The Perfect Date
Twilight waved Starlight and Spike on their way, then shut all the doors and windows of her castle. At last she was alone. With a quiet hum and a smile she trotted along the hallway. She had been looking forward to this afternoon for weeks, and now it was finally here. All that remained was to follow the instructions she had memorized.
The perfect date requires the perfect tableware. Twilight took a porcelain tea set from the dining room. The greatest ceramicists had spent years creating it, using the most delicate of porcelain. Renowned pre-classical artists had spent countless nights adorning the smooth surface with intricate designs of golden leaf. Seven generations of nobles had treasured it, passing it down from parent to child until it had made its way to Twilight herself—a gift from her mother to mark her coming of age.
With the utmost care, Twilight brushed the few specks of dust off the cups and saucers, then gently placed them on each side of the table.
The perfect date requires the perfect beverage. Twilight took the rarest of tea leaves from the kitchen. The best tea growers of Saddle Arabia had toiled for generations growing and selecting the finest crops, until they created a melange of taste that could rival the heavens themselves. The Prince of Saddle Arabia had given a pouch of those leaves to Twilight during her third diplomatic mission there in an attempt to receive her hoof in marriage. She had politely declined, yet was asked to keep the gift as a sign of their friendship.
Twilight placed five leaves at the bottom of the teapot, then filled the rest with steaming water. Taking a whiff of the faint aroma, she smiled, reminiscing for a few moments before putting the lid back on.
Only the perfect atmosphere would suffice. Twilight took the music box from the her bedroom table. Seven gryphon craftsman had spent months building it from the purest of metals, based on designs Twilight had found in the Royal Canterlot Library. Each detail had been crafted to perfection, capable of producing a melody rivaling the rays of Celestia's sun. Classical gryphon poets had written odes about the music box, created as a gift from King Grover to his wife. It was said that never before had a tune of such unsurpassed beauty graced the land of mortal beings, nor would it ever again.
Twilight placed the music box gently in the center of the table. She wound its mechanism with a silver key, then removed the latch from its lid, leaving the melody ready for the perfect moment to fill the room with its sounds.
The amount of sweetness must be perfect. Twilight placed the finest lumps of pink sugar in the sugar container. Each was made of rose petal syrup, bringing the perfect aroma of gentle sweetness to enhance the tea, yet without overwhelming the palate. An entire town of earth ponies had spent generations growing the flawless field of roses. Only the best petals were deemed worthy for the rose press, then sent by the wagonload to produce a single vial of rose oil. The thick liquid was then twice distilled under the strictest of care to create a spoonful of pink sugar.
Twilight placed the sugar container on the far side of the table, precisely two and a half hooves from the tea cup. She then placed a pair of silver serving tongs beside it.
The amount of softness must be perfect. Twilight took the finest cushions from the guest room. Each cushion had a core of the softest clouds, custom built in Cloudsdale’s weather factory. A host of experts had meticulously observed the process ensuring it met the exact specifications the Princess had given them. The case of each cushion was made of the finest spider silk dyed in a shade of soft purple. The most skilled silk farmers had spent years collecting the magic infused strands, transforming them into a fabric smooth as the wind itself.
Twilight placed a cushion on either side of the table. Straightening the slightest of wrinkles, she gently passed a hoof over their surface, daydreaming for a few minutes.
The scenery must be breathtakingly ideal. Twilight took the finest tapestry from her attic—a perfect depiction of sunrise given to her by Princess Celestia herself. A school of master weavers from the pre-classical era had worked for decades capturing the beauty of the rising sun on cloth. Unicorn magicians had spent morning after morning, gathering the suitable rays of light and enchanting them into threads. Each thread contained the strength and softness of the morning, the hope and joy, stronger than the first caress of a true love's kiss.
Twilight hung it on the distant wall. Its light filled the room like a small sun, covering everything with its soft embrace. She stretched at the rays' gentle warmth, her mouth opening in a slight yawn.
