Between Two More

~~~~Saturday Night~~~~

Carousel Boutique

Sunset was walking the slightly dimmed streets of Ponyville, the light of the sun fading. It was an odd time to be outside walking, in that strange period that was not quite evening but too early to be night. Neither the sun nor the moon could be seen in the sky, yet there was light to walk by all the same. Not that Sunset was walking all that much. Shuffling would be a better word. Her hooves were dragging the ground despite her efforts to lift them properly, and her head was bowed, mane falling around her face. She feared taking too deep a breath, knowing that if she did, any control holding back her complete sobbing would vanish with it into the Ponyville air.

But at the same time, her tears, falling as they were, felt dry. As though she was crying without being too aware of it. She wanted to stop, find a small alley, and cry her heart out… like her old days in Canterlot. And it wasn’t as though Ponyville was lacking alleys of the sort. In fact, if she’d just collapsed right there in the road, she was sure nopony would be out at this hour to bother her. For no few moments, the images flashed through her mind, the promise of sleep and opportunity to forget for a little while prominent in their clarity. She even stopped, felt her legs beginning to buckle and shake.

Yet, they straightened out, and her head came up. The same force keeping her out of alleyway solitude latched onto those last words of Mistress and denied them. Fiercely refused to accept them. She couldn’t understand why tears continued to streak her face, but she walked taller, determined to return to Mistress the pony Mistress deserved. She’d settle all the conflicts she’d managed to create, prove how much she loved her. And that passion-driven desire fueled her smarter steps and strong rap on the door to Rarity’s boutique.

The boutique was mostly dark at this hour, but a single glittering light on the second floor stood out. It was a little too bright for just candles, but it was far too warm for a fireplace… Shadows moved across the window, and faint sounds tickled at her ears. She waited a courteous amount of time and knocked again, no harder or softer than before. Her eyes naturally traveled to the single lit window where the shadows had appeared, only this time she saw none. Rarity had to be home. Perhaps she was too intensely concentrated on work to have noticed the knocking. The boutique was closed to customers after all.

Sunset hesitated for but a moment before using her magic to override Rarity’s own locking spell on the door and quietly ease the door open and herself inside. She slid it shut just as gently, her skills as a thief and sneak never having truly abandoned her despite her desire to never use them again. However, she reasoned that if there were ever a good time to delve back into that part of herself, saving her relationship with Mistress was good a one as ever.

Oddly enough, the tiny noises she’d heard from outside were just as muffled in the boutique. Still, they were very definitely coming from upstairs, and her hooves as soft and careful as could be, Sunset ascended the staircase. It wouldn’t be too far to go. But… as she wound her way up, and the sounds began to become clearer, her brain couldn’t help but recognize some rather specific… Wait… is that a… cracking sound? … From dragon hide?

“Oh, hai Sunny! What’re you doin' here so late?!”

Sunset thought her mane might have stood perfectly vertical the way her nerves shot with adrenaline at the sound of that distinct filly’s voice. Oh, what a time to be stopped by a foal. Breaking and entering, tear streaks on her face, and… sounds… coming from farther upstairs. Still, standing and only looking like she had permanently jumped out of her hooves (she couldn’t be sure about that one) wouldn’t make it any better. “Hi, Sweetie Belle,” she said, keeping the ruefulness out of her tone surprisingly well. Eh, maybe not exactly. It ended up being replaced by a foal-weary voice. “I could ask the same thing you know.”

“Oh, Momma and Poppa have gone on vacation to Las Pegasus.” She bounced in place, smiling happily. “They said something about needing some private time?” She shrugged, her voice squeaking just a little at the end. “So I’m staying with sis for a week or two. So now it’s your turn.” She grinned cheekily, looking very curious. “Are you coming to um…” Her ears cutely flopped over as she tilted her head, obviously looking for a word. “Um… Romance?”

“I meant, shouldn’t you be in bed?” Sunset replied, not harshly, just with a hoof over her face. After the day… she wasn’t in the mood to talk about romance at the moment.

“Oh, I was just getting a snack since Sis is busy with her workout routine.” She proclaimed this with absolute self-assuredness. “I’m reading the newest Daring Do book, and it’s kinda hard to put down…” She grinned sheepishly, digging her hoof into the ground. “Um. Don’t tell Rarity, please?”

Sunset couldn’t help but smile. Would she be able to enjoy little moments like this that were all hers some day in the future? “Wouldn’t dream of it,” she said. “Besides, that’s better than what I did at night when I was your age. But go back upstairs before you risk it too much. I’ve gotta talk to your sister, so… yeah. Go back and enjoy your book, Sweetie.” She didn’t wait long for the little filly’s response, just enough to see a quick nod before she continued up the stairs.

A few more tentative steps up the stairs, and Sweetie went cantering past her with a surprising lack of sound, a bag of cheesy-poohs held happily in her mouth. Sunset slowed her pace nearer the door. The sounds weren’t there anymore, and she privately hoped she had just been imagining things from everything she was on the cusp of losing and rescuing. She certainly didn’t think she had the energy to walk in on Rarity doing whatever she did at night and make it through that conversation.

