Singing a small ditty to herself happily, Fluttershy stepped out of her shower, feeling the sudden cool rush of the mist on her face. She was preparing for her spa date with Rarity, and she couldn't have been more excited. The white unicorn fashionista was always a charming companion to be around, especially when they'd go to the spa together, just the two of them. Now, as Fluttershy dried and brushed her hair, she began to think of all the possibilities of the upcoming night. They'd most likely go and eat a modest dinner at Café Du Mane without spending too much money. Then, seeing as neither of the mares really had a taste for genres like action of horror, they'd most likely see a romantic comedy movie at the theater. Then, after the movie, it'd be nothing but rest and relaxation at the spa. Fluttershy could almost feel the hooficure she'd receive later on that night. Angel, without any consideration for whether or not Fluttershy was decent, entered the bathroom. He pushed the door open and stood in the doorway, tapping his foot on the ground.

"Oh! Angel, what did you need?" Fluttershy asked with a small smile. The bunny continued tapping his foot and raised an eyebrow at his owner, who gave him a confused look. "Angel, I can't tell what you want if you don't tell me." Angel sighed and rubbed his belly slowly.

"Oh, you have a tummy ache?" The timid Pegasus asked. The rabbit slapped his forehead with a paw before making a motion as if he was chomping down on something. "Oh! You're hungry?" Angel nodded and pointed at Fluttershy happily.

"You just ate two hours ago." Fluttershy said, her eyelids dropping. Angel angrily pointed to the kitchen. "I don't think you need to eat again for a little while. Oh, how about I make you a nice snack when I get home tonight?" Angel shook his head angrily and crossed his front legs.

"I'm not going to make you more food." Fluttershy said as she finished combing her lustrous pink mane. The pegasus began leaving the bathroom and patted the rabbit on the head. "You'll get fat, silly." Angel protested in his small voice, but Fluttershy didn't hear him. Or rather, she pretended she didn't hear him. She never like to disappoint Angel, but the rabbit was always so demanding, and he had the worst attitudes when he didn't get what he wanted. This was a habit that had to be curtailed.

"I'm sorry, sweetums, but you'll just have to wait." Fluttershy said as she walked toward the door. "I'll be back in a few hours." On her way out, Fluttershy glimpsed a clock and saw that it was only five in the afternoon. She had gotten ready an hour and a half early. With a small groan, Fluttershy walked back into her cottage and took a seat on her couch. Angel, having now resigned himself to the inescapable fact that he'd have to wait until his master returned home to eat, jumped up onto the couch with Fluttershy and laid his head on the side of her back leg. The pegasus let out a small giggle and pet her rabbit on the head gently.

"Oh, Angel." Fluttershy said to him. "You always know how to melt my heart." From that point, Fluttershy laid her head down next to her rabbit and closed her eyes for a small rest in preparation for this night of fun.

"Rarity! Rarity!" Sweetie Belle cried as she ran through the Carousel Boutique at full speed. The filly let out a small grunt of discomfort as she tripped on a step going up to Rarity's bedroom. She pounded on the door with fervor, jarring Rarity from drawing some new designs for some dresses she had coming up on her queue. "Rarity, open up!" She heard her sister's muffled voice through the door. The prim white unicorn sighed heavily and walked to her door and opened it, looking down at Sweetie Belle, frowning with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, Sweetie Belle?" Rarity said with slight annoyance. "What is it?"

"Scootaloo is here."

"Hi, miss Rarity." Scootaloo said quickly from behind Sweetie Belle.

"She said that Applejack told Applebloom that we can come over early!" Sweetie Belle said. "I could go with her right now! Can I?" Rarity thought to herself for a moment and looked back at her drawing.

"Sweetie Belle, I am right in the middle of a design. Couldn't you just wait until I'm finished?" Rarity said plaintively to her sister, giving her a small smile.

"How long would that take?"

"Perhaps another hour...maybe an hour and a half." Rarity said, smiling nervously.

"Raaaarityyyy..." Sweetie Belle moaned loudly. "Come ooooonnn..."

"I would really just like to-"

"Pleeeease?" Sweetie Belle begged, giving her sister "Puppy-dog eyes", joined by Scootaloo almost instantly.

"I...I..." Rarity said before sighing deeply. "Oh, okay. Just let me get to a stopping point. That shouldn't take me longer than it would take you to get your stuff together."

"Yes!" Sweetie Belle cried.

"But you'd better hurry." Rarity said ominously to her little sister. "If I get to my stopping point before you're done packing, you'll have to stay here until midnight." Sweetie Belle gasped deeply and quickly turned to Scootaloo.

"Come on, Scootaloo! Let's go!" Sweetie Belle cried as she and her friend ran down the hall as fast as they could. Rarity laughed quietly to herself as she returned to her drawing. After about three minutes she sat back and nodded at the work, realizing it still needed much more effort put into it. But she could stand to leave it alone for the time being. She finished just in time for her sister to run into her room, overnight bag slung over her back.

"Okay!" Sweetie Belle said between breaths. "Let's go!"

"I've been done for half a minute, Sweetie Belle." Rarity mock-scolded. It fooled her sister and Scootaloo, as they hung their heads and began to move back to Sweetie Belle's room. Realizing that Sweetie Belle did in fact believe that she was going to stay until midnight, Rarity pursed her lips for a moment.

