That Time of Week
Chapter 11: That Time of Week
It was that time of the week again, the time that Rarity was to spend at the spa with Fluttershy. Rarity could not be more grateful for the opportunity to talk to one of her best friends; after all, she had an awful lot to talk about.
Rarity made her way towards the spa, butterflies eating away at her stomach. She couldn’t pinpoint what it was about this particular spa visit that was making her nervous. Well, actually she could, but she was trying to ignore it. This tactic proved ineffective at distracting her from the thought of Rainbow Dash.
Maybe Fluttershy will be able to make sense of this, she thought hopefully. Fluttershy always seemed quite level-headed, that is, when she wasn’t frightened of her own shadow.
Rarity’s thoughts were interrupted by a bouncing pink pony that nearly collided with her because she wasn’t looking where she was going.
“Pinkie Pie!” Rarity said harshly. “You nearly ran into me!”
“Oh, sorry, Rarity!” Pinkie Pie said. “How are you doing?”
“Not well, but I really don’t want to talk about it.” With you.
“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie Pie said. “Hey, where are you headed off to?”
“I’m going to the spa and meeting up with Fluttershy,” Rarity said.
“Oh, it’s that time of week already?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Well, have fun!”
“I’ll try,” Rarity said, even though she knew she wouldn’t. She left the pink pony behind and returned to losing herself in her own thoughts.
Before she was even aware of how far she walked, she arrived at the spa’s front door. Surprised, Rarity entered and saw Aloe sitting at the desk and Fluttershy sitting in one of the waiting chairs.
“Oh, thank Celestia,” Rarity said, giving Fluttershy a hug. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“Um…is everything okay, Rarity?” Fluttershy asked.
“We’ll talk, dear,” Rarity said.
“Hallo, Rarity,” Aloe said with her thick accent. “Are joo and Fluttershy ready to begin?”
“Yes, quite,” Rarity said.
“Zen follow me,” Aloe said, leading Rarity and Fluttershy into the sauna. When the two ponies had settled in, Aloe turned on the heat and left the steamy room. This afforded Rarity the alone time with Fluttershy she desperately craved.
“Fluttershy,” Rarity said, “I’ve done a very stupid thing.”
“Oh, Rarity,” Fluttershy said reassuringly, “you shouldn’t say things like that. You’re not stupid.”
“Just because I’m not stupid doesn’t mean I can’t do something foolhardy,” Rarity said. “And believe me, I’ve done a very, very foolhardy thing.”
“Well, what did you do that was so bad?” Fluttershy asked. The steam was starting to make the two ponies sweat, although for Rarity, she suspected it was more than the heat of the room that was doing that to her.
“Well, do you remember a few spa visits ago when I told you how I felt about Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked.
“Yes,” Fluttershy said.
“Well, I may have told Rainbow Dash how I felt about her.”
“Oh, Rarity, that’s wonderful!” Fluttershy said, oblivious to her friend’s despair for the moment. “How did she respond?” Rarity looked at her with tears swimming in her eyes.
“Oh,” Fluttershy said. “I’m sorry, Rarity.”
“It isn’t your fault, dear,” Rarity said. “I foolishly got my hopes up when we were cuddling in bed together.”
“You were what?” Fluttershy asked, forgetting that she had done the same thing with Rainbow Dash a few nights ago. “Oh, wait a minute,” she said, remembering. “I’m guessing you read her signals wrong or something.”
“Well at first she accused me of having a crush on her,” Rarity said, “and I said no because I wanted so badly to cuddle with her. Then I got my stupid hopes up and decided to tell her how I felt, and you can see how that turned out.”
“Um…how exactly did she take it?” Fluttershy asked.
“Well, at first she reacted quite badly,” Rarity said. “I suppose the shock of the realization frightened her in some way. But then we got to talking, and it felt completely natural, like we were good friends again. In fact, I think we became even better friends from the experience.”
“Then why would you say it was stupid to tell her?” Fluttershy asked. “Sure, it didn’t work out the way you wanted it to, but good things seemed to come out of it.”
