2. First Date
As it turned out, Rarity had indeed heard of Café Soleil. Then again, anypony interested in high society and fashion knew what it was.
Longstanding rumor told that Café Soleil had been Celestia’s favorite dining spot when it first opened its doors. Supposedly, she thought of it as her spot whenever she wanted a little break from the palace to allow herself a few moments to herself—guard escort and doting wait staff aside—and loved the outdoor seating. Luna joined as well, albeit with a few good-natured jokes about it making more sense to be named Café de la Lune since it did more business at night.
Whether or not it was true, nopony but the owners and the elder princesses knew. And Celestia and Luna so loved the chance to give their coy, secretive smiles and half-answers whenever such things came up, so they were more than happy to let everypony believe the tale.
Rarity, like so many others throughout the land, was completely sold. Dressed in a splendrous midnight blue dress with a flowing hemline that sparkled like the night sky, she gaped openly, as though she were trying to take in everything at once. From the smooth marble columns, rounded to perfection and gleaming in the torch light, to the powder pink walls adorned with original works of classical artists like Moneigh, Cantraletto, and a pair of the fantasy works of van Gallop, which drew a gasp and a hoof to steady her beating heart.
“Celestia donated them,” Twilight said, sensing the chance for a bit of education. She had managed to talk Rarity out of dressing as if they were going to the Gala, but had given in to wearing her regalia along with a purple dress that matched the streak of her mane. Flashing her history nerd cred was an equivalent tradeoff. “She had them stashed away in a private gallery for a couple centuries, but she gave them to the owners as a gift—”
“Because she felt they would be better off being loved and appreciated by her ponies than hidden away for her eyes alone,” Rarity finished in a bit of a daze. She shook her head and blinked a couple times, then turned her attention to Twilight. She stared as though seeing her friend for the first time. “How did you even get a reservation here?”
Twilight allowed herself a rare chance to raise her nose toward the ceiling and imitate her aunts’ maddeningly coy smile. “Being a member of the Royal Family does have some perks along with all the tediousness of paperwork and governance,” she replied. Her façade faded, she ducked her head and tried to hide an uneasy smile. “We sort of skip to the front of the line when we want to go out and eat at nice places. It’s still a bit weird for me.”
“Yes, I recall you mentioned your fillyhood. Middle class astronomer and professor, yes?” At Twilight’s nod, Rarity smiled. “Well, Princess, that does explain why you try to avoid wearing your regalia, no matter how nicely I polish it.”
“I do not avoid it! And I thought we talked about calling me Twilight!” Twilight stomped her hoof. “We’re not at a function!”
“But we are in public,” Rarity countered, raising her hoof. “We have to maintain your image or ponies might get the wrong idea, Princess.”
Twilight bit the inside of her cheek. The wrong idea? She did her best to hide the frown that threatened to mar her face, and instead turned her attention to the maitre ‘d, a smartly dressed stallion of slate coat and slick black mane in a pinstripe suit.
The maitre d’ bowed as soon as her eyes fell upon him. “Princess Twilight,” he greeted in a rich, smooth voice, “how wonderful to see you again. Your table is ready, and Master Au Gratin will be along to greet you personally in short order.”
“Oh, thank you. I haven’t seen him in ages. I hope he’s been well.”
“Quite well, Princess,” he replied with a nod. “He was called away to entertain an elderly mare celebrating her birthday some time ago. Normally, he would of course be here to greet you himself, but she is an old family friend.”
Twilight smiled and waved him off. “I understand. Hopefully she enjoys her night.”
“Indeed. In the meantime, please allow me to show you to your table.” He stepped out from behind his stand and bowed again, then led Twilight and Rarity through the restaurant in a methodical trot through the restaurant’s dining room. His pace was quick enough to move them along so none of the patrons would have the chance to step into their path and interrupt, but slow enough to allow them the chance to appreciate the décor a bit more.
More something for Rarity than herself, but Twilight appreciated the subtle maneuver. It afforded Rarity the chance to look up at the ceiling and marvel at the depiction of the midday sun breaking through the clouds on proud display all across the ceiling.
