Lost Opportunities

by Mewrilah

Rarity

“Come in darling!” the stunning white mare sang after opening the door for you. Your heart always flew into your throat when she spoke, and you listened to everything she said. You had chastised yourself for getting so worked up over her but it was no use. At first, like other ponies (and dragon) before you, it was her outside beauty that attracted you. However, as you spent more and more time with the seamstress, you saw more and more of how she had earned the title, “Element of Generosity.”

“I can’t wait for you to see the suit I made for the Gala,” she beamed, leading you to her room. You couldn’t help but grin along with her, knowing full well that the pieces closest to her heart she kept in her room. Your suit wasn’t the only thing she had been working on. Apparently, the last couple of years the Grand Galloping Gala was held, she made her friends, the other Elements of Harmony, their dresses as well as her own. You felt bad about adding to her burdens but she would have none of it. She couldn’t possibly pass up the opportunity to create a more refined garment for the you.

“Ok, now I want you to close your eyes darling and stretch your arms out. That way you can see what it looks like on you when you first look at it.”

Sounded reasonable, so you happily complied. She led you into her room with your magic, stopped you and started placing the jacket on you. The pants, she told you, didn’t really matter, they would fit like the other pairs she made you. As she slipped it on, you were relieved that the tux she made wasn’t like one of those other stuffy ones. Even with your T-shirt, there was plenty of room. When she finished buttoning you up, you felt her turn you around, most likely towards her mirror and told you to open your eyes.

Your tuxedo did not look like it took only a few weeks to create. It sat proudly on your shoulders, and even if you slouched you still looked formal. The sleeves ended in a gold trim, and allowed your arms a full range of movement, not to the point to where you could do cartwheels in the tux, but just enough so if you ate in it, you didn’t have to twist your arm at odd angles just to pick up your fork. Under the jacket, Rarity had slipped you into a metallic silver vest, that gave a perfect contrast to the jet black material of the tux. The V of the tux also had some gold trim, nicely finishing the entire piece.

“Well, what do you think?” the mare asked nervously, not sure how to treat your silence.

You answered by picking her up and hugging her, at which she chuckled a bit at you enthusiasm.
“I’m glad you feel that way about it,” she smiled, asking you politely to put her down.

You quickly apologized, but Rarity waved her hoof.

“You were just expressing your gratitude dear. No need to apologize for that. Now is there anything you would like fixed about the suit? Is it too tight in a certain area? You won’t be hurting my feelings darling. I want to make sure that your first Gala is memorable.”

You tapped your chin in thought. There was something that you had wanted to ask the seamstress, and now seemed to be the best time.

“Well there is something that I wanted to ask you, Rarity,” you started, your rib cage the only thing keeping your heart in place.

“Sure darling. I hope you know by now that you can ask me anything.”

“Well, you see I haven’t been able to get a date to the Gala. And you're a pretty mare Did you really just say that? and I’d understand if you already had a date but…” You chuckled out of all the stress you were placing on yourself.

“Well actually darling, I don’t have a date to the Gala,” Rarity gave you a small smile.

“Oh you don’t,” your heart started racing again. She simply nodded. “Well in that case,” you cleared your throat, dropping on one knee. Why were you doing that? You aren’t proposing to her you big dum dum. Just asking her to the Gala. “Rarity, would you give me the honor of being my date to the Gala.”

Rarity, raising a hoof to stifle her giggling at your adorable klutziness (at least that’s what you hoped she was giggling at) took a moment to compose herself before delivering the verdict.

“Yes.”

“I knew that this was a dumb… what did you say?” you did a double take, looking at the now smiling mare.

“It would be my pleasure to be your date to the Gala, ________.”

With that, you again hugged the mare, keeping in mind to curb your happiness. She reciprocated the hug back.

Seeing as you were done here, your mission accomplished, you bade your date farewell. Leaving the boutique, you couldn’t help but skip on your way back home, grabbing random ponies, picking them up and hugging them. The ponies were friendly, but not that friendly, save Pinkie Pie, she was always friendly.

