Rarity daintily mopped sweat from her brow while Sweetie Belle waited, a frown pursing her lips and creasing her brow, on the other side of the court.
"Rare, you don't have ta wipe yer brow every time there's a bit'a sweat," said Sweetie Belle, arming sweat from her own brow. It had soaked into the band of her hat, she could feel it. But that just gave the hat more character.
"Yes I do," said Rarity, bristling as she tucked her handkerchief back under the armband that she wore. Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes.
"Course ya do," said Sweetie Belle. "Now, are ya gonna serve or what?"
"So impatient," Rarity tutted, and tossed the green tennis ball up into the air. The first few times she'd done this, the ball had been swiftly stolen by an enthusiastic Winona. The dog was now banished to the outside of the tennis court, where she whined as she watched the ball fly from Rarity's tennis racquet to Sweetie Belle, who swiftly hit the ball back to the other side.
Sweetie Belle had to admit that Rarity was a much better tennis player than she'd given her credit for. Rarity being so dainty, she'd naturally assumed that her girlfriend would break out in hives if she so much as touched a ball. But she gave Sweetie Belle a real run for her money, she'd won the first few matches. Now, the score was even.
"Woah!" Sweetie Belle cried as the ball sailed past her to collide with the fence. Rarity jumped up and down, squealing in excitement and waving her arms in the air.
"Yes, yes, yes, I did it!" the porcelain-skinned girl cheered. Sweetie Belle smiled fondly at her.
"Yeah, ya sure did," said Sweetie Belle, laying her racquet down and walking over to the net in the middle. She stuck her arm over the net.
"Darling, we're a couple, we don't need to shake after a match," said Rarity, but she walked over and shook Sweetie Belle's hand anyway. And then, she gave a squeal of surprise as Sweetie Belle reached over, grabbed her around the waist, and pulled Rarity close to her, holding her like one would a bride. Rarity's cheeks flushed bright pink, and she had a moment of dewy eyes before she realised that she was pressed up against Sweetie Belle's sweaty chest. "Sweetie Belle!" she squealed, and tried to push away from her girlfriend.
"Hey, yer the one who said we didn't haveta shake after a match," said Sweetie Belle, and leaned in to kiss her girlfriend. Rarity returned the kiss, though her nose wrinkled at the scent emanating from Sweetie Belle.
"Darling, you stink," said Rarity. "And I mean that in the nicest way possible."
"Hate ta break it to ya, darlin, but yer not exactly a bed 'a roses yerself at the moment," said Sweetie Belle. Rarity delicately sniffed under her armpit, then pulled a face.
"Ew," Rarity complained, and hopped out of Sweetie Belle's arms, pulling her white tennis skirt back down so that she looked decent, even if she didn't smell that way. "We must hurry to the bathrooms."
"Why?" asked Sweetie Belle, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, er… I may have a garden party this afternoon," said Rarity, tapping her pointer fingers together. Sweetie Belle slapped a hand on her forehead.
"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle complained. "If I'd known it was gonna be a hoity-toity affair, I woulda finished sooner."
"Well, never mind, you know I have more than enough bathrooms," said Rarity, brushing away Sweetie Belle's concerns with a wave of her hand. She started up the smooth, sloping green hills towards her massive mansion, Sweetie Belle trailing after her. She still remembered when she'd first come here and had been a little intimidated by the massive estate. It had reminded her of when she'd briefly lived with her Aunt and Uncle Orange in Manehatten, only fancier. Rarity's home was more like a country estate, though, like one that Sweetie Belle had seen while visiting another ranch and inquiring about their apple trees.
The inside of Rarity's family home was as grand and exquisite as one would expect from a girl like Rarity. There were elaborate marble pillars, marble floors, even a beautiful courtyard complete with fountain in the middle of the mansion. The first time Sweetie Belle had been inside, she'd felt as though she needed gloves or at least a fancier outfit than her usual plaid shirt and blue jeans. But Rarity had made her feel comfortable, taking her into the rest of the house and giving her a little tour before taking her overwhelmed girlfriend to her bedroom to do homework together. And make out a little.
