The Beauty and the Nerd

by HattieForest

Rarity

Twilight and Fluttershy walked home together, as they lived in the same neighborhood and also, it was safer to walk with someone. But when the school day was over, Fluttershy told Twilight she couldn't walk home with her.

"Why not?" Twilight demanded.

"Oh...um...Rarity sort of...told everypony...that you were..."

"Fluttershy, please, one sentence."

"Rarity told everypony you were going to her house right after school for a dress."

"What?!" Twilight scoffed. "A dress?" Then it occurred to her that Rarity might be making a story up so that no one would know she needed help with math. "Oh." Twilight sighed. "Yes. The dress. Well. I'll see you tomorrow, Shy."

Twilight watched Fluttershy head on home. Her friend needed someone with her when she went walking outside the school, though, so who - Rainbow Dash! The athletic pony swooped down to Fluttershy. Twilight grinned.

But enough of that. Twilight turned to Rarity's neighborhood. She trotted past the school coaches, and headed to the private coach lot.

"Twilight, Darling, I decided you shouldn't walk all the way to my house," Rarity said. Twilight looked to the coach the purple maned mare sat inside. "Come in, dear. Besides, the weather ponies changed the forecast. It is going to rain. You simply cannot walk in such weather."

Against her better judgement, Twilight accepted the offer and hopped into the coach. Once the door was shut, she took a deep breath and asked, "Why are you telling people I'm coming over to your house for a dress?"

Rarity stared at Twilight for a split second before smirking. "You must be new to the social news. You cannot trust it. I told Glitter Rain you were coming to my house for help with your sewing. You destroyed that handkerchief you were supposed to be making earlier today."

Twilight frowned. "You mean gossip?"

"Social news. Gossip is for lesser beings."

"Look, Rarity," Twilight said, switching subject, "What is it in particular you are having difficulties with?"

Rarity gave a quaint little smile. "No interest in the social life at all, little Twilight? With a mother like yours, you could easily become a figure of some importance in the school hierarchy, I would have you know."

Twilight scoffed. "My mother isn't Celestia, the big important Mayor General of Ponyville and surrounding cities. She's just Celestia, my mum. And I don't want to be admired because I'm related to somepony famous, thank you very much."

"Don't take it so seriously, darling." Rarity said, still smiling. "I was not insinuating you had such a shallow character- only asserting that you could, if you tried, be more than just the scholarly pony with no friends."

"I'm quite satisfied where I am, Rarity." Twilight said, feeling a mite irritated. "Now, your problems?"

As the coach made its way towards Rarity's home, the fabulous unicorn explained in detail how she had the most awful time motivating herself for mathematics, understanding the equations, and how everything came together. Twilight was a little surprised. She had expected Rarity to be, well, something of an ignoramus, but nothing she said or did quite suggested it. She was ignorant of advanced mathematics indeed, but the problem certainly wasn't one of lacking concern or will to learn... it seemed.

"...and that's what I simply canNOT keep in mind, no matter how many times I re-read it."

"Well, it's not too difficult, not if you repeat and exercises it." Twilight reassured her.

"We will be arriving at your home in a few minutes, Lady Rarity," once of the coach drivers interrupted.

"Thank you, Sky Blade," Rarity replied. To Twilight she said: "Enough of this headache inducing numbers. Cloud River has been informed you are coming, and she has prepared the evening meal with you in mind. She called Celestia to ask if you have any dietary needs, so we do not have any onions in the meal. You do not need to worry about your head swelling up like a balloon. I once received a bite from a spider that made my horn swell so badly I could not sew. Just using a bit of magic made my head dizzy. I cannot imagine my whole head swelling."

"Yes, well, it is uncomfortable," Twilight chuckled hesitantly. She glanced out the window.

Rarity lived right beside the mayor's house! No wonders Rarity knew Twilight's mother was Celestia! Even though Twilight insisted on living in a normal house (which they did, which is why she lived near Fluttershy as well), during the weekends Celestia insisted on living in the mayor's home. "Why waste the taxpayers' money?" as she pointed out.