Even after arriving in Equestria a few months ago, some ponies were still wary of your presence. It probably didn’t help that when you were dropped into this world, it was towards the end of winter, and you had tried to break into multiple houses to escape the cold. Hearing the screams of the townsponies, you were knocked out by a blast from Princess Twilight Sparkle, the same mare who you now lived with. After some tight knots, magic and a few hours of interrogation by her and her friends, you were then released, although you couldn’t leave the castle until all the other princesses of Equestria had inspected you for themselves. This took a few weeks, as while this was a potential emergency, Princess Celestia, Luna and Cadance needed a plan if you attacked them.

Of course, the weather didn’t decide to change at all, so you were left to freeze in one of the castle rooms. This was where you encountered Rarity, as Fluttershy convinced her to make you something warmer, and noticing that you wore clothes added she could create some new styles. The alabaster mare’s eyes widen at the prospect and within a few minutes she had set up a small version of her shop in your “cell” and immediately went to work.

By the time the princesses had arrived, she had made you not only some winter attire, but some spring and summer attire as well. Since she had spent so much time with you, Rarity was also happy to vouch that you were only trying to get warmth. The other Elements agreed, that somehow this was all just a misunderstanding and that you simply wanted to go home. This was where your hostess decided to reveal to you that you were immune to magic and the only hope for you would be to build some sort of portal that did not require magic. (How convenient.)

Thus, having no other choice, you were currently stuck here until Twilight or the Princesses’ researchers could find a way to send you back home. In the meantime, Twilight offered to let you stay, so that if she found potential ways, she could “sample” them on you. Let’s just say that for the most part, the only injured part of you was your pride.

Anyway, back to again terrorizing the townsponies. You were surrounded by magic before you could continue your hugging spree. Floated upside down, you saw your favorite alicorn bookworm staring at you with a confused look on her face.

“I asked Rarity to the Gala and she said yes,” you sheepishly explained, which earned you both a congratulations and a lecture on how to control your emotions. (As if she was the one to lecture you.)

---

The Gala couldn’t come any sooner, but tonight was the night. Adorned in your handmade tux, bouquet of roses in hand you knocked on the door that you were all so familiar with. You perked up even more when you heard your date call out “Just a minute darling” from the other side.

Your anticipation continued to build up as you heard her soft hoofalls approaching. You even jumped a little when you heard the door creak open. “Alright, calm down. You haven’t even gotten to the Gala yet. Don’t die of nerves right here.”

You were about to greet your date, but your words received a 204 error, no content found. Rarity had never shown you her dress, but now you were glad she didn’t. She chose a dazzling red deep cut dress. She had let her usually curled mane down, flowing just over the shoulders of her dress. The way her pristine white coat clashed the tempting red was exhilarating, and she did a slow turn, letting you take in every bit of her features. Upon finishing her modeling for you she giggled.

“Like what you see,” she smirked at your glazed expression.

You slowly nodded, still entranced by just her beauty.

“So are you going to continue staring or are we going to join our friends to the Gala?”

Snapping out of your stupor, you allowed her to take the lead as that was the equivalent of leading a girl back on Earth. The both of you met up with the rest of her friends, Spike giving frustrated huffs every so often. When he learned about your success with Rarity, he was bitter, but eventually he was able to accept that you took the courage to ask her and congratulated you.

This wasn’t a night about the little dragon though. This was your night. The night to where you would finally confess your love for Rarity and ask her if she would be your special somepony. Your plan was this. You would ask her to dance for one of the slow songs and during the apex of it, you would pop the question. It was sure to work, after all she said yes to being your date.

The carriage ride was nothing but good cheer and friends enjoying each other’s company. There was some teasing among each pair of dates, but other than that you were in high spirits. At one point the party reminisced about their first Gala, how they had high hopes of it being the best night ever but in the end it was a total disaster. So caught up in your chat you all barely realized that you had arrived.

Each pair exited together, your hand held in Rarity’s magic. At the entrance you were greeted by none other than the Princess of the Sun yourself.

“Hello, _________. You certainly look dashing in that tux.”
“Thank you Princess. It’s all due to my lovely date here,” you gestured your date, who blushed and nodded.