"Wait...It looks like I missed a mark..." Rarity said, leaning over to the paper and making a small mark with the pencil. "Well, it appears you have won the race after all!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo cheered as Rarity stood to accompany them to Sweet Apple Acres. As Rarity left the house, she looked at her clock to see that it was only one o'clock in the afternoon.

'I'm good.' Rarity thought to herself. 'I'm made of time.'

The prim white unicorn escorted her sister and her friend toward Sweet Apple Acres, somehow not trusting the two of them to get there without engaging in any shenanigans that could lead to trouble. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo chatted happily together as they walked, speaking loudly. If it wasn't for years of tuning the loud ramblings of Sweetie Belle out, Rarity would have been privy to every single loud bit of it. A thought that repulsed her. While she loved her sister more than anything in Equestria, the filly could be extremely annoying on occasion. Especially when she'd get with her friends and babble about crusading.

Her thoughts drifted while she moved through the town, looking at all the different shops. Ponyville's only haberdashery, the Gentlecolt's Corner, reminded her much of Fancypants. The high-end, yet understanding stallion had sparked her fancy the night of Shining Armor's wedding when they had danced together. Since then, he'd been a fantasy of hers. Mostly fantasies of romantic dates and well put-together picnics in the sunset. But then there were some lonely nights when she'd think of him.

"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle's voice snapped Rarity out of her stupor and she looked down at her sister, who looked up at her with a confused expression. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm sorry darling. I was in the middle of a thought." Rarity said. "I'm fine."

"We're almost there." Scootaloo said happily. "Should we ask her now?"

"I don't know..." Sweetie Belle said, putting a hoof on her chin.

"Ask me what?" Rarity asked, thoroughly confused.

"I mean, she's more likely to say yes if we wait until we get there." Sweetie Belle replied to Scootaloo, completely ignoring Rarity's question.

"I just think we'd better get it over with." Scootaloo said. "It'd give us more time to actually do it."

"Yeah, I guess that might be true."

"Ask me what?"

"I'm gonna ask her."

"Go ahead."

"Ask me what?!" Rarity cried out suddenly, gaining the attention of the two fillies before her, as well as the attention of several surrounding ponies. When Rarity noticed that she was surrounded by confused expressions, she giggled nervously as a heavy blush crossed her face. She cleared her throat before continuing. "Ask me what, my darlings?" She said as pleasantly as possible.

"We wanted to know if you would like to participate in our tea-partying crusade." Scootaloo said with a small grimace. "It's one of the things we haven't done yet. Sweetie Belle is the one who suggested it." Rarity brightened up significantly at the suggestion she received and nodded vigorously.

"Why, yes, I'd love to!" Rarity cried suddenly. "Oh, Sweetie Belle, I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks, Rarity!" The unicorn filly said happily.

"Rainbow Dash wouldn't get into this at all..." Scootaloo grumbled.

"She wouldn't at that, Scootaloo." Rarity quipped at Scootaloo. "But you'll never know until you try!"

The rest of the walk from Ponyville to Sweet Apple Acres was relatively short-lived. They moved toward the tree house to see Applebloom bent over a small fire with a grate holding a teapot over it. Beside the fixture was a medium-sized table and a smaller table next to it. Rainbow Dash and Applejack sat behind Applebloom, seemingly talking about something amongst themselves.

"Applebloom!" Sweetie Belle cried happily to her friend, sparking her attention. The farm filly shot her head up from tending to the teapot and looked at her two friends approaching her.

"Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!" Applebloom said as she ran at her friends. They all collided in a hug that caused Rarity to roll her eyes.

"Must you all do that every single time you see each other?" The unicorn asked before being swept up into an extremely tight hug from Applejack, joined quickly by Rainbow Dash.

"What's wrong, Rares?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You against a little love?"

"I have no problem with the love." Rarity said, slightly strained. "I just feel that the massive amount of hugging is a tad...impractical." Rainbow and Applejack let go of Rarity and laughed.

"Well, you're just in time for the tea party." Applejack said, ushering Rarity toward the teapot.

"Did Applebloom assemble this herself?" Rarity asked, impressed at the display.

"Of course she did!" Applejack said in earshot of her sister before leaning closer to the unicorn. "Me and Rainbow actually did all the work." Rarity giggled to herself and nodded at Applejack.

"So are you ready for the best tea party ever?" Rainbow Dash cried excitedly, earning a happy cheer from the crusaders. Rainbow Dash then looked at the three fillies conversing excitedly. When she was certain they weren't paying attention to them, the pegasus made a gagging motion that caused Rarity and Applejack to break out into a fit of giggles.

"Okay, so y'all go ahead and take a seat." Applebloom said happily to the trio of older mares. "We'll have the tea ready in a few minutes." The three of them nodded before sitting down at the table.

"So, what is on the happily married couple's agenda today?" Rarity asked as she looked at Rainbow and Applejack.

"We're just going to go into town for a bit. Maybe go see Twilight." Rainbow said. "Just boring stuff. You?"

"Oh, I have the most fantastic date with Fluttershy coming up!" Rarity said excitedly. "We're going to have dinner and then-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Applejack said, interrupting the white Unicorn, causing her to raise an eyebrow at the farm mare. "You're goin' on a date with Fluttershy?"

"Well, what do you know?" Rainbow said with a rather large smirk. "Following in our footsteps!"

"I'll have you know it is a date that will be strictly platonic!" Rarity said, a large blush forming on her face. "We do it all the time!"

"Ya could've fooled me." Applejack replied, furrowing her eyebrows at Rarity.

