Romance and the Fate of Equestria

Chapter Fifty-Six

"Oh, this is a beautiful fabric," Rarity muttered, gently touching a roll of fine blue silk. "Could I see this in a few other colors? I think I'll take a round dozen rolls."

Pinkie hopped around behind Rarity. "Come on, Rarity!" she squealed. "They're having a big pizza tossing contest a few blocks over! Don't you want to see that?"

"Of course," Rarity said. "I'm just trying to buy some of these fabrics, darling. I'll be there in a minute, just go on without me."

Pinkie stopped hopping, tilting her head at Rarity. "Rarity, are you mad at me?"

Rarity turned to her in surprise. "Of course not, darling! Why would I be mad at you?"

"Well, I did get us kicked out of the wine tasting…"

Rarity laughed as she stuffed her shopping bags with rolls of the exotic fabric. "Oh, no, I'm not mad about that. I should thank you. I was quite relieved to get out of there, actually. If I had known that my 'friends' from the Canterlot elite would be there, I never would have gone in the first place." She set her bits on the counter and walked back to Pinkie. "No, Pinkie, I'm not mad at you."

"And well you shouldn't be!" said a voice.

Pinkie and Rarity turned, to see the towering and elegant presence of Fancypants strolling toward them, a wine glass floating beside him within his golden magic aura.

"I must say," he continued, "I don't think I've ever heard the expression 'wine-a-licious' used at such a formal event… or ever, for that matter. With the sudden silence that followed your proclamation, and the number of influential Canterlot personalities who were there, I daresay the term is going to catch on."

"You really think so?" Pinkie said hopefully.

"If it doesn't, I'll make it catch on," Fancypants declared.

"You can do that?" Pinkie said, looking awestruck.

"I can try," Fancypants said, taking a sip. "You're Pinkie Pie, aren't you? I saw you at the Garden Party… your sister Octavia has always been full of interesting anecdotes about you, but I never really believed her until I saw you for myself. Now I'll believe anything!"

"Yuppers, and you're Fancypants," Pinkie said matter-of-factly, craning her neck. "Wow, you're tall. I can see right up your nose. It's very clean. And your mustache is pretty nice and clean too. How do you keep it like that? Wax?"

Rarity elbowed her. "Will you just…" she muttered.

"Ah, and hello to you, Miss Rarity," said Fancypants.

Rarity turned her eyes away. "Hello, Fancypants," she said mechanically. "It's wonderful to see you again… I'm sorry I've been shunning your letters for so long. I haven't been at peace with myself, as of late."

"That's quite all right," Fancypants said sincerely. "I completely understand."

Rarity forced herself to look at him. "I, erm… I heard about what happened between you and Miss Fleur. I'm deeply sorry."

"Oh, don't be," he said, patting her shoulder. "Fleur was nothing special, truly. Just a clingy, preening and prancing stick figure. I could never have formed a true emotional attachment to that one."

"You've never had an emotional attachment to stick figures?" Pinkie said blankly. "You obviously don't read nearly enough comic books."

Fancypants laughed. "Well, that's probably true, actually." He looked at his glass of wine. "What did I get this thing for? The Bazaar comes around for the first time in eighteen years and what do I do? I go to a wine tasting." He smashed the glass against a wall.

"What was I thinking?" he said grandly. "I go to a wine tasting in Canterlot every bloody week. The Bazaar should be for seeing things you've never seen before! I'm sure you two ladies have more interesting ideas than I ever could. Mind if I tag along with you?"

Rarity backed away, wide-eyed. "Oh… oh my… this is quite unexpected, Fancypants, you'll have to let us…"

"Sure!" Pinkie said brightly, hopping in place. "We're going to a pizza toss." She bobbed down the street.

"A pizza toss?" Fancypants said as he followed behind her, intrigued. "And what might that be?"

Rarity stared after them blankly, then shrugged and followed. "Am I seriously going to a pizza toss with Fancypants? …Sure, why not? Because the mere mix of Pinkie Pie and the Bazaar: Not. Surreal. Enough." She chuckled. "I wouldn't miss this if the world depended on it. Pinkie! Do wait for me…"