The door creaked open before she could even lift her hoof. Rarity stood hidden behind it with an unreadable expression on her face, waiting silently for a few moments before gently sighing. “Sunset, I…”

“Rarity, I need to talk with you and be completely honest with myself and… you…” She, well, she did somewhat shove her way in, but she wasn’t beating around the bush with this nor allowing Rarity to perhaps evade from the conversation. But when she entered the room, intending to be as earnest yet private as possible, everything around her gave her a decent mind wipe for a good several seconds.

For one thing, the place was sort of a mess. Not in the typical ‘Mistress has been busy’ mess, but more in the sense that the pony who lived here wasn’t in the best mental state. Half-started design pages were strewn across the desk, the makeup collection was heavily disorganized… It wasn’t like Rarity, but that wasn’t what was grabbing her attention.

It was the the heavy rope, knotted into a ready made bondage harness hanging next to a series of suits she’d seen Rarity wearing since she’d come back. It was the used-up stubs of soft candles with a pile of wax fragments in a box marked ‘recycle’. Some kind of… it looked like some kind of shiny full-body suit… rubber possibly. The lone ponyquin in the room with a very substantial strap-on attached to it, leaning against the wall in the closet. The box of hurriedly removed bondage gear next to it still slick with sweat.

There was probably more than she didn’t see. And Rarity was wearing a bathrobe, tightly pulled over her body as she glanced away. Sunset moved automatically, not quite knowing what she was doing but… “Show… show me,” she said, more quietly than she thought herself possible of being. Rarity’s mouth opened for a moment as though to object, but then shut with a snap and shrugged the shoulder of her robe off, showing the very faint signs of tight bondage against her coat, with the signs of it having been going on for a while.

Rarity didn’t look back at her, pulling the robe back up. “There. Now you know.” Her voice was oddly detached, but there was a degree of… relief? “Now say what you’ve come to say and leave me in peace. It’s not as though it matters if anypony else knows now.”

“You call that peace?” Sunset felt herself whispering, gesturing to the modified ponyquin, her tone disbelieving but well beyond concerned. “Or this?” She sat down on her flank rather abruptly and pulled her eyelids up with her fore hooves, exposing her tear red eyes. “I never should have believed it was or tried to convince anypony else of the same thing.” She stood again and idly looked around the room, deliberating not lingering on Rarity’s impressive array of items. “That was really lousy of me,” she half laughed, sounding a touch crazy. But it was short lived, and she found herself looking Rarity in the eye for a while before she spoke again. “I might as well grit my teeth and get over myself,” she said. “I’m sorry Rarity. I really, really am sorry for the complete bitch I’ve been. Too wrapped up in… me… to see anypony else, even Mistress…”

She slumped against the wall, suddenly exhausted. Or maybe it was relief. A release of weeks and weeks of tension and anxiety all let out at once. A small huff escaped her chest. Rarity looked a little shocked, her jaw hanging open for a full minute before she closed it slowly, her eyes narrowing suspiciously before relaxing a little. She kept trying to talk, but it just kept not happening. When she finally did talk... “It’s the only peace I get to know,” she said quietly, looking away as though embarrassed. Then, a little more sharply, “I didn’t…” She took a deep breath and kept speaking. “I didn’t… think-”

“Well, we’re two of a kind in that department then,” Sunset cut her off. “You forgive me? I can’t… I can’t take back what I’ve put you through and caused you to…” Her eyes swept the room, “put yourself through. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to see Mistress again…” And her strength broke a little then, her words choking in her throat and unwilling to surface. She closed her eyes and looked away from Rarity, shaking her head. “I fucked up,” she raced out before her emotions could come out with the words.

There was a movement at the edge of her vision, and Rarity was there beside her. “What happened?” It was a quiet, gently concerned voice. She was sitting next to Sunset and had extended a hoof quietly toward her. “I was under the impression that things were fine. Or at least,” her lips twitched up in an amused smile, “that Twilight was handling stress with her usual panache, and you two were closer than ever.”

Sunset took Rarity’s hoof in her own and squeezed, finding that she wasn’t so much leaning against her as they were leaning against each other. “You should be more angry at me,” she said absently. “Look… look what I did to you… Even after swearing I wouldn’t do that to ponies again. Ever. Old habits die hard I guess...”

Rarity faintly sighed. “Sunset… I was angry. Very much so.” She shook her head slowly. “That was why I stayed away for so long. I needed perspective.” She blew out a short, harsh laugh. “That, and I did not wish to hurt my friend because I was angry at somepony she cared for. Hah! As though keeping quiet about things has ever solved a problem between us.” She snorted in a very unladylike fashion and leaned into Sunset just a little. “Sunset, I had believed that I was doing you a favor. That so long as you knew nopony would ever compete with you for Twilight’s affections, it might make it easier for you to join our merry little group of friends. I hadn’t even begun to think about how I might come across.” She sighed, faintly. “I do not think we were prepared for one another.”

