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All good things...4,062 words
...have to start somewhere2,158 words

...have to start somewhere

Rarity stepped out into the cool night sky, the doors of the elevator closing behind her. It was not too cold, and yet she shivered a bit, even with her marine-blue cloak, one of favorite designs.

In front of her, a wooden plank path led into the roof garden that was one of the main attractions of the Arc-en-ciel, the most exclusive restaurant in all of Canterlot. Immaculate hedges lined the path, up until the little wooden bridge, spanning a artificial brook. The brook, in turn, was fed by an artificial waterfall to her right.

Rarity carefully made her way along the path, breathing in deep. The smell of the various flowers scattered artfully around the little garden was intoxicating, and it helped to calm her nerves a bit.

There, on the opposite end of the path, inside this most expensive of restaurants, the most powerful woman in the city waited for her to join her for dinner. And not a business kind of dinner, but a date. Possibly a romantic date, if the mayor’s behaviour was any indication.

Rarity had dated before, as much as her heavy college workload permitted. And if someone had offered her a magic potion, which would allow her to forget her love life up to now, she would have downed it in a second. So she was open to try new options. And a woman who was, as far as Rarity knew, at least ten years older than she was?

Who was gorgeous and kind, and worked tirelessly to make the city a better place for everyone?

To Rarity’s mind, it wasn’t a particularly risky bet. She was sure she’d have a wonderful evening with a charming woman. Everything else… well, she would see.

She took one last deep breath, put on her best smile and entered the restaurant.

The maître d greeted her in english, for which she was eternally grateful. She spoke some french, but she hardly wanted to test it in this specific situation, lest she embarrassed herself (and the mayor) before the evening had even started. She mentioned her name, and she saw his eyebrows rise as he looked at the guest list, before giving her another once-over.

He was friendly, though, and motioned for Rarity to follow him. She smiled in gratitude, and did as she was asked.

The table Celestia had picked was on the second floor, right on the large window front overlooking the city. Rarity could make out the mayor’s striking hair colors through the decorative pillars around the small alcove in which the table was situated.

Rarity smirked as she saw the mayor reach out to smooth her hair.

As she came closer, she realized why the mayor had picked this table. The angle of her seat allowed her to overlook a section of the main street. Even this late at night, the street was bristling with activity. The street lights, shops and moving cars presented an ever-changing light show. And the mayor was the one who watched over them.

Rarity came to a stop a few steps from the table. She watched in awe at the mayor looking outside, chin propped up on her hand, softly smiling at the working of her city.

Other details came to her. The slightly different cut of her suit, one more fitting for a private meeting. The light, just barely imperfect makeup, suggesting the mayor had applied it herself. And a lack of lipstick.

The maître d choose this moment to announce her arrival. Rarity closed the distance to the table, observing how the mayor reacted to the announcement. First by whipping her head around, smiling as she recognized Rarity, then going over to a nervous grin.

Rarity could understand the nervousness.

“Miss Rarity”, Celestia greeted. “I’m glad you came. Would you please take a seat?” She stood halfway up, then probably remembered etiquette, and instead waited until the maître d had taken Rarity’s cloak and left with a slight bow.

“Please, on an occasion like this, just call me Rarity. And it is my pleasure, Madam Mayor.”

“Rarity, then,” Celestia let the name roll of her tongue. “Then, please, call me Celestia. It might not be correct etiquette, but I am afraid I am… unfamiliar when it comes to the dating scene.” She chuckled nervously. “I imagine my behaviour during our first meeting made this abundantly clear.”

Rarity lifted her hand to her mouth to suppress a giggle. “If it is any consolation, I found it quite charming… Celestia.” It was a pleasant name, she felt. Almost... otherworldly. A name fit for a queen or a goddess. “Considering my past dating experiences, you are already my favorite by a large margin.”

The wine waiter came and went. Celestia ordered for them both (which Rarity was grateful for), as she did when they were handed the menu. Rarity did not consider herself a picky eater, and while she worried that food this expensive and high-quality was wasted on her, she was willing to try what she was given.

“Did you date much?” Celestia asked, after they were finally alone again. The wine had arrived, and the waiter had left a bottle with the that probably cost more than a two-person meal in most other restaurants.

Rarity considered chugging her wine here and there, but settled for a defeated sigh. “Some. I tried to find my other half in what time I could spare between school work, but all I discovered was how little respect and kindness count for many people. I hardly think it is too much to ask for someone to show interest in my work and my ambitions, rather than just my body.” She huffed. “How about you, Celestia? Any secret dalliances you managed to keep from the press?”

Celestia chuckled. “No, I am afraid I cannot provide you with gossip material. My childhood and teenage years were spent either studying for university or for my family business. There were some meetings with the heirs of other big companies, but none of these went anywhere. And now… I spend twelve hours a day at work, trying to make this city run smoothly. I… don’t have much of a private life.”

Rarity gasped. “What are you saying? A magnificent woman like you, who does so much for our fair city, and you do not have anything you do for fun?”

“This is the first time ever since I remember.”

