>Be Rainbow Dash, searching high and low for a book in Twilight's seemingly endless library. "C'mon... theres gotta be something in here that can give me the answers." >Normally, you would never find yourself looking for a book unless it was Daring Do. >And even then you wouldn't need to search because you would have taken the time to find out when and where the next one comes out. No waiting required when your the first pony in line to buy a copy... >Too bad this isn't for that though. >You zoom from shelf to shelf, searching for anything beauty related. >Again, something you'd never be concerned about had you not been a part of an earlier conversation... >> >"Oh Dash, be still would you?" Rarity orders. "C'mon! Its been like 3 hours already. I can feel my nerves dying of old age!" >You moan and huff, fidgeting your hooves every few seconds to stave off the anxiousness and boredom building up in your body. >"Yes Dash I'm aware of the time. But you'll just have to try and exercise your patience." "Mughh!" >Rarity had been using you to model for her newest line of fashionable headdresses. >While your not entirely against the thought of having a multitude of feathers flaring out from the back of your head, sitting in front of a mirror for several hours just to not even wear it didn't suit you at all. >Long as it was gold that is... or maybe the same pattern as your mane. >Yeah... "That'd look awesome!" You jump a bit. >"Daaaash! Hold still!" Rarity protests, holding the feathers in place. "Beauty isn't something that you can rush y'know!" "Hah!" You scoff at the notion, "I look awesome ALL the time and I have my morning routine down to only 4 and a half minutes!" >Rarity rolls her eyes, sighs, and goes back to working on straightening out the feathers. "What was that?" You ask with suspicion. >"Hm? What was what dear?" "That sigh. And the eye rolling." >"Well Dash, if you must know there is quite the difference in a mare 'looking awesome' and" Rarity steps to the side and flings her mane from side to side, fluttering her eyes in the mirror, "Beauty." "Yeah well..." You look at the ground, "I can be 'beautiful' if I wanted!" >Rarity walks back over to the stand in front of the mirrors where you sit and examines the stitching in the headdress. >"Of course Dashie." She says, as if to brush off your statement. "Whats /that/ supposed to mean?" >"What was what supposed to mean?" "You just walked back over all like, 'of course Dashie.'," You say in your best Rarity voice, "like you don't think I could easily be the most beautiful mare in all of Ponyville if I wanted." >Rarity rolls her eyes again and sighs, letting her shoulders sink. >"Oh come now, traditional beauty was never really your forte Rainbow." Rarity lightly runs her hoof through your mane, "Your more of a..." She waves her hoof around, "all natural type of beauty." "Natural beauty?" >"Well certainly Rainbow! Besides I don't think you have the patience to apply yourself in traditional beauty..." >Oh its on. She wants beauty? She'll get beauty! >You'll learn all you can, even stuff she doesn't even know! You'll be the weather captain, Wonderbolt, AND Beauty Queen! >Okay forget the last title... >But still! "So you don't think I can pull of your kind of look huh?" >"I never said that... Did I?" "Well your on!" You rise from the chair, hovering above it, "In a few days, I'll come back and show off how much traditional beauty I've got!" >You scrunch her muzzle with your hoof. >"Dash!! Be careful!" She pleads, "That headdress isn't completely stitched together!" "Oh!" You gently grab the headdress from your head and gently place it down, "Heh, sorry... But I meant what I said!" >"Rainbow! Beauty isn't just something to be paraded around and bragged about!" >You cross your forelegs and raise your brow at her. >"Yes, your right. Silly me. But really though, you don't need to prove anything." "We'll see who proves what about who!" >"That made no sense..." "It doesn't have to, I'm gonna prove you wrong!" >You fly out of the front door, on a collision course straight for Twilight's castle. >> "I'll show her!" You exclaim, recalling why your here. >Revitalized, you continue your frantic searching. Knowing that within the pages of one of these books contains the answer to your plight. >The fires of your zeal shall not be extinguished! >"Hey Rainbow! Whatcha looking for?" >Unless a roaring tide of water comes in the form of a little purple dragon who washes said flame away shows up that is... "Uhh hey Spike! I'm just... browsing." >He tilts his head. Even he knew well enough that you never "browse" a library on your own time. >"Well the newest Daring Do book isn't for awhile," he says, tapping his chin. "What could you be looking for? Maybe I can help?" >Good