Love is a Rarity

by Alexstrazsa H Discordia

Chapters

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4

Chapter 1

The main entrance to Ponyville was modest. That’s how Kydose would describe it. He stood just outside the town, looking over the welcome sign with a hint of curiosity. It wasn’t all that special, merely saying “Welcome to Ponyville!” in cursive writing. The font itself looked like something you would find outside of Canterlot, yet here it was, plastered to a wooden sign and very obviously spray-painted gold. It’s almost gaudy, the stallion thought, as the words reflected in his sea-green eyes.

He was about to continue his walk into town when something caught his eye. Looking back, he saw a piece of wood sticking out from behind the sign. His curiosity piqued, and he approached the welcome sign and stuck his hoof behind it, fishing for whatever was tucked away. After a moment he caught hold of it and dragged it out, revealing what looked to be the old welcome sign.

This one was much smaller. The wording was the same, but the writing was simple and legible, and it had a hoof-written charm to it. Looking towards the town, it seemed like a much better fit. With a light smile, Kydose began cleaning the old sign off.

He brushed the dirt off and did his best to scrub out the weather stains. After several moments of cleaning, the sign was mostly free of dirt and grime. There were still signs of aging, like cracks in the wood or fading on the letters, but overall it was in a much better state.

Kydose took a moment to be proud of his work, then propped the old sign next to the new one. The old sign still had stakes in it, so with a few quick taps, he secured it in the ground. Stepping back, he looked over the ‘new’ welcome sign he had created.

“That looks a bit better. More charm to it, I think.” Satisfied with his work, he gave a brief smile and continued his original trot into Ponyville.

Upon entering, Kydose immediately noticed the atmosphere that the town held. The buildings all had an older style of architecture, unlike anything he had seen in a while. They were all small buildings, never more than one or two floors, and they all had straw roofs. Every direction he looked, it was like a piece of country art.

Very cozy! he thought, trotting past a few more houses.

The few ponies he saw had greeted him, with either a wave or a smile and a hello. At first it caught him off guard, because he wasn’t used to that sort of random kindness. He quickly

caught on, though, and returned the greetings in kind. And also very inviting, he added to his first thought. This is already one of the nicer places I’ve visited.

He kept walking through town, not quite sure where he was going to end up. He’d neglected to look at a map or ask directions, so he could only let the road lead him. It had always been like that, really. Wandering from town to town, without even a second thought as to where he’d be next. Now, though, he felt strangely happy that his hooves had brought him here.

Kydose’s ears perked up as he heard a low rumble not too far away. After listening more closely, it sounded like a small crowd. Deciding to see what all the fuss was about, he headed in the direction of the noise.

The sounds brought him to what he assumed was the center of town, and market day was in full swing. There were vendor stalls and ponies everywhere, with bags of groceries in tow. Over the dull roar of the crowd, he heard prices being shouted by the sellers, each of them advertising their products. From what he could immediately see, there were various fruits and vegetables, along with baked goods and treats. Kydose decided to look around the market and see what Ponyville had to offer.

The market area itself was circular, with stalls placed all around the outside. There were a few ponies that mingled in the center area, but the majority of the action took place on the outer rim. Kydose trotted to the left, deciding to go around it in a clockwise path.

The first stall he approached had a large picture of cherries above the awning, and sure enough, a big box of the fruits was laid out. A few ponies were looking over the goods, but the one who caught Kydose’s eye was the stall owner himself.

He was a fairly large brown stallion, donning an apron, red bow tie, and a blue cap. He had obvious five o’clock shadow, and watched those at his stall like a hawk. Kydose gulped, as for a stallion he was rather small, and this was very intimidating. Maybe I won’t have cherries today, he thought, quickly passing the stand up. The last thing he wanted was to confront someone much bigger than he.

The next stall he found seemed more inviting. Similar to the previous one—and all the rest, now that Kydose looked around—it had a sign above the awning that showed what was being sold. This time, it was carrots.

As he approached, a pale yellow mare with a curly orange mane greeted him. “Hi! Care for a carrot?” she asked, beaming at him. “We’ve got a buy one get one free sale, today only.”

Kydose smiled politely and shook his head. “Just browsing for now, thanks. They look delicious, though.”

That seemed to make up for his lack of purchase. “Thanks a bunch,” she said, looking over her products. “I try to provide the very best for my fellow townsponies.” The mare then studied him for a moment and cocked her head. “Now that I think about, I don’t think I’ve seen you before. You new here? ‘Cus I would definitely remember someone as purple as you.”

Kydose glanced away and rubbed his violet mane, then looked at his coat, a faded shade of indigo. “I, uh, I’m just passing through is all.”

“Ah! A traveler, huh? How’s the rest of the world doing?” She took out a few more bushels of carrots and placed them on the stand.

He took a moment to answer. “Fine, I guess… could be better.”

“That’s the truth if I ever heard it,” she muttered, adjusting the carrots.

She’s passionate about carrots, that’s for sure, Kydose thought, watching her focus. It looked like she was trying to perfectly align them on the table. After watching her stack them with the utmost care, a thought occurred to him. By this point, he was probably loitering. He cleared his throat, getting her attention. “Thanks for the chat, but I should get going.”

“Well alright then!” She still had the cheesy smile on her face. “Good luck on your travels.”

He nodded and said his thanks, then trotted away. There were still other stalls to see and goods to look at. So far, he had been impressed with the quality. The merchants here cared about their goods and wanted to provide the best. It wasn’t something he saw often, but it was a welcome change.

After browsing the shops for a while, his stomach loudly reminded him that he hadn’t eaten in some time. Time to get something to eat, but where from? He looked around, and right in front of him, just a ways away, was a building with tables outside and ponies eating at them. The sign out front depicted three clovers, so he imagined that’s what the restaurant was called. Without wasting any time, he began trotting towards it, focused only on getting a meal.

As Kydose approached the restaurant, a cream colored stallion came out of the building and looked around. He had a blue, slicked back mane, and a thin mustache of the same color. Around his neck were a bowtie and tuxedo, which Kydose found a bit strange. Why would you be so dressed up for a restaurant like this?

The stallion then looked in Kydose’s direction and nodded. He ducked back into the building for a moment, then came back out with a single menu. Oh. Waiter, Kydose realized. The waiter trotted over, head held high and expression serious. He was clearly a pony who cared about quality and appearance.

“Welcome to The Three Clovers, monsieur. Will it be just you today?” He had a clearly noticeable Prance accent, but not so much that he wasn’t understandable.

“Yes, just me,” Kydose said, glancing to the menu that the waiter held. He only got a peek as the waiter immediately spun around.

“Follow me, please.” He then began walking towards a nearby empty table, with Kydose trailing behind. Once they arrived, Kydose took a seat on one of the bales of hay situated around the table. It wasn’t the fanciest solution, but for outdoor seating, it fit quite nicely. “Here is your menu,” the waiter said, placing a laminated sheet of paper in front of Kydose. “I am your waiter, Horte Cuisine, so if you need anything, do not be afraid to ask. Would you like to start with something to drink?”

“Uh… just water, thanks.”

Horte nodded, jotting the order down on the notepad he had produced from his jacket pocket. “And do you know what you’d like, or shall I give you some time?”

Kydose took a moment to glance over the menu, and before long, had found something. “Yes, I’d like the vegetable medley, please.”

Another nod came from Horte as this was marked down as well. “Your order will be out shortly.” Kydose handed him the menu with the light a smile, then sat back as it was taken and Horte went off to the kitchen. He was alone again, with only the vase of flowers sitting in the center of the table to keep him company.

Steepling his hooves, he rested his chin on them, then looked around. Various other ponies were either eating or waiting for food, some alone and some with a group. Two mares in particular caught his eye, sitting at the table far across from him. One was a similar color to Horte, but her mane was both blue and pink.

The other mare was a minty green, with brilliant gold eyes and a two toned mane of white and faded blue. Her mouth moved quickly and her hooves went just as fast. Clearly, she was excited about something. All the while, the cream-colored one sat quietly and nodded, with a thin smile on her face. Sometimes she chimed in, and other times she blushed and glanced away.

Look at those two, Kydose thought, a frown going across his face. They seem so happy together. It makes me wonder if I’ll ever have somepony like that one day. He sighed, but shifted his frown into a smile. Still, I’m glad they have each other. Let’s just hope it lasts…

He pulled his vision away from the happy couple, focusing on another table instead. This one had a group of four young ponies sitting at it, all colts from the looks of things. One was tall and lanky, and it seemed he was in a staring contest with his opposite, a short and squat one. The other two egged him on, one with a brown coat and sporting a pinwheel hat, and the last one light grey with a dark, slicked back mane.

The staring contest went on for another few more moments before the lanky colt crossed his eyes and fell over, much to the amusement of the other three. Even Kydose couldn’t help but smile.

Just as he was about to observe a different table, he spotted the waiter walking towards him, balancing a silver platter on one hoof. “Your food, monsieur,” Horte said, setting down the platter in front of Kydose. He whisked the top away, revealing a glass of water and a bowl full of steamy vegetables.

“Thank you very much,” Kydose said, taking a whiff of the food. It smelled delicious, as all of the ingredients mixed and blended together into one amazing scent. Even though it wasn’t the most complex dish, it was just what he needed. Simple, down to earth, and filling. It almost reminded him of himself.

Wasting no time, Kydose dug into the meal. It was just as good as it smelled, if not better, so he planned to enjoy every bite of it. After a while, he had finished the last bite and washed it down with the remainder of his water. Smiling, he gave the dish a light push, then sat back and looked around again.