Sunset nodded. “I wasn’t prepared to come back. Not really. You think I'm the right pony for Mistress right? I mean, I… was a selfish, self-centered… Is it real, or just me wanting to think it’s real? Did it fall apart because it wasn’t? I think I can still fix it, starting with just being honest with myself and you and apologizing, but that’s just common decency anyway. Something I should've done before it all got this bad.”

Rarity gently laughed. “Sunset, let me tell you a little secret.” She leaned in, a very gentle smile crossing her face. “There’s no such thing as an absolute ‘right’ pony for anypony. Love isn’t that predictable. It’s obscenely obvious she loves you, Sunset. Everything else is bullshit.” The way she said the word was like the crack of a riding crop, and her eyes sparkled with amusement.

“Maybe yesterday, but fat chance now,” Sunset said, even though she knew deep down every word was a straight lie. “She told me to get out. To leave.” She wanted to tell somepony about it all, but just working around to the why of it wasn’t something she wanted the whole of Ponyville knowing. Not even for her sake even. For Fluttershy’s.

Rarity frowned a little, straightening up in place. “I think I need to know what’s been going on over there. The whole story, at that.” She tilted her head toward Sunset, giving her a challenging look. “I promise that I shall be entirely discrete.” She eyeballed the rest of her room with a tolerant smile. “I rather think I’ve at least proven I can do that much.”

“I’m the wrong pony to ask about what’s been going on,” Sunset nearly snarled in a flash of irritation. “Celestia keeps making sure I’m off the premises during the day. Not that I’m gonna let that go on for much longer, but I haven’t got a clue.” She stopped and resisted the desire to wince as the memories of that time returned with a vivid force.

Rarity huffed. “Sunset. Twilight is many things, but irrational is rarely one of them. I must presume there was some sort of disagreement. What was the subject?” She had become more intense, leaning in close to her.

“I was an idiot! Alright!” Sunset very nearly yelled, deliberately looking away so as not to scream at Rarity. “I was emotional and wasn’t thinking right…. Shy and I… had a moment. An intimate moment.” She refused to be more descriptive than that. “And somehow, Mistress found out. Don’t ask me how! I don’t know that either!”

Rarity hummed, putting her chin in her hoof. “Rainbow Dash would be my guess. Fluttershy can’t hide anything from her, and Rainbow Dash couldn’t keep a secret if she locked it up in Fort Hocks.”

“Well, that’s hardly the point,” Sunset swallowed hard. “Mistress told me to go.”

Rarity shook her head. “True.” She hummed, softly. “Which seems very strange to me.” She paused, glancing at Sunset. “But… Was she acting strangely at all? Like,” she paused, laughing faintly again. “Okay, I know Twilight is ordinarily quite strange, but I mean even stranger than that. Perhaps she had a little eye twitch?” She mimicked one that looked awfully familiar.

“Yeah…” Sunset replied, not exactly sure what Rarity would know from just that Sunset wouldn’t. “That mean I can still rescue this mess I’ve made and do right by her and everypony?”

Rarity chuckled softly. “So, she finally cracked. We’ve all been waiting for it.” She sighed faintly. “Sunset, you will come to learn that Twilight… Well, we all love her, but sometimes she sort of wraps her head around something, and it completely distorts her perspective.” She made a little spinny motion with her hoof next to her head, half smiling. “Completely aside from that, I’d wager she probably sent you out of the house because she was afraid she was somehow harming you. That always seems to be the wrench that gets thrown into her works.”

“But I was the one who… It doesn’t make any sense,” Sunset shook her head, gripping it with her hooves. “You think I can do it though right?”

“Why, Sunset! I could’ve sworn you’d realized that this is Ponyville,” Rarity’s voice was quite chipper and cheerful. “Where everything’s made up and sense no longer matters. Whyever do you think Discord makes his home here?” She chuckled brightly, and reached over to touch her shoulder. “I am absolutely certain you can solve your problems, Sunset. Especially with a little help from your friends.”

“Wait, you mean…?” Sunset said, a little stunned and looking back and forth between Rarity herself and where her hoof rested on Sunset’s own shoulder. “You think of me as… friend? After all I did to you?”

Rarity giggled softly. “Sunset, we’ve all made our share of mistakes.” She coughed faintly, turning her head away for a moment to hide a smile. “If we couldn’t find it in ourselves to forgive one another, we wouldn’t have made it this far. Which isn’t to say you didn’t act like a jerk.” She turned, her smile turning into a grin. “But you really weren’t worse than Rainbow Dash at her worst. Or heaven's forbid, Trixie.” Another giggle bubbled up. “And if I can find it in my heart to forgive that ridiculous showmare, I think I can manage with you.” She winked.

And with that, Sunset chose action over words, very nearly leaping up and embracing Rarity. “I don’t deserve ponies like you,” she said, unable to stop the little chuckle of nerves in her chest. But Rarity returned the hug, and that was enough for Sunset. It wasn’t long, but a whole lot of things that had been floating in the air before seemed to have gone when they pulled away from each other. And Sunset suspected it was that feeling that was to blame for what came out of her mouth next. “Rarity, you know, if you really do want to be spanked and whipped, I’ve always wondered what it’s like to be on the other side of the coin…”

Rarity gave a little surprised gasp before descended into soft laughter.