“It was really nothing your highness,” she replied. “I was glad to be able to bring out his natural handsomeness.”

Celestia leaned in closer to the both of you. “ You two make a cute couple, if I may say so,” she said softly.

That caused both of you to blush hard.

“Th- thank you, Princess,” you both stammered, quickly excusing yourselves before the Princess could make more remarks.

You joined the rest of your party at the assigned table and waited for Celestia to start the festivities. Once she did, the rest of your night proceeded normally, no hitches at all. As you finished your dinners, the dance floor was opened, and you asked Rarity if she wanted to dance.

“Why darling, I didn’t know you knew how to dance,” she spoke a little bemused at this new knowledge.

“I don’t,” you smiled. “But that’s not going to stop me from trying.” You stood up, offering your hand.

She giggled at your answer and placed her hoof in your hand. “I would be delighted to be swept off my hooves with you.”

With her acceptance, you were among the first pairs to hit the dance floor. To start things off there was a light peppy tune, and you both were laughing trying to keep up with the beat. You were kinda glad that it didn’t start with a more formal dance, as you and Rarity took this time to adjust to each other, but in no time you found your own groove.

Several songs later, your opportunity came.

For this, Rarity hopped up, resting her forehooves on your shoulders. You supported her back and made sure she kept her balance. The music picked up and you both waltzed around other couples. During the song, you started building up your own courage. You mentioned how even in the span of a couple months, you felt that the two of you had gotten close. She simply nodded, smiling at your awkwardness. You then went on about all of her traits that you liked: obviously her generosity, but also her ambition, her grace and inner and outer beauty. She lightly reddened at each compliment. The apex then came, and you took your shot.

“Rarity, there’s something I need to ask you,” you spoke, false bravery in your voice.

“Sure darling. You know you can ask me anything,” she cooed.

“Will you be my special somepony?”

The music ended and you had a shocked mare in your hands.

“S-special somepony?” her eyes widened.

“Yes. I love you Rarity,” you replied, not sure what she was going to say next.

“Well darling,” she started looking for the words. “I’ve grown fond of you too, but I’m not sure in that manner. You are by definition a gentlecolt. You open doors for mares, always are willing to lend a hoof, and are such a flatterer. But I think that it would be best if we remained friends.”

She hugged you tightly. “I’m sorry.”

You hugged her back, letting it all sink in. “it’s ok Rarity,” you lied, trying to hold back the tears. “Having you as a close friend is better than being a stranger.”

She smiled. “And you are a very close friend indeed, __________. I’m glad you understand.”

The rest of the night was awkward for you. Despite being heartbroken, you still walked her to her boutique. A farewell hug later, you slowly walked back to Twilight’s castle, thinking about what made the mare reject you. Was it because you were another species? Had you come off as too friendly? You opened the castle doors to see the purple alicorn was waiting for you, some apple cider next to her. Before she could speak you held up a hand.

“I’ll talk later Twilight, I promise.”

Seeing as pushing would only make things worse, she nodded slowly, reminding you that she would be ready to listen when you were ready. Thanking her, you retired to bed, not even bothering to remove your clothes and cried yourself to sleep.

Author's Note:

Here's another one. We're only just beginning. Mwahahaha.

Comments

[Anstca]

At least there letting him down gently so far.

[Mewrilah]

7782486 Yeah, I think for most of the ponies I will write, they would be too nice to do anything other than let you down slowly. (I tried for second person but it seems I'm being a little too specific in my dialogue .) Maybe Rainbow Dash might, as she would see being in a relationship as "uncool" and sometimes she can be a bit crude in dealing with things. (Also not trying to bash on her, just that's how I see her.) I could make the human desperate, but that seems demeaning to the reader, since the human is supposed to be you. I don't know, still playing around with some ideas for right now. Thank you for the feedback, it really does help.

[Anstca]

7782518 I agree with you they would be gentle. And if anyone wasn't it would be Dash. I don't see her as mean persay just she lacks tact and tends to blurt things out before she thinks it all the way through. (Tho I also see her coming back and apologizing and trying to smooth things out once she realizes what she did. They are friends after all.)