"Applejack!" The unicorn spat.

"Oh, relax. Ah'm just messin' with ya." Applejack said, patting Rarity's shoulder softly. "We're just messin' with ya. Ain't that right, Dash?"

"Oh, yeah." Rainbow said, nodding. "Chill, Rarity."

"Well, I...I suppose that I...probably...maybe...overreacted." Rarity muttered as she adjusted herself where she sat.

"You think so?" Rainbow said mockingly, causing Rarity to furrow her eyebrows at the pegasus. Rainbow sniggered for a moment as Rarity let out a small sigh, accompanied with a roll of her eyes.

"Anyway, Sweetie Belle was simply chomping at the bit to get here, so I figured I'd bring her over." Rarity explained to Rainbow and Applejack. "Scootaloo was there as well, so I couldn't say no and feel good about myself."

"They give ya the puppy eyes?" Applejack inquired, prompting Rarity to nod at her, a slightly stunned look on her face.

"My word, how ever did you know?"

"Applebloom does it to me all the time." Applejack said.

"It's true. She's developed an immunity to it." Rainbow added as Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo approached the table and placed the three tea cups before the mares.

"Alrighty, the tea you have here is ginseng with a dash of honey." Applebloom said.

"Ha, she said Dash..." Rainbow said quietly as she took her cup. Applejack and Rarity took theirs as well and held them in front of them. Rarity looked curiously down into the cup to see that the murky liquid had an odd consistency about it. Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity looked at the three fillies who in turn looked at them expectantly.

"Oh, um, I'd be absolutely happy to sample this tea." Rarity said with a small smile as she brought the cup to her lips with her magic. Upon taking a sip, Rarity's eyes widened as she put the cup down.

It was awful.

The unicorn had no idea what the fillies had done to it, but it certainly wasn't ginseng, and she tasted no honey. It was utterly bitter with absolutely no payoff in aftertaste. It took every ounce of her skills as a proper lady to maintain a straight-faced expression.

"It's...well, it's interesting." Rarity said. "Go on, Rainbow. Applejack. Take a sip." Rainbow looked at Applejack for a moment and shrugged before she took a sip from her cup. Her face contorted into a strange expression as she bent over in her seat for a moment. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked disappointed at Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo merely raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"See?" The pegasus filly said. "I told you this wasn't going to be it."

"What are you talking about?" Rainbow asked, sitting up almost immediately. "This tea is amazing! I mean, it's so rich and flavorful. I don't think you could have done any better. Applejack?" The farm mare, throughly confused, shrugged and took her own sip. Her eyebrows raised dramatically as she nodded.

"It's really good." Applejack said. It's all she could say without gagging. The cutie mark crusaders all cheered before going to the pot themselves.

"Come on, let's try it!" Applebloom cried out as they poured some for themselves. Upon drinking it, they all spat it out and gagged, brushing off their tongues.

"Ugh, Ah can't believe y'all like that stuff!" Applebloom cried. "It's awful!"

"It tastes like dirt!" Scootaloo groaned as she poured her tea onto the ground.

"Must be an acquired taste." Rarity said, raising a fore hoof.

"So what're you and Fluttershy going to do on your date?" Rainbow asked. Rarity smiled at Rainbow Dash before nodding.

"I am glad you asked, my dear Rainbow Dash. We're going to go to Cafe Du Mane for dinner, and then-"

"Cafe Du Mane..." Applejack said with a smile. "There's a nice romantic place." Rainbow Dash giggled at this statement. Rarity, not as amused at the rainbow-maned daredevil, sighed deeply.

"After the restaurant, we'll be seeing a movie. I don't exactly know what kind." Rarity continued.

"Oh, dinner and a movie. Look's like you're treating her right, at least." Rainbow added in, barely able to contain her giggles.

"That is enough." Rarity said, an angry look forming on her face as she looked between her two friends. "I have no issue with your orientation, but it is not an orientation that I am a part of. So please stop. It's very irritating."

"Okay, okay." Rainbow said. "We'll stop, okay?"

"Yeah, we're done." Applejack said. "It's just fun to give ya a little ribbin'. Now what were ya gonna say?"

"After we see the movie, we're going to go get special treatments at the spa. You both know that I'm a preferred customer there." Rarity said. "According to our conversation we had the other day, it is precisely what the two of us need to soothe our frayed nerves."

"Yeah, it'll do the both of ya good." Applejack agreed with a nod as she grabbed the teacup before realizing once more what was in it. "Wait...no..." The farm mare placed the cup back on the table, prompting Rainbow Dash and Rarity to start laughing heartily.

"So, enough about me, how have your unified lives been?" Rarity asked with a small smile.

"Ah can't complain, really." Applejack said. "Harvest season's almost over and we got the Harvest Celebration Hoedown comin' up. Pretty much the same that it's ever been, except now Ah have the best company in the world." Applejack said, smiling at Rainbow Dash, who blushed and winked at her wife.

"You're so right about that." Rainbow said with a small laugh. "I wish I could say that it's been the same for me. I've had work and Wonderbolts training and it's nothing short of grueling."

"I guess I can say that I understand how you feel." Rarity said quietly. "Recently, I finished an enormous nineteen dress order for some young fillies for their prom. They told me that they only came to me because the Canterlot Boutique was full and that I was the next best thing."

"That's not cool." Rainbow said with a raised eyebrow.

