. His voice echoed through the boutique’s door, reaching the mares.
“Nice one, Blueblood. Very distinguished. Coming so early she didn’t have time to do her mane, spouting a ridiculous cliché of an entrance line. What next? Will you ask her if she hurt herself falling from the sky because she looks like an angel, too? If this gets back to Canterlot, I’m never going to live it down... Okay... okay... Breathe, Blueblood, breathe. This is only a minor setback. Thankfully, Lady Sparkle was here to pick up the pieces. I best give her a few moments to get nice and ready and let the ridicule pass....”
Twilight gave Rarity a wry smirk.
“I don’t think Blueblood will be blaming you.”
The doorbell chimed a second time, startling Rarity and causing her to dive for the hairbrush. After brushing her mane back into her usual elegant style, Rarity swallowed her fears and called out to the Prince in a melodic tone.
“Coming!”
Bolstered by her friends’ encouraging smiles, Rarity opened the door to a definitely less goofy-looking Blueblood, who greeted her with a warm smile and a mischievous wink.
“Hello, young filly, is your older sister home?”
Rarity giggled, blushing lightly.
“Oh, you! You flatter me.”
Blueblood chuckled.
“I know we’d agreed to meet at the restaurant, but I ventured a guess that you would perhaps like to walk there together.”
Rarity beamed, moving to Blueblood’s side.
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
Twilight and Fluttershy approached the door, and the would-be couple moved aside to let them through. Twilight offered the two a smile.
“I’d better get going. Have a great time!”
Fluttershy nodded in agreement, full of joy at the sight of the Prince and Rarity.
“I should head home too. I hope the two of you have a wonderful evening together.”
Rarity took a step towards her friends, hugging each of them one by one.
“Thank you very much, girls. Oh, and Twilight, thank you so very much again for agreeing to watch Sweetie Belle and her friends for me tonight. You know how it is with my parents, always so unexpectedly busy. Are you sure everything will be okay?”
Twilight nodded reassuringly.
“I’m sure things’ll be alright. I have everything under control. You just enjoy your date and relax. I’m sure Spike and the girls can handle themselves at the library until I get back.”
Rarity bowed her head.
“Thank you again, Twilight. I hope the two of you have a nice evening.”
Rarity and Blueblood watched as the two mares walked away, waving goodbye one last time. As they turned out of the boutique’s pathway, Blueblood turned to Rarity.
“It’s nice to see you have such great support from your friends.”
Rarity gave a contented sigh, remembering just how much help her five best friends had been in getting ready for her date and keeping herself sane these last few days.
“They are certainly great to have around. I don’t know how I’d manage without them. So sorry to have kept you waiting, by the way.”
Blueblood smiled politely.
“It’s no problem at all, I assure you.”
As Twilight and Fluttershy vanished out of the pair’s sights, Rarity motioned with a forehoof for the two of them to move ahead.
“Well then, shall we?”
Blueblood tentatively took the first step, feeling as though he were walking on clouds.
“With pleasure."
As they walked, Blueblood hesitantly held out a small box, tied closed with a colorful ribbon. He wasn’t sure offering a gift so early was a good idea, but he had felt better doing so than not.
“I brought you a little something.”
Rarity gently took the item with her magic, undoing the ribbon and peeking inside, a delighted smile appearing on her face.
“Oh! Is this what I think it is?”
A dainty little sniff confirmed her thoughts.
“Baalgian chocolate! My favorite! How nice of you, Blueblood.”
The prince smiled back nervously, trying not to let his worry show through.
“You’re quite welcome, Miss Rarity. Those sheep certainly know their chocolate, do they not?”
~~~
Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy stopped as they reached the Ponyville library.
“So, um, Twilight, are you sure you don’t need any help taking care of the three of them? I know they can be a real hooffull, sometimes.”
The unicorn winked to her friend.
“Fluttershy, I know you already have something to do tonight, and I’m sure I’ll be able to handle them. It’s almost their bedtime, anyway. You just go and enjoy yourself with your very special somepony, okay?”
Fluttershy turned a very crimson shade of red, offering a very coy smile.
“If you insist. I guess I should be on my way. Have a good evening, Twilight. I’ll be at Sweet Apple Acres if you need me, okay? It’s no problem at all if you need my help.”
Twilight rubbed her temple. She gently nudged the meek pegasus, not-too-subtly letting her know it was time to go.
“Oh, Fluttershy.”
The unicorn sighed.
