> I think I love you...
>  by FinnPony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Pony riding a lighting.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rain lashed the windows of the carousel shaped building. Wind was so strong that it made trees bend so much that it almost seemed like they were going to crack any second. Sudden cracks of lighting illuminated the otherwise dark and stormy Ponyville in clear white, but just for seconds. Then the darkness fell over the town again.

Inside Carousel Boutique, sat three ponies around small round kitchen table with steaming cups of tea in front o them. Two of them were still teenagers, while the third one was mare at her twenties.
She had clean light gray, almost white coat, and elegantly curvy body. Her tail and mane were soft indigo purple, and they were curled stylishly. Her cutie mark was three purple diamonds. Long beautiful eyelashes and light blue eye shadow highlighted  her big azure colored eyes, that were fixated to something outside the window.

She was Rarity. The local fashionista and dressmaker.
She was sitting with her sister Sweetie Belle, and her newly found coltfriend Rumble. They all looked outside the window, towards the grey clouds above.

Suddenly Rumble pointed his hoof towards one of the storm clouds and said: "There!"
Rarity saw a shadow near the cloud Rumble was pointing, and all of a sudden a lighting struck from that cloud, making her jump a little. She saw a figure resembling a pony dash inside, or maybe on the lighting, but it was really fast, and she wasn't sure what it was.

Rarity watched in total awe, and Rumble had a proud grin on his face.
"W-was that your brother?" Rarity asked and looked at Rumble, blinking confusedly. Sweetie Belle turned to them, and asked: "What just happened?"
"Thunderlane rode a lighting," Rumble said proudly.
Both mares looked at him, mouth agape. Rarity felt her heart pound a little, she had never seen anything like that. They turned towards the window again, and could see a black figure flying around the clouds in distance. Rarity followed the black pegasus with her gaze, feeling a bit unreal.
"How can he do that?" Sweetie Belle asked and leaned closer to Rumble, who answered: "I don't know. He's only one who can do it in Ponyville. Maybe in whole Equestria."
"Well that is something you don't see everyday," Rarity wondered out loud, and a small smile appeared on her lips.

After the trio had finished their teas, Sweetie Belle and Rumble retrieved to Sweetie Belle's room. Meanwhile Rarity placed the used cups to the kitchen sink, to be washed later. Now she didn't have time for that.
Rarity quickly trotted back to the table besides the window, and sat down. She leaned her head against her hooves and stared at the black pegasus soaring the stormy skies over Ponyville.

"I haven't felt like this in a while.." Rarity thought, but then she started to think what she was actually feeling. She frowned while trying to figure what it was, and it seemed like it would be a impossible task. After a while of following the pegasus with her eyes, Rarity suddenly got what the odd feeling was.
"Exited! That's it! I haven't felt this exited in a while.." Rarity thought, smiling victoriously.

Actually she hadn't felt that exited after she had heard about Big Macintosh's marefriend. He had been Rarity's crush for long time for some reason even she herself couldn't fully explain. She was a elegant lady, and Big Macintosh was a farmer, there was such a big difference between them two that how could it even make any kind of sense?
Rarity looked at the table and smiled a little, thinking: "Maybe it was the difference between us that made me feel so exited."

She then lifted her gaze up towards the pegasus again.
"Could this be the same thing?" she thought to herself, and started to recap her every memory of that black pegasus with ice blue mohawk.

She went back to the very beginning, where they two met. 
It was during Rainbow Dash's boot camp at Wonderbolt academy. Rarity smiled warmly while remembering those times.
Rarity heard a loud crack and a white light illuminated the room. She looked out and saw Thunderlane circling one cloud, probably trying to see if it a lighting was going to strike from it.
Rarity didn't take her eyes of him, and continued her remembering.

She and her other friends decided to take a care baggage to Rainbow Dash, when her co-partner accidentally launched a uncontrolled tornado towards their hot air balloon.
Rarity shivered. She still had nightmares about it how she spun around in the twist before starting to fall towards earth. Rarity shook her head to focus on the task at hoof. She was falling down, but Rainbow Dash's cloud trampoline had bounced her right back up. She remembered how that didn't feel any better than falling down.
She smiled a little, when she remembered what happened next.

She had suddenly stopped, and felt strong hooves around her body. She had slowly opened her eyes and she had seen pair of golden eyes, with worried look in them. 
Instead of saying anything, Rarity had felt a sudden urge to do something else, and she had hugged her winged savior.
Afterwards they had been talking about the incident with him, but Rarity realized one thing.

"I never actually thanked him," she thought, and saw Thunderlane starting to fly further away from Carousel Boutique. She also realized that they hadn't even spoken after that, and the incident at the Wonderbolt academy had happened many years aback.
"I don't even know if he got in or not.." Rarity though, and pushed her head deeper into her hooves, when she saw that black pegasus disappearing over the gray clouds.

Rarity sighed, and rose back to sitting upright. She started to feel rather irritated by the situation. She knew that her feelings were still a bit stirred up after she found out about Big Mac dating somepony, but still she felt funny deep inside her. She also knew that only couple of ponies had made her feel that way, ever.
The first one was prince blue blood, then Big Macintosh and now..
"Thunderlane," Rarity thought, trying the name in her head.

She let out a annoyed groan, and jumped down from her chair. Rarity then took a last look at the window, but saw nopony soaring on the stormy skies. 
"I need to get back to work," Rarity thought.

"That should get my head cleared."

> Happy dreams..
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rarity stood in front of a big forest. She didn't know what forest it was, but she knew that it wasn't the Everfree forest. This one looked even more threatening than Everfree ever did. The road she stood was muddy and it messed her hooves, making her coat all wet and dirty.
Rarity looked at her hooves, pouting sadly. She tried to shake the mud of from her hooves, but it just splashed everywhere, making things even worse. She let out a small whimper, and looked towards the road.
"This is like a nightmare!" Rarity whined to no one in special.

Somehow she knew that what she was after, was in the end of that road. It didn't make sense, but she knew that she had to get to the other end of that road. 

Rarity stomped her hoof in the mud angrily in frustration, regretting it immediately. She just managed to splash more mud onto her well kept fur. She groaned sadly, and drooped her head. Rarity then started to walk slowly towards her goal.

For a while she just walked, and the only sound she heard was quiet squelching sound from the muddy road she walked. Suddenly she didn't hear the squelching anymore, and noticed that she was now walking on a dry dirt road, and small dust clouds puffed from under her hooves as she walked. Rarity knew that she was close, and looked forward.
There she saw her goal.

She saw Twilight Sparkle's hot air balloon. It standing there, in the end of the road, ready for lift off.
Rarity started to beam, and let out a small happy squeal. She started to gallop towards the hot air balloon, and quickly jumped into it. She then used her  magic to turn on the burner, making the balloon fill with hot air.
She felt a small nudge, and the balloon started to rise upwards slowly.

Soon Rarity was soaring slowly on the skies, but now she had new problem.
"What now?" she asked from herself. She had reached her goal, but what did it mean. She still felt like something was missing. Raritylooked around the light blue, cloudless sky around her. 
There was nothing, it was like she would have been drifting in blue emptiness of nothing.

Then the storm began. 
Rarity gasped as black clouds appeared from nowhere, and surrounded the small hot air balloon with terrified white unicorn mare in it. She tried to turn off the burner, but nothing happened. The balloon kept rising upwards.
Rarity started to panic when first waves of wind caught the balloon. She knew what was going to happen next. She had been there before.

Just then the tornado appeared from out of nowhere, and was getting closer to her in full speed. Rarity closed her eyes and screamed, preparing for the worst. 
To her surprise, the twister never caught her, and she didn't hear the sound of strong wind in her ears anymore. 
Rarity slowly opened her eyes, only to scream in terror again.

She was falling.
She was still high up, but saw the earth that was getting closer and closer to her.
"My godness let this be a bad dream!" Rarity pleaded with tears in her eyes, as the ground started to get even closer. She closed her eyes again, and waited for the impact.
Once again, it didn't come.

She didn't dare to open her eyes for a while, but then she realized that she was still alive.
Rarity could hear quiet flapping sound of wings, and feel strong hooves under her hind legs and around her upper body. Rarity opened only one eye first, and saw somehow familiar golden eye looking back at her. She then opened her another eye, blinking surprised. 
In front of her she saw Thunderlane's broadly smiling face.

"We have to stop meeting like this," he said playfully, and Rarity blushed a bit. She then looked at him straight into those golden eyes. She felt something tug in her chest when she looked into those warm eyes, and she licked her lips quickly. Rarity then placed her hoof on Thunderlane's shoulder.
"I never thanked you, Thunderlane," she said, still staring into his eyes. 
"Then maybe you should," Thunderlane said, smiling slyly. Rarity giggled sweetly, and leaned closer towards Thunderlane. They pursed their lips, and Rarity closed her eyes.

Just before their lips touched, she heard familiar voice shout: "Rarity! Rumble's not here yet!"

Rarity opened her eyes, and saw the top of her bed's silk roof. She blinked couple of times, and noticed that her pillow was in her tight embrace, and that she was actually kissing it. She pushed the pillow away from her and turned around in her bed, to her side. She saw worried looking Sweetie Belle at her door.

"What is it honey?" Rarity asked tiredly, and Sweetie Belle started stomping her hooves on the floor.
"Hee's not comiiing!" Sweetie Belle whined, and Rarity quickly glanced at the clock. She then grunted and looked at Sweetie Belle with an annoyed expression on her face.
"I'ts quarter past seven in the morning!" Rarity said angrily to her sister, who gave her a sheepish look. Rarity sighed and said: "I know you're looking forward to your date with him honey, but you have to be patient!"
"Okay.." Sweetie Belle said, drooping her ears. She then said: "Sorry Rarity."
Rarity couldn't be mad at her, she was just exited. Rarity lifted herself to lean against her hoof, and looked at Sweetie Belle with warm smile on her face.
"It's okay honey, just give me couple of more minutes," Rarity asked from her little sister, who immediately perked up and said briskly: "Okay Rarity!"

She then shut the door, and Rarity heard hoofsteps get further away from her door.
Rarity let out a frustrated sigh and flopped back onto her king size bed, pulling the silk sheets over her. She then saw her pillow, that had a damp patch on the place where she had kissed it.

Rarity's thoughts went back to her dream, and she thought: "This is getting ridiculous!"
> First encounter.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The next night.


Rarity was laying in her bed, still awake and listening carefully. She was ready to spring out of her bed immediately after any kind of an voice from the front door. Rumble was staying in the Carousel Boutique for the night, without his brothers permission, and he would probably come looking for him.

"What are you doing Rarity? You like Big Macintosh!" she thought, but then she remembered that he was already with somepony else. She then started to wonder why Thunderlane made her feel this tensed up again.
"Am I getting desperate? No.. He's just a pretty looking colt. Of course I can have a try with him," Rarity ensured herself.
She had been thinking about Thunderlane from the day when she saw him ride that lighting. That had given her some thrills only couple had never given her.

Big Macintosh was one of them, but he was out of the picture now. Rarity would never steal a stallion from another mare, that would be a terrible thing to do.
"I haven't really spoken to him after the incident at the thunderbolt academy," Rarity pondered again. She tried to think how much he had changed from those times. She then rolled around her bed carefully. She tried not to mess her elegant mane. 
"Of course I have to be at my best when I meet him," Rarity thought. She was now facing the big window in her room. The night sky was getting clearer. And she could see the stars on the sky.
Rarity sighed. She was starting to fear that Thunderlane wasn't coming at all.