“You know, I never really thought of it like that,” Rarity said. “I suppose you’re right, Fluttershy. Why am I getting myself so worked up about this?”
“Because you shared your very personal feelings with someone, and that’s a scary thing to do,” Fluttershy said, “I mean, scarier than most other things. So it’s natural to feel upset when things don’t work out the way you want them to.”
“Yes, that does make sense,” Rarity said. The two of them were done in the sauna and Aloe moved them into the mud baths before leaving them alone again. Rarity and Fluttershy lowered themselves into the thick mixture and felt the tension in their muscles vanish in the relaxing mud.
“Is anything else bothering you?” Fluttershy asked tentatively. Rarity carefully considered the question and found a suitable answer.
“I just wish Rainbow Dash liked me,” Rarity said. “I know, I know, I sound like a school filly. But it’s just heartbreaking to know she doesn’t like me the same way.”
“I know what you mean,” Fluttershy said. “I was hoping the same thing for you, and I’m disappointed it didn’t work out, too. But I think this means it’s time for you to move on.”
“Do you think so?” Rarity asked. “Is it really that simple, letting go of the love of your life?”
“I thought you just had a crush on Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said. “I didn’t realize you were in love with her.”
“Oh, I must be getting ahead of myself,” Rarity said. “But what does it matter anyway? Rainbow Dash doesn’t love me and that’s all there is to it.”
“That’s not all of it,” Fluttershy said. “You’re still good friends, after all.”
“Yes, and that only makes it harder,” Rarity whined. “How am I supposed to move on when I’m expected to keep spending time with her?”
“I know it’s hard, Rarity,” Fluttershy said, “but you shouldn’t stop hanging out with Rainbow Dash just because she doesn’t feel the same way about you. You’d be losing a really good friend.”
“Yes, I know you and Rainbow Dash have been friends for a long time,” Rarity said, “so I know you think she’s a good friend. But we never really had that much in common, she and I. I am a refined fashionista, while she barely combs her mane in the morning. I am particular about getting dirty, while Rainbow Dash doesn’t care if she crash lands in a murky swamp. I couldn’t play a sport to save my life, while Rainbow Dash is one of the finest athletes in Equestria. There’s just not much in common between us, as I said.”
“And yet you two still became friends,” Fluttershy said, “and, if anything, that friendship is even more important because you can learn so much from each other. Are you really willing to throw that away? Because I think if you did then you would be very sorry about it.”
“I suppose you’re right again, Fluttershy,” Rarity said, almost annoyed but grateful for her friend’s support. “But let’s talk about something else, shall we? I don’t want to obsess over Rainbow Dash.”
“That’s probably for the best,” Fluttershy said. “What do you have in mind?”
“How do I tell Spike I’m not interested in him?” Fluttershy stared at Rarity with incredulity.
“Where did that come from?” she asked.
“Rainbow Dash and I were talking about it,” Rarity said.
“Oh, well…you said you and Rainbow Dash managed to work things out pretty well, so just do what she did and you should be fine.”
“Rainbow Dash completely lost it when I first told her,” Rarity said.
“Oh…” Fluttershy said, “well, skip that part.”
“I suppose I should be able to handle it like a lady,” Rarity said. “Oh, but I think I’ve kissed him on the cheek a few times, so I probably led him on.”
“Does he know how you feel about Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy asked.
“Well, I never told Twilight, so I doubt he has any idea,” Rarity said. “I hope to avoid that part of the conversation, actually. He doesn’t really need to know that I do have feelings for somepony else, or that might just break his heart even more.”
“You have a point there,” Fluttershy said.
“Maybe you could help me out with this, Fluttershy,” Rarity suggested. Fluttershy cowered behind her mane.
“What could I do to help?” Fluttershy asked.
“You could be there when I break the news to Spike and offer to comfort him.”
“Oh, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to get involved,” Fluttershy said. “If you’re going to do it, you should probably do it on your own.”
“All right, I guess,” Rarity said. “So what else is new?”