“It’s okay, I promise. Go on, now, you go and have a good time.”
Fluttershy stretched open her wings, propelling herself up with a few clumsy flaps.
“I will.”
Grinning at Fluttershy’s small burst of confidence, Twilight turned and walked into the library. Three fillies and a young dragon were seated at the dinner table, enjoying the snack of muffins Rarity had sent over with them. As she stepped into the library, the unicorn could hear singing and laughter from Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.
“Spike and Sweetie, inside a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!”
Immediately, the so-called lovers reacted in annoyance.
“Are not!”
Apple Bloom grinned widely, pointing an accusatory hoof at the unicorn and the dragon.
“You answered at the same time! Are so!”
Spike reacted faster, insisting.
“Are not!”
“Are so!”
“Are not!”
In contrast to the young dragon’s annoyance, Sweetie giggled just as much as her friends. Spike seemed to have forgotten the entire debate’s purpose and was simply going along with the repeated negation.
Twilight chuckled. Foals would be foals. She stepped into the dining area, greeting the assembled ponies.
“Okay, okay, that’s quite enough. It’s getting a little late. Finish up your muffins, then it’s time for bed.”
Four voices echoed together, voicing their disapproval.
“Awww!”
Scootaloo stood up.
“No way, we have crusading plans for tonight, and Spike promised to help us! With a dragon’s help, we’re bound to find our cutie marks!”
Twilight’s resolve didn’t falter, and she persisted, admonishing them gently.
“You’ll have plenty of time to go looking for your cutie marks tomorrow. If you’re good, I’ll even tell you a nice story.”
Apple Bloom stood up next.
“We ain’t going to bed until we’ve looked for our cutie marks.”
Sweetie Belle and Spike followed suit.
“Yeah! We’re not going!”
Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes, her horn flaring up.
“Looks like we’re going to have to do this the hard way...”
~~~
“... and would you believe it, Prime Minister Fair Vote was wearing mismatched horseshoes!”
Rarity burst into laughter as the Prince finished his story.
“Oh, Prince Blueblood, that is simply hilarious.”
Blueblood chuckled alongside her, only to pause as she used his honorific title.
“Miss Rarity, please, you can simply call me Blueblood. There is no need for such formalities between us.”
Rarity nodded, blushing. She hadn’t expected him to be so accessible, but she certainly wasn’t going to complain.
“Oh, of course. In exchange, I would like to ask you to do away with the ‘Miss’. Just Rarity is more than adequate coming from such a polite stallion.”
Prince Blueblood bowed, bringing out his best theatrics.
“If it is milady’s desire, then it shall be done.”
Flattered, Rarity grew even redder. The two of them walked side by side, glancing at one another occasionally. Just as they were about to cross one of Ponyville’s main roads, Blueblood stopped in his tracks, motioning for Rarity to do the same.
“Rarity! Wait!”
Rarity stopped immediately, eyeing her companion curiously.
“It would pain me to see your magnificent shoes ruined by this dirty puddle. Please, allow me.”
Blueblood nodded towards the ground, where a large puddle of the morning’s rain had accumulated. The last time he had been faced with such a conundrum, he had made the worst possible decision. This time, he knew what to do. With a practiced gesture, Blueblood’s horn flared, plucking his overcoat off of his shoulders. He floated it ahead of their path, but found himself hesitating. It pained him to ruin such a nice vestment. Was it truly necessary? Certainly, chivalry demanded it, but....
Resigned to his fate, the Prince released his magic’s grasp, watching as the coat floated down to its wet, soggy, dirty fate. Unable to face its demise, Blueblood looked away, only to be surprised when he felt the touch of dry fabric across his back. A quick glance revealed that a blue magical aura had left it there.
“While I very much appreciate the gesture, it would pain me to see your magnificent overcoat ruined by this dirty puddle. Please, let us simply step around this wet inconvenience, shall we?”
Relieved, Blueblood sighed. How fortunate to have proven himself worthy and kept his clothes dry all at once!
~~~
Big Macintosh watched the clouds drift by as the sun slowly descended below the horizon. He unhooked himself from the plow and stretched his tired muscles as he gazed over the large area of fields he’d gotten prepared over the course of the day. Just as the farmer moved to take the plow back into storage, the sound of wings flapping rhythmically attracted his attention.
There were many stars in the evening sky, but none of them shone quite as brightly to him as the eyes of the mare that approached from above. Fluttershy gracefully glided to his side, nuzzling against him as she landed.