Now, though, this place was as familiar to Sweetie Belle as her girlfriend was. Sure, it was beautiful and a little intimidating, especially with those crystal chandeliers and that stainless-steel kitchen, but Sweetie Belle knew that she was welcome here. That Rarity wanted her here. And so, she didn't even bat an eyelid at the splendour, except to give anything expensive and fragile a wide berth so that she didn't break anything accidentally. Sweetie Belle didn't even need Rarity to show her to the bathroom, she knew exactly where it was now as Rarity headed to her ensuite.
Once she'd showered and no longer stank of sweat, Sweetie Belle wrapped herself in a bathrobe (it was even embroidered with her name, a gift that Sweetie Belle kept here away from the grime of the farm) and headed to Rarity's bedroom. Just as she'd expected, her girlfriend was waiting for her, the only sign of her being a few purple hairs trailing out of a hair towel sticking out of the walk-in wardrobe's door.
"Well, what are ya gonna doll me up in this time?" asked Sweetie Belle with a sigh. But it was a loving sigh, she knew how much her girlfriend loved to dress her up. And, just quietly, she didn't mind it herself, so long as it wasn't too fru-fru. But Rarity knew the limit now.
"I was thinking this," said Rarity in a teasing tone as she held out a frilly dress. Sweetie Belle chuckled.
"Good joke, Rares," said Sweetie Belle. "But seriously."
"Maybe a playsuit?" asked Rarity, showing Sweetie Belle a red plaid playsuit.
"Nah, that's a bit informal for a hoity toity tea party, ain't it?" said Sweetie Belle. Rarity frowned, pursing her lips.
"Yes, you're right," said Rarity. "But don't worry, I won't put you in a dress if I can help it."
"Thank the lord," Sweetie Belle muttered.
"How do you feel about a pair of light blue jeans and a white blouse?" asked Rarity.
"Is that really appropriate, though?" asked Sweetie Belle, remembering the few fancy parties that she'd attended with her aunt and uncle. They'd stuffed her into a dress, brushed her hair until it hurt, and then tied it up in two cute little plaits.
"Well, it's not too bad," said Rarity. "Go and try it on, I'll find something for myself."
Sweetie Belle changed into her new outfit in the ensuite, then smiled at her reflection in the ensuite's mirror. She had to admit that she didn't look too bad, even with her hair still wrapped up in a hair towel. She really hoped that Rarity wouldn't braid her hair again. Not that she minded having her hair played with, but wearing her hair in plaits just made her look too young, in her opinion.
When Sweetie Belle emerged from the bathroom, she saw Rarity standing in the middle of her room, a vision in a white summer dress. Sweetie Belle felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of her.
"You look beautiful in white," said Sweetie Belle, snaking her arms around her girlfriend's waist from behind. Rarity jumped a little, then spun in Sweetie Belle's arms to face her.
"And you look quite fetching yourself, Sweetie Belle," said Rarity, her eyes taking in all of Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle blushed under the attention.
"Heh, thanks," said Sweetie Belle. "Even if yer a bit biased, seein' as ya picked it out yerself."
"Hmm, nobody ever accused me of being modest, my darling," said Rarity, and giggled. "But I think that this is a good look on you. Now, what to do with your hair…" She snagged a lock of Sweetie Belle's hair that had slipped loose from her hair towel and curled it around her finger.
"Anything but braids," said Sweetie Belle with a shudder.
"Whyever not, my darling?" asked Rarity, shock colouring her voice.
"Bad memories," said Sweetie Belle. "Trust me."
"Alright, I won't braid your hair," said Rarity. "No matter how good they'd look on you."
"Thanks," said Sweetie Belle. "Can't I just wear my hair the way I usually do?"