“Did you enjoy the meal, monsieur?”

Kydose jumped in his seat, not expecting Horte Cuisine to be right next to him. How did he even get there so quickly? Once the initial shock and embarrassment wore off, he looked to the waiter. “It was great. Thank you.”

Horte nodded, taking the dishes from Kydose’s table and replacing them with a small slip of paper. “Do come again. The Three Clovers will always welcome you.”

“I’ll be sure to,” Kydose replied, with a chuckle. As Horte walked away with the platter, Kydose flipped over the slip of paper and glanced at the number on it. Not bad, he thought, pulling out a couple bits and placing them on top of the paper. After a moment of consideration, he took out a few more and added them to the small pile.

Instead of leaving immediately, he instead sat at the table, thinking about his day so far. Ever since he had gotten to Ponyville, things worked out great for him. The ponies were friendly, the atmosphere was beautiful, and everything about the town was nice. Inviting. That didn’t often happen. Normally he didn’t stay around a single town for more than a few days, but Ponyville was different. Ponyville seemed to want him there.

He looked around, unsure of where to go next. Clearly, he had a reason for being here, and he was going to find it. Unfortunately, he had no idea where to even begin. Glancing to the buildings, he decided to follow landmarks until he had found… whatever it is that was calling him. His eyes moved from rooftop to rooftop, until he spotted one far in the distance that seemed to stand out.

It was obscured by other buildings, but he could definitely make out a red flag on top of a spiraling yellow cone. Whatever held that cone and flag up was a mystery, but they were the only leads he had. Keeping the flag in mind, Kydose starting walking towards it, intent to find out what it was that brought him here.

- - -

The building he was in search of turned out to be much farther away than he thought. His path brought him past the market and through another busy section of town, but the flag never seemed to get any closer. Just have to keep walking, he thought, keeping the spring in his step.

One thing he noticed about Ponville was that even though the buildings all had a similar style, every so often there would be one that stood out from the rest. Near the market, it was a large building that was shaped like a gingerbread house, complete with frosting and candy shaped decorations. Earlier, he had considered going there for lunch, but it was rather crowded at the time.

These ‘landmark’ buildings seemed to identify different parts of town, and since it was a fairly small one, they were invaluable to travelers like him. Looking around, Kydose contemplated what other kinds of unique looking places he would find.

As he walked, he couldn’t help but overhear some of the things that the ponies around him were saying. Most talked about their days or what was for dinner or how tough work was, but others seemed to have something else in mind.

“The Gala is tonight!”

“You going to the triple G tonight? Nice, nice.”

“Oh, the grand gala… how I wish I could go!”

The Grand Galloping Gala. Kydose was familiar with it. It was a large ball thrown every year in Canterlot, and it was practically exclusive only to those high up in the world, or personal friends of the princesses. There would be expensive suits and dresses, musicians paid top bits to play classical music, and only the best of fine dining. On top of that, performances by some of the most popular ponies in Equestria, such as the Wonderbolts.

It almost made him sick.

He began to frown as he walked, thinking about the horrible event. What purpose was there to it? To show off how much money you could throw around? To impress one of the alicorns and make your way up on the social totem pole? At the end of the day, the event meant nothing. It was superficial. Gaudy. Nothing more than a display of class.

It was an awful event, and he could never imagine himself attending it.

Despite his underlying hatred, he now couldn’t escape the talk of it. He soon passed a couple that seemed absolutely thrilled about.

“For the first time, we’ll among royalty!” the stallion said, eyes lit up and smile beaming. “We’ll have all the fancy food we want, and maybe we’ll even meet some important ponies!”

The mare standing beside him giggled. “Oh yes, it’ll be the party of a lifetime. I still can’t believe you won tickets for it!”

Kydose shook his head and walked a bit faster, trying to get out of earshot. He just couldn’t understand why anypony would want to go there, and be surrounded by others who would only care about your social status. It was a mystery, to be sure.

He continued walking through town, and eventually came upon a clearing that held a tall building, multi-layered and professional looking. It wasn’t the building he was looking for, as the  flag was still in the background, but it was something. After a short search, he found the sign indicating that this was Ponyville’s town hall.

It was easily one of the largest buildings in town, and it was designed in a similar style to all the other homes. Tan in color with dark brown support beams. Up above, two blue flags floated gently in the breeze, making the faintest flapping noise. Kydose observed the quaint building for a few more moments before moving again.

The red flag he had been looking for ended up being not too far away. Once he passed town hall, he spotted the flag over some trees just a short walk away. It brought him over a small bridge with a river underneath, and then he was in a different area of Ponyville. There were still houses here, but a bit more spread out.

His heartbeat quickened as he neared the treeline, but he had to remind himself that what he was looking for wasn’t guaranteed. He may have just been on a wild goose chase the whole time, searching for a reason to be in this town. It was very possible that there was nothing here for him, other than a quiet atmosphere and some friendly ponies.

Deep down, though, he wanted there to be a reason to his travels. Maybe if it wasn’t here, it was somewhere else in town. Who knew? Either way, Kydose pushed past the trees and found himself in another clearing, but this one had exactly what he was looking for.

The building before him was beautiful. Multiple layers, like the town hall, but designed like a carousel. Various designs and textures adorned the face of the building, while the top layer was supported by spiraling columns with styled metal at the tops and bottoms. The upstairs floor even had two carousel ponies, held by more styled bars. Finally, on top was the red flag, held by a yellow spiraling cone which had blue accents at the bottom.

It caught Kydose off guard, and he was lost in bewilderment for several moments. No other building in Ponyville was as beautiful as this, and it stood out from the rest in all of the right ways. Even if he didn’t find what he was looking for here, just seeing the artfully constructed building might have been a good consolation.

Okay, I’ve found the building. Time to look around, he thought, starting to walk again. As he neared it, he couldn’t take his eyes off the designs, and the little details became more apparent as he got closer. Truly, it was a work of art. Maybe I’ll visit it later and see what’s inside. It’s bound to be just as beautiful as the outside.

Once he had finally pulled himself away, Kydose passed the building and looked forward, hoping to continue his search without any interruptions. What he saw in front of him, though, was even more stunning than the building.

There were three stallions there, one blue, one lighter blue, and the other gold, but that wasn’t what got his attention. What his eyes were focused on was the mare talking to them.

She was nothing short of amazing. Her coat was was a very light grey, but such a color that she seemed to be pure white at times. It was shiny and well groomed, with not a single hair out of place. Her mane and tail were a brilliant purple, and they were expertly styled into large curls at the ends which bounced as she talked. On her hip was a cutie mark of three blue gems, arranged in a diamond pattern. Finally, there were her gorgeous eyes. They were a deep, piercing blue, like a lake on a clear day. If he was closer, Kydose would have been able to see his reflection in them.

The mare before him was beautiful. There was no other way he could describe it. His thoughts were lost to her features, and he couldn’t even be bothered to check if his jaw had dropped or not. All he could focus on was her.

That’s when it clicked. She was what had been drawing him to Ponyville. She had to be. If this mare wasn’t the reason he had come to this town, he had no idea what was.

Kydose had to meet her.

Chapter 2

Kydose’s thoughts were lost in a sea of pearly white and violet, with an occasional splash of royal blue. The mysterious mare consumed his vision, and all he could think about was how he was about to meet her, what she would sound like, the first things he’d say to her. So enamored was he with her visage that he lost track of the passing seconds, which turned to minutes.

Once he realized what was happening, Kydose quickly shook his head, breaking himself out of the spell she had put him under. However, the damage was already done. To his terror, when his eyes darted back in the direction the white mare stood, she was gone.

Oh no! Oh no, oh no, oh no! Kydose thought, his heart racing. He glanced around, hoping that she had maybe just stepped to the side somewhere, but it was hopeless. She was nowhere to be seen. Kydose’s heart sank as all the hopes and aspirations he had built up slowly crumbled to pieces. How could you be so stupid!? he thought, biting his lip out of frustration. 

Silently he fumed, his hoof being ground ever so slowly into the dirt below him. After spending several moments stewing over his foolishness, another thought occurred to him. What am I going to do now? Do I just forget her and move on? He glanced upwards, towards the spot the mare once stood. As he imagined her still standing there, something else caught his eye. To the right were the stallions she had been speaking to. Maybe they know something.

Taking a breath, Kydose steeled himself and worked up a small well of courage, then walked towards the group.

There were three of them standing there, idly talking to one another. One of them was a faded yellow, with a wavy brown mane and three blue horseshoes adorning his flank. The second was a pale blue, and the spikes of his shaggy black hair bounced as he excitedly talked about something Kydose couldn’t make out. The third, standing silently and with a slight smile, had both a blue mane and coat, contrasted by golden eyes. As Kydose approached them, they all looked towards him and he suddenly felt smaller.

Out of the group, the yellow one seemed to be the most receptive to a stranger. Kydose cleared his throat. “Hello, my name is Kydose. I’m new in town, and I had a question concerning the white mare you were just talking to.”

“Well hey there, Kydose,” the stallion spoke, raising a hoof out and looking to Kydose with cheery blue eyes. “Name’s Caramel. Glad to see a visitor in town! I’m so used to seeing everypony I normally do, so it’s nice to find a new face. Whatcha need to know about that pretty filly?”

Kydose tentatively shook the stallion’s hoof, if only out of politeness. “I’d like to know where she went.”

“Well, I’m not sure where she is right now, but I know where she’ll be later,” Caramel said, looking in the direction she had walked off. “Tonight is the Grand Galloping Gala, so she’ll probably be getting ready for that. Only a few hours from now, in fact.” He then nudged the stallion to his side. “Me and Lucky here are gonna be driving her and her gals to it.” Lucky cracked a smile, but remained silent.