~~~~Sunday morning~~~~

Carousel Boutique

Sunset groaned and curled up into a tighter ball on the soft mattress. It was early, she could tell, judging by the smell of the air. Breakfast wasn’t exactly ready, but it was just beginning to waft tempting smells through the air. She grabbed her side of the blankets and tightened herself up in them, leaning her back against Mistress’s cool side. She began stretching her back legs out a little, and her hooves contacted something extremely cool. A jolt wrapped up her body, and she sat up with a small start.

She wasn’t back home. It wasn’t their bed. Mistress wasn’t there. And it wasn’t Spike’s cooking giving her a subtle wake-up call. She was in Rarity’s boutique, sitting up on a couch with a too small blanket (that was probably for Sweetie) over her middle. Mistress was just the back of the sofa, and the indiscriminate cold the brass ends of the leg rests. Part of her wanted to flop back down and just stare at the ceiling, thinking harder than was good for her, but the cold had woken her up too much.

Instead, she gradually slid off, taking care to properly fold the blanket and lay it back upon the couch. It was the first time in months she hadn’t slept with Mistress, and despite knowing that Rarity was in the next room cooking, she felt truly and utterly alone. She tried convincing herself she was just being silly, that’d everything would be over and better and done before the day was out, but she also realized that mindset wouldn’t come until after she’d been awake for a while. Maybe after a good shower and cup of coffee too.

She trundled into the kitchen where Rarity was indeed working at the stovetops and sat heavily in one of the chairs around the small table.”Good morning.” She wasn’t quite as perky as Spike, but there was a gentle warmth to her none the less. “First mornings away are always the hardest.” Her voice was heavily laced with sympathy as a fresh mug of coffee slid into place in front of her. “I should know.”

“We haven’t broken up,” Sunset said defiantly. “I don’t want to think about it like that.” Not that her body agreed, as her head flumped resoundingly onto the table.