Suddenly she saw a shadow pass her window, and she quickly jumped from under her blanket. 
She looked in the mirror, and fixed couple of loose curls on her mane. She then quickly, but as quiet as possible trotted down the stairs, and in front of the front door. She didn't want her parents who were visiting her to wake up.

Rarity peeked trough the peephole in the door, and let out a small eep.
There he stood, the almost black pegasus with ice blue mane shaped as a mohawk and golden eyes. He was just about to knock on the door, but Rarity swung the door open, smiling to him happily.

Thunderlane jumped a bit back when the door opened, and froze still when he saw who opened it.
"H-hi.." he muttered, and Rarity giggled a little. She had that effect on most of the stallions.
"Hi to yourself," Rarity said with a sultry tone, examining Thunderlane up and down.
They were silent for a second, just looking at each other. Rarity noticed that Thunderlane had become a grown up stallion, with big wings and adult features in his face. He was about a head taller than Rarity, and he had athletic body with well formed muscles..

Finally Thunderlane remembered why he was there, and he asked: "Umm.. Is Rumble here?"
"Why yes he is," Rarity said, and saw how a frown appeared on Thunderlane's forehead.
"That little brat.. He was supposed to be sleeping half an hour ago," he hissed angrily. Rarity felt a small tingle in her back, when Thunderlane cursed, but she gave him a displeased stare and said: "What's the tongue."
"Sorry," Thunderlane mumbbled, but then he asked: "Where is he? We should go home."
"He's been sleeping for a good hour and a half now," Rarity answered, and liked the way Thunderlane's expression changed.
"Really?" he asked, and looked at Rarity with surprised look on his face.  
"Yes, He even has his school things backed for tomorrow," Rarity said with a smile. Thunderlane's surprised expression turned into a small smile, and he said: "Well let him sleep then. No need to school him.. for now."

They then stood in silence for a minute, and just stared at each other. Rarity started to feel awkward, and she knew that she had to make the initiative. She thought for something, and then got what to say.

"I saw you couple of days back, riding that lighting," she said. Thunderlane stood up more straight, and said proudly: "Only one who knows how to."
"So I've heard," she said seductively, making Thunderlane feel hot on his cheeks.
"I have to say that you have been quite a good father figure for Rumble," Rarity continued, stepping forward. Thunderlane scratched his mane nervously, and said: "Thanks?"
Rarity continued to push herself closer to Thunderlane, and cooed: "I like stallions who know how to handle kids,"
They were silent, and there were only couple of inches between their muzzles. Rarity felt that same tug in her chest that she had felt in her dream last night. She breathed a bit more faster, and saw him looking at her lips.
"Calm down Rarity, don't ruin this now," Rarity thought, and bit her lower lip.

"Anyway, we should get to bed, it's getting late," Rarity said and turned around, before she could have done something she would have regretted. She swayed her tail to his face gently when she turned around, and slowly walked towards the door. She then heard Thunderlane say: "Wait."
"Yes!" Rarity thought and almost jumped from excitement. She then turned around, and saw that Thunderlane was really nervous. He was trying to say something.

"Yes?" Rarity asked with anticipation in her voice.
Thunderlane looked her right into those azure eyes. Rarity blinked, and smiled at him encouragingly. Finally Thunderlane managed to speak: "I... Maybe.. I thought if.."
"If I wanted to go out with you?" Rarity said, not hiding her excitement.
Thunderlane blushed, but managed to say: "Yeah."
"I thought you'd never ask honey," Rarity cooed.

Thunderlane's face light up and he smiled at Rarity, who smiled back at him. They spent a moment looking at each other, before Rarity cleared her throat. 
"I have free time tomorrow after eight."  she said quietly.
Thunderlane had a goofy smile on his face, but he then snapped out of it. He flashed a sheepish smile at warmly smiling Rarity, and said: "That sounds good! Will I come to pick you up then?"
"I'll be looking forward to it," Rarity said happily.

Then they were silent again for a second, before Thunderlane finally said: "Okay.. I'll come get you tomorrow,"
"You do that," Rarity said, giggling at Thunderlane's hazing a little. He blushed a little, and said: "Well.. Goodnight Rarity,"
"Sweet dreams Thunderlane," Rarity said with sultry tone, and watched as the blushing pegasus took off into the night sky. After that Rarity let out a small squeal and hopped in place. She started to giggle like a little schoolfilly.

"I'm having a date!" she thought happily while jumping on the steps of Carousel Boutique,  swaying her head from side to side feeling exited.
> What hay is this?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thunderlane soared on the clear night sky, over the clouds. He flew slowly, almost never flapping his wings. He didn't have any rush to head back to his home.
He was trying to make any sense of what had happened just minutes ago.

"Okay.. Seriously what the hay is this?" Thunderlane asked from himself. 
He had left from his home angry, looking for his little brother who hadn't came back home in time. Something happened, and he asked the most wanted mare of the town out with him.
"Now that I think of it.. It was her who asked me out," Thunderlane thought, and a cocky smile appeared on his face. He had been asked out by the most wanted mare of whole Ponyville.

Thunderlane curved to his right, avoiding a head on collision with a stray cloud. He hadn't noticed it because his thoughts were running back to that moment in front of Carousel Boutique.

"Damn.. Her mane.. her white fur shining in moonlight.. her cute, big eyes.." he thought, smiling happily to himself. Then the happy smile turned into a wry grin and he added out loud: "..And that flank."
He chuckled a little, and noticed that he was now almost home. He could see the roof of his house right under him.

Thunderlane did a steep dive, folding his wings flat against his sides. He gained speed and just before ground he opened his wings again, and pulled himself back up. He glided the rest of the way to his doorsteps, and unlocked the door. He stepped in and closed the door behind him.

Thunderlane switched the lights on, and immediately let out a small hiss from between his teeth. If Rarity was ever going to visit him - and that was what he hoped - he should really clean up someday.

His house was a mess. There were scarfs hanging all around the lounge, but none of them were in hanger. They hung from the ceiling fan and some of them laid on the floor.
Thunderlane continued forward.

He came to the living room, and saw that the situation there wasn't much better. A big pile of old newspapers had been formed next to the armchair he used to sit. He looked at the ground next to the armchair, and saw couple of empty beer cans. He kicked them under the chair. There was a visible layer of dust on the floor. The only plant he had in his house had died long ago, but it's remains never had been moved. 

Thunderlane grinned, and moved on. He didn't even need to step into the kitchen. He already knew that even seeing it would make Rarity pass out. Imagining that made him snicker to himself.

Thunderlane then sighed deeply, and thought that maybe it would be better for him to get to bed. Maybe that would sort out his thoughts, and make everything much clearer in the morning. He still had to do a little planning for tomorrow, Rarity wasn't a mare who could be impressed easily.

He stretched his back, and started to rise up the stairs towards his bedroom, that was next to bathroom and Rumble's room. He snickered when he remembered that all this was partly made by Rumble. Without him, he would have never left the house in first place, nor met Rarity at Carousel Boutique.
Thunderlane made a mental note to than Rumble if everything would work out with him and Rarity.

He opened the door to his room, and quickly trotted to his bed. Thunderlane jumped to his bed, making the whole bed let out a suspicious cracking sound. Thunderlane just chuckled a bit, and pulled the blanket to his chin. He closed his eyes, and tried to fall asleep quickly.

That didn't work out though.
He couldn't shake Rarity out of his head now. Every time he was about to fall asleep, he remembered another little unique detail about her. That stopped him from falling asleep.
"Brains, you're not helping me right now," Thunderlane thought annoyed, and rolled to his back. He stared at the light grey ceiling, which glowed almost white in the moonlight that poured trough the window. 
That too reminded him of Rarity, or her beautiful coat actually.
"Am I just nervous? Or what is this?" Thunderlane thought to himself, and rolled to his other side. He then stated to think about his past with Rarity.

He of course had known Rarity long before she had known him. Everypony of his age had had crush on her when younger, and today too probably. He smiled when he remembered the incident that happened while he was in training.
"She hugged me," he thought, and remembered how he had bragged about it to the other colts in Ponyville. His smile then faded away, when he remembered how bad his crush towards Rarity had been after that.
"I couldn't sleep, because she was all I thought, nor could I.." Thunderlane thought, but then stopped. His eyes went wide and his mouth opened a little.
"Could it be? Could this be that again?" he thought when he realized that he had had these symptoms before. He rolled back to his back, and stared at the ceiling. 

Couple of weeks after the incident at the academy, Thunderlane had finally overcome the fact that Rarity and him could never a couple. He was a pony who liked to mess around, and get hes hooves dirty, while Rarity was just the opposite of him. A clean and polite young adult, who despised everything that could get her hooves dirty. 
Thunderlane had came in terms with that, and the symptoms had gone away. But now he started to have hope again, and the symptoms came back. He now rolled around his bed nervously, trying to make sense of the situation.

"What the hay is this?" Thunderlane thought and pressed his head deep into his pillow, before falling into a really thin sleep.
> Getting to known each other (AKA The Blue Note)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two mares were sitting on a sofa in the living room of Carousel Boutique. They were talking quietly, while the other one nervously rubbed her hooves together. Their parents had left earlier that day, leaving the two siblings with each other again.

"What's wrong Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked when she saw Rarity's troubled expression.
Rarity snapped from her trance, and looked at her sister.
"It's nothing honey, just a bit nervous that's all," she said, and ruffled Sweetie Belle's mane.
Actually Rarity was more than nervous. She had been worrying about her date ever since the first wave of excitement had flown over her last night. She drooped her ears.
"What if he's not like I thought he was? What if he.." Rarity thought and rubbed her hooves together again. She stopped, when she felt Sweetie Belle's hoof on her shoulder.
Rarity turned to see her, and saw Sweetie Belle smiling encouragingly at her.

Rarity smiled at Sweetie Belle, who now wrapped her hooves around Rarity.
"Everything will go fine, you'll see," she said and nuzzled Rarity's shoulder, making her smile even more warmly at her sister. Rarity wrapped her hoof around Sweetie Belle's shoulder, and held her close.
Nothing could beat sister's love.

Rarity started to feel a bit more relaxed, and laid back to the sofa. She still couldn't be worrying about the evening to come though, and the same funny feeling inside her didn't make things any easier. Rarity wasn't so sure about the feeling being excitement anymore, because now she was everything else than exited, and she still felt it.

Rarity sighed and looked at the clock. It was quarter to eight.
"I still have time to make tea," she thought, and hopped of from the sofa. She walked towards the kitchen, hoping that a big cup of green tea would calm her nerves.

Just as she had the tea water boiling in the teapot, Rarity heard the doorbell ring. 
Her heart almost jumped to her throat, and she turned towards Sweetie Belle. They stared at each other for a second, but then the doorbell rang again.

"I'm coming!" Rarity shouted, and trotted towards the door, thinking: "Easy now Rarity, just calm down and be yourself."
She reached the door, and looked trough the peephole to make sure it was Thunderlane who had rang the bell. Rarity let out a small nervous sigh, as her expectations turned to be right.

