Role Reversal

Chapters

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 1
Chapter 6
Epilogue

Chapter 2

A voice call out to you from the darkness, frantically begging and pleading.

Wake up Fritz, come on! Wake up!

A sudden, sharp pain in your chest makes you groan aloud and your eyes slowly flicker open. “Owwww...” you moan out. “M... My chest hurts...”

“Fritz, what the hell was that?!?” the white unicorn screams out as he holds your head a bit off of the ground.

You look up to him, unable to find anything to say, your head filled with a dull fog that numbed your thoughts.

“Fritz come on, don’t pass out again, stay awake!” he says as he brings his hoof to your chest and pushes his hoof against it and rubs hard, making you gasp out in pain.

“Ow! Ow!” you scream out this time. “I’m awake!”

“What’s two plus five?” he asks as he shines a small penlight in your eyes.

“Bones, I-”

“Just humor me, okay!?” he says as he looks down at you nervously. “You bounced your head off the ground pretty hard, I’m just-”

“Seven,” you say plainly as you push him back a bit and get to your hooves rather shakily and make your way towards the door. “I’m fine, I’m-”

You gasp slightly when you feel a pair of hooves grab your shoulders, turning you around almost violently. “You’re not fine!” the white unicorn cries, his eyes tearing up slightly. “I just watched my best friend pass out in front of me and for a split second, I thought...” you could feel his hooves tremble on your shoulders as he stared at you. “I thought you just dropped dead on me! Now tell me what’s wrong!”

Looking to the white unicorn, you shake your head and blink back tears. “I... I don’t know...I’m... There’s something wrong with me... I’m getting sick to my stomach and having vivid nightmares. That’s all I know.”

“You gotta be a bit more specific than that, Fritz” the white unicorn says as he leads you out into the hallway. “What happened? What were you feeling before you passed out? Why-”

“I told you, I don’t know!” you say sharply as you fall back onto your haunches. “If I knew what was wrong, I’d tell you, but I don’t.” Slowly, you look up to him and let out a long sigh. “I... I really don’t know...”

For the longest time, the white unicorn simply stared back into your eyes before walking over to his office door and shutting it slowly. “Alright,” he said abruptly as he locked it behind him. “If we’re going to find out what is wrong with you, then I’m going to have to stop treating you as a friend and more as a patient. Tell me when this all started.”

Slowly, you get to your hooves and take the seat right across from his desk and take a deep breath. “Last night... It all started last night. I was having dinner with Rarity and we were talking when all of sudden, I’m feeling sick to my stomach, my throat feels like it’s made of sandpaper, and I feel like I’m gonna pass out.”

“What were you eating?”

“Pumpkin Curry Soup,” you say idly. “It wasn’t all that spicy, but made me feel a bit ill as soon as it hit my stomach.”

“Hmm... Do you have any ulcers?” he asks as he reaches into his desk drawer.

You shake your head rather quickly as you move around in your seat. “Not to my knowledge, no.”

Pulling out a little pad of paper and a pen, he starts to jot down a few things. “What else did you have to eat?”

Thinking back to that night, you simply shrug. “I had a salad. And some shaved ice.”

“Well this is a toughie...” the white unicorn says as he drags his hooves through his mane. “Dyspepsia caused by an irritated ulcer can be one cause of your stomach problems, but you’ve never shown any signs of ulcers in the past and it still doesn’t explain the dry mouth and rapid pulse... Some sort of bacteria or parasite from produce that wasn’t washed correctly only fits part of the symptoms as well..” Falling back into his chair, he shakes his head. “Have you had another attack like this since last night?”

“Yeah... Right before I called you... Rarity and I were having breakfast and talking when it all just happened again, just like last night,” you say with a heavy sigh. “I feel so bad...”

“Like right now? Are you having another episo-”

“No, no... I feel bad about not telling her, you know? I’ve been lying and avoiding her and I feel terrible about it,” you say solemnly.

“Her... Wait, you mean Rarity?” he asks in surprise. “Fritz, why haven’t you told her? She needs to know.”

“No, she doesn’t,” you say through grit teeth. “Bones, you need to promise that you won’t tell her. I don’t want to worry her. So I’ll say this again... She doesn’t. Need. To know.”

“Okay, okay... It’s not like I can tell her, anyway,” he says with an exhausted sigh. “Doctor, patient confidentiality, you know that. If anyone is gonna tell her, it’s gonna be you.” Ripping off a page from the notepad, the white unicorn holds it out to you. “I’m gonna need you to come in later today for some blood work and a stool sample to rule out bacterial infection and parasites. In the meantime, here’s a perscription and a list of some things I want you to pick up at the pharmacy.”

You take the note from him slowly and glance it over. “I can understand the antacids and the bismosal, but you’re giving me Ati-heart?” you ask in surprise. “I thought that stuff was for people with serious cases of tachycardia.”

“Low dose, meant for when you have another attack. While your tachycardia seems benign, I’d rather not take any chances. Just use it when you have to and you’ll be fine.”

Looking over the prescription and list again, you give the white unicorn a weak smile. “Thanks Bones... When do you want to see me again?”

“How about around six? You know, after you’re done with work.”

Your eyes widen a bit as it suddenly hits you. “Oh crap, I’m going to be late!” you cry as you stuff the paper in your coat pocket. “I’ll see you then, Bones! Talk to you later!”

“Be careful, okay Fritz? Don’t push yourself if you feel sick again!”

Closing the office door behind you, you take off down the hallway, out of the hospital and into the streets of Ponyville.

***************************************************

You almost stumble into your office, gasping as you try and catch your breath. “I-I’m here...” you pant as you walk in.

“Doctor, is that you?” you hear a voice call out from a nearby room.

Following the voice, you smile a bit as the smell of coffee hits your nose. “Yes nurse, it’s me...”

The golden unicorn smiles as she turns away from the coffee maker and levitates a coffee cup in front of your face. “Here you are doctor, two sugars and a splash of milk, just the way you like it.”

Grabbing a hold of the coffee cup gingerly, you take it and make your way to the nearby table. “Thank you Nurse Careheart... I really need this,” you say with a chuckle before taking a sip. “How’s today look, anyway? I didn’t get a chance to look over the appointments.”

“Your day is looking pretty clear, actually...” she says after taking a sip of her coffee. “I think your only appointment is a mare by the name of Crystal. She says that her insomnia is even worse and she’s having nightmares.

“Well, it was a longshot to hope that the inso-wait, nightmares?” you ask curiously. “What medication did we have her on?”

“Her file says she’s on Sleep Tight, but I’m not entirely sure. “She’s also complaining of tension headaches and occasional nosebleeds. Either she has another underlying problem or-”

“Or she’s having a reaction to the pills...” you finish for her with a heavy sigh. Following Careheart back to her desk, you start to shuffle through papers. “When’s her appointment?”

“In half an hour,” she says sharply as she smacks your hooves off of her desk. “I’ll call her and make sure she knows to bring in her medication.”

You give Nurse Careheart an odd look as you rub your hoofs. “Geez, I was just looking for the appointment book,” you say with a little chuckle. “No need to get all hostile.”

“I just don’t like people pawing through my stuff, you know that,” she says with a little blush. “I’ll call you if anything else comes up... For now, just enjoy your coffee and take a load off, why don’t you? You look like you’ve been through the wringer...”

“Gee, thanks for that,” you deadpan. “That’s what I love about you Miss Careheart... Your ever so graceful touch and bright attitude.”

“And don’t you forget it,” she says with a small smile.

“Hard to forget a pony like you... You’re the kind of pony that can haunt one’s dream,” you say teasingly.

“Ha ha, very funny...” she mutters under her breath as you make your way into your office. With a little smirk, you set your mug down on your desk and sit down with an elated sigh. Reaching out, you bring the mug to your face and inhale slowly, the smell alone warming your entire body.

“This is all I need...” you say under your breath. “Warm coffee and some time to myself...”

Tilting your head back, you drink deeply and swallow with a satisfied sigh. “Ahhh... Alright!” you say aloud with renewed vigor. “You’re fine. Now, let’s see here...”

Reaching into your filing cabinet, you scan through the names until you finally find the right one. Ah, here we are.... Crystal. Visited about a week and a half ago complaining about chronic insomnia, due to anxiety from her agoraphobia and was given a prescription for Sleep Tight. Odd... you think to yourself. The prescription is for two weeks and we were supposed to see how they worked out for her...

Reclining back in your chair, you sip your coffee idly and review Crystal’s past medical history to pass the time.

************************************************

Failure as a partner Scared Unfaithful
Failure as a doctor Weak Afraid
Failure as a pony What’s wrong
Stop Don’t

Help

HELP

************************************************

“Doctor, are you okay?”

Gasping out for air, you look around the room slowly, your heart hammering in your chest as the remnants of some sort of alien nightmare creeps away from the edges of your conscious thoughts, its contents fading quickly..

“I....I-I’m fine...” you stutter out as you fix your mane and adjust your papers. “I’m fine. Is there something you needed Nurse Careheart, or-”

“Crystal,” she says rather plainly. “She’s waiting to see you.”

It takes a few seconds for the words to permeate through your sleep addled brain before you answer. “Show her in, show her in.”

“Whatever you say, Doctor,” she says as she slips out of your office quietly.

You wait for her to close the door behind her, to give yourself a complete once over, fixing your bow tie and glasses and wiping the spittle off of your chin and desk.

Sweet sisters above, I don’t even remember closing my eyes... you think in disbelief as you try to make the place look presentable. You freeze up as your office door opens slowly and look forward with a small smile.

“Crystal, it’s good to see you again,” you say as you lock eyes with the timid white mare as she walks in. “I just wish it was on better circumstances... Take a seat, please.”

Crystal looks around the room slowly and walks across the floor timidly before slipping into the chair across from your desk. “I... I just don’t know what’s going on, Doctor...” she says as she looks up to you with bloodshot eyes. “I had been following the pills like you said and everything had been fine up until... Until...”

“What happened then?” you ask curiously. “Is there something troubling you, or”

“No, no, no!” she cries out in frustration. “It’s my dreams or something! I... I can’t sleep because of the nightmares! I just can’t deal with-”

You feel your jaw drop a bit in surprise. “Crystal, please... I’ve never seen you this... This forward... Just take a deep breath and calm yourself. I’m here to help.”

Crystal lets out a small sniffle and looks up to you desperately. “I...I just...The nightmares... They... They’re horrible...”

“Tell me about the nightmares...” you ask as you lean forward a bit. “Tell me anything you want about them. When did they start? What are they about?”

Crystal lets out a long sigh as she falls back into her chair. “It all started the night after you gave me the sleeping pills... It was after dinner with my boyfriend, I-”

“Sorry to interrupt, but... You have a boyfriend now, Crystal?” you ask with a small smile. “My little agoraphobic has herself a boyfriend?”

She looks up to you with a small smile and nods. “Yeah... I got out of the house, just like you wanted... It was scary at first and I thought I was going to break down right in the middle in the street, until... Until he came along... His name is Prism and... And I love him so much.”

Reaching out tenderly, you place a hoof on her shoulder and smile back. “I’m proud you’ve managed to take such a huge step forward like this... But please, continue. We can touch on your condition later if you want to.”

Nodding quickly, Crystal takes a deep breath. “Alright... The... The nightmares... They came out of nowhere,” she says with a sniffle. “After the first night, I just couldn’t fall asleep after that, no matter what... The pills don’t even make me drowsy anymore.”

“Do you have the pills on you?”

Crystal nods slowly. “Well... Sort of...” she says as she produces an empty pill bottle, almost ashamed. “I... I kinda... I just couldn’t... I-I took...”

Your eyes go wide as it finally hits you. “Crystal... I want you to be completely honest with me... How many of these pills did you take in the last 24 hours?”

“S... Seven...” she says with a small sniffle. “I took it last night, I’m sorry! I just couldn’t help myself, I wanted to sleep but they didn’t work!”

“You took a week’s worth of pills... and nothing happened?” you ask in disbelief. “There’s no way...”

She should be dead... you think as you look over the pill bottle in your hoof, wondering if the pharmacy gave her something else instead of sleeping pills.

“I... I can’t explain it myself,” she says meekly. “It was like I didn’t even take them at all.”

“What did the pills look like?” you ask plainly.

Crystal shifts nervously in her seat as she bites her lip. “Ummm... Little green pills with three Z’s on them.”

That’s Sleep Tight alright...

With a heavy sigh, you run a hoof through your mane and give the pill bottle back to her. “Alright, this is what I want you to do,” you say as you pull out a pad of paper and pen. “You’re going to go the Ponyville General Hospital and you’re going to do two things for me... First, you’re going to check yourself in and tell them about the pills and how many you took.”

“But I feel fine,” Crystal claims in protest. “Why would I-”

“You took a week’s worth of sleeping pills and you’re really asking me why you should go to the hospital...” you say with a tired laugh. “You may feel fine now, but there could be seriously something wrong and you may not know it until it’s too late. Just get checked out to make sure you’re fine.”

Crystal lets out a sigh and remains quiet. “I...I just...”

“Hey, if not for you, then for me?” you ask with a small smile. “I just want to know, without a doubt, that you’re okay.”

“Well... okay...” she says reluctantly. “I’ll do it, if you’re worried... But you know I don’t like hospitals...”

Getting up from your chair, you place a hoof on Crystal’s shoulder and smile. “Oh, I know... You don’t have to tell me, I know. But the ponies there just want to help, you have to remember that. Like this doctor,” you say as you give her a slip of paper. “He can help you.”

Crystal glances at the paper curiously. “Who-”

“He’s a sleep specialist,” you interrupt as you guide her to her hooves. “If anyone can help you, he can.”

“O...Okay,” she says weakly. “I’ll go see him...” As you lead her out into the waiting room, Crystal stops and looks up to you nervously. “Umm... D-Doctor? Could you at least, umm... Walk me there? Please?”

You glance over to Nurse Careheart as she looks up from her typewriter and give her a little nod. “I don’t see why not...” you say as you walk over to the front door. “After you, Miss Crystal.”

“Thank you doctor... For everything,” she says with a genuine smile.

“Anytime.”

************************************************

Holding the hospital door open for Crystal, you give her a reassuring smile and wave her in. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

She gives you a nervous look as she walks through the hospital doors before taking a deep breath. “I’ll see you later, doctor...”

“Take care, Cry-”

“Schätzchen, was machst du denn hier?”
(Translation: Darling, what are you doing here?)

Your ears perk up and you quickly turn around and find yourself face to face with Rarity.

“Ohh! I was walking a patient here,” you say as you look around for Crystal, only to find her missing. “She was just here... But what are you doing-”

A low groan from behind Rarity gets your attention and you find yourself staring at a very green looking Sweetie Belle who was having trouble just standing there.

“Sweetie Belle woke up not too long ago after you left and was complaining of an upset stomach...” she explains as you walk with her into the waiting room. “At first, I thought she was faking it to get out of school, but after she umm... ‘returned’ her breakfast, I was more convinced.”

“Aww, poor thing...” you say as you follow them into the waiting room. “Is it just her stomach?”

Rarity opens her mouth, but a moan from Sweetie Belle cuts her off. “I feel warm...” She says weakly as she tries to pull herself into one of the waiting room chairs. After giving her a little boost, you lay your hoof across her forehead, right under her horn.

“Geez, you’re burning up...” you mutter as you look into her eyes. “I’ll go see if I can get Bones to see her as quick as possible.”

Rarity gives you a small smile as you trot off. “Thank you... The sooner Sweetie Belle sees a doctor, the better.”

“Yeah, that fever is really a bad sign...” you say with a nod.

“...Yes... That too...” you hear Rarity say under her breath.

You glance back from the hall curiously. “Beg your pardon?”

“It’s nothing,” she says as she shakes her head. “I’ll tell you later tonight.”

Grinding your teeth a bit, you stop yourself from pressing the subject and trot down the hall, listening for him.

“Say ‘ahhhh’... Good, now hold it...”

Walking over to one of the rooms, you knock quickly before poking your head in. “Bones? Got a sec?”

The white unicorn blinks in surprise and turns off his penlight before turning to the blue mare sitting on the table. “You have strep,” he says plainly as he pulls out his prescription pad. “I’m going to put you on a regimen of antibiotics. Now, I want you to stick with them and take them all. Don’t just stop once you feel better or you’ll get sick again.”

The blue mare nods quickly as she takes the prescription from him. “Thank you,” she says rather hoarsely.

“Any time Colgate. Get well soon,” he says with a small smile before turning to you. “What’s up?”

“It’s Sweetie Belle,” you say as you step aside and let Colgate pass by. “Rarity just brought her in when I was dropping off one of my own patients. She’s vomiting and running a high fever.”

“How high a fever?” he asks plainly as he steps out of the exam room.

You follow him down the hall into the waiting room and roll your shoulders. “I didn’t have thermometer on me, but it felt like thirty-seven, thirty-eight easy.”

“Thirty-eight?” he asks in surprise. “How-Wait, you mean Celsius, right?”

You shake your head and stifle a laugh. “Of course...”

“Sorry, spent way too much time in the city... Going back to metric is becoming a pain,” he says with a nervous chuckle. Walking out into the waiting room, he quickly finds Sweetie Belle and kneels down in front of her. “How ya doing?” he asks in a rather soft tone. “I hear you’re not feeling too good...”

Sweetie Belle nods slowly as she lets out another ragged moan. “Yeah... M-My tummy really hurts...”

“Well, don’t worry...” he asks as he places his hoof on Sweetie’s forehead. “I just have to see one more patient and then I promise I’ll make you better. Just hold out for a little while longer, okay?”

Sweetie Belle gives the white stallion a small smile. “Okay...”

Getting to his hooves, the doctor turns to you and motions over to one of the rooms. “Just give me a few minutes... I just gotta write another prescription.”

“Danke mein kamerad,” you say with grateful smile.
(Translation: Thank you my friend)

Sitting back down in the chair next to Sweetie Belle, you place a hoof around Rarity’s shoulder and draw her a little closer as the doctor trots back down the hall.. “Was ist falsch mein geliebter?”
(Translation: What’s wrong my love?)

“I... Well, I...” Rarity lets out a long sigh before snuggling into you. “I was supposed to meet an investor today,” she says rather sadly. “She wants me to branch out into more rural appear, but I told her I didn’t know the first thing about outdoor wear. Anyway, I tried to call her and reschedule when Sweetie Belle got sick, but the only pony I could get ahold of was her assitant. She’s on her way and there’s nothing I can do.”

“What are you talking about?” you ask with a little chuckle. “I can watch Sweetie Belle.”

Rarity’s eyes go wide and her mouth “But don’t you have to-”

“I’m done for today... I had one appointment and I don’t think Nurse Careheart would mind if I’m a little late back to the office. Besides, I-”

Your breath catches in your throat as Rarity presses her lips quickly to yours and gives you a deep kiss. “Vielen Dank mein Schatz... Ich schulde Ihnen für diese.”
(Translation Thank you so much, darling... I owe you for this.)

With one final kiss, Rarity gets to her hooves and takes off out into the streets of Ponyville in the direction of the boutique.

“Well... It’s just you and me now kid,” you say as you run a hoof through Sweetie Belle’s mane. “How are you holding up?”

“I feel like I’m gonna get sick again...” she says with another heavy moan.

“Want me to walk you to the bathroom?”

“No...”

“Want something to drink?” you ask as you point to one of the vending machines. “That one has ginger ale.”

Sweetie Belle gives you a small smile and nods slowly. “Yes please... Thank you”

You can’t help but smile back as you fish around for some pocket change. “Anytime.”

***************************************

“Hmmm... You weren’t too far off Fritz,” the white unicorn says as he holds the thermometer up to the light. “Thirty-eight point eight, quite the fever... Part of me wants to say this is the flu, but I got a couple questions first.”

“What’s on your mind Bones?”

“Well... For starters, has she ever been out of the country? Been anyplace tropical?” he asks abruptly before grabbing a book on a nearby shelf.

Sweetie Belle looks to you from the exam table and opens her mouth for a moment before quickly closing it.

“Out of the country Bones?” you ask in disbelief. “Why would she-”

“Listen, I gotta ask because I swear I’ve seen this before. The symptoms are almost identical to a tropical strain of-”

“Umm... C-Can I talk to you alone?” Sweetie Belle speaks up as she looks up at the white unicorn nervously before glancing towards you. “I... I-It’s important.”

You blink a few times in surprise before running your hooves through your mane in frustration. “I’ll be right back...” you say as you get to your hooves. “I need to make a call, mind if I use your phone?”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes go wide at those words and looks to the doctor, shaking either from the fever or out of fright.

“What for?” he asks idly as he sets the book down.

“Just gotta check in with Nurse Careheart. You know, make sure everything’s okay,” you say as you open the door. “And to give you two a little privacy.”

Shutting the door slowly, you take a deep breath and make your way for the office down the hall. What has that filly gotten herself into now? you think as you slip into the doctor’s office.

Picking up the phone, you dial your own office and lean against the desk with a heavy sigh as it rings. Good thing Rarity isn’t here after all...

“Hello, Open Hooves C-”

“Hello Miss Careheart. Doing well I take it?”

“Oh, Doctor,” she says in half surprise. “How’s everything going? Did something happen with Crystal?”

“No, not at all. As far as I know, she’s talking to a sleep specialist right now. I got held up because I bumped into Rarity and Sweetie Belle. Poor filly is sick as a dog.”

“Ohhh, that’s no good... What is it, a cold?”

“More like a bug. She can’t keep anything down and-”

“Hey Fritz, we’re pretty much done here!” you hear the white unicorn call from down the hall.