Au Gratin’s great-grandfather, Ala Carte, spared no expense on artistic flair, and his family spared even less on ensuring that his efforts would be preserved for all time.
“By Celestia’s wings,” Rarity breathed. She faltered a step, her shoulder brushed against Twilight’s. “It’s gorgeous!”
Twilight sent silent thanks and praise to Cadence’s wisdom. It wasn’t the first time, and she was loathe to admit it likely wouldn’t be the last. Regardless, things were going smoothly thus far, and Twilight wasn’t going to complain.
The maitre d’ led them out onto the balcony overlooking the horizon, straight off the side of Mount Canterhorn. The best view of the city save for Canterlot Castle itself. A two-seater table adorned with a white linen cloth and a pair of violets resting in a slender glass vase and set for a full course meal awaited them.
Surprisingly, the air wasn’t cold. It was cool, certainly, but nowhere near as chilly as the walk up the pathway to the front door. Twilight furrowed her brows and turned to ask the question, but found her answer hanging from the wall—a pair of glowing pink crystals known as Hearth Warmers hung by chain from bronze handles to the wall.
“Princess,” their escort said with a bow, gesturing to one seat as he pulled it out with a gentle tug of his magic, which she happily slid into. Then he did the same for Rarity. “Your server will be with you momentarily. Until then, might I fetch a bottle of wine for the pair of you?”
“What would you recommend?” Twilight asked, taking initiative to disguise her lack of knowledge just as Cadence had instructed her.
“Master Au Gratin favors the Capusado Mostrato. It’s a white wine with a bit of a sweet taste. It goes rather well with pasta, in my opinion.”
“I think that would be just fine.” Twilight turned to Rarity. A hint of dread crept into her chest when she realized she’d spoken for both of them, she hastily added, “If that’s okay with you?”
To her relief, Rarity smiled. “It’s quite fine with me, Princess. I find Capusado to be quite tasty myself.” She winked. “It also doesn’t cause nearly the amount of headaches as red wines.”
“That is very true,” the maitre d’ agreed. “Capusado Mostrato it is. I will have it brought out shortly. Enjoy, Princess. M’lady.” He bowed, then turned and began a brisk trot inside, leaving them together in the cool night air.
A few short minutes later, a young blond mare dressed in a white button down shirt came trotting out carrying a tray aloft in the pink glow of her magic. A blue bottle and a pair of glasses rested upon the tray. She bowed her head and murmured a shy greeting in a mix of Prench and Equish as she poured their drinks, then set them on the table.
Twilight accepted her glass, waiting a moment for Rarity to take hers. Their eyes met, they clinked the glasses together and sipped. A sweet, fuitlike taste greeted her, reminiscent of apples and pears; a curious mix, but not unwelcome. She licked the remnants from her upper lip, and turned to give an appreciative nod to the young mare. “Thank you,” she said. “And your name is?”
The mare seemed to squirm. “Leva,” she replied, her accent thick as she slipped into her native tongue. “Leva Jaune, ma Princesse.”
“Leva,” Twilight said, testing it out for herself. “Thank you, Leva. Would you mind giving us a couple minutes to decide?”
“O-Of course.” Leva gave a hasty bow and folded the tray against her side. “I’ll be back in a few moments. Enjoy, Princesse. Et—And you, miss.”
Rarity nodded in kind, her mask of propriety and decorum firmly in place. Her eyes, however, scarcely left Twilight’s for a second.
Her heart was doing backflips, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered aimlessly once more.
For a moment, there was silence between the pair. They stared at one another, Rarity’s eyes shone and she seemed as though she were ready to start bouncing in her seat, like Sweetie Belle waiting for her favorite sweets.
Twilight couldn’t help but give a nervous smile. “What do you think?”
“It’s wonderful!” Rarity squealed, beaming shamelessly. “The art, the décor, the view, everything! It’s better than I ever dreamed!” She paused a moment to take a breath, her chest heaved. “What in Equestria did I do to deserve coming here? Oh, never mind that!” She waved Twilight off before she could take the easy opening. “This is already a wonderful evening. Thank you so much!”