"I understand that better than anyone dear." Rarity said. "It was as if they kept trying to remind me of that too. Then, after they came and picked up their dresses, their...well, I guess you could call her their leader, stayed behind and called me a hack." Rarity didn't bother to mention that she did forget to finish one of the dresses.

"You're kiddin' me." Applejack angrily said. "That ain't right."

"Well, I chased the ungrateful lout from my boutique and I will no long be doing business with them ever again." Rarity said proudly, again choosing to leave out the detail that she cried after the encounter. "Now if you will all kindly excuse me, I need to go prepare for my platonic..." She raised an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash and Applejack, who acted as if nothing was wrong. "Spa date with Fluttershy." Applejack and Rainbow laughed and smiled at Rarity.

"Alright Rares." Rainbow said with a nod.

"You take care of yourself." Applejack said, giving a small wave. "And have fun. Sounds like you deserve it."

"Thank you!" Rarity said as she turned and began walking back toward Ponyville. "I'll see you two soon."

'She's right, Rarity.' The unicorn thought, smiling confidently to herself. 'You do deserve it.'

Fluttershy patted Angel on the top of his head gingerly before she walked through her front door and out of her cottage. She was freshly washed, primped and preened and ready for her date with Rarity. She had even used a special perfume that Rarity had bought for her a few months prior that was supposed to be an especially alluring scent.

Fluttershy wanted to be with Rarity.

The normally-timid yellow pegasus had come to that conclusion a small amount of time after the reception of Rainbow Dash and Applejack's wedding. Rarity had reached out to her when she had been sitting alone and by herself. They danced together and Fluttershy couldn't help but be attracted to Rarity's natural sense of confidence and her suave, feminine personality. If it had not been for Rarity, Fluttershy wouldn't have had a very fun time at that reception at all. Now, on this day, Fluttershy was going to do everything in her power to have Rarity fall for her. She felt a chemistry between them that she felt with nopony else. Sure, there were her best friends Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash and Applejack; but when Fluttershy was with Rarity, she rarely felt down, sad or depressed. She knew that had to have at least some significance on an emotional level.

She walked down the path leading from her cottage to Ponyville before she arrived at the market. She walked straight to the flower stand and smiled at Roseluck.

"Well, good evening, Fluttershy." Roseluck said happily at the approach of the pink-maned mare. "What can I do for you?"

"I'll have a rose, please." Fluttershy said.

"Alright, a bouquet is twenty five-"

"Just one." Fluttershy said quickly, earning a raised eyebrow from Roseluck. "Please."

"Oh...are we wooing somepony tonight, Fluttershy?" Roseluck asked with a smirk that accentuated her raised eyebrow. Fluttershy blushed heavily and cleared her throat.

"Oh, well...uh...um...I..." After clearing her throat once more, Fluttershy continued. "I...I hope so." Roseluck let out a small giggle and placed the rose on the counter for the pegasus.

"On the house, sweetie." Roseluck said pleasantly. "I wish you all the luck in the world." Fluttershy took the rose gratefully and smiled at Roseluck before nodding.

"Oh, thank you very much!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "I truly appreciate this."

"It's my pleasure." Roseluck said as she returned the nod. "The stallion sure is a lucky guy."

The statement caused the smile to fade from Fluttershy's face for a moment before it returned in earnest.

"I hope so. Thank you again!" Fluttershy turned and left the flower stand, holding the rose in a hoof as she walked toward Cafe Du Mane. Suddenly, Fluttershy felt her new found bravery fading from her being as she was slowly filled with doubt about her intentions. She had never truly been in a real relationship with anypony before. Sure, there were couple bouts of puppy love in the past, but she'd never actually been committed to someone. The prospect of dating another mare was a daunting one, that was for sure. Rainbow and Applejack were able to do it easily, sure, but for her it seemed like a challenge.

Fluttershy wasn't really one for challenges.

It was also true that she could have just been desperate that night of the reception. Fluttershy had craved companionship beyond friendship for a period of time that was too long to her, and that night, Rarity showed her that she could have it if she tried. She felt wrong thinking Rarity wanted it too, however. Rarity was known throughout their circle of friends to be completely heterosexual, but Fluttershy couldn't help but get her hopes up as she walked. The way Rarity had looked at her that night of the reception, the way she had kissed her on the cheek...sure, it could have been platonic, but something inside Fluttershy told her that it wasn't.

She arrived at Cafe Du Mane and walked to the hostess, the grey earth pony greeting her happily.

"Good evening, ma'am. How many tonight?" She asked.

"Oh, um...I'm actually meeting someone here." Fluttershy said, looking away for a moment and blushing. "Has a white unicorn with a coiffured purple mane come in?"

"I don't believe so, ma'am. I've been here since four o' clock." The hostess explained. "Perhaps he or she hasn't arrived yet?"

"Oh, then I suppose I'll have a booth for two." Fluttershy said, letting out a small sigh of relief.

"Very well." The hostess said with a large grin as she grabbed two menus. "Please follow me." After a short walk through the restaurant, the hostess finally seated Fluttershy in a small booth with a quaint lamp coming out of the median separating that section of booths in half. The lamp cast a quaint, warm light onto the table, allowing for fitting ambiance for dining. The entire atmosphere of the restaurant was one that emanated calm and peaceful. It helped to put a soothing peace on Fluttershy's currently frazzled nerves. A rather attractive waiter came to the table and regarded the pegasus.

"Still waiting on one more, I presume?" He asked her. Fluttershy looked at him nervously and nodded slowly. "Then could I possibly get you something to drink while you wait?"