Behind the door stood a black peagsus, scratching his foreleg with his hoof. Thunderlane seemed to feel lat least as nervous as Rarity did, making her snicker a little.
Thunderlane had seen effort to look good. He had brushed his feathers so they were in perfect order. Rarity could see that right away. 
"Well at least he knows that he should look presentable in front of a mare," Rarity thought and clicked the door open, still looking trough the peephole. She saw Thunderlane perking up, and quickly making sure that his mane was okay.

Rarity peeked from behind the door, and she was greeted by Thunderlane's nervous gaze.
"Hi," he said to Rarity, who opened the door completely. 
"Hi," Rarity answered happily, and stood in front of the stallion, who was bigger than her. She had to look up at him. Thunderlane looked at his right wing, and put his hoof under it. He pulled out a small bouquet of purple roses.
Rarity's eyes light up when she saw those.
"I thought that maybe you would like these, even it's a bit cheesy," Thunderlane said and smiled sheepishly at Rarity, while presenting the flowers to timidly smiling Rarity. 
She examined them for a second. She liked it when stallions brought her flowers. It showed that they at least somehow wanted to impress her, even it would be just buying flowers from a stand in the market.
Rarity smiled and said sweetly: "They're lovely, thank you."

Thunderlane smiled at her.
They then heard a loud whistle from inside the building, making them both look in the direction of the sound. They saw the teapot whistling on the stove, and Rarity remembered that she had been making tea earlier.
"Would you like a cup of tea before we go?" she asked when turning around back to Thunderlane.
"Sure, we aren't running out of time or anything," Thunderlane said.

Rarity nodded happily, and gestured Thunderlane to get in. 
She was pleased, when Thunderlane brushed his hooves to the doormat before entering her home. She then walked towards the kitchen, with flowers in her magical grip and Thunderlane close behind her.

When they passed the door to living room, they saw smiling Sweetie Belle standing in the doorway. 
Thunderlane stopped in front of her, and said: "You must be Sweetie Belle, Rumble can't stop talking about you."
Sweetie Belle smiled happily, and said: "Rumble always talks about you too."
"Really?" Thunderlane asked, chuckling a little. Sweetie Belle nodded, and said: "He thinks that you're really cool,"
Thunderlane couldn't help but to smile. He knew that he and Rumble were close, but didn't know that he appreciated him that much.

Rarity meanwhile had readied two cups onto the kitchen table. She placed two bags of green tea into the cups of hot water, and called: "Tea is ready!"

Thunderlane ruffled Sweetie Belle's mane, and walked towards Rarity's voice.
"I'll let you two have some privacy," Sweetie Belle called after him, and disappeared back into the living room. Thunderlane smiled, and entered the kitchen, where he saw Rarity placing the roses he had brought for her into a small vase. She then placed the vase onto the table and sat down, gesturing Thunderlane to join her.

He sat down to the opposite side of the table, in front of Rarity. The tea in his cup smelled sweet, and it had a healthy green color in it.

"I have to say that Rumble is a real gentlecolt," Rarity said, while listening Sweetie Belle humming loudly in the living room, doing her own things.
Thunderlane chuckled, and said: "Mom taught him well, didn't succeed with me that well."
He immediately saw how Rarity's expression changed into a worried and troubled look. She then looked at her cup, and took a small sip.

"He told you?" Thunderlane asked quietly, and took a slow sip from his tea too. Rarity nodded sadly, and said: "I'm awfully sorry about your parents."
Thunderlane chuckled sadly, and said: "I don't get why everypony says that. It's not your fault, so why are you sorry?"
Rarity  realized that he was trying to change the subject. She thought that maybe it was a good idea. Talking about your partners dead parents wasn't good first date material. 

They were silent for a while, just staring into their cups.
Then Rarity realized to ask: "So do we have any plans for tonight?"
Thunderlane's mood lightened up, and he said: "Well I thought about couple of ideas, but I don't know if you're going to like them,"
"What do you have in mind?" Rarity asked with a sultry tone and half lidded eyes, while leaning her head on her hooves. That made Thunderlane chuckle nervously, but he bravely continued: "Well.. I thought that we could go eat something.." he started, but then stopped and looked at Rarity a bit sadly.
"But I think we wont get a table from anywhere with such a short notice," he finished.
Rarity nodded, but continued to smile still.
"What's next?" she asked, and Thunderlane took a sip from his tea, before answering.

"I then thought that maybe we could go and have a drink in a bar," he answered, and saw how a frown appeared on Rarity's smooth forehead.
"A bar?" she asked, sounding a little suspicious. She didn't like bars. They were full of drunk ponies and bad music on the jukebox, which somepony played over and over again.
Her frown disappeared, when Rarity noticed Thunderlane's amused expression.

"Yes, a bar, not a pub." he said, and without waiting for Rarity's reaction, he continued: "I knew that you would react like that. It's a bit more classy place, where they play jazz and bartenders have suits."
Rarity thought, and Thunderlane exclaimed: "Perfect! Right?"
She giggled quietly at the exited stallion in front of him, and thought: "He has spent some time thinking about this, I have to give him that."

Rarity thought for a second more, before a playful smile appeared on her lips. She sat back to more upright, and said: "Okay.."
Thunderlane smiled, and was about to say something, but Rarity continued: "On one condition."
Thunderlane looked confusedly at the playfully smirking mare in front of him. 

"And what is that?"


* * *


"I cant believe you made me wear this tie," Thunderlane said to Rarity, who was walking next to him, smiling happily. She looked at Thunderlane, who had his ears folded backwards, and a red tie around his neck. Rarity couldn't help but to giggle at his annoyed expression.
Rarity herself had a simple pink brimmed hat with feather decorating it on the side, She walked close to the annoyed black stallion, and followed him towards the bar they were going. 

Town of Ponyville was starting to get quiet, and the sun was getting closer to the horizon. There were still some foals and their parents outside, but they started to move towards their homes, before it would get dark. Rarity didn't pay any attention to them, she was too busy stealing small glances at Thunderlane.

Thunderlane let out a small sigh, and looked at the red tie around his neck with a small frown.
"I think you look really charming," Rarity said to Thunderlane, who perked up and unfolded his ears. A praise from Rarity immediately made him feel less annoyed by the red piece of cloth around his neck.

Soon after that Thunderlane pointed his hoof at one of  the buildings near them.
"There it is," he said, and looked at Rarity, who was looking at the building a bit confusedly.
It was a ordinary looking family restaurant, and it was closed. She turned towards Thunderlane, and looked at him for an explanation. Thunderlane saw her confused stare, and said: "Not that one, look over there."

He pointed his hoof towards the alley next to the building, and saw that there was a staircase that lead to the basement of the building, and over the door hung a small plate.
"The Blue Note?" Rarity asked, when she squinted her eyes so she could read the name of the bar in the plate. It was written in stylish hoofwriting. 

"That's the place," Thunderlane said, and gestured Rarity to follow him to the door. She did so, and as they got closer to the stairs, she could hear a quiet music from behind the door.
She wasn't so sure about the classiness of that place though.
"Are you sure this is my kind of place honey?" Rarity asked, as they started to walk down the stairs, that were pretty filthy. The front door was just a plain normal metallic basement door, with handle in it.
Thunderlane stopped in front of the door, and said with a pleading smile on his face: "Trust me,"

Rarity thought for a second, but couldn't say no to Thunderlane's pleading look. She nodded and said: "I trust you."
"After you," Thunderlane said, and opened the door for Rarity.

She was instantly greeted by gentle sound of jazz and dumbfounded by what she saw.
The Blue Note was much bigger than she had imagined, there was at least fifty tables in there, and a big dancing floor where happy couples danced to the slow and gentle music. 
There was a band playing on a stage behind the dance floor, and the whole place was illuminated by a dim blue lights, that created a really beautiful atmosphere in Rarity's opinion.
The walls were made of rough, dark grey plaster, and there were saxophones and notes painted in it with blue colors.
In the opposite wall from the door was a long, old fashioned bar counter made from wood. Behind it stood a bartender in his clean black and white suit, just like Thunderlane had promised. Behind the bartender was a big mirror, that made the bar look much more bigger.

Rarity stood in the doorway, mouth open from the surprise.
Thunderlane chuckled and walked next to her.
"It's amazing," Rarity said slowly, looking around herself, she then turned to look Thunderlane with wide eyes, and said: "I have never even heard of this place! And it's so beautiful!"
"Sometimes you shouldn't judge a book by it's  covers," Thunderlane said, and saw how Rarity blushed, feeling embarrassed. Thunderlane just chuckled and asked: "How about that drink?"
Rarity nodded to him, still blushing a little.

They walked trough the tables, where Rarity saw ponies spending time with their friends or loved ones. Most of them didn't pay any attention to her and Thunderlane, but some of the stallions's heads turned towards her when Rarity walked past them. She noticed that that happened for Thunderlane too, but he turned mare's heads around.
"It seems that I'm not the only one who thinks he's rather good looking," Rarity thought, and giggled silently.

They reached the bar counter, and the bartender came to them immediately.
He was a unicorn with a slightly orange coat and red mane that was swept back with gel. He was probably about the same age as she and Thunderlane were, and he wore a really stylish tuxedo in Rarity's opinion. 

He smiled happily at the pair, and spoke: "Thunderlane! It's been a long time!"
"Way too long Whiskey," Thunderlane said to the smiling bartender, who turned towards Rarity.
"And who's this lovely lady you're with?" he asked, with his voice as slippery as quicksilver. It made Rarity giggle, and she introduced herself: "Rarity,"
The bartender smiled playfully to her, and then asked: "What is such a beautiful mare like you doing with an stallion like Thunderlane here?" 
"Cut it out Whiskey," Thunderlane said, sounding a little annoyed. Rarity just giggle a little more, and said: "We're on a date."

Whiskeys expression changed into a surprised stare. His eyes went from Rarity to Thunderlane, but after couple of seconds he shook his head, and said under his breath: "That explains the tie."
He then quickly said: "You two have a nice evening! What can I get for you?"

"I'll have a root beer and for Rarity.." Thunderlane started, and then looked at Rarity with asking look in his eyes. Rarity thought for a second, and then said: "A red wine thank you,"
"So a root beer and a red wine. Got it," Whiskey said, and took two bottles from under the table. The other one was light green bottle filled with beer, and other one was bigger bottle with rose red wine in it. 
Whiskey took two glasses from under the table too, and in a swift motion opened the beer bottle, sending it's cap flying right into the trash bin behind the counter. He poured the beer into the class quickly, so that the foam didn't quite reach over the edge. He then uncorked the wine bottle, and poured some of the smooth, red liquid into a thin hoofmade glass. He then placed the cork back to it's place, and both bottles were gone just as quickly as they had appeared.

"There you go," he said and pushed the drinks towards the pair. Thunderlane placed some bits to the counter, and took his glass of beer into his teeth from the edge of it. Rarity floated her drink trough the air with her magic, and they walked to a small table near the dancing floor. 

"Thank you for taking me here," Rarity said, with her eyes glimmering from excitement under her hat.
"I thought that you would enjoy this place," Thunderlane said, looking around and taking a sip from his beer. Rarity too took a sip from her glass, and the taste of good wine washed over her mouth, making her sigh satisfied.

They were silent for a while, juts listening to the slow and calm music, and taking small sips from their drinks. There was some tension between them, and Rarity thought that it had to be dealt with.

