Spring Break: Thursday
Thursday morning I woke up in Twilight’s bed at the library again. I had made an early evening of it the day before. Rainbow had been hanging out with her young friend Scootaloo, so I had stayed around the library.
I had gotten to know Spike better. He seemed like a preteen in attitude, but a virtual expert in the field of library science. I suppose hanging around Twilight had done that to him.
I watched him send a couple of letters. Dragon fire was a different kind of magic than what unicorns used. I decided to go research it to distract myself from the fact that smoke and fire reminded me of cigarettes. It wasn’t easy, though, and I instead decided to go to bed early. I had a headache that I figured was probably related to nicotine withdraw.
After a night’s rest, I did feel better but was worried that symptoms would pick up again. Carefully, I made my way downstairs. It was early and the sun was just coming up.
It’s always interesting to be up early, before the time most people – or ponies – get up. After figuring out the stove, I made a small kettle of hot water. With a cup of it and a teabag, I went back upstairs, going all the way up to the balcony, and watched the sun climb higher into the sky.
There was a telescope up there. Twilight had once mentioned that one of her hobbies was astronomy. The balcony rail was kind of low for leaning on. For a moment, I kind of felt sorry for civil engineers in both worlds trying to compensate their architecture to fit two different species.
For a few minutes I watched Ponyville wake up. Shop owners opened up for the day and merchants in the market set up their stalls. Applejack passed by with a wagon and we exchanged waves.
I saw Rarity coming towards the library and decided to go down to greet her. I kept my steps quiet as I descended to the ground floor and had the door open before she knocked. I gestured over my shoulder and said in a low voice, “Spike is still sleeping.”
Rarity nodded and whispered, “That’s fine, I was just-”
“Rarity!” called Spike, literally leaping out of bed. “I was just thinking about you. Come in and stay for a while. Can I get you a cup of tea?”
“Thank you, Spike,” Rarity replied. “That would be lovely.”
Spike hurried to the kitchen, apparently pleased to find the kettle already on. I heard him rummaging in the cabinets. “What kind of tea would you like?”
“What is that you’re drinking, Denise?” Rarity asked me.
I checked the paper tag attached to the teabag’s string. “Um, Earl Grey imported from London.”
“It smells lovely. I’ll have that, Spike.”
Rarity and I walked into the kitchen and had a seat at the table. Seconds later, Spike rushed over with a tray, haphazardly holding a cup, saucer, teapot, teabag, milk, and sugar. He breathlessly offered it to Rarity who took what she liked and gave him a smile. “Thank you.”
Spike grinned and watched Rarity steep her tea for a moment. He glanced sideways, apparently only just realizing that I was there. “Need a refill, Denise? Or some milk and sugar?”
“No thanks. I take mine straight.”
“No offense, Denise, but you Americans simply don’t appreciate tea the way the British do.” Rarity finished steeping her cup and added a little milk. She tasted it and gave Spike a smile. He practically swooned at her look.
I shrugged in response to Rarity’s comment. “Honestly, most of the tea I drink is iced.”
“My point exactly,” she muttered. Taking another sip of tea, she said, “I came over here this morning to ask a favor, Denise. I’m going shopping for fabrics today and I need someone with fingers to help me pick out textures.”
I supposed that made sense. Hooves aren’t really known for tactile sensation. I nodded. “I can do that. I think Rainbow was going to be busy taking Scootaloo flying today. I can’t really help with that, so I’m free. Where are you going?”
“Manehattan.”
“I can help you, too,” Spike put in.
Rarity gave him a disarming smile. “I appreciate the offer, Spike, but Twilight wouldn’t want you to leave the library unattended.” She put her cup down and got up. “Thank you for the tea. I’ll bring you a gift from the city.”
Spike seemed sad but pulled out of it quickly. I grabbed my purse and went with Rarity. Outside the library, I commented, “Spike seems to have a thing for you.”
She sighed. “Yes, I know. I'm flattered, but he's too young. Then there's the issue of species. I appreciate the attention, but someday the two of us are going to have to have a serious conversation about it.”
“Is there any precedence for mixed-species relationships?” I asked, perhaps against my better judgment.
“Er, it's not unheard of,” Rarity said. She seemed a little uncomfortable and I let the subject drop.
We headed for the dimensional doorway terminal, taking a route that transferred us to Manehattan. I had never been to New York, but the pony equivalent looked a lot like pictures I had seen of Manhattan.