“Not what I meant, dear.” Clattering dishes continued above her head, as the sound of more things hit the table. “One can be temporarily separated from somepony one loves without breaking up.” She chuckled softly, and Sunset looked up to see fresh pancakes before her eyes. “But it’s never easy, especially when you’ve just had a fight. Something I fear I’ve lived through a few too many times for my own sanity.”

“I still don’t wanna get used to waking up on a couch without her,” Sunset said, digging into the pancakes and restraining her habit of eating breakfast without utensils or magic. “Thank you for these by the way, and the couch.” She paused to swallow. “I was thinking I would go someplace for breakfast.”

“Well, perhaps if Sweetie hadn’t run off on yet another adventure we might’ve.” Rarity chuckled brightly, sitting down to what looked like scrambled eggs and toast and already working on her second cup of coffee. “So. You’ve had your first real tiff. Welcome to the world of relationships.” There was something gently teasing in her voice, but also encouraging… which was odd. “Now we must devise how to solve your conundrum.”

“My gut says to march in and run Princess Celestia out of town,” Sunset replied with a sarcastic sense of wry frankness. “But my gut tends to be stupid, so I’m gonna guess that’d be a bad idea.” She shoveled more pancakes in her mouth. Shoveled. Yesterday without dinner had really left her pretty hungry, now that there was actually food in front of her.

“Hmph, I should think so.” Rarity shook her head, and Sunset had to wonder how she got her mane in such good shape in so short a time in the morning. It took her an hour at least to get that kind of shine. “Darling, the princess is not the source of your ills.”

“Well, that’s half-true, kinda,” Sunset managed through the breakfast. “She’s trying to solve problems for me mostly. But I’ve figured out what I need to do to do it myself. So… if she keeps going, don’t tell that won’t make things complicated.” She huffed for a bit in musing thought. “If I can just be alone with Mistress for a few minutes,” she nearly whispered, talking to herself more than Rarity, “and I explain everything, yes, everything, then the princess shouldn’t have a need to stay, and Mistress and I can focus on our f- ”

“Ahem!” Rarity huffed softly, and Sunset felt her cheeks burn at the sudden interruption. “Sunset, allow me to repeat. The princess is not the source of your ills.” She tapped the table, giving Sunset a rather severe look. “Your problem is that you cannot seem to bring yourself to speak frankly to Twilight about things that are clearly important to you.”

“That’s not - !” but Sunset stopped herself before she lied rather blatantly. “No, you’re right. At least not lately. But, that’s why I need to just go in and talk, no nonsense.”

“I question whether the two of you together are capable of no nonsense talk,” Rarity quipped with a little grin before returning to her more serious tone. “Sunset, I will be blunt. You have thus far been incapable of speaking to Twilight when it might result in a confrontation. Likewise, Twilight has been incapable of the same thing.”

“Aaaand…? I know that. I slept on your couch instead of in her wings,” she replied, shivering a little at the mention of Mistress’s soft down. “I messed up, big time. And I will fix it. I just don’t want to go in and make it all worse because I haven’t a clue what I’m actually doing.”

“Tsk. And here I’d thought you’d been speaking to Miss Heartstrings.” Rarity sounded vaguely annoyed at that, which seemed odd.

“I have,” Sunset said, somewhat defensively for Lyra. “But it’s light chatting mostly. If we ever got into anything ‘deep’ she’s kinda odd, so it always came out in some cryptic style.”

Rarity stared at her for a moment, then laughed softly. “Ah, that would explain why. She’s been trying to help you without seeming like a busybody.” She facehoofed gently, then poured herself another cup of coffee, refilling Sunset’s for good measure. “I swear, that mare doesn’t know the meaning of speaking plainly. Allow me to step into her place and clarify then.” She sat up straight, smiling faintly. “You’re a very intelligent unicorn, Sunset. When you’re trying to solve a problem, and the answer keeps coming out wrong, where do you start looking for mistakes?”

“Like, a casting circle function curve?” Sunset asked, more confused than anything. Arcane mathematics were complex, but infinitely more straightforward than this Timberwolves’ nest she’d gotten herself into.