After a while Rarity spoke: "They play really beautiful music."
Thunderlane agreed on that, and said: "Yeah,"
Rarity turned towards him, and asked: "Do you come here often? I saw some of those mares over there looking at you."
Thunderlane shrugged, and said: "Not that often, and besides I saw stallions looking at you."
They both snickered a little, and felt how the tension between them started to melt away.
They started to talk about their past.

"By the way, did you graduate from the wonderbolt academy?" Rarity asked, and saw how Thunderlane puffed his chest. He then said proudly: "Yes I did."
Rarity started to smile and exclaimed: "Congratulations! I had been wondering about that lately."
"Really?" Thunderlane asked, and Rarity flashed her a sheepish smile. She then said: "Well.. I just somehow started remembering the past, and remembered our little incident at the academy."
She saw how a faint blush appeared on Thunderlane's cheeks too, he had to be thinking about the same thing she was thinking.

They were silent again, and both of them took couple of sips from their drinks. Then Rarity looked Thunderlane into his eyes, and said quietly: "I realized that I never thanked you Thunderlane."
Thunderlane was now blushing even harder, and scratching the back of his head. He then looked back at Rarity's azure eyes, and said: "Everypony else would have done the same thing."
"Yes, but it was you who did it, you saved me," Rarity ensured him, and placed her hoof on Thunderlane's, making him wince. He then said: "You don't need to thank me Rarity."
"But I want to," Rarity said with pleading voice. 

Just then Thunderlane heard the band finishing their song, ponies in the bar clapping and the saxophonist of the band saying into his microphone: "Thank you folks! We'll play couple of more songs for you, but then we'll have to hit the road again! Everypony have a good night!"
Then the band started to play. First it was just one pony playing softly on piano and other drumming even more gently, but soon the saxophonist started to play his instrument like a professional he was.

Thunderlane thought and listened to the song for a moment. He hen drank the rest of his beer with a one long gulp to gain enough courage, and turned towards Rarity, who was still holding her hoof over his.
"Rarity," he started, and the white mare with royal purple mane leaned closer to him. She had a waiting look in her eyes. Thunderlane gulped, and then asked: "Would you dance with me?"

Rarity's eyes were fixated at his, and she smiled lovely.
"Yes, I would love to," she said quietly, and smiled happily. Thunderlane nodded to her, and rose up. He then offered his hoof to Rarity, and helped her up. They slowly walked to the dance floor, where were three more couples dancing to the rhythm of the music.  

Thunderlane and Rarity stood face to face on the floor, looking into each other's eyes.
Rarity smiled at Thunderlane, who nervously lifted his front hoof to her shoulder, while Rarity did the same to him.
It took a moment for them to get in same rhythm, but soon they were dancing in rhythm with the calm music the band was playing. 
Rarity looked into Thunderlane's eyes, which looked back at hers. They danced like that for a moment, before Rarity started to feel that familiar tug in her chest again. She looked at Thunderlane, and blushed, earning a nervous smile from the stallion she was smiling with.
"Control yourself Rarity," she thought, while staring int o those golden eyes. She then sighed, and laid her head to rest on surprised stallions shoulder. Thunderlane blushed hard, and felt Rarity's breath against his shoulder. Her smooth mane brushed against his chin and cheeks, and he could smell the perfume from her mane.
After a while, Thunderlane decided to go with it. He lowered his head to rest gently on Rarity's, who sighed happily when he did so.  

They both tightened their hold around each other, and fell down deeper to the dance. There was only them two and the music.  No band, no other couples dancing around them, no 'Blue Note', no nothing. Just them.
They danced around the floor slowly, holding each other tightly. Nothing else mattered, not even the tiredness in their legs could make them stop dancing together to the gentle music.

Luckily the band and other couples seemed to have good time too, so the band decided to continue nonstop for couple of songs longer. Rarity and Thunderlane danced trough two more songs, until the band stopped and started to back their things.

The pair held each other for a moment after the band had stopped playing, before Rarity finally lifted her head from Thunderlane's shoulder. She was smiling happily, and so was Thunderlane. They stared at each other, and held their hooves on each others shoulders.
"That was amazing," Rarity said with shivering voice.
Thunderlane smiled to her warmly, and answered: "Yeah."


* * *


The town was quiet and dark when Rarity and Thunderlane left 'The Blue Note'. They hadn't had an idea how fast the time had flew while they had been in there. 
After their dance they had started to talk about everything they came up with. Rarity's dresses, Thunderlane's work as a Wonderbolt, the weather, past, present, the future..
And without them even noticing, the clock was already two in the morning. They had decided that it would be good time for them to leave. They both had siblings to take care of.

"Anyway.. I just stood there and she was like.." Rarity explained to Thunderlane, who didn't really listen. He liked to watch Rarity while she told what had happened to her couple of days earlier. She blinked cutely as she spoke, and her clan curled mane wiggled when she opened her mouth.
Thunderlane smiled while savoring on all these little details about her. He moved his gaze down towards her body. Her coat was smooth and it almost glowed in the moonlight. Her legs moved in so elegant way that it was hard to understand, and her tail swayed from side to side as she moved.
Thunderlane's eyes went back to her face, and met with a amused stare from two azure colored eyes.

"What are you looking at?" Rarity asked, sounding amused. Thunderlane tried to say something, but stumbled over his words for a second, before managing to say: "It's.. you're pretty."
"'Pretty?' Really Thunderlane?" He thought right after he had said that, and frowned to himself. Rarity instead just giggled and said: "Well you're not too bad looking yourself."

Thunderlane blushed, and stepped closer to Rarity, who allowed it. They were now walking closely together, with their legs brushing together as they moved. This made both of them to quickly glance at each other, and Thunderlane saw a smile on Rarity's lips.
He smiled back at her, and Rarity then turned her head forward. Thunderlane too looked forward, and realized that they were at the Carousel Boutique. He hand't even realized how fast they had been walking.

"I had really good time today, tahnk you for taking me to the Blue Note," Rarity said happily to Thunderlane, who answered: "No problem, thanks for the dance."
Rarity giggled and placed her hoof on Thunderlane's chest and said sultry: "Thank you for the dance."
They both snickered and stared into each other's eyes.

Then they simultaneously leaned forward, and wrapped hooves around each other's necks. They hugged for a minute, and when they broke it Rarity gave a small peck onto Thunderlane's cheek, making him wince and flush scarlet red. He opened and closed his mouth and had a surprised expression on his face.
Rarity just giggled with a hoof covering her mouth, and then she said: "Good night Thunderlane,"
"Goodnight Rarity," he said, and looked at the mare right into the eyes. Then before Rarity turned around, he asked: "Will we see again?"
Rarity looked at him sweetly, and placed a hoof on his chin. She then said with a warm tone: "You can come visit me anytime you want dear."

That made Thunderlane beam, and he quickly leaned forward, planting a small kiss on Rarity's cheek.
Now it was her time to go red around the cheeks. Rarity lifted her hoof to the place he had kissed her. She looked at the sheepishly smiling stallion in front of him, but couldn't say anything. 

"Goodnight," Thunderlane said quietly, and spread his wings. With a one hard flap of wings he was on the sky, soaring towards his home. 
Rarity still held her hoof at the place where the kiss had landed, and started to feel the tugging in her chest again. That made her snap out of her trance, and Rarity turned around. She walked to the door and opened it.

Behind the door she met happily grinning Sweetie Belle, who said: "He forgot the tie around his neck."
Rarity just smiled at her coyly, and said: "I know," 
> The next day.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day was just like every other normal day in Ponyville.
Sun shone, but there were still some white clouds on the sky, that were moving slowly due a gentle wind. There were some darker clouds in the distance, but they were headed towards the local farms, where they needed rain to keep the crops healthily growing.

Thunderlane liked weather like that. He could spent the whole day flying around the clouds, practicing his skills as a flyer. He was up on the sky, gliding over the puffy clouds, but he wasn't training like usually, or at least yet.
He had to do something else first.

Thunderlane had a red tie hanging in his teeth, and he was flying towards Carousel Boutique. The tie annoyingly slapped him on the face while he flew, and he started to feel a urge to threw it away. He didn't do that though, because it belonged to a special pony.

"Well.. At least I got a good reason to visit her," Thunderlane thought, smiling a little. Then the tie slapped against his face again, making him grunt annoyed.
He started to see his destination. The round building living up to it's name.
Carousel Boutique was shaped like.. well, a carousel. It had three floors, and it was the most decorated building in Ponyville. It had renaissance style in it.

Thunderlane smiled subconsciously when he saw the building getting closer.
He didn't feel too nervous about going to Rarity's anymore. The strange feeling that didn't let him sleep at night had eased after he and Rarity had spent a night out, but it still was there. It was just much more discreet than before.

Thinking about it made Thunderlane frown. He looked at the round building closing in, and started his decent. He reached Carousel Boutique, and circled it once, before landing near the door.
He lifted a small cloud of dust into the air when he hit the ground, scaring some light green foal near him. He chuckled a little, when the foal looked at him with surprised and a bit scared expression.
The foal then started to laugh, and ran to his parents, who were close by.

Thunderlane smiled after him, and turned towards the door of Carousel Boutique.
He briskly walked to the door, and rang the doorbell.
There was a muffled chime heard from behind the door, and soon Thunderlane heard hoofsteps behind it. Door opened, and to Thunderlane's surprise, Rumble stood there. His little brother had a sly grin on his face.
"What's up Thunderlane?" Rumble asked and looked at his surprised brother, who soon took the tie from his mouth, and said: "Hi Rumble.. Just bringing this back to Rarity,"

Rumble looked at the tie, and then at his brother again.
"I presume that the night went well?" he asked with a mischievous voice. Thunderlane frowned at him, and shooed his brother out of his way with his hoof. Rumble just laughed a bit and said: "She's in her working room."
Thunderlane grunted something as response, and heard Rumble starting to climb the stairs behind him. He also heard how Sweetie Belle asked from top of the stairs: "Who was it?"
"Thunderlane," he heard Rumble answer, and then both of the teens started to snicker loudly. Thunderlane didn't mind about them, and continued to walk to the living room. He walked trough it, and came to a door that had 'Don't disturb' sign hanging from it. He could hear sewing machine's quiet humming from behind it.

Thunderlane heard the sewing machine stop running. Quickly after that frustrated looking Rarity opened the door. She had her red glasses on her muzzle and a measuring tape hanging around her neck, making her look somehow even more attractive in Thunderlane's opinion.
"Sweetie Belle, didn't I say.." she started, but stopped right when she saw Thunderlane.
He looked at the gorgeous mare in front of him with a apologetic look, and said: "Umm.. Well I guess I'll just drop this here."
Rarity's mouth turned into a smile, and she quickly said: "No no, I wasn't that busy."
She then opened the door more, and made room for Thunderlane to enter.
"Come in, I was just finishing here," she said to Thunderlane, who nodded happily and walked past Rarity. 

He came into a big room. There were mannequins all over the room, and big shelves full of different kind of fabrics in them. There were coal drawings attached to the walls all around the room, and each of them had more and more amazing looking dress plans in them. On a table next to two big windows were scissors and other tools used by dressmakers. Next to the table was a mannequin with Rarity's latest creation dressed on it.

Thunderlane looked at the dress with interested look in his golden eyes. Even he wasn't much for the fancy dresses, that one was something different. He just had to take a closer look.

