The two fillies had been following the distraught fashionista through town, thinking she was heading back to the boutique. Instead, she veered off into a different direction, confusing the two fillies to no end. It had began to rain but it was only a small shower. It was actually quite refreshing. But Rarity would never go outside if it was raining. She was always worried about her coat getting wet.

"Doesn't she work today? Why would she go anywhere else but the boutique...? And it's raining...?" Babs inquired, more to herself than to her, what she wants to call, life partner. After awhile, Applebloom pointed at Rarity as she left town on the north side.

"Well, that's mighty peculiar... Watcha' think she's doin' Babs?" Applebloom asked, confusion in every facial expression etched upon her stunningly beautiful face. If only she could rub a hoof across it... no. Not in town. Almost all of the Ponyville inhabitants knew who they were and that they were cousins. They would only raise suspicion. Applebloom was right there and Babs couldn't do anything about it. It was absolutely maddening.

"I have no bucking clue... OOPS! I said a bad word." Babs said. Applebloom just started laughing like crazy. Babs glared at the country filly.

"What?!" Babs asked with a tint of anger for some reason. Applebloom calmed down and looked like she had laughed too much and breathed too little.

"Ya.. ya worried about cursin'? Really? After what we do in our... private time." Applebloom said, giggling softly. Babs started laughing when she caught on.

"Let's get to following Rarity before we lose her." Babs said, getting a nod from Applebloom. With that, the two fillies set off on their first detective case. If you can even call it that. They had followed Rarity out of town and to a couple of bushes on the side of the road. Why had she stopped at a couple of bushes? What was so important about a couple of bushes? They watched, from a safe distance, as Rarity plopped onto her haunches and look down at an object in her hooves. They couldn't tell what it was from this far away so they moved ever so closer, hoping for a better look at what Rarity was doing.

"What do ya think she's doing...?" Applebloom asked Babs who just shrugged. They slowly moved closer to Rarity only to stop dead in their tracks when she started talking softly and weakly. To them. Who else would she be talking to? They were all alone out here. Rarity turned around and confirmed their suspicions. They had been caught.

"I know you're there. You're not exactly the sneaky types." Rarity said. The two fillies sighed with annoyance. Apparently being ninjas wasn't something they were going to get cutie marks in. They walked up and looked at what Rarity had in her hooves. It was some kind of lockbox. She didn't open it up, merely just sat there staring at it like it was the saddest thing in existance.

"Rarity... are you okay...?" Babs asked. Rarity looked at the city filly with a weak, forced smile.

"Yeah, just... thinking." Rarity said, her voice cracking. The two fillies looked at each other with pit for the white mare. What could have caused such sadness? She was fine just yesterday.

"Oh... just... go..." Rarity said sadly. She looked up but both of the fillies saw in the fashionista's eyes that she didn't want them to leave. Applebloom was the first to make the first ove and gave Rarity a hug. At first, Rarity was suprised but she eventually fell into the hug and cried softly into her shoulder. Babs joined in on the hug and they stayed like that for the longest time.

"Rarity... can't you just tell us what's wrong?" Babs asked, hoping to get to the bottom of the white mare's strange behaviour. Rarity looked off to the side, here eyes glazed over and dry tears patched her eyes.

"Fine... but you can't tell anypony. Sweetie already knows. I guess Scootaloo can know..." Rarity said. And with that she proceeded to tell them the tale of how she lost one of the most important things in her life. The day she also lost herself.

* * * * *

-10 minutes later-

The two fillies were at a loss for words. They couldn't think of anything worse than what Rarity had just described to them. Applebloom was on the verge of tears and Babs already had some trickling down her cheeks. It seemed that this was bigger than either of the two fillies.

"Ah...ah don't know what ta' say." Applebloom said, her voice weak and cracking up. Babs was at a loss for words as she stared at the ground.

"Doesn't matter. I need to get home and work on my dresses. Got a lot of orders..." Rarity mumbled. She got up without another word and left the two fillies speechless. Rarity then took the path back to town.

"Wow... I... I think we should have left her alone." Babs said. Applebloom didn't say anything but merely nodded.

"Let's go back to the farm... not much we can do for Rarity anyways." Applebloom said. With that, the two fillies made their way back. Babs couldn't stop thinking about what Rarity had told them. And the fact that she had actually gave in and told them. That probably meant that this was affecting her even more than she showed. If only Babs could help her... but how? Giving up was most definitly not an answer. She needed to get Rarity out of her shell and talk a little more. Babs wasn't exactly a good pshyciatrist but it was better than nothing. They had to get Sweetie to help. How long had she known, though? She was the closest to Rarity and if anypony could help the distraught mare, it was Sweetie Belle.

Author's Note

I'm not particularly proud of this chapter. I just don't like it. Mostly because it's short and doesn't have any clop in it. But I guess I needed at least one chapter without clop. I really do apologise for this being short but writer's block has been worse than it usually is. I pushed through to give you this. Expect part 2 in... the next couple of days? Maybe Friday. We'll see, though. But let's see what you guys have to say about it. Stay awesome fellow bronies and, as always...

*Brohoof*