Rarity seemed to know where she was going, and I followed her while glancing around at the city. The buildings were some of the tallest in Equestria, although not as towering as human structures. I remembered my trip to Chicago with Rainbow.
“And we are here!” Rarity said, pointing to a store with a flourish. The tall windows had pony-shaped mannequins (ponyquins?) in the window with fancy outfits. Rarity pushed open the door and held it for me.
An earth pony stallion with an elegant outfit and a pair of sunglasses greeted us. “Hello Rarity, it’s good to see you again.”
“You too, Hoity Toity.” Rarity turned and raised a hoof. “I’d like to introduce you to my friend Denise.”
The stallion lowered his sunglasses for a moment and gave me a quick once-over. I felt a little out of place in my vacation clothes. I should have asked Rarity exactly what sort of high class places we would be visiting.
“Hmm, getting into new markets on Earth, Rarity?” he asked.
“Well, actually no, but I suppose it is something to think about,” Rarity replied. “Today, I would just like to sample your raw fabric.”
“Right this way.” Hoity Toity led us towards the back of his store. Away from the showroom, there was a storage space for bolts of fine cloth. There were a dizzying array of colors, patterns, and materials.
Anyway, at Rarity's direction, I felt them all. She had me describe the textures while she kept notes on a piece of paper. Occasionally she would consider a few ideas and make some sketches.
I had never really taken the time to appreciate dressmaking. I liked shopping as much as anyone, but the thought of where all the clothing came from had never come up. And when I say “came from” I mean the designs, not the actual third-world sweatshops.
“Are there any you particularly like?” Rarity asked. While I was no fabric-feeling connoisseur, there were a few that seemed nicer than others. After making her selections, Rarity paid for the fabric and we left the store.
“How about lunch?” Rarity asked. “My treat. Anywhere you like.”
“Oh really?”
She made a face. “Although not McDonald’s. There is a limit to my generosity.”
I laughed. “Why does Equestria even have McDonald’s?”
“I understand that there is a special menu of local fare,” Rarity explained. “But the hamburgers and whatnot are popular among griffons and other meat eating species.”
The local menu made sense. McDonald’s couldn’t exactly serve cow in India, for example. I did wonder what they offered to ponies. Veggie burgers and hay fries, maybe.
We eventually decided on a charming little place that Rarity knew. It was fancy to the max, and I was glad I wasn't the one paying. I wasn’t a wine snob, but Rarity had that covered for both of us. We went through more meal courses than I even knew existed.
After lunch, Rarity suggested we go back to Ponyville and wile away the rest of the afternoon at the spa. I agreed wholeheartedly. “This is probably the fanciest day I’ve ever had in my life.”
Rarity smiled. “I’m glad.”
Heading for the doorway terminal, we passed by a tobacconist. The building looked new, as smoking wasn’t nearly as old of a profession in Equestria as it was on Earth, however the interior was done in varnished woods and polished brass, very much the look of an old-timey smoking lounge. Boxes of cigars – Cubans, even – lined the walls, and there were displays of pipes and loose tobacco. I also saw some hookah supplies. What drew my eye, however, were the small boxes of cigarettes near the counter.
“Rainbow told me not to let you smoke,” Rarity said.
I looked away from the window. “They have fancy cigarette holders with filters. Some are made of silver or gold. The sign in there says they can do custom inlays to match cutie marks, and it’s the perfect accessory for a high class outfit.”
Rarity stared at me for a moment and then shook her head. “Nice try. Come along.”
She was already levitating the bolts of fabric, but also managed to spare some magic to tug on my wrist. Taking the hint, I followed her away, sparing a longing glance back.
Rarity let me go and I kept walking. To avoid the subject of smoking, I asked, “So I understand how you can hold objects in the air, but how does holding on to an arbitrary point, like a spot on my arm, work?”
“I just have to think about gripping something.” Rarity shrugged. “I’m afraid that I can’t really put it to words. I imagine it’s like if you tried to describe fingers; I simply don’t have anything to compare the sensation to.”
I nodded. “I suppose that’s true. I’ve been reading a few of Twilight’s books to try and get some idea.”
Rarity laughed politely. “Even as a unicorn, I think I would find that sort of reading rather dense. You might as well be trying to dig a hole in sand with a spoon.”