Which meant . . . Rarity was THE Rarity. The youngest designer in history to have her designs on the Walkways of Diamonds!

Well, good for her, Twilight thought. Her parents would probably find her a job in a fashion studio the moment she left school, and she would go on to be a marvellously successful designer, find herself a nice colt and have some foals. Her life seemed so easy, it would be difficult to fail.

"Twilight, darling? We are here." Rarity said. Twilight realized she had been lost in thought for a few minutes. Scolding herself, she got out of the coach, waiting for Rarity to lead the way.

As Rarity led her inside the grand, magnificent, and probably rather pompous house, Twilight felt a little intimidated. The decoration felt invasive; most of the walls were covered in fine paintings, curtains made of what was likely the finest cloth, tapestries depicting historical scenes from Equestria's past, pedestals with marble busts of famous historical figures or fine vases. Twilight felt afraid to even move, fearful she migh knock something over. This house was grander by far than the Mayor's house.

She felt uneasy. The outside of the house felt pompous, like whoever designed it wanted to scream out to the world that its owner had a lot of money, and the inside- so garish.

Sensing her unease, Rarity walked close to Twilight, a look of confidence on her face.

"You mustn't be afraid, Twilight, darling." She reassured the younger pony. "My father quite likes showing off his wealth, but it's all in terrible taste. If you were to knock over that pedestal, for example"- she nodded to a bust of General Naponeon Bonaparte- "you would probably be doing good taste a favour. It's all smokes and mirrors, dear, empty tokens of affluence."

"O-oh." Twilight mumbled. "I just never, uhm, I have never been to a place like this. I grew up in a much simpler house. I guess I am a fish out of water." She laughed awkwardly.

"What say we go to a less garish place then, darling?" Rarity said, smiling that quaint, confident smile. Twilight wasn't sure if she was smug, making fun of her or trying to make her comfortable. 'Don't jump to conclusions.' She told herself.

As Rarity led her deeper into the house, towards what she assumed was her room, decorations grew slightly less overwhelming.

"Here, darling." Rarity opened a door. The room was surprisingly simple- very spacey, but low on decoration. With mirrors, modelling dolls and fabrics everywhere, the room- which was four times the size of Twilight's own- looked more like a studio than a living space.

Twilight trotted to one fabric shelf. "Wow."

"Pick one," Rarity offered. Twilight looked back at her - dare she say it - friend, and saw only happy expectations in Rarity's eyes. She wanted to share her world with Twilight. The realization nearly knocked Twilight to the floor. How was it that Rarity was so different fromwhat Twilight had thought?

'No, no, wait. This may be one giant trick.' Twilight remembered that Rarity had agreed with Glitter Rain back in the cafeteria. She knew people did not change their views or beliefs so easily.

Twilight looked to the fabric. She could be petty and test Rarity by taking the most expensive, but if Rarity was going to be a friend (and perhaps something more), then Twilight did not want to jeopardize what could be - not to mention that it would be simply horrible to test anyone...why had she thought of that?

'Because you don't want to be laughed at again,' she thought sadly.

A rich blue fabric caught her eye. Rarity laughed.

"What?" Twilight asked, hurt.

"Oh, nonono, darling, it's just your whole body seemed to brighten when you saw this." Rarity took the fabric down, and spread it out on one table. Twilight saw there was also constellations in the fabric.

"Wow, I didn't see them," she said, tapping Orion with her hoof.

"Very fine detail. And this would make a fabulous fashion scarf."

A knock at the door. Yet another employee appeared.

"Lady Rarity, the evening meal is served. Lady Twilight."

"Thank you, Cloud River," Rarity said. Cloud River disappeared.

"Lady Twilight?" Twilight finally managed to say. "Lady?"

"Do you have a problem with it?"

"I - uh - well..." Twilight didn't know what to say.

