For the Sake of a Lady - Part One

>It is evening and with it you are travelling back from one of Ponyville's better bars with Rainbow Dash, to your home

>It's been a good week so far, your new job with assisting Twilight with the more technical aspects of her research proving stimulating if still challenging at times

>You're on the outskirts of the town and one of its lakes is visible from here

>"Hey, Dash, wanna join me in kicking back by the lake?"

>She throws her eyes up at the prospect but keeps the grin

>"Sure, dude, I'd just love to sit doing nothing while getting in touch with my feelings."

>You swat at her, a move which she avoids with practiced grace

>But looking at that grin it's impossible to be angry with her

>"Hey are we still on for this Saturday?"

>Did she sound nervous? It's not like The Dash to sound nervous like that

>"You know we are. Usual place?"

>"Yeah! Just don't bring a date, dude, I don't think it's Junebug's kind of thing."

>Ah, that again. She's been needling you incessantly about the mare

>Ever since you told her that, after three years here, you'd made your peace with the fact that it was ponies or nothing - not to mention the party Pinkie threw, replete with a song and dance number - she'd taken every opportunity to bring up the flower salesmare. And all because she was the first to approach you at the party and ask if you wanted to go out some time

>An offer you turned down

 

>"C'mon, Dash, I told you before she's not my type."

>Bad move. Those choice words send the mare into raucous laughter, leaning back in her flight while clutching her sides

>"D-Dude, you've been out for, like, five days and you already know your type?"

>"I know what isn't my type."

>You turn and start off for the lake, eager to leave to get down to making the most of the sunshine that remains

>"Hey, Anon, you know I'm just joshin' ya. Look, I gotta get up early tomorrow for the weather patrol, catch you tomorrow night?"

>"As always."

>At that she's off, flapping up and westwards to her cloud home

>You watch her fly off for a few moments before before you make for the lakeside

>There's a tree, just near the shore, that you sometimes like to sit against and admire the sun going down, on evenings like this

>Being in Equestria for these past few years has taught you to enjoy these sights and to appreciate the quietness they bring

>You arrive at the tree and sink down onto your behind, pressing your back lazily against it

>It's a good time to reflect

 

>Life, for you, in Equestria hasn't been as easy as one might think - considering it -is- a magical land of talking ponies

>In fact, one could easily say it's been trying, what with all the unwanted sexual advances and outright rape attempts

>Finding a friend in Rainbow Dash had certainly helped with the latter though not really the former

>And your recent announcement - despite your strenuous requests for it not to be -made- an announcement - had certainly not helped matters

>But all the same, you had found a new sense of peace at coming to terms with yourself. Perhaps this would signal a turn in your luck

>Luck... that hadn't been too good starting out. Work for you was mostly manual labour, the kinds of things ponies would need unicorns for and they were in short supply in that sector

>Thankfully mathematics is universal and you eventually found a means to put your more technical skills to use for Twilight Sparkle. Initially she had compensated you herself but you began to take on so much work that Princess Celestia started paying you your own stipend

>And now you'd settled into that, with regular trips out with your bro. Life wasn't that bad really but then it could always be better

>Muffled hoofsteps sound off to your side and you're left wondering at that

>Surely it wouldn't be Rainbow - she might put up with it from time to time but she'd made her disinterest clear this evening - and you know you've never broadcast the fact that you like to spend time alone out here

>"I might have known a gentlecolt like you would be able to take such pleasure in life's simpler things."

>Seems your ruminations on this hopeful new peace were for naught

 

>You know that affected Manehattenite accent all too well. Oh yes, you'd had many opportunities to become intimately familiar with its range of tones

>It belonged, of course, to one of your 'suitors' though thankfully she was not of the variety that would tie you to bedposts before attempting to act the pogo-stick on you

>No, Rarity was a hopeless romantic at heart and had time and again roped you into little romantic excursions designed to draw out your apparently repressed feelings for her

>It had been more irritating than anything else but the fact it had been going on for so long had just worn you down

>Which is why, right now, you just can't deal with it. This had been one of your better days and this would have been a nice way to round it off

>"Rarity, look, I'm really not in the mood for this. If you don't mind I'd just like to be by myself."

>The hoofsteps stop suddenly, a ways off from you

>There's the sound of one being lifted and then put down, then a second and another and so on

>She was not the only one to have such a nervous affectation and though you don't care to think upon what has her in such a state

>"Yes, I... I know. You see, that's why I'm here, Anon. I wanted... I wanted to apologise to you. For everything but mostly just for how selfish I've been."

