Rainbow invites you to a tea party by >>37417908


                                            >https://desuarchive.org/mlp/thread/37417701/#37417908


                                            >"it's so cool of you to make it anon. Everypony else was busy today"

                                            >you mentally note that Fluttershy and Rarity are free today, but you don't bring it up

                                            >"Well certainly, I had a rough day at work and could use some unwinding."

                                            >rainbowdash scrunches her face, like she's laughing hysterically in her head

                                            >"oh no, this isn't any lame tea like you would get from Fluttershy or Rarity. I have something waaayyyyyyy more intense."

                                            >uhoh.jpg

                                            >Rainbow has a small side-handled teapot and very small cups. You want to be supportive of her interests and resist telling her it looks like a set fillies would play tea with

                                            >"It's the most awesome, most radical, most intense flavor, with enough caffeine to give a horse jitters"

                                            >she pauses for dramatic effect

                                            >"gyokuro!"

                                            >she seems disappointed you aren't more amazed

                                            >"yeah go-goo-ro"

                                            >"uuuggghhh no! it's pronounced gee-yo-coo-ro."

                                            >your eyes go to the back of your head

                                            >Rainbowdash pours it back and forth between both of your cups

                                            >"ok here, try not to explode from the awesomeness."

                                            >she slides you a small cup, no larger than 100ml with her wing

                                            >you pick it up to take a sip

                                            >"WWWAAAAAIIITTTTT!"

                                            >you immediately stop, trying not to spill you cup

                                            >"you have to smell it first."

                                            >you go along and bring up to your nose, and it was at that point you realized she wasn't exaggerating, this stuff smells really strong but it's lovely. it smells like broth or soup, it reminds you of your grandmares hearthswarming dinner

                                            >"wow, this stuff smells like, uhhh....."

                                            >"soup! I know. What pony doesn't love soup!? it smells so cool!"

                                            >"and this is tea?"

                                            >"Anon, this isn't like tea you might be used to. it's stronger. It's just pure green tea that was shade-grown."

                                            >you feel scared to take a sip, but you go for it. you moment it hits your tongue, you can feel how thick-textured it is, but it's unbelievably umami like steamed vegetables or a dense stew, or you snuck a sip of vegetable stock. yet it's so smooth and non-tannic that it's a pleasant experience that overwhelms the senses, like the world disappears when you're tasting it. even after swallowing it's so lubricating on the throat and it leaves behind a candy-like sweet aftertaste.

                                            >"Rainbowdash..."

                                            >she looks concerned

                                            >"this is the weirdest and most different tea I've had"

                                            >"I love it, I've never been much a green tea pony but this is seriously next level!"

                                            >she jumps up and flies around really fast, woohooing and hollering and oh yeahing so happy somepony likes her tea.

                                            >you both spend the next hour or so drinking tea and talking about wonderbolts, your own interests, making jokes, and exchanging stories

                                            >you take your last sip of the last cup of tea, the cups are small, but drinking it over and over again adds up, you must've drank atleast a liter

                                            >"I would love to do this again with you Rainbow, this was very fun!"

                                            >rainbowdash let's out a whisper-shouting "yes!" under her breath

                                            >"how about next friday afternoon?"


                                            >Friday has arrived

                                            >you've seen Rainbowdash's set up and know she can accommodate more than one pony, so you try asking some of her friends to come surprise her.

                                            >it turns out Fluttershy is available this friday and she's ecstatic to come

                                            >the entire way Fluttershy can't stop rambling about how happy she is there's another interest she shares with her friend Dash. Even though it's rude you haven't been listening to her on the way there

                                            >"Knock knock!"

                                            >the door swings open instantly

                                            >"Hey anon, it's-..."

                                            >rainbow seems caught off-guard

                                            >"oh, hey Fluttershy..."

                                            >she nervously sweeps the floor with her hoof

                                            >"Fluttershy was available today and I asked her to come."