Already? They’d barely even begun, was a look around a nice building really all it took?
It’s the artist in her, Twilight reminded herself. After all, Rarity was quite known for marveling at little design elements of particular dresses or the culture and history of Canterlot or Manehattan. And that was on top of the “glamour” of the respective cities’ high societies.
All according to Cadence’s advice. Her sister-in-law had an uncanny knack for that sort of thing.
“Thank you for agreeing to come with me,” Twilight replied. “I was hoping to spend a little time with you. Just the two of us. Quality time, if you will. And you’ve been a good mare-in-waiting and a better friend.”
“You flatter me, Princess, but—”
“Twilight,” she interrupted.
Rarity blinked twice. She glanced at the balcony door, then back at Twilight. “Didn’t we just agree that—”
“I’m not agreeing tonight,” Twilight interrupted again. “Just tonight. We can be regular ponies, without the need for propriety and titles and putting on a show in front of other ponies because of this silly crown.”
“I—but—Pri—Twilight!” Rarity all but whined as she shot another furtive glance at the door. “In Ponyville is one thing, but not in a high class restaurant in the middle of the capital!”
True, but Twilight had one last card to play. She stuck out her lip and angled her head downward, widening her eyes as much as she could. A trick she used to get extra cookies from Shining Armor. “Please?”
Rarity sucked in her lips, she squirmed in her seat as if physically struggling with the notion. Then, she sighed and gave in. “Ooooooh! Very well! Twilight it is! Now would you please stop pouting at me?”
Twilight withdrew her lip and beamed. “Happily!” she chirped, fluffing her feathers in victory. Cadence’s little trick to get Shining to give in was quite fun, actually. “So, just Twilight and Rarity tonight.”
“Indeed. So, then, Twilight, I’ve never really asked—which, come to think of it, was rather rude of me.” She coughed and let one ear droop. “I’ve never asked what would you do if you weren’t a princess.”
Thinking a moment, Twilight tilted her head. “Well, you know I do quite a bit of studying in my spare time.”
Rarity arched a slender brow. “A bit? Twilight, I do believe you’ve just won the award for understatement of the year. I’ve seen mountains smaller than your book piles.”
“Ha ha, you’re so witty.” Twilight stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes. “Anyway, I think something along those lines. Research, experiments, testing new spells. Something along those lines, most likely. Nothing quite as grand as being a high-end fashion designer.”
“Oh, hush!” Rarity tutted and lightly smacked Twilight’s wrist despite the smile spreading across her face. Generous though she was, the mare was not without a sense of vanity and a weakness for flattery when it came to her talents. “Research and experimentation might not be my cup of tea, but let’s not pretend some of the things you’ve learned on the side, so to speak, haven’t been impressive. Your work on refining your teleportation spell, for instance. Honestly, if you hadn’t, I don’t think I’d have ever accepted a side-along ride again after our—ahem—unfortunate mishap during your first month.”
Ducking her head, Twilight let her ears lay flat. She drew tiny circles in the linen cloth. “I didn’t realize putting that much magic into the spell would char your tile at the time. Or that dress you were working on for me …”
Rarity waved her off. “Twilight, it’s in the past. I forgave you ages ago!”
“I know, but you worked so hard on it and—eep!” Twilight had to fend off a tendril of magic tweaking her ear with one of her own. She shot a pointed glare at the beautiful mare across the table. “Excuse you!”
“Apologies, darling,” she said, looking anything but apologetic, “but you were getting down on yourself again. Princess Celestia insisted I be on the look out for that when I took my post.”
Twilight gave a playful huff. That wasn’t a battle she could win. Besides, Rarity had a point. “Fair enough. That aside, thank you for the compliment.” A coy smile played upon her lips. “I do recall you being a bit nervous to side-along with me when I first tested it, though.”
Rarity took a sip of her wine to disguise hide her blush. “Well, given the first ride, I was a bit skeptical. But you proved me wrong, as you’ve done many times with some of our less savory guests.” She paused for a few seconds, then tittered. “Do you remember that Yakish ambassador last fall?”