"Uhmm...water is fine." Fluttershy said quietly. "Thank you." The waiter nodded as he turned to leave, but he stopped upon seeing the rose resting on the table.

"Ahh, a rose." The waiter said with a smile. "Would you happen to be dining with a special somepony tonight?" The question brought a huge blush to Fluttershy's face as she gulped loudly. Picking up on her signals, the waiter began to turn again.

"My apologies. I did not mean to pry." The waiter said before stepping away.

"Wait!" Fluttershy called suddenly before shrinking back again, alerting the waiter to return to her.

"Yes, ma'am?" He said to her.

"I'm going to, um, give you a hypothetical situation. Okay?" Fluttershy began, speaking quietly to him.

"Alright." He said patiently.

"And you have to promise to give me the most honest answer you possibly can." Fluttershy continued, prompting the waiter to nod once more.

"Very well." He said. "What is this situation, exactly?"

"Well, what if...and please remember, this is hypothetical. What if a pony is...well...what if a pony likes another pony, but that pony isn't sure that the other pony feels the same way?" Fluttershy asked quietly. "I mean to say that...well...what should that pony do? I mean...Well, um...What would you do?...If you were in that situation?"

"If I were in that situation, I'd get to know that pony better and tell them how I feel." He replied.

"But I've known her-" Fluttershy stopped herself and let out a small squeak as she covered her mouth. The waiter smiled widely and let out a small chuckle. She blushed heavily. "I mean...What if that pony...knew...that other...pony..." Fluttershy gave up on the charade and dropped her head to the table.

"I've known her most of my life..." Fluttershy finally said, slightly muffled by her face on the table.

"If you've known her your whole life, then you must have some kind of indication that she feels the same way." The waiter said. "I'm just assuming that you've put a lot of thought into this. But if I were you...I'd do it. I'd tell her how I feel. Take a leap of faith." Fluttershy looked up at him slowly.

"A...leap of faith?"

"Sure, you may crash and it may hurt terribly, but you may land exactly where you mean to. And if so, it'll be glorious." He said to her with a warm smile. "I'll be right back with your water." As the waiter left, his warm words of encouragement lit a new fire ablaze within Fluttershy. She smiled to herself as she held the rose in her hooves, looking at the red petals.

'I'm going to do it.' Fluttershy thought to herself confidently. 'I am going to tell her how I feel!'

The pegasus looked toward the front of the restaurant, eager for the arrival of Rarity. She knew she could tell the unicorn how she truly felt...what she desired. She looked at the clock above the front door of the restaurant and realized that it was six forty-five.

Rarity was fifteen minutes late.

The fire inside Fluttershy began to whittle and fade as the pegasus shrunk in her seat. Her ears laid back and she looked down at the rose. There was no way Rarity wouldn't show. It wasn't like her to just stand up a spa day. She was always usually so punctual and on-time. The waiter brought her water to the table and smiled at her.

"You look like you're thinking about something." He stated with a small grin.

"She's fifteen minutes late." Fluttershy said with a small frown.

"She'll be here." The waiter said. "I'm confident. She'll show."

"I hope you're right." Fluttershy said as she looked at the clock wistfully.

'She'll be here.' Fluttershy thought to herself. 'I know she'll be here.'

7:00 PM

'Just running late, that's all. Something must have fallen over in the boutique.'

7:15

'She wouldn't stand me up, would she?'

7:35

Fluttershy looked at her glass dejectedly, a frown on her face. Condensation hung onto the sides of the glass and slowly moved down to soak the tablecloth. The small plate that held the stuffed mushrooms Fluttershy had ordered was now empty, only a few crumbs remaining on the hard white surface. With one last glance at the clock, Fluttershy stood and grabbed the rose from the table. The kind waiter approached her, a sad expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, ma'am." He said. "Sometimes it just doesn't work out."

"This just...isn't like her." Fluttershy said, holding back tears.

"Don't worry about the mushrooms." He said. "I hope you have a good night, ma'am."

"Thank you." Fluttershy said solemnly as she moved toward the door of the restaurant. She felt the cool breeze hit her as she left, looking up slowly at the sky which was beginning to turn dark. She began to walk slowly away from the restaurant before noticing she still held the rose. Furrowing her eyebrows angrily, she threw the rose into the bushes near the front door of the restaurant.

"So stupid..."

Rarity sleepily opened her eyes and sighed happily to herself. The unicorn had certainly needed the nap she was currently waking up from. She could already feel the piled-high stress melting away from her. Her spa date with Fluttershy would completely and totally evaporate it. She sat up in her bed and let out a small yawn before getting off of the comforting mattress, letting the sheets fall from her body. She slowly moved to her bathroom and turned on her shower, letting the water run for a moment before it turned hot. Almost immediately stepping in, Rarity let out a happy sigh as she felt the hot water cascade down her head onto her body. She lathered a special shampoo into her mane and began the five minute process of letting it set into the scalp, re-invigorating the hairs to their maximum capacity.

Her thoughts drifted to Fluttershy and she smiled warmly at the thought of her friend. The pegasus was always so caring in every situation. She positively emanated compassion for nearly every living thing she ever encountered, no matter it's disposition toward her. No matter what anyone could say about her, she was truly a model pony for anyone attempting to get ahold of their personality flaws. Her thoughts then drifted to Rainbow Dash and Applejack's teasing earlier about their date. It was absolutely absurd, to be sure, but that was the sort of humor Rainbow Dash and Applejack usually employed when they felt the need to. There was no way Rarity would want to be with Fluttershy romantically. She was completely heterosexual.