“Good evening, Big Macintosh.”
The farmer returned the affectionate gesture, edging closer to her to shield her from the crisp evening chill.
“Good evenin’, Miss Fluttershy.”
The pegasus frowned lightly at the formality.
“Please, Macintosh, just Fluttershy is more than okay.”
Big Macintosh nodded silently, knowing full well he’d need to be reminded of her preference again later. He smiled mischievously.
“Heh, my mistake.”
Fluttershy giggled, familiar with Macintosh’s little game of teasing.
“Did you have a good day?”
“Couldn’t ask for anything better. What about you, Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy giggled, pressing against the larger stallion.
“Oh, it was wonderful. This morning, my animals were extra-affectionate, even Angel Bunny, and you know how he usually is. Then, in the afternoon, I went over to Rarity’s with your sister and the rest of the girls, and we helped Rarity get ready for her date with Prince Blueblood. Things got a little awkward when he showed up, but Twilight helped clear things up. I think they’re going to have a pretty nice date tonight.”
The farmer smiled, listening attentively. He’d always known Fluttershy to be a quiet pony, but she had turned out to be quite the talkative one when she was around him.
“Good to know those two might work out. They certainly look like a good fit.”
“Kind of like you two, eh big brother?”
Fluttershy instinctively stepped away from Big Macintosh, turning to face the new voice.
“Oh... um... Hi Applejack. I hope... um... you don’t mind about....”
Big Macintosh rolled his eyes. He’d hoped Applejack wouldn’t catch them so soon, but now? He’d never hear the end of it. The cowpony approached the pegasus with a broad smile and, to Fluttershy’s surprise, pulled her into a tight hug.
“Fluttershy, I can’t think of anypony else I’d rather see courtin’ with my brother. Take good care of him for me, would you? He’s got a good heart, but he doesn’t know when to stop workin’.”
Big Macintosh chuckled, watching the two mares.
“I’m standin’ right here, you know.”
Before Fluttershy could say anything, Applejack tightened her embrace.
“You’re a good gal, sugarcube. I’m sure you two will be real happy together.”
~~~
“Oh, Blueblood, this place is simply magnificent! I can’t believe I haven’t thought of coming here before!”
Blueblood’s eyes shot wide open in surprise.
"Oh? I’m quite surprised; I would have expected a lady such as you to have explored all the culinary delights to be found in her hometown.”
Rarity’s eyes sparkled as they took in the welcoming decor and the pleasant smells of the restaurant.
“To be honest, it had simply eluded me; I’d never seen it before. It is rather out of the way, after all, lodged between those two large hotels.”
The stallion reflected on the matter a moment, bringing a hoof to his chin.
“Indeed. I would say that adds to its charms. The ambience is so nice and quiet.”
Rarity nodded in agreement.
“All too true... Is that a grand piano I see in the corner?”
Blueblood followed Rarity’s eyes to the instrument, which sat on its small stage, unoccupied.
“It certainly is. Would you believe they have a young dragon pianist here?”
Rarity looked at Blueblood with the utmost confusion. She certainly wasn’t aware of a second young dragon in Ponyville, and she knew for a fact that Spike didn’t have a job as a restaurant musician. However, before she could delve into the question any further, their waitress approached the table, levitating a platter alongside herself.
“Good evening, Prince Blueblood, it’s quite a pleasure to see you again.”
Crystal Château turned to Rarity and offered a warm smile.
“Good evening to you as well, Miss Rarity. I’ve heard great things about your boutique.”
Prince Blueblood smiled to their waitress.
“Good evening to you as well, Crystal.”
Crystal set down the platter. Upon it sat two elegant crystal glasses and a shining bottle of grape nectar clearly labeled with ‘Colton Estate Vineyard.’ As the waitress addressed the two unicorns, she busied herself with magically uncorking the bottle and pouring each of them a portion of the juice, as well as floating two menus onto the table. The gesture was automatic.
“I’ll be your waitress for this evening. If there’s anything you need, please feel free to signal for me. I hope your meal at La Rose Dorée is peaceful and pleasant!”
The two unicorns nodded politely at the waitress before peering into their menus, thanking Crystal Château in unison as she stepped away to let them make their decision. After a few moments, Rarity looked up from the scrumptious selection of meals, each looking more delicious than the last.
“Oh, I’ll never be able to decide; everything looks so exquisite.”
Equally puzzled, Blueblood looked up at her.
