Tuesday, February 23, 2016

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Today's Horoscope (Virgo): The next victim is closer than you think.

Early Morning

When I'm done with my shower, I find Twilight waiting in my room. She looks guilty.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you yesterday," she says quietly.

I shake my head. "You were right...I didn't have my head in the game."

"I still shouldn't have been so..." Twilight shrugs. "Anyway...the next Pisces birthday is Sonata."

I grimace. "Going after her would be really sick."

"Going after anyone is really sick," Twilight points out. She stands up. "Anyway...we need to be ready." She pauses. "Umm...maybe you should...do that thing, you know...the thing where you get more Personas..."

I nod. "After the next time we train in Zodiac, I'll do that."

After School

At Music Club, I sit with Octavia. "How's Vinyl?" I ask. "I've been so busy lately I haven't really had a chance to catch up with her."

"She's doing better," Octavia says. "She's adjusting. She'll be back at school next week."

"I'm glad." I frown at the pick I'm using and flick it into the trash can, then get a new one out of my gig bag. "How's it going with...y'know...you and her?"

Octavia sighs. "I'd rather not talk about that just this moment, if you don't mind," she says.

I wince. "That bad?"

"No, just...I've been losing a lot of sleep over it lately."

Come to think of it, she does look...tired. I decide to drop the subject and concentrate on music.

Evening

"Flash, could I borrow you for a little while?" Rarity asks after dinner. "I need you to help with a little project I'm working on."

"Sure." I follow Rarity up to her room.

Once we're behind closed doors, Rarity gathers up her sewing glasses, her measuring tape, and a handful of pieces of fabric. "Strip to your underwear, please," she says.

"Uhh..."

She gives me a piercing look. "You do want to help me, don't you?"

I sigh and strip down.

Rarity begins placing pieces of fabric against my body, making marks on them with a white pencil, and measuring them against me. As she does so, she gives me a stern glance. "You're not going to...ahem, lotion my face again, I hope."

I feel my face heating up. "No!"

She smirks. "Just making sure."

After an uncomfortably long session of being used as a living mannequin, Rarity finally stands up, takes off her glasses, and starts putting things away. "Alright, you can get dressed now," she says.

I quickly gather my clothes up and put them on.

"But...please don't leave yet," she says. "I...I'd like to talk for a minute."

"Sure." I sit down on Rarity's bed.

Rarity sits down, smoothing out her skirt, and fidgets with her bracelets for a moment. "Flash, am I...am I unappealing to men?"

What? "Uhh...no, not at all," I say. "You're gorgeous, you're sexy..."

"True," Rarity says with a faint blush and a coy bat of her eyelashes. "But..." She sighs. "I was...unsuccessful in finding a date to the Valentine's dance," she says. "And, on reflection...I have never been on a date. Or had a boyfriend."

I scratch my head. "You know, now that you mention it...I've been wondering about that myself. I mean, if any girl in this dorm should be breaking hearts left and right, it's you."

She smiles. "Flatterer," she says. "But then...why? Why do boys not approach me? Or...seem incapable of even speaking to me?" She frowns. "Does...does it have anything to do with...with the debacle from my birthday party? Or the gossip that goes around about me?"

I frown as I think about this. "I don't think so," I say. I fidget with my hands. "I think it's more...you're one of those girls that's unattainable."

Rarity blinks. "Unattainable? Whatever do you mean?"

I shrug. "There are girls that guys won't go after because they know they'll get shot down, probably in public, and feel humiliated. You're...you just strike me as one of those girls."

"I do?" Rarity asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Well...not so much now, since I've gotten to know you and we're friends," I say. "But...if I just knew you in passing at school? Yeah...I'd definitely say you were an unattainable girl."

"Really." Rarity crosses her arms. "Why?"

I shrug. "Well...you're gorgeous, glamorous..." I gesture with my hands. "The word most guys would probably use is 'perfect'. And perfect girls...well...they're off the market."

"Hmm." Rarity frowns, stroking her chin thoughtfully.

"I know how stupid it sounds, but...that's how guys think," I say. "Most guys. Not all guys. Don't ask me why."

"So...the problem isn't with me, but rather with how I am perceived?"

"Well...yeah. Most guys think you're out of their league, so they don't even try."

"I see." Rarity has a contemplative expression on her face. "And...and how do I..." She stands up. "How do I change this perception of me?"

"I don't think you can," I say. "Not without changing who you are. And, well...you shouldn't change who you are." I smile what I hope is an encouraging smile. "I like who you are. So do all your friends."

Rarity sighs. "So I'm doomed to be 'unattainable' forever, simply because I am too...'perfect'?"

"Not forever," I say. "Just until you meet a guy who sees you for the real you." I frown and tilt my head. "Or some guy who's not scared to ask you out, or some guy who hopes you're easy, or—"

"I get it," she says tersely. She coughs daintily into her fist. "Thank you, Flash. You may go now."

"Happy to help." I head up to my room and get ready for bed.