The perfume must be perfection itself. Twilight took the finest incense from the parlor. Zebracan perfume makers had spent decades gathering exotic wood and tree sap to create the absolute bouquet of aromas fit for deities. Shamans had used it to clear their minds and heighten their senses as they meditated upon the questions of the universe. Zecora herself only used it on special occasions, yet had parted with some in thanks to Twilight for saving her life.
Twilight placed the bowl of incense on a small table near the wall and lit it with her magic. An almost invisible river of smoke trickled into the air.
The perfect date requires the perfect present. Twilight took the most magnificent dragon gem necklace from her jewelry box. Thousands of years were necessary for the purple gemstone to form and age to perfection. Two generations of dragons had guarded it jealously, keeping it at the very center of their hoard. Dragon Lord Ember had brought it to Twilight at the first dragon-pony summit, as a mark of the friendship between their peoples, and as a personal token of gratitude for the help she had received becoming Dragon Lord.
Twilight placed the necklace on one side of the table next to the teacup. Rays of light bounced off its polished surface, obtaining a deep purple hue.
Smiling at her accomplishment, Twilight took a step back, casting one final critical eye at the arrangement. Everything was set to perfection—nothing out of place, nothing left to chance. The only thing missing was—
The sound of hooves knocking on wood echoed through the corridors. Twilight's ears perked up. She made a quick trot round the table and then, adjusting the position of the sugar container one final time, teleported to the castle entrance. Her legs trembled slightly. Twilight took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and then exhaled loudly as she opened the door.
"Hello, Rarity." Her eyes beamed with the strength of a dozen suns. "I'm so glad you're here."
The perfect date requires the perfect mare.
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Aw cute!
All the describing in the beginning kinda made me bored though.
I was thinking it was princess Celestia Hehehe
Very well written. I could hear and see the story unfolding in my mind's eye. You nailed Twilight down to a tee, and your physical descriptions were on point. Again - well done! :)
It's another Lisecan event. :P
Excellent story!
7480851 But that's the best part! That's the story!
This was awesome.
I was kind of wondering if Rainbow Dash would just crash into the castle during the date and just completely FUBAR everything.
I can't help but imagine if Rarity had gotten a cold that day...
T'was some nice fluffy fluff, Lise.
Should of left the dates name a mystery ....no names mentioned would have more impact.
Was waiting for punchline about some ruffian who would appreciate none of these things. Ah well. It is well written.
"After Twilight had set the gift out, she knew the tapestry wasn't quite enough. She returned to her attic to fetch her prized black forest cucu clock. The surface, brushed with pure 25 karat gold. The roof of the housing made from wood, delicately cut from several millennia old trees. Every spring and sprocket made from the purest of silver. Polished and infused with high mage magic so that they would never tarnish. Each one. Tightened and calibrated to the nth degree. While the engraved design on the front , the product of over 30 years of meticulous work, beautifully enhancing the door near the top. Made from a century old emerald. Hiding the small jewel encrusted bird inside. Crafted from a mix of gold and ruby, sapphire and onyx. The clock face itself was covered in the highest quality quartz and the hands themselves. Carved from lava rock. The Roman numerals, expertly calligraphyed on the surface. And finally. The counterweight at the bottom. The chain hoof-crafted from wrought iron. The weights themselves made of expertly cut granite. She hung it on the wall. Opposite the tapestry. It was an heirloom. Past down from her father's cousin's brother's uncle's former roommate. Who received it from a wizened old stallion in Germarey . The stallion had worked his entire life on that clock. Which he then entrusted with the roommate. Who then proceeded to keep it in his attic for 60 years until it was stumbled upon yet again. While twilight was admiring it, it fell off its wall hanging and shattered into several zillion expensive pieces."
I'm not really sure what it was I just read. It seemed like nothing more than a few paragraphs describing a few objects. It was a lot of setup, but nothing to follow it.