“Why would I do that?” I said. “If I was digging in sand, I would scoop it with my hands.”
“Hmm. That is interesting,” she murmured. “Not having hands, I would never have thought of something like that. Now I’m also wondering about the differences between species. Perhaps Twilight is rubbing off on us both.”
Speak of the Devil, Twilight called just then. Her voice sounded tired, but fairly calm. “Hey Denise, I’m in Beijing. I need to get to the Forbidden City. I have a meeting there.”
Rarity overheard. “I was just in China last week to buy some silk in bulk. I think I can help you.” I gave her the phone and she balanced it among the other things that she carried. “Now Twilight, as you know, the doorway terminal was built on the airport complex. You’ll want to go southwest. Get off the major roads because they don’t go directly through the center of the city, where the walled Forbidden City area is.” She listened for a moment. “Oh my, that sounds intense. Good luck.”
“What is it?” I asked as Rarity hung up and gave the phone back.
“Twilight said she has one last thing to do before finishing up her trip and coming back to Equestria. Apparently, she’s been working on solving some problem literally all week. Since Twilight is a learned pony who knows and respects the meaning of ‘literally,’ I’m going to assume she has actually devoted the last several days to this.”
“Did she say what exactly was going on? I haven’t been able to piece it together from her last few calls.”
Rarity frowned. “Now that you mention it, no.”
The two of us went back to Ponyville and to the spa. It was definitely a place I would recommend to anyone visiting Equestria. I hadn't been pampered like that in ages. Rarity and I were still there hours later when Rainbow found us.
My roommate came in, looking around curiously. She was apparently not somepony who often visited spas. I relaxed beside Rarity, the two of us wearing bathrobes and facial masks. Aloe and Lotus, the spa ponies, had been a little confused what to do with me but had managed to find tools to do manicures and pedicures, rather than their usual hooficures.
“Hey Rainbow,” I said. “You should hang out with us. I don’t think I’ve been this relaxed all week.”
“Uh, I don’t think so,” she said. “Not really my thing.”
“Well, stand there and don’t be fabulous then,” Rarity remarked.
“I’m happy to,” Rainbow shot back.
I chuckled. “So did you have a good time with Scootaloo?”
“Yeah. It’s good to see her again, and her friends.” Rainbow paused. “Oh Rarity, your sister said that she was going to cook dinner or something.”
Rarity jumped right out of her robe and mask. “She what?!”
“Is that bad?” I asked.
“Oh darling, you have no idea. I have to go.” Rarity strode out, only pausing to pay our bill.
Rainbow looked at me. “So, I kind of got roped into watching the Crusaders again tomorrow.”
Against my better judgment, I asked, “Need help?”
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1337 Likes.
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2991468 Yeah, I almost didn't upload the latest chapter because I figured the new views would spoil it.
So, I was curious about this, so I looked up the etymology of 'mannequin'. Apparently, the 'man' does actually mean 'man', so replacing it with 'pony' is the way to go. ('Ponniquin' or 'ponikin' would be even better, but you don't need to go that far.)
Oh, Celestia, Denise is gonna want a smoke in the absolute worst way after that.
Watching the Cutie Mark Crusaders? Good luck. Make sure they tell you about how they got lost in North Carolina.
I don't smoke but I'd say I'd probably need one if I had to watch the CMC, they're great fillies and all but.... Dear god I'd be hard pressed to keep them away from contraptions of mass destruction or medieval siege engines in their ongoing attempt to get their Cutie Marks... I can't even begin to think about how Denise will feel after this.
HOLY FOOKIN SHIET 1347 likes! Cmawn guys we gotta backtrack by 10 so we can screenshot it at 1337!
Ha! Good one.
Good chapter.
Beijing.
Hokey Smokes, I was right! At least about the city.
Rainbow's response:
2992348 ... ... ..! WHAT IN THE HELL IS TWILIGHT DOING?!? *starts headdesking rapidly, then starts flipping all the tables, everywhere
this can only end well
if she smokes
Something tells me by her response to the questioning about Spike that she may have some feelings for him, but she is embarrassed by them due to literal age. Spike however is actually in some ways very mature and well beyond his years in knowledge; not to mention treats Rarity like a Princess which is what she has always seemed to have looked for.