“I know what you mean. I’ve been here so many times, and I still don’t know what to have.”
They were distracted by two stallions clad in expensive-looking suits walking by their table, engaged in what sounded like the tail end of a business dinner meeting. The first, a haughty-looking pegasus, seemed rather pleased with himself. He spoke high and loud, intent on displaying his superiority for all to see.
“Well then, Brown Nose, I’ll be happy to have you as my vice president starting tomorrow.”
His follower, a meek earth pony, bowed respectfully.
“Thank you, sir. It’s an honor.”
As he was directly next to Blueblood and Rarity’s table, the pegasus made a grand gesture, both with his forelegs and wings.
“You’ll see. With me at its head, this company will grow like no other!”
As it flared outwards, his right wing struck Rarity’s glass, spilling it onto the table. The liquid nearly splashed onto Rarity, who leapt out of her chair in a panic, narrowly avoiding a terrible stain on her outfit.
“Why! I never! You, sir, nearly ruined my dress! I have half a mind to-”
“Rarity, please! Please!”
Livid, Rarity turned to Blueblood, who offered a gentle, reassuring smile.
“Please allow me to handle this.”
Ignoring her twitching right eye, Rarity did her best to compose herself, nodding her approval. Blueblood took a step towards the offending stallion. The business earth pony eyed him cautiously.
“Thanks for stepping in. At least now we can discuss this without any crazy-”
Blueblood’s glare silenced the businesspony. The Prince edged closer, staring the offender in the eye and speaking between his teeth.
“You, sir, nearly ruined Miss Rarity’s dress. Have you no decency, flailing about like a foal and raising your voice around ponies trying to enjoy a peaceful dinner? If anypony here is crazy, it would be you.”
The other stallion stumbled back, turning red in the face with anger.
“How dare you speak to me like this?! Do you know who I am?!”
The Prince stared at him blankly for a second, before bursting into laughter.
“Really? You’re playing the ‘do you know who I am?’ card with me? Sir, tell me, do you, perhaps, realise who you are talking to?”
A look of sheer terror came upon the pegasus’s eyes as they stopped on Blueblood’s cutie mark.
“P-P-Prince Blueblood! I am ever so sorry for this inconvenience. I apologize for not being able to stay any longer, but I must go... er... polish my safe. Yes, I need to go polish my safe. I hope you two have a good evening!”
The businesspony hightailed it out of the restaurant, followed by his assistant. The earth pony seemed ready to burst into laughter at any moment. Rarity walked over to the Prince, beaming.
“Such bravery, Prince Blueblood, I’m impressed! Thank you so much for standing up for me.”
Prince Blueblood smiled back.
“It was my pleasure, Miss Rarity. Fortunately, your dress remains as pristine as ever. If you’ll please give me a moment, I’ll fetch Miss Château. I’m sure it won’t be a problem assigning us to another table so they can clean up this mess.”
The two unicorns shared a mischievous glance and a smile. Everything was going perfectly.
~~~
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon sat at the window of their respective rooms, separated by nothing but the air above part of their houses’ yards. Having been grounded with little to do in their rooms, the two fillies were more thankful than ever that they lived next to each other. Their voices echoed through the tranquil evening.
“... Silver Spoon, do you think maybe we went, like, too far this time?”
Silver Spoon looked up at her friend, whose head, much like hers, was propped up on her hooves, elbows on the windowsill.
“I don’t know. I mean... it was just a few gems, right? But... Prince Blueblood scolded us so badly.”
Diamond Tiara sighed.
“Daddy said we should apologize to Sweetie Belle, earlier. D’you think maybe...”
The gray filly pondered the obvious question for a moment, unsure.
“I’m not sure... Do we really have to? It’s not like it’s our fault the Diamond Dogs came... I wonder what Prince Blueblood would do.”
Diamond Tiara scratched her head, looking at the framed autograph of the prince that hung from her wall.
“Well... Prince Blueblood is like... totally proper, right? You know, the good kind of proper.”
Silver Spoon nodded in agreement.
“I think I know where you’re going, with how he told us we weren’t acting proper, right? Do you think... we’re bad ponies or something?”
Diamond Tiara shook her head immediately.
“No, it’s not that, I mean, Prince Blueblood liked us until we picked on Sweetie Belle. Like, Blueblood’s a really important pony and everypony looks up to him, but I’ve never heard of him picking on anypony. Have you?”
Silver Spoon’s answer came immediately.