Now I’m getting somewhere. “Do you know how I can get to the Gala?” Kydose asked.

Caramel turned and pointed to a mountain range in the distance, where a large castle was visibly clinging to the rock. “Just follow the roads up to Canterlot. It’s that big city in the mountains way over there. Ain’t actually as far as it looks, to be honest. You could probably get there in under an hour if you fly.”

Kydose gulped at the mention of flight. I’d fly if I could, he thought, but thinking was all he did. He didn’t dare mention the disability in front of strangers.

“Of course, if you wanna do that you’ll need an entry ticket. Can’t get in without one.” With a chuckle, he added, “knowing Canterlot though, looking good will be more important.”

Kydose contemplated his options now. All that was separating him from the mystery mare was a ticket. He knew the ticket would be nearly impossible to acquire, especially this close to the event, and even more so because it was invite-only. Looking good, however, would be doable. He tried to remember how many bits he had left, and determined it would be more than enough to rent a suit just for tonight. The ticket… the ticket he would handle when the time came.

He nodded his head and looked to Caramel. “That was just what I wanted to hear. Thank you for your time.”

“Any time, friend,” Caramel said, with a grin.

With another nod, Kydose was off. The stallions behind him waved, then went back to their discussion, but Kydose was too involved with his thoughts to wave back. All he had on his mind now was the Gala, and how he was going to find his way inside.

So, ticket and a suit, he thought, trotting along the dirt road. One of those things I can get, but the other... his mind trailed off as he became lost in the logistics of the plan. Perhaps I can talk to that couple I overheard earlier and buy one of their– no, nobody in their right mind would give up entry to the Grand Galloping Gala. Maybe I can just… forge one? No, that’s completely ridiculous. His snout scrunched up as he pondered over the dilemma.

"Ugh, it’s just no use," Kydose finally said, letting out a sigh. "There’s no way I’m getting a ticket." Pausing for a moment, he produced his pouch of bits and undid the string, then took a look inside. "Hrm... one hundred... one-fifty... two hundred..." After a bit more silent counting, he sighed again. "Barely enough for a few nights at an inn, let alone the most anticipated event of the year." He frowned, staring dejectedly into his bag of coins.

That was when he remembered what Caramel had said about Canterlot. "Then again, maybe I don’t need a ticket after all," he said, with a smirk. Before long, he was back on the move, heading towards the marketplace at a steady pace.

If I’m lucky, I may be able to sneak into the Gala. The guards will be busy making sure the guests and princesses are safe, so security outside just might be low enough for me to slip by. Kydose grinned, becoming engrossed in his plan. Not to mention the crowds... I just hope I'm right about all this.

Looking upwards, Kydose realized he had already made his way back to the center of town. The market was still busy, but there were far less ponies walking about than there were earlier. Many of the stalls were closed for the day, leaving behind empty and locked up shops.

He took a quick look around and was surprised to see the mare from earlier was still there, gathering up her carrots and putting them away. Maybe she'll know where I can find a boutique he thought, trotting towards her. If she didn’t have an answer, he wasn’t sure who else to turn to.

She spotted him on his way over and gave a cheery smile, accompanied with a wave. "Well hey there," she said, taking a break from her packing. "What brings you back to my lil’ ol’ stand? Came for a snack?" With a quick flick of her hoof, she had a carrot in her hoof and presented it to him.

Kydose gave a light chuckle and shook his head. "Unfortunately, no, though they're looking just as tasty as they did earlier. What I'm really here for is to ask you a question."

"Oh yeah?" She asked, tilting her heading to the side and leaning against the table. Without any thought, she took a crunchy bite of the carrot she held. "What can I do for ya?"

"Well, I'm not sure if you'd know the answer to this, but so you know where I can buy a suit?" He tried to hide the desperation on his face, but felt he was doing a poor job of it.

The mare tapped her hoof against the ground and furrowed her brow in thought. "Hmm..." After a moment and another bite of her favorite vegetable, her face lit up and she exclaimed, "aha! I don't go there much at all, but I know some friends who do. It's called The Carousel Boutique. I can give you directions if you'd like."

"Oh, yes, that'd be great!" Kydose said, with a bright smile.

"Okay, so, you head north of here, then make your way over the bridge and past the town hall, then you..."

As she went on with the explanation, Kydose couldn't help but feel a familiarity with it. His ears perked up as he listened more intently.

"...and it's like a big carousel, with colors and horses on top–"

"I know where you're talking about!" Kydose interrupted, his eyes groing wide. He had admired that building from the moment he saw it, but had no idea it was actually where he was looking for this whole time. "Thank you, but I need to get there now," he said, turning away and near-galloping the direction he had come from.

"You'll have to ask for Rarity!" she called after him, waving as he ran off.

"Thanks!" He yelled back, and within a moment’s time he was out of the marketplace and heading back to the boutique.

Kydose glanced to the sky as he ran, taking note of where the sun was in the sky. Time's running out, he thought, watching the slowly setting sun. I need to be quick about this. With all the strength he could muster, he charged toward his destination.

- - -

It had been a long time since Kydose ran that fast. So long, in fact, that he all but collapsed at the door to the boutique, panting and wheezing into the cool ground. Must remember… to pace myself… he thought, taking in as much fresh air as he could. He knew he probably looked ridiculous lying there, but in the back of his mind he knew that it would be worth it in the end. It was a small price to pay to meet the mare of his dreams.

After taking a moment to compose himself, Kydose stood up and brushed himself off, then cleared his throat. He waited a moment, then knocked on the door three times and took a step back. Several seconds passed. Then another several seconds. “Hrm.” He frowned, then leaned forward and knocked again, only to quickly be met with a voice from behind it.

“Just a second!” the voice yelled, high pitched and squeaky. Kydose couldn’t help but feel the voice sounded off, but he couldn’t put his hoof on why.

He heard some faint hoofsteps from inside, then a few moments later the door opened to reveal a small white filly with light green eyes and a two-toned mane of pink and purple. That’s when he realized what was odd about the voice: It was rather young.

“Yes,” she said, with a wide grin.

“Would you happen to be Rarity?” He looked over the small pony and had a good guess at what the answer would be, but he had to make sure.

She shook her head and her smile began to fade away. “No… Rarity is just my older sister.”

“I see,” Kydose replied. “Well, could you get her? I need to buy something and I’m in a bit of a hurry.” As if to make his point, he began to tap one of his front hooves against the ground.

“I would, but she’s not here right now. Sorry,” the unicorn said, glancing downwards.

Kydose sighed, feeling his hope start to drain. “Alright, well… would you be able to help me, then?”

Her grin instantly came back, and the filly seemed like it was the happiest moment of her life. “Of course! Come right in.” She stepped aside, allowing Kydose to walk in, then closed the door behind him.

Just as he imagined, the shop was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside. Glancing from display to display, he began to think it was more beautiful on the inside. The decor and style of the outfits was nothing short of astounding, and each new piece seemed to complement the last.

“My name’s Sweetie Belle, and I’ll be…” Her voice trailed off as her gaze glanced towards Kydose’s flank, and her eyes widened as she noticed it was completely bare.

Kydose cocked his head to the side and stared at the transfixed filly. “Is, uh… something wrong?” he asked, with a hint of concern. He turned his head to look at his side, but didn’t find anything out of the ordinary.

Her eyes darted from his flank to his face several times before she pointed and sputtered out, “y-you don’t have a cutie mark!”

He couldn’t help but blush out of embarrassment. “I… No, I don’t,” he replied, completely taken off guard. With a quick look, he saw that she didn’t have one either. They were both blank flanks.

Sweetie Belle did nothing short of bounce to his side, looking at the part of his flank where there should have been a cutie mark. She seemed mesmerized by its missing status, and there was a giant smile on her face. Kydose wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it.

“How long have you been looking for your talent?” she asked, looking up to him with bright eyes.

Longer than I would like, he thought, with a frown. “A long time,” Kydose replied, trying to keep the details to a minimum. “So I’ve been traveling a lot.”

“Like, all over Equestria?” The filly bounced in front of him with a spring in her step. She shifted her body so her flank was in view. “See, me and my friends have been looking for our cutie marks for a long time too, and we even made a group called the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” She suddenly gasped, and Kydose could almost see the lightbulb above her head. “If you’re looking for your cutie mark, maybe you should join!”

Kydose sighed and glanced downwards. “Yes, all over Equestria, but it’s for more reason than just finding my cutie mark. I’d… rather not talk about it.”

“Aw, why not?” she asked, pouting and looking up at him. “I bet you have all sorts of cool adventures and stories to tell! Come on, you’ve gotta have one.”

He took a deep breath, as his patience with the small unicorn was quickly fading. “I appreciate the interest, but I have personal reasons for traveling that I don’t want to share,” Kydose said, in a soft voice. “They don’t bring back the best of memories.”

“Oh…” Sweetie Belle said meekly, pawing her hoof at the ground. “Sorry…”

“It’s alright. Now, how about business?”

The filly instantly perked up and smiled at him. “Okay! What can I do for you today?”

“I’m... looking for a suit,” he said, eyes gazing around the room. Catching himself almost get lost in the beauty, he shook his head and looked down at the unicorn. “Yes, a suit. Something inexpensive but nice looking.”

Sweetie Belle nodded enthusiastically and then hurried off to a nearby table, rummaging through the contents of its’ drawer. After a moment, she came trotting back with measuring tape over her back and a notepad in her mouth. Setting the pad on the ground, she took the tape and started measuring around Kydose’s hoof. “Okay, this is what my sister normally does…” She looked at the number and jotted down, then moved to a completely different leg.