“Well, Angel got very sick a few days ago…”
***
Rainbow Dash left the library determined to find her clearly wallowing friend to set things right. What Applejack had said had stuck to her, and she was sure she’d run into a sobbing Rarity who had let herself completely fall apart. She started off by flying toward the boutique, but she wasn’t really looking where she was going and she nearly ran into Pinkie Pie.
“Whoa, sorry, Pinks!” Rainbow Dash said.
“No problem,” Pinkie Pie said. “Hey, where are you going?”
“I need to find Rarity,” Rainbow Dash said. “I have to set things right.”
“What was wrong in the first place?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“She told me she was in love with me,” Rainbow Dash said casually without really thinking about it. The loud gasp told her that Pinkie Pie didn’t think it was just a throwaway line.
“She what?” Pinkie Pie asked. “I had no idea. Oh, wait, wait, I know! We should throw a Rarity Loves Rainbow Dash party! That would show her we accept her feelings! Oh, and that means you two could be a couple, and that would be so adorable because nopony would expect you two to be together, because you two are totally different in like every way. Oh, and that means you could eventually become married! Oh, can I plan the wedding? There would be a huge cake and flowers and music and all our friends would be there! And then we could—” Rainbow Dash stuffed a hoof inside Pinkie Pie’s mouth.
“I don’t feel the same way,” Rainbow Dash said bluntly. She removed the hoof from Pinkie Pie’s mouth.
“Oh,” Pinkie Pie uttered simply. “Oh…” she said, realizing what Rainbow Dash meant. “So why do you want to talk to her?”
“She’s probably at her boutique getting really depressed. You know how she overreacts to everything.”
“When I saw her earlier, she seemed totally fine,” Pinkie Pie said. “She was on her way to the spa to meet Fluttershy.”
“It’s that time of week already?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Well, at least I know where to find her. Thanks, Pinkie Pie!”
“You’re welcome!” Pinkie Pie said before bouncing away. Rainbow Dash flew to the spa in record time. She walked in, ringing the bell on top of the door.
“I need to see Rarity,” Rainbow Dash said to Aloe.
“Rarity and Fluttershy are currently in the mud baths,” Aloe said. “Unless joo want to pay to join them, joo’ll have to wait here for zem.”
“Oh, fine, I’ll wait,” Rainbow Dash said. She sat down at one of the chairs and stared at the wall, losing herself in her thoughts. She almost didn’t notice Rarity and Fluttershy when they finally came out of the spa.
“Oh, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, unsure of how to feel about her presence.
“Um, I have to head for home now, you know, with the animals and all…” Fluttershy said. She left quickly, leaving Rarity and Rainbow Dash alone.
“Why are you here, Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked when they went outside.
“I realized how upset you must be over me rejecting you, so I came to see if I could help in any way.”
“Really?” Rarity asked. “Well, do I look broken up over this?” Rarity’s cold demeanor was alarming to Rainbow Dash, but it looked like Applejack had been wrong.
“No, you don’t really…” Rainbow Dash said.
“Well, I have to get going back to the boutique. I’m very behind on my work.” Rarity started to walk away, but Rainbow Dash flew ahead of her.
“Can I help?” Rainbow Dash asked. Rarity laughed, but there was no warmth in it.
“You’d just get in the way, darling,” Rarity said. “Really, I’m fine. You should be enjoying yourself on such a lovely day. Go out flying. It might help you clear your head.”
“Who says my head needs clearing?” Rainbow Dash asked, but Rarity ignored her and walked away. Rainbow Dash was now aggravated, but there was nothing she could do now. She decided that a good flight might help her clear her head, so she took Rarity’s advice and launched herself into the sky.
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Originally I planned Chapter 11 to be the last chapter of the story, but I realized a totally new direction I could take this story in, so it's going to continue. Also, I'm not going to use the Author's Note because I find it jarring to see after reading the chapter of a story.
I see this story is sort of drifting away from cuddling. Its more of a straight up romance, maybe make a sequel instead of adding chapters?
If this story doesn't end with the entire town's population having a snuggly snooze in the town square, I'll be sorely disappointed.
So Rarity forgot that she told Twilight about her crush on Rainbow Dash? Interesting.