“Nope. Never. He’s always so polite to everypony... Maybe we should ask him to teach us how to be proper, tomorrow. Then we could be great like him!”
Diamond Tiara’s eyes sparkled in excitement.
“That’s a great idea! Then we’ll know what to do for sure!”
The two fillies grinned, going through a practiced motion despite the distance making the gesture somewhat awkward.
“Bump! Bump! Sugar Lump Rump!”
~~~
“I must say, this is simply delightful.”
Rarity took another eager bite of her salad, daintily wiping a droplet of dressing off of her lips.
“Indubitably. Everything is always so fresh and prepared with great care. Oh! Look, here comes the pianist. Looks like they’re back with their regular musician.”
A white unicorn stepped onto the stage, his short black mane elegantly slicked back. He bore a cutie mark of a set of black and white piano keys. The stallion sat at the piano and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and focusing intensely. His horn lit up with a bright white glow, causing the piano’s keyboard to do the same. The keys came to life in an elegant melody.
Rarity caught herself gently swaying her forehoof from right to left in time with the music.
“Ah! Ivory Keys’s ‘Sun Princess Sonata’. I love this piece so.”
Prince Blueblood paused to listen attentively, recognising the familiar notes.
“Indeed, it is a rather delightful piece. Did you know the Royal Canterlot Orchestra performs it in nearly all of their concerts?”
Rarity’s eyes went wide.
“The Royal Canterlot Orchestra? Oh, how I’ve always dreamed of witnessing one of their concerts. I hear it is a most grandiose experience!”
The Prince beamed.
“I would be more than happy to invite you to their next performance.”
Fighting off the urge to immediately accept, Rarity politely nodded.
“Thank you for the generous offer. I’ll certainly consider it. Pray tell, other than concerts, what does a pony of your status do for his enjoyment in Canterlot?”
~~~
The library’s basement was dark and quiet. Sharing a bed, the Cutie Mark Crusaders lay in bed, still awake. In his basket nearby, Spike was fighting off sleep as well. The young dragon was the first to complain, keeping his voice down.
“I can’t believe she actually put us to bed.”
Sweetie’s whispers echoed out in the dark.
“The story was really nice, though. I liked the part where the princess forgave the prince and they got married!”
Apple Bloom’s hushed voice came next.
“I thought it was funny when the prince fell into the big cake.”
The others laughed quietly. Scootaloo spoke up next, perhaps a little too loud.
“Or what about when he fought off the evil chimera?!”
Apple Bloom shushed her quickly.
“Quiet! Twilight’ll hear us!”
Spike turned over, facing the fillies.
“Twilight is really good at telling stories, isn’t she?”
A deep yawn escaped the young dragon as he stretched.
“I feel kind of tired. Maybe it’s better if we go to sleep, really. If we wake up early enough tomorrow morning, I’m sure I can help you girls find your cutie marks in no time.”
Three mumbles of approval came from the fillies’ bed.
“Good night, Apple Bloom. Good night, Scootaloo. Good night, Sweetie Belle.”
All three of them answered at once.
“Good night, Spike.”
Spike laid his head deeper into his pillow, basking in the silence, until hushed whispers, too low for him to hear well, came from the fillies once more.
Apple Bloom was the first to break the silence.
“Sweetie Belle, you... and then... and he’ll...”
After a few explanations, Sweetie Belle’s answer came.
“No way, what if he... I want to but... think I should?”
The earth pony replied.
“But yesterday, I saw my brother and Fluttershy... and he looked happy.”
A quiet expression of disgust came from Scootaloo.
“Eww... that’s so girly.”
The young unicorn gave an immediate rebuttal.
“No, you’re the one who’s not girly enough. Apple Bloom, do you really think... I don’t know if I should.”
Apple Bloom, ever the adventurous one, proved to be encouraging.
“What’s the worst that could happen?”
Spike heard nothing for a moment, until the silence was broken by the rustling of bed covers. Thanks to the dim moonlight, he saw Sweetie Belle climb out of bed and slowly approach him.
“Spike, are you awake?”
The young dragon answered hesitantly. Sweetie had been acting strangely around him lately, and to his great confusion, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo seemed fixated with the idea of calling the two of them coltfriend and fillyfriend.
“Uh... yeah, why?”
Sweetie Belle approached him very closely, and whispered to him.
“Thanks again for saving me yesterday, Spike. I wanted to give you this, too, but there were too many ponies around.”