“Uh, I was looking more for something already made…” he said, with a sheepish grin. “I’m a bit short on time, you see. Do you have anything like that?”

She pulled the tape away from him and pouted. “Aw, the measuring is my favorite part…” she mumbled, tossing the roll on the ground. “But if you want one, I think Rarity has some premade outfits around here. Let me see…” Sweetie Belle trailed off as she stepped away from Kydose and wandered throughout the boutique. After a minute or so, she jumped up and waved him over. “We’ve got some here!”

Kydose walked to where she stood and was met with a semi-circle of mannequins, all dressed up in pre-made suits. They ranged from simple to elegant and flashy to modest, but there seemed to be something for anypony. “Wow, these are all excellently crafted,” he said, looking over the designs. “And they all look great.”

“That’s Rarity for you!” Sweetie chirped, hopping over to one of the mannequins. “Some ponies don’t believe it, but she’s the best designer in all of Equestria. One day, she’ll be really famous for making clothes!”

“I believe it,” Kydose said, looking at the myriad of suits before him. Unfortunately, he had to pick one, and he had to pick it soon. Out of the corner of his eye, he could tell the sun was getting dangerously low.

He stepped towards the nearest suit and began to look over it. Hmm… A bit too flashy. May draw attention. Also, red might not look good on me. Just to confirm his thoughts, he moved his foreleg near the suit’s arm to compare the colors, and it was as he had expected. Approaching the next suit, he went through a similar process, going over the pros and cons and deciding which one would be best.

After going through all of them, he stepped back to the middle and looked over them. All of them had their ups and downs, but one in particular had caught his eye, and it stood right in front of him. The mannequin wore a suit consisting of a short black coat with long lapels. On top was the white collar of a simple, two button undershirt. Then, adding just a touch of flair, a deep blue three-petaled flower acted as a brooch, holding the lapels together. It was a modest outfit, but it would get him into the Gala.

“I’d like this one,” Kydose said, approaching the suit and gently stroking the left lapel. It was like silk under his hoof, soft and gentle to the touch. “It’ll be perfect.”

Sweetie Belle nodded, then trotted to the suit and rummaged through the undershirt. Kydose was about to ask what she was doing, but she pulled out a small slip of paper with a number on it. Ah, price tag, he thought.

“Okay, this one is… two hundred and ten bits,” she said, showing him the tag.

Kydose visibly cringed, but he knew it was his only chance. Hopefully I can return it later… he thought, as he produced his money pouch. Opening it, he poured it out into his hoof and counted up the coins until he got to two hundred and ten. After giving the small pile of bits to Sweetie, all he had left over was one measly coin, which he slipped back into the bag with a frown.

“Thank you, sir!” Sweetie Belle practically skipped away from Kydose with the coins, humming as she did so.

As she was putting away the money, Kydose began taking the suit off of the mannequin and putting it on himself. Fortunately, there was a mirror nearby that he could use to adjust his look with. As quickly as he could without damaging anything, he slipped the undershirt on and buttoned it, then folded the collar down. After it was even, he put his legs through the holes in the jacket and pulled it up, then did some tricky adjusting with his teeth to attach the lapel. He took a look in the mirror and found that for his first time putting on a suit in recent memory, it didn’t look that bad.

“You’re putting it on right now?” Sweetie’s voice came from behind him, and Kydose could see her standing near him in the mirror.

“I told you I was a bit short on time, didn’t I?” He shifted the flower as he spoke, then the rest of the suit until it was even. He took a quick glance at his mane and decided to slick it back a bit using his hoof. It was a temporary solution, but it did the job for now.

Sweetie Belle cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going, anyway?”

“The Grand Galloping Gala.”

“Oh, my sister went there!” Sweetie exclaimed, hopping in place. “She’s so lucky. I wish I could have gone with her, but she said it was only for adult ponies.”

Satisfied with his look, Kydose spun around and gave her a soft smile. “Well, it’s good that you were here, otherwise I’d be out of luck. You’re a good businessmare.”

Her eyes immediately lit up at the compliment. “You really think so?!” she asked, leaning so far forward on her hooves Kydose was afraid she might fall over.

“You sold me this suit, didn’t you? I’d say that’s a success.” He then glanced out the window, and a twinge of fear struck through him. “Unfortunately, I have to go now, or I’m going to be late,” he said, heading towards the entrance. I hope I can get there in time.

Sweetie nodded and followed him to the door. “Oh, alright. Thanks for coming to the Carousel Boutique, mister.”

“And thank you for the lovely outfit! Maybe I’ll visit again someday.” With that, Kydose opened the door and headed out. By that point, the day was at it’s final moments, with nothing but a soft orange glow in the sky. Before long, the moon would be out and the Gala would start.

Kydose looked in the direction of Canterlot, finding that the city was illuminated on the mountainside. It’s light twinkled against the dark mountain like a beacon in the night, guiding him to where he needed to be. How fitting, he thought, beginning his journey down the road. The trot quickly became a full gallop, and before long the quaint town of Ponyville was behind him.

As he stared at the city of royals with a fire in his eye, Kydose could only think one thing.

I’m on my way.

Chapter 3

As the great spires of Canterlot came into view, the last rays of sun dipped below the horizon and shrouded Equestria in night. Stars twinkled in the sky above, and lights from the brightly lit castle glowed just a short distance away.

Right on time, Kydose thought, galloping along the stone road towards the structure. As he neared it, he slowed to a trot and took in his surroundings. There were numerous carriages and ponies already in the area, and everypony was dressed for the occasion. The suits had not a wrinkle and the dresses were lavish and flowing. Looking down at his own suit, Kydose began to feel inadequate.

He shook his head, clearing his mind of any demoralizing thoughts. He hadn’t come this far just to beat himself up over nothing. Taking in a breath of mountain air, Kydose gathered his courage and began walking forwards, trying to blend in with the crowd. All the while, his eyes darted around nervously as he looked for guards.

Surprisingly, there weren’t many at all.

They must be preoccupied inside the castle, he thought, approaching the very building. He trotted alongside his group until they had gotten to the doors of the main hall, which opened  as they got near. Once inside, he took a quick glance to make sure no one was watching and then branched off from the others. That was when he noticed the room he was in.

The castle's entry hall was nothing short of enormous.  The ceiling towered above him, and the walls were draped with beautiful banners depicting various patterns and shapes.  A royal red carpet with gold trim led from the door to across the room and up the stairs, where Princess Celestia herself stood, greeting each guest as they approached her. Behind her were two large windows, one blue and filled with stars and the moon and one yellow with a burning sun. Even though there was no light flowing through the windows, she still seemed to be radiating the sun’s glow.

Kydose gulped. Normally he wouldn’t mind seeing the Princess of Equestria, but not under his current conditions. Not only had he snuck into the most prominent ball of the year, but he didn’t even care for it. He couldn’t imagine the princess would approve.

He shifted his eyes from her and looked around the rest of the hall. Many ponies idly walked about and spoke, while others stood in small groups for their conversation. Not wanting to seem out of place, Kydose glanced around for somepony to talk to. Anypony, really, just so that he looked like he was supposed to be here.

He caught sight of one stallion, dressed in a suit and top hat, who walked towards him. As the stallion got closer, Kydose put on a smile. “Hi, how are yo–”

“Do I know you?” the stallion asked, raising an eyebrow and walking past. Kydose could only stare in awe as the pony turned and made his way down one of the hallways.

“Okay…” Kydose mumbled, his attempts at socializing failing miserably. I guess I can try again… He looked around the room once more and found a group of two mares talking to one another, each wearing a dress that Kydose didn’t want to think about the price of. As he approached them, their conversation slowed and they slowly turned their heads to look at him.

The first, a light blue pony with a cream-colored mane, cocked her head to the side. “May we help you with something?” Her Canterlot accent was heavy, and she had the same air of superiority around her that the other high-class ponies had. Kydose was already beginning to regret his decision coming here.

With a nervous grin, Kydose said, “Hi, my name’s Kydose. How’s, uh… the Gala?”

The two of them blinked at first, seemingly bored with him. “Not nearly as good as last year,” the second one said. She had a poofy brown mane and a similar light blue coat to the first, but it was paler in comparison. “They don’t even have catering staff outside the banquet hall. Hmph!” She turned up her nose as if the thought disgusted her, then turned to the other mare. “Speaking of, I’m simply parched. Come along, we should be getting some refreshments.” Without another word, the two turned and left, leaving Kydose alone in the entry hall yet again.

I sure hope the mare I’m looking for isn’t like these ponies, he thought, looking around with tired eyes. Among the crowd he saw numerous stallions, all expertly groomed and dressed. Kydose couldn’t even imagine how he looked in comparison to them. Idly, he stroked a hoof through his mane. And how am I supposed to get her attention? How can I compete with all of these other stallions? He frowned softly. Would she even give me a chance?

As he stood in the hall worrying about how he would win over his mystery mare, the familiar sound of the entry doors opening filled the air. Kydose’s ears perked up and he spun around, his eyes instantly widening at what was before him. It was her!

She stood there, front and center with another mare—a purple unicorn—and behind her were five more colorful ponies, all in elegant dresses. Their style reminded him of somewhere, but he couldn’t put his hoof on where. He was too busy gawking at the white mare’s beauty anyway.

Her pink dress shimmered in the light, and was adorned with numerous glinting gems. It complimented and proudly accented her shape and features, making her stand out from all the rest. The crown sitting atop her head was polished until it was mirror-like, yet it still failed to match the beauty of her eyes. They were like big, blue diamonds that stared around the room, filled with just as much awe as his when he had entered.