“I’ll fill you in later. We get any walk-ins while I was gone?”

“No, it’s been as quiet as a cemetery here.”

“Then why don’t you take the rest of the day off and close up? No point in sitting there and gathering dust,” you say with a little chuckle.

“Good point... I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Have a good day.”

“You too.”

Hanging up the phone, you trot down the hall and into the exam room. “So, what’s the verdict doctor? Do we need to operate?”

“OPERATE?!?” Sweetie Belle screams out in shock. “But I-He said-You...” You can’t help but snicker as Sweetie Belle looks at you both of you before flattening her ears against her head and letting out a deep groan. “Oh ha-ha, very funny...” she says as she buries her face in her hooves.

“Ohh you know I’m just teasing...” you say with a small grin. “But in all seriousness, what are we doing?”

“Well, it’s a pretty bad bug, but we can manage it with some antibiotics... They are strong, though. They’re going to also affect the good bacteria in her stomach, so she’s gonna need to replace it or she’s just going to end up worse,” he says as he gives you her prescription. “I recommend picking up some yogurt and taking it after the pill.”

“Okay, I’ll stop by the store after going to the pharmacy, but you still haven’t told me what she has... Is it contagious?”

“No, it’s not and I’m afraid that’s all I can say,” he says firmly. “Technically, you’re not one of her guardians and I can’t share her patient inf-”

You shake your head, waving a hoof to cut him off. “Right, right, confidentiality. Sorry, I should've known,” you say with a heavy sigh. “Just tell me; is everything okay?”

The doctor gives you a little smile as he leads you out of the room. “"She's going to be fine, I promise. If there are any concerns, you know how to reach me.”

“Gotch’ya... Talk to you later Bones,” you say with a small smile as you guide Sweetie Belle out of the hospital.

“So, umm... Are we going back home now first?” Sweetie Belle asks skittishly as she looks up to you. “Or are we-”

“I think it’s best that you come with me to the pharmacy,” you say firmly. “We need to have a little talk.”

“Oh, great...” you hear her mutter under her breath.

“Beg your pardon?”

Sweetie Belle’s ears perk up and gives you a sheepish smile. “I said, uh, ‘oh great!’ Because I wanna talk to you... and... I...”

You can’t help but chuckle as the little filly stumbles over her words. “It’s okay, you’re not in trouble with me.”

“Oh, well that’s a-”

“But your sister is going to want to know what happened and she’s going to have questions I won’t have the answer to,” you say as you hold the pharmacy door open for her. “Now, I can’t force you to tell me what happened and I can’t force you to tell your sister. But this isn’t going to go away, Sweetie. You can’t just sweep it under the rug and hope it goes away.”

Sweetie Belle lets out a heavy sigh and hangs her head. “I know... I... I just... I don’t want anypony mad at me,” she says with a small sniffle. “Especially Rarity...”

“Hey, hey... Don’t be like that,” you say as you put a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “She could never stay mad at you. She loves you way too much. And me? I forgot how to be mad a long time ago.”

A little smile grows on Sweetie’s face which soon breaks into a giggle. “Well... A-Alright. Can I tell you both? After dinner tonight?”

“Whatever makes it easier for you.”

***************************************

“Rarity, we’re back!” you call out as you walk into Carousel Boutique. You wait a few seconds and after hearing nothing, you reach into the grocery bag and give Sweetie Belle her pill bottle. “Alright, the pharmacist said to take one pill as soon we got home with food, so why don’t you grab yourself a little snack and do that.”

Sweetie Belle gives you a little smile, already looking better since this morning. “Sure thing.”

Reaching out, you stop her from going any further. “Wait, tell me first... How many pills are you supposed to take right now?”

“Just one,” she says confidently. “And I’m supposed to have a little yogurt with it too, right?”

Setting the bag down, you smile and give her a small cup of strawberry yogurt. “That’s right. Now let’s see if we can find your sister...”

Walking down the hall, you stop at Rarity’s workroom and knock.

“Darling, is that you?”

“Who else would it be?” you ask with a chuckle as you open the door slowly. “Sweetie Belle would have just barged right i-”

Your breath catches in your throat as Rarity slowly turns towards you, a white, almost transparent veil covering her face, but you could tell she was smiling. “I finished the meeting with the investor and we both agreed on a few designs,” she says as she adjusts the veil ever so slightly. “ so I decided to do a little work in the meantime. It’s the final piece of Rainbow’s dress. What do you think? Doesn’t it look lovely?”

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you do your best to keep calm. “Well, I... Umm...”

Rarity blinks a few times in confusion before pulling it gingerly off of her head. “What, is there something wrong with it?” she asks as she inspects every nook and cranny.

“No, not at all!” you say with a sheepish smile, doing your best to keep calm.

Rarity’s eyes narrow as she sets the wedding veil back on “Then what’s wrong?” she asks sharply. “If there’s nothing wrong with the veil... Then what? Is there something wrong with me?”

“Oh no, no, no... No mein fräulein...” you coo as you brush her mane out of her eyes, giving her a small smile. “There’s nothing wrong with you or-”

“Then tell me that you want to marry me,” she says as she stares back into your eyes, unblinking.

Every sentiment, every word felt hollow as you stared at her dumbly, your hoof shaking inches away from her face as your heart hammered in your chest. “I-I...I...”

Rarity’s gaze hardens as she moves away from you. “I knew it. I didn’t want to say anything, but I knew something was wrong...”

“Rarity, I-I... There’s nothing wrong, I swear I-”

“Stop lying to me!” she cries out in anger, her eyes welling up with tears. “H-How can you look at me and lie right to my face like it was nothing?”

You reach out and open your mouth in a futile effort to say something, anything, but find nothing.

“Until you’re straight with me and actually say what’s on your mind, you’re sleeping on the couch,” she says she turns her nose up to you. “Just be grateful I don’t kick you out altogether. Now go... I have work to do.”

“Mein kleines juwel... Bitte, nicht... Lassen Sie mich-”
(Translation: My little jewel... Please, don’t... Let me-)

“Hinaus!” she screams as she slams her hoof down, her eyes welling up with tears.
(Translation: Get out!)

You slip out of Rarity’s work room quickly and shut the door behind you, leaning against it as you run your hooves through your mane in frustration. “What the hell just happened?” you mumble under your breath as you hear the lock slip into place. Taking a deep breath you make your way for the living room and sit down on the couch miserably.

What the hell is wrong with you? Why couldn’t you just say something, anything? you ask, giving yourself a good mental kick. That’s all you needed to do.

Letting your eyes wander, you find one of the boxes from the movers, still left unpacked. Opening it up idly, you reach in and find the contents of your small, yet modest library. Your eyes widen a bit as a rather familiar book peeks itself out.

Atlas Shrugged

“Didn’t I... Yeah, I did,” you say as you open the book up, finding a hollow portion in it filled by a metal flask. “2:30 in the afternoon...”

Grabbing a hold of the flask top, you unscrew it and let the contents run down your throat.

It’s five o’clock somewhere and I need a drink now more than ever.

***************************************

Stumbling across the floor, you grope at the walls to steady yourself as the whole world seemed to spin around you.

“W...Where am I?” you ask aloud in confusion. Reaching out, you grab onto a rather familiar looking bookcase, albeit empty, to steady yourself. “H-Home?”

Your head pounds as you try to remember just how you got here. “I...I... was at the Carousel Boutique... A...And... Ohhh god...” you moan out as you hold your stomach. “I-I’m gonna puke...”

Scrambling to stand up right, you bolt down the hall to the bathroom and stumble in, almost falling before leaning over the toilet, expecting to vomit any second. Instead, your vision clears up and the world stops spinning, giving you enough of a respite to hold back the waves of nausea.

“I...I’m okay...” you say aloud with a hoarse laugh. “I’m okay...”

Slumping over the sink, you fumble with the knobs until the water flows and splash a little into your face before looking into the bathroom mirror and laughing again. “I’m okay...”

In just a fraction of a second, your whole world collapses around you as you watch your own reflection reach out of the mirror and grab you by the shoulders.

“I don’t think so...” your reflection says as he shakes his head slowly. “Look at you, running from the mare you supposedly loved... But she chased you out, didn’t she?”

Your mind reels in horror as you stare into your own reflection’s eyes unable to do anything better than stutter. “I-I-I-”

Your reflection laughs aloud as his hooves slip closer to your throat and close around it tightly. “That’s right... Keep thinking about yourself. I mean, look at how far it’s gotten you already.”

Gasping and choking aloud, you bring your own hooves up to pry your reflection’s off of your throat but it only seemed to tighten his grip. “Don’t fight it...” he says as he starts to crawl out of the mirror, strangling you all the while. “Just let it happen.”

Falling onto your back, you choke wildly, your vision going blurry again as you struggled to breathe. Laughing even louder, your reflection gives you final squeeze, leaving you gasping for air like a fish out of water.

Just as your vision starts to darken, the sound of breaking wood and a sudden gasp gives you a little hope. “H-Help me...” you cough out as futilely try to rip the hooves off around your neck.

“STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!” a familiar voice yells as they shake you. “STOP! JUST LET GO, YOU’RE HURTING YOURSELF!”

Your eyes snap open and look around the tiny bathroom, locking eyes with Rarity before looking down at your throat, your own hooves wrapped securely around your throat. Pulling them off gingerly, you look at them before gingerly getting up, your entire body shaking like a leaf on a twig.

“D-Darling?” Rarity squeaks out, placing a tender hoof on your back. “A-Are you okay?”

Looking to her, you shake your head slowly before collapsing on the ground in a heap, sobbing loudly. “N-No... I-I-I’m not okay...”

Chapter 3

The entire house is quiet, save for your Grandfather clock ticking away endlessly upstairs. Staring down at a cold cup of coffee, you count the seconds as they tick by.

One... Two... Three... Four...

This goes on until finally a set of hoofsteps echo through the house.

Three hundred... Right on time...

“Honey? Darling? Are you... Are you ready to talk now?”

Looking up to Rarity as she stands at the foot of the stairs, you nod slowly and scooch aside, making room for her. “I... I think I am... Rarity? I think... No, no... It’s beyond guessing right now, I seriously think there’s something wrong with me,” you say with a ragged sob. “I mean, what kind of sane stallion hallucinates and-”

“Shhhhh... Calm down...” she says as she drapes her hooves over your shoulders. “Just tell me what happened. You don’t need to hide anything.”

Drawing your back legs close to your chest, you curl up into the fetal position and stare off in the distance. “I’ve been... having nightmares. And hearing things, seeing things. And I’ve talked to a doctor... Bones. All confidential. He looked at me after I well... Passed out.”

Rarity’s face contorts in confusion. “You... You passed out? When? Where?”

“Today,” you say plainly. “And right in front of the doctor. I was supposed to go for some lab work done, but I’ve just been sitting here since... Well, you know. You were there...”

“Yes... That. You looked so scared. Can I be as bold as to ask... What did you see?” she asks before sitting down on the couch next to you. “What made you do that?

“It was like something out of a horror show...” you say above a whisper. “I saw myself. I... Or my reflection... Or whatever it was. It leapt out of the mirror and said things before strangling me.”

Turning to Rarity, you feel your whole body start to shake before launching yourself at her and holding her tight. “IT FELT REAL!” you cry out. “IT FELT SO REAL!”

Wrapping her own hooves around you, Rarity strokes your mane and rocks you back and forth. “It’s over, it’s over... Don’t cry, please...” she says with a slight crack in her voice. “You’ll make me cry.”

Taking a deep breath, you do your best to calm yourself down before looking to her. “I don’t know what to do... I seriously don’t know what to do...”

“Well, don’t you worry... We’ll figure this out together. First thing’s first, you need to cancel all your appointments and take some time off to straighten yourself-”

“No, no, no!” you cry out in frustration. “I can’t!”

Rarity practically snarls out at you. “Oh come now you... you dummkopf! Look at yourself! Do you honestly think that given everything that’s happened that you can’t afford a few weeks off?”

“No...No...” you say through gritted teeth. “I... I really can’t afford it...”

An awkward silence fills the air as you retreat back into the fetal position. “I’m sorry, I really am... I should have said something...”

“What aren’t you telling me now?” Rarity asks rather dryly.

“I... I lied about how much my old house is worth. It’s practically worthless...” you mumble.

“But you told me during dinner that it if you sold it, it would be more than enough to-”

“I know what I told you!” you yell out. “But the realtors said something different... The foundation is shot and if I would have lived there for another year, the whole thing would have started to crumble. The most I was able to get the land for was around 500 bits...”

“But you’ve already paid for-” Rarity stops and slaps a hoof on her forehead before slowly draging it down her face. “Please tell me you didn’t take a loan out to cover your part of the bill.”

“I... I... It was the only way...” you whisper meekly. “I promised you that I’d pay my fair share for renovations. What was I supposed to do?”

“You could have TOLD me!” she cries out with increasing anger. “We could have held off on the renovations, built up a nest egg until we had enough and everything would have been fine! I wouldn’t have been angry or disappointed!”

“I screwed up, I know that now! I just! I just... I just wanted to make you happy...” Resting your head on the arm of the couch, you feel hot tears run down your face. “You were soooo happy when I said I talked with the realtor and the contractor for the first time... I couldn’t bear to let you down...”

With a heavy sigh, Rarity puts a hoof on your back and does her best to comfort you. “Well... At least your heart was in the right place...” she says, managing a little smile. “What did you put up for collateral?”

“I... I put the deed for Open Hooves up as collateral...” you squeak out, embarrassed and more than ashamed. “If I default on the loan, the Canterlot bank takes it.”

“And how are you paying them back?”

“I took on more clients from out of town. More difficult cases that other doctors either couldn’t deal with or couldn’t figure out. Patients who would be left going back to doctors who’d probably ruin months of therapy,” you say, cringing a bit at the very thought.

I’m not going to let Crystal or Quick Fix go back to those quacks...

Rarity leans back into the couch and lets out a heavy sigh. “So this presents us with quite the situation. On one hoof, you need time to get your bearings and recover. On the other hoof, if you take a week or two off, your patients will suffer and you could potentially lose your practice...”

“Ich bin wie eine Schraube bis...”
(Translation: I am such a screw up...)

“Hey! We’ll have none of that!” she exclaims aloud with newfound vigor. “We’ll figure this out and have straightened out everything before you know it.”

“How?” you ask with a shrug. “If I see a doctor other than Bones about my... my condition, I’ll have my practice pulled anyway. And I can’t really diagnose myself if there’s something going on with my head.”

Rarity chews at her lower lip and taps her hoof against the floor. “Wait a moment... Hmmm...” Her eyes go wide for a moment and a huge smile paints her face. “Ooooh... Well, I think I know just what to do. I have a crazy idea mein-”

“Please...” you say holding up a hoof, stopping her. “Don’t say that word.”

Blinking a few times in confusion, Rarity gives you a sheepish smile just as it finally hits her. “Ohh... Sorry. I mean I have a... an odd idea. What if I were to counsel you? You know, act as a therapist for you?”

“Rarity, as much as I appreciate the offer, there’s no way you could know enough about psychology to-”

“I have your textbooks, you know,” she says flatly. “I’ve already been reading a few them and I could just substitute my usual romance novel or soap opera with a good read into a pony’s inner mind. I don’t mind, really. Especially if it helps.”

“But what about the fact that most of my anxiety, my nightmares, and even these... these hallucinations. What about the fact that they’re all tied to you in some way? I just feel like it’s just going to complicate things...”

She wraps her hooves around you drawing you in for a warm embrace before cooing into your ear. “Darling... Meine wunderbare, süße Schatz... Consider my marriage questions off the table. You don’t have to think about it because right now, all I care about is you getting better.”
(Translation: My wonderful, sweet darling...)

You open your mouth to protest, but one look at Rarity’s face and you know it won’t do any good. “Well... I guess we can try it.”

“Great! If I’m going to prepare for our first session then, I’m going to need you to tell me everything that’s been happening to you and don’t skip on the details...” Concentrating for a moment, Rarity’s horn glows and a pad of paper from a nearby desk hovers over to her, right alongside a pen. “Alright...” Rarity says aloud as she makes her comfortable. “While I already have a good idea where it all began, why don’t you tell me in your own words?”

“Ein wenig mehr als vorbereitet, nicht wahr?” you mumble under your breath.
(Translation: A little over prepared, aren't we?)

“Come again?”

“Oh, uh... Nothing...” you say with a small sigh. “Well... It started last night over dinner, really... We were talking and well... You brought up mar...marriage...”

Sweet sisters above, it’s hard to say that word...

Wiping a little sweat from your brow, you swallow the lump in your throat and try to continue. “You started talking about marriage. Then after that, it was like I was thrown into a tumble dryer... Everything started spinning, I felt sick to my stomach and I ended up vomiting in the bathroom.”

Rarity nods slowly as she starts to jot down notes. “Mmmm... And I take it something like this happened again while you were at the doctors?”

You nod back and sigh. “Yeah... You’re right on the money. Bones was dressed in his suit that he planned on wearing to his wedding and started to sing a little of that wedding march song when-”

“You passed out. Okaaaay... I hate to say it, but I think I’m beginning to see a pattern here,” she remarks rather dishearteningly. “Since our argument last night ended on the note of marriage...”

You let out a ragged breath and bury your head in your hooves. “Why is this happening to me? I mean, out of all the ponies I know, the last one I figured would have a breakdown would be me...”

“It must be so jarring, I could imagine... Listen, maybe you should get a little sleep so you’re not nodding off tomorrow,” Rarity says before sliding off the couch. “I’ll stop by after you’ve finished for the day and we’ll have our first session. Does that sound good?”

You somehow manage a smile and lay down on the couch. “Yeah, sounds good...”

“Wunderschön... But, uh... Darling? Are you sure you don’t want to sleep upstairs with me?” Rarity says as she stops at the bottom of the stairs. “I’m not mad... You know that now, right?”

You pull yourself up and give her a shrug. “Yes, I know that... But I feel like I deserve this after all I’ve done... I shouldn’t have lied to you. I should have been honest with you and said something... But Rarity? I just want you to know that... Well, I do want to... t-t-t-to...”

You grit your teeth and take a deep breath, the words somehow not budging.

“I do want to... m-m-maarry you,” you manage to gasp out, the words themselves somehow straining your body as they leave your mouth. “It’s just... S-Something is...Well... Y-You know...”

“Thank you, darling... For saying that. I’ll admit, I was scared for a time, wondering if you were tired of me or seeing somepony else,” Rarity says with a smile, wiping away at her eyes. “But now I’ve got something to fight for and I promise, I’ll see to it you get better.”

For just a moment, everything feels normal again. Rarity blows you a kiss and you feel yourself blush and smile like the day you met her. However, just as you go to blow her a kiss back, she turns and makes her way up the stairs. That’s when everything come crashing down again.

On the back of Rarity’s head sits a dark facsimile of her own face, glaring at you and flicking a forked tongue through the air. The minute you lock eyes with the face, it stares you down and bares a set of razor sharp fangs, snarling at you in rage.

You stare on in dumbfoundead horror until Rarity and the hallucination disappear upstairs, leaving you to collapse into the couch and scream silently into the pillow.

***********************************

8 AM rolls around rather quickly for you, considering you spent the majority of the night sitting at the kitchen table, nursing an entire pot of coffee.

I couldn’t get an ounce of sleep you think with a heavy sigh. That verdammt face...

The very thought of that hallucination staring into your eyes makes you shiver and take another swig of coffee.

Why does it make it worse knowing that it was a hallucination? It should make me feel somewhat at ease knowing that meine Liebe doesn’t really have a... a second face... But meine Götter. It scares me to no end.

“Guten Morgen mein Liebling. Schlafen Sie gut?”
(Good morning my darling. Sleep well?)

You nearly jump out of your seat, coming face to face with Rarity before letting out a little laugh.

“Y...You scared me...” you say with a nervous chuckle. “Umm... To be completely honest, no, I didn’t sleep well...”

“Ohhh... Nightmares again?” Rarity asks as she takes a seat across from you.

You manage to nod slowly before taking another sip of coffee. “Yes...”

“What were they about?”

“Well... It was like any normal day. I was talking to ponies throughout the day and everything was all fine until one of them turned around,” you say with a little shiver. “Then I noticed it. Every pony in town had another face on the back of their head. It was... wrong. It had a forked tongue and sharp fangs and they all kept staring at me.”

Technically I’m not lying, you weakly rationalize. I don’t want her to think that she’s at the center of it all... If she does, she might think the best thing to do is to... is to go away.

You look up to her and feel your eyes tear up a bit. I don’t want to lose her.

“Don’t cry love. It was just a dream...” Rarity says as she holds your hooves in hers. “We just got to figure out what it means. For now though? Let’s put it behind us. You’re probably hungry aren’t you?”

The very idea of food makes you perk up. “Ohh yes, yes, yes... I don’t think I’ve been this hungry,” you say with a small smile. “Do you want me to help cook?”

“Oh no, I’ve got it. You just relax and I’ll cook up some eggs and toast. That sound good?”

Your mouth waters and you lean back in your chair with a stupid grin on your face. “Wunderbar~”

Rarity gives you a wink as she slips on a white apron, turning her back to you as she ties it on. “Ooooh, this reminds me of that special little morning we had after our night at the Queue du Chevaux.”

Getting to your feet, you meander over and wrap your hooves around Rarity’s waist, drawing her in for a tight embrace. “Mmmm... Except we were both up the entire night and for a completely different reason...” Rarity lets out a sweet little giggle as you nuzzle and kiss at her neck.