“Who could forget? Spike still flinches if I say ‘not right’ loud enough!”
“Oh, don’t get me started on that! I’ll never forgive him for swinging that club at you.”
Twilight squirmed in her seat. “Well, to be fair, I did pin him against the wall after that and scare the wits out of him, so I think we’re even.”
“After he destroyed your old throne, yes.” Rarity frowned. “He’s on my bad list, Twilight. And if he ever dares to utter a cross word in your presence again, he will find that ‘whiny, prissy pony’ can be quite wicked with needles.”
Wincing, Twilight sought to change the subject. “How about Lady Mai from Neighpon? You hit it off well with her, if I recall.”
The frown ran away from Rarity’s face, her eyes seemed to flash. “Darling, Mai and I could go on for days about Neighpon’s fashion trends. We simply must have her over again.”
“Actually, I believe she was hoping to host us this time around. Talks regarding trade to do business with Sweet Apple Acres in exchange for metal for farming tools, if I recall.”
“Oooh! A trip to Neighpon? A chance to stay in the Jade Palace? I can hardly wait!” A coy smile settled upon Rarity’s lips, she fixed Twilight with a lidded stare. “You know she tried to convince me to leave you employ and come make kimonos for her, right?”
Twilight nearly spat out her wine. “She what?”
“It’s true. I told her I hadn’t the faintest idea how to make one, and that I was quite happy with you. She was rather disappointed, the poor dear.”
Her eye twitched. Twilight took a deep breath, then sipped at her wine while she tried not to let her temper show. Mai was supposed to be a friend, and the last time she checked, friends didn’t try to take somepony’s mare-in-waiting! With a huff, she flicked her tail. “Then perhaps I should delay our trip,” she grumbled. “That ought to teach her to pilfer ponies from a princess.”
“Darling, you’re using alliteration with your anger again.”
“For good reason!” She crossed her hooves over her chest and glared at her glass. Stupid Mai. Stupid Jade Palace.
Rarity’s smile fell. “Twilight,” she said softly, reaching across the table to take her hoof. “There’s no need to be upset. I told her I wasn’t leaving you for her.”
Twilight flicked an ear toward her but didn’t reply.
“I mean it,” Rarity pressed. “I love Ponyville. And I love being your friend and mare-in-waiting. Certainly, the Neighponese culture and arts interest me, but I don’t want to pack up my bags and move away from all my friends and family. Or you, for that matter.”
“Really?” Twilight drawled.
“Really, dear. You’re a wonderful friend. And let’s not pretend our days have been dull since we met. Remember the kitchen incident?”
The corners of her mouth twitched. “In my defense, you surprised me while I was working with several pans.”
“True. And who else is going to chase you around and make you wear the regalia she so carefully polished, or so help her?”
Twilight had to bite the inside of her cheek to avoid laughing, but her lips betrayed her. A full grin blossomed across her face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” she managed to say, her voice tinged with poorly restrained laughter. “I am a former student of Celestia and Luna, and I would never be so immature as to do such a thing! Especially since my mare-in-waiting works so hard to make my regalia look immaculate!”
Rarity fixed her with a pointed stare. “Of course. How silly of me to think such.”
The dam broke. Twilight doubled over in laughter, clutching her sides while she gave way to her mirth and damn the consequences should any of her subjects see. Rarity managed to hold her façade exactly three seconds longer before she joined in.
So far, so good. Just like Cadence said it would go.
Out of the corner of her eye, Twilight noticed Leva Jaune trotting through the door closely followed by a rather portly stallion in a velvet suit and a little more salt than pepper color to his slicked back mane and well-groomed tail. At fifty-something years of age, Au Gratin could still cut a figure.
For Rarity’s benefit, Twilight bobbed her head toward the door. “Don’t look now,” she said with a hint of a smile tugging at her lips, “but I think we’re about to be visited by restaurant royalty.”
Rarity whipped her head around so fast the magnificent curls in her mane nearly batted her snout. Her jaw dropped, her eyes seemed to dance with stars.