The dress was made from rose red silk, and under it was a lightly orange, frilled underdress. The dress's upper body was decourished with small yellow amethysts and ribbon on the lower back.
Mannequin had a pair of long boots, that were also rose red. On the mannequins head was a crown with two artificial roses, that looked just like their real counterparts. It.. Well.. It crowned the whole thing.

"This is really cool," Thunderlane said, while Rarity was folding his tie, and placing it to one of her shelves. She then turned towards him, and said proudly: "I've spent last two weeks with it."
Thunderlane looked at the dress, and couldn't find words to describe it. Rarity stepped next to him, and took a needle in her magical grasp. She then levitated a spool of thread to her, and slipped the thread from the eye of the needle. She then became working on the dress, while chatting with Thunderlane.

"Thanks for bringing the tie back," she said to Thunderlane.
"I thought that it would leave a bad impression of me, if I would have just kept it to myself," Thunderlane said, while watching Rarity's accurate needlework.
"I knew you would return it," Rarity said, and smiled a bit. She used the scissors to cut the thread, and moved to the other side of the mannequin. She then continued her sewing in silence, while Thunderlane examined the pictures on the wall. 

After a while, Rarity announced: "Its done!"
Thunderlane turned towards her, and saw her beaming at him. She then turned towards the dress, and looked at it proudly over her glasses. 
"To who is it going by the way?" Thunderlane asked, when he realized that he didn't know who was going to wear it. Rarity looked at him happily, and exclaimed: "To me of course!"
"Should have known that," Thuderlane thought to himself, and smiled at exited Rarity. They then glanced between each other and the magnificent dress.

"Well?" Thunderlane asked, looking at Rarity with one eyebrow raised.
Rarity just looked at him with strange expression on her face, and asked confusedly: "Well what?"
"Aren't you going to test it?" smiling Thunderlane asked, tilting his head a little. Rarity's expression turned into a surprised, and she asked: "You mean.. put it on.. like right away?"
"Yeah! I bet you would look really amazing in it," Thunderlane said, and looked at her in the eyes. Rarity felt a bit hot on her cheeks, and muttered: "Well.. If you put it that way."

She then undressed the mannequin, and levitated the dress behind her as she walked behind a dressing curtain. Thunderlane waited for a minute and heard Rarity pulling the dress onto her, and soon he heard Rarity say: "Okay.. I'm ready."
She stepped from behind the curtain, with the rose red dress on her. Thunderlane's jaw instantly dropped, and he looked at the beautiful mare in front of him. 
The dress was perfect on her. I made credit for her body, and highlighted her mane and tail. She had also managed to pull a pair of red diamond earrings from somewhere. She still had the glasses on her muzzle, but they too seemed to match well with the outfit. 

Rarity looked at Thunderlane a bit shyly, and asked: "How do I look?"
Thunderlane snapped away from his trance, and started to smile at Rarity, making her smile too. He slowly stepped closer to her, and admiringly said: "You look Beautiful."
That made a small blush appear on Rarity's cheeks, and she said warmly: "Thank you,"

Then the pair just stared at each other, smiling gently. Rarity felt the tug in her chest again, and stepped closer to the smiling stallion. She had to look up at him when she got closer. 
They both stood there, waiting for something to happen. After couple of seconds they started to lean closer to each other, their lips getting closer. Rarity was almost taken over by that strange feeling she had in her chest again, but she still managed to think: "No! Don't rush this!"

Just before their lips met, Rarity turned her head a little so that Thunderlane's kiss landed on her cheek. She did the same to him, and felt Thunderlane's rough lips brush against her fur. It made jolts of pleasure run trough her brain, and Thunderlane too seemed to get the same effect from her lips touching his cheek.

Both of them leaned back quickly, and looked at each other nervously and blushing. Rarity felt her heart racing around her chest, and she asked sweetly: "Are you free tomorrow?"
Thunderlane scratched his mane nervously, and said: "For you, yes."
Rarity giggled a little, and asked with her sweet, tempting voice: "Would you like to go out with me again?"
"Hell yes," Thunderlane exclaimed, but immediately lifted his hoof over his mouth, and looked emmbarassed. He  looked at Rarity with a sheepish and apologetic smile. Rarity looked at him a bit disapprovingly, but giggled at the same time. 

"I'ts settled then."


> Feather flu.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rarity was planning for her next dresses in her own room. All the windows were closed, because the weather was a bit chilly, and she didn't want to get sick.
Rarity was feeling really energetic, and she had to direct it somewhere. Rarity had found much more inspiration lately, and she knew that it had something to do with Thunderlane.
She had already three new plans for dresses, and was making one for a suit meant for stallions. She was currently working on the finishing touches.

Rarity moved the piece of charcoal around the paper smoothly, and had a concentrated look on her face. She did couple of more small adjustments to the picture, and laid the almost worn out piece of charcoal onto the table next to the paper.
She lifted the paper up with her magic, and examined it closely.

The suit was looking good in her opinion, but something about the pony wearing it didn't please Rarity. It was just a outline of a stallion, and didn't have any body features.
She thought for a second, before laying the paper back to the table. She took a grip from the charcoal with her magic, and in couple of quick sweeps the pony had a mohawk mane. She smiled a little, and added two eyes and smiling mouth.
She then levitated two pencils to her from a desk nearby. One was light blue, and the other one was yellow.
She filled the mohawk with the blue color, while simultaneously using the yellow one to ad color to the eyes of the drawn pony.

Rarity looked at the picture again, and now felt pleased with the results. The pony on the paper looked just like Thunderlane did in real life, except his coat was almost black, while the one in the paper had white.
Rarity didn't mind it though, she just smiled and thought: "I must make this suit for him. He would look so handsome in it."
Rarity subconsciously doodled couple of small hearts around the picture, and giggled when she noticed it.

Then she looked at the clock, and saw that it was almost five.
"Thunderlane should be getting here soon," she thought. She remembered how Thunderlane had told her at The Blue Note about his training and weather duty.
She jumped off from her chair, and walked to a mirror. She looked at her own reflection, and noticed that she had a constant smile on her face. She snickered a little when she realized how unnaturally happy she has been lately. She fluffed her mane a little, and thought that she looked perfect, like always.

Just then she heard the doorbell ringing. She did a last quick check to the mirror, before almost dashing towards downstairs. She trotted down the stairs, and skidded to the stop in front of the door. She checked her mane quickly again, and then opened the door, smiling happily.
"Hi Thund.." she started, but closed her mouth when he saw the wrong Lane sibling in front of her. Rumble looked at her a bit surprised, but then he seemed to remember why he was there in the first place.
"Hi Rarity.." he started, and looked at the white mare in front of him for a second. He then continued: "Thunderlane sent me."
"Oh! Did he now?" she asked, sounding a bit surprised. She watched Rumble nod and say, sounding apologetic: "He has a feather flu."
Rarity's eyes went wide, and she asked: "What? He seemed just fine yesterday!"
Rumble looked at her a bit sheepishly, and said: "He seemed pretty exited about something yesterday, and went flying in the evening."

Rarity let out a small irritated sigh. Evening before had indeed been pretty cold one, and she knew that flying in dry, cold weather would get you sick pretty easily. Her frown disappeared though, and she said: "It's quite alright deary."
Rumble flashed a quick smile at her, and then peeked over her shoulder.
"She's in her room," Rarity said, smiling happily at Rumble. 

She let the young colt in, and turned towards the coat rack in the lounge. She picked a slightly pink woolen scarf with a bit deeper pink stripes in it, it was her favorite. Rumble looked at her with interest, as she threw the scarf around her neck.
"Where are you going?" he asked, before starting to climb up the stairs. Rarity turned her head towards him, and said calmly: "To see your brother of course. I can't just leave him alone while he's sick now can I?"
Rumble let out a bit troubled sounding grunt, and said: "Maybe you shouldn't go."
Rarity looked at him with a confused look in her eyes. She turned towards him, and asked: "What do you mean I shouldn't go?"
Rumble seemed really nervous, and she scratched the back of his head. Then he quickly said: "He doesn't want to get you sick!"
Rarity looked at him with a suspicious look, and Rumble looked even more nervous now. Rarity was sure that he was trying to hide something.
"You know.. Feather flu is pretty contagious." Rumble said, and looked at her with a strange grin. Rarity slowly raised one of her eyebrows, and said: "Maybe between pegasies, but unicorns or earth ponies can't get it."
Rumble's expression quickly turned into a look that said 'I'm trapped'. He quickly started to walk up the stairs, and said to Rarity: "You're right! You should go see him."

Rarity looked after him with confused look. 
"What did just happen?" she thought.


* * *


Thunderlane sat in his armchair, under a warm blanket. He still felt cold though. 
"Luna damn this flu," he thought, and sneezed loudly. He took a tissue paper from a box next to the armchair, and cleaned his runny muzzle. Thunderlane hated that disease. First came the sudden wave of fever, and then it turned to a teeth rattling coldness. It repeated in cycles, but  worst of all, his feathers started to come off. 
He unfolded his right wing, and looked at it. He nudged it a little, and couple of almost black feathers fell towards the floor. Thunderlane frowned and folded the wing back to under his blanket.

"Why today? Any other day would have been okay, so why now?" he thought angrily, and shivered a little. Just when he was going out with a beautiful mare, he of course had to get feather flu.
"Just my luck," he thought and sighed. Thunderlane sank deeper into his armchair, and started to feel sleepy.

Just as his eyes closed, he heard a knock from the door. He wondered if he had just fallen asleep and been hearing things, but then he heard the knocking again.
"Damn that kid, forgot his keys again," Thunderlane thought. He was just getting warmer under the blanket, and leaving the comfortable armchair didn't seem like a good idea. 
The knocking was heard again, and it was a bit more demanding this time. Thunderlane grunted, and threw the blanket away from him, and instantly felt like he had walked trough a cold shower. He shook a little, and stood up slowly. Standing up made him feel dizzy, and he had to lean against the chair for a while, before starting to make his way towards the front door.

He opened the door, and his eyes went wide.
There stood a white mare with curled royal purple mane and tail, azure eyes and long eyelashes. Rarity looked worried, and her cheeks had a healthy redness on them due the chilly weather. She also had a long, pink striped scarf around her neck. She quickly looked at Thunderlane, and said: "Hi Thunderlane."
"H-H-Hi..." Thunderlane said, his teeth rattling against each other when the cold air from outside reached him. It blew some of his black feathers away from his wings too.
Rarity quickly stepped inside, and closed the door behind her. It was then when she realized why Rumble had been acting so strangely, and had not wanted for her to go there.
The place was a total mess.

"S-sorry for t-the mess," Thunderlane said with shaking voice, feeling embarrassed under Rarity's judging stare. The fashionista snapped away from her shock, and looked at Thunderlane. She saw him shaking on his place, and his face was pale.
"It's not important now!" she said, and took the scarf from around her neck. She then wrapped it around Thunderlane's neck, and pushed him towards the living room.
"You need to rest! Sit down," she commanded with serious tone, even the mess in the living room made her feel a bit troubled. She looked around herself, and thought how could somepony live like that.
Thunderlane saw her troubled look and started to apologies: "I'm sorry you had to see this..."
"Sit down!" Rarity commanded again, and Thunderlane did as she wanted. Rarity then gave him a warm smile and lifted the blanket over him. Thunderlane stared at her trough his cloudy vision, and felt her lips touch his forehead lightly.
"You just rest now," she said sweetly. That made him chuckle happily, before he fell asleep.