“Ohhh~ Come now darling... I’ll never get anything done at this rate.”

Just as you start moving up her neck and get close to her ear, a snakelike hiss sends a shiver up your spine, causing you to instantly let go. “Yeah... You got a point,” you say with a laugh. “You know what? I’ll go wash up before breakfast. I probably could use it.”

“You go do that,” Rarity says, humming a tune as she turns the stove top on. “I’ll have a nice breakfast all ready for you by the time you’re done.”

Making your way up the stairs, you wipe at your forehead and let out a heavy sigh. “I’m losing it I’m losing it I’m losing it...” you chant under your breath as you make your way to the bathroom.

Stepping inside, you lock the door behind you before sitting yourself down on the toilet, trying your best and failing at catching your breath. “Why’s this happening to me?” you ask no pony in particular.

“A better question would be ‘Why shouldn’t this happen to me?’” Glancing over to the bathroom mirror, you let out a heavy sigh and draw your legs close to your chest again. “Go away...” You mumble to your reflection.

“Oh come now herr doktor~ Is that anyway to treat someone as close as me?” your doppelganger asks, sounding half hurt. “I mean, we’re practically the same pony!”

Putting your hooves up to your ears, you do your best to drown out his voice, but it’s all for naught as you soon realize that it’s not technically coming from the mirror.

“But my question still stands... I mean, after all... You are a lying scheißkerl. I mean, seriously? You come clean about lying to her the night before and what do you do the following morning?”
(Translation: Shitbag)

You stay quiet and dig your hooves into your ears harder, hoping to make the spectre go away.

“You lie again. And you didn’t even feel a little guilty about it.”

“That’s a lie...” you mumble under your breath. “I do, I-”

“Reall? Then tell me, my flawless little fürst...” he asks, a twinge of happiness in his voice. “Why did it happen so easily? Why didn’t you hesitate, even for a second, about lying to her?”

You slowly turn and look your reflection in the eye, but instead of seeing a smiling stallion, you just stare back at yourself, eyes welling up with tears.

Sisters above, help me... Just get me through this day without another breakdown... you think with sniffle as you drag yourself into the shower, hoping the hot water could wash away all your troubles.

***********************************

“You know Rarity... You didn’t have to walk to work with me,” you say with a nervous little laugh. “I’m fine, really.”

“Oh but I wanted to, darling.” Rarity says as she walks beside you. “And to be honest, I’ve been wanting to get out of the boutique. I’ve felt quite cooped up.”

You and Rarity remain quiet until you reach the door of Open Hooves Counseling. “Well, here we are...” you say rather dryly as you open the door. “Did you... Want to come in?”

“If you don’t mind dear,” she says, following you into reception. “There’s something I actually need to talk to you about and I’d like to do it in private.”

Nurse Careheart looks up from her desk and smiles for a moment as she watches you two walk in, but her smile quickly disappears. “Oh wow, doc... You look tired. Trouble sleeping?”

You nod weakly and make your way into your office. “Yes actually...”

“I’ve got some coffee already brewed up. Would you like a cup?”

The thought of drinking more coffee, while not all that appealing, felt like a necessity at this point. “Ohh yes please...”

Nurse Careheart trots over to the counter and proceeds to pour you a cup before turning to Rarity. “And what about you Ms. Rarity? Would you like a cup?” she asks, smiling from ear to ear.

“Thank you, but no thank you. I had a latte this morning and any more caffeine in my system and I’ll start bouncing around like Pinkie Pie,” she says with a bashful grin. “Here, I’ll take that.”

“Oh, sure! If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask,” Nurse Careheart says before trotting over to her desk.

Grabbing a hold of the coffee cup with her magic, Rarity levitates the cup at eye level and walks into your office with it. “Darling, do you mind coming in here with me? I just wanted to tell you a few things in private before I leave.”

“Thank you Miss Careheart,” you say with a nod before ducking into your office, locking the door behind you. “What is it?”

“I got a call from your doctor friend while you were in the shower. He was concerned when you didn’t show up for your... ‘consult’. I didn’t exactly know what to tell him, so I said you were under the weather,” Rarity says, sitting down on your desk and resting your cup beside her. “He still wants you to come in for your ‘consult’ if you can.”

With a heavy sigh, you take a seat in your chair and nurse your coffee. “Yes... Well, he hasn’t exactly been filled in about what’s happened as of lately.” Looking up to Rarity, you place a hoof on hers and hold her. “I’ll go see him after my appointments for the day... But why don’t you go tell him everything I’ve told you? Tell him that I’m 100% fine with you knowing my medical history. He’ll give you everything you need.”

Rarity leans in and gives a quick little kiss on the lips. “Thank you, darling. But what if-Ohh... Uhh...”

“Something wrong?”

“Ugh, how can you stand to drink something so bitter?” she asks with a shiver. “Your coffee tastes like one of Pinkie’s super sourballs...”

“What are you talking about? I take my coffee with two sugars and a dash of cream.” Taking another sip, all you can do is shrug. “It tastes fine to me.”

Getting to her hooves, Rarity just rolls her shoulders and grabs onto the doorknob. “Maybe my lattes are just spoiling me... But I’ll go talk to your friend Bones. But what if he doesn’t believe me? And don’t you need a release for other ponies to see medical records?”

“Doing your homework, I see...” you say with a little chuckle. “If he starts getting all on you for protocol, just tell him to call me and I’ll straighten it all out.”

“Will do darling,” she says she hangs in the doorway. “Have a good day and call me if you need me!”

Reclining back in your chair, you take a deep breath and chug down the last of your coffee. “Alright! I’m ready for the day,” you say with a forced smile. “First appointment is... Quick-Fix. I got this.”

***********************************

You screwed up your partner Liar Cheater
You screwed up your self Just roll over and give up
You screwed up your life Give up and die

No one will help you

NO ONE

***********************************

You bolt upright in your chair and grab onto your desk, holding onto it as tight as you can, like you were hurtling through the air and just waiting to hit the ground. After a few moments and realizing just where you were, you finally take a deep breath of air and slump over on your desk.

“Just stop... Please...”

A knock at the door snaps you out of your self pity and forces you to put on a smile. “Come on in!” you say, doing your best not to look like a complete mess.

“Heya doc! I’m here for my check in,” the excited brown mare says as she skips into your office. “Or is it check up? Well, whatever you want to call it I’m here!”

“Great to see you in such high spirits, Quick Fix. This is definitely an improvement since our last visit,” you say, your own spirits already lifting. “But why don’t you tell me how you’re feeling?”

Quick Fix gives you a shrug as she plops herself down in the chair across from you. “Never been better doc! I mean, I was sooo depressed when I first got here and I didn’t really think anything would get me out of that creative slump. But I’ve been taking your advice and keeping myself busy. Like, seriously doc. Thank you!”

“Well, don’t look at me... I just helped you along. If you should thank anyone, you should thank all the ponies who you’ve helped in some way or another.”

“Yeah, and that’s got me thinking...” she says as she tips back in her chair. “I mean, I felt like I was banging rocks there for a while, not really doing much for anypony. I mean, not like my big sis in Canterlot. She’s out there inventing stuff and well...”

“And you felt jealous.”

Quick-Fix nods slowly. “Yeaaah... Well! Like I was saying, it’s got me thinking. Talking to my sis, she has a spare room in her shop and she’s not doing much with it. I asked her if she’d mind if I moved in with her and set up a little repair business next to her store and she said yes!”

“Oh that’s wonderful! I know without doubt you’ll have your hooves full with all the customers you’re going to have.”

“Oh come on, you’re just saying that...” She says with a bashful smile. “I doubt I’ll have that many customers.”

“You will when they see how skilled you are,” you say as you fish around in your breast pocket, pulling out a gold fob watch. “This old thing used to just be a piece of jewelry until you got your hooves on it.”

All Quick Fix can do is smile from ear to ear, her whole face turning red from the praise. “Oh stop... If my ego gets any more inflated, I won’t be able to get through the door...”

“When did you plan on leaving Ponyville?” you ask as you fiddle with the watch in your hooves.

“Oh! Well, umm... In a few days, probably. Why?”

“I just needed to know when I should dig up the discharge papers.”

Quick Fix’s face lights up at the word ‘discharge’, but you hold up a hoof and stop her from screaming out in joy just yet.

“That is, if you can tell me just what you got out of our sessions. It’s just a little thing to let me know that you leave her having learned something.”

“Well...” she starts, squirming in her seat under the sudden pressure. “I mostly learned not to force creativity. I mean, I spent like, days on end just racking my brain, trying to come up with some sort of invention that would help everypony,” she says, finally finding her voice. “And I put that ahead of everything. Friends, family... My own personal hygiene... And I learned that if I keep trying to force something, it’s either not going to work or it’s not going to happen. I just need to take it one day at a time.”

You nod slowly, more than happy with the results. “Just one more thing... You will be living with your sister and that is where this all started. I want you to be honest with me, do you think you might relapse again?”

“I’m really sure I won’t... But it’s definitely going to be hard. I mean, my sis does like to show off her newest inventions to whoever’s around,” Quick Fix says with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Reaching out, you cup her hooves and give her your watch. “Then hold onto this for me. That way, you’ve always got something to remind you of what you went through and how you overcame.”

“Doc, I can’t take this...” she says as she holds is back out to you. “You said-”

“I know what I said... I said it was valuable and I said it was an heirloom, but... You know, I think you’re going to need this more than me.”

Quick Fix smiles and leans forward, wrapping her hooves around your neck and hugging you tightly. “Thank you doctor... For everything.”

“Anytime. I-”

***********************************

A stabbing pain right in the center of your skull is the first thing you feel as the darkness slips away, closely followed by the realization that you couldn’t move.

Where am I? I was... I was talking to Quick Fix and

“Oh sweet sisters above... What’s happening this time?” you half ask, half sob as fear starts to wash over you. “Hello? Anypony there?”

“It’s good that you’re awake now... You know, you caused quite the stir.”

“Wait, Rarity? Rarity, that’s you right?” You couldn’t be sure of anything at this point right now. “What happened? Where am I?”

“I seriously thought that I could help you, but after what you did? I honestly can’t think of a single reason why I should help somepony like you.”

Your throat goes dry and you feel your entire body start to shake like a leaf on a twig. “R-R-Rarity... W-What did I do? What happened?”

“It’s amazing how durable a pony’s body is... Little Quick Fix is just barely holding on. The doctors tell her that she’s going to need reconstructive surgery if she’s going to lead a normal life.”

“No... No, no, no...” you couldn’t believe what you were hearing. “I just talked to her... She was fine, she was happy. I was about to give her the discharge papers, I-”

“You lost it. You hallucinated something that made you attack her and nearly kill her.”

“NO!” you scream this time, unable, unwilling to accept what you were being told. “You’re lying to me! You have to be lying!”

Slowly, you feel a set of hooves grab the side of your face and tug at what you realize is a blindfold. As it slowly falls away, your heart catches in your throat and hot tears fall down your cheeks.

You weren’t at home, you weren’t even in Ponyville. You were in a dark, twisted place that looked like something out of a medieval torture chamber. And the thing that terrified you the most wasn’t the iron maiden in the corner or even all the torture implements on the table in front of you. No, what shook you to the core was the grim, bloody perversion of the Rarity you knew and loved, staring at you with empty eye sockets and a mutilated face.

“Oh come now, darling... Would I lie to you?”

The thing before you used her magic to levitate a number of scalpels, knives, and other things that made you cringe.

“Now darling... I promise that won’t hurt for a second...” the thing before you says, leaning in close to your ear. “It’ll hurt for an eternity.”

You do the only thing that your terrified mind can think to do.

Scream.

***********************************

You bolt upright, screaming as loud as you can until your lungs start hurt.

A set of hooves grabs you by the shoulders. “Darling! Darling please, calm down! It was-”

Your feet move on their own and push whoever it was that held you before catapulting you out the bed and sprawling onto the floor. You scramble to your feet and take off, out the door, only to run into somepony else who practically tackles you. “Fritz! Fritz, calm down! You have to calm down you’re-”

“LEMME GO LEMME GO LEMME GO!” you scream as you flail and kick wildly, hoping to break free of your captors.

“Nurse Redheart, I need a sedative! NOW!”

Before you know it, you feel another set of hooves grab onto you and then another before you feel a sharp pressure in your side.

Slowly, your breathing steadies and you start to take stock of what was happening. You weren’t in a torture chamber and you weren’t face to face with that nightmare anymore. “W...W...Where am I?” you ask weakly, your whole body feeling like it was made of lead.

“You passed out during one of your appointments. You were brought to the hospital where we’ve monitoring you... Now I’m going to let you go... Okay?”

“Y-Yeah... I’m fine Bones... I’m fine. I-”

“I’m sorry, but you’re anything but fine right now... Nurse, help me get him back on the gurney.”

“I can walk, I can-”

“Fritz, you ripped out an IV and I can feel your heart going a mile a minute in your chest! You’re not fine,” he says as your hauled back into bed. “Nurse, keep an eye on his vitals... I’m still running some tests. Call me if there’s any more problems.”

“D...Darling? Are you alright now? You know where you are, right?”

You watch as Nurse Redheart cleans up the blood from your previous IV, flinching a bit as she slips a new one in. “Yeah... Yeah, I’m at Ponyville General, I heard from Bones... But how... How long have I been out?”

Grabbing a nearby chair, Rarity drags it over to your bedside and sits down with a heavy sigh. “About 12 hours now... It’s 11 AM right now. You gave us all quite the scare,” she says with a nervous laugh. “I...I know it sounds silly, but I honestly thought that you weren’t going to wake up...”

Rarity lets out a sob and wipes away her tears. “But you definitely weren’t subtle about waking up... What... What made you scream like that? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you that terrified before.”

Turning to Nurse Redheart you open your mouth, and are about to ask her to leave when she gets the idea.

“Just press the call button when you need me,” she says before taking her leave and shutting the door behind her.

“They’re getting worse...” you moan out. “The nightmares... And it’s like, they’re not even waiting for me to sleep anymore. Either I’m awake and hallucinating or they... they just knock me out whenever they feel like.”

“What do you mean?” Rarity asks as she moves herself closer. “Knocking you out... Have you been passing out again?”

You nod weakly. “Yeah... Usually at my desk. I’ve been chalking it up to just being tired until now...”

“Interesting...” you hear her muse under her breath. “Even after an entire can of coffee at home a cup at your office, you’re still passing out. I honestly can’t imagine how you can be tired with so much caffeine in your system.”

“Well, it’s not like I feel myself nodding off or anything... I just... wake up,” you say with a shrug. “I don’t remember falling asleep or even feeling tired, it just... happens.”

Rarity gives you a funny look. “You just... wake up? You don’t remember anything after that? Not even... That’s... Hmm...”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s just that visiting hours were up a few hours ago, but I begged your doctor friend to let me stay until you woke up,” she says as she gets to her hooves. “Listen, I’ll take your clothes home, wash them, and come pick you up first thing in the morning. That sound good?”

“You’re... You’re leaving already? I... Well, if visitor hours are up I guess...”

“Well... Let me go talk to the doctor about spending the night,” Rarity says with a warm smile. “I’m sure he’d be willing to look the other way just this once, considering the circumstances...”

You let out a sigh of relief and feel yourself melt into your bed. “Thank you,” you say with a warm smile. “For everything.”

“Anything for you, my love.” Rarity says before slipping out the door. “I’ll be here when you wake up, I promise.”

That’s all you need to hear before you let the sedatives do their job and stop fighting them, letting you fall into a chemically induced sleep.

***********************************

You wake up with a start in the middle of the night, your whole body shivering and shaking. Your eyes dart around the darkness of the room and squeeze whatever you were holding tightly.

“Mmmm...”

It takes a few seconds for your eyes to adjust, but when they do, you feel your heart start to slow down as everything starts to make sense.

I’m in Ponyville General, I’m in Ponyville General you chant in your head, hoping to ingrain it. And I’m holding onto Rarity... She’s sleeping in my hospital bed... And I’m fine. I’m fine.

From the corners of your mind, a familiar laugh fills your ears and chips away at your resolve.

"I'm fine"

Chapter 4

You try shutting your eyes tighter as everything grows brighter, but it does little to help. Opening your eyes just a crack, you glance at the morning sun before flinching and holding a hoof up to shield your eyes.

“Uhhh... Too early...” you mumble aloud, shifting in your bed.

Tossing and turning, you quickly notice that there was someone missing from your bed.

“Rarity?” you call out as you sit up, a tinge of worry in your voice.

There’s no answer and you don’t hear anything from the nurse. Getting out of bed, you uneasily get to your hooves and take a step before stopping in your tracks.

What if I’m still dreaming? Or what if I’m hallucinating...

Your eyes shift to the nearby bathroom. Walking over to it slowly, you stare intently at the bathroom mirror and lean against the sink. Bringing a hoof up slowly, you tap against the glass and watch your reflection do the same.

No delay, nothing out of the ordinary, nothing-

“Um, excuse me-”

Your whole body tenses up as you feel a hoof on your shoulder and hear a voice behind you. Whipping around, you come face to face with Nurse Redheart who looks just as terrified as you.

“Oh my gosh! I’m... I’m so sorry, I just heard you moving around and I saw-”

“It’s... It’s fine.” you gasp out, your hoof pushing against your chest as you try to calm down your terrified heart. “Just give me a little warning next time, okay? I’m kinda on pins and needles as it is.”

Nurse Redheart nods quickly and walks over to your room door. “Like I was trying to tell you, Rarity woke up an hour before you and said she’d be back after she took care of your clothes and saw Sweetie Belle off to school.”

“Okay... Now, uh, do you mind giving me a little privacy? I’ve still yet to...” You glance at the toilet, hoping to get the message across.

“Oh! Oh my, I’m sorry. If you need me, just press the call button. I’m right down the hall,” she says with a slight blush before slipping out and closing the door behind her.

You give her a smile just long enough until she’s gone and slump against the bathroom wall before slowly sliding to the floor.

I’m a bundle of nerves. If she hadn’t have said anything, I would have pissed myself like a foal.

Burying your head in your hooves, you let a low groan of frustration and throw your head back and bouncing it off the bathroom wall with a dull thud.

What’s wrong with me? Why is this happening?

The first hit sends a dull pain through your skull, as does the second and the third.

“I gotta stop this,” you say as you pull yourself up, now suffering from quite the nasty headache. “I gotta... I gotta lay down.”

Wandering over to your bed, your crawl into it slowly and pull the covers up before staring up at the ceiling, your thoughts still festering. It doesn’t take long until you’re grinding your teeth in silent rage.

What did I ever do wrong? I’m a good pony. I help other ponies, I pay my taxes, I go out of my way to do the right thing and what the hell do I get for it?

Bringing your hooves up, you slam them down on the bed and let out a deep breath.

I want everything to be normal again. I want my life to be normal. I want to be normal.

The sound of the door opening again pulls you away from your frustrated state and forces you to put on a smile as Nurse Redheart and Nurse Careheart walk into the room.

“You have a visitor,” Nurse Redheart says as she leads Careheart in. “I have some ponies I need to see at the front desk, so just let yourself out when you’re done Nurse.”

“Thanks again Sis,” she says before Nurse Redheart closes the door behind her and trots down the hallway.

Turning to you, Nurse Careheart walks over to your bedside and produces a thermos and sets it down on the night stand. “Good morning doctor. I hope you don’t mind me stopping by. I ran into Rarity on the way to the office and she seemed worried."

"What did she say?" you ask, unable to hide just a hint of nervousness in your voice.

"She said something about coming back from the hospital and I knew something was wrong. And then I saw she had your clothes, so I came by and just sort of asked if I could see you. I hope you don't mind, I-"

You hold a hoof up and stop her. “It’s... It’s okay, Miss Careheart. It’s actually nice to have some visitors, but I will be checking out soon. Though, it’s the thought that counts and I thank you for worrying about me.”

Nurse Careheart smiles and grabs the thermos. “I stopped by my house first, though. I figured you’d like this,” she says as she pours the contents of the thermos into one of the many plastic cups on your nightstand. “Homemade fruit punch.”

She stops mid pour and shoots you a glance. “You’re allowed to have drinks, right? I totally forgot to ask,” Careheart says with a bashful laugh. “I don’t even know what you’re in here for and I’m offering you a pretty rich drink...”

“Oh, I’m fine,” you say as you reach out for the cup. “Just a really bad headache, is all. Bones here says I’m pretty much ready to go. I just need to check in with him first and I should be good to go.” Taking a sip, you let out a sigh and lick your lips. “Mmm... You know, I’m glad that this is the first thing I’ve tasted since I got here. That is really good, you have got to give me the recipe.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, really... All you need is some fresh fruits and a blender and you’re good to g-”

The door opens slowly, getting both yours and Careheart’s attention. Shortly after, Rarity walks in, carrying a freshly pressed suit in a plastic bag on her back. Hanging it up on a nearby coat hook, she smiles and turns. “I would have been here sooner darling, but I wanted to press and iron your suit before you-”

She stops and looks over Careheart for a moment before giving you both a small smile. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t expect you to have any other visitors.” Rarity says as she walks over to a nearby chair and sitting down without another word.

"Yeah, she managed to put two and two together and stopped by," you say before taking another sip of fruit punch. "Did you run into Bones on the way in?"

Rarity shakes her head. "No, Nurse Redheart said he was still in his office making some phone calls." She stares at your cup for a second before reaching out for it. "May I have a sip of that dear? I haven't had anything to drink all morning and I'm absolutely parched."