Kydose felt himself grinning like a fool. Realizing what he was doing, he quickly regained his composure and stood tall, not wanting to get lost in his thoughts as he did earlier. His entire purpose for coming here stood right in front of him, and all that separated them were a few small steps. Okay, Kydose. This is the moment.

Using all the courage he could muster, Kydose walked towards her. She was still enamored with the room and didn’t immediately notice him, but he figured an introduction would solve that. “Hello, my name is Ky–”

Before he could finish, she had gasped and run off, as did the rest of them. He reeled around, looking for what had caused her to gallop off so quickly, and the answer made his heart sink. The mare now walked besides another stallion, just as white as she was. Kydose vaguely recognized him as Prince Blueblood, and that was only because his name and face were brought up so much he couldn’t possibly avoid it. She… she didn’t even notice me...

His worst fears had come to life right in front of his eyes. All the searching he had done, all the running around and looking – it was all pointless now. Without even taking another glance at the two of them, he stormed off down the opposite hallway. Kydose needed to get as far away from them as possible.

He wandered aimlessly through the castle halls until he found himself in an empty corridor. It was full of large windows, and through any of them one could see the vast landscape of Equestria. Some of the windows had stained glass designs while others were still blank canvases, waiting for a story to be painted on them. Kydose stood near one of the unstained windows, choosing to look at the view outside.

There was mostly darkness across all of the land, save for the rest of the castle below. Scattered lights from towns and cities dotted the countryside, like fireflies during a summer night. After observing the land for several moments, Kydose turned his gaze to the night sky. It almost mirrored what was below, but there were far more lights up there. The stars twinkled in the night, and the moon hung low in the sky. The scene would make for a remarkable painting.

Despite the beauty before him, Kydose could only bring himself to sigh. You know, I’ve never felt like this about somepony before, he thought, staring blankly into the darkness. Not once. Not until I saw her for the first time. I guess that’s what they call love at first sight. He studied the stars, finding a few constellations. And it’s just my luck… she had her eye on somepony else. 

He looked around for a moment, making sure that he was alone. Then, he sat down and continued observing. Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. That’s certainly a possibility. He sighed, spotting Orion in the stars. To the left, he spotted Gemini, the two ponies holding hooves. His neutral expression slowly faded into a frown and he did his best to avoid that part of the sky. Soon, he found a particular star in the center of a patch of nothingness. It was just one lone twinkle in the vastness of space. I know how you feel.

Kydose’s vision moved to the ground in front of him. He was tired of looking at the stars. He was tired of being alone. He was tired of being in Canterlot. All he wanted to do was leave, and go somewhere else. Anywhere. But he no idea where he could go. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, then gave himself some quiet time.

- - -

I want to go outside. His eyes fluttered open, and he found himself standing up. Maybe the fresh air will help me clear my head. Turning back the way he came, Kydose began a light trot down the hall.

He wasn’t familiar with the layout of the castle at all, so he found himself getting lost or going in circles more than once. Eventually, after some trial and error, he found himself back at the entry hall. He avoided looking at or talking to anypony as he walked, as the thought of having any conversation right now made his stomach turn. He just wanted to be outside, where he could breathe in the night air and feel the grass on his hooves.

The entrance to the garden—or one of the entrances, at least—wasn’t too far away from the main hall. The moment his hooves went from stone to grass, he immediately felt better. That’s more like it, he thought, relishing the familiar feeling. Traveling was what he did, and having dirt under him brought him just a little closer to home.

He decided to take a walk around the garden and see what the castle had in store. He passed various plants and animals as he walked, finding some he recognized and some that he didn’t. He took care to enjoy the ones he didn’t, as he wasn’t sure when he would ever encounter them again. It was a good feeling, discovering something new. It was one of the reasons he never stayed in one place for too long.

Kydose continued exploring, feeling his mood gradually getting better. Perhaps Canterlot wasn’t that bad after all!

Then, Kydose turned a corner and halted in place. No, Canterlot was that bad.

In front of him was an all too familiar scene. The white mare and Blueblood stood next to each other near a rose bush. They were talking to each other, but Kydose was too far away to hear, and even if he was close enough, the anger bubbling up inside of him might have drowned it out. He grit his teeth and watched them from afar, trying to find out what was so great about the prince.

She couldn’t take her eyes off of him. Every moment was like she was staring at her lifetime idol, and she wanted every second to count. Of course… good looks, wealth, and royalty… How couldn’t she fall for him? he thought, his brows furrowing.

Kydose watched as Blueblood leaned over and bit a rose off of the bush. Even from here, he could see her expression brighten in anticipation for the gift. Hmph. I would have done the same, he thought, continuing to watch them. It looked as if he was about to pin it to her dress, but suddenly Blueblood moved back and pinned it into his own coat.

Wait, what? Kydose blinked and shook his head. The rose was definitely in his coat still, so it did happen. He leaned forward in anticipation, waiting for Blueblood to perhaps take another rose and give it Rarity. Several seconds passed, but it never happened. Why would he… That doesn’t make any sense! 

Her expression said it all. Her beaming smile turned to a frown, and she glanced away from him as disappointment washed over her. Meanwhile, Blueblood looked happy as a clam and didn’t pay her a second glance.

Kydose bit his lip. The fact that she was with somepony like that and Kydose couldn’t do anything about it was like a stab to the chest. He was forced to sit on the sidelines and watch.

The mare and Blueblood spent a few more moments in the garden before walking off. Once they were gone, Kydose walked over to where they stood previously and looked over the rose bush. A new sense of resolve flowed through him, replacing the anger he had. No matter what, I’ll show her the respect she deserves, he thought, looking through the flowers. And it all starts with the perfect rose.

Hmm… no, too big… not symmetrical enough… uneven… He continued scouring through the bush, but came up with empty hooves. No, no. I can do better than this. Kydose glanced around, finding that there was more to the garden than he had thought. He stepped away and decided to do some exploring. Moving past the rose bush, he found a path to the side that lead to some other various flowers. Looking over them, he found that they were planted in a pattern: Rose, lilies, sunflowers, green orchids, morning glory, then lilac. They were all arranged in patches, creating a row of rainbow foliage. Looking farther down the line, he realized that the pattern was repeating backwards, and at the very end was another rose bush.

Kydose galloped towards it, then skidded to a halt as he neared it. Okay, perfect rose, where are you? He circled around the bush, trying to observe all of the numerous roses as best he could. They came in all shapes and sizes, some very small and some blooming with life, but none were what he could consider perfect.

He circled the bush for the third time, and he was about to give up and just choose whichever one was closest, but then he spotted something. Deep within the bush was a splash of red, and while it was a long shot, it was one he had been missing this whole time. Taking a deep breath, he plunged his head into the bush and was immediately met with dozens of thorns prodding his face. “Ow, ow, ow!” he cried, through gritted teeth. When he emerged from the bush, however, he had the most perfect rose in his mouth. It’s petals were perfectly spread, and it was the most beautiful shade of crimson he could ask for. Delicately he took it in his hooves and looked over it.

It was worth the scratches, he thought, pinning it to his tuxedo for safe-keeping. Now, I need to find her! He looked into the sky and found the moon was far higher than when he last looked. His eyes widened in fear as the possibility of him being too late became very real. He gathered his strength and took off into a gallop, heading to the main ballroom as fast as his legs could carry him. That’s probably where I’m most likely to find her, he thought, running past the original rose bush.

His path found himself going through the hallways, and he soon came across a large, golden door. A small plaque at the side read “Ballroom.” That has to be it! Wasting no time, Kydose rushed towards the door and all but kicked it open.

Where he expected to find ponies dancing to classical music and eating expensive hors d'oeuvres, he found nothing short of a disaster area. A golden alicorn statue lay in pieces at the far side of the room, surrounded by the rubble of fallen columns. Small woodland creatures roamed the area, nibbling at the various foods that plastered the floor. Above all, it was completely empty except for him. In fact, he hadn’t noticed it on the way, but the entire castle seemed to be devoid of ponies.

W-What!? He stared in awe at the destruction before him. He had no idea what happened, but he never thought chaos like this could happen within Canterlot’s own halls. With a sigh, he looked down at his hooves. I knew I spent too long looking for this… this stupid rose.

Without another thought, Kydose turned around and slowly began to walk towards the entrance of the castle.

- - -

Defeated and dejected, Kydose found himself at the Canterlot train station. A train sat at the platform, fresh in the station waiting to be boarded. Kydose walked towards the ticket booth, head hung low, and took his money pouch out. Shuffling through it, he produced his last bit, then placed it on the counter and slid it towards the pony behind the desk. “One-way ticket to Ponyville, please,” he mumbled. After several seconds, a ticket was pushed back to him. “Thanks.” Kydose then turned around and headed towards the nearest car.

When he boarded the train, it was empty, as usual. Sighing, Kydose walked to the far end of the car and took a seat, thinking about the night. He took a look into his bit pouch, frowning as it contained nothing but dust. He turned it over and shook it a few times just to be sure, but nothing fell out of it. Shaking his head, he stretched his aching legs out and tried to get comfortable. Then, he took the rose from his jacket and looked at it, thinking of the white mare.

It wasn’t his body that hurt the most, but his heart. He could only look at the flower and think of what could have been, but the reality of the situation only made things worse. Before his mood got any more sour, he tucked the rose back into his coat and looked out the window.