“You flatter me, Princesse Twilight,” Au Gratin said, bowing smoothly when he reached their table. “I am but a humble stallion trying to continue his family’s work.” He wrapped her in a gentle hug, then kissed her cheeks in traditional Prench greeting. “It is good to see you again.”
“Likewise.” Twilight happily returned the gesture.
Au Gratin drew back, then turned his attention to Rarity. Twilight had to do her best to fight back a titter as a rosy hue colored her crush’s eggshell white cheeks. “Et, alors! Who is this mare you’ve brought to my humble restaurant?”
Humble? Twilight’s brow cranked up like a drawbridge at the remark, but she let it slide. This part was for Rarity. Snarking time could come later. “This is my mare-in-waiting, my confidant, and one of my closest friends. Rarity, meet Au Gratin.”
The way Rarity swayed when Au Gratin kissed her hoof made Twilight long for a camera. Even if things didn’t quite go her way, the memory, at least, would bring some laughs later.
The chat with Au Gratin was a bit longer than expected, but Twilight could hardly complain. It made Rarity happy; schmoozing with the upper crust of Canterlot society and getting a taste of the very class her princess didn’t associate with as much was her bread and butter. It was one of the many reasons Twilight consulted Rarity for advice when it came to meetings with the likes of Filthy Rich and his potential business partners in Stalliongrad, Vanhoover, or Whinnypeg. Not quite her thing, so to speak, but a necessary part of her duties. Her subjects’ interests became her own.
Dinner had been quite lovely. Rarity had decided to try some marinated leeks and herbs while Twilight went with her old standby, a creamy mushroom pasta that had her faithful mare-in-waiting cringing at the unhealthiness of the sauce. Any scolding and reminders of her diet were met with all the decorum and grace befitting a Crown Princess of Equestria— Twilight blew a raspberry and forked a generous helping of pasta into her mouth.
The wine, of course, kept flowing. It was a night for the two of them, why ever shouldn’t they indulge a little?
By the time they’d finished their meals, the bottle of Mostrato had been polished off. Twilight could feel a bit of a buzz—really, more of a tingling sort of feeling than a buzz. Either way, she felt light and carefree. Some time ago, she had moved her seat around the table so she could sit beside Rarity. A broad grin settled on her face, she giggled as she let her feathers brush against Rarity’s side, the tiniest sense of adventure crept into her mind with the help of the wine.
Rarity, for her part, wasn’t quite as giggly. She leaned into Twilight’s touch and swirled the last remnants of her wine while she idly chatted about upcoming meetings with a few dignitaries, Pinkie’s many pending requests for larger functions (a mandate Twilight finally got her to sign last week), as well as the upcoming Apple Family Reunion.
Ponyville certainly seemed like a sleepy little farm town from the outside, but some days felt very much like the old hustle and bustle of Canterlot’s Little Istallia on a Saturday night.
Twilight half-listened, merely content to let her talk while she worked out how to get to the important part of the evening. How did she transition from schedules to confession?
Cadence would say to take the initiative. The onus was on her to find a way to maneuver the conversation to her goal. Twilight licked her lips, the fruit like taste of wine still lingered. “This has been a nice night,” she said in a way she hoped seemed casual. She trailed her feathers down Rarity’s shoulder, a little trick she learned watching Cadence and Shining. “Thanks again for coming with me, Rarity.”
“Oh, thank you for inviting me, darling,” Rarity demurred, pausing a moment to finish off her wine and place the glass on the table. “I’ve had a lovely time with you as well. This has been just …” She raised a hoof and rolled it forward as if to snatch the right word out of the air. She failed. Shrugging, she smiled. “Delightful. There it is. Coming here, meeting Au Gratin, sampling the food, all of it has been a delight.” Her smile broadened, she bumped shoulders with Twilight. “Good company is the cherry atop the proverbial sundae.”
Twilight fluffed her feathers. The happy buzz in her head made her feel like she was walking on clouds. Good. It was going well enough. Now how to progress it further?
Again, she licked her lips. Her tail twitched in anticipation. Twilight turned her gaze up at the winter sky and took a deep breath. Courage. But what to do?