Before you can even open your mouth to say yes, a bluish aura envelops the glass and levitates towards her.

Nurse Careheart reaches out tries to grab it, but misses. "Wait, wait, let me get you your own gla-"

Almost in an instant, Rarity drinks the fruit punch down and puts a hoof on her mouth. "Pardon me..." Rarity says as she places the cup down. "I guess I was a little thirstier than I thought."

"It's... It's alright," Nurse Careheart says as she walks over to the nightstand. "Here, let me get you both a new glass."

Just as Nurse Careheart reaches out for the thermos, Rarity does the same. “No, let me get it, I’ll-Oh shoot!”

They both fumble for the thermos, only to watch it fall to the ground, spilling fruit punch everywhere on the floor.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to,” Rarity says as she backs up and away from forming puddle. “I just-”

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” Nurse Careheart says as she gets to her hooves. “I’ll get some paper towels and clean this up.”

You watch her walk over to the bathroom and shut the door before turning to Rarity, who was staring intently at the puddle. “Rarity?” you call out, reaching for her. “What are you thinking about? What’s going on?”

Rarity waves a hoof and laughs out. “It’s silly, I know... But I just really want to get a mop and clean this up.” She lets out a heavy sigh and sits down near the end of the bed. “Old habits die hard, huh?”

You let out a little sigh and crawl towards her. “Yeah, they do. But there’s nothing wrong with that now, is there?” Resting your head on her shoulder, you nuzzle her and get her to giggle.

“Oh, hör auf!” Rarity cries out through a as she tries squirming away from you. “Du weißt, ich bin kitzlig!”
(Translation: Oh stop it! You know I’m ticklish!)

Wrapping your hooves around her waist, you hold her tight and continue to tease her. “Welches ist genau, warum ich das tue.”
(Translation: Which is precisely why I’m doing this.)

Just as you place a kiss on Rarity’s cheek, you hear somepony clear their throat. “Umm, sorry to... interrupt,” Nurse Careheart says with a slight blush. "But I'll just take my leave if you're being discharged." She unceremoniously drops the paper towels on the puddle before looking up to you. "Will I see you at the office or are you taking the day off?"

Taking a deep breath, you get to your hooves and walk over to where Rarity hung up your suit. “I have to go in today regardless of how I feel today... We have an appointment with-”

You stop, realizing Rarity was still in the room and stop yourself. “With... Well, you know. Listen, Meine Liebe? I’ll see you tonight after I’ve seen my last patient, is that alright?”
(Translation: ...My love?)

“But dear, I thought I could well... I don’t know, come with you to work today. You know, just sort of spend the day with you while you work,” she says with a small smile. “Just in case you need me.”

“I’m sorry Rarity,” Nurse Careheart says, coming inbetween you and Rarity. “But I don’t think it would be smart if you came to the office. If you overheard something sensitive, we all could get into serious trouble.”

Rarity bites her lip and shoots you a glance. “What if I stayed in the waiting room while you were with a patient or were on the phone? I mean, there can’t be anything wrong with that now, is there?”

Nurse Careheart opens her mouth to say something, but you cut her short. “Well, if you honestly want to, you can.” Glancing to Nurse Careheart, you lean in close to Rarity and talk above a whisper. “Du sagst nicht mir etwas. Was ist da los?”
(Translation: You’re not telling me something. What’s going on?)

“Ich bin nur... Besorgt. Das ist alles. Ich möchte für dich da sein, wenn etwas anderes passiert.”
(Translation: I’m just... worried. That’s all. I want to be there for you in case anything else happens.)

You let out a little sigh and give Rarity a little kiss on the cheek. “Ich wünschte, es gäbe einen Weg, um Ihnen zu zeigen, wie sehr ich dich schätze...”
(Translation: I wish there was some way to show you how much I appreciate you.)

“Oh, you. I-Huh. Nurse Careheart left,” Rarity says looking towards the door, before glancing down at the half-soggy paper towels. “She could have at least cleaned that up like she said she would...”

“It’s alright,” you say as you throw your undershirt on. “She probably just thought it was more important to get everything set up at the office.”

“Oh! Speaking of which, I need to stop by the house real quick and make a little packed lunch for us to share,” she says with a warm smile.

Pushing your forehooves through your jacket sleeves, you tug at it until it feels right and hold up your bowtie. “Do you mind helping me with this?”

“I don’t see why you just don’t wear a clip-on...” Rarity says as she levitates the tie into the air. “They’re so much easier for earth ponies and can be just as fashionable.”

“I used to,” you say flatly as she starts to slip it around your neck. “But then you came along and it doesn’t feel right unless you tie it on.”

Rarity looks to you, her mouth slightly agape. Slowly, a wide grin grows across her face. Grabbing you by the shoulder, she pulls you in close and presses her lips against yours, kissing you deeply. “That...” she says, slowly backing up. “Was the sweetest thing I’ve heard you say in quite a while.”

You blink a few times in surprise and let out a stupid giggle. “Ohh wow... I gotta turn on the charms like that more often, don’t I?” you ask before wrapping your hooves around Rarity, hugging her tight. For what felt like an eternity, you and Rarity hug and hold each other in complete silence.

“You’ll get better,” she finally says, breaking the silence. “I promise you, I will do whatever I can to make sure you get better.”

“Thank you,” you say, doing your best to stifle a sniffle. “I mean it...”

Clearing your throat, you break the embrace and tug bashfully at your coat. “Well then! I think I’m going to stop by Bones before heading out... I’ll see you at my office, okay?”

Rarity offers you a little bow as she makes her way for the door. “I’ll see you there, my love~”

You follow her out, but part ways as she makes her way into the streets of Ponyville while you stand in front of the oak door to the doctor’s office and knock.

“I’m still kind of busy at the moment, Nurse. Can you come back in five?”

“It’s me, Bones.”

The room goes silent for a moment before it opens a bit. “Come on in, Fritz... We need to talk.”

The white unicorn practically hurries you into the office before closing and locking the door behind you.

“Take a seat, take a seat,” he says as he points to the chair across from his.

As soon as you do, your eyes go wide as you finally notice the state he was in; his eyes were bloodshot and bags hung under them, his mane was a mess, and you could smell strong coffee come off of his breath. “I’ve been up all night,” he says rather easily. “I’ve been running every test I know of and a few I’ve only read about in books. And I... I just can’t understand it.”

“What? What can’t you understand,” you say, inching closer to the edge of your seat. “Did the tests turn up something or-”

“That’s the thing,” he says, slamming a hoof down on the table. “That’s the thing that makes no sense! Every part of me is screaming that there’s something else going on here. No pony slips into a coma like that because of some sort mental condition. But...”

“But?”

“But every test I’ve run has turned up negative. I’ve looked for bacteria, viruses, parasites, genetic diseases, neurological, I’ve run tox-screens, I’ve even talked to my old mentor in Manehattan and even Stable’s at a loss.”

The unicorn lets out a long sigh and slumps against the desk. “I’m so tired, Fritz. I’ve done everything I can think of and...”

You run a hoof through your mane and lean back in your chair. “Well... I honestly can’t say I’m surprised. I mean, I was hoping for something to point at and blame, but I think I’ve already come to turns with the fact that this... well, it’s me. Not some disease.”

The unicorn gets to his hooves and walks over the telephone that hung on the wall. “I honestly can’t accept that. Something isn’t sitting right in my gut and-”

“Bones, please!” you cry out, rushing to his side. “You’re tearing yourself up over this! I’m thankful you’ve gone to all these lengths for me, but now it just hurts to watch. Just... Please. Stop.”

Leaning against the wall, the unicorn lets out a low grown. “I need to do this, I-”

“Listen, if you need to do this, then alright. Do it. But not while you’re exhausted. And not while you have other ponies who need to see you. So get some rest and step away from me for a while. Who knows, maybe the answer will come to you after you’ve cleared your head.”

“I... You’re... You’re right,” he says, defeated. “I’m so tired, I need to get some sleep.”

Picking up the phone, he presses one of the buttons and talks into the receiver. “Nurse, I need to take a little break... Yeah, I’ll be doing rounds in about an hour.”

Walking over to his desk, the unicorn sits down and looks to you with a weak smile. “There... Now... You take care, okay? If anything else comes up, no matter how small, you call me. Okay?”

You give him a nod and make your for the door. “I will. Sleep tight, Bones.”

Your words fall on deaf ears as you hear a light snore come from the unicorn.

Closing the door behind you as quietly as you can, you make your way down the hallway and stop by Nurse Redheart’s desk. “Hey... Why not make it two hours? He’s... Well, he’s out of it.”

She gives you a nod. “I could imagine... Well, all we’ve got are some ponies who need band-aids or some aspirin, so I think I can handle it for a while.”

“You’re a peach Redheart,” you say with a little wave before making your way out the door, a little bit of a kick in your step.

“You’re going to die alone. And I hope unloved!”

You freeze in your tracks and turn around slowly. “What... What was that?” you ask, your heart sinking already.

“I said you’re a flatterer,” Nurse Redheart says, looking up from a stack of papers. “And I hope you have a good day!”

“...Yeah... You too!” you call out weakly, your voice cracking slightly. Taking a deep breath, you do your best to keep a straight face while walking through the streets of Ponyville. Just keep walking. What you heard wasn’t real. Everything is fine. You’re fine.

It feels you’re trying to swallow a rock as you watch your mirror image walk past you with an almost sadistic grin on his face. “You really think that?” he asks as you passed you.

Glancing back, he’s nowhere to be found; as to be expected. Concentrating on your breathing, you steel yourself and try not to break stride, all the while wanting nothing more than to stop and scream out in a mix of fear of frustration.

“I’m fine...” you mumble through grit teeth. “I’m fine.”

Walking up to the door of Open Hooves, you open the door and let out a little sigh. “Good morning,” you say with a forced smile.

Nurse Careheart looks up to you and smiles back. “Good morning to you too, doctor. How are you doing?”

“Ohhh, I’ve been better...” you say as before sitting down on one of the couches. “But I’m doing good, all things considering.”

“Well, maybe a hot cup of coffee will help you get that kick in your step,” she says as she walks over to the counter. Just as she starts to pour you a cup, you shake your head.

“No, no... I honestly don’t need a pick me up right now. I’m just going to get everything straightened around for our first appointment. Has Crystal called in yet?”

“No, she hasn’t,” Nurse Careheart says as she puts the coffee pot back. “But Time Turner has and he said he’d be in around 3.”

“Time Turner... Ah yes, him! The stallion with amnesia. I’ll be in my office if you need me,” you say as you stand in the doorway. “Let me know when Rarity shows up, okay?”

Nurse Careheart gives you a little nod. “I will.”

Walking into your office, you sit down at your desk and lean back. Okay, okay... Just got two appointments today and then I’m done... I can do this, I can do this...

Reaching into your file cabinet, you pull out Time Turner’s file and lay it out in front of you and scan over his patient information. Time Turner. Earth Pony stallion. Cutie mark... Hourglass. Woke up in the middle of a field with no prior knowledge of who he was or how he got there. Letting out a little sigh, you rub at your eyes and lean back in your chair. Last time I saw him, we went over the last thing he remembered... What was it. He was... He was running. He was running away from someone. He got away from them and then he felt a white hot pain. And something about a pocket watch...

Turning the page of the file, you open it to find a little drawing he did during your last session of the pocket watch he remembered. “I should put out some fliers and help him find the fob watch. Maybe if he actually holds it, it might trigger some memories. Maybe then-”

A knock at the door gets your attention. “Yes?”

“Doctor, it’s Crystal. She’s here early and she’s... she’s practically demanding to see you.”

Getting to your hooves, you open the door and poke your head out to see a rather ragged looking mare stand before you. “Crystal... Come in, come in, please...”

Crystal practically barges in and pushes you aside before closing and locking the door. “I’m in trouble...” she says as she presses herself against the door. “I’m in so much trouble...”

“Crystal, please, you’re not making sense... How are you in trouble, what did you do?”

She shakes her head and turns to you, her eyes bloodshot. “I didn’t do anything... They just... They just want me. I don’t know why, but they want me and they’re following me and...”

“Who’re ‘they’? Please, just calm down and-”

“I CAN’T CALM DOWN!” she screams. “They almost... They almost...”

Gingerly, you put a hoof around her and lead Crystal to the chair. “Just calm down and tell me what’s going on.”

Taking a deep breath, she grips the chair and lets out a long, deep sigh. “It... It started after you took me to the hospital. I was brought into a room and... and they... They were different, they weren’t-”

She stops dead and looks at you like an animal that just realized there was something right behind it.

“Crystal, what’s wrong? Crystal, please, you’re scaring me. Just tell me what’s going on and-”

Before you can get another word out, Crystal is to her hooves and barreling out the door. “Crystal, wait!” you yell out. But it’s no use, she’s already gone. “Nurse Careheart, call the police and tell them that Crystal is currently on the run,” you say, holding the phone up to her. Running to the door, you stick your head out and look in every direction, but she’s nowhere to be found. “She was scared. I’d never seen her so scared...” You mumble as you turn back to Nurse Careheart. “She’s afraid. She thinks somepony is after her and she’s terrified of what they’ll do to her. Who it is and what they’ll do, I have no idea... Just make sure they know to approach carefully. And tell them to call me immediately once they find her.”

“I’ll... I’ll do that...” she says as she picks up the phone, her eyes still looking towards the door that swung openly. “Should... Should I tell them anything else?”

You shake your head and walk over to the coffeepot. “Not that I can think of...” you say as you pour yourself a cup. And here I thought it was going to an easy day, today...

“Changed your mind about the coffee?” Nurse Careheart asks mid-dial.

“Yeah... I need something to steady my nerves.” you say before taking a sip. “The whole thing when she was screaming and... how terrified she looked. It was just...”

Kinda like looking in a mirror...

The door opens again. This time, Rarity walks in with a small basket balanced on her back. She looks to you with a smile, but it falters slightly. “Are you okay, dear? You don’t look so good...” her eyes shift to your cup of coffee. “And I hate to be overbearing, but... you really shouldn’t be drinking coffee. You know, with how bad your stomach has been.”

You roll your shoulders and drink down the last of your coffee. “I’m feeling better, I promise. Besides, I wouldn’t be drinking this if I didn’t think I needed it.”

“Well... Okay then. Are you currently with a patient or can I come into your office?” Rarity asks before setting her basket down. “You didn’t have anything for breakfast, so I packed a couple of breakfast sandwiches you like so much.”

“Oooh, what kind?” you say, licking your lips as you trot over to her, peering into the basket.

“One is egg, the other is mushroom and cheese,” she says, levitating them out. “Why don’t we go into your office so you can sit down and enjoy these?”

“Sure, just give me a moment... I need to put away a patient file.” Walking into your office again, you start to gather up Time Turner’s papers when everything starts to spin ever so slightly. “Whoa...” you say with a heavy breath, cradling your head.

You try to shake the feeling off and put the papers away in the filing cabinet before sitting down on your patient’s couch. Cradling your head you let out another moan, just as Rarity peeks her head in.

“Honey, are you alright?” she asks above a whisper.

“I’m... I’m fine,” you say, steadying yourself. “I just got one hell of a headrush for some reason...”

Rarity walks in and closes the door behind. “Listen, you should probably lay down for a moment if you’re feeling dizzy or lightheaded.”

You shake your head and attempt to get your hooves. “No, no... I’m fine, really I’m-”

As soon as you try to stand, everything starts to spin again, forcing you back down on the couch.

“Really now?” she asks as she walks over to you, grabbing your back hooves and placing them on the couch with the rest of you. “Just lay down. You’ll feel better in a moment.”

Bringing your hooves to your face, you hold your head and let out a low sigh and close your eyes. “This is definitely new...” you say under your breath. “I really hope I feel like this because I haven’t eaten...”

Smell hits your nose and sends your stomach grumbling. Opening your eyes, Rarity looks to you with a little smile as she unwraps the rest of the sandwich before giving it to you. “You haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday. Of course you’re hungry. I’m surprised you hadn’t asked for something to eat earlier.”

You take the sandwich from her and barely inspect it before taking a giant bite from it. “Mmmmm... I don’t know why, I guess I just wasn’t hungry when I woke up,” you say through your chewing. You swallow before looking up to Rarity smiling. “Sich bedanken... For everything.”
(Translation: Thank you so much... For everything)

Rarity places a hoof on your head and runs a hoof through your mane, smiling as she looks down at you. “You’d do the same for... Well, you did do the same for me. So, don’t thank me. Just think of it as me returning the favor.”

You can’t help but crack a goofy smile and chuckle under your breath. “Oh please... You’re doing more for me than I’ve ever done for you. You’re starting to spoil me.”

“Just as you’ve spoiled me, my little-”

***********************************************************

Away in a madhouse confined to my bed... from visions and nightmares that fill me with dread~

You grip your head and slowly sit up, the sound of someone singing the only thing ringing in your ears.

The doctor has sweetly inserted a probe... to severe completely my pre-frontal lobe...

Looking around, the room you were in looked oddly familiar. Walking around, you look over the plain white walls, black floor, and iron doors before it hits you. “This looks like one of the old psych wards I visited during my fellowship...” you mumble under your breath as you wander over to one of the hallways. “Hello!” you call out down the hallway, the singing growing louder the closer you got.

Electroshock therapy... mind numbing pills... they change my behavior to cure all my ills...

Walking down the hall, you stop mid stride and bring a hoof up to your face and take a deep breath. “No... No, no. I’m dreaming. I’m dreaming and I need to wake up... Wake up. Wake up.” you chant under your breath. “Wa... Why am I moving?” Looking down at your feet, you watch in silent horror as they start to move on their own accord; closer to the voice that was singing. The voice that sounded more than familiar.

I LOVE the ASYLUM! My OWN padded CELL! I’ll stay here FOREVER!

“Wake up, wake, wake up...” you chant louder, hoping in vain that it might actually do something as you’re brought into a room where a familiar pony was strapped to a table.

IVs of all kinds were feeding unknown chemicals into his blood, metal clamps were fastened to the side of his head and crackled with electricity. But that wasn’t the thing that terrified you the most. It was the way that pony who looked like you, gazed in your direction: with empty, glazed over eyes and a perfect hole drilled in the middle of his skull.

“WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!”

A smile cracks across your doppelganger’s face as he yanks at the IVs and undoes his restraints. “I’ll stay here forever... because outside... It’s hell.”

Your knees shook violently and your heart raced a mile a minute in your chest as your doppelganger moved closer and closer before walking up to you and wrapping his hooves around your throat while you stood there in dumbfounded horror, unable to move a muscle as he started to squeeze.

“This is where you belong...”

You shake your head, tears welling up in your eyes. “No.”

“Come on... You know it’s true. So stop fighting and let it happen.”

***********************************************************

“NO!”

Bolting upright, you lean forward and pant aloud, your heart thundering in your chest. You swallow, your mouth unbearably dry and your throat feeling like sandpaper. As you try to steady yourself and get to your hooves, a set of voices reaches your ears.

I can’t sit idly by anymore, I know you’re doing something to him! I mean, look at this coffeepot! What’s this teal stuff at the bottom? That’s not natural!

It’s... It’s the coffee maker, I swear. Rarity, love, this is crazy, I wouldn’t-

It’s the same stuff in your desk I saw yesterday, I know that for a fact!

How... How did... You were in my desk?

While you were chatting me up and acting like lovestruck school filly. Yes, I know. You seriously think I wouldn’t notice you staring? Now get out of my way, I’m calling the police.

For a while, you hear nothing. That is, until a loud smash echoes through the room, followed by a gasp.

Fine! If you want to have it that way..You won’t stop me, I’ll go get them myself!

Groping for something to hold onto along the wall, you moan aloud, your head feeling heavy and your eyes still foggy. Stumbling to the door, you open it and peer out and find Nurse Careheart standing in the middle of the room.

“It’s all your fault...” you hear her mumble as she stands near the coffee pot.

“N... Nurse? Wh-What’s going on?”

She turns slowly, holding the coffeepot in one hoof and a mug in the other. “Oh, it’s nothing... Are you okay? You really don’t look so good.”

You shake your head and lean in the doorway. “No. I’m... I’m not. I thought I heard yelling. And Rarity. And you just... What’s happened, what’s-”

Nurse Careheart gives you an odd look and cocks her head. “Rarity? Rarity isn’t here, she hasn’t shown up yet. I think you’re hearing things doctor...” she says as she walks up to you with the mug. “Here, just drink this and you’ll feel better, I promise.”

Taking the mug in your hooves, the smell of coffee hits your nose and brings you a little calm. “I... I guess I am hearing things...”

Bringing the mug to your lips, you sip it gingerly.

“That’s it... just keep drinking... drink it all down...”

Something burns your throat and you try to stop, but Nurse Careheart places a hoof on the mug and tilts it up into your face. “I SAID DRINK IT!” she cries out, knocking you to the ground as she forces it into your face. The contents of the mug spill down your throat, some going into your lungs and sending you into a coughing fit.

“Careheart!” you sputter out, gagging and choking on hot coffee.

“She would have been mine... She would have been mine... But... But you screwed it all up! You-”

The door opens and Nurse Careheart jumps off of you in an instant, leaving you to gasp and sputter on the floor.

“No, no, no!” you hear Rarity cry out. “Darling, please... I shouldn’t have left you, I just... Please, are you alright?”

“R-Rarity? I’m fine...” you say as you struggle to your hooves. “I’m fine, re-”

Your throat goes numb as you look around at the room of ponies who just stare at you intently.

Rarity looks at you, her eyes full of fear.

Nurse Careheart watches with a small smile.