Rarity rolled her eyes a little. “Celestia save me, you are far too much like Twilight.” She poked her hoof toward Sunset. “You start from the beginning and work your way up, of course! Go back to the absolute basics. What is the fundamental reason for all of this hubbub?” She gave Sunset an almost… teacher-like look. As though she was back in class and confronting Miss Inkwell’s disapproving stare.

“Because I’m a selfish prick a lot of the time who thinks she knows how to solve everything by herself?” Sunset posited. It certainly felt like those were the main reasons she wasn’t at home. “Or maybe because I overheard a bad conversation and ended up fucking one of Mistresses best friends?!”

“Those are certainly symptoms, but not the cause.” Rarity actually coughed and looked embarrassed. “Sunset, when you had your… indiscretion with Fluttershy, what was your very first instinct when it came to Twilight?”

“Um, let’s see… ah, NOT TELL HER!” Sunset almost yelled. “What kinda question is that anyway? Why would anypony do something like- ”

Rarity held up her hoof, abruptly cutting her off. “Did Twilight ever tell you that you two were to be exclusive lovers?” The question came out of nowhere, hitting Sunset’s ego upside the head like a rogue piece of fruit.

“She never said we couldn’t… get around,” Sunset admitted. “But it was always something I assumed we’d do together or talk about or something. And it was Fluttershy. I mean, oh, I dunno…”

Rarity half smiled. “Sunset… I have seen many a mare or stallion devoted to another in my time.” She leaned over the table, softly touching her hoof. “You know how deeply she feels for you, do you not? You know how big her heart can be?” Sunset couldn’t help but jerkily nod her head at that. “Then why did you not trust to simply tell her, knowing the depth of her capacity to forgive even if you erred?” She smiled a bit more broadly. “It is not as though you attempted to turn into a horned, mind-controlling demon and take over the world… Again.” Her voice turning slyly teasing all at once.

“I’m fairly certain that wouldn’t even work here in Equestria,” Sunset replied, rolling her eyes. “And couldn’t you come up with something better? I know you can.” She fluttered eyelashes, earning a sigh from Rarity. There was a slight pause in their conversation as Rarity attacked her own breakfast (albeit in a far more lady like manner). “Honestly…” Sunset continued when she had added a few more bites to her gut, “... now that I look back, I think it was more… me. I felt guilty and upset and just let that settle in my brain until I thought that’s how she’d react too. Not that I was wrong really…” She resisted the urge to stab the fork into the table in frustration. “Being straight and honest about all of my mess is only gonna get me so far Rarity,” Sunset said pointedly. “There’s gotta be something more I can do.”

“Mm, true.” In an odd way, Rarity’s lack of an immediate solution was heartening. At least she wasn’t completely ignorant of the solutions to her problems. Rarity took a slow sip of her coffee and looked thoughtful. “Sunset, it’s not my place to pry, but I think it’s past time we put all of our cards on the table.” She set down her mug and leaned forward, giving Sunset a rather direct look. “I think I can help you. But how much I can depends on knowing everything that has been going on. Now, I need you to think extra hard.” She pointed her hoof at Sunset. “Just what exactly were Twilight and the princess discussing that sent you into such a tizzy?”

“It’s bad that I’m… not exactly certain isn’t it?” Sunset cringed, more at herself than anything. Of course, asking Rarity a rhetorical question and expecting nothing back wasn’t going to happen, so she attempted to lessen the damage, adding, “I just kinda walked in and heard them, and context or not… it still upsets me when I think about it for any length of time. But… nothing’s really happened, so I don’t know what was really going on, if that makes any sense.”

“But you still haven’t told me what it is,” Rarity said flatly, obviously becoming impatient.

Sunset took a large breath and huffed out experimentally, mentally ensuring she didn’t run her words together. “Mis… Twilight and the princess were discussing other ponies for her to bang. I think. Probably. That’s what it sounded like.” Well, it didn’t feel any different, having that little bit of information out in the open.

“Mhm.” Rarity looked a little skeptical of that, actually. “Twilight Sparkle was discussing forming a harem with the aid of Princess Celestia.” She paused for dramatic effect, then half grinned at Sunset. “I’d like you to mentally repeat that sentence for me, just… to make certain we’re both absolutely clear on it."

Sunset narrowed her eyes. Of course it sounded crazy, especially when Rarity put it like that, but Sunset knew that something even remotely similar had been the topic of conversation. “Mistress whips my ass before sticking a magic cock in my pussy every other night. I’d like you to mentally repeat that sentence for me, just to make certain we’ve both heard of crazier stuff.”