7480851 Sorry, was a fluff experiment. Thanks for persevering till the ending :))
7480859 Nah, that's another fic :P
7480880 :D Thanks! Glad you enjoyed :) Trued to add a bit if "logical, but misses the point" element to her reasoning :) Still, I'm liking Twilight's chances.
7480947 :D Wing! :)))
Well, one likes to experiment :)
7481011 Thankee, Octy :) Hooe you had fun reading :)
7481231 Now that would be cruel! ... but not unexpected. Thus the closed windows ;)
7481268 Hmm... Well, knowing Twilight she would have taken the logically complicated rout and teleported the entire setting to Rarity's room, where they would have had the date. Rarity, of course, would be surrounded by a healing bubble. :)
7481448 Ouch! That might make the date a bit awkward... But at least great conversation starter for breaking the ice :D
7481742 Sorry, it was literally just a set up without anything to follow. :(
More the chase than the catch.
7481448 Now that would be a hilarious (though unexpected) alternate ending.
I loved the suspense that each paragraph built. It builds and builds, getting higher and higher… then the resolution brings a nice heartwarming feeling to float the story back down again. Thanks for sharing, Lise!
7482242 :) Thanks! First steps in fluff. Will try to improve for it to be longer than a scene in future :)
7482165 haha. It's okay. It's raritwi fluff which helped.
7481448
I hope everypony know that that was a joke.
Huehuehue huehuehue.
I thought the last part would be a bait-and-switch.
***
"Well, what do you think?"
Maud stared. "It's nice. You have a rock." Blink. Blink.
You know that feeling when you're going up stairs and there's one less than you think there's going to be? That's kind of what I got from this.
"Hmm, interesting, kinda mysterious, kinda cute, I wonder what's going to... oh, it's just a simple pairing. Nevermind!"
Nothing wrong with simple pairings, of course, but after the build-up, it felt like a bit of a letdown.
Not a bad story, and I like the idea, but the execution doesn't really work for me.
7483814 ooh the twimaud ship would be difficult but not impossible
At first, i thought Twilight was setting the table for Spike and Starlight, who would see it, then say "Yeah...uh, how about we go out for a pizza instead?"
Not bad. You were clearly working on polishing up your descriptions and I feel like they worked quite well overall, although you definitely have room for improvement. I strongly recommend reading some of Michener's work for reference because he was absolutely brilliant at crafting long, beautiful, elaborate descriptions without loosing the reader's interest which greatly enhanced his writing. My personal favorite is The Source, but basically all his work is fantastic and will greatly help you improve your craft.
Also, for all the prep work Twilight went through, that gift was a special kind of tacky. Seriously, she re-gifted a major diplomatic gift. That was the kind of thing that belonged on public display to show everyone the strength of the relationship between the two nations, but she gave it away like it was some worthless trinket.
7483814 That would have been so cruel in a sweet kind of way :)
7484192 Sorry :( Didn't mean to ruin your experience.
Was an attempt at writing something new. Might do a sequel at some point (thought it's doubtful) If I do I'll be sure to PM you :)
7485111 So heartless you are... :P Now I see why Ember left you!
7486580 Thanks! :)) Will definitely read that to get a better sense :)
And Twilight just did the most logical thing (as she always does :P)
7487798 Enjoy!
And Twilight made a huge problem by failing to think things through. Again.
I enjoyed all the descriptions of Twilight's trinkets and the stories behind them although, perhaps a Mystery tag should be added since the reader is left guessing who the date is until the end? But maybe that's just me thinking that.
7488572 :D Thanks! Very glad you enjoyed :)
The story is a bit short for a mystery rag, maybe? :) it's barely above 1k. (And it's clear who the date is :P *joke*)
Your descriptions were beautiful and well thought; love the story!
As an experiment, I feel that it worked out most excellent. As per your other stories which I've read, your skill with the written word has once again shone brilliantly.
Da'ww, that subtle shipping.
7875921 O:) Twilight knows how to impress :D
7960783 No fireworks on the first date :P
Aww that was a fun read. It’s nice to see Twilights ocd used for her benifit for a change