question... What ARE you looking for? >Beauty tips wouldn't be in a book, they'd probably be in a magazine or something. >Wait, of course. A magazine! You can buy a beauty magazine! >Oh no... You'd have to buy a beauty magazine! Then the whole town would know, that you like "girly" things! >Still hesitant to be seen at the spa. >"Uhhh, hello? Equestria to Rainbow Dash. Come in Rainbow Dash." "I said I was just brow-" >Idea. "Thats it!" >"What is? Your looking at me, not a book. Am I it?" "You are Spike!" You point your hoof at him. >"I am?" He asks, getting excited. "Yes! I need you..." >"Uh-huh!" He nods. "To go to the store..." >"Yeah??" He nods again, much faster and more aggressive. "And buy me..." >"What?! Buy a-- wait, buy?" "A fashion magazine!" >"..." >The vertically challenged dragon stood there looking at you like he had just been told to buy a fashion magazine for Rainbow Dash. >Which he just was. >"You want me to go to the store and buy you a fashion mag?" He raises his brow and places his claws at his hips. "Uhhh, well... Its for Rarity!" >"Rarity?" "Yes! For Rarity! Shes been soooo busy practicing how to feint all morning that she forgot to pick up the latest issue of her favorite one!" >Good, with his attention now focusing on Rarity he won't question your motives... >"Oh no! Rarity didn't get the latest 'Easy Breezy Beautiful Cover Mare'??" Spike smacks both of his claws to his cheeks in shock. "She didn't! Its up to you Spike! You've gone shopping with and carried her stuff multiple times! I don't know where to buy it because I don't read that stuff, but you!" You fly next to him and begin scooting him forward, "You know exactly where to go. Quick, go and pick up a copy so that I can bring it to her!" >"Okay okay!!" >As quickly as his tiny feet can carry him, he scampers his way down the hall and out the door. >Awesome! Not only will you be armed with the ammo you need to bathe in glorious victory, but you don't even have to be seen buying it. >Genius Dash, genius. "Hey Spike! Wait up! I still have to give you the bits!" You quickly give chase, following him to his destination. >> >Outside the Ponyville convenient store, you await for Spike to come outside with your prize. >Not a moment too soon, Spike finally runs out clutching the magazine in his claws as if his life depended on it. >Gotta admire his dedication... >"I... got it..." He says handing it to you and catching his breath. "That Thunderlane guy behind me kept winking at me and the cashier laughed when I payed, but I got it." "Great work Spike!" You glance over the cover to make sure it is indeed a fashion magazine, the very type a fancy pony like Rarity would take tips from. >The cover was portrayed with none other then the pop singer formally known as "Countess Coloratura". Dawned in her velvet vest adorned with rhinestones to match the leather bands on her hooves and neck. "Thanks Spike, keep the change!" >"But... there was no change." "Okay, See ya! I'll tell Rarity you really helped out!" >You take off, leaving him in the dust. >"Tell Rarity I said shes welcooooome!!" >> >Atop a cloud overlooking Ponyville there you lay, reading at a snail's pace through this unbelievably boring magazine. >You flip from page to page, gauging some of the mares displayed for various ads. "Look at these ponies." You whisper to yourself, "How could I possibly wanna doll myself up like this? So much makeup..." >You turn another few. "Some of these mares... Do look good and fancy though." You scratch your head and sigh, "The type that any stallion would fall for..." You shake your head, "Meh, whatever!" >You brush off the thought of jealousy, and finally begin reading. >How anyone could possibly read something this lame is beyond you, but your not about to back down from Rarity's challenge. "Lets' see..." you turn the page, "'Ten ways to please the eyes of Stallions with your beauty'? Ughh..." >You make a gagging gesture, and reluctantly read on. "'These tips will undoubtedly bedazzle and entice onlookers to gawk at your stunning good looks... and mezzuh... mermmer'..." >Your reading slows down from a snail's pace to that of a sleeping turtle. >The words seemed to blend together and meld all over the page. "Ohhh..." you yawn, and stretch out your legs. "Maybe I ought to just rest my eyes for a bit so I'll be ready to read..." >You close the magazine and lay it on the side of the cloud. "There we go-- Noo!!" >The magazine falls straight down. You attempt to catch it but miss by just a hair. >You roll back on the cloud, hoping that you didn't let it drop on anyone and more importantly, that no one sees you reading something like that. >You hear a smack followed by pages flapping to the ground. >"The fuck!? The fuck is throwing magazines'n