Can't wait for Twilight to get home, followed by the Inevitable Question Barrage. Of course, if she's been working on whatever-it-is "literally" all week, then it's possible she hasn't slept and the Barrage will have to wait...
This is still friggin' UPDATING!?
WHY WAS I NOT NOTIFIED!?
DOES FIMFIC HAVE A FAVS LIMIT BEFORE IT KICKS OTHER FAVES OFF??
THIS IS... ARRRGH!!
...
...
...
Phew. Okay, I'm done.
This is so awesome!
2993214 I bloody hope not, I have over 200 stories faved...
Not to prove Rarity's point or anything - but what does she think she is doing?! It is well known that the best way to drink Earl Grey is with a small amount of lemon, and, if you absolutely must, a bit of honey.
Milk, whilst perfectly fine for a bog-standard cuppa, can barely pass muster in an Earl Grey. Personally, I find milk to mute the flavour somewhat, although perhaps that is why you specify she adds only a little?
As for Denise's failed attempt to persuade Rarity into the tobacconist; the sole reason smoking products look refined is because they enable a person to occupy their hands, adding an air of insoucience in situations where otherwise they may look rather awkward. I somewhat doubt that ponies would have this problem.
Finally, I'm not sure what concerns me more; whatever it is that Twilight has been up to... or the fact that a smoker gone cold turkey has just volunteered to 'watch' the CMC. You know, the kids who sort've canonically blew up a hardware store.
... I'll just be some ways over in this direction *runs away*
2992503
agreed, this thing with Twi needs its own story in the worst way.
2994393
200 is not enough!
I've probably got that many at least.
2994552 yeah no shit, although I think I've seen someone with something like 500, or some shit crazy I can't remember
2994559 Suddenly I feel better with my measly 120
2994559
Doesn't Read All the Stories or Regidar have that many? They both seem active enough.
I think that line came off as, not quite Rarity. Perhaps "...today and I would simply love the assistance of a hand or two to help me pick out textures." The idea being that is sounds less, I need you for X.
SCANDLE
2994986
I feel sad for Spike because I can't support him in this universe now.
Twilight must be trying to save the world or something like this with all this travelling... or she's hunting an elusive book.
3004548
Chrome FTW!
As an ex smoker going on 4 years this October - I can honestly that after 1 day with the CMC I'd be seriously contemplating a 10 pack. I really, really, REALLY hope she survives.
3004552
Nah, I prefer Firefox. The ability to pin tabs makes things a lot easier.
3010138
Only in Europe (where you can't find a Dr Pepper to save your life, anyway). In the US, Dr Pepper is made by the Dr Pepper Snapple Group (which used to be Dr Pepper/Seven Up Bottling Group -- like Coca-Cola owning the rights to "Dr Pepper" outside the US, PepsiCo owns the rights to "7 Up" outside the US).
US Dr Pepper is sometimes bottled under contract by Coca-Cola or PepsiCo, because Dr Pepper does not have a complete network of bottlers and distributors.
"Twilight is a learned pony who knows and respects the meaning of ‘literally,’"
This is literally the best language joke I read this year!
That's the only typo I noticed; forgot the "-al" at the end to make it a noun instead of a verb.
I've really been enjoying this take on human-equine relations, and how elements of the two worlds begin to influence each other. Though I have to question the wisdom of Equestrian government for even beginning to allow the sale of tobacco and other drugs with well-documented negative health effects in humans, albeit with no documentation on health effects in our marshmallowy four-legged friends? One would presume it better to err on the side of caution, though I suppose a bureaucracy that probably hasn't had to deal with the introduction of anything so radically new and different warranting regulation to be passed in what may have been centuries would be a bit slow on the uptake.
2999155 I agree, Rarity as a character in canon does seem to prefer a degree of subtlety, flattery, and — above all — tact, when seeking the assistance or compliance of others.
Aw damn, I'm caught up.
See, this is why I've stayed away from this place for so long. The fics here are addictive as hell and now that I'm caught up here I want to go read other stories.
*sigh*
There goes my weekend.
This story is so good! If only I could write like this
Congratulations sir, your story has gone from my 'Read Later' list to my favorites something no other story has managed.
I just had to comment on this: you're little exchange here between Denise and Rarity about tea just reminded me so much of a similar scene in a manga series called Negima (english title). made it extra funny for me personally
Negative ten culture points to Rarity. You do not drink Earl Grey with milk.