But still...

What if?

Rarity supposed that if she were a homosexual mare, a fillyfooler, she would certainly desire to have a relationship with Fluttershy. She couldn't come up with enough words to describe how amazing of a mare she was. The fact that she was so scared of so many things most likely made her cuter when viewed by potential suitors, both male and female. The more Rarity thought about it, the cuter it made Fluttershy to her...completely platonically, of course. All of this being known, Rarity felt her face grow hot...strangely hot. As if it wasn't the shower water increasing her temperature.

Her thoughts wandered...and wandered. Realizing she was blushing, Rarity scoffed at herself and laughed quietly.

"As if." Rarity said to herself quietly as she ran her mane underneath the water, rinsing the shampoo out. "She's a friend...and probably straight as well." Rarity used her magic to lather some lavender body soap into a loofa before scrubbing down her body with it. The more she thought about herself having these same-sex thoughts, the more it made her stomach boil. She furrowed her eyebrows and continued to wash herself, unable to remove the uncomfortable feeling from within her.

"I mean, who hasn't had thoughts like that?" Rarity said to herself as she rinsed off. "Perfectly normal." She stepped from the shower and dried herself off promptly before moving her hair-dryer to her mane and tail, drying them quickly before applying the hair-styling cream she always wore. After curling her mane, she brushed her teeth and rinsed with mouthwash, making sure she didn't offend at dinner. After applying her usual makeup, she appraised herself in the mirror and sighed happily before exiting the bathroom.

Rarity moved through the boutique and found Opalescence sleeping soundly in her bed, as was per the norm in her household. Lightly kissing the cat on the head, Rarity poured some cat food into her bowl for the cat to eat once she decided to wake up. The unicorn walked into her kitchen and looked at the clock resting above her sink. Her mouth dropped in horror.

It was 7:25 PM.

She was almost an hour late to Café Du Mane.

Rarity sprinted out of her front door and ran down the path she knew led through Ponyville to Café Du Mane. She gritted her teeth, mentally kicking herself for sleeping through the first part of her date with Fluttershy. Breathing heavily, she passed pedestrians walking home and around the buildings about town, earning strange and concerned looks as she moved at top speed.

Café Du Mane came into her sight and she mentally praised Celestia and Luna that she had arrived. As she ran toward the front door, she saw Fluttershy, already walking away from the restaurant.

"Fluttershy!" She cried out breathlessly, causing the pegasus to jump where she was and turn around. Astonished, Fluttershy approached Rarity with a raised eyebrow.

"Rarity?" Fluttershy said, obviously confused as to why Rarity was so late. "Where have you been? You're an hour late."

"I know...I know..." Rarity gasped between deep breaths. "I'm...so sorry dear...I took a nap and it went on a lot longer than I thought. But now I'm here and we can get dinner! I'm...famished." The unicorn smiled happily at Fluttershy, who merely sighed.

"Okay." Fluttershy said with a small smile as she turned back toward the restaurant. "I had already gotten us a booth, if we hurry we can still make it." Rarity sighed and laughed through her breaths.

"I'm not sure if I can survive more hurrying." The unicorn said as they cantered inside. They approached the hostess quickly.

"Excuse me, but I had a table reserved for two. I was wondering if it was still open." Fluttershy said with a small smile. "I'm very sorry to inconvenience you."

"Not at all. It's no trouble." The hostess said as she looked at the small pad on the podium before her. "Acutally, it's still open. Looks like you two got off safe." Rarity and Fluttershy chuckled and gave her small nods. "Right this way, please." The hostess led them straight to the table and left the menus before them. The waiter from before approached them and smiled warmly at Fluttershy giving her a small smile that said, 'I knew it.'

"So, may I take your drink orders, my ladies?" He asked them as if he didn't know Fluttershy at all.

"Yes, please. I'll have a green tea with a slice of lemon." Rarity said quaintly.

"I'll just have water." Fluttershy said to him. He nodded and left for the kitchen. Fluttershy looked at Rarity, neither smiling nor frowning, to which the unicorn giggled nervously.

"Fluttershy, dear...I'm so sorry. I just closed my eyes for a bit to take a nap. My naps usually only last about an hour and a half at the most. I had no idea it'd make me so late." Rarity tried to explain to Fluttershy, to which the pegasus sighed and rolled her eyes subtly.

"I guess it can't be helped." The yellow mare said. "I guess you didn't mean it."

"You seem to be very irritated me with me." Rarity said, worry crossing over her face.

"To be honest, I was." Fluttershy said to her. "I had though you were going to stand me up with no notice...so..."

"Fluttershy, this was the bright part of my day that I have been looking forward to." Rarity said to Fluttershy as she continued to try to explain the situation to her. The waiter returned with their drinks. Rarity took hers. "Thank you." She said promptly. Fluttershy merely nodded at the waiter as he placed the water before her.

"Well what was I supposed to think?" Fluttershy asked her. "It really hurt when I thought you weren't coming at all."

"Why do you think I sprinted all the way from the boutique?" Rarity asked her. "I'm still a little out of breath."

"I mean-"

"I ran all that way as fast as I could to spend time with you." Rarity said, placing a hoof on Fluttershy's. "You're the one out of all my friends that I like to spend time with the most." Fluttershy's lips curved into a bashful smile and she blushed.

