Such A Thing Is A Rarity
Spike gingerly opened the door to Carousel Boutique with a carton of ice cream balanced precariously on his tail, the sounds of sobbing were intermixed with the noise of dejected nomming coming from upstairs. The dragon had grown familiar with the sound over the past month, and he was getting increasingly worried. “Rarity!” he called, cupping his mouth with his claws. “I brought you some more vanilla oat swirl!” He made his way up the stairs to Rarity’s room, where the mare lay on her favorite couch in a white robe with yellow fluff lining the collar and hem, tied shut with a purple sash. Her mane was disheveled slightly, still retaining its typical shape from all the product she used, and her mascara ran from her eyes as she melodramatically wept. There were ice cream cartons of the same kind that the dragon had with him strewn about the room, a spoon held in the mare’s magical blue grip.
“Thank you, Spike…” she said through her cries. “You truly are… a wonderful friend!” Her speech dissolved into further sobs as she floated the new helping of ice cream, opening it up and digging in.
Spike stepped up next to Rarity’s couch, bringing his claws together. “Is there anything else I can do?”
Rarity nommed another spoonful of her comfort food, wiping some away from her mouth. “I would love it… if you were able to get somepony to like me…” She buried her face in her forelegs, heaving.
“What are you talking about?” the Dragon asked, putting his claws on his hips. “Everypony likes you!”
Rarity raised her head, smiling at her small friend. She was noticeably more calm, thanks to the compliment, but there was still a great deal more sadness behind her cerulean gaze. “That’s very sweet of you, Spike, but all the ponies I’ve seen this past month would have to disagree with you.” She raised herself to a sitting position. “Nopony I’ve seen in my dating escapades have ever wanted a second date…”
“Second… date?” Spike repeated. “You’ve been… dating?”
“I haven’t told you?” she wondered, patting the spot next to her on the couch. “I’m sure I’ve told everypony about what I’ve been doing.” Spike shook his head, letting himself grow a little somber. She put her hoof on his shoulder, explaining the situation that led her to her efforts to find love. “And then, last month, I finally started making some headway…”
Weeks before, Rarity was sitting across the table from a dashing Unicorn stallion, looking longingly at him. He flashed a bright, sparkly grin at her with half-lidded eyes, leaning against the table on his foreleg. “I can’t believe I’m having dinner with the most successful up-and-coming fashion designer in Equestria!” He exclaimed for all to hear, leaning forward. Gasps were heard from all over the restaurant, all heads turning to look at them. “Why, Rarity, you are truly a gem!”
Rarity gave up a giggle as she swished a dainty hoof in front if her. “Oh, please!” She started, reveling in the compliments. “I’m not any different from any of you. I just… love to create!”
The stallion carried on, showering her with compliments and praise while inching his hoof closer to hers. Their muzzles were a mere inch away from each other as the dinner came to an end, hooves almost touching. Finally, he gave a steady blink, smiling. “Well, this was nice, but I don’t think you’re what I’m looking for! Goodbye!” He sped off out of the establishment, a sizable receipt under Rarity’s hoof. The glamorous mare blinked in confusion, the moment having escaped her. She looked down at the paper she inadvertently held, a large number of zeros lining the total price. Her gasp was loud enough to make ponies across the building jump in fear as she dejectedly emptied her wallet, walking out of the restaurant in a huff.
The process repeated itself two nights later. The stallion she had met with showered her with adoration, only to leave her with the bill and a sour look. The next date was far more timid, and Rarity talked almost nonstop. She was certain she had found the one, and was going on and on about all of the plans she had for their future together. She had gotten up to ‘powder her muzzle’, only to find him gone upon her return, before the waiter had even arrived at their table. Six dates in, and there was still no stallion decent enough or willing enough to give her a chance. Seven dates. Eight dates. Ten dates in. Still nothing. Finally, when her business and leisure in Canterlot was complete, she had returned home, wrapping herself in her comfiest robe and exasperatedly falling onto her favorite fainting couch, the ice cream already on its way from the kitchen.
“You mean you… put yourself out there… And not one stallion was able to appreciate you?” Spike asked, receiving a teary-eyed nod from the miserable mare. He punched his palm, gritting his teeth. “How dare they take somepony so gorgeous for granted! When I get my claws on them, I--”
Rarity put her hoof on Spike’s shoulder, wiping the last of the ice cream from her lips. “Spike, darling, those ponies aren’t worth the time or the effort.” She lowered herself to rest once more on her fetlocks. “And, it seems… neither am I…” She breathed a sad sigh, resting her head on her forelegs again.