"Yes, as long as it's a bit more refined," said Rarity, tapping her lips with her finger as she thought. Suddenly, her eyes shone as inspiration struck. "Aha! I know that you said no braids but how does just one braid sound? With a headband, and then your hair braided down your back, maybe with two hairbands, how does that sound?"
"Ya may as well try," said Sweetie Belle with a shrug. "We got time, don't we?"
"Yes," said Rarity, nodding. "Plenty of time, darling, I always leave myself enough time to get ready. And nobody is ever on time to a garden party."
"Well, that's just stupid," said Sweetie Belle, folding her arms over her chest. "What's the point of having a starting time for the party if nobody shows up at that time?"
"That's just the way things are in this world," said Rarity. "You'll understand in time, I'm sure."
"Yeah, I'm sure I will," Sweetie Belle muttered. "Alright, ya can do my hair. I don't have to talk all fancy-like, do I?"
"No, that won't be necessary," said Rarity. "I know that you're smart enough to not start going on about crops and other farmy things. Though, there are some wealthy farmers who will be attending my party, so you might even find that you have something in common with someone."
"Here's hopin," said Sweetie Belle. "So, where do I sit? Yer vanity, the bathroom, where?"
"All of my hair styling tools are on my vanity," said Rarity, ushering her girlfriend over there. Sweetie Belle took a seat, and Rarity picked up a hairbrush and comb before releasing Sweetie Belle's messy blonde locks from the hair towel. Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and found herself relaxing as Rarity dragged the brush through her hair, being gentle with the tangles.
"You could be a hairdresser, Rares," said Sweetie Belle, enjoying the way Rarity's hands smoothed down her hair.
"Well, I have thought about it," said Rarity. "But my passion lies in fashion, not in hair."
"I guess I can be yer mannequin fer hairstyles," said Sweetie Belle. "Ah don't mind." Rarity gave a squeal of excitement.
"Oh, darling, you have no idea how happy that makes me," said Rarity, and hummed happily as she began to run her fingers through Sweetie Belle's hair.
Sweetie Belle completely lost track of time as Rarity worked, almost falling asleep in the chair thanks to the gentleness of Rarity's hands. But at last, Rarity let go of Sweetie Belle's hair and stepped back with a smile.
"Ta-da~" Rarity trilled, holding up a hand mirror so that Sweetie Belle could see the back of her head. Sweetie Belle was a little worried at what she might see, but, when she finally caught a glimpse of her hair, she couldn't help but grin. Her hair, turned a darker blonde due to being wet, was pulled back rather nicely, a blue headband placed on top of her head while two red hairbands held either end of the braid together.
"Gotta say, Rares, yer real good at fancyin' me up," said Sweetie Belle, grinning at her reflection. She turned to look at her beaming girlfriend. "Thanks."
"It was my pleasure, darling," said Rarity. "Now, I know that I don't need to tell you to entertain yourself while I get myself ready, so just wait here for me." Sweetie Belle chuckled, knowing full well that Rarity would take an age to get her hair perfectly curled, not to mention her makeup. Sweetie Belle herself didn't need any makeup, though she did help herself to a pair of nice, ankle-height cowboy boots in Rarity's walk-in wardrobe.
At last, Rarity emerged, diamonds glimmering at her throat, earlobes, and wrists, and her face decorated with red lipstick, black eyeliner and mascara, and blue eyeshadow. Sweetie Belle let out a low whistle.
"Landsakes, Rarity, you are a vision," said Sweetie Belle, leaning in for a kiss. But Rarity leaned away from her.
"Makeup, darling," Rarity tutted. "You can kiss me afterwards."
"Fine," said Sweetie Belle with a pout. "We ready to go now?"
"Yes, the guests should be arriving now, and my staff should have finished setting up the party," said Rarity. She took Sweetie Belle's hand, her fingernails shining with a fresh paint of purple polish, and led her outside. Sweetie Belle remembered when she'd first learned about Rarity's staff and had felt dubious. But Rarity treated her staff well and spoke to them as friends rather than servants. That kindness just made Sweetie Belle love her even more.