"Really?" At this point, the waiter returned with a small pad and a pencil.

"Are we ready to order?" He asked them.

"Oh, yes." Rarity said, taking up her menu quickly. "I believe that I'll have...the...garlic tortellini."

"I'll have the spinach dip." Fluttershy said to him.

"Wonderful choices. I'll be back soon with your food." He took the menus from the table and left them.

"Fluttershy, I won't lie to you, I'm at my happiest when I'm with you. I feel like I can tell you anything." Rarity said to her friend.

"Rarity, you're embarrasing me." Fluttershy giggled.

"I would not breathe a word if it was not true."

"Well...thank you."

"So how has your day been?" Rarity asked her, smiling widely that the awkward air of her lateness was removed from the air.

"Oh, it's been alright, I suppose." Fluttershy said. "Nothing very eventful happened. I just woke up, tended to my garden, played with Angel a bit and...well...by the time I was done with that, it was time to get ready to meet up here."

"You don't exactly do much with your days do you, Fluttershy?" Rarity asked, making Fluttershy giggle.

"Well, I suppose I don't." Fluttershy replied, taking a sip of her water. "But I don't exactly mind. It's actually quite peaceful at my cottage. I mean, you're always bustling about your boutique, you don't get much time to relax."

"I suppose you're right, darling." Rarity said, taking a small sip of her tea. "You know, I think it would definitely be beneficial to my mental health to take a vacation. Maybe a week or two away from everything."

"I can certainly see it happening." Fluttershy said with a small smile. "You told me that you have a lot of money in your savings account, right?"

"You're right. I do." Rarity said, her smile growing wider. "I'm going to do it. Maybe a sojourn at the beach would be what I need."

"Or maybe the mountains." Fluttershy suggested, making Rarity gasp happily.

"Oh, that sounds delightful! I could rent a small cabin with a hot tub on the patio. Just sitting out there, enjoying the crisp mountain air with a drink in my hoof...Oh..." Rarity said, half-lidding her eyes. She smiled widely at Fluttershy. "I'm going to do it."

"Good!" Fluttershy said.

"Why not, right?" Rarity said happily. "I only have one more order in reserve at the boutique and I could finish that tomorrow! Then I could close up shop for two weeks and go to the mountains! Oh, that was such a great idea, Fluttershy."

"Oh, thank you." Fluttershy said with a small smile and a nod.

"You're a genius!" Rarity said happily.

"I...Oh, well I don't know about that..."

"Why don't you come with me?" Rarity asked suddenly, catching Fluttershy off guard.

"Come with you?" Fluttershy asked, her eyes widening. "Oh, I...I don't know...I mean...Well..."

"Oh, why not, darling?" Rarity asked. "You're the one who suggested it to me! And I am definitely not going up there alone. I'll need some company!" Fluttershy blushed as the waiter returned with their food and placed it before them.

"Enjoy your meals, ladies." He said with a small bow.

"Thank you." Rarity said courteously before turning back to Fluttershy. "So...how about it, Fluttershy?"

"Well...I don't know...I'd have to find somepony to care for Angel..." Fluttershy said.

"Oh, bring him! In fact, I'll bring Opalescence!" Rarity said excitedly with a small squeal. "Oh, it'll be so much fun!...If you're coming that is."

"Well...okay." Fluttershy said with a happy smile. Rarity smiled back at her and stood before approaching Fluttershy and giving her a large hug. Fluttershy blushed heavily and returned the hug before Rarity went back and sat down where she was. "But Rarity..."

"Yes, Fluttershy?" The white unicorn asked before taking a bite of her pasta.

"I want to ask you something."

"Surely."

"Why me?"

"Why you?" Rarity asked with a small giggle. "Fluttershy, I just told you why about five minutes ago. I love all of my friends more than anything, but you...Fluttershy, you're the best friend I have. Nopony else goes with me on spa dates. I don't confide in Rainbow Dash or Twilight, for Celestia's sake. Out of all our friends, you're the one I would like to take with me the most!"

"Oh...I see..." Fluttershy said, unable to control the huge blush on her face. She thanked the heavens that the lighting was warm in the restaurant. "Thank you."

"Consider it recompense for being so late tonight." Rarity said with a small wink.

The two mares ate their food rather quickly after realizing that they were going to be late to the drama that was playing at the theater they had both decided on. Alas, despite their efforts, they were late for the movie and decided on a romantic comedy instead, much to Fluttershy's delight. The whole theater was empty, save for the two of them which allowed for them to react to the movie as they truly would, laughing at the jokes and commentating on the story. Eventually, though, they both calmed down and Fluttershy decided to lay her head on Rarity's shoulder. Rarity almost immediately laid her head on Fluttershy's. The movie ended and the two of them left the theater with exceptionally high spirits.

"I rather enjoyed that film." Rarity said as they walked toward the Ponyville Spa. "I will say that the ending seemed a little convoluted, is all."

"How so?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well, the stallion went for his childhood sweetheart instead of his current marefriend. But toward the end of the movie, he kisses the mare he's dumping for the childhood sweetheart and he tells her, 'I love you.' right before walking away from her. Then, at the train station when he's about to leave, it shows the mare he dumped on the train. Does that mean she's going to keep trying to get him back or what?"

"When you put it that way, it is kind of confusing." Fluttershy said as they approached the Spa. "But I still thought it was sweet."