“Come on, Rarity, you know that’s not true!” the young drake assured, putting his claw on her back. “Just because some guys don’t know any better, that doesn’t mean you’re not worth it!” Rarity had closed her eyes, drifting off into a sound nap. He got up, heading for the door while looking back at the pony. “Don’t worry, Rarity… I’ll get you out of all this…”
“You say you’ll get her out of all of it, but you come to us for advice?” Boltsinger started, looking up from his book at Spike.
“I had to!” He replied, clenching his fists. “She never takes my feelings for her seriously! So with this problem, I don’t think I can be of much help… I had to come to you two!”
“Spike, you know that’s not true!” Twilight corrected, sitting up and putting her book aside. “Rarity values your opinion just as much as anypony else’s! Why do you think she wouldn’t take it seriously?”
“Probably ‘cause it involves dating.” The stallion suggested. He marked his book, giving the dragon his full attention. “You know how particular she is on that subject.”
“I’ve had a crush on her for so long…” Spike continued, hanging his head and loosening his claws. “Now she’s started ‘dating’... and she doesn’t even bother to look my way…” He looked pleadingly at the equines before him. “Please… I may not be able to get the message across, but you can! Can you give it a shot?”
Twilight’s expression shifted to one of pure empathy as she brought the heartbroken dragon in for a hug. “Oh, Spike… I know it must hurt to see somepony you love look the other way... “ She looked him in the eye, smiling warmly. “But I’m so proud of you for thinking of her feelings first, even if it hurts…” She went in for a tighter hug, the dragon’s arms coming around her.
Boltsinger sat next to the two of them, putting a wing around the youngest one in the room. “We’ll do our best. I promise.” The embrace fell apart, Boltsinger sitting next to Twilight as the three of them brainstormed.
The next morning, the door to the boutique opened, calling for Rarity’s attention. “Just a minute!” she called, getting up from her bed and rushing to her mirror.
“You’d better hurry up, or we’ll miss the train!” a baritone voice stated, sounding as if it was right next to her in the empty room. “Plus there’s breakfast! Can’t go out on an empty stomach, now, can we?”
Rarity stopped in her routine for a moment, looking around to see nopony in the room with her. “Boltsinger?” She finished her routine as quickly as she could, rushing downstairs to see Boltsinger standing in the center of the room, with Spike flipping the open sign around, indicating onlookers that the shop was closed for the day. “What are you two doing? I’ve got to get to work today!”
Boltsinger trotted over to Rarity, putting a wing around her and leading her to the door. “You can take a break for one more day. This is important!” He held his tail out behind him, where Spike used it as a springboard to hop onto his back. “We’re going to Canterlot today! Just the three of us!”
Rarity looked around frantically, confused by the hurriedness of the boys’ actions. “But… wait! I’ve only just gotten up! What will I wear?!”
Boltsinger beamed at her, keeping up his push. “Don’t worry about it! We’re going shopping, anyway!” He held out his free wing, unfurling a feather. “And then there’s lunch,” he unfurled another feather. “Dinner,” another feather. “Maybe see a show if we can. Really, we’re gonna be taking in the culture. You’re the expert on that subject, so it’ll basically be up to you where we go in some cases.” He returned his wing to normal as they turned to head to the train station. “Anyway, let’s go!”
“Where is this all coming from?” Rarity wondered, looking between the boys as she matched the Pegasus’ pace. “This sounds suspiciously like a date! Does Twilight know about this?”
Spike and Boltsinger snickered to one another, the stallion speaking up. “This whole thing was her suggestion! Just relax, unwind, and have fun today. Okay?”
On the train to Canterlot, Boltsinger ordered the heartiest thing he could find from the snack cart, one for each of them. Rarity took hers with a graceful, ladylike nod and looked out the window. “I just don’t understand what all this is about. Why are we going to Canterlot, exactly?”
“‘Cause you need a good time!” Spike informed her, spreading his arms wide. “Everypony can see it!”
“Every dragon, too.” Boltsinger added.
Spike retreated into himself slightly, trying to hide an embarrassed smile. “Yeah…” He looked over at Rarity, finishing his breakfast. “We just wanna show you that you are appreciated.”
“Yeah, those ‘gentlecolts’ that you went to dinner with all sound like they don’t know what a catch they had.” the stallion said, prompting Rarity to cast her gaze at them. “So, just forget about them! Today is all about you!”
“And why didn’t Twilight come with us?” the couturier queried, finally coming to a resting position in her seat.
Spike and Boltsinger looked at one another, then back at Rarity. “Princess duties.” they simultaneously told her.
The trio walked through the cobblestone streets of Canterlot, Rarity taking the lead as they found a lovely little shop full of all sorts of supplies. They stepped in, and Rarity instantly went into her shopping mode. She passed by each and every shelf, picking up each little thing that caught her eye. Spike and Boltsinger followed her every move, once again in awe of the mare in her element. She came to the front counter, piling everything on in one big, organized, heap. The register rang its bell, and the three were on their way again, Boltsinger hanging at least six shopping bags from each wing, with Spike hoisting three more onto his back.