"It is habit, nothing more. My father is quite snobbish." Rarity led the way out of her room, and down some corridors. They came to a modest dining room. Cloud River sat at the table, as did Sky Blade, and some employees Twilight did not know.

"Rarity, darling, you cannot tell me you are eating here with them when we have a guest," a male voice broke into the room. While both it and Rarity's voice seemed high class, this new voice held contempt within it.

"Father," Rarity greeted the voice. Twilight looked from Rarity to who must be her father. He stood outside of the dining room. Twilight had the feeling he did not want to soil himself by stepping into the 'servants' meal room.

"Don't degrade yourself, darling," he said smugly. "Your friend does not need to see that."

Twilight bristled. Degrade herself?

"Rarity is not degrading herself!" Twilight snapped before she could stop herself.

"Oh, backbone. How quaint." Rarity's father said dismissively, turning to walk away. "I expect to see you and your guest, in the dining room, within ten minutes. You may freshen up if you feel the need, but prithee, do not tarry."

Once the older pony was out of earshot, Twilight said:

"Prithee, do not tarry?" He sounds like my auntie Luna, except well..."

"Do go ahead and say it. Insufferable? Obnoxious? Foppish?"

"I didn't mean-" Twilight stuttered. The employees respectfully tucked into their meal.

"No no, darling, I have called him far worse myself. Trust me, calling my father's behaviour for what it is will earn nopony animosity from me."

"Well... I was about to say, "not nice." I guess you and your father do not get along well? I hope-"

"Hope what, exactly, Twilight? That we somehow would manage to get along? That he would treat me like a pony rather than some prestige machine? That he would actually care-" noticing Twilight's intimidated look, she sighed. "I'm sorry, Twilight darling. I'm being melodramatic. Many ponies have it worse by far, I am sure."

"But... what's the problem?" Twilight felt a little shocked. She had no father she could remember, her parents having passed away when she was just a little foal, but she had always had the loving care of her mother Celestia and her auntie Luna. A pony who did not get along with her parents? It seemed so strange to her.

"It's simple." Rarity said, measuring out some fabric with her horn. It seemed some fabric had been tucked inside a china cabinet. "He is obsessed with social status, and expects me to get the finest of grades and have the most flawless conduct- in public. If I privately were a serial killer, he could not careless, so long as it was private. Oh, I'm SO sorry to lavish all this onto you, darling, we only just met..."

"Oh, I-I don't mind." Twilight said, feeling a little confused that queen Rarity, pony of ponies on her school, was letting her know these private issues. "Shouldn't we get going-"

"He can wait." Rarity said dismissively. "We are going to measure up your scarf first, then we can freshen up, and then, if I feel like it, we shall join him for dinner in that blasted dining hall of his."

She turned to the employees - no, her friends, Twilight realised - and said:

"I'm sorry. I know you worked hard, and the meal is probably delicious, but we must go."

"We understand, Lady Rarity." Cloud River said.

Rarity tucked the fabric back into the cabinet and trotted out of the dining room, Twilight following closely behind.

"Um, Rarity, I know it's not an important question, but ..."

"Why do I have fabric in the meal room?"

"Yes."

"Working with fabric relaxes me, darling. We have it tucked away in odd places. My father never looks beyond the surface, so he does not know."

"Ah." They came back to Rarity's room. She began to measure the fabric Twilight had picked out. She laughed.

"Oh, sorry, Twilight. You canNOT learn if you do not do it yourself. Now, measure out the scarf."

Twilight began measuring.

"Darling, you have to have seam allowance."

"Huh?" Twilight said intelligently. "Seem allowance?"

"So you can sew it up without making the item too small, make it look professional and not have any stray threads."

"Um...how much is the seem allowance?" Twilight asked.

The measuring turned into a couple of hours, and Twilight's head nearly spun with all she didn't know about sewing. Wrong side, seam allowance, bobby bins....

Grrrrowl.

"Hmmm, our stomachs seem to be saying it's time to eat," Rarity said with a smile. She led the way out of the room and down some corridors. "So, can you explain that math problem again?"