“The first… goodness.” Rarity let herself sink back into her seat. The thought of Celestia sitting there, late at night alone in an office, filling out paperwork stung. Sure, Rarity had, herself, pulled more than a couple all-nighters, but she had always taken great care to balance the books. She knew how important it was to take time for oneself.

“Luna -- my sister, she leads the company at the moment -- always tells me I need to take more time for myself. But there’s always more work to do. And I can’t just abandon the people that count on me because I need some…”

“Oh yes you can,” Rarity interjected, voice firm. “From now on, you will need to find something to occupy your time. The people of Canterlot owe you enough already, Madam Mayor. For ten years now, you spent hours upon hours tirelessly toiling away for them. What good is a mayor who eventually collapses from stress? Or who breaks apart the instant she leaves office and has to find something to occupy her time?

“No. You deserve, no, you NEED a break! Your sister is right, Celestia. I can’t allow you to do this to yourself.” Rarity realized she had been on the border of shouting, so she hurriedly looked around for anyone ready to throw her out for disturbing the pristine atmosphere of the restaurant.

Celestia was quiet for a while. She looked over Rarity’s shoulder, out into the city, and for a moment, Rarity was worried she had gone to far. But eventually, Celestia smiled tentatively. “So, I just need to ask you out more often? Because that is what worked this time.”

Rarity giggled, feeling a blush creep on her cheeks. “You are a charmer, Madam Mayor. No wonder the people of Canterlot keep re-electing you!” She took a sip of her wine. It tasted fruity and rich, not as dry as she had expected. Still, she was still on her first glass, and she wanted to keep it that way.

The entrée arrived in form of a Bisque, a rich, creamy soup made from crayfish, as Celestia explained. Rarity enjoyed it, although she considered herself not a fan of seafood. They took their time with the food, lightly making small talk in between.

“Rarity,” Celestia began, after the table had been cleared again. “I have a business proposition for you. As you can imagine, with my height, I have some trouble getting clothes that fit me. And I was hoping I could order from you. I’ve seen examples of your work, and I think they are amazing.” She looked down at the suit she was wearing, another barely-adjusted male design. “This is… adequate, but just so. And I would really like to wear something a bit more feminine.”

Rarity was silent for a while. When Celestia patiently waited, Rarity eventually began: “I’m afraid I am not good enough for the mayor, as far as my design skills are concerned.” She smiled sadly. “I still have a lot to learn, and at the moment, and probably for a while still, I simply cannot be the one to bring out your beauty the way you deserve.”

“But I really like your designs. Isn’t that enough?” Celestia reached out over the table, gently touching Rarity’s hand. “You are way more talented than you give yourself credit for. Fleur de Lis has praised you greatly, and she doesn’t take something like this lightly.”

“She is biased because she trained me,” Rarity murmured. “Nine out of ten designs of mine I sold, she was the one who bought them. The other customers usually go with one of Hoity’s designs.”

“Mostly because he is a familiar name,” Celestia said. “And he goes for broad market appeal on purpose. So of course there are more people flocking to him and his brand. But you, dear Rarity, are immensely talented. Even I, as a normally fashion-averse person, have fallen in love with your designs. You have enormous creativity, and I am completely certain that you will only become better with time and practice. And as an artist, the way to spread your wings is to go down your own path. Do what you want, and not what you think others want from you.” She smiled broadly.

Slowly, carefully, Rarity moved her hand along Celestia’s. She looked up, and managed a somewhat shaky smile. “I… thank you, Celestia.” She tried to find her words, but the feeling of Celestia’s fingers on hers were proving a formidable distraction.

“It’s not easy, I know. But you’ll get there.”

~#~

It was past midnight when Rarity and Celestia left the restaurant and walked along the path towards the elevator. It was cold, and Rarity shivered despite her cloak. Celestia, meanwhile didn’t seem too bothered, even though she had merely buttoned up her suit jacket.

By some shared decision, they both came to a halt on the wooden bridge. The sound of the little waterfall was calming, and Rarity felt herself brushing against Celestia’s larger frame as they stood side by side and looked into the water.

“It was a wonderful date,” Rarity ventured after a while of amicable silence. “Certainly the best one I’ve ever had. Why, if I had known sooner where to look…” She bit her lip.

“I’ve had a lot of fun as well, Rarity,” Celestia said. She fidgeted a bit with the hem of her jacket. “And I would love to have another one.”

Rarity smiled back at her. She suddenly stood on her toes, raising herself a bit towards Celestia.

“You are a bit too tall,” she said. “I’ve thought about asking you if I could help you with lipstick, just so I could give you a taste of mine.” She smirked devilishly at Celestia’s blush. “But… I think this is the better option.”

In a smooth motion, Rarity drew the cloak off her shoulders while spinning around, only to vault up to sit on the bridge railing. “Here’s to a marvelous first date, Madam Mayor.” And with that, the threw the cloak over Celestia’s shoulders, pulling the stunned woman in close.

As their lips met under the moonlight, Rarity wrapped her arms around Celestia and held her close. This dating experience, she thought, she wouldn’t mind repeating forever and ever.

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