“These materials will make my next collection absolutely divine!” Rarity mused, having brightened up considerably. The stallion and the dragon gave wordless responses of encouragement and confirmation as the fashionista stopped in her tracks, causing her companions to bump into her and fall over. “You know, I could stand to get a new outfit from an up and coming designer…” Before them was a large boutique that she knew featured the work of designers she had set on their way to the fashion big leagues. “I need to show my support, after all!” She floated all of the bags, giving the boys a chance to stand up. She smiled back at them, excitement preparing to billow out of her horn like steam from a teapot. “Come on! Let’s go in!” With that, she trotted in with a giddy giggle.
A dressing room curtain opened up, revealing Rarity in a dramatically frilly and lacey dress that poofed out in the back in a sunny yellow. She raised a hoof and struck a pose, receiving cheers from Spike and a nod from a smiling Boltsinger. She beamed back at them, closing the curtain to come out seconds later in a pitch black coat with belts and buttons strategically placed about the outfit, an elaborate cloak draped over her back in the same black, gothic patterns decorating the edges in a somehow even darker shade that peered into the souls of onlookers. She looked to the side, a hint of stoicism in her expression as she crossed her forelegs. Spike looked on at her in an enamored daze, while Boltsinger’s pupils grew to an enormous size, seemingly hypnotized by the sheer darkness before him. Rarity returned to her usual smile, clopping her forehooves together in front of the stallion to shake him from his stupor. He laughed nervously, giving a thumbs-up gesture with his wing. The glamorous mare laughed out loud, returning to the dressing room only to come out moments later in a sparkling white outfit consisting of a jacket and pants, a dramatically flared out collar on her jacket, tiny blue and red jewels lining the edge of the collar, the cuffs of the sleeves, and the seam of the pants, lightning-like streaks of the same colors forming patterns on either side of her. The outfit gave the observers thoughts of what the future might hold several decades to come. She struck one more dramatic pose, looking up to the sky with a raised hoof, as if looking into the endless expanse of time.
Spike jumped up and down, pumping his fists into the air. “Yeah! You rock it, Rarity!”
Rarity smiled at the little reptile, closing the curtain and coming out looking like her normal self, the three outfits in her telekinetic grip on hangers. “So, what do you boys think? Which one do you like best?”
“I have to choose one?” Boltsinger asked, bringing his wing up to scratch his mane. “I dunno… You pretty much owned each look. Makes it hard to choose just one.”
“I’m with Bolt on this one.” Spike concurred, looking at the outfits. “They were all so different, but you really brought out what made each of them special.”
“So, all three, then?” Rarity suggested.
“All three.” The boys replied. Rarity beamed, heading for the counter.
The group sat down at the Tasty Treat, Rarity’s favorite restaurant in the city, enjoying some exotic cuisine as Rarity cast a look at the Pegasus and the dragon that had gone so far out if their way for her. “Boltsinger, Spike…” she started. The boys looked up from their meals, both with bits of food lining their faces, making them look remarkably goofy. The fashionista laughed, raising a napkin to each of them and wiping their faces clean. “Honestly, I don’t know how Twilight manages to worry so much with you two around all the time.” She trailed off, tilting her head back in remembrance. She shook her head from her sudden trance, returning to her objective. “I wanted to thank you both for today. I’ve been absolutely miserable lately… And I really needed this. But… Why did Twilight suggest something of this nature at all? It really does feel like the kind of experience I’ve been trying to achieve with all of the stallions I’ve gone out with over the past month.”
“Well, Twilight and I hadn’t even known about your situation until Spike brought it up.” He stated, pointing his wing at the fire-breather. “He really cares about you, you know.”
“Oh, Spike…” Rarity started, lifting him up with a light of her horn and bringing him close, hugging tightly. “It means so much that you went so far just to make me feel better!” She pulled back, giving him a firm kiss on the cheek and putting him back in his chair.
Spike blushed like mad, his cheeks turning nearly as red as the mark the mare had left on his face. “Aww, it was nothing…” he replied, sheepishly shrugging.
“Don’t sell yourself so short, darling.” She corrected, crossing her forelegs on the table. “It’s everything. And I couldn’t ask for a more supportive friend!” She turned her head to look over at the smiling stallion. “But my question remains unanswered. Why did Twilight suggest this?”
“She and I figured you needed a positive experience with a guy.” He elaborated, his own hoof hitting the table. “Not to mention, a stallion’s perspective on the matter.”
“A stallion’s perspective? What do you mean?” Rarity wondered.
“Spike told me all about your previous… experiences… with those other guys.” He started. “And, while I do agree that they didn’t know what they were missing out on, I think there’s more to it than just them being mean or taking you for granted.”