With a screech, the train jerked forward and began it’s relatively short journey to Ponyville. As it pulled out of the station, Kydose watched Canterlot castle shrink behind him and eventually get lost behind the mountain as the train descended. After the lights of the city had disappeared entirely, Kydose turned away from the window and closed his eyes. He delicately put his hoof over the rose and listened to the railroad tracks.

Every so often he would nod off, but bumps in the tracks seemed keen on keeping him awake. Each time he awoke he was a little closer to Ponyville, so he had that to look forward to. Eventually, what woke him wasn’t a bump, but the loud whistle of the train that signified he had arrived. With a yawn, Kydose shook his head and stood up, trying to get rid of the drowsiness.

The doors to the car opened and he stepped out. He wasn’t sure what time it was, but based on where the moon hung in the sky, he guessed it was around midnight. Yawning again, he looked down at his suit. I suppose I should return this, he thought. It’s no use to me anymore. He began walking down the platform, and once he had stepped off of it, he headed in the direction of Carousel Boutique.

While he hadn’t memorized Ponyville’s layout, he recognized enough landmarks to find his way, even at night. The town was lit up nicely with firefly lamps, so he found it much easier to navigate than expected. He found himself walking past familiar places like Sugarcube Corner, Town Hall, and The Three Clovers. The sights brought a smile to his face. I’ll miss this town.

He eventually reached Carousel Boutique, and was surprised to see that the lights were still on. They’re still open this late? He approached the door and glanced to the side, seeing if he could see inside. There were curtains up, however, so all he saw was a faded yellow glow. He raised his hoof and gave a quick knock, then patiently waited. He glanced down at the rose again, then plucked it out of his coat. Maybe I’ll give it to Sweetie Belle. She was quite helpful earlier. It’s the least I could do for disturbing her at this hour, anyway. Several moments passed and there was still no answer at the door. “Hmph.” Again, he lifted his hoof to knock, but just as he was about to swing his hoof forward, he heard a voice behind him.

“Excuse me, may I help you with something?”

Kydose’s ears perked up and he turned around, only to have his eyes widen. He was face to face with her! He was rendered completely speechless, and had no idea what to even do.

She glanced at the rose and giggled. “That wouldn’t be for me, would it?”

He felt the heat rising in his cheeks, but his mind was still completely blank. After everything he went through today and after having his hopes seemingly devastated, fate decided to give him one more chance. One more opportunity to show his feelings for her. Here she was, right in front of him… and covered in cake. That little detail cleared his mind just enough.

Kydose tried to put on a smile. “H-Hi, I’m uh, I’m… K-Ky—”

“Oh, goodness, where are my manners?” she said, rolling her eyes and flashing a perfectly white smile. “My name is Rarity. You may call me “Miss” or “Rarity”, or even “Miss Rarity” if you’re so inclined.”

Rarity. Where had he heard that name before? Rarity… Rarity… That’s when it clicked, and he remembered what Sweetie Belle had said to him. This is Sweetie Belle’s sister! It was no wonder that the building she worked in was so beautiful, or the work she produced was so high quality. Even the simple suit he had purchased was leagues above any other suit he had seen in a store. He only wished he had known earlier.

Kydose then blinked, his thoughts coming back to him. Clearing his throat, he pulled himself together and presented the rose.

“Miss Rarity, would you take this rose?”

Chapter 4

"I'd love to," Rarity said, smiling and delicately taking the rose. The deep red of the flower complimented that of her cheeks as she tucked it into her mane. "I can't thank you enough, mister..." she trailed off and tilted her head ever so slightly, finding herself at a loss for words.

"Kydose." He returned the smile, a hint of blush on his cheeks as well.

The two stood outside of the boutique for several moments before Rarity suddenly shut her eyes and shivered, then let out a shaky laugh. "It's rather cold out here for a summer night, isn't it?" she asked, glancing towards the sky briefly. "Would you care to come inside for a bit? Oh! Perhaps I can put some tea on for us."

"If it's no trouble, of course," Kydose said, shuffling in place.

"Don't be silly. It's the least I can do for somepony so kind to me." Rarity's horn glowed for a moment and a click sounded from the door. With a light push she had it open, and she motioned for him to step inside. Kydose walked into the boutique, savoring the feeling of warmth on his coat. He hadn't even realized how cold he had been.

Rarity stepped farther into the room, and with another burst of magic she began to remove her tattered, cake-stained dress. She let out a light sigh as it slipped off of her lithe frame, revealing her near pure white coat. Kydose was once again encapsulated with her beauty, but was quick to catch himself in the act. Stay focused, he thought, watching her take care of the marred cloth. The dress had seen better days for sure. Once Rarity had put it away, she approached Kydose. As she came closer to him, she squinted and leaned forward. "Is that one of my designs?"

"Err... yes, it is," Kydose admitted, pawing at the floor.

"Now what would a stallion like you be doing with a suit of my own creation?" she asked, with a smirk.

"Well, to be honest, I came here to return it." He frowned, expecting her to be insulted, but instead she merely seemed puzzled, with a barely present frown of disappointment. "I mean, not that I didn't like it or anything. It's actually quite beautiful. It's just that I only needed to borrow a suit for tonight."

"Hmm..." Rarity hummed to herself, looking over him. "Color me curious. Whatever caused you to buy a suit in such a hurry?" As he opened his mouth to answer, she stuck a hoof up. "No no, come with me, first. You can tell me all about it over a nice hot cup of tea." She then smiled and spun around, prompting him to follow. The two then moved to the kitchen, only a short walk away. It was a quaint room with a small table in the corner and counters on the opposite side. As he expected, everything was ornately styled and colored to look its best.

"Have a seat, dear," Rarity said, pointing to the table. "I'll get the kettle started."

Kydose nodded and walked over to the table, pulling out one of the chairs and taking a seat. He watched Rarity rummage through one of the cupboards and take out a kettle, then fill start filling it with water.

"So, tell me, what did you need a suit in such a hurry for?" she asked, placing the kettle on the stove and igniting the burner with a magic spark.

"Well... it started with you, actually..." he said, glancing out the window. Several stars twinkled in the sky, but none as bright as that lone star he had found earlier. "I was traveling through Ponyville and found myself near your boutique, and then I saw you."

"Really?" Rarity asked, taking a seat opposite of him and looking with curious eyes.

"I wanted to speak with you, but I unfortunately became... uh... distracted. By the time I got back, you were already gone."

"That must have been right after I asked about my ride to the gala," Rarity said, tapping her forehooves together. "If I had any idea, I'm sure I would have stayed to chat."

Kydose smiled. "It's not your fault. Anyway, I asked some ponies if they knew where you had gone, and they said that you'd be at the Grand Galloping Gala, but to get in I'd need a ticket and a suit."

"So you came here to buy one?"

"That's right." He nodded. "I met your sister, Sweetie Belle, and she was more than happy to assist me with the purchase."

"Oh dear, I hope she didn't cause any trouble!" Rarity chuckled, then shook her head. "I know she means well, but that filly can be a real hoof-ful sometimes..."

"She was just fine, I promise," Kydose said. "Once I had the suit, I—" He was cut off by the shrill whistle of the tea kettle going off, which seemed to alarm Rarity.

"I had almost forgotten about the tea," she said, eyes widening. "Let me take care of that."

"Go ahead," Kydose said, nodding.

Rarity sat up and got out of the chair, then trotted over to the counter. She produced two small cups and saucers from the cupboard, then took the boiling water off the heat and poured it into two of the cups. She then took out two packets of tea and gently dropped them in the water, turning the liquid from clear to a deep brown. "Do you want any milk or sugar, darling?" she asked.

Kydose felt his cheeks warm up at the word 'darling.' While he felt it was something she used commonly, it still felt special when addressed to him. "I'll just have it however you do."

"Excellent choice," she said, with a grin. After a few moments with a bottle of milk and jar of sugar, she floated two cups of tea alongside her and sat back down at the table. She placed one cup and saucer in front of Kydose, then did the same for herself. "I prefer my tea with just a hint of the extras, so I hope you like it."

He took the cup in his hooves and brought it to his mouth, taking a light sip of the steaming liquid. It was smooth and warm, with a light sweetness to it. "It's very good," he said, setting the cup down.

"Is it? I feel I've added a bit too much milk again..." Rarity looked down at her cup with a slight frown, which was quickly replaced by a smile as she looked back to Kydose. "Now what were you saying? After you got the suit, what happened?"

"Well, I made my way to the Gala, naturally." He took another sip of his tea. "Of course, I didn't have a ticket, so I had to sneak inside."

Rarity nearly choked on her drink. "You snuck into the Grand Galloping Gala?" Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

"Yeah... It's not something I would normally do, but this was a special occasion." Kydose looked at Rarity and gave a soft smile. "I hope you're okay with that."

"I'm just... impressed, is all," she said, leaning back. "I never thought somepony could just walk into the most important ball of the year like that... never mind just to see somepony. But that raises a question. If you went through all that work to find me, why didn't I see you?"

Kydose sighed and glanced away. "Because I found you with Blueblood. I figured you were more interested with him."

"Oh..." Rarity mumbled, looking down at her cup. "I see."

"Later on, I saw how he treated you, and I didn't think you deserved that. That's why I found that rose for you. I planned to give it to you at Gala, but I couldn't find you, so I went back to Ponyville..."

"...and then I found you in front of the boutique," Rarity said, the realization hitting her. "So you've been waiting all day and just to see me? And you went through all the trouble to find a rose just for moi?"

"I suppose you could say that..." He took another sip of his tea and looked out the window. His heart pounded in his chest, but Kydose tried to keep calm.