"Oh, it's easy." Twilight said as the two walked to the dining hall, a massive, overwhelmingly decorated room reminiscent more of a cathedral than a homely place to eat. "E equals MC squared, you see-"

"Tut, tut." Came the voice of Rarity's father. "Surely you ambitious fillies can let go of your academic vigour for but a few minutes as you eat your fill? It is pleasing to a father to see that his daughter has a friend well versed in mathematical problems, but everything has a time and place."

He gestured to two drawn out chairs, along the longest table Twilight had ever seen. They were seated... quite a bit from the father himself, who had sat down at the end of the table at the grandest chair.

Rarity sighed. "Be prepared for long, boring anecdotes of "Why, in my youth we did this and that, and I had but a trinket, a pebble and a single bit in my pocket..." Rarity snorted.

"What was that, daughter?" The older colt said sharply.

"Nothing. Simply nothing, father dear." Rarity said, her face a mask of genuine honesty. "I simply commented that the painting above you is an absolutely marvellous purchase. It takes special skill to make the noble General Naponeon look like an ass."

Her father let out a 'Harrummph', and snorted back:

"You are late."

"Were we? Oh my, I hadn't noticed. Time just flies when you are with friends, doesn't it?"

"Tardiness is a sin, Rarity." He shot back, taking a bite out of his appetizer.

"Is it? How quaint." Rarity said, in a perfect mimic of her father's manner of speech. "Let me, by the way of things, introduce my new associate, Twilight Sparkle. I believe you are acquainted with her mother already."

"Twilight Sparkle, eh?" He said gruffly. "And who would her mother be?"

"O-oh, that would be Celestia." Twilight said shyly. "But I just call her Mum."

"Celestia..." the colt said, his tone instantly changing. "Tell me, has your mother yet gotten rid of that dreadful statue of Esberitokan, the conqueror? It is simply out of place in her living room."

"She doesn't have one." Twilight said, confused. "The only item of decoration she has in the living room is a small crystal chandelier, and it's kind of worn. She says she got it as a little filly, and-"

"So you are indeed from her house." The colt said, nodding approvingly.

"Really, father," Rarity scoffed. "It is most ungentlemanly of you to doubt her word."

"Fair enough, fair enough." He said, nodding. "I just dislike taking chances on famous parents. More than once have I been fooled, and-"

"Yes, yes, very interesting, father." Rarity said dismissively. "Just be grateful that Twilight Sparkle was not raised to put an overt emphasis on pride."

The exchanges back and forth confused Twilight. Rarity seemed to like to take a stab at her father whenever she could, however subtly, and her father seemed to just ignore it. Was this how families normally did it?

The dinner went on to be a little awkward for Twilight. The food was first rate, served by butler colts with an expression like they ate lemons for breakfast, dinner and lunch, a three course dinner of the finest, rarest herbs, steamed grass and leaves, served a la carte... and all Twilight could think of was how it looked very fancy, but it wasn't exactly he kind of meal that left you feeling full.

Rarity's father introduced himself as Esquire Antique, head of the western equestrian Antiques family, and the owner of an architecture firm, which apparently had clients in the highest of equestrian circles. Unsurprisingly, his cutie mark was a classical pillar, Twilight noticed.

The more time she spent at the table, she found herself wanting to see her mother again. This room was cold, so cold- not that it gave her chills, but there was no friendliness to it, and though Esquire was an affable host, he was not the kind of colt that would be considered charming company. Every remark felt as if it was based on him feeling like he was better by far than any living colt, a true uber-equus.

Apparently sensing Twilight's distress, Rarity excused them at the time of dessert, giving an excuse of having to watch her weight. As they gracefully walked back to Rarity's room- or tried to, in Twilight's case- Rarity gave a small apology for her father.

"He's... well, a pompous ass." She said quietly. "He thinks he is the best thing that ever happened to Canterlot City, or maybe even all of Equestria."