shit??" "Uh-oh..." >"Who said that??" >You peak over the side of the cloud, seeing Anon holding the magazine in hand and rubbing his head. >Oh, its just Anon... Oh Celestia its Anon! >The human you totally don't have a crush on and think about when your alone or [spoiler]in the shower![/spoiler] >"Wait a minute... Hit on the head, random voice..." He looks up, seeing you peeking down from your cloud. "Rainbow?" "Uhhh, yeah. Hang on just a sec." >You swoop down and meet him face level, hovering just a hoof's length in front of him. >"Dash what the hell? You like dropping fashion mags on people's heads now?" "No, it was an accident." You laugh and sheepishly smile, "Sorry." >"Whatever," He waves his hand and shakes his head, "Shit happens." >Phew... >He opens it up and starts flipping through the pages, "The heck are you doing reading one of these frilly willy types of things anyway?" "Well ya see--" >"'Ten ways to...'" He starts smirking, "Hah! No damn way!" He looks back up at you, "Never thought you'd get into this stuff..." "What?!" You cross your forelegs, "A mare can't take a few pointers on how to take care of herself? A lot of the mares in here are pretty!" >He shakes his head. >"Well if your idea of taking care of yourself is being more worried about what everyone else thinks instead of what you do then sure." >He hands you back the magazine. "What do you mean?" You glance at the cover and then back at him. >"Well, just read it. I mean, c'mon." He steps at your side and flips open to the page he was just on, "Ten ways to," He clears his throat and speaks in a sophisticated tone, "'Ten ways to please the eyes of Stallions with your beauty'". He flutters his eyes. "Yeah? So?" >"Sooo, Dash. These kinds of magazines just want wome- err mares, to think that you aren't good enough. To turn the page and for every page you turn to feel worthless, ugly, and fat. Most importantly; for you to forget JUST how beautiful you really fucking are." He points at you. "Think so huh?" Your head sinks into your shoulders with your voice cracking a bit, trying to hide a blush. >"Ten ways? Get outta here with that." He waves his hand again, "In the words of one of the most intelligent minds of my world, Dave Chapelle, you only really need four ways to please a guy and those are; Suck his dick, play with his balls, make him a sandwich, and don't talk so much!" >You snicker. >"Heh heh, not bad right?" "Ha ha, nope!" >You both laugh softly, slowly getting louder. Until the sound of both of your voices are echoing off the sides of houses. >A moment passes, and you both finally stop laughing. "Yeah..." You sigh and take one last look at the magazine. "Pfft, don't need this after all." And then toss it to the wind. "Thanks." >"Don't even worry about it." "So you..." You tap your hooves together, "You really think I'm beautiful?" >"Uhm..." >He seemed caught off-guard. >"S-sure! I mean, how many other damn ponies do you see being the poster child for the Wonderbolts? Or hell, how many ponies train as hard as you do to maintain such a great figure?" "Well, I know I'm awesome and all..." You place a hoof on your chest. >"Also, who the fuck else do you know that can pull off being such a beautiful athlete like you can??" >You turn your head, looking at the ground and fidgeting your hooves behind your back. "So you mean it?" >"Damn straight! Most beautiful girl in Equestria if ya..." He rubs the back of his head, and then crosses his arms. "If ya ask me." "..." >Heart, stop beating so fast! >"Well, I'm gonna be on my wa-- whoa!" "Thank you!" You hug him, wrapping your forelegs and wings as far around his chest as you can. >Though you can't reach all the way around, you make the effort to do so anyway to make the gesture as meaningful as possible. "Normally when stallions tell a mare stuff like that, they just want something for it..." >"Yeah, well." He returns the hug, opening up his arms and making enough room for your forelegs to connect at his back. "They're just jerks is all." >You keep your grip, letting the silence set in and enjoying the rhythm of his heartbeat against your head. Soft and warm... "Mmmm. So soothing." >"Heh, okay. We uhhh," He rubs your back and gently pats your neck, "remember we're in public." "Oh, whoops!" You quickly let go, feeling the heat of embarrassment wave through your body. "Sorry! Got a little caught up in the moment, thats all." >"S'all good." "Yeah..." >You both stand there looking dumb. The silence only being broken by the occasional breeze through the trees. >"Well I guess I'll get going then." He says finally. "Wait!" You stop him mid-step, "You wanna get something to eat... maybe?" >He shrugs his shoulders, "Aint got shit else to do, I'm down!" >Yes! Score! Your crush just said yes to a date!