Rarity smiled and just looked at the sleeping stallion in front of her.
She then remembered the chaos reign around her, and frowned at the sight. There were a lot of dust on the floor, dead plant in the corner, old newspapers and couple of empty beer cans next to the armchair Thunderlane was sleeping in and the couch on the opposite wall had big rip in it. The table between the armchair and couch was full of rubbish too.

Rarity whimpered a little, and folded her ears backwards when she thought of the kitchen. She then took a deep breath, and looked at the calmly sleeping, little bit snoring stallion in the armchair. A small smile crept on her lips, and she perked up. Rarity had a stern expression on her face, and she said: "Let's do this."


* * *


Thunderlane started to open his eyes. He saw the ceiling over him, and realized that he was in the living room. He felt warm, or hot actually. It was time for a high fever again. He noticed that he was under a blanket, and threw it from over himself, trying to cool himself down. 
Sweat poured from his forehead, and he was in his thoughts.

"It was just a dream," he thought a bit sadly. He had been dreaming about Rarity, and in his dream she had come over to his place, and kissed him on the head. Thinking about this made him smile, but soon he felt a small discomfort in his neck. He had been sleeping in the armchair with his head tilted backwards.
He closed his eyes and slowly straightened his neck, groaning a little. 

When Thunderlane opened his eyes, he thought that he was still asleep.
His eyes went wide from surprise, and he blinked couple of times. Thunderlane rubbed his eyes too, because he couldn't believe what he saw.
The whole living room was tidier than ever before. The old newspapers from next to his armchair had been placed in a neat pile, and the empty can were gone. There was no dust on the floor, and the table was clean. Couch was fixed, and even the dead plant was resurrected back to living.
"We have a mat?" Thunderlane thought confusedly, when he saw a brown mat on the floor. He looked around himself, and noticed that he had a pink scarf around his neck. He looked at it with a strange look.
Then he heard small giggling from behind him.

Thunderlane quickly turned towards the sound in his armchair, and saw Rarity standing right behind him. She wore a broad smile on her lips, and her azure eyes beamed at Thunderlane. 
"Rarity?" he asked, thinking that maybe he hadn't seen a dream. The mare smiled and tilted her head a little, asking: "How are you feeling dear?"
Thunderlane didn't answer that question, but he instead asked: "Did you do this? How long was I alseep?"
Rarity nodded to him, and said: "I did it. You slept for half an hour."
Thunderlane's mouth opened, and he looked at Rarity, dumbfounded. He then looked around the room. It would have taken hours for him to clean up that well, and Rarity had done that in thirty minutes.

"Rarity.." he started, and tried to rose up from the chair, but he had to sit down again. His world spun around violently when he tried to stood up, and Rarity was quickly at his side.
"Nonono! Don't try to get up," she said with a caring voice, that was like honey to Thunderlane. He looked at her with happy smile and said slowly: "Thank you so much."
Rarity seemed to blush a little, and said shyly: "You don't need to thank me,"
"You cleaned my living room! Of course I need to thank you!" Thunderlane said, waving his hooves. Rarity just giggled, and corrected Thunderlane: "I cleaned the whole house, except for Rumble's room."

Now Thunderlane started to feel dizzy again. She had cleaned the whole house in less than an hour?
"I have to admit, the kitchen was pretty though one," Rarity said with a small smile on her lips. Thunderlane smiled sheepishly at her, and said: "Sorry."
Rarity rubbed his head gently, and said: "It's nothing honey."

They stared at each other for a while, Rarity rubbing Thunderlane's hot forehead. She then remebered something.
"I'll be right back honey," she said and trotted towards the kitchen, leaving confused Thunderlane all alone. He smiled stupidly, and thought how lucky he was to have a friend like she. The strange feeling in him started to grow again, making him feel weird, but in a good way.

Rarity soon came back with a cup of something steaming and a small chair, that he placed next to the armchair. She then placed the cup on the chair and said: "I made some herbal tea for you, it should give that nasty flu some hard times."
Thunderlane nodded, and took a long sip from it. It didn't taste pretty good, but he knew that anything that tastes good usually didn't work.

Then they again spent a moment in silence, just looking at each other. Then suddenly Rarity looked at the floor, and asked: "Is there room for two in that chair?"
Thunderlane's cheeks felt hot, and it wasn't because of the fever in him. He opened his mouth, only not to manage say anything. He then gulped and said: "Sure."
Rarity smiled, and walked to the armchair. Thunderlane moved a bit, so she could have more room. Rarity wouldn't have needed it, because she climbed right onto his lap, placing her hind legs over the edge of the chair, and pressing her head against Thunderlane's shoulder.
Thunderlane lifted his hoof around her, to keep her from falling off, and felt how Rarity's silky fur brushed his chest, and how her well shaped body pushed against him. He snickered nervously, but Rarity just snuggled closer to him, making her mane brush against his cheeks and neck. Then they sat there for a moment, before Rarity levitated the blanket over the two.

"I like this," Thunderlane said, and leaned his head against Rarity's, who sighed happily and said: "Who wouldn't?"
After a while Thunderlane spoke again: "I'm sorry you had to clean up,"
"I didn't have to, I wanted to," Rarity said, and held her hoof on Thunderlane's. He squeezed her a little tighter, and said: "I'm grateful. And I want to pay you back somehow,"
Rarity snickered and nuzzled his chin, making him blush.
Right then Rarity felt the tug in her chest again, but now it wanted more attention than usually. It almost felt like her heart would have wanted to come trough her chest. She looked at Thunderlane, giving him a sultry, half lidded look and said: "I have something in my mind actually."
"And what's that?" Thunderlane asked, feeling a bit nervous due Rarity's seductive gaze.

Then Rarity moved her head closer to the stallion's, and stopped just before their muzzles touched. She looked at the golden eyes of Thunderlane, who looked back at her. They stared at each other for a second, before both of them closed their eyes, and pushed into a small kiss. When their lips touched, both of them winced a little, but pushed deeper right after. It lasted for couple of seconds, but it had so much feeling in it. They both were in complete nirvana, and they didn't want it to end. Thunderlane felt Rarity's soft lips against his own, and Rarity liked the rough feeling of Thunderlane's lips. When it came to a end, Rarity gave Thunderlane another quick peck to the lips, before resting her head to his shoulder again.

After a moment, stunned Thunderlane managed to say: "Well that was something,"
"It was wonderful," Rarity said quietly, nuzzling his neck softly.
> The wisest pony is the shy one
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silence of the calm forest was aprupted by quiet humming. It was sweet and clear voice, and it echoed from tree to tree. Little birds peeked from their nests high up in the tree, and joined the song. Suddenly all the woodland creatures started to appear from their hiding places. Both large and small animals gathered in one place, and seemed to follow the sweet humming voice, that was getting closer to them.

There were bear, deers, mouses, couple of lynxes sitting together, small birds, minks, squirrels were sitting in a tree, and even one wolf was with the group. They all were waiting for something together, in peace. 
Well the the other lynx looked at the mouses with a bit hungry stare, but otherwise they were acting nicely.

Soon the woodland creatures saw the source of the beautiful humming, and all rushed towards it.
It was a cream yellow pegasus mare with long pink mane, that flowed straight down on her shoulders and covered her other eye almost completely. Her tail was straight too, and it followed her like a veil.  She had a smile on her lips, even she was carrying a basket in her teeth. She looked at all the animals with caring and love in her clear green eyes. 

"Good morning!" Fluttershy said to her animal friends happily, while they all nuzzled against her body. She giggled and laid the basket on the ground. She then pulled the blanket from top of it, and announced to the animals: "Here you go!"
Animals attacked the basket full of food, but still shared the food together. 
Fluttershy was pleased by their actions, and smiled warmly. She had spent days teaching the animals about how important it is to share and care.

Soon all the food in the basket was eaten, and the animals thanked Fluttershy by hugging her each at the time. When it was the bear's time to hug, he almost crushed Fluttershy against himself, and she had to plead: "Umm.. could you be just a teeny tiny bit more gentle?"
"If you're okay with it of course," she added, before the bear let her go. He gave Fluttershy a apologetic look, that made her smile at him. She then said with a ensuring voice: "Oh it's alright, just be careful next time."
Bear nodded happily, and started to waddle towards his home cave.

After a while, Fluttershy was getting back to her cottage with a empty basket in her teeth. She hummed quietly, and was thinking about her plans for the evening. She had agreed with Bic Macintosh that they would spent a night at her place, like many times before. She liked it when they could just cuddle on the sofa in front of a fireplace, and whisper nice things into each other's ears.
"And then we will move to bed.. And then.." she thought, blushing hard and letting out a small giggle.

When she reached her cottage, Fluttershy stopped walking. She saw a white unicorn mare with a purple mane walking towards her home. Fluttershy recognized one of her best friends, and smiled. She opened the door of her home, and laid the basket next to it. She then closed the door and stayed on the doorsteps, to wait for Rarity to reach her.

As the fashionista got closer, Fluttershy saw the sad and frustrated expression on her face. She was almost angry looking in Fluttershy's opinion.
"Oh no, has she heard about me and Big Mac?" Fluttershy thought, and smile disappeared from her lips. Everypony knew about Rarity's crush on Big Macintosh, and he was now with Fluttershy.
The timid peagsus backed away from her friend, who got closer and closer.

"Hi Fluttershy," Rarity said with a dull voice, and had a gloomy expression on her face.
Fluttershy was now sure that she knew about her and Big Macintosh, and hid behind her mane. She then said quietly: "Umm.. Hi Rarity."
Rarity looked at the timid, scared looking filly in front of her with a confused stare. She then asked, sounding a bit worried: "Fluttershy, is something wrong?"
"She doesn't know?" Fluttershy thought, raising her had a little. She then looked away from Rarity and said quickly: "Everything's fine."
"Are you sure honey? You act quite strangely today," Rarity asked, trying to get a hint of what was going on. Fluttershy just shook her had a little, and ensured: "No. Everything is fine."
Rarity blinked couple of times, before she said: "If you say so honey, but remember you can always tell me."
"I know," Fluttershy said, smiling nervously. She wasn't sure if she could tell about herself and Big Mac to Rarity. She might get angry at her, and maybe she wouldn't want to be her friend anymore.

"Umm.." she started, and looked at Rarity. She then asked: "Do you have something to tell me? You usually are working at this time."
She then hid behind her mane and said nervously: "Not that I would know anything about your work or anything.. I just thought that it was weird for you to.. come her at this time.."
"Fluttershy," Rarity said, making her let out a small 'meep' sound only she knew how to do. Rarity looked at her, feeling a bit worried, but then she remembered why she was there.
"Could I come in?" Rarity asked, from Fluttershy, who quickly nodded and opened the door.

They entered Fluttershy's home, and quickly walked to the living room, where Angel bunny was waiting for Fluttershy. She just looked at it with a look that told him to wait, and the white bunny got the message. It bounced towards the kitchen while the two mares sat down to a sofa in front of the fireplace.