"He-he's not that bad." Twilight mumbled, walking into Rarity's room.

"Your mother raised you well, Twilight Sparkle." Rarity said, nodding with approval. "But the less time spent in his company, the better."

"But... he's your father." Twilight said, not quite understanding.

"He may have help create me, Twilight, but he is not my father." Rarity entered her room and looked at the scarf. "Do you want to finish your scarf tonight?"

Twilight wondered if Rarity knew how sad she sounded. That was when Twilight gave the fatal blow to her resolution to not have friends. She knew Rarity may be the Queen of the High School, but she was also the loniest pony Twilight had ever met. She wondered if Rarity truly needed help with her math, or if she simply wanted a friend. Twilight thought of the cold dining room. Was the rest of the house that void of love? Did Rarity have anywhere to go to truly feel like she was part of something, and not just a status symbol?

"Rarity?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, darling?" The sadness was gone from Rarity's voice.

"You know, if you ever need to, you can come to my house. For any reason. Even in the middle of the night."

Rarity stared at Twilight for a split second, and Twilight's stomach shriveled up. Did she say the wrong thing? Twilight blundered on, thinking maybe Rarity misunderstood her: "I mean, if you need a friend, 'cause I know -"

"What do you know?" Rarity snapped. Her gorgeous eyes seemed to send flames of anger into Twilight, who flinched, but went on.

"That maybe you need a friend that doesn't care if you roll in the mud, 'cause you're a beautiful person inside."

"I'm beautiful inside?" Rarity asked in a hush voiced. Everything within her seemed to vanish, replaced by an unsure filly. "You don't think I'm shallow?"

"Not anymore," Twilight confessed. "I did at first, before I even talked to you, actually." Twilight looked at the ground, ashamed. "I'm sorry. I thought..."

"That I was like my father?" Rarity supplied. For the first time, Rarity's voice was not pretty, but bitter. So very bitter. "Yes, most ponies think I am like my father. I don't exactly give them reason to think otherwise, do I?" Rarity laughed. It was the most horrible sound Twilight had ever heard - dark, cold, humorless and self-loathing. "I'm not beautiful, Twilight. I'm rotten, and ugly, and sour."

"No!" Twilight burst. "You're not! You act like your father, and maybe it's because of self-preservation - "

"I'm not a textbook," Rarity interjected. "And I asked you to help me with math because I need help with math. My helping you with sewing is payment, nothing more."

"Then why not have one of your so-called friends help you?" Twilight asked softly. "I know Lighting Smoke is the top in mathematics. So why not him?"

"And be seen with a colt in my room? Alone with me? The rumors it would start would be horrendous."

"And being with a socially awkward pony like me?" Twilight held her head high. "I know for a fact I'm in the least liked social class. Surely being with a colt would be better then being with me."

"Marvelous point. I don't know why I asked you here," Rarity said cooly.

"Because you know I don't care about social class. You know I actually care about you and your grades, not because it looks good for me, but because I believe you are worthy of good grades!"

Rarity blinked. She opened her mouth, closed it, and blinked again. Twilight shuffled awkwardly. Rarity looked about her room.

"I asked you to help me with math because I need a friend. Is that what you want to hear?"

"No." Twilight sighed. "I don't want anything from you, but the truth. I don't want you to be anypony, but you."

Rarity finally looked back at Twilight. "I asked you to help me with my maths because my father told me to. He said it would look good if I were friends with Celestria's daughter."

Twilight felt her insides clench.

"You...oh."

"But..."

"What?" Twilight felt the sting of tears. She had thought, maybe, Rarity liked her enough to be friends.

"Did you mean you actually want to be my friend?"

"I don't generally ask ponies to my house," Twilight sniffled.

Rarity offered a hankie. Twilight took it. She blew her nose and noticed the elegant design. "Ug, I made your cloth disgusting."