And the two stallions from the Ponyville Police Department approach you slowly.

“Sir? Sir, are you alright?”

You open your mouth to let him know you were, but just as you do, the stallion’s skin rips apart and a beast crawls it’s way out, snapping and snarling at you, making you do the only thing you can think of to do in that situation.

Scream.

Screaming at the top of your lungs, you back up and press yourself up against the wall, terrified out of your mind as the creature grows closer and closer. “STAY BACK! STAY BACK!” you scream out through the wails, hot tears running down your face.

The other stallion moves and starts to rot before your eyes as he draws closer. “There’s nowhere to run,” he mumbles before turning into a skeleton right before your eyes, holding out a bony hoof that grew closer and closer to grabbing you.

“NOOO! NOOO!”

A pair of hooves grab your face and turn you, until you came face to face with the mutilated face of your beloved Rarity who smiled at you through bloody teeth. “I’m going to rip you to shreds and make a rug out of you.”

You try to let out another scream, but nothing comes out this time other than small whimper as you collapse to the ground, sobbing as you shake, your terrified mind unable to process the world around you as it changed and twisted. Closing your eyes, you curl up into the fetal position and let out a low moan.

“Grab him.”

That’s the last thing you hear before everything fades away.

***********************************************************

“Away... in a madhouse... confined to my bed... From visions and nightmares that fill me with dread... Come on... Sing along!”

You strain against your straight jacket and bury your head into the corner of the room. “Go awaaay...” you mumble out. “Just leave me alone, I-”

A hoof grabs the back of your head and tilts your head up until you’re looking your doppelganger square in the eyes.

“You’re not alone. Not anymore. So get used to it you wertloses Stück Müll.”
(Translation: ... worthless piece of trash)

Out of the corner of your eye, a nightmare version of Rarity licks her lips and drags the back of a knife down her studded leather corset. “Mmmm, darling. I just can’t wait to get a taste of you...”

“This isn’t real, this isn’t real...” you say through grit teeth, your eyes welling up with tears. “This isn’t-”

Gripping your head, your doppelganger slams your face into the side of your window and laughs aloud. “It’s real enough! So get used to it, Müll!” Looking outside, you feel yourself whimper as the words of the side of building mirror in the lake in front of it.

Manehattan Psych Ward

Bringing his own face close to yours, your doppelganger smiles a toothy grin, showing off teeth that looked like needles and whispers so close, you can feel his hot breath on your coat.

“Welcome home~”

Chapter 5

“Where’d she go where’d she go where’d she go...”

Sucking in air through your teeth, you try to force your eyes shut tighter and clamp your hooves down around your ears.

“Please please please please...”

“Come now, darling! Is that anyway to treat a lady in your present company?”

Your jaw tightens and you start to grind your teeth before screaming aloud. “YOU’RE NOT REAL! YOU’RE NOT HERE!”

“We’re as real as we need to be, boy.”

“GO AWAY! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!” You slam your head back into the wall of your room and let out a long sob. “Just leave me alone...”

Letting out a long, haggard breath, you open your eyes and look around the room. “I’m... I’m still in Ponyville. I’m not here... I’m not ever going to be here.”

“You sure about that? How do you know you’re not hallucinating this? You still could be checked into the happy hotel, boy. You could be a drooling mess on the floor and you’d never-”

“No, no, no! No! She said help me, she said she’d be there... She would never let that happen.”

Falling over to your side, you stare off into the distance and count your breaths. “Rarity will be here. She’ll help me. I know it.”

Your doppelganger appears out of thin air and walks in front of you, leaning down so that you and him were eye to eye.

“And what makes you think that? What makes you think she hasn’t abandoned-”

“SHE WOULDN’T ABANDON ME!” you scream aloud. Shaking slightly, you feel hot tears run down your face. “S-She loves me... And I love her... Rarity w-wouldn’t do that. She promised.”

In the blink of an eye, your world shifts and you find yourself tied down to a bed that looked like the one you first woke up in.

“T...This isn’t real...” you groan out as you pull at your restraints. “I’m not here! I’m-”

“Medication time! Medication time!”

A familiar white unicorn walked through the door, wearing white scrubs and toting a tray of syringes. “Well hey there Fritz! How’s my favorite headcase doing?”

“Go away! You’re not real, you’re not the real Bones, yo-AAHHH!”

In one swift motion, he slams one of the needles into your shoulders and depresses the plunger. “We’ve had this conversation every day for the last ten years... You’re really here, Fritz. You really are.”

Closing your eyes again and gritting your teeth, you shut out every noise and start mumbling under your breath.

“I’m not here... I’m not here... She’ll help me... She’ll help me...”

“Going on about your imaginary girlfriend, huh? Well... Good luck with that. She wasn’t here the first day you said she’d be here, and she hasn’t come all these years later. Might as well just give up.”

“Shut up, shut up!”

You feel your eyes tear up again as the pony’s words dig into you. “Rarity will be here... She’ll help me.”

**************************************************************

He’s not getting any better...

But he’s not getting any worse.

Isn’t there anything else we can do for him?

I’ve given him sedatives to control the fits so he doesn’t hurt himself again, but other than that, I honestly don’t know without knowing what-

Doctor! There’s someone here to see you... A zebra. She says she needs to see you immediately.

Zecora?

You know her?

I do. She’s a friend of mine. I don’t know why she’s here, though...

...Send her in.

Zecora, why are you here? I mean... It’s not that I don’t want to see you it’s just-

News travels fast and I have heard, of the lovestruck mare with plans absurd.

I... Yes. It’s... It’s quite absurd... That... That bit-

Hold your tongue and listen well! I know what holds your loved one in this spell.

Wait, you do? How could you? I’ve run every blood test I could and I haven’t been able to find anything that could do this!

Dream Orchids plague his mind while poison joke leaves him blind... I must admit that the fault is mine. I gave the orchid to that swine.

Nurse Careheart... You gave this... ‘Dream Orchid’ to Nurse Careheart?

Why did you give it to her? You didn't know what she was using it for, did you?

She paid good money for the plant, telling that sleep she can't. On it’s own, the Orchid is tame, bringing sweet dreams for a pony to claim. I-

“SHE WOULDN’T ABANDON ME!”

...I thought you said h-he was sedated.

He is. Heavily, in fact. I... I don’t know how he’s talking.

Those would be the orchids making him see, a certain mare he thinks is absentee.

“S-She loves me... And I love her... Rarity w-wouldn’t do that. She promised.”

He...He’s crying.

I’m going to up the drip on his sedative... Rarity, keep an eye on him and call for the nurse if anything happens. Zecora, I don’t know anything about these orchids. I’m going to need you to tell me everything.

So then lead the way! Come now, your friend doesn’t have all day!

I don’t know if you can hear me... But I’m here, love. I’ll always be right here for you, no matter what.

**************************************************************

Looking up to the ceiling of the room again, you take a deep, labored breath and let it out slowly.

“Feels like there’s a weight on my chest...”

“And a weight on your mind... How about I mine your gray matter, darling?”

Glancing over to the side of your bed, you let out a tired sigh. “You’re not real. I don’t care what you have to say. You’re not Rarity.”

The white unicorn let out a giggle and placed a hoof on your chest, trailing it down slowly. “Ohh, come on, of course I’m real, darling.” The mare who looked like Rarity stared at you almost predatorily, a hungry smile on her face. “Just let it happen... No strings, no commitment. Just take me.”

You stare into her eyes, getting lost in them and smiling a bit. She looks so real... Like I could just reach out and touch her... As if on its own accord, your hoof just does that and starts to reach out for her. What if this is real? What if-

Your thoughts are cut short when your hoof rubs against her cheek and you don’t feel anything. No soft, warm feeling of her skin; nothing. If that wasn’t enough, the longer you stare into her eyes, the more obvious it became.

“Your eyes...” you mumble aloud, rolling back onto the bed.

“Yes, I know... They’re lovely, aren’t th-”

Throwing your head back and laughing like a madpony possessed, you look over to mare and cackled, catching her off guard and making her back up slowly. “They’re ugly! There’s no shine in them,” you scream out, still laughing out. “It’s like looking at some sort of doll that walks and talks... FACE IT! YOU’RE NOT HER AND YOU NEVER WILL BE!”

The Rarity look alike scowls and stomps over to the bed before lifting a hoof down and bringing it right down on your stomach, knocking the air out of you.

“Stop it! Just sto-”

Her hooves find themselves around your neck and start to squeeze the life out of you.

“Don’t ever tell me what to do,” she spits at you, her face not even an inch away from yours. “You’re nothing but a sniveling little wimp. You ca-”

**************************************************************

“-n do this... We’ll get through this together. So please, stop screaming... I’m here. I’ll always be here for you.”

Your eyes dart around the room, your mind having hard time processing where you were. “H...Hospital...” you finally mumble aloud. You try to take a breath, but it’s strained thanks to the Rarity look alike that was currently clinging to you and choking the air out of you.

“Let go of me, let go!” you scream out, putting your hooves on her chest and shoving her away. “Just leave me alone!”

Curling into a ball and burying your face into the covers, you half expect for her to lash out again. Sobbing aloud, you brace yourself. “Just leave me alone...”

Instead, you felt an uneasy hoof on your head that started running through your mane. “Darling? C-Can you hear me?”

You open your eyes slowly and look up to her. “Just go away...” you moan out as you hold your head. “I know you’re not re-”

You gasp out in surprise as you feel a pair of hooves grab onto your shoulders and yank you until you’re sitting upright and staring into Rarity’s eyes. “Look at me. I’m here. I’m right here with you.”

Blinking a few times, you gingerly reach out and run a hoof down Rarity’s cheek and she smiles at you, despite the tears.

Your mouth and throat go dry as you stare at her, part of you unable to accept it. “Please,” you half whisper, your eyes growing wet. “Please tell me you’re real.”

“I’m real, I’m real!” Rarity squeaks out before wrapping her hooves around you and hugging you tight. “I’m really here!”

You feel collapsing in her grip and cry into her shoulder. “Oh sweet sisters above, I never thought I’d see you again... H-How long have I been-”

“A little while. After the police brought you here, your doctor friend put you under... You’ve been asleep for about seven... eight hours.”

“It’s felt like days... Weeks, even.” You let out a little laugh and hold her even tighter. “So... What did Bones do to cure me?”

Rarity hooves run down your mane as she lets go of you before looking at you face to face. “D...Darling... He hasn’t done anything yet. He’s been talking to Zecora this entire time. To be honest, I don’t know how you’re awake right now.”

Your stomach sinks into your hooves as the realization hits you. “...Oh. W-Well... I think, uh, we should talk to him. Let him know I’m awake.”

“I’ll get the nurse, then.” Getting to her hooves slowly, lingering for a moment before letting you go and walking over to the dog. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”

You give her a weak smile and wave before curling up slightly. “I...I’m here. I’m actually here. That’s actually Rarity and-” Your gaze shifts to the IV in your foreleg and the drip bag it was hooked up. Instantly recognizing what was in it, you grab a hold of the tape and needle carefully and pull it out.

I don’t want to sleep again. Not now, not ever if I can help it...

Tossing it aside, you lean back slightly and let out a sigh of relief.

“Darling? I’m coming in with the nurse, okay?”

“It’s okay!” you call out, trying to put on a plastic smile.

The door opens and Rarity walks in slowly, the nurse on her heels. But not the nurse you were expecting.

“C...Careheart.” Your throat goes dry as Nurse Careheart looks to you with a wide grin before pulling out a pouch of bluish-green powder. “What are you doing here?”

She stops midstride and lets out a cackle that makes you stand up on the bed and back up away from her. “I’ve come to finish the job, what do you think I’m here to do?”

“GET HER OUT OF HERE!” you scream at the top of your lungs. “GET AWAY FROM ME YOU PSYCHOPATH!”

“Calm down, calm down!” Rarity cries out as she dives for you before you can make a break for the window. “You need to calm down, just listen to me!”

Your heart races a mile a minute as Rarity forces you to look at her. “Just listen. Nurse Careheart has been arrested and she’s being charged as we speak. She’s not here. That’s not her. That’s Nurse Redheart. Now say it.”

“I-”

“No, don’t even start. Repeat after me. ‘Nurse Careheart is not here. She’s not going to hurt me. There are three ponies in the room right now. Myself, Rarity, and Nurse Redheart.’ Now say it.”

Closing your eyes, you try catch your breath. “N-Nurse Careheart is not here... She’s no-not going to hurt me. There are... There are three ponies in the room right now! Myself, Rarity, and Nurse Redheart...”

“Just keep thinking that, okay darling?” Rarity coos into your ear as she reaches out, embracing you tightly. “And try to think of it like this... Would I really let Nurse Careheart into your room after what she did?”

It hits you and you nod slowly. “Y-You’re right... If she really would have tried to come in, you would have bucked her into next county...”

“Um, Rarity... Should I leave?”

You quickly whip around and find yourself staring not at Nurse Careheart, but Redheart.

“...I, uh... I...” you pant aloud, your heart pounding in your ears. Looking back and forth between Nurse Redheart and Rarity, you let out a laugh. “Kinda... Kinda silly now that I take stock of everything, huh? I mean... It’s silly. Thinking that... That Careheart was back here a-and...”

You don’t know whether it’s the stares both mares give you, just how real everything felt just a few moments ago, or the hoof Rarity puts on your back, but you can’t help but start sobbing out.

“It was so REAL...” you mumble out as you draw your legs into your chest. “I looked at her and she... she looked back. I talked and-”

“I heard the screaming!”

The door to your hospital room opens up and for a split second, you see your friend Bones before he changed right in front of you into the orderly from your nightmares.

He looks your way and flashes a devilish smile before turning to the zebra next to him, dressed in the same scrubs and wearing the same toothy grin.

The look on your face says it all and soon Rarity’s to her feet and galloping towards the door.

“Out, out, out, out!” she screams, pushing them through the doorway.

“Oh come on,” Bones says aloud. “We just want to play with him...”

“You can see him when he isn’t coming down from a panic attack! If you come in right now, you’re only going to make it worse!” Slamming the door, she turns around and lets out a heavy sigh. “Nurse Redheart? Can you please explain the situation to the doctor, please?”

“I’ll get right on that.” She shoots you a quick glance and a worried smile before disappearing out the door, leaving just you and Rarity in the room.

“It’s okay, darling. I’m here for you.” Rarity says before sitting down at the end of your bed. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m not gonna lie. I almost lost it there again...” Taking a deep breath, you move your back to the head of the bed. “I need to hear it again, Rarity... Please tell me this is real.”

Crawling towards you and wrapping her hooves around you, she rocks back and forth, whispering into your ear. “It’s real, darling... It’s all real. You’re here with me.”

You let out a sigh of relief and hug her back. “Thank you,” you half whisper before planting a kiss on her cheek. “You have no idea how that makes me feel to hear that...”

“I can gather a guess... But no, I don’t think I’ll ever know unless I experience it myself.” Adjusting herself, she brings her face to yours and looks into your eyes. “Or you tell me. Now darling... I want to help you. I really do. So when you’re feeling up for it, we’re going to sit down and we’re going to talk this all out and you will get better.”

All you can do is smile from ear to ear and lean in slowly, planting a kiss on her lips and making her gasp out in surprise. “I love you more than anything in the world right now... Wanna know why?”

“Why?” she asks with a little giggle before kissing back.

“Because... If anypony else walked into that room and said I’d get better, I wouldn’t believe them. So it means the world coming from you.”

Rarity gives you a smile and draws you in for a tight hug. “Get some rest, darling I-”

“No, no, no, no...” you say with a nervous laugh, shaking your head quickly. “I’m not going to sleep. Not after all those dreams and nightmares... I just...”

“We can talk about it if you want.”

You continue to shake your head and instead cuddle into Rarity, making her blush deeply. “I’d rather just lay here, if that’s okay...”

She goes quiet for a while and instead of saying anything, she starts running her hoof through your mane, making you smile.

This is real. This has to be real...

**************************************************************

“Come on... Come on...”

Tapping your hoof against the side of your bed again and again, you do your best to keep yourself calm. Calm down. Just calm down. She’ll be back any second now. She said she was going to just talk with Bones and be right back.

Glancing at the clock, you grind your teeth and tap a little faster. “Where is she?

As if right on cue, the door opens and you feel yourself calm down just a bit more. “So, what did Bones have to say?”

“Well...” Rarity says, glancing towards the floor. “There’s no bad news.”

“But?”

“But...” Letting out a heavy sigh, she sits down on the bed and takes your hoof. “But they don’t have a treatment. The only option on the table is to wait until this... Poison leaves your body.”

“Rarity, this thing will be the death of me!” you cry out. “I keep hallucinating things and it’s getting harder and harder to ignore them.”

Rarity leans forward, a concerned look on her face. “Are you seeing anything now?”

“No...” you say, shaking your head. “Not now. But I swear there was something on the ceiling around 20 minutes ago. But it didn’t scare me it just... The fact that I was seeing anything at all is the thing that really shakes me.”

“It must but hard... And Zecora said she was sending letters to her family back home to see if they had any idea what to do, but we must face the fact that, at the moment, we don’t have an easy way out for this.”

“Nothing’s ever easy, is it?” you say aloud as your run your hooves down your face. “Alright... Well... Let’s look at the positives, shall we? At least I’m not screaming anymore.” Letting out a dry laugh, you look down to the floor as you try to think of any other positives.

“Here’s another. I talked with the bank and they put a hold on the loan,” Rarity says with a small smile. “I had to chew out the bank manager and tell him it’d make quite a story about how they foreclosed on a stallion who was in the hospital and couldn’t work.”

“No, no, no, you didn’t...” you moan out in frustration. “Rarity, I-”

Rarity glares at you and utters a single, strong word. “Stop.”

Closing your mouth, she reaches out and grabs onto your shoulders.

“Don’t make any excuses, don’t make any promises. Don’t tell me how you’re fine and how you can still work. You don’t have to and I don’t want you to. All I want is for you to get better. Okay?”

You shake your head rub your brow. “I just... I just can’t stop thinking about how much of a let down this must be... I wanna do this to make you happy, and I feel like I’ve disappointed you if I-”

“You wanna know you make me happy?” Rarity asks sternly, her eyes starting to tear up. “By waking up and looking at me like everything is going to be okay after you’ve been dragged away, kicking and screaming to gods know where. And you know how else you can make me happy? Actually thinking about yourself right now and not me.”

By now, she was crying in earnest and before you can say a single word, she throws herself at you and hugs you tight. “I was s-so scared...” she whimpers aloud. “I was scared I’d never see you again when you were taken away and I was scared you wouldn’t be yourself when you woke up.”

Hugging back, you do your best to comfort her. “Well... I’m still worrying about you and I keep trying to do what I think will make you happy... Does that still sound like me?”

For a few moments, she’s dead silent and you feel a pang of worry your heart, but it soon disappears when she starts laughing into your shoulder. “Y-Yes...” she snickers aloud, wiping tears from her eyes. “Yes, that does sound like you...”

Breaking the embrace and getting to her hooves. “Well then,” Rarity says, straightening herself out and giving you a warm smile. “Are you hungry?”

The question alone is enough to make your stomach rumble aloud at you. “Ohhh yes... I’d love something to eat right now.”

Looking around the room for a quick second, she smiles when she sees the phone on the wall and trots up to it, pulling receiver off of its cradle and looking to you. “Are you in the mood for anything specific, darling? If you want, I can give your parents a call up. I’m sure they’d be happy to come by and drop off a home cooked Mecklesh meal.”

You smile for just a second before it quickly disappears. “Umm... It might not be the best idea for them to see me while I’m still... you know,” you say sheepishly. “The last thing I want to do is scare them if I have another... episode.”

Rarity nods slowly and bites her lip, looking lost and thought before her eyes widen and a smile appears on her face. “I know of this Misaki couple who moved in a few weeks ago and started their own little takeout restaurant. Pinkie was telling me about how she tried their ‘inari maki’ and how great it tasted. Would you mind if I ordered something from them?”

“Anything sounds good right now. But, yeah go ahead that-Wait, you said takeout? As in...” your voice grows a little quiet as you look to her, your cheeks growing red with embarrassment. “As in, you have to leave?

“Ohhh...” she says, her expression softening. “It’s alright... I don’t have to go out anywhere, I can just call up another place and have it deliv-”

“No, no, no. Rarity, I don’t want you to dance around me like glass or change anything you do just to make me feel better... Just place the order and go get it. I’ll just be here waiting for you.”

Rarity stares at you intently for a moment before letting a long breath. “Are.... Are you sure?”

You give her a single nod. She stares right back at you before letting out a sigh.

“Well... Alright.” She quickly starts to dial the phone and leans against the wall as you reclined back in your bed. “Hello, I’d like to place an order. Rarity. I’m sorry, but I don’t exactly have a menu in front of me, so- Ah, yes! Thank you. Mmhm.”

You simply look over to her as she continues to play and bite at her lip as she listens.

“Mmhm... Ohh wow, that sounds good... Well then, can I get two orders of that Sansai soba and... What was that first thing you said, again please? Ah! Yes, two orders of Kappamaki as well, please? Alright then, thank you very much.”

Rarity hangs up the phone and gives you a little smile before grabbing onto the doorknob. “I’ll be back in five minutes, ten at the most okay?”

You smile back and wave. “Okay. And thank you. For everything.” You blush when she blows you a kiss right before closing the door, leaving you with a smile and a warm feeling in your heart.