Outside in Rarity's gorgeous garden, the lawn was littered with white chairs and tables (all with their own umbrellas to keep the sun off, of course), and the guests standing around chatting.
"Hello, everyone!" Rarity called, waving. The sun glinted off of her bracelet, and Sweetie Belle gave a grin and a little wave. "Welcome to my party! I do hope that you have a good time, and be sure to partake of the delicious food and drinks that my chefs have created for you."
With the welcome done, Rarity began to walk though the party, chatting with everyone. She had a glass of non-alcoholic cider for herself, and Sweetie Belle sipped at her own glass. To her surprise and delight, she found that the cider was made with Sweet Apple Acres apples. She looked at Rarity in surprise, but Rarity was too busy chatting with someone.
"My, Miss Rarity, this cider is simply divine," said one fancy gentleman (he even had a monocle). "Where do you source it from?"
"Why, Mr Toity, this cider is sourced from our very own Sweet Apple Acres," said Rarity. Sweetie Belle tried not to gasp or spit out her drink.
"Ooh, I will have to look into acquiring some for myself," said the fancy man. "Fleur, darling, come over here and try this cider." A very elegant woman, one with skin as alabaster as Rarity's and pale pink hair, walked over to the man and picked up a glass of the bubbly cider. She took a sip, being careful not to spill a drop on her lavender sun dress, and blinked in surprise. She said something in Prench, and the man nodded.
"Well, if you're interested in buying some, my girlfriend here, Sweetie Belle, just so happens to be the heiress of that property," said Rarity, nudging Sweetie Belle forward. Sweetie Belle paled slightly. When Rarity put it like that, it made it sound so official. So fancy. Even if it was true.
"Yep, that's me, the uh… heiress of Sweet Apple Acres," said Sweetie Belle, colour infusing her cheeks again. She'd never been good at public speaking, that had always been Mac's specialty.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sweetie Belle," said the man, shaking her hand. Sweetie Belle was glad that at least she managed a firm handshake. "My name is Hoity Toity, and I am from Canterlot. Your cider is much better than any that I've tasted anywhere else."
"Well, we do pride ourselves on our apples," said Sweetie Belle, standing just a little taller. "If you like, I'd be happy to take your number so that I can give it to my granny or my brother, I'm sure they'd love to sell you a couple barrels." She could feel Rarity swelling with pride at how eloquently she'd spoken, and she felt a little proud herself. But Hoity wasn't the first fancy person she'd had to talk business with, nor would he likely be the last.
"I will definitely do that," said Hoity, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a card. "Here is my business card, I look forward to hearing from your relatives."
"I'll tell them to call as soon as possible," said Sweetie Belle, smiling as she slipped Hoity's card into the pocket of her jeans. When they walked away, Rarity turned to her girlfriend, beaming.
"I am almost tempted to risk smearing my lipstick," said Rarity, her eyes shining with happiness. "I knew bringing you here would be a good idea, even if my motives were admittedly rather selfish at first."
"Selfish?" asked Sweetie Belle, raising an eyebrow. Rarity tittered.
"I invited you mostly so that I wouldn't be bored or lonely," said Rarity. "I know that everyone thinks I'm high society, and I do fit in, but there's something just so nice about having someone you're close to there with you."
"Aww, do you get lonely?" asked Sweetie Belle, a teasing tone in her voice.
"Yes," said Rarity, smiling. "And I might have also wanted to show you off. Your company has already benefited."
"In the first few minutes too," said Sweetie Belle, nodding. "I might be willing to come along to more of these fancy shindigs in the future."
"It's definitely a good idea," said Rarity. "Networking is so important for a business, even if it is a farm."
"Glad I've got you, then," said Sweetie Belle.
"Well, I am more than just a pretty face," said Rarity, fluttering her eyelashes.
"So much more," said Sweetie Belle, her heart lifting at the thought of just how wonderful her girlfriend really was. She could even introduce a country bumpkin to high society without it ending in disaster.