 

>Hello, this is new

>Rarity would always act ignorant of or simply outright ignore your more direct attempts to convey your disinterest

>And yes, while those occasions were not the worst things to be inflicted upon you they nonetheless ate into your time and generally pissed you off

>With a world weary sigh you motion towards yourself

>"Alright, let's have it."

 

>With all her gentile grace she trots up to you and sits herself down next your side

>You look up to see she isn't looking at you but out towards the lake. Thinking better of staring at her you turn to face it, yourself

>"I've... come to understand you shan't ever return my... well, my feelings towards you."

>You hear a gentle little laugh, with just the hint of strain behind it

>"I suppose I had known all along; really, I kept the tiny embers of hope alive going within myself, always ready to assure myself that this time, Rarity, your winning smile and charm will get through!"

 

>You turn to her and see that, while she's smiling it's a tiny thing and wavering

>Her gaze is still turned towards the lake but it appears distant. Perhaps there's something out there that's caught her interest

>The sun's reflection on it really is beautiful. You turn once more and see the oranges and yellows cast onto her pristine coat. It's quite a nice sight

>"And... oh well, you know, it's alright. Really, it is! I understand after all I've done you would never wish for us to be together. It's just-"

>Her voice hitches suddenly on those words and you turn to her once more

>Now that tiny smile is gone, though her bottom lip still trembles and there you can see the sunlight glistening in moisture at the corners of her eyes

>"I just truly wanted to believe that somep0ny like you could see in me what I have always seen in you. That... that some day you might feel I was deserving of... of your... affections..."

>Now it's her turn to face you and when she does you can see that this isn't one of her acts

>Her features look drawn and haggard and her eyes are red and puffy. You'd never known her to allow herself to fall into such a state, despite whatever may happen

 

>She would have her melodramatic fits, oh yes but this was not one of them. Even you could tell that

>You know it's wrong, you'd drilled it into yourself but you still feel your heart go out to the mare

>And in doing so, you reach out yourself and draw her into a gentle embrace

>It takes but a moment before you feel her own forelegs wrap tightly around you

 

>"Rarity, do you really mean all that?"

>"Yes! Yes, every word of it!"

>Her voice is still wavering but she's put a little strength into it, enough to say those words before she needs to sniffle

>She did indeed sound sincere in her remorse and... could you?

>After all, she had never been violent with you, had never done more than really irritate you. She had grace and style, beauty (as much as you were willing to admit of a pony) and a wit all her own

>Could perhaps this be what you had begun searching for?

>Would it truly be so awful if you just gave her the chance? At the very least if things didn't work out she'd see for herself...

 

>"Okay then. I'm going to make you a promise, alright?"

>You extricate yourself from her grip and Rarity, too, reluctantly lets go. She wipes a foreleg over her eyes as she sets herself back down

>"W-What kind of promise?"

>You're still not entirely sure of this. You know how much trouble it could still bring down upon you and how, unless the planets align and Celestia and Luna themselves command you, you may still not be able to give her what she wants but...

>"I'm going to promise you that if you truly mean what you've said and are willing to halt your advances, I'm willing to give you a chance."

 

>"A... A chance?"

>Ah, that quaver is gone and already you can see a hint of a smile begin to blossom on her lips

>Though you can't explain why, it feeds your growing desire to say these words

>"Yes. A chance. A chance to... get through to me. I won't deny that I'm still getting used to the idea of... being in a relationship with a pony but throughout all we've been through you've always found the time to genuinely be nice to me."

>And there goes that smile, growing inch by inch. You'd never thought it might feel so good to make Rarity smile like that

>"You know, I think that deep down, you're not like the others, that a part of you wants to be with me for who I am, not what. And so I want to give you the chance to prove to me that side of yourself exists."

 

>Rarity looks down suddenly, hearing that but not so fast that you don't see the drops of moisture at her eyes once more

>You allow her to sit there like that, for a moment more before you take her in your arms again

>"Thank you!"

>Her voice is quavering again but when she pulls back to look at you, there's a smile on her face. Not like the others - this one you can feel the warmth of

>"I know I don't deserve this... and I promise you won't regret what you've said! I'm just... glad that there are still things I can learn about generosity.