No sooner than she’s gone, the phone on the wall starts to ring. It rings a second time, a third, and by the fourth, you’re on your hooves and walking towards it. Maybe that Misaki restaurant is calling back for some reason... you think as you grab a hold of the receiver and bring it to your ear.

“Hello, this is-”

“I know who you are, you dummkopf.”

Your throat goes dry and every fiber of your being screams at you to hang up, but you just can’t bring yourself to. Your own voice was coming from the phone.

This is NOT real... This is NOT real.

“What do you want?” you manage to squeak out.

For a while, the other side of the line is quiet but a shiver goes down your spine when you hear a low, deep laughter.

“You know... I think this is our best torture yet. Making you think you’re back with your beloved in Ponyville. It’s actually fun watching you blunder about, acting like everything’s schön und gut. Das ist ja schön und gut, aber... Come on. How long are you going to keep fooling yourself?”
[Translation: ...everything’s fine and dandy. That’s all well and good, but...]

“You’re lying! I know you’re lying, this is real and you’re not here I-”

“Umm... Are you alright in there?” you hear Nurse Redheart call from the other side of the door. “Do you want me to come in?”

Glancing around the room, you take a moment before hanging up the phone and walking towards the door and opening it slowly, only to find yourself staring face to face with Nurse Redheart. “I... I don’t know. I know I’m still, well... I’m just having a hard time getting everything straight in my head.”

“I’m not going to come in unless you truly want me to. So, if you need me for anything, you know where the call button is,” she says with a little nod. “And also... I just wanted you to know that we’re here for you. Me, the doctor, your friends, your family. We’re all here for you.”

“Thanks,” you say with a wide smile and a laugh. “Just gotta... Remember that I’m not in over my head and that I got ponies to lean on.”

Nurse Redheart gives you another smile and you smile back before shutting the door and taking a much needed breath. “Just gotta lay down... That’s all I need right now.”

Dragging your hooves over to the bed, you crawl in and sprawl out and stare up at the ceiling. “I don’t know if I can do this... At least now I see the temptation in psych meds... I’d do anything for a magic pill to make this all just go away...”

Bringing your hooves up to your face, you cover your eyes and try to relax, every muscle in your body still tensed since you answered the phone.

“Just gotta rest...”

**************************************************************

“Darling?”

Yelping aloud and flailing, you sit up quickly and look around the room. “I-What...”

“Darling, were you sleeping? Or did you not hear me the first time?”

Looking over to Rarity and the bag she held, the gears begin to turn and you manage a dry laugh. “I, uh... I guess I was. Did you just get back?”

“I did~” she says happily as she sets the bag down. “So eat up.”

Reaching into the bag, she pulls out two plastic bowls with covers and gives you one of them. “Sansai. Wild vegetable,” Rarity says as she opens her bowl and levitates a pair of chopsticks in the air. “It’s supposed to be good for you, or at least that’s Mrs. Itame said.”

“Mrs. Itame?” you ask as you fiddle around with chopsticks before setting them aside and bringing your lips to the bowl.

“I had a little chat with her while her husband was working on our order. She’s a very nice lady and I might just become a regular of hers.”

Swallowing a mouthful of broth and noodles, you let out a satisfied sigh and smile. “Well, next time you see her, tell her that her husband is quite the chef... This is really good.”

Rarity smiles back for a second, but it quickly fades and her eyes move towards the floor. “I... also talked with the doctor. He wants to keep you here overnight for observation. That’s not going to be a problem, is it?”

You hesitate for a moment and look down to your meal. “I... I don’t know. I honestly don’t. You won’t be here if I did, will you?”

“I already asked about that... I told him I could sleep in the waiting room and he-”

“No, no! You don’t have to do that for me, honest. I don’t want you messing up your back by sleeping in those chairs.”

“If you’ll let me finish,” she says in sharp tone. “He said that won’t be necessary. He’s moving you to the sleep lab to monitor your... umm... I think he said REM sleep patterns.”

You blink a few times in surprise and cock your head. “Did he say any idea why?”

“He said something along the lines of ‘thinking that your REM sleep might have something to do with the hallucinations’,” Rarity says as she sets her half empty bowl aside. “That means I won’t be in the same room as you. I’ll still be here in the hospital, but-”

“Rarity?”

She straightens herself slightly and looks into your eyes. “I’ve... I’ve been through a lot today. I really have. So go tell Bones to schedule the sleep test for another night.”

Rarity’s jaw drops slightly and her voice raises a level. “But darling! This is important, you can’t just reschedule.”

“I feel like a rope that’s just a few strands away from breaking. Rarity, I want to go home tonight and curl up in bed with you and just go to sleep and wake up with you holding me so I know everything’s alright. Is that so much to ask for?”

“I... Well...” A deep blush creeps up the mare’s face until she’s smiling from ear to ear. Leaning in for a quick kiss, she gets to her hooves and walks towards the door. “I’ll let him know. And hey, it might be good if he can go home and get a little sleep himself. He definitely needs it.”

“Yeah... Bones is a good friend, but he can overdo it sometimes.” In a snap decision, you get off of the bed and walk behind Rarity into the hall. “I want to come with you.”

She shoots you a nervous glance, but smiles and holds the door open for you. “Alright... Just remember, I’m here for you. Now... We’re just gonna walk down the hall and into the doctor’s office. He’s going to be sitting at his desk or have his nose buried a book and Zecora will be there with him. And they’re both trying to make you better.”

Taking a deep breath and standing in front of the door with Rarity, you repeat those words again and again in your head as you both walk in. Both the white stallion with the bags under his eyes and the yawning Zebra both look to you in surprise.

“Fritz! How are you feeling?”

You let out a sigh of relief and feel yourself start to smile. “I could be better, not gonna lie... But it’s good to see another friendly face.”

“So, I wanna get you in for a sleep study. I’ve been doing some research and some doctors are noticing a link between REM sleep and the mental condition. I-”

“Bones? I know. Rarity was telling me about how you want me to spend the night here and... Can we just do it tomorrow? I really, really just want to go home for now.”

The white unicorn opens his mouth to protest, but Zecora steps in and holds up a hoof before he can say a word.

“It’s easy to see he wants to leave with his love, this hospital he has grown sick of. Don’t you think it’s best to give him what he needs, while you rest and I search for new leads?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Really, I can-”

“Doctor?” Rarity says, stepping forward slightly. “Don’t you think you should get a good night’s sleep? You’ve been up for so long and you might not be thinking too clearly. Your judgement might be clouded.”

The white unicorn looks around at the three ponies just staring at him before letting out a sigh of defeat. “Welp... I know I when I’m beat. And you’re right. I really, really could use some sleep right now.” Getting to his hooves, he makes his way for the door and stops mid-stride before staring at you. “I wanna see you here tomorrow morning. No exceptions, no excuses. I’m not done, not by a long shot.”

“Sleep tight, Bones!” you call out as he makes his way down the hall.

“You should do the same, you two... I have a feeling there’s more to get through.” Zecora says as she follows him out. “Take care.”

Just as you watched the two make their leave, Rarity joins them and drags the tip of her tail underneath your chin. “Come on, dear. We’ll finish our dinner at home. And I think you’ll feel a bit better when you see what Sweetie Belle has made for you.”

Smiling bashfully, you follow her out the door and into the streets of Ponyville. “What did she make?”

“A get well card. She started making it when I told her you were in the hospital.”

“I’m sure it’s lovely,” you say with a little chuckle. You let out a long yawn and stumble mid-step before grumbling under your breath. “This isn’t going to be fun...”

“Something wrong?”

“Just... Not too optimistic about a good night’s sleep.”

“What do you mean?” Rarity asks, cocking her head at you. “Is it because of...”

“Yes and no. I’ll explain more when we get home.”

**************************************************************

“Ooooh... I am so full~” Rarity says with wide smile as she crawled into bed. “That soba was delicious! We really should order ou... Is something wrong?”

“I hate this feeling... I’m exhausted and want to sleep, but you know...” Stopping mid-sentence, you let out a long yawn before curling up under the sheets, lying on your side and looking over to Rarity. “I really just don’t want to sleep. Especially after all those nightmares.”

Reaching out and grabbing a hold of you, Rarity draws your face into her chest and plants a kiss on your forehead. “Even if you have those dreadful nightmares, I’ll be here. I’ll be here to let you know everything’s alright. Because I promised.”

You wrap your own hooves around Rarity’s midsection and squeeze her back, eliciting a giggle from her. “Good to know... I-”

You feel your whole body tense up as you hear a child laughing echo through the room.

Oh sweet princesses above... Now I’m hearing stuff from The Shining...

Rarity’s brow furrows as she looks around the room before taking a deep breath. “Sweetie Belle, is that you laughing?”

The laughing stops and you feel yourself start to laugh under your breath before dragging a hoof down your face. “Huh? Umm.. Yeah, why?” you hear Sweetie Belle yell back.

“Just try and be quieter, okay? We’re trying to get some sleep.”

“Will do!”

Turning back to you, Rarity nuzzles her cheek against yours. “Get some sleep, honey... You deserve it.”

Feeling yourself melt in her grasp, you lean forward and plant a little kiss on her cheek. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Closing your eyes and letting out a long breath, you can’t help but beam.

Better to be here than hooked up to some machine... you think with a grin.

It isn’t long before you grow groggy and think less and less about what’s happened and instead drift off to sleep without a care in the world.

Chapter 7

Leaning back in your seat, you let out a sigh of relief as you stretch your legs and get them to let out a few pops from the joints.

“Ooph, could you please not do that?” Rarity asks as she looks up from her book. “Something about cracking joints just does not sound good.”

“Sorry,” you say in-between a yawn. “Forgot how long of a ride is to Mecklenburg. I knew I forgot something.”

“Well, I don’t know what else I can do for you, darling. We’re only an hour into the ride and have another two ahead of ourselves.”

“You could always read to me,” you say with a bit of a chuckle. “We can start a new program. I think ‘Reading Time with Rarity’ has a nice ring to it.”

Rarity laughs under her breath and idly flips a page. “Oh, I don’t think you’d be interested in what I’m reading...”

“What are you talking about?” Looking over the title, you roll your shoulders. “Swayback Mountain sounds alright for a western. I mean, it’s got a cowpony right there on the cover.”

“It’s a romance novel.”

“Are you sure you want me to read aloud the romantic conquests of two stallions, darling?” Rarity deadpans.

You blink a few times before inching back to your seat. “I’m good, thank you anyway.”

“Oh no, I actually like the idea. Here, let me read off a scene here for you: Twister held Ledge in his hooves, their lips meeting in a fiery-”

“I’m good, I’m good, I’m good,” you say holding up your hooves. “I think I’m alright with skipping out on ‘Reading Time with Rarity’ for now.”

Rarity gives you a smug grin. “I figured as much. You really don’t have a book or something to keep yourself occupied?”

You shake your head and sigh. “No, I was too excited. I just packed the bare necessities. Didn’t even think about the three hour train ride.”

“And I take it you’re... not tired?” She asks, raising a single eyebrow. “Or are you?”

“Yeah... Yeah, I’m kind of tired. I didn’t exactly want to, you know, alert the whole cabin in case-”

Rarity scooches over in her seat until she’s against the window and pats her lap. “Come lay down. I’ll keep an eye on you while you get some rest.”

You can’t help but smile and get up from your seat, only to sit down next to Rarity. “Thank you.”

Your smile quickly disappears and you furrow your brow in confusion. “Wait, how exactly is this going to work, I-”

Without looking away from her book, Rarity guides your head to her lap and runs a hoof through your mane as she continues to read.

Stealing a glance upward, you notice the stoic expression she’s trying to keep being betrayed by the tug of a smile as you get comfortable.

“Liebe Dich...” You say above a whisper.

Rarity’s smiling by now and you feel your eyelids start to droop slightly. “I’ll wake you up when we’re close. And if anything happens, just remember I’m right here, okay?”

You nod once and curl your legs underneath your body and let your eyes finally close, sleep taking you rather quickly.

************************************************************

With a sickening lurch, you’re thrown and hit the ground, prompting you to scramble to your hooves in sheer panic.

Oh gods, oh gods-

“Darling, darling, darling!”

Your heart hammers in your ears as you look around feverishly before locking eyes with Rarity. “The train stopped. It’s fine. You’re not hurt, are you?”

You nod slowly before running a hoof back through your mane. “Y-Yeah...No, I’m fine.” Taking a deep breath, you collect yourself. “Thought I was... having a nightmare. Why’d the train stop?”

As if on cue, the conductor’s voice echoes through the car’s speakers. “Folks, we got a bit of a problem on our hooves. Looks like some trees fell on the tracks. Don’t worry, we got the boys getting them out of the way right now. Shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes of work.”

“Well then... What now?” you ask aloud.

“I’d also like to remind passengers that lunch and beverages are currently being served in the dining cars.”

Rarity claps her hooves together and closes her book. “Wonderful! I was actually just starting to get hungry. Care to join me for a little brunch?”

You get to your hooves and follow after her. “Sure. Hopefully, the food isn’t anything the last time I ate on a train.”

“I assume it wasn’t the best?”

“Yeah,” you say with a nod. “Ended up with food poisoning and spent a day in bed.”

Rarity grimaces as she holds the door open for you. “Ooof, well here’s hoping nothing like that happens... We’re on vacation, it’d be horrible to start it with a trip to the hospital.”

As you walk into the car, your eyes dart to the window and you force yourself to blink repeatedly.

“Bist du in Ordnung?” Rarity asks as she puts a hoof on your shoulder.
[Translation: Are you alright?]

You let out a dry laugh. “Es gibt nichts. I thought I saw something.”
[Translation: It’s nothing.]

Your trip to the next car is done in silence and you wait for Rarity to press you further, but it never happens.

This time, you hold the door open for her and Rarity walks in, giving you a smile and a nod. Walking into the dining car after her, you sigh of relief.

Nothing. Nothing is going on.

Spotting a nearby table, you make a beeline for it and sit down with Rarity following shortly after.

“You’re tense,” Rarity states matter-of-factly as she grabs one of the menus. “I’m not going to press you, but please remember I just want to help you.”

You inhale sharply through your teeth before grabbing a hold of a menu for yourself. “You know what lucid dreaming is, right?”

Rarity remains quiet and simply nods.

“Well, you know a lot of my...” you pause and look around to see if anyone was listening. “...episodes are like that. I know I’m dreaming. But there’s not much I can do. I’m just... not 100% convinced that this isn’t a dream yet.”

Reaching out, Rarity grabs a hold of your hoof and brings you closer. “Look.”

She keeps her eyes wide and stares intently into yours. It takes a few seconds, but you let out a breath of relief.

“That’s you alright,” you say with a sigh of relief. “Those eyes are yours. This is real.”

Rarity smiles from ear to ear. “Good. But you know... If this is a dream, I could always-”

“Hello you two! My name is Constance and how may I help you today?”

You do your best to keep your composure and turn to the stallion. “Yes, um... could I get an orange soda and a daisy sandwich?”

“Well... I’ll have the summer salad and carrot juice if that’s okay.”

“Very good, I’ll be right back.”

Without another word, the waiter canters off to the end of the car leaving you and Rarity alone again.

“You were saying?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Rarity says with wave of the hoof. “I was going to tell you that if you want Ich könnte Ihr Traum in eine freche Traum drehen.”
[Translation: I could turn your dream into a naughty dream]

You try to stifle a laugh, but it ends up coming out as a snort. “Okay, yeah. Definitely not a dream.”

“Oh? What’s got you so convinced now?”

You lean in and give her a peck on the cheek. “Only the real you flirts like that.”

“Really?” Rarity asks with a playful look in her eye. “And how does the ‘dream me’ me flirt?”

Your eyes grow wide and you feel your cheeks start to grow red. “Well... There’s more...Peitschen und Ketten.”
[Translation: Whips and chains]

Now it’s Rarity’s turn to blush. “Oh my. So.. you... like that thing?”

You feel your throat tighten and your blush grow deeper. “I, uh... I-”

“And here you are!” Constance says, seeming to appear out of nowhere again. “Daisy sandwich, orange soda, carrot juice, and summer salad.”

You look over the sandwich and give the waiter a smile. “Thank you. And could we get the bill?”

“Oh don’t you worry about that. It’s a new policy ‘Free meal with purchase of ticket’,” he says with a wide smile. “Now, you two enjoy and just call if you need anything.”

You and Rarity nod before turning to your meal.

“Do you mind dropping...” you clear your throat. “That? Not something I’m comfortable talking about in public.”

“Alright, darling. Though... I’m not forgetting this topic,” she says with a smirk.

Ohhh boy... Das dicke Ende kommt noch, you think with a nervous smile.
[Translation: The worst is yet to come]

*****************************************************************

The whistle of the train snaps you from your thoughts and you look over to Rarity, who is just starting to wake up from her nap.

“Oooh, are we there now?” She asks before letting out a long yawn. “Excuse me.”

“That we are,” you say with a wide smile. “Take a look.”

You point your hoof out the window and Rarity follows it before gasping. “Ohhh my...”

Rolling green hills, mountains, and quaint little country homes dot the landscape. “We’re in Reitisch right now. It’s quite a rural city, but almost every other city in Mecklenburg relies on them.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

You let out a little laugh as you grab yours and Rarity’s saddlebags. “Hops and honey.”

Rarity nods slowly. “Okay... So, I understand hops for beer... and I guess honey for confectioneries?”

“That and several kinds of beer,” you say as you hold Rarity’s bags out. “Anyway, we can sample some of the local cuisine they make here if you want or we can start walking towards Ponier.”

“Walk?” Rarity says, freezing slightly. “Why are we walking? Why can’t we take a carriage?”

“Let me answer that with a question of my own, mein kleiner Fräulein: why did I tell you to pack light?”

“Well, I figure we’d be doing a tour across Mecklenburg, so it’d be smarter to pack light.’

“That... and we’re backpacking.”

“...Backpacking?” Rarity asks flatly. “You mean-”

“Backpacking. We’re going to take in the sights, travel aaaaall over and stay in some nice little inns, maybe even a hostel. No tourist-trap hotels, no pre-packaged and bottled experience or little tours from carriages,” you say as you put a hoof around Rarity’s shoulder. “A real, Mecklenburg experience.”

“No comfy five star hotels?” Rarity asks, her lip trembling a bit. “B-But...”

You roll your eyes and hold her a little tighter. “If it means so much, we can grab a comfy hotel once we get to Reign.”

Rarity perks up. “Ohh! The capital? Where there’s supposed to be that festival? What was it called...” She taps her chin before perking up. “Reign in Flammen?”

“The very same,” you say as you make your way out of the train car. “Listen, I promise that you’re going to love this.”

“Mm... But don’t forget, we’re here for you remember?”

You chuckle under your breath. “Wenn Sie zufrieden sind, Ich bin glücklich.”
[Translation: If you are happy, I am happy.]

Rarity giggles and gives you a peck on the cheek. “Come now, let’s see if they have an open air market. While lunch was nice, it would be nice to pick up something ‘for the road’, as they say.”

You try to stifle a laugh, but it comes out as a snort. “‘...if they have an open air market’ she says.”

“What? What’s so funny?”

“Oh, you’ll see...”

Staying quiet the entire way, you just keep smiling as Rarity takes in the sights as you lead her down the street.

After a few minutes of walking, the roar of a crowd can be heard snapping her gaze away from a haberdashery. “That sounds like a lot of ponies... Is there some sort of event going on?”

“No, not really.” You’re still smiling from ear to ear as you round the corner. Turning to Rarity, you can’t help but snicker as you see her jaw drop. “It’s just another wednesday.”

“My word,” she finally says, finding her voice. “This little town has this big of an open market?”

“I told you, this town is important. Every monday, wednesday, and friday there’s an open air market for everypony to sell their goods or make business arrangements.”

“So there’s ponies coming from all over Mecklenburg just to come here?” Rarity says as she strains her neck to look over the crowd.

[Author’s Note: From now on, if a sentence is italicized, the speaker is speaking german. Certain names and items will be in the native tongue still, trust me, it’ll make sense]

“Precisely.” You nod as you walk over to one of the stalls that was selling bread. “How much for for a loaf of Kürbiskernbrot?”

The green mare looks up to you from a basket behind the stall and smiles. “2 bits, good sir. Will that be everything?”

Taking out your wallet, you put a couple bits on the table. “No, that will be it. Thank you very much.”

With your new loaf of bread, you break it in half and hold it out to Rarity. “Try it.”

She eyes it for a moment before looking to you. “I got ‘seed bread’ from the conversation, but there was something I missed. What kind of seeds are baked onto it?”

“Just try it. I promise you’ll like it.”

“Isn’t it a little... Uncouth to just eat here? Standing in front of the stall?”

You let out a little laugh. “Miss, do you mind if we ate some of this now?”

The mare blinks in confusion before laughing. “Oh please, not at all!” She says with a wave of her hoof. “Please, eat and enjoy! Both of you!”

“Well... If it’s alright.” Levitating the piece of bread in front of her mouth, Rarity takes a bite out of it and starts to chew. Immediately, her eyes light up. “Pumpkin seeds?”

“Pumpkin seeds. In Equish, it translates into something along the lines of ‘Pumpkin Seed Bread’. A dark rye bread with pumpkin seeds, that’s all it is. Good, huh?”

“I must admit darling, I was a little wary eating bread without anything on it but it honestly good just the way it is,” she says before taking another bite.

“Well, if you want something to go with it then lets find something!” With a laugh, you walk off deeper into the market. “Lunch like a noble after all!”

Rarity quickly swallows the mouthful of bread and trots off after you, wrapping it back up in the wax paper it came with. “What was that dear?”