Rarity leaned forward, looking suspiciously at him. “And what kind of ‘more’ are you talking about?”
“If I’m gonna be honest, I think you probably scared them.” he informed her. Rarity recoiled in as radiant a way as she could muster as he raised a hoof. “Wait! Before you get defensive, let me finish!” The mare calmed herself, giving him a nod. “Now, I may be inexperienced in the world of dating overall, since I’ve only ever romantically seen a single pony, but… That doesn’t stop me from, in fact, being a guy. And most guys would be a little intimidated by you when you get those stars in your eyes.”
“Intimidated?” Rarity repeated. “Whatever do you mean?”
“So, nopony can deny that you, Rarity, are nothing short of ‘fabulous’.” Boltsinger continued. “It radiates from your very being.” The mare’s cheeks went pink as she nodded at the compliment. “And then there’s your personality. You are a strong, independent mare who rarely takes no for an answer, and is always going out of your way to make ponies happy in your own way. That’s part of what makes you so awesome!”
Rarity giggled, swishing a hoof in front of her. “Oh, do go on!”
“But in the love market, you’re trying too hard.” He deadpanned. Rarity’s flush faded instantly as she tilted her now wide-eyed head. “Like I said before, you rarely take no for an answer, and that powerful personality of yours makes a lot of stallions who like to think of themselves as ‘in control’ feel a little inadequate.” He put his hoof on that of his friend. “Besides, if you try to rush into love, I can’t imagine it not ending badly.”
Rarity’s confusion had reached its peak as she scooted closer. “How am I rushing things? Isn’t the whole point of dating to find love?”
“Yes, that is the point.” Boltsinger confirmed. “And it’s okay to seek out love. But if you try too hard to make it happen quickly, it may not happen at all.” He brought his hoof back, pointing at himself. “I was adamant in not rushing things with Twilight. So much so that if you hadn’t pushed things forward the way you did, it probably never would have happened! But I made sure of one thing before anything else.”
“And what’s that?” the couturier questioned.
“I put friendship first.” He answered. “Love is wonderful, don’t get me wrong. But I feel that it’s a lot like... “ He thought for a moment, trying to come up with an analogy. “This is probably the farm work talking, but… I think love is a lot like a good batch of cider. It takes a good eye, a lot of effort, and, most important of all, time.”
Rarity laughed at the comparison. “You really do spend a lot of time with Applejack, don’t you?” She thought for a minute on her friend’s words. “So, it’s like my Rules of Rarity… I need to give it some TLC! Only… Only it’s not ‘couture’ that I’m after… What would the ‘C’ stand for in this case?”
“Comfort.” the Pegasus suggested. “The whole point is to get comfortable enough with somepony to be able to admit those feelings, after all.”
“Yes, that does feel appropriate.” She lifted her beverage from the table, looking into it. “But I was only able to have such a good time with you two because we’re already friends. When I’m out there, dating, there’s a different expectation.”
“Does there have to be?” Spike asked, putting a morsel into his mouth. “What if you treated it like you were making a new friend?”
“I agree.” the stallion said, patting Spike’s back with his wing. “You know that you’re looking for love, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a bunch of friends in the process! And if you take your time, I’m sure the right guy will come your way!” He reached out and put his hoof on her shoulder, bringing her smile back in full force.
“Thank you…” she began, getting up from her seat and pulling the two in for a hug. The embrace became mutual as an idea popped into the designer’s brain. “Ah! I know just what to do to repay your kindness!” She broke the hug, finishing her meal and going to the counter, paying for their meals before they had a chance to respond. “Come, now! We simply must get back to Ponyville!”
That night, Boltsinger sat at a desk in the castle library, a quill clenched firmly in his teeth with a parchment beneath him. He put pen to page and quickly began to write.
“Dear Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,
You’d be surprised what you’ll find when helping out a friend. I already knew that love is hard, but seeing it from the perspective of not just one, but two of my friends sheds a whole new light on the situation. Spike’s unrequited feelings for Rarity have been more than a little heart-wrenching, but I think he’s become stronger for them. Rarity’s dealings with dating, though… I think she might have some things left to learn before she can finally find her special somepony. There’s so many different kinds of love out there, and they all come from the same genuine place. It makes me a little more confident that I’ll be able to give the right kind of love to the baby when it arrives. As always, thank you for your time.
Your friend,
Boltsinger.”
He placed the quill on the desk, rolling the letter up and sealing it with what he had on hand. He looked to the corner of the desk, where a pair of flight goggles with a lightning motif splayed out backwards, as if to conform to his head, sat, and smiled. He swept the goggles up with his wing, putting them in his mane as he galloped out and called for Spike.
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Really liked this chapter, wonderful work.
Rarity, you gonna get tubby.