Spike froze up as he felt the little unicorn’s lips gently peck his cheek. He blushed profusely as Sweetie Belle quickly retreated to her bed, giggling.
“Good night, Spike.”
Completely dazzled, Spike answered shakily.
“G-good night, Sweetie Belle.”
The young dragon quickly drifted off to sleep, sailing into a familiar land of pleasant dreams and pretty unicorns. However, where each night those unicorns were tall and slender with sultry eyes and long violet manes, tonight, he found them to be smaller and cuter, with curly pink and purple manes and adorable puppy dog eyes.
~~~
“... let me tell you, darling, it’s not always easy being an older sister, but when Sweetie gives me one of her smiles, it’s worth all the gems in Equestria.”
Rarity caught herself uncontrollably smiling as she recalled Sweetie and her friends bouncing with joy when she’d agreed to let Twilight watch them rather than cancel the sleepover.
Blueblood nodded, finding Rarity’s happiness contagious. He was himself reminded of Dinky’s shining grin when he had bought her and her mother a muffin, and those of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon when they’d gotten their hooves on his autograph.
“It certainly seems rewarding. I must admit, before coming to Ponyville, I hadn’t exactly been one for foals. It is indeed a most heartwarming experience to have one of them smile back at you.”
Raising an eyebrow in intrigue, Rarity leaned in towards the Prince.
“Ah! Little Dinky Doo, if I remember well? Her mother had only the most shining of praise for you when I met her yesterday.”
Blueblood nodded, finishing the last few drops of his after-dinner tea.
“Yes, she was certainly an adorable one. Your sister and her friends are also very endearing, I must say, though the other two little misses tend to be somewhat rambunctious.”
The two unicorns shared a chuckle as the prince continued.
“Ah well, foals will be foals, as it were. I think, however, that the ones who made the most impact on me would be two posh earth pony fillies I encountered a few times.”
Rarity raised an eyebrow.
“Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, I would guess?”
Blueblood nodded.
“Yes. They seemed well-behaved and polite at first, and it disappoints me to know that they are showing... Oh, how to put it... Ah yes, a mean streak.”
Rarity nodded, her smile faltering.
“Oh, those two. Sweetie Belle certainly has a lot to say about them, and I think both of us got a firsthoof sight of her problems with them. Pray tell, how did they leave such an impact on you?”
Blueblood pondered the question for a moment, rubbing his chin with his hoof.
“I think I recognized myself in them, in some way, so very eager to be part of the upper crust, most likely to a fault. I feel that these two could become very good mares, but after what I’ve been hearing of them, I worry that they may end up... well, the way I was before I came to Ponyville.”
Rarity sighed. It soon dawned on her that she’d never really given those two a thought beyond them troubling her little sister.
“Hopefully, that little lecture you gave them yesterday will do them some good.”
Blueblood nodded with a gentle smile.
“One can certainly hope.”
A lull fell over the conversation as both ponies worked on finishing off the last few bites of their dessert. Soon, at the Prince’s behest, Crystal Château came by their table and left the bill, requesting that they meet her by the register once they were ready. Prince Blueblood immediately reached for his bits, only for Rarity to interpose herself.
“Oh, Darling, I simply can’t have you pay for everything. That wouldn’t be right of me.”
Blueblood smiled and plucked the necessary bits out of his coin pouch.
“I must insist, Rarity. I said I was inviting you and paying, and I am a stallion of my word.”
Rarity’s aura took over Blueblood’s and forced the coins back into their pouch.
“Absolutely not.”
A mischievous grin crossed Blueblood’s face.
“Not to pay would be quite improper of me. After all, you did pay for the desserts at the Gala.”
Rarity chuckled. She didn’t have the heart to remind Blueblood that Applejack had given her them for free. Left without a counter argument, she smiled gratefully.
“Fair enough. I insist on paying on our next outing, however.”
Blueblood felt his heart beat like a Zebrican drum.
N-n-next time? She wants a next time?
He composed himself to the best of his ability, laying the noble charmer act on as thick as he could.
“A fair compromise. I would be delighted to meet up with you again soon, Miss Rarity.”
~~~
As she came back by the Prince and his date’s table later that evening, Crystal Château nearly dropped her serving tray. Right in front of her sat the most lavish tip of her career. As she gathered the bits, a white card left amongst them attracted her curiosity. It was a business card from Rarity, showing simple directions to reach her establishment. A quickly written note had been added to the back.