Rarity waved it away. "I'm at a loss, Twilight Sparkle. You want to be my friend - and I know I only asked you here because of my father. I told you, I'm rotten. You think I didn't mean what I said to Glitter Rain? I did."

"You told me you don't associate with any pony that is beneath you. Did you lie?"

"Of course not, Darling."

"Then...I - don't be mad, Rarity, please, I don't think you are - but if you beleive I'm a nopony, a nothing, doesn't that mean you think the same of yourself?"

"I think you should go."

"I -"

"Goodbye Twilight. I'll see you in school tomorrow. I trust you will find your way to the coach hall. Sky Blade will be there. He sleeps in his coach, so just poke him. He'll be up in a flash, and he'll get you home safe."

"Rarity -"

"Leave."

Twilight marched home slowly, by herself. Her hooves felt heavy, and though it was a very short walk, it felt like miles. Rarity... was she really that cold? She had asked her there because of who her mother was- that one stung to think about. She felt tears welling in her eyes. The whole dinner scene played in her head. Rarity's father knew who she was from the start. Was Rarity as cold as her father?

No, she told herself, Rarity is not that cold. She was right; she was not a textbook, but you did not need to be a licensed therapist to make a reasonable hypothesis. And all things considered... Rarity was lonely. So alone. She had no present mother- the house had no pictures of her whole family, only a few of her and her father.

Her father... who didn't care about her. She was alone, admired without being loved for who she was. Or was she? Was Twilight just being presumptuous? She shook her head. Better to think about what to do next. It could be that Rarity was just hurt by Twilight's remarks- which in retrospect were clumsy, perhaps a bit insensitive things to say.

But even so... Twilight did not want to count Rarity out yet. The sadness she had seen in the older pony's eyes and the chill in her voice that belonged to a woman at least ten years older, not to a teen-aged pony who should be happy, laughing with her friends.

She had to try. She had to help Rarity, had to do something for her. Even if it was just maths lessons, and even if Rarity wanted to be her friend just because Twilight's mother was famous.

Comments

[HattieForest]

84708 Thank you! Our chapters are very long, so I'm glad it works. Yup, it was Gilda.

What Twilight goes through is a mixture of what happened to me before my mother put me in homeschooling, and what I'm assuming Greatkingrat88's school experience was. We are putting a lot of ourselves into this story. I'm sorry to hear you had any experiences like mine.

You're mother is right. Be proud of who you are!

I'm a very derpy-type person. Life's too short to worry about what meanies think of you.

[HattieForest]

84918 Who needs sleep, anyway?

Don't forget to update it in deviantart! I'm still waiting for a new chapter D:

(I actually dreamt it was updated, to find out it was a dream DAMN no kidding)

[Silver Twirl]

so totally tracked

[Tailslover13]

106991 I was considering being homeschooled as well, but...my mother sadly explained that she would be nowhere near smart enough to teach me anything, so she couldn't. Plus, we didn't have any money, so it's not like I could transfer anywhere, either. I had to stick it out my entire school career. It wasn't easy, but...hey, I survived! And that's all that matters. Hug?

[Tailslover13]

Wow...that...that ending sent shivers down my spine. I don't know why, but that...was so cold. Yet so very sad. It's obvious when anger and coldness are only suppressing the pain hiding behind it. I know because I've been on both sides of it. Wow...pretty powerful chapter. I like the little universe you created for Rarity in this. It all makes a lot of sense, when you think about it. Um...but don't you think Rarity was saying "darling" just a BIT too much? On the show, she really only says it during moments of exclamation and shock/surprise; she doesn't use it every other sentence! I think you got better at not doing it so much near the end, so that's good. Besides that, there were only a few minor errors here and there, and overall another GREAT chapter that I was really looking forward to. Loved it.

[FromTheMoon]

"E equals MC squared, you see-"

Um I'm probably the farthest thing there is from a Math Major but I'm pretty sure E=MC^2 stands for Energy equals Matter Converted to Power Correct me if I'm wrong.
Anyway this story is pretty interesting, can't wait to see where this goes.