"What is wrong Rarity?" Fluttershy asked, not feeling nervous anymore. She had seen Rarity's angry look, and she wanted to know if she could help her friend in any way she could.
Rarity looked at her, and said: "I just wanted to talk to somepony."
Fluttershy seemed nervous, had something happened to Rarity, something bad maybe?
"I know that Applejack and Rainbow Dash would have just laughed at me, and Twilight wouldn't know anything about these things. Pinkie Pie.. Well she's Pinkie Pie."
"What is wrong?" Fluttershy asked.

Rarity looked at her, and said angrily: "I hate Thunderlane."
Fluttershy looked at her with wide eyes, and mouth hanging open from surprise. Why would she hate him in first place? They didn't even know each other. Then she frowned, and thought that what  ever made her hate Thunderlane had to be serious. Rarity wouldn't be mad at him for just any reason.
"What did that meanie do?" she asked and looked at Rarity, who was looking more sad than angry now. She then started to explain to her friend.


* * *
 

Rarity was sitting on the divan in her home with Thunderlane. They were cuddling, and talking about their relationship.
"Thunderlane," Rarity started, while running her hoof down his chest. Thunderlane pulled her closer, and asked: "What?"
"We've been together for two weeks now," Rarity said, lifting her head to the eye level with Thunderlane.  She looked at him happily, and said cheerily: "I want my friends to meet you."

She immediately saw how Thunderlane didn't seem to agree with her. He squirmed a little on his place, and looked at Rarity. He then said: "I don't know Rarity."
"What's wrong?" Rarity asked, leaning away from him. Thunderlane looked troubled, and he rubbed his neck with his hoof. He then asked: "Can't we wait for a while longer?"
"Why?" Rarity asked confusedly. She didn't get it why Thunderlane didn't want her friends to meet him.
"Sometimes rushing can make things worse you know. That happened to me and Blossomfort," Tunderlane explained, feeling a bit sad while remembering about it. Blossomforth had been really nice filly, but her friends haven't.

Rarity looked at him a bit strangely, but then smiled and said sweetly: "Well I promise it won't happen to me and you."
"I know, thanks," Thundrlane said and nuzzled Rarity's cheek. 
"We're going to see them today though," Rarity added, and Thunderlane stopped instantly. He looked at Rarity right in the eyes, and asked: "My opinion doesn't matter, huh?"
"Of course it does, but I know you'll like them," Rarity said, and tried to nuzzle his chin, but Thunderlane stopped her with hoof. She looked at Thunderlane, and saw that he was looking at her with strange look in his eyes.
"So I don't need to go?" he asked. Rarity sighed irritated, and said: "Yes you do."
"Why?" Thunderlane asked.
"Because I say so!" Rarity said, a bit more loudly this time. She wasn't used to stallions disagreeing with her.

Thunderlane turned his body towards Rarity and asked: "Why do we have to go see them just now?"
"Because I want to," Rarity said without thinking about the sentence first. Thunderlane looked at her a bit confusedly, and then asked slowly: "So my opinion doesn't matter after all?"
"No," Rarity slipped, and immediately lifted her hooves to her mouth. She knew that she shouldn't have said that, and was just about to say something else, but Thunderlane rose up.
He looked at the mare in front of him, and said: "I thought you were the element of generosity, but you don't even give a change for other pony's opinions."

Rarity looked at him, with her eyes wide and mouth open from shock.
"How dare you?" she asked with a angry expression on her face and ears folded backwards. Thunderlane looked at her calmly, and she stood up with her face just inches away from his. She looked at him with a mix of angry and sad look in her eyes.
"Going in that stupid academy must have gotten you too full of yourself!" she said angrily, and poked Thunderlane in the chest with her hoof.
For a moment Thunderlane looked like he was going to say something, but then he let out a frustrated sigh.
"I'm not doing this," he said and turned away. Rarity let out a small 'hmph', and said to him angrily: "I wasn't finished!" 
"Well I was," Thunderlane said, and walked out of the room, leaving Rarity alone.


She sat on her haunches and folded her front hooves over her chest. She then felt tears form in her eyes, and she thought: "What a jerk! I hate him!"


* * *
 

"...and then I came here," Rarity said sadly, while gazing to the floor and rubbing her hooves together. 
Fluttershy just stared at her, with her mouth slightly open and with confused look in her eyes. She realized that Rarity was waiting for an answer from her, but she was dumbfounded by her story.
"Uh.. Umm.. Are you dating him?" she asked. It was the only thing she had understood from Rarity's story, and wasn't sure how she should react.
"Fluttershy! You didn't get my point!" Rarity said loudly, making Fluttershy wince. She then muttered: "Sorry.."
Rarity sighed, and looked at her timid friend a bit annoyed.
"Yes, I am dating him. Or was. I don't know.. I never have fought with anypony I dated. They always listened to me," Rarity told her, and then frowned again. 
"So.. So what was your point again?" Fluttershy asked timidly, and Rarity quickly answered: "That he is a total jerk!"

Fluttershy looked at the sad mare in front of her, and then started to smile a little.
"Was that all? Oh my heavens I thought for a moment that something bad has happened," Fluttershy thought, and Rarity saw Fluttershy smiling at her, and asked confusedly: "Why are you smiling like that?"
"So you and him are dating?" she asked, more calmly this time. Rarity gave her a questioning stare, but then said quietly: "Yes."
"Do you like him?" Fluttershy continued asking from her friend coyly. Rarity frowned at he, but then nodded. Fluttershy continued to broadly smile at Rarity, but then her smile started to change into a nervous grin. Rarity noticed that, and asked: "Fluttershy, are you sure that you are alright?"

Fluttershy pondered on something, and then looked at Rarity with her big green eyes.
"To explain this next part to you.." Fluttershy started, hiding her face behind her pink mane. Rarity perked up, and listened her closely.
"I have to confess something to you," Fluttershy finished, and looked at Rarity for a second. Rarity then blinked couple of times, and asked: "What is it honey?"

Fluttershy waited for a moment and inhaled deeply, before quickly saying: "I'm in love with Big Mac."
Rarity's eyes went wide, and she stared at her timid friend in front of her. Fluttershy thought that she would be angry at her, and drooped her head. She felt nervous, and she pleaded: "Sorry.. Please don't be mad at me.."
"Oh honey! I could never be mad for you!" Rarity quickly ensured her, and wrapped her hooves around the cream yellow colored mare. She lifted her head up and looked at Rarity, who smiled at her gently.
"I'm so happy for you honey!" she said, and nuzzled Fluttershy's cheek.
"Really!?" she asked confusedly, and started to smile a little at her friend
"Of course,"  Rarity ensured.

They spent a while talking about Fluttershy and Big Macintosh, before Rarity remembered why they were having that conversation.
"And.. well.. he lives up to his name.." Fluttershy said shyly, before Rarity could bring them back to their original subject. They both went scarlet red around their cheeks, and Rarity looked at the ceiling.
"Yes honey, I reckon that.." Rarity said quietly, and they were silent again. After a while from the awkward moment, Rarity asked: "What were you going to tell me by the way?"

Fluttershy winced due Rarity suddenly speaking. She then started to smile, and continued her lecture: "I was trying to tell you about me and Big Macintosh."
"You already did," Rarity reminded her, but she giggled and said: "No no no.. I was going to tell about our first fight."
"You.. you two fought?" Rarity asked. She couldn't believe that two of the most timid ponies in whole town would have fought. 
"Oh yeah, I wanted to present him to my mom, but he's really shy and didn't want to go." Fluttershy told her, looking serious. Rarity listened interrested, and then said: "Just like me and Thunderlane! What happened next?"
"Well we had a fight, and I was really furious.." Fluttershy said, and Rarity thought that the sentence didn't sound right coming from her mouth, but she let her continue.
"We then were separated for couple of days, and we both felt really terrible." Fluttershy told, looking sad while remembering that incident. 
Rarity nodded, and could relate. She felt terrible. The strange feeling in her chest had gotten bigger again, and every time she thought of the two past weeks she had spent with Thunderlane, she felt the tug in her chest. It was driving her mad.

"What happened then?" she asked.
"We realized that we couldn't stay mad at each other, and we forgave each other," Fluttershy said, smiling happily. 
"So you just forgave him? Even he had hurt you?" Rarity asked. She had taught these things many times to Sweetie Belle, but she had never actually gone trough them herself.
Fluttershy smiled happily, and told Rarity: "Yes.. Because that's what love is."
Rarity too smiled at her, but then drooped her ears, and said: "But he said something really rude."
"And you didn't?" Fluttershy asked with a raised eyebrow.
Rarity looked at her in a bit irritated way, and said: "No, I only..."
She stopped, and stared blankly in front of her. She remembered what she had said to Thunderlane: "Going in that stupid academy must have gotten you too full of yourself!"
Rarity realized that she had bashed Thunderlane with the most important thing in his life. His dream of becoming a Wonderbolt. 
Rarity gasped, when she realized that she had acted just as badly as he had, and that Fluttershy was right.

"I have to go," she suddenly said, and jumped up from the sofa. She then started to run towards the door, which started to open suddenly. Rarity galloped too fast to stop, and almost collided with a big red stallion with orange mane and tail. They avoided the crash barely, and Rarity ran trough the door.

Big Macintosh looked after her, and then turned towards Fluttershy, who smiled to him happily.
Then they both heard a voice from the door, and turned towards the door, where they saw winded Rarity. She flashed a quick smile to them both, and said: "Congratulations! You two are so adorable together!"

"Thanks," Fluttershy said, smiling happily. Meanwhile Big Macintosh just nodded and said: "Eeyep."
Then Rarity was gone again, and they two could hear running hoofsteps getting further away from the cottage. Big Mac blinked once, before closing the door behind him.
Bic Macintosh looked at Fluttershy strangely, and walked in front of the couch. He sat down next to Fluttershy. He turned towards her, and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Fluttershy just giggled, and said: "We we're just talking about some girl stuff."
"Eeyep," Big Macintosh said and planted a soft kiss on Fluttershy's lips.
> I think I love you..
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nervous looking white mare trotted down the main street of Ponyville. She kept glancing up on the sky, and earned confused looks from the other ponies around her. She didn't mind about them though, she had something much more important in her mind. She was headed towards one certain pegasus's home.
"I hope he is there," Rarity thought, and kept trotting towards the city hall. There it wouldn't take long for her to reach Thunderlane's home. Rarity looked up again, and tried to see if there would be a black dot soaring on the clear skies above her.

There was only couple of grey pegasies lying on a nearby cloud.
Rarity sighed frustrated, and looked in front of her again. She was almost at the city hall. She saw a cyan pegasus appearing from behind one of the buildings to her right. It was her friend Rainbow Dash. Rarity remembered that she was in the same wonderbolt group with Thunderlane.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity shouted and waved at the cyan mare. Rainbow turned towards her, and a small smile formed on her lips. She waved back, and waited for Rarity to reach her before saying with a playful tone: "Sup George?"
Rarity frowned at the dumb nickname Rainbow Dash had given her, but she didn't start to whine at her about it.
"Have you seen Thunderlane? Was he at the practice today?" Rarity asked. Rainbow Dash frowned, when her provocation didn't work. She then noticed Rarity's asking look. She rubbed her forehead, and thought out loud: "He was, but he was acting pretty strangely."
"What do you mean?" Rarity asked, and Rainbow shrugged.
"He was like.. I don't know. Like in his thoughts all the time," Rainbow answered to Rarity, who chuckled sadly. Rainbow suddenly looked at Rarity a bit weirdly.
"Why are you asking anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked, eyeing Rarity with narrowed eyes. Rarity was silent for a second, and then said quietly: "I just have one really important thing to tell him."
Rainbow kept looking at her with a suspicious look on her face, but she then said: "Well that's none of my business."
Rarity was relieved by Rainbow not pushing it any further.
"Do you know where he is?" Rarity asked, and Rainbow rubbed her forehead again.
"I think he spoke about something important he had to do, but I don't know where he went," Rainbow said and looked at Rarity, who drooped her ears. Rainbow saw her friend's anguished expression, and she said, sounding a bit worried: "Umm.. Rarity. Is something wrong?"