Rarity lifted her mug of coffee and inclined her head with a smile. “Touchè. Still, you must admit the unlikelihood of such a conversation.” She finished off her mug and set it down on the table with a thump. “I must presume that was not terribly good for your mood at the time, and thus you ran off to Fluttershy’s house.”

Sunset nodded. She really didn’t feel like repeating her terrible lapse in controlling her tendency toward absolute dumb. But at the same time, while her mood might’ve been rather trampled upon by overhearing whatever it was Mistress and Princess Celestia had been discussing, she’d gotten better, much better, at not overreacting. And… deep down, she knew why she had overreacted. Really, why she was in as deep as she was into this mess. She’d tried to not think about it, but… Rarity was asking her to be honest, promising she would return the favor. “Rarity… I’m pregnant.” She didn’t want to feel ashamed, but she bowed her head anyway.

There was brief moment of comical disbelief splattered over Rarity’s face. Then an annoyed, angry look which quickly melted into astonishment and finally transmogrified right into horrified concern. “Oh Faust, that’s….” Rarity muttered, and then ran a hoof through her mane. “Well that would certainly explain a lot!” she half exclaimed, but not accusingly. Then she slumped back in the chair. “You haven’t told her, have you?” Rarity was back to her flat tone of voice again, her eyes slightly narrowed. It was a statement, not a question. “Of course you haven’t. I swear, you two need-” She snapped her mouth shut around whatever that was, even going to the point of shoving her hoof over her mouth.

“Yes….?” Sunset queried. “I was straightforward, what is it?”

Rarity shifted in her chair, staring away from her for a moment and all the energy having drained out of her. Then, as if expecting an explosion, “I was going to say you two needed somepony who can spank you and make you actually talk with one another.” And instantly upon saying it, Rarity winced away.

“Ah, yeah,” Sunset eyed Rarity. “You don’t have to look like I might murder you, you know. I got over myself finally.” Even so, Rarity was taking an awful long time to get back up to chipper. “Listen, Rarity… It’s alright. I know.” She reached across the table to gently squeeze Rarity’s hoof. “I know how hard it can be to get things back to normal. But you certainly didn’t have a problem giving me what-for earlier this week.” She put on her best smile, hoping she could draw the fashion pony back out of that shell.

“I was trying to get used to it again,” Rarity muttered, but squeezed back gently. “I just… Sunset, I need you to understand that whatever else may happen, Twilight is still a very dear friend to me.” Her eyes went wide, just this side of tears. “I owe her so very much. Even the thought of being separated from her life is…” She sniffed a little. “I was so very frightened.”

“Rarity,” Sunset said, not quite forcefully, but enough to stop her before they both ended up crying messes. “I know. That’s why I was upset with you. The very same reason. I just happen to be a blockhead a lot, so I couldn’t tell. As friends… I think we’ll be better off now, but now we’ve got to focus on Mistress.”

“Yes, quite right.” Rarity sniffled and tried unsuccessfully to clear her eyes away. “We simply must restore things to their rightful place.” She hummed, but was obviously not quite ready to let go of Sunset’s hoof. “Well, obviously our first step is we need to sit her down and have a very long conversation about all of this. The best first step to any mess like this is to clear the air, so everypony knows what’s going on.” She sighed gustily. “Once we’ve done that, we can find our solutions as we go.”

“So… on that note, would you be willing to do me a really big favor?” Sunset asked.

“It would be the least I could do, Darling. Whatever did you need?” Rarity’s voice was brightening by the moment.

“Could you talk to the princess before me? I mean, I know that, hard and awkward as it’ll be, I’ll be able to calmly sort things out with Mistress. But I’m not quite sure if I wouldn’t use a magi-blade on the princess’s mane just to be vindictive. Not right now anyway. Oh! And one other thing…” Sunset allowed herself to glance at her belly for the first conscious time in front of somepony else. “Rarity, I’m pregnant!” she hissed. “How does somepony go about dropping that spell?”

Rarity’s smile bloomed broadly. “My best advice, Darling? Start with ‘I love you’ and continue on with ‘So what shall we name the children, then?’” She giggled softly, and Sunset found it hard not to join her.