"Well I must say... this is the sweetest thing anypony has ever done for me." She took the rose from her mane and gently floated it in front of her, then smiled. "Thank you, Kydose. I really do appreciate such a kind gesture."

Kydose found the courage to look at her again, then shared the expression. "I'm glad to hear that, Miss Rarity."

Rarity rolled her eyes and gave him a sly grin. "Oh, you can drop the formalities, dear. Just 'Rarity' is fine." She took a final sip of her tea before a yawn overtook her. "It seems we've lost track of the time," she said, looking over her shoulder at the wall clock. The hands said it was past midnight. "I should really be getting to bed soon. A lady needs her beauty sleep, after all." She then stood up, taking both her and Kydose's empty cups to the sink.

Kydose stood up as well, a small frown on his face as he knew his time with Rarity was coming to a close. "I suppose I'll be going then," he said, as Rarity finished cleaning the dishes. She turned and walked towards him, and he couldn't help but smile as he basked in her radiance.

"You don't live too far, do you?" she asked, walking beside him and leading him into the display area of the boutique. "I wouldn't want you to be out there with nothing but the coat on your back." She then glanced down, noticing that he had never returned his suit. "And I suppose you'll be wanting your bits back."

He blinked, tilting his head slightly to the side. "Wha... Oh! My suit. Right, right…” He looked down at the suit, still quite pristine but with a few scuffs and markings from the night, then gave a smile. “I think I’ll keep it… as a memento of sorts. And concerning where I live... I'm more of a wanderer."

“Are you certain, dear? Even as a lower, model, it’s still rather expensive…” Rarity said, with a concerned frown.

Kydose shook his head. “I can part with the bits.” I can’t part with the memories.

Rarity’s frown turned to a soft smile. “If you insist. Now, whatever did you mean by ‘more of a wanderer’?" she asked, her expression becoming concerned again.

"I travel around Equestria, staying at inns when I can. It's not that bad, really." He gave her a smile meant to comfort her, but it didn't appear to being working.

Rarity shook her head and frowned, her mane bobbing to and fro. "No, that won't do at all. I refuse to have somepony as kind as you living on the streets! For tonight, at least, you're going to be staying right here." She gave him a smirk before grabbing his hoof and pulling him away from the door.

"But—"

"No buts!" she snapped, tugging at his leg. "I'll not have any excuses. You're having a warm place to sleep tonight and you're going to like it."

"Well, I mean, I was just going to look for an inn," Kydose said, shuffling in place. "But if you insist."

"Oh, after hearing that, I do insist!" Rarity said, turning her nose up at the mere mention of the word 'inn.' "I'd hardly consider that a place to sleep." She then nodded her head towards Kydose. "Come, follow me."

Kydose complied, following her through the boutique to a quiet room in the back. It was near the kitchen, but he hadn't noticed it before. She opened the door to the room to reveal a small room containing a window and several pieces of furniture. The main attraction was a large, red fainting couch with gold, curly trim. Kydose could almost feel the softness against his body as he looked at it.

"I don't usually have visitors, but this is here just in case," she said, stepping into the room and allowing Kydose a better look around. "It's not much, but it should suit you for the night." Rarity then motioned to a small door in the corner of the room. "You'll find a blanket and pillow in the closet."

After taking a moment to absorb his surroundings, Kydose turned to Rarity and smiled. "I can't thank you enough, Rarity. This is more than I could have hoped for."

She giggled and waved a dismissive hoof. "The pleasure is all mine, dear. It's the least I can do for such a charming stallion. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be getting to bed myself. Goodnight, Kydose."

"Goodnight, Rarity," he replied, feeling the heat rising in his cheeks. Rarity smiled at him before turning and leaving the room, closing the door behind her. She's everything I hoped for, he thought, taking the blanket and pillow out of the closet. Kind, caring, and generous, not to mention beautiful. He laid down on the couch and draped the blanket over him, feeling the warmth of the material against his coat. I hope I can spend more time with her...

With that, Kydose drifted off to sleep, dreams laced with white and purple.

- - -

It wasn't the sunlight that woke Kydose up the next morning. No, it was the muffled shouting of Sweetie Belle and Rarity in the next room over. Kydose's ears perked up before he opened his eyes, trying to catch what they were saying. A futile effort. With a soft groan, Kydose opened his eyes and pulled the blanket off himself, then sat up and yawned. He ran a hoof through his messy purple mane, then stood on his hooves and shook himself off.

The arguing still hadn't stopped. What could they be going on about? he thought, approaching the door. Delicately, he placed a hoof on the doorknob and opened it, peering outside into the hall.

"For the last time, I said no!" Rarity's voice shouted, shrill and fed up with the conversation.

Sweetie Belle's high pitched cry followed shortly after, "But it's not fair!" While it sounded like she tried to be intimidating, the voice cracks and squeaks that came with her age made it difficult.

Kydose poked his head out of the doorway and looked towards the kitchen, where Rarity and Sweetie Belle were standing in the middle of. Rarity scoffed and paced about, while Sweetie Belle stared daggers into her. Kydose frowned, unsure of how to deal with the situation.

"You have fashion shows all the time!" Sweetie Belle added, stomping her hoof on the tiled floor. "Why can't I have one with the crusaders later?!"

Rarity groaned and rolled her eyes. "How many times must I explain this to you, Sweetie Belle? My fashion shows are for business, not for play!"

"Well... mine can be for business too!" the filly chirped, pointing an accusing hoof at Rarity.  "Last night your friend said I was great at doing business and selling things!"

"He was simply being nice, Sweetie Belle."

"No, he meant it! I could tell!"

"Regardless, I don't have the time nor the materials for you to use," Rarity said, circling around Sweetie Belle. "And another thing..." She suddenly trailed off mid sentence as she glanced over and noticed Kydose peering out of the doorway.

Kydose gulped and inched backwards, but it was too late. He'd already been spotted. With a sheepish grin, he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him.

"We shouldn't be arguing around our guest, okay?"

Sweetie Belle looked towards Kydose and gave him a brief smile before glaring at Rarity once more. "Fine... you win for now..." She then stuck her tongue out and walked off, passing Kydose on her way out.

Rarity watched as she left, and once the pitter patter of hooves faded away she turned towards Kydose and frowned. "Sorry about that. I'm sure our silly argument woke you up. You know how young fillies can be sometimes."

"It's fine, really," Kydose said, with another yawn. "I wouldn't be doing anything better anyway."

A gurgle sounded through the room, and before long Rarity's cheeks were a bright shade of crimson. "Oh my... It seems that fighting made me forget all about preparing breakfast." She let out a nervous laugh and glanced away from Kydose momentarily. "You wouldn't want to go somewhere with me, would you?

Kydose had been too preoccupied with listening in on Rarity and Sweetie Belle's argument that he had even overlooked his own hunger. A sharp pang went through his stomach, and he remembered that the last time he ate had been lunch the previous day. How he had avoided it this long was beyond him. "I'd love to," he replied, with a smile. Actually, I’m starving.

"Shall we go, then?" Rarity asked, stepping past him and flicking her tail near his snout. She shot him a playful smirk before walking towards the door.

"Better sooner than later." Kydose followed closely behind her.

"Sweetie, Kydose and I are going out for breakfast. Would you care to join us?" Rarity called up the stairs. It was quickly followed with the slamming of a door, making Rarity cringe. "I'll... take that as a no," she mumbled, glancing downwards. After a moment, she put on a smile and looked towards Kydose. "Shall we?"

"After you," he said, with a light bow. Rarity nodded and opened the door, leading the two of them out into the bright daylight.

The morning air was cool, and a light breeze swept through the town. The sun was still low in the sky, so the summer's heat hadn't swept in just yet. Kydose smiled and took a breath of fresh air, basking in the atmosphere around him. It was the beginning of a good day with the mare of his dreams. He gave Rarity the occasional glance, taking notice of her many features, whether it be her snowy white coat or her violet mane that shimmered in the daylight.

"So, what brought you to Ponyville, Kydose?" Rarity asked, turning her head towards him. "I mean surely you must have had a reason to come here, did you not?"

"Honestly, I was just following the road," he replied, with a grin. "It's gotten me a lot of places before, and Ponyville here is no exception." He then looked over the buildings and scenery before him. "But I have to say, out of all the places I've ended up, this might be my favorite."

Rarity nodded. "Oh, I absolutely agree! It's such a quaint town, and the ponies who live here are so kind. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else."

"Not even Canterlot?" Kydose asked, cocking his head. "It seems like you'd fit right in there."

"While it would be nice to live among the elite, all of my friends live here," she said, with a sigh. "I couldn't imagine leaving them all behind while I was whisked away to a life of grandeur."

"Your friends?" He raised an eyebrow at the mention. Maybe it was those other mares she was with last night at the Gala?

"Of course! Why, I wouldn't even be here without– Speak of the devil!" She motioned forward at a group of ponies that were walking towards them. Just as Kydose had suspected, it was the five others that had originally been with Rarity last night. He thought there might have been a small dragon with them as well, but it wasn't present today. From afar, one of them waved; the purple one. Rarity smiled and waved back excitedly.

A pit of anxiety began to form in Kydose's stomach as Rarity practically dragged him down the road towards the others. He had no idea how they would react to him. Well? Poorly? He knew he wasn't the best in social situations, or even good at all, so the prospect of talking to five new ponies sent a shiver down his spine. He gulped as they stopped in front of the group, and his eyes nervously scanned over the mares.

"Hello girls! Whatever brings you all around my shop this early?" Rarity asked, a smile on her face.