Just as Rarity was about to say something, she heard a small thud from behind her, and saw how Rainbow's eyes went wide from surprise as she looked at something behind Rarity. She then looked back at Rarity, and had a confused look on her face. Rarity looked at her with wide eyes, and then started to slowly turn around.

She saw behind her a dark grey, almost black pegasus with ice blue mohawk. Thunderlane had a sad smile on his lips, and his golden eyes had a apologetic look in them. In his mouth was something. Rarity lifted her hoof on her mouth, when she recognized it as a red rose. She looked at the stallion in front of her with wide eyes.
Thunderlane then stepped closer to her, and presented the rose to her. She took it into her blue magical grasp, so that Thunderlane could speak.

He looked at Rarity, and reached his hoof towards her. She did the same and they wrapped their hooves around each other. Rainbow looked at the scene in front of her, dumbstruck by what she was witnessing.
"I'm so sorry Rarity," Thunderlane whispered into her ear. He didn't wait for response, and continued: "I felt so bad after I left.."
"Oh honey.. We both did.." Rarity said, and buried her face to Thunderlane's neck. She rubbed her muzzle against Thunderlane's neck, and said: "I'm terribly sorry too.."
"For what? I was the one being the brick," Thunderlane said, caressing her mane with his muzzle. Rarity sniffed, and leaned a little backwards. She looked at Thunderlane into his golden eyes, and said: "I said that one thing too.."
Thunderlane just smiled to her sadly, and said: "We both did."

They hugged each other tighter, and were there for a moment.
Couple of more ponies had stopped near them to see what was going on. Most of them watched at the two with wide eyes, and mouth open. Rainbow Dash was one of them. She just stared at them two. She thought that it didn't have any sense. Rarity and Thunderlane together. Something didn't seem right there.
"What's going on here? Why is everypony..." she heard a familiar voice from behind her. The voice stopped, and Twilight Sparkle walked next to her. She too had her mouth open, and surprised expression on her face.
"Rarity.. and Thunderlane?" she asked from nopony in special. She didn't wait for response, but Rainbow still answered her: "Yep.."

Thunderlane whispered into Rarity's ear: "Will you forgive me?"
Rarity sniffed again, and looked at Thunderlane. She had small tears in corner of her eyes. 
"If you will forgive me," she answered, smiling a little. One single tear started to roll down her cheek. Thunderlane swept it away gently with his hoof. He then said: "Of course I will."
Rarity didn't answer him with words. Instead she pushed herself forward so that their lips touched. They closed their eyes, and sunk into the kiss. Rarity opened her mouth, and Thunderlane followed. His tongue soon met Rarity's, and they danced around his mouth for a while, before Rarity broke the kiss.

They heard some 'awws' from around them, and a small 'boff'. It was followed by Twilight giggling, and Rainbow cursing her wings. Rarity and Thunderlane didn't pay any attention to them.

They stared into each other's eyes, and Rarity felt the tug in her chest again. This time she started to have clues what it might be. She stared into the golden eyes of Thunderlane. He too was starting to realize the true meaning of the strange feeling in him. He stared at the heart stopping beauty in front of him, right into those azure eyes. He leaned closer to Rarity and they pressed their foreheads together.
"I have been getting this strange feeling lately.." Rarity said, and Thunderlane nodded. He then said: "Me too. I couldn't sleep at nights."
"I think I know what it is," Rarity continued, smiling to Thunderlane happily. He smiled back at her, and said: "Yeah.."
They shared a small peck on each other's cheeks, before Rarity said: "I think I love you."
"I know I love you," Thunderlane said, and saw how Rarity's eyes started to get wetter again. She then pressed her lips against Thunderlane's. They kissed passionately, embracing each other gently. They continued kissing, and the rose dropped from Rarity's magical grasp. They heard couple of the ponies cheering, and then there was a loud bang.

Rarity yelped, and Thunderlane too winced a little. Then there was a rain of confetti and all kinds of colorful streamers. They looked around themselves, and saw the local pink party pony standing next to a pink, smoking cannon. She cheered loudly, and clapped her hooves together happily. She wore a wide grin on her cheeks, and exclaimed: "Rarity and Thunderlane are in looovee!"

"The hay is going on in here?"  they heard a heavy southern accented voice say from behind them. They turned around, and saw Applejack looking at them with confused look. Just as Rarity was about to say something, Rainbow Dash trotted next to Applejack and said: "We just witnessed something totally awesome and cute."
"What?" Applejack asked, and Rainbow Dash whispered something to her ear. She then started to smile broadly, and said: "Aww shucks... Ain't ya two cute together."
"Aren't they?" Rainbow asked, and planted a small kiss on Applejack's cheek, making her blush.

Other ponies started to get away from the scene. They had lost the interest in the two ponies making out in the public. Only Rarity's close friends were there around the pair. 
She smiled warmly at them, and saw that they all had waiting looks on their eyes. Thunderlane lifted the rose back up from the ground, and gave it to Rarity again.
"I think we have some explaining to do now honey.." Rarity said to smiling Thunderlane, who nodded happily at her.
> This calls for celebration! 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The night was getting darker by the minute, and Thunderlane saw light coming from the windows underneath him. They looked like small dots under him, but soon he saw the light from the big windows of Carousel Boutique in the distance. He smiled and increased his speed. He and Rarity had some plans for that evening.

Thunderlane had his saddlebag with him, and in it was a expensive wine bottle he had bought for that special occasion. He and Rarity had been together for whole month, and they thought that it would need a celebration.

He landed to the doorsteps of Carousel Boutique, and opened the door. He didn't need to knock or ring the doorbell, because Rarity was alone in the house. She had sent Sweetie Belle to his place, to be with Rumble. They too had been together for more than a month now, so their older siblings decided that they should have some time for themselves too.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Rarity shouted to Thunderlane, when she heard the door opening.  Soon Thunderlane emerged into the kitchen, holding the wine bottle in his mouth and five roses in his free hoof. Rarity smirked at him playfully, and took the bottle into her magical grasp. She uncorked it, and placed it on the table.

Thunderlane looked at the table in awe.
It was dressed beautifully. There was a red tablecloth, and in the middle of it was a white wax candle. Rarity had made tomato garlic soup for them. It was Thunderlane's favorite. She had also put some fresh French loaf into a breadbasket. In all its simplicity it was still amazingly good looking.
Thunderlane was eager to get to the table, but before that he leaned closer to Rarity' who was placing the roses into a vase. He kissed her on the cheek. Rarity giggled and leaned her head against Thunderlane's neck. They then turned their heads and sank into a deep kiss, that lasted for couple of seconds.

"Do you like them?" Thunderlane asked, while watching Rarity adjust the roses in the vase.
Rarity smiled, and said: "Like always."
They snickered a little and Thunderlane nuzzled Rarity's cheek, before sitting down to his chair. Rarity soon joined him, and placed the vase to the table too. She then dimmed the lights with her magic, and they were ready to begin.

"Happy one month anniversary," Rarity said gently, while staring into Thunderlane's eyes. She leaned into her hooves, and watched Thunderlane pour them some wine. He then took the glass into his hooves, and raised it towards Rarity. Rarity took her own into a magical grasp, and lifted the glass to meet Thunderlane's.
"Happy one month anniversary honey," Thunderlane said when their glasses clinked against each other. Rarity sighed happily, and said: "May nothing come between us.."
"Never," Thunderlane added, and they took a sip from their glasses. 

They both started to eat slowly, chit chatting about their future.
"Have you ever wanted a foal?" Rarity asked casually, but Thunderlane almost choked to his soup. He coughed for a minute, hitting his chest with his hoof. Rarity looked worried, but soon Thunderlane managed to get his coughing under control, and he asked carefully: "Isn't it pretty early to be thinking about that?"
Rarity chuckled cutely, and took Thunderlane's hoof into her own.
"I didn't mean it like that silly. I just wanted to know," she said, looking at Thunderlane with her azure eyes. He thought for a second, and then answered: "I have never really thought about it."
"I bet you would be a excellent father," Rarity said, and rubbed Thunderlane's hoof with her own. Thunderlane chuckled, and asked: "What make's you think like that?"
"You have raised Rumble so well," Rarity said and took a sip from her wine. Thunderlane chuckled, and seemed to be in his thought. He then looked at Rarity, and said: "I know you would be a excellent mother."

Rarity let out a small happy squeal, and Thunderlane lifted his glass to his mouth with both hooves. Then before he could even lay down his glass, Rarity was kissing him again. She slipped her tongue into Thunderlane's mouth, and he welcomed it with his own. Rarity pushed so much forward, that Thunderlane's glass started to tilt. Soon it slipped from his hooves, and dropped to the table.
Rarity felt something plash on her coat, but didn't take her lips of from Thunderlane's, who looked at her with apologetic look in his eyes. Rarity instead just stared at him with love in her gaze.

"Sorry Rarity," Thunderlane said, when they broke the kiss and he saw the deep red patch on Rarity's white coat on her neck. She just giggled, and said: "Don't worry honey, I will take a shower before going to bed."
Suddenly a playful grin appeared on Thunderlane's face. She looked at him a bit suspiciously, and asked: "What are you thinking about?"
"I just thought that it would be a shame to waste such a expensive wine like that," Thunderlane said, still grinning and leaning closer to Rarity. She too leaned closer to him, and asked with sultry tone and half lidded eyes: "What do you have in mind?"

Thunderlane pressed his mouth against Rarity's neck, and started to suck it lightly. Rarity let out a small gasp, and closed her eyes. She then let out small moaning, and wrapped her hooves around his neck as Thunderlane sucked the sweet wine from her neck. She ran her hooves trough his ice blue mohawk, and moaned. Of course her coat didn't get any cleaner with that, but it sure felt great. It wasn't first time Thunderlane did that to her.

After Thunderlane was done, he moved his mouth to Rarity's and they locked their lips again for a passionate kiss. Thunderlane placed his hoof to the back of her head, and pulled her deeper into the kiss. Meanwhile Rarity took a hold of his other hoof.
After the kiss was done, Rarity was red around her cheeks, and so was Thunderlane.
Rarity's cheeks got even redder, when she pressed her snout against Thunderlane's and asked: "Are we ready to go to bed?"
"Isn't it a bit too early to go sleeping?" Thunderlane asked, and pecked her lips. Rarity blushed a bit more, and she stared seductively at Thunderlane's golden eyes. He stared back into her azure eyes, while petting her purple mane.

"I didn't say anything about sleeping," Rarity said, and now it was Thunderlane's time to blush scarlet red. His wings to unfurled quickly with a audible puff, and he stared at Rarity with wide eyes and open mouth.
Rarity just giggled, and pressed her lips against her lover's.