“Breakfast like a princess, lunch like a noble, and dine like a beggar. It’s a popular little saying.”

“Well, why not sit down and eat then? And afterwards, we can shop for some nice things to take home,” she says as she joins your side. “It’s honestly best not to shop while hungry after all.”

“Where do you want to go, then? In the mood for anything particular?”

Rarity shakes her head slowly. “I really don’t know what this town has to offer, darling. What do you think is good?”

Clicking your teeth, you start looking around the square and adjacent buildings. “Well, let’s go over to that little outdoor cafe. If I remember, spargelzeit is in season.”

“White asparagus?”

“Yes, you’ve had some before. Remember? The Gilded Lily? Second time we were there?”

You hear Rarity giggle. “Oh, I remember. You and your father started dancing around the fourth tankard of beer.”

“Ohh yeah... I forgot about the dancing part,” you laugh back. “But still, spargelzeit is quite good so lets order some.”

Finding yourself a table, you and Rarity sit down and grab the menu placed in the center. “See?” You point out one portion of the menu. “You can have sparglezeit as a main dish, a side, in soup... It’s quite the versatile vegetable. What looks good to you?”

“Hmmm... Oooh! ‘Asparagus with orange, lime, and hollandaise sauce?’ Now that sounds good.”

“Good choice!”

Both you and Rarity jump slightly, looking up to see a white unicorn levitating a notepad and pencil at eye level. “What would you like to drink with that?”

Clearing her throat, Rarity straightens herself. “Fruchtschorle, please.”

The waiter nods. “House favorite, good choice. And you sir?”

“The spargelzeit soup sounds good right about now. And can I get that with a Spezi?”

“I just saw the chef finish up a new batch, it will be out right away.” With a little nod, the waiter steps away. “I will be right back.”

As he walks away, you reach into your saddlebag and pull out a rolled up piece of paper. “Shall we plan our route?”

Rarity perks up and watches as you unroll the paper on the table. “A map of Mecklenburg? And we are... right here.”

“Yeah, and I think we should make our way to Bitken through this road here,” you say, tracing your hoof along the line. “And take the road from there to Mecklich. Ocktoberfest is being held there.”

Rarity gives you a wary look, prompting a sigh as you realize what she's thinking.

"I don't care about the drink, if you're thinking back to our dinner at The Grand Gourmet. I want to go there for the dance."

That got her attention.

"Dance?"

"The biggest dance in all of Mecklenburg. I want to go there with the mare I love and forget about everything except her and how much she means to me. Sort of like... our first date."

The look on Rarity's face is priceless. "Ohhh... That's just..."

Struggling for words, Rarity stops and leans into you, pressing her lips to yours and kissing just long enough to turn some heads.

"Ich liebe dich."

You blush deeply, but keep smiling a goofy smile.

Regaining your composure, you look over the map once more. “After that, we should be in Reign. Was there any place you’d like to see along the way?”

You hear Rarity hum in thought as she looks closely at the map. “Well... Do you think we can take a detour through Württburg? I read about ‘Romantic Road’ and how a trip down it with your loved one is supposed to bring you good luck.”

“...Do you even need to ask?” Leaning in, you steal a quick kiss from her. “Of course.”

“Just wanted to hear it. Libe dich.”

“And here you two are!” Both yours and Rarity’s head snaps towards the waiter, a silver tray balanced in a shimmering light. “Please, enjoy the meal. I’ll be around when you’re done with the check. If you need anything else, please call.”

“Thank you,” Rarity says with a smile. Her eyes dart between your dish and hers. “The setup looks almost as good as the food itself.”

Bringing a spoonful of soup to your lips, you let out a satisfied sigh. “No, I think it tastes better. Now, are you going to eat or try to immortalize it with a picture?”

“Oh please. While the dish itself is quite the sight, I’m not about to return to Ponyville with picture of what I had for lunch,” she says before levitating a fork and skewering one of the asparagus.”

You laugh under your breath and go to take another sip of the soup, but stop when you hear a low rumble off in the distance. Looking around, you see you’re not the only one who’s heard it.

“Was that thunder?”

“It can’t be. There isn’t a cloud in the sky.”

“I think I can smell rain,” Rarity says, looking to you with a bit of worry. “Do you think there was a mixup with the weather team?”

“There’s no way,” you say shaking your head. “If somepony was responsible for raining on the market, everypony would be after their head.”

“I still smell rain... Maybe we should just stay in a hotel tonight.” Rarity says with a frown.

Craning your head upwards, you take a few sniffs of the air and roll your shoulders. “Are you sure? I can’t smell anything over the cafe, the market, and your lunch.”

Rarity grabs one of the asparagus and chews it idly, glancing up to the sky in silence.

With a sigh, you reach out and grab her hoof. “Listen, Bitken isn’t that far away. We can finish eating lunch, hit the road, and be there in no time. There isn’t a cloud in the sky, so worse case scenario? It rains a little just as we make it to town.”

“Well... Alright. But let’s hit up the market first. Wasn’t the whole point of lunch so that we’re buying with our heads and not our stomach?”

“Almost forgot,” you say with a little laugh. “Well, let’s eat up then.”

You and Rarity eat your lunch in silence, that low rumble still being heard off in the distance.

There’s no way, you think as you dip your spoon back into the soup. I know it.

****************************************************

You adjust the straps on your saddlebag a few more times before glancing down the cobblestone street, just in time to see Rarity trotting towards you.

“There you are! How’d the shopping go?”

“Oh just marvelous,” she says with a smile. “And I’m sorry for taking so long. I got caught up with another dressmaker and I left her with my mailing address. Apparently, she saw me at the Grand Galloping Gala.”

“Ohh... Uh, any problems with her or-”

Rarity smiles from ear to ear and starts walking down the road and you start after her. “Oh, just the opposite. She applauded what I did to that stuck up Blueblood.”

“And for good reason,” you add with a snicker.

“Quite right. And after I told her that it was my dress that he ruined, we started talking about the trade. She’s going to help me with more traditional Mecklenburg designs and I’m going to help her keep ahead of the fashion trend.”

You give her a playful nudge and laugh. “Look at you, already rubbing elbows with the locals. I knew you’d do just fine.”

Rarity’s smiles back, but it falters for a moment. Looking up and down the road and seeing no one else she moves a bit closer.

“Which reminds me... How are you holding up?” She asks, her tone sounding more serious. “It hasn’t been that long since that episode in Ponyville. How are you feeling now?”

You grimace slightly, knowing that this was bound to happen sooner or later. “I’m feeling better... I mean, nopony knows who I am around here. They don’t see the psychiatrist who lost his nerve and went cra-”

“You did not lose your nerve,” Rarity says curtly. “You were poisoned by an actually crazy mare who is now going to jail for a long, long time. You need to remember that. Careheart did something to you.”

You let out a little sigh. “Y-Yeah... Just keep forgetting that sometimes. Hard to keep things straight lately with everything that’s been going on. A lot of things on my mind.”

“Anything I don’t know about?”

Your head whips towards Rarity. “What?”

“Well, I know things got a little... heated when I confronted you. When I told you to get out.” Her voice cracks and you can tell she’s doing her best to hide it. “Because I thought you were...”

With another sigh, she stops. “I never did apologize. There was something more going and I jumped to conclusions. Is that... Is that something that is ‘on your mind’?”

You blink in confusion before finally remembering everything that happened that night.

The flask, the phantom choking me, Rarity finding me... No, she never apologized, but wh-

The words are already leaving your mouth. “-y would you need to apologize? I mean... I was hiding something. You had every right to be mad. I haven’t even really thought of that night in a while. Trust me, it’s not one of those things.”

“To be mad, yes. But not to lash out like I did. I had assumed the worst. And I wanted to make sure that I hadn’t in some way added to the weight on your shoulders, as it were.”

You lean in and give her a peck on the cheek. “If anything, you help me carry it. So don’t worry.”

Rarity smiles, but it quickly disappears. “Then what is on your mind? Please, be straight with me. We need to work this out.”

You let out a haggard sigh and glance to the ground. “First is the possibility of losing the clinic. Which in turn means I’m out of a job. Then I keep thinking about not being able to help pay for renovations, meaning we’ll be in the hole and owe a lot of money. Makes me feel like I’ve not only screwed up things for myself, but for you as well so I’m beating myself up over that.”

It comes so easily now. Every last burden and thought that’s plagued you and twisted you into knots spills free.

“Next is the fact I haven’t seen a patient of mine in a while and I worry about them. After that? I still have ponies coming in for counseling since Pinkie told everypony in town how great I was. Not that I’ll be seeing any of them when we get back since I’m damn well sure everypony in town thinks I belong in an asylum. I can’t take their stares and whispers.”

Rarity remains silent, even after you finish before finally speaking up. “You’ve hinted at a few of those things, but I had no idea you’ve had this much on your mind.”

“It’s helped letting it all out for a change,” you say with a little laugh. Looking towards the countryside, you can’t help but smile as a flock of birds roost on a nearby tree. “Ruins the mood of the vacation, though. Remembering what’s still going on in Ponyville.”

“Darling, you need t-”

Another boom of what definitely sounds like thunder cuts of Rarity and makes the two of you jump.

Looking up, a definite overcast of grey skies that wasn’t there a second ago lets you know just what’s going to happen next.

“Oh that is not fair.”

A single raindrop hits you on the forehead. “We gotta find a place to get out of the rain or we’re gonna get soaked.”

*FWOOP*

Looking over to Rarity, she gives you a cocky smile from underneath a travel umbrella.

“Uh... Don’t suppose you packed another one?”

“I didn’t pack another one, or this one for that matter. I bought it at the market after lunch.”

You rub at your face as the rain starts to pick up slightly. “Please don’t say I told you so.”

“Oh I would never dream of it, darling.” Angling the umbrella, Rarity makes room and invites you under as it starts to sprinkle.

“Da hast du es,” she says with a smile.
[Translation: I told you so]

You give Rarity an annoyed look. “I thought you said you weren’t going to say-”

“I said I’d never say ‘I told you so’. But I said ‘Da hast du es’ which is an entirely different set of words.” She sticks her tongue out and you can’t help but shake your head.

“Cheeky little...” You nudge her and look up at the sky, but there were no signs of the rain breaking anytime soon. “Well, looks like we’re in it for the long haul.”

Rarity lets out a tired sigh and levels her eyes down the road, only to gasp. “Don’t be so sure! Look!”

You have to squint your eyes, but you definitely see what looks like a cottage far down the road and a wooden sign hanging on it.

“I think it’s an inn.”

“Are you sure?”

“Hard to tell from this far away, but let’s be hopeful.”

You and Rarity pick up the pace and arrive at the door just as the rain picks up. Looking up to the wooden sign, both you and Rarity freeze.

“Is... Is that a dancing dog? And a pony?” She asks as she cocks her head. “Why do they just have a sign with a carving of a dancing dog and pony?”

Sure enough, the sign is nothing but what looks like a dancing rottweiler with a smile on its face, dancing with an earth pony who looked to be having just as much fun.

“No idea. But we have to get out of this rain.”

You open the door and step in from the rain and smile. “It’s really coming down hard, we-”

The wooden cottage had to have at least thirty ponies in it and that wasn’t the thing that caught you off guard. There had to be at least just as many diamond dogs as well. And everyone was staring at you.

You steal a sideways glance towards Rarity, who’s doing her best to keep a straight face. You knew of her past experiences with diamond dogs and hoped to keep things civil.

“Is there a problem?” You manage to choke out with a laugh. “We can leav-”
Before you can even motion to the door, a big rottweiler-looking of a diamond dog calls out from behind the bar.

“Ohhhh no you don’t! Both of you, get on up here!”

You feel Rarity flinch beside you. “Do we have to?” She whispers under her breath.

“I’d rather not offend them, if you know what I mean... Don’t worry though, we’ll be fine.”

You and Rarity walk across the floor of the bar to the bar table, the eyes of the patrons on you the entire time.

You’re now face to face with the rottweiler and he looks down at you, his brow furrowed and a permanent scowl on his face.

“Where are you two from?”

“Well...” you begin, clearing your throat. “My family and I are originally from Ponn. Moved to Ponyville when I was young.”

“I’m from Ponyville as well,” Rarity says with a sheepish smile.

The rottweiler looks both you and Rarity up and down. “So... Know what we do with ponies who just waltz on in to our fine establishment?” He reaches under the bar and you hear him grab something, but your heart is beating too loud in your ears.

You tense every muscle in your body and start to inch towards Rarity, hoping to put yourself inbetween him and her.

In a flash, he pulls out a green bottle and two shot glasses. “We give them some spirits to warm them up.”

The silence hangs thick for only a few moments until the rottweiler’s grim facade breaks and he gives you a toothy smile and laughs, which is then followed by the entirety of the bar.

You and Rarity look around, dumbfounded at the sudden change in tone. A clatter of metal and hooves gets your attention and from behind a corner, a number of ponies and diamond dogs, each carrying brass instruments step onto what looks like a stage.

“Ohhh sorry about that,” the rottweiler says with a laugh as he pushes a shot glass in front of you and Rarity. “We saw you coming up the road and figured you had to stop by here if you wanted to get out of the rain. Name’s Rottie and I couldn’t resist having a little fun with you.” His eyes turn to Rarity, who looked more than a little flustered. “Are you okay, miss? I didn’t scare you too bad, did I?”

Rarity lets out a deep sigh and throws back the shot. “My nerves are a bit rattled.”

“You alright?”

She turns to you before whispering. “Being surrounded by diamond dogs is not bringing back the nicest of memories, if I must be brutally honest.”

“And why that?” Rottie asks in a heavily accented voice, leaning on the bar table. “Got problem with diamond dogs?”

This time, Rottie sounds a bit more serious. You open your mouth, hoping to defuse the situation, but Rarity beats you.

Rarity fights back her embarrassed blush. “I wasn’t exactly treated that well last time I was in their company,” she says flatly. “Please, drop it.”

“Oh, what? No sparkling wine for beauty queen?” He asks with low laugh.

You can almost see the steam coming off of her as the bartender continues to egg her on.

“Or pillow not fluffed right?”

“For your information,” Rarity barks as she leans into the bar table “I was held against my will and used as a personal gem finder.

Rottie flinches back and his jaw goes agape. His face is a mix of shock and disgust and when he finally finds his words, he’s back in his native tongue. “Are you kidding me? There’s no way-”

“They kidnapped me, used me to find gems for them, and turned me into their personal work horse,” she says sharply.

“W...What? There are still diamond dogs holding to those barbaric ways?” He says, looking ready to pass out. “I know we’re not exactly liked, but I just have a hard time-”
“I know several ponies who can back this claim up,” you finally say before taking back your shot. “Listen, I’d rather not start up any trouble. Maybe we should leave.”

You and Rarity get ready to leave, grabbing your bags and putting them back on before Rottie slams his paws into the bar table.

“You will do no such thing!” Rottie cries out, making both you and Rarity jump in your seats.

He turns to Rarity and lowers himself down until he’s at eye level with her.

“Ma’am. First, I’d like to apologize for coming off as rude and hostile. That is no way to treat a lady. And secondly, on behalf of all diamond dogs, I’d like to personally apologize for the way you were treated in the past. I know we have a bad reputation, but we’re not all like that.” He waves a paw out to the crowd, pointing out the number of diamond dogs and ponies currently enjoying themselves.

“I know my establishment might not seem like much, but I’d like to offer you free room and board. Whenever you walk through those doors, you are welcome to a warm bed and meal.”

Rarity’s stony expression quickly melts away and is replaced by one of shock. “Oh, no, no! Y-You don’t need to do that!”

“You right. I don’t need to. But want to,” he says with a smile. “But if you want to leave, that is your choice and will respect that.”

You look over to see Rarity, her hoof to her mouth as she looks to Rottie, truly and utterly shocked. Finally, she visibly relaxes and smiles. “Perhaps I was... quick in comparing you to those who I’ve met in the past. So I’m sorry for that.”

Rottie smiles and pulls the green bottle back out and a third shot glass before filling all three. “Prost. To new friends.”

Rarity’s smiling now. “Prost.”

“Prost.”

All three of you throw back the shot and laugh as the tension just moments ago seems to melt away.

You can’t help but laugh aloud at the absurdity of the situation. “That just went from tense, to awkward, to tense again.”

“It has been quite the rollercoaster ride of a day, hasn’t it?”

“Story of my life...” You say under your breath.

Putting a hoof on your shoulder, Rarity tries to comfort you. “It’ll all work out in the end,” she says before kissing you on the cheek. “It’s the start of our vacation. A little rain won’t stop us.”

“Damned Discord and his aftershocks,” one pony at a nearby table says aloud. “It’s gonna get worse before it gets better.”

“Discord?” Rarity says, perking up slightly. “What about him? Is this his fault?”

“Ja. When he got released, he mucked up a lot of things,” the pony says before throwing back her drink. “Weather has been going nuts the last month. Nothing crazy on the levels of that one town in Equestria, but every now and again the pegasus can’t do anything about the weather, whatever it is.”

You can’t help but slump into your chair. “Welp, you can say it again dear. Should’ve listened to you.”

“Oh come now, I was just teasing earlier. I wasn’t too confident in myself at the market, to be honest. I mean, you had a valid point. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky.”

The sentiment is nice, but you still can’t force yourself to smile. “Still feel like I should have trusted you. You haven’t been wrong in the past, I-”

“Alright you two,” Rottie claps his paws together, getting your attention. “Let me lay it out for you. It’ll be raining for the next two hours and it’ll be bad enough that walking in it isn’t smart. You’re lucky that you got here in time.”

You feel yourself grimace slightly at the news.

“However... The hotels back in Reitisch would have been absolutely packed.”

That bit of information makes you sit up a bit and makes Rarity’s jaw drop slightly. “Oh my, I didn’t even think of that...”

Rottie nods. “You would have been spending the night in the hotel lobby if you had no reservations, no doubt. Sure, no risk of getting rained on but not the best experience. You were damned if you do, damned if you didn’t.”

“Huh...” you say plainly. “Well... That’s definitely a different way of looking at things.”

“Very much so. Now, what can I get you two? Anything to eat? Drink? You’ve got plenty of time to rest your hooves and enjoy yourself before the rain lets up.” Rottie grins as he gives both you and Rarity a menu. “And plenty of time before Schuhplattler.”

“The what?” Rarity asks with a raised eyebrow.

You however, could only laugh under your breath. “Ohh boy...”

Author's Note

I plan on working on a bonus chapter after this, something not that long but something I thought you'd all find entertaining. To give you an idea before punching in anything, this is Schuhplatter .

I hope you enjoy and as always, feel free to point anything that might need some editing.

Chapter 8

With the eyes of every pony and diamond dog in the bar on you and the rest of your dance mates, you half wonder if it was possible to feel Schadenfreude towards yourself.

The pony in front of you was moving deftly on his back legs, slapping his hooves along his thigh and the diamond dog behind you had no trouble with the dance either.

It was just you who looked more than out of place.

You stumbled every now and again and your thighs were positively burning. Not just from the repeated slaps, but from walking on just your back legs; something you were not accustomed to.

But that’s what you did when you danced the Schuhplattler.

Hey! I think I’m getting it, you think with a smile as the group starts moving in a circle. Your smile disappears after locking eyes with Rarity, however.

Because she was holding a camera.

The feeling of embarrassment comes welling back and you want to do nothing but hide your face.

Oh come on... Nothing to be embarrassed about... you hear a voice tell you. Seriously, there’s no one here who knows you, save Rarity, and they don’t care. Hell, they’re the ones who dragged you into it. And if somepony sees it back home? So what? Not like their opinion about you will change.

You feel that smile come back for a number of reasons: the first one being it’s the first inner voice that hasn’t made you feel some level of dread. And two, it was right.

The brass band finishes, as does the accordion shortly after and by now, you’re dying for a drink of water.

Dropping down to all fours again, you start making your way towards Rarity’s table when a paw finds itself on your shoulder.

“Don’t disappear just yet, friend!” Rottie says with a slap on the back. “We got one more dance coming up.”

“Can I at least get a drink?” You ask as you point a hoof towards Rarity. “I didn’t realize how much of a work-out this can be.”

Rottie nods. “Sure, sure! In fact, invite the Missus over as well! We could use her for this next bit!”

A devilish grin grows across your face and you shoot Rarity a look, who gives you one of confusion right back.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Rottie gives you a pat on the back and you start making your way to Rarity’s table with a grin that was practically bolted to your face.

“Enjoy the show?” You ask as you take your seat.

“Oh yes, and I’m sure everypony back home will enjoy the wunderbar pictures!” She says with a little giggle. “I’ve never seen you enjoy yourself so much! Please, tell me you’re going to be dancing again.”

Grabbing a hold of your glass of water, you throw the contents back and swallow it in one go.

“Oh yes, there’s another dance,” you say as you stand up. “And you’re joining.”

Rarity’s smile vanishes in an instant and she lets out a nervous laugh. “I-I, um, oh but I can’t darling, please I-”

“Come now, you only live once!” You cry out as you hook a hoof under Rarity’s shoulder. “This might be your only chance to dance the Schuhplattler!”

“Please, darling, it doesn’t look like my sort of-”

Oh no you’re not, Rarity. You’re not getting out of this one.

Your smile disappears and you look back to her as your face falls into a disappointed frown. “Oh,” you say solemnly. “Well... Okay, I guess. You, uh, don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

You keep your eyes to the ground and let out a tired sigh before shrugging. “I’ll, uh... take our glasses up to the bar and-”

“Wait!”