Come out and say it, Cadence told her. Don’t dally, don’t try to wait for a perfect moment or fret over the right thing to say. That silliness is wasted on stories and plays. Love doesn’t work that way.
If only Twilight could get her mouth to work properly. “I-I actually asked you to come here for another reason, Rarity. Not that spending time and chatting with you hasn’t been fun, I mean.”
Rarity turned to face her fully, her brows furrowed. “Oh? Is it something important?” She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Don’t answer that, I’m being silly. You brought me to one of the nicest restaurants in the country, of course it’s important. Did that amendment to the Winter Wrap Up schedule pass through the Town Assembly?”
“No—well, yes, actually. That went through Monday. Applejack signed on after I assured her there would be no magic used whatsoever. For the umpteenth time.”
“Tradition is important to the community, Twilight. Especially the Apples and Riches.”
“I know, I know. That’s why I’m glad we finally got it sorted.” Twilight shook herself. Focus! “But no, that’s not it. There’s something else I wanted to discuss with you. Er, ask you rather.”
“Discuss or ask away, darling. I’m all ears.”
This was it. Her big chance! Twilight took another deep breath and tried to steady her racing heart. She made to say it, just a few short words to lay her cards on the table and let her crush out for the mare to see.
Her tongue wouldn’t cooperate. Her throat seemed to tighten as she struggled to force the words out. She just couldn’t bring herself to come out and say it, not with Rarity gazing at her with those thrice-damned beautiful sapphire eyes!
Instead, she blurted out, “Would you like to dance with me?”
Rarity flinched. “What?”
“Dance with me!” Twilight said, cursing herself as she resigned to roll with the impulse. She took Rarity’s hoof in hers and rose from her seat. “It’s a beautiful night. We should dance a little.”
“But there’s no music!” Rarity replied, a hint of bemused laughter to her tone.
“So? We can dance without music!” Twilight gave an insistent tug. “Please?”
Rarity sat in stubborn refusal for a moment longer before allowing herself to be pulled out of her seat and over toward the stone ledge of the balcony. “Oh, very well!” she said with a mock sigh. She accepted Twilight’s left hoof in her right, then set her left on Twilight’s shoulder while she stood on her hind legs. They swayed for a step as they tried to balance and compensate for the buzz, their chests brushed together. “I hope you realize we’re not going to be doing anything with dips or twirls after all that wine.”
“That’s fine. I’m not much for any of that anyway.”
They began a slow, steady step like a couple at a secondary school dance night. They moved in a careful circle and held each other upright, swaying to an imaginary tune only they could hear. Twilight wagered that any pony who might happen to look through the window might think them mad. Or perhaps something more along the lines she wanted.
But the ponies inside stopped mattering some time ago. Twilight let out a contented sigh and maneuvered herself closer so her nose was just a hair’s breadth from Rarity’s. Her eyes, those gorgeous blue eyes, drew her in like a moth to an open flame.
And Rarity didn’t pull away. She gave no sign of discomfort, not even the slightest hint of hesitation in her eyes. Instead, she smiled and moved with Twilight, allowing her to lead their slow waltz.
Without a care in the world, they danced and danced. Their steps took them closer to the balcony’s stone ledge, right up to that beautiful view off Mount Canterhorn. Twilight felt her mouth run dry. The timing was perfect, all she had to do was stop and say it. Her hooves began to tremble, she could even feel her feathers twitching in anticipation.
Rarity stopped first. Her brow creased in a concerned frown. “Is something wrong, Twilight? You’re shaking.”
“N-Nothing’s wrong. Just—” Twilight swallowed “—just nerves.”
“Nerves? What ever for?”
Twilight felt like a foal caught in front of a train. Her hind knees began to shake. Still, she held her ground. Rarity’s comforting hoof on her shoulder saw to that. “What I wanted to tell you tonight,” she replied with a quiver in her voice. Why did her mouth have to betray her at the worst possible times?
“Twilight, you’re starting to worry me.” Her hoof left Twilight’s shoulder and gently cupped her cheek. “What is it you’re so worked up over?”