“Miss Château, thank you very much for some of the best service I have ever received... evening has been wonderful for me... would like to express my utmost gratitude.”
Crystal raised an eyebrow as she read on, curious as to what Rarity was angling towards.
“Please drop by when you have a free moment... would be delighted to fit you for a dress... Free of charge!?”
Crystal bounced in excitement as she squirreled away the precious card, promising herself to make good on the offer. A Carousel original for free! The girls would be so jealous!
~~~
Blueblood and Rarity found themselves back at the boutique all too soon, smiling quietly. Still, all good things had to come to an end, wonderful first dates included.
“Thank you very much, Blueblood. I’ve had a positively amazing evening.”
Blueblood bowed elegantly.
“The pleasure is mine, Rarity. It is truly an honor to have been offered a second chance after my... atrocious conduct at the gala.”
Rarity giggled, remembering the events.
“Say no more, Blueblood. You’ve more than redeemed yourself, these last few days.”
Silence fell over them. The Prince’s smile slowly fell to a disappointed frown, which he hid away as quickly as possible.
“I... guess this means good night for now.”
Rarity hesitated for a time. She didn’t want the evening to end just yet, but decency and the general protocol precluded inviting him into her home after just the first date. She turned away coyly, not wanting him to see her disappointment.
“... I guess it does indeed. I hope to see you again soon.”
The prince cracked a smile as he turned away, slowly departing for his hotel.
“I would be honored, Rarity. Perhaps for lunch tomorrow?”
Perking up, Rarity caught up to the Prince, stopping by his side. Blueblood paused as she approached.
“I would be delighted. Also, one last thing before you go, please.”
He turned to face her, curious.
“Yes?”
Rarity hesitantly stepped towards the Prince, and brought her head forward, gently pressing her lips against his cheek.
“Thank you again, for everything.”
The Prince blushed profusely, completely speechless. Rarity nodded politely as she walked back to her door.
“Good night, Prince Blueblood.”
Blueblood returned the gesture politely.
“Good night to you as well, Miss Rarity.”
As she reached the Boutique’s porch, Rarity stopped, unsure. She looked back over her shoulder, seeing the prince slowly moving away. Protocol be darned, she didn’t want the evening to end just yet.
“Prince Blueblood! Wait!”
The prince froze in his tracks and turned to face her, still unsure.
“Yes?”
Rarity pushed the door open with one of her hind legs and nodded towards the door.
“Would you like to come in? I have some Southshore Lake Salt I’ve been saving for a special occasion, and I figured perhaps...”
A little social salt definitely couldn’t hurt, Blueblood assumed.
“I would be delighted.”
The prince smiled warmly as he walked into Rarity’s elegant home and boutique, gently closing the door behind himself.
~~~
To Be Concluded
~~~
What fate awaits our happy lovebirds in the near and far future? Check in next time to find out in the epilogue: ‘Happily Ever After’.
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Salt?
Ooooooooooooooh dear.
367533
Please, it's only some social salt. Can't a pair of society ponies enjoy a little salt without everyone judging?
(In a sense, think of it as sharing a bottle of wine in a social situation. It's nothing crass. :P)
367558 I dunno....Chekhov's Salt, y'know?
367579
Ehehehe. Who knows.
Waaait. I do.
Tune in next time to find out. ;)
367587 Perhaps I'm just being paranoid but I feel like you wouldn't possibly have included it in the chapter if they didn't wind up drunk off their hooves. "Social" drinking just doesn't happen in literature, it is almost without exception a device used to induce "oh shit" moments.
I'm just being paranoid, aren't I?
367633
Yes, yes you are.
The salt is actually just meant to show that they're comfortable with one another, and as an indicator that things are going well. The next chapter is, after all, the epilogue, rather than another chapter.
Not that Rarity and Blueblood overindulging wouldn't be hilarious, of course, but it wasn't something I felt I wanted to write.
Then they fucked ...the end
Bah, leaving us hanging with them having a "metaphorical" bottle of wine. The injustice of it all!
And there was much rejoicing.
367633 Unless you're like me and somehow manage to get inebriated off of Grape juice....
367657
so i feel that this story is coming to end and steamy end perhaps??
This chapter caused my heart to explode with glee. So much loving going on! It's delicious!
I eagerly await the conclusion.
368057
Considering that chapter nine was explicitly the last chapter and that only the epilogue remains, yes, you could say that.
Out of all the shipping stories, this one does it well!
What is the 'Great Galloping Gala'? I only know of the 'Grand Galloping Gala'...