1860810 i agree
1860940 agreed
I love this story! Can't wait for the next chapter!
1860865
I agree.
1860810
You don't really seem to take constructive criticism into consideration or act upon corrections and whatnot we make, but I would like to point out that Time4Ponies is correct. This story is based around Cuddling, and the writing has been a bit condensed overall but it has been a good story.
Unless you're planning on ending this in some sort of everyone-feels-good-cuddle that solves and ties up all the issues, ending this at the cuddling and making a sequel based on the events of "Cuddling" is how you need to take this to ensure continuity and not seem like you're rambling through ideas.
Your the author, do what you want; its still a great story.
Aww, pair Rarity and Rainbow together to quell the tides in my heart. As for Spike, I dunno, shift his gaze from Rarity to Fluttershy... or something.
Definitely some drifting from the main premise of the story. Why, in the past two chapters, there has been zero cuddling, and more angst than you can shake a goth teenager at. Also, the characters in this story fold faster than Superman on laundry day. The only one who's held consistent to their beliefs has been Twilight. Being swayed by a convincing argument is fine. I've done it plenty of times myself, but with the shortness of the chapters, it feels like they concede their positions too quickly. It just feels like you could expand on the chapters a bit so they don't feel quite so... abridged.
1874570
"Became that over time", so you're trying to tell me they started out as completely innocent ponies and after Applebloom's involvement suddenly became heartless monsters? Yes, AB needed to shut her mouth, but... argh.
You're missing the entire point of their characters. They're what's known as 'grifters', not to mention their names. Flim and Flam... 'Flimflam' refers to swindling people. They were crooks from the start. This is likely not the first time they've destroyed someone's life for the sake of making profits.
Seriously, I -hate- villain-apologists. "Oh they're not so bad, if you look at it THIS way." Doesn't matter what perspective you come up with, the only way you can reason out to yourself that something or someone bad is acceptable or good is if you completely ignore what makes them bad to begin with! You sound no better off than those NLR-zealots, or the Discord-cultists, or the Chrysalis-followers.
They are bad, started bad, were meant to be bad. They were never "just business competitors". Crooks from the word 'Go', did you even pay attention to their "business proposition"? It went something like this:
"You provide everything that goes into cider. That took you backbreaking years of labor to grow, further backbreaking labor to harvest - and we'll flip this switch with our magic horns. Therefore we deserve the VAST MAJORITY OF THE PROFITS, 75% for us, 25% for you." But we won't last the season like that... we need our profits to keep afloat! "So? Take the deal anyway."
Yeah, just business competitors. Like it's completely innocent and well-intentioned. Apples even said it'd ruin them, they didn't give a fuck. Not to mention that horrendously unfair division of profits. All they have to do is flip a switch, there's no labor involved. Machine does it all for them. If anything, they should have gotten 10% if the deal were meant to be valid. But no, you missed the whole point - which is that nothing about them was meant to be valid, and it was all supposed to show just how over the top outrageous these two shady salesmen were.
Let's not forget that they showed up with a cider-making machine that they are obviously not intelligent enough to build themselves and likely conned some inventor out of, during cider season for the Apple Family. That's no coincidence. They came there ON PURPOSE to disrupt and poach Apple Family sales.
Because, let's be honest. If they could build such a machine themselves, why the -fuck- are they trying to steal business from cider sales? Why aren't they employed in a research institute? Why aren't they selling amazing gizmos to wealthy investors, opening their own gizmo-workshop, taking contracts from the Crown? No, just conmen cider-sellers trying to run a family off its property. The Apples have an elderly mare and a child, and they tried to force them to take a deal that would put them on the streets.
Right, 'just' competition. Apologists abound, Celestia's up to her beard awash in apologists for all the evildoers be they god-like or the common conman.
I love this story so much! Keep it up :D
this story went from being just plain cute. to cute and heart twisting. must read more
fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/117/a/0/pony_shrug_by_gif28-d4xt7nc.gif
1898492
That has nothing to do with anything but HAHAHA!
Anyways...