                                            >Fluttershy closes her eyes and smiles as she talks

                                            >"mhm! I didn't know you liked tea parties Dash, anon told me you could make tea for three! oooooh, this is going to be so much fun!"

                                            >"well, heh heh... come on in!"

                                            >as you both walk in, Rainbow pulls you aside to interrogate you, mouthing like she's shouting but is barely audible.

                                            >"Why did you bring Fluttershy here?"

                                            >"she's your friend and she loves tea parties, last time you said everypony was busy, so I tried asking around."

                                            >"you don't understand, she's like, the QUEEN of tea parties. She's going to hate what I've got set up!"

                                            >"Rainbow, of all ponies, she's the last one in Equestria to make fun of you."

                                            >"not out loud, but she'll be thinking it!"

                                            >you don't take her concerns seriously and nonchalantly head to the table Fluttershy has sat down at

                                            >Fluttershy speaks up "ooh, I love your tea set, it's so adorable! Where's your pony sized one?"

                                            >rainbow speaking through her teeth "that... is... pony... sized..."

                                            >"yeah, it's a different kind of brewing process called... kung fu brewing? the cups are small but the tea is strong."

                                            >Fluttershy seems embarrassed "oh, uhmm, sorry I didn't know. What kind of tea are we having?"

                                            >"oh we're going to be having some puer tea"

                                            >fluttershy's ears perk up hearing that "ooh, what vintage?"

                                            >"oh, it's around 50 moons old, it's called purple height because of..."

                                            >rainbowdash starts getting lost and rambly about the origins of the puer, the story of it's name, the cultivar, why it was made, the aging conditions and so on. you're completely lost on what she's talking about, but Fluttershy is staring at her really smugly

                                            >"oh, erm... I mean... it's whatever, like, I tooooootally picked it at random. I got it because uh... I heard it was good for digestion."

                                            >you finally zone back in "oh nice. Hey, this is different from your set you used last week, I just noticed."

                                            >"oh, because we're making puer-"

                                            >she goes off about the important of clayware seasoning and teapot shape until she catches herself that time and stops

                                            >"-well, I have multiple tea sets, I figured I'd just use this today because why not?"


                                            >the party goes on like this, Fluttershy saying the tea is good and being polite and talkative, with Rainbow sweating bullets almost dropping the pot with every steep.

                                            >you lean over to whisper with Fluttershy

                                            >"she's nervous"

                                            >"oh, I know anon, I used to be too when I hosted them at first. I just want to do my best and be a considerate guest.... and honestly, I think she likes tea even more than me"

                                            >you gasp very loudly, in shock that flutters would say that.

                                            >"Just uh... trying to get the full effect of the huigan, hmmmm is that sassafras and... hickory I taste? mmm mmm"

                                            >fluttershy giggles "well look at her anon, I certainly don't know anything about cultivar, or tea history, or what makes one tea set different from another besides looks. She's found something she's passionate about and I'm happy for her."

                                            >you decide to make a bold move to try getting this along

                                            >"hey rainbow, Fluttershy wants to hear all about why your tea set is like this, she isn't familiar with this style of brewing and wants to learn more."

                                            >Fluttershy just looks at dash and smiles

                                            >"r-really? but I thought she knew like, EVERYTHING about tea! and tea parties, I don't want to seem like a know-it-all..."

                                            >"Rainbowdash, whenever you have an interest, you always put 200% into it, I mostly just pick tea sets because they're cute, and just pick tea based smell. I would love to hear about what I'm missing out on... pleeeaaassseeeee?"

                                            >over the course of a few minutes, Rainbowdash builds up the confidence to talk to Fluttershy about tea. You giggle at the irony of your most confident friend being nervous around your shyest one. You're lost on the intricacies of clay types, pot shapes, directions of leaf expansion, how altitude effects flavor, so on and so forth. But you ARE really happy to see your friend gush like a big nerd over something she loves.