A lovely chapter.
369285
Woops. Thanks for pointing that out!
Blueblood redemption stories are my favorites, I think.
You even managed to do something with Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara rather than leave them stereotypical bullies. I can think of no one better than Blueblood to show them the way.
Quite well done. I look forward to the conclusion.
darnit autumn, why must you make this story so good?
gonna regret dropping it off my track list when it's done tho...
I do say, even though I totally support Fluttershy x Big Mac, the romance did seem to come out of nowhere.
Unless I missed something...
nowpic.com/images_folder/files/2010-07/30206c6c.gif
Wonderful, could not have pictured it any better in a million years, bravo
370716
I'm planning more fics after this one. Hopefully that can make up for it.
Eh, it was alright.
And by that I mean awesome!
Ah, being a prereader is fun.
371132
It's great to have you as a prereader, you do an awesome job.
371137
D'awww, thanks!
370789
Actually you did miss something, I believe:
Chapter 5, Fluttershy tells Twilight and Rarity she gave somepony a love note.
Chapter 6, Big Macintosh shows joy while glancing at a note tucked into his collar.
Chapter 7, Fluttershy is Big Macintosh's "pretend" date for the double date. Later, Lady Amethyst states: "“Look at how close they’re walking. I’d say their date was a lot less pretend than ours.”
I confess I thought the story was going to go on longer! But I'm not disappointed. <3
Eagerly awaiting the Epilogue. :3
371604
For a while, so did I, but I felt it was time to wrap things up. This story has been a fun ride, but I'm also eager to move on to new grounds.
370716
That's what the favorites list is for.
What ScyScy said. I was thinking this would have quite a ways to go for there to be a proper courtship involved... though, admittedly, I'm not sure if I wish to see Blueblood "get the girl" here. Honestly, with only an epilogue to go, I'm not certain what would be the satisfying conclusion. You've certainly gotten to a satisfying conclusion to the redemption of Blueblood (with the exception of Apricot) though so I'm not sure if I could really ask for much more.
Maybe it's simply a matter of how tidy to make the ending.... oh well, it was certainly a fun story while it's lasted.
Nice job, Autumn.
~Lammy
Also, SpikeBelle was the d'aww-ness.
372181
Some people feel he should "get the girl", some people feel he shouldn't. Some people think with what he's done before, he doesn't deserve the girl ever, while others feel with the hard work he's put, he's desirable enough for Rarity.
However, I'll state it right here. Chapter 9 was intended to show that yes, he will be getting the girl. I, for one, am satisfied with what I've planned, but I'm certain not everyone will agree with me. So is fiction.
Thank you very much for your comment!
(As for the actual courtship... well wait and see.)
Woohoo! Props for the new chapter, thanks! Props out to Blue Thrush for pre-reading as well! As one myself, I know it's a hard, sometimes thankless job, so thanks for helping keep the quality of this fic high!
I eagerly await the final installment of this saga!
~ Moonstone 'Magical Trevor', Minstrel of Equestria
p.s. comment made on smart phone, and can't see what I'm writing, so sorry if part of it is messed up or garbled.
371928 I know, it's already there, I'm just going to miss seeing the next update of this story.
I'm glad he's getting the girl. He's legit worked hard for his second chance and has more than earned it.
A wonderful story, a shame it's almost over, though!
367657 epilogue? Surely you jest!?
376762
I jest not.
Friggin LOVING this story.
367533
salt lick
So, true to my word I devoured your tale in its entirety today - barring the epilogue.
Masterful work, Blueblood's slow but steady transformation from stuck-up royal pain to noble knight is a delight to witness. You've another thumbs-up and a favourite to pin to your chest.
assets0.ordienetworks.com/images/GifGuide/clapping/jimcarry.gif
'nuff said.
So, they had sex that night, huh?
A) We've all heard that last bit at some point in our lives, right guys?
B) She only has 43 dresses? You'd think that being a seamstress, she'd have more!
encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSkYLPAoJJ_V4FfTx9hLO3wBhbTf2tOK7gQEVaFt4noD4uBiKwI
AND ALL THOSE BOWTIE STUFF IN THIS CHAPTER I HAVE 1 THING TO SAY BOWTIES ARE COOLmedia-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/88/a4/d0/88a4d0e7dd3fddb583db755972d503e2.jpg Dangit I cried posting this coment
Very good story. This has made me reconsider My ship for Rarity...