"Oh, no doubt. It was heartwarming." Rarity said as she held the door open for the yellow pegasus. "After you, my dear." Fluttershy nodded and did a small curtsey before entering the Spa, followed by Rarity.

"Aloe! Lotus Blossom! We're here for the treatment!" Rarity called, immediately summoning the two spa ponies who began to escort them toward the hooficure room. "Prepare to be pampered, Fluttershy!" Rarity said happily.

"Ahh, I will absolutely love the feeling of the air on my freshly exfoliated skin after leaving the spa until the day I keel over and die!" Rarity said happily, feeling a breeze as she exited the spa.

"It does feel fantastic." Fluttershy agreed.

"Shall I walk you back to your cabin, my dear?" Rarity asked.

"You shall." Fluttershy replied as they began walking.

"I rather wish the sky was clear tonight." Rarity said as she regarded the cloud-blotted sky above them. "The pegasi couldn't have just delayed the clouds?" As if on cue, right after Rarity finished speaking, rain began to fall on the two of them. Rarity cried out and began to frantically look around for a place to take shelter. At this frenetic display, Fluttershy couldn't help but erupt into a fit of giggles.

"Don't just stand there and laugh!" Rarity said frantically. "We must find somewhere to take shelter from this rain!"

"It'll be okay, Rarity." Fluttershy said. "It's just water."

"Just water?!" Rarity rebutted before noticing a gazebo in the distance. "There! The gazebo!" They both began to run toward it, attempting to get out of the rain. Just before they reached it, Fluttershy tapped Rarity's side.

"You're it!" She said happily and began to run away. Rarity stopped where she was and looked at Fluttershy, standing with a bench between them. 'Oh, what's the use?' She thought. 'My mane is already too far gone.' Rarity smiled and began to move toward Fluttershy.

"Oh, you're going to get it!" Rarity said with a dastardly grin.

"You'll have to catch me first!" Fluttershy said as she began to run away from Rarity. They both laughed happily as they chased each other through the raindrops. Eventually, Rarity caught up to Fluttershy and tapped her shoulder.

"You're it!" The unicorn said with a small victorious laugh. Fluttershy began to chase Rarity. The unicorn ran around the side of a building and stuck her tongue out to Fluttershy. This quick moment of hubris was enough to let Fluttershy get the upper hand. It wasn't long before the pegasus caught up to Rarity and tagged her. Immediately, Fluttershy began to fly up toward a building.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Rarity cried before jumping up and grabbing Fluttershy's back leg. With a squeak, the pegasus fell down and Rarity ended up on top of her.

"Oh, goddesses! Fluttershy, are you alright?" Rarity asked. Fluttershy merely looked at Rarity dreamily for a moment before snapping out of it.

"Oh! Yes. Yes, I'm fine." Rarity got off of her and looked toward the gazebo.

"We'd better take shelter for the time being." The unicorn said. Fluttershy nodded and stood before following her to the wooden fixture. It was a relief to the both of them to get out of the rain. Suddenly, a clap of thunder scared Fluttershy, causing her to jump into Rarity's fore hooves. Fluttershy almost immediately jumped away from her friend.

"Sorry! I'm sorry." The pegasus said.

"It's fine dear." Rarity said as she approached the banister of the gazebo and looked out into the rainy landscape. "Fluttershy, we should do this again."

"I agree." Fluttershy said hopefully as she began to slowly approach her friend.

"And I don't mean just the spa date." Rarity said. "Tonight I've had more fun with you than I've had in a long time. So we should certainly do this again."

"I feel the same way." Fluttershy said, her heart rate increasing.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening." Rarity said as she looked into the pegasus' eyes.

'She feels the same way!' Fluttershy thought to herself, her heart skipping a beat. 'Make your move! Do it!'

Fluttershy began to very subtly move forward.

'This is it!'

She moved slowly closer.

'Just...'

Closer.

'GO FOR IT!'

Fluttershy slammed her eyes shut and kissed Rarity squarely on the lips, hoping desperately for some sort of reciprocation. She very subtly felt Rarity move her lips. A glimmer of hope lit up within her before it was shot to the ground as Rarity separated from the kiss. Fluttershy's eyes flew open and her stomach sank. Rarity's eyes were widened and she was blushing heavily. Tears filled Fluttershy's eyes as she realized what a horrible mistake she had made.

"Fluttershy! What are you doing?!"

"I...I..." Was all the pegasus could say before she hung her head. "I'm so sorry..."

"I don't know if I was sending you signals, or..." Rarity said before coming to a realization. "I...I was...Oh, I'm so stupid!" Fluttershy merely began to cry before Rarity.

"Fluttershy, I'm sorry. But I don't feel that way about you." Rarity said, feeling very uncomfortable. She gulped before slowly walking toward the edge of the gazebo. "I have to go."

Fluttershy continued to cry as Rarity left her there.

Guilt filled Rarity's being. She should have gone back.

She should have comforted Fluttershy through this awful embarrassment.

But she was selfish, compelled by her own embarrassment.

So she did nothing but walk through the rain back to her boutique as the sobbing of Fluttershy grew increasingly faint until it faded from her hearing.

Drowned out by the rain.

Author's Notes:

Weeeelllp...For those of you curious as to how it'd go down...There's your answer. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. As I said earlier, I'll be alternating between chapters starring Applejack and Rainbow Dash with chapters starring Rarity and Fluttershy. So the next chapter will be Appledash! Be sure to review and tell me what you think so far! Cheers!