If Rarity had to choose one word to describe her relationship between Tom and her, she'd probably choose the word "healthy". It's true that it hasn't always been that way. During the first few years of their relationship, there was a lot of jealousy, and a lot of misunderstandings, but as time goes by, it tends to heal those sore points. Now, Rarity finds that's she able to leave the boutique once in awhile and everyone leaves Tom alone. He is, after all, a homebody. She looks back with a nostalgic smile when she thinks about how passionately she would fight anypony who so much as looked at Tom the wrong way. Now she knows better. Their relationship is unbreakable. There is nothing to fear anymore.

Rarity decided to go out and make something for Tom, something that matched his glorious figure. She wanted it to feel natural. She knew she wanted earthy tones to it. Perhaps she would take something from Celestia's old hedge maze to remind her of when they first met. She knew Tom would love it.

It was a glorious day. The sun was shining. Then it wasn't. Then it was again. Then it kind of wobbled like a disco ball. The birds attempted to warble until spaghetti came out of their mouths. She even heard the lovely sound of the bullfrogs screaming.

Today was a special day for Rarity and Tom. It was their 10th anniversary together. Rarity went all out. She purchased a special fine cider to share with her love, and traveled all the way to Manehatten to purchase the finest foods to share with him. She had had a long day, and she smiled as she approached the boutique, where she could spend time with her little Tomy-Womy.

Her heart leaped when she approached the door. It was open. She gasped and accidentally dropped her wine. Her eyebrows crunched with worry, and her hoof shook as she slowly opened the door.

"H-h-Hello?" Rarity let the words out uneasily. At first she heard nothing back and panic ran across her face and down her hooves. She ran to the staircase that led to her bedroom. She was about to run straight up the stairs when she heard a voice. She paused dead in her tracks, terrified that someone had hurt her poor Tom.

The voice seemed conversational, yet less so. It almost sounded bored. At first, it was difficult to make out the words...but eventually they became clear to her. The voice was unwaveringly monotone.

"This is the most excitement I've ever had. I love you."

"What?" She whispered aloud to herself. Her hand rested frozen just above the door handle to her room. "I couldn't have heard that right. Tom would never-"

She placed her ear up to the door, afraid to hear the truth.

"I wrote a poem for you, Tom. You are the only one capable of bringing out this feeling in me. Tom. You are a rock. You are igneous, but I don't judge. Tom."

Rarity had heard enough. She kicked open the door. "I'll have you know, Tom is no igneous. If anything, you're igneous, you little tart! And Tom is not a rock. He's a big, beautiful diamond and he loves only me, right Tom?"

She slowly turned her head toward Tom. Tom said nothing. Her face turned into a question. "...Tom?"

Still Tom said nothing. The pleading look on Rarity's face melted into anger.

"What's the matter Tom? Cat got your tongue? What's the name of your little lady friend here?"

The mare slowly blinked. "My name is Maud. I'm really into rocks."

"Oh, well judging by the situation, it is clear enough to everypony here that you are into rocks. But I was talking to Tom!"

"Tom?" The pleading returns to Rarity's face. "I know you had a moment of weakness. It can happen to anypony. I know this will be hard, but I'm willing to put this all in the past. All you have to do is order this floozy out of here and promise to never see her again. Please Tom. We can still have our life together."

Tom said nothing. Tom did nothing.

Tears welled up in Rarity's eyes. "Oh. I see. So it's like that then." Rarity struggled to keep her composure. She coached herself. "Don't let them see you like this, Rarity. Show them you're strong. Don't let them see you like this."

The other mare interrupted her train of thought. "We have a child together."

"What?"

The boring mare held up a rock. "His name is Boulder. He is a rock."

"H-How is that even possible?"

"Sometimes when a mare and a rock really love each other-"

"ALALALALA! Nevermind. I don't want to know." She unleashed her full rage at Tom. "How could you Tom? How could you be so irresponsible after all our years together? Do our vows mean nothing to you? Don't you remember? You said you were my rock, and I was your island. Well, apparently, a rock feels no pain. Get out! Both of you!"

Maud looked up hesitantly from Rarity to Tom, then slowly picked him up and carried him out. Their departure seemed to take an eternity. The tears reformed, but Rarity held them in as they left. "And an island never cries," She said to herself, but she could not hold it in longer. Tears burst out of her eyes as soon as the doors were shut. She shoveled ice cream down her throat and wailed like a banshee. She made a new vow to herself.

"Never again will I let something like love get the better of my reason. Tom never loved me. It was all a big lie. I don't need him, and I never did."

Rarity finds her coat brightening. She feels better. It feels like a fog is starting to lift off of her, a big fog that has been hanging around her for years. For once, she feels like everything is going to be okay. She looks outside to the shifting sun and sighs. As long as she keeps saying it to herself it will be true.

"I don't need Tom, and I never did."

Author's Note

I wrote this late at night. And I've learned that it's probably not the best time for me to write.