"We came to ask you about the Gala," the purple one said, stepping forward. "We know you had a rough time last night, so we figured we'd check up on you to make sure you were okay. Right girls?" She looked back to the group, all of whom smiled and nodded, adding in their agreements.

Rarity chuckled and waved a hoof. "Oh, you shouldn't have! Surely you don't think one bad night could ruin a lady like me, do you?"

"We just thought since ya'll were lookin' forward to it an' all..." This time the orange one spoke, with a very distinct southern accent in her voice.

"I appreciate the thought, girls, but I'm fine. Really," Rarity said.

"Say, who's your friend?"

Kydose perked up as the purple one looked towards him briefly, then back to Rarity.

Rarity's eyes widened as she glanced between Kydose and the other mares. "Goodness, I didn't even have the courtesy to introduce you properly. I'm terribly sorry, all of you." She then cleared her throat, then motioned a hoof towards Kydose. "This is Kydose. He's a gentlecolt who found his way to my boutique after searching all night for me, in what was a rather charming gesture."

"Hi Kydose!" they all said, in unison.

I wonder if they do this all the time, he thought, cringing ever so slightly.

Rarity then pointed to the purple one, who had a darker mane with two stripes going through it and violet eyes. "This is Twilight Sparkle. She lives in and maintains the library in town, which you may have noticed as being the large tree. She's also the personal protege of Princess Celestia, so you might want to stay on her good side."

"Rarity! Don't scare ponies like that," Twilight said, with a sly grin.

Just then, the bright pink one jumped between the two of them, eyes wide and a huge smile on her face. "Hi there!" she near shouted, causing Kydose to step back. "I can't believe somepony new came to town and I didn't even know about it! I mean normally I'd have my welcome song and everything but we just met right now so I didn't have time to prepare. I hate when that happens," she said, with a pout.

Kydose gulped, speechless as he stared into her big blue eyes. Beyond that, there was only pink. Please be done, please be done.

She suddenly blinked, her gaze darting between Kydose and Rarity. After a moment, her eyes widened and she backed up with an audible gasp. "Ohmygosh, are you two dating?!" she exclaimed, smiling even wider than before.

He felt his cheeks burning up and quickly glanced away, but couldn't find it in him to answer her. That was when he heard Rarity chuckling.

"Pinkie Pie, please," she started, shaking her head. "Do you just assume that I'm dating any stallion I'm with?"

"Usually!" Pinkie chirped, hopping in place.

"Well, I'm sorry to say, but that's not the case. We're just acquaintances is all." She then turned her head towards Kydose. "Besides, and I mean no offense by this, dear, Kydose isn’t really my type."

Oh. He glanced down, looking at his hooves and silently cursing himself for his size. He only had a few moments of self-deprecation before Pinkie Pie leaned down and looked at him, still beaming. With a hoof she quickly raised his chin up.

"So where do you come from?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"I, uh... Well I'm more of a traveling pony. I don't really come from anywhere."

"You had to have started somewhere, silly! Where was it?" She scratched a hoof against her chin and began to think. "Hmm... maybe Manehatten? No wait, you're a pegasus. Cloudsdale! Actually wait, Hollow Shades! Yeah, it's gotta be that one! So was I right? Any of those?"

"Err... no, none of those..." Kydose said, shuffling in place.

"Hmm, I'll guess that later then. What about your favorite food? I bet you like hay fries! No, hayburgers! No, no, hay salad!" The onslaught of questions didn't seem to be ending anytime soon, and Kydose wasn't sure how long he could awkwardly dodge answers.

"Uh... regular salad is nice," he mumbled, glancing away from her.

"Aha! Now what about your favorite animal? My favorite is an alligator, and I even have a pet alligator at home named Gummy. You should come see him some time, but anyway, what about—" She was suddenly pushed out of the way, but continued talking nonetheless. In her place was the orange one, who had a straw blonde mane and a brown stetson on her head. A few light freckles dotted her cheeks, and she gave a concerned look towards Pinkie Pie.

"Sorry 'bout that. She tends to get a bit... excited when she meets somepony new." The mare extended a hoof out, which Kydose took. They quickly exchanged a firm shake and she let go and spoke once more, "Name's Applejack. Ah'm one of the Apple family, and Ah help run the farm 'round here. Pleasure to meet ya, Kydose."

Kydose smiled, happier to be talking to somepony who seemed to understand the way he interacted with others. "Nice to meet you too. It's good to see you're not all as... enthusiastic as Pinkie." He took a quick look towards Pinkie, who still spoke, blissfully unaware that she had been pushed aside. "Not that enthusiasm is bad."

"Believe me. Ah understand completely. If yer lookin' for somepony who won't make a fuss, allow me to introduce you to Fluttershy." Applejack stepped aside, revealing a light yellow pegasus with a flowing pink mane. She had a soft smile on her face and eyes that made Kydose feel more relaxed just by seeing them.

"Hello, Kydose," she said, putting a hoof out. The two shook, though hers was far softer than Applejack's. "Like Applejack said, I'm Fluttershy. I'm one of the few animal caretakers here in Ponyville."

She had a soft spoken voice and a pink mane so long she had to occasionally brush it out of her eyes, and she always had a slight smile on her face. This was a pegasus Kydose could get used to being around.

"Nice to meet you as well, Fluttershy," he said. She nodded and stepped away. Mare of few words.

The last of Rarity's friends, a light blue pegasus, hopped forward with a few flaps of her wings and flashed him a cheesy smile. "What's up?" she asked, extending a hoof outwards. Kydose reached out to take it for a shake, but found she just knocked her hoof against his a single time and then lowered her leg. She must of noticed the expression he had on his face, as she cocked her head to the side and said, "It's a hoofbump, dude."

Kydose looked at his hoof and shrugged, then lowered it. "I see."

"Name's Rainbow Dash," she said, giving her multicolored mane a light flip. "Fastest flier in Equestria and future Wonderbolt! Glad to meet ya."

"You too," Kydose said, forcing a smile. He could already tell that she was the type of pony who was full of herself and liked to show it. Hopefully, he wouldn't need to be around her for too long.

"So, a fellow pegasus, huh?" she said, craning her neck to look at his wings. She then glanced to Rarity and gave her wings a flap. "Glad you found me a flying buddy, Rare! I've been itching for somepony to hit the skies with lately, and this guy looks like he can keep up." Before Kydose could object, Dash jumped to his side and wrapped a foreleg around his neck. "So what's your favorite thing about flying? The wind in your mane? The adrenaline as you rise and fall? Or maybe it's just the view!"

"I, uh..." Kydose mumbled, glancing towards the ground. "I... can't actually fly..."

"Actually you seem more like the—" Dash's widened and she sputtered out, "Wait, what?" She stepped away and looked at him with concerned eyes. "What do you mean you can't fly? You've got wings, don't you?" She lifted one of his wings up with a hoof as if to prove a point, but her eyes were drawn to his flank. "Wait, wait..." She took her hoof away and let the wing drop back down to his side, then her mouth hung open. "You don’t have a cutie mark?"

The others shared quick, questioning glances before looking back at Kydose.

Kydose shook his head. "I… Well, no..." he said, with a frown. "And I can’t fly because... I was born like that. My wings just don't work how they should."

"Oh." Dash stepped back, taking in this new information. "Well that's a bummer." She then turned to Rarity and grinned, "Looks like you got a lame duck here, Rarity!"

Kydose cringed as the words left her mouth, and wanted nothing more in the world than to not be there anymore. It was bad enough that he already didn't know these ponies very well, but now one of them was insulting him. This was a mistake...

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity said, with a gasp. "How could you say something like that when you barely even know him?" She stepped next to Kydose and wrapped a leg around him, much in the same way Dash did earlier, but this time it felt much better. "He's such a sweet colt and the first thing you do is insult him because he can't fly. For shame!"

The smile was wiped of off Dash's face immediately and she glanced downwards as she spoke, "I... Oh. Er, sorry Kydose... I didn't mean it in a bad way, really..."

"Rainbow Dash." Rarity's eyes narrowed as she looked at the sulking pegasus.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, alright? I shouldn't have made fun of you. Sheesh..."

"Hmph," Rarity said, turning her nose up. "Not the best of apologies, but I suppose it'll do for now." She took her foreleg away from Kydose and stepped aside.

Twilight frowned, looking around at the group. An uncomfortable silence now hung in the air. "Hey, girls?" She said, drawing their attention. "It looks like Rarity is just fine, so why don't we leave her alone and go do something. I hear there's some sort of candy exhibit up in Canterlot today..."

"Candy exhibit?!" Pinkie Pie yelled, popping out from behind Twilight. "Why didn't you tell me!? We need to go now!" Like a bolt of pink lightning, she shot off in the direction of the train station.

"Guess that's our cue to go follow her, " Applejack said, with a chuckle. "Let's head out, ya'll."

The group nodded and turned around, saying their quick goodbyes to Kydose and Rarity. Rainbow Dash begrudgingly said hers as well, then flew off above the others. As they all left, Twilight took a moment to turn back to Rarity and give a knowing wink of sorts. Rarity looked between Twilight and Kydose for a moment before her eyes widened at the implications and she waved Twilight off. Once the group was out of view, Rarity turned to Kydose.

"Sorry about that," she said. "I thought introductions would go a bit better for you."

Kydose shook his head and smiled. "It's fine. For the most part, your friends were nice." Kydose then noticed that his hunger was beginning to grow painful. "So, breakfast then?"

"Oh, right!" Rarity said, suddenly remembering their original plans. "Yes, we should be going."

"Lead the way," Kydose said.

Stomachs rumbling, the two headed towards Ponyville's market, finally getting started on the day.