The words wouldn’t come forth. Twilight worked her mouth, but to no avail. Once again, she had come up short when it mattered most. Another chance wasted.
She flicked her tail. No, not this time. Too much had been put into their date for her to turn tail. Maybe it was time for her to take a page out of Rarity’s book—sometimes, ambition and action had to win the day. Since words and planning failed, Twilight decided to roll the proverbial dice.
Perhaps it was the buzz from drinking wine, or several months’ worth of frustration with herself finally boiling over. Or, more likely, a combination of both. Either way, Twilight didn’t care. She was done hiding and fretting.
Throwing caution to the wind, she leaned in and captured Rarity’s lips in a sweet kiss. One she’d been dying to steal since the day they met. She felt Rarity freeze in her grasp, a trickle of doubt crept into her chest.
Then, to her relief, Rarity closed her eyes and tilted her head, leaning into the kiss. Twilight breathed through her nose, her eyes fluttered shut as they wrapped one another in a tight embrace. All was right in the world.
They parted after a few moments. Their cheeks were tinged a dusty pink, their breathing came in needy gasps that spiraled skyward like wisps of silvery smoke.
Rarity blinked several times, her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide and locked on Twilight’s own. She worked her mouth wordlessly, stunned to silence.
Twilight took her chance. “I really like you,” she said softly. “A lot. I’ve felt this for you since the day we first met. And I would like to ask if it would be okay if I were to date you—if you want, I mean,” she added in a rush.
That jolted Rarity out of her reverie. A slow smile spread across her face. “I would be happy to,” she replied, leaning in to rub her cheek against Twilight’s. “I never would’ve expected all this from you.”
“I had a little help from an old friend.” Twilight grinned. She just couldn’t help herself. “You’ll love her when you meet her.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. She’s a horrible gossip, a tease, loves high fashion, and is, quite possibly, the biggest romantic in Equestria.”
Humming a moment, Rarity nodded. “Perhaps. But until then …” She laid her head against Twilight’s shoulder. “I think I’d like to stay here for a while longer.”
Twilight let her wings flare out wide, then wrapped them around Rarity. “Likewise.”
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Well that was shithouse.
it was actually hella dorbz. dont h8 was only joking
*squeals with delight* This was such an adorable story!
You should expaned with this verse. A prequel perhaps? But this was a good story.
w h a t
I think our resident Patron Saint of RariTwi might have a rival. I like AU tangents where things are similar enough to recognize, but different enough to keep me on my toes. Well done.
7889062
YES I CAN FINALLY RETIRE
Here you go zommy, the official RariTwi crown, now excuse me while I move to RariLestia land.
7889472 WAIT! NO! GET BACK HERE!
7889474
Now, Zommy, you have written a wonderful RariTwi AU, which is the iniciation test for all new RariTwi overlords.
Characterization was perfect, prose was very good, and it got ten out of ten squees from me, as you know by how much I gushed over it on Discord.
You will make a fitting ruler of the RariTwi ship, while I go off and explore new lands. Godspeed, my child, godspeed.
7889485 Excuse you, I do not accept this crown. Also, I'm pretty sure I'm older than you.
7889497
Well, I'm not taking it back xc
7889517 *spitslimes the ship to your hooves* Too bad. You just got it back.
Well done, Pacer.
This is one of those "my face hurts from smiling" sort of stories.
7888688 Hmm?
This. This was cute as a litter of swarming, happy golden retriever puppies. With little hats!
Although, 7889517, you don't get to give your crown away. Not until you finish The Enchanted Library, at the very least. If you could toss some more of earthsong's twiguard stories too,I wouldn't be against it
But after that, yeah, the one currently known as carapace is indeed a nice candidate for the new RariTwi overlord!
7891550 I DEMAND SEQUEL!
7889472
You say retire but we all know you can't help yourself. The itch will return.
I can't help but crave a lot more, but what there is was quite delightful.
That was adorable.
A very excellent and well written story! I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I always love RariTwi stories. This was a good one.