You had to repress every urge to grin. Instead, you glanced up to Rarity who had the look on her face of somepony who just kicked a puppy.

“I’ll... dance,” she said warily. “Okay?”

You immediately brighten up and place a big kiss on her stunned cheek. “Oh thank you mein Süsse~”

Rarity’s jaw goes slack as she begins to process just what happened before puffing out her cheeks. “Oh you do not play fair!” she says with a pout.

“Who do you think I learned it from?” With a low chuckle, you lean in and whisper. “I’ll make it up to you tonight.”

You punctuate the promise with a nibble on Rarity’s ears that makes her stifle a gasp and her legs go rigid.

“Not fair at all...” She grumbles.

“Go talk to Rottie and see where he wants you for the last dance. I’ll go get ourselves some refills.”

“Alright dear. But remember, I will get you back for this.”

As soon as Rarity’s out of sight, you scramble for her bag. And now, for part 2... Finding her camera, you grin from ear to ear and start scanning the bar tables.

“You there, good sir!” A diamond dog resembling a sheep hound finishes off a glass of ale before giving you a look. He starts to smile however when he recognizes you.

“Nice dance moves out there,” he says with a little laugh. “What can I do for you?”

“My lover and I are going to be together for this next piece and I would be very grateful if you could get some pictures. I’d be willing to pa-”

The diamond dog holds up a paw. “Say no more. I’ll take no money. I’ll make sure to get some wonderful pictures to remember your time here.”

Giving the camera to him, you can’t help but smile. “Thank you. Just put it back in that bag when you’re done. Thank you.”

As you walk away from the table, you make your way back to Rottie and Rarity, who was now sporting a red and white dirndl.

“Do you like?” She asks as she gives the skirt a little spin.

You nod dumbly. “Yes... That doesn’t look like one you packed.”

Rarity’s smile grows even brighter. “Good eye! No, Rottie here offered this to me. He said it belonged to a former barmaid and he’s kept it cleaned and pressed for her if she came back.”

“It been 4 years. Do not think she will mind,” Rottie says with a shrug.

“It fits just right, too! Now, Mr. Rottie sir... Where did you say I was going to be again?”

Rottie opens his mouth to answer, but the band starts into the music and from one of the hallways, a number of diamond dogs and ponies began carrying out a large table with handles for all of them to grab.

“Right on here, miss!” Rottie says as he places a paw on the table.

Rarity’s eyes dart between the table and Rottie. “On... the table? Rottie my dear, is there a language barrier here I don’t know about?”

It starts clicking in your head just what was about to happen and you find yourself internally debating whether or not to tell her.

“None. Hop on up and we can begin! Just make sure not to panic and above all, don’t flail.”

Rarity’s eyes widen as she starts climbing up onto the wooden table. “Flail? What do you mean flail? Why would I flail?” She asks with increasing worry.

You clear your throat as you join each of the other dancers around the table and give her a meek smile. “It’s a... more... now I wouldn’t use the word dangerous, but maybe... extreme? Extreme, yeah. Extreme form of Schuhplattler.”

The music starts up and the dancers around the table start up their routine again with you following shortly.

“Extreme? Extreme?!?” Rarity asks as the color drains from her face. “I-I don’t think this is the best idea, mayb-”

The music cuts abruptly and in an instant, each of the dancers grabs a hold of a handle of the table and brings it up to their shoulder, only for the music to continue. You nervously follow suit, your eyes never leaving Rarity as you start to share her nervousness.

Rarity lets out a yelp as she’s jostled and looks around nervously as she tries to get her bearings. “M-Maybe I should go back to watching, I don’t think-”

“EINS! ZWEI! DREI!”

On the count of three, every dancer heaves the table into the air and sends Rarity following and eliciting a shrill cry from her.

It seems as though Rottie’s advice registered mid-flight and Rarity keeps her hooves from flailing and sticks the landing, much to the joy of the crowd who let out a thunderous applause.

“Okay, okay, okay,” Rarity says as she shakes nervously. “All well and fun, but I think I’ve had enough for now please.”

You give her a nod and nudge the dancer in front of you as you continue to carry and spin the table. “Let it down for a moment.”

The pony in front of you looks confused for a moment, but then smiles and nods. With the two of you now lowering it, every other dancer follows suit and gives you a chance to step on up the table with Rarity, who was looking quite shaken.

“Are you okay?” You ask as you wrap your hooves around her.

“A little rattled, but I’ll be better in a seAAAH!”

The dancers didn’t seem to get the full memo that Rarity wanted off and in an instant, both you and Rarity are sent flying into the air, just a hoof away from touching the ceiling before coming down on the table in a perfect landing.

She didn’t scream this time and you look down to her and notice she was doing her best to fight back a smile.

“Oh, now you’re enjoying it?” you ask with a teasing poke.

Squirming in your grip, Rarity giggles and shakes her head. “No. I mean... Okay, it’s a bit better now that you’re here, but-”

With a little jolt, the table is set down and the dancers clap as the orchestra kicks up again and with a smile, you start to dance with Rarity.

“Then let’s have a little fun now, huh?”

“While it is exciting, what happens if we fall?” Rarity asks nervously as you start into a typical Mecklenberg folk dance.

“Then I’ll make sure you fall onto me and not the ground,” you say with a smile as you stomp your hoof mid spin.

That earns a giggle from the once nervous mare and giving her a spin and bringing her into an embrace nets you a smile.

The music stops and you ready yourself as you’re hoisted back into the air.

You find yourself smiling as well, but a different kind of smile. The kind of smile a child makes when the rollercoaster reaches the top of the tracks. Never have fear and excitement been closer bedfellows.

“EINS! ZWEI! DREI!”

Tossed in the air, you and Rarity hold each other tight and laugh as you come back down with a loud bang as your hooves hit the wood and the crowd applauds even louder than before.

This... This is fun, you think as you lean in for a kiss.

****************************************************************

“Oh dear... Now that was exhausting...” Rarity says as she collapses into the bed. “My hooves and legs hurt so bad...”

You let out a mumbled agreement into the foot of the bed. The dance went on for an hour and when it was done, you were both the talk of the tavern. Quite a few ponies asked if you were professional dancers. Or encouraged you to go professional.

As you feel yourself drifting off to sleep, something hard and hoof shaped pokes against your side. Cracking an eye open, you see Rarity’s big blue eyes glistening at you as she holds her back legs up.

“Can you give a massage? Pleeeeeeease?”

You laugh under your breath before forcing yourself up and to Rarity’s side. “Anything for you, mein Schatzi~”

Grabbing a hold of one of her back legs, you start to knead the tense thigh muscle and earn yourself a pleasure sigh from her.

“This was quite the night...” Rarity muses aloud. “It... does remind me of another, however.”

You raise an eyebrow, but keep up the work. “What night?”

Rarity smiles from ear to ear and moans as you hit a particularly tense set of muscles. “Our... first daaAAAHaaate~”

This actually makes you stop, much to her displeasure. “Really?”

“Well, yes. Don’t you see? You, confident and forward as you take me in your hooves onto a dancefloor and doing something I’ve never done before. Me, nervous and a little against it at first, only to be giggling like a school filly and loving every second of it by the end.”

You blink in surprise as it hits you and the nostalgia blends with a warmer feeling that leaves you smiling like a dolt.

Memories of that night come flashing back, from the dance to the carriage ride home and especially the night after. You haven’t thought about that time in such a while and just remembering it ignites a fire in your belly. Any feelings of tiredness leave you in that moment.

“So, you’re saying I managed to do something really romantic this night.” You say as you creep up the bed, straddling over Rarity’s form and making her blush heavily.

“Ah heh... Well, yes...” She says breathlessly. “What has gotten into you?”

A sultry grin cracks across your face and you lean in, planting a series of kisses up and down her neck. “Let’s just say I found my second wind,” you whisper before nipping her shoulder. “And I seem to recall promising to make up for something...”

Rarity’s voice cracks and she feels like putty in your hooves as you let them wander as they please.

“Darling... T-There are guests next door...” She pants out as you continue to ravish her. “W-What if they hear?”

“You’ll have to keep your voice down then,” you whisper huskily. “But don’t think I’ll make it easy for you...”

The look on Rarity’s face is priceless. Excited, shocked, and an eagerness on her face that gets you in the right mood. Leaning over to the nightstand, you turn the light off.

“Ohhhhhh!”

***********************************************************

Rarity’s eyes remain fixed on the floor; and for good reason.

She was good at keeping the volume down through most of your... activities. But that ending.

“I can’t believe you made me do that,” Rarity grumbles as she pulls her suitcase. “I feel so mortified.”

Her face was bright red and every now and again, you hear a low laugh from a pony or diamond dog enjoying their breakfast.

“Well,” you start above a whisper. “I didn't think you could... squeal like that. At that pitch.”

Taking your glasses off of your face, you sigh heavily as you look at the large crack running down the center of the frame. “I think you also broke a glass in the other room.”

Rarity’s face scrunches up and she glares daggers at you, all the while her cheeks glow a rosy red. “I’m learning a soundproofing spell next chance I get,” she grumbles as you and her walk up to the front desk.

Clearing your face and smiling as if nothing was wrong, you pull out a number of bits and slide them towards Rottie, who was doing his best not to smile.

“So,” he says suddenly. “Did you two... enjoy... the bed?”

You keep your teeth clenched as Rottie starts laughing. “Okay, okay laugh it up. Make any jokes you want, let’s get through the ridicule so we can pay,” you say with a long sigh.

Rottie’s expression does a complete 180 and he holds his paws up defensively. “Oh, no, no! No ridicule! We’re used to, ah, couples getting, ah... frisky as you say. We’re not laughing at you, get that thought out of your heads.”

“Really? Because it looks to me like they’re looking at us and laughing,” Rarity says curtly.

“You’d laugh too if you saw three bottles of ale and two glass pitchers explode from sound alone,” he says as he wipes at his eyes. “Strong lungs on you. Think about going into opera, I’m serious.”

Rarity’s eyes go wide before she buries her face in your mane. “Oh my gosh, I’m so embarrassed...” she moans aloud.

With another sigh, you push the bits towards Rottie and shake your head. “We should get going. Sorry for... well... damages, I guess.”

Rottie waves a paw. “Forget about it. Travel safely you two!”

Rarity couldn’t get out of the tavern fast enough and as soon as you both hit the road, she lets out a loud groan. “It’s so hard to be mad at you right now!”

“Wha-”

“On one hoof, I knew exactly what I was expecting that night and thought I’d be able to keep my quiet. But noooooo!” She cries out in frustration. “You were the best! That was amazing! And everyone in there knows that now and I.... GAHH!”

You blink in confusion. “R-Really?” You ask in confusion. “T-That was the best? As in...”

Rarity lets out a tired sigh and hangs her head in frustration. “It was. You were so passionate and... into it and so focused on me and my hips hurt, but even that feels good and...” She lets out another sigh and shakes the blush from her face. “And it was so embarrassing when I realized that everyone knew what we did. So I have mixed feeling right now.”

Wrapping a hoof around Rarity’s neck, you plant a kiss on her cheek. “Don’t be so down... Everyone will forget about it in a week. And 3/4ths of them probably don’t even know your name.”

With one more sigh, she nuzzles into your neck. “You’re probably right... So, with that behind us, where are we going to next?”

“Bitken,” you say as you dig out the map. “I’ve been through there a few times. It’s an artisan village, famous for its glass sculptures. I figure we can browse the market for a while, grab breakfast, and maybe try our hoof at glass blowing while we’re there.”

Rarity blinks in surprise at that part. “Us? Making glass?”

You shrug. “I’ve always wanted to, but never did. It’s supposed to be one of those ‘easy to learn, hard to master’ sort of things,” you say with a chuckle. “Worst comes to worse, we make a nice ashtray.”

“Well, you can make an ashtray if you’re so inclined,” Rarity says in a huff. “I’ll be making something much more refined.”

“A really good ashtray?” You ask with a snicker.

Rarity’s eyes narrow for a moment, but her expression quickly changes to one of shock. “Darling... How have you been feeling lately? In all honesty, have you been feeling stressed at all? And when was the last time you’ve, well, had a nightmare? Or seen anything?”

Your eyes go wide as it suddenly hits you and you find yourself stop dead in your tracks. “I’m not stressed out at all... I feel fine, to be honest. Hell, more than fine. I feel... great.”

You can’t help but start gigging as one more thing hits you. “And I honestly can’t remember the last time I had a nightmare. Rarity, I can’t remember when the last time I had a nightmare!”

“Why, yes... That is great darling~” Rarity hums thoughtfully. “I bet you can’t wait to tell everypony back home.”

Something about that statement kills the mood and you find your smile slowly falling.

“And get back to work,” she adds.

With the reminder of work, you feel your shoulders sag and a heavy breath leave your lungs. “Yeah...”

“Darling,” Rarity says as she puts a hoof around your shoulder. “Do you think that maybe the reason that you feel so good is because you managed to escape what’s been bothering you?”

Taking off your glasses, you rub at your eyes and sigh. “That’s... definitely a possibility.”

“Come, let’s sit down for a moment.” Guiding you to a nearby tree, Rarity takes off her saddlebags and pulls out what looks like a picnic blanket. “A lady is always prepared. We’re overdue for our first session, I’d say.”

You open your mouth to protest, but one look into Rarity's eyes and you know that she won’t have any of it. So with a small nod, you lay down on the blanket and get yourself comfortable.

“I’m thinking that this happiness, this new-found relief that you’re feeling might be more closely tied into our conversation earlier. About what ponies think about you,” Rarity begins as she settles herself down. “Am I wrong?”

With a heavy sigh, you nod your head. “No, you’re right.”

“Why do you think that is? When you think of Ponyville and everypony that lives there, what are the first things that come to mind?”

“Well,” you start. “I start thinking about what everypony must have seen that week ago when I had my first episode... After...”

Your breathing goes shallow and you feel your heart start to speed up as the memories start flooding back.

“After what happened with Careheart?” Rarity finishes.

You can’t find your words, so you just nod fervently.

“Is there anything else?”

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you take a deep breath. “I heard from Nurse Redheart that they had to take me through town to get to the hospital... And I wager that I was screaming up a storm when they brought me in.”

Your bluntness makes Rarity flinch and her hoof soon finds its way on your back. “You’re worried about how you must have looked to everypony, huh?”

“And what they’ve been saying... I didn’t want to bring it up, but after the sleep study, I heard ponies talking behind my back. Talking about how I ‘lost it’. And pitying me,” you add, spitting the words. “I hate it.”

“Rumors are just that, dear. Rumors. Now, let’s go over a few things and see if this makes you feel better about ‘home’. First, Careheart isn’t even in Ponyville anymore. She’s in Canterlot and she’s going to be tried before the Princesses themselves.”

That was news.

“Really? I mean... I haven’t really given it much thought. I knew she’d broken some sort of law, but... The Princesses? Really?”

“Nurse Careheart went to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. And Canterlot Medical School. She broke multiple oaths and pledges when she poisoned you. Best case scenario? She’s sentenced to 30 plus years in Canterlot Penitentiary.”

You feel like the wind was just knocked out of you. “Thirty years...” You say breathlessly. “Just... wow.”

“Thirty years she will never be near you,” Rarity says with a smirk. “Feel better knowing that?”

“A bit,” you say with a strangled laugh. “I guess I expected her to get, I don’t know, a fine or a few months in prison. Felt like I was waiting for that moment when I’d see her again or have to mail her pay or just anything. Thirty years...”

“So you don’t have that on your shoulders anymore. Nurse Careheart is going to be going away for a long time. Does that make you feel any better?”

“A bit, to be honest,” you say with another laugh. “It’s definitely a weight off my shoulders. Now I just have to let everyone in Ponyville know that I’m not a raving lunatic.”

The words leave with a dry laugh, but Rarity simply gives you a deadpan look.

“Darling, I’ve been the center of gossip in Ponyville more times than I can count. They always forget in a week. The minute you show that everything’s fine, that’s when the interest goes away.”

“I know, I keep telling myself that it doesn’t matter-”

“It doesn’t,” Rarity says curtly. “They could say that you’re Discord in disguise and enjoy kidnapping foals and it doesn’t make it true. So please, stop torturing yourself over what the other ponies think.”

You give her a look and raise a single brow. “Discord in disguise?”

“Oh you know what I mean,” she says with a playful nudge. “Though it would explain how you do all those unbelievable things.”

The frown you were wearing just a few moments ago melts away as you find yourself giggling.

“Just remember. Ponies can talk all they want and it won’t affect you in the slightest. ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but-”

“‘Whips and chains excite me’?” You ask with a smile.

Rarity’s face scrunches up and she can’t hold back a fit of laughter. “Oh that was just horrible,” she says with another nudge. “But it’s a good sign. You’re starting to act like your old self. It’s quite possible that ‘getting away’ was quite the smart idea. Now, I would like to ask you a few more questions and then ask for a favor or two. Is that alright?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“On a scale of one to ten with ten being the highest, how would you rate your stress right now?” She asks as she pulls out a pad of paper and a pencil.

Letting out a long breath, you roll your shoulders. “A solid 3?”

“And when you think about Ponyville, does that affect your stress at all? How would you rate it afterwards?”

“It does. I’d say between 5 and 6.”

“Alright, now for those favors... First and foremost, I think it would be wise to contact the doctor and let him know about your improved condition and see what he makes of it,” she says as she tucks away her pad of paper. “And this may take a while, but I’d like you to sit down at some point and write out a full description of your nightmares and any hallucinations you’ve had.”

You feel your throat go dry at the second request. “All of them?”

Rarity nods. “Yes. I’ve been studying a more prominent psychologist in those books you lent me and he discussed dream interpretation quite a bit. I’m wondering if there is anything that we might be able to discern from your nightmares and hallucinations. It could give us a glimpse into your subconsious.”

You sigh in defeat and give Rarity a weak smile. “Alright. I’ll start working on it as soon as I can.”

“Thank you,” she says before placing a kiss on your cheek. “We’ll get through this, I promise.”

With that in mind, you get to your hooves and offer one to Rarity. “Shall we? Bitkin is waiting.”

With a noble-like nod, she stands up. “Certainly~”

********************

Rarity was not happy.

You on the other hoof, were doing everything you could not to laugh. “Oh come on now, it’s not that bad.”

The glass-making tour had been a hit. You got to see a professional make a glass swan in less than two minutes right before your eyes and took the course with the eyes of a professional watching over you. And now at the end of the day, you and Rarity are retiring to a modest hotel for the night.

During your time, you had managed to make what looks like a turtle when you squint at it. Before the instruction and session, Rarity had proclaimed her intention to make a candle holder and you admit that it looked like you just dropped the candle in water.

“It was an honest mistake, really.” You say as you bite back the chuckles. “I mean-”

“Stop talking,” she grumbles as she holds her candle holder.

“I mean, it does look like it could be used as an ashtray with the waves in it to hold a cigarette and-”

“He didn’t need to comment loudly on how it was ‘a really nice looking ashtray’ though!” She snaps as she puts the key to the hotel room in. “And you! You were laughing so hard, I thought you forgot how to breathe!”

“I couldn’t help it,” you say with another snicker. “The look on your face was priceless.”

With a snort of indignation and turning her nose up, Rarity takes off her saddlebag and places down her glass sculpture.

“Now I know how Sweetie Belle felt when working with clay...” she says with a sigh. “Besides that little event, it was quite the experience.”

Smiling from ear to ear, you wrap your hooves around Rarity’s barrel as she unpacks her bags and pepper her neck with kisses. “It was,” you say inbetween. “And we’re barely halfway through.”

Rarity returns the kiss and sighs dreamily as you let your hooves wander across her body. “Mmm... I do hate to stop this, but you should give the doctor a call before we go any further.”

With some reluctance, you let go of her and make your way towards the hotel telephone. “Sure thing. Why don’t we unwind with a shower? I’ll be in right after you,” you say with a wink.

“I’ll hold you to that~” she sing songs as she practically skips towards the bathroom.

Grabbing the hotel telephone, you dial in Bones’ number as you lean against the wall and listen to the ringing.

“Ponyville General Hospital, this is Doctor-”

“Heya! How’s it going in your neck of the woods?”

You swear you can hear the sound of papers being tossed as the line goes silent. “Fritz! Sweet Dancing Luna, is everything alright? You’re not-”

“Better than alright, if I do say so myself,” you say with a laugh. “I’m... happy, to be honest. Working through some of the stresses that have been weighing me down, but it’s going good.”

“And I think I know why,” he says in a smug tone. “I can’t take all the credit, but I have a bunch of good news for you. Ready for an info-dump?”

“Schieß los.”
[Translation: Hit me.]

“First and foremost, we found the trigger for the ‘Poison Orchid’. It’s stress, Fritz. The more stressed you were, the more active the poison was in your system. In turn, you’d have more nightmares and hallucinations, which would cause more stress-”

“Which would feed itself, Gotts im Himel... That is a damn dangerous poison. It makes itself stronger.”

“Yeah, Twilight found mention in an old history book of one of the old Unicorn queens who experienced the same symptoms you are. Sleeplessness, nightmares and hallucinations to name a few. Turns out they were poisoned by an earth pony assassin using the very same poison.”

“Did it mention a cure?” You ask hopefully.

“Unfortunately, no. In fact, there is no cure possible as far as we know, but there is good news. The poison is hitching a ride on your blood and after running a few tests, Twilight and I came to the conclusion that in 120 days, the lifetime of a blood cell, when the red blood cells undergo eryptosis and are consumed by macrophages-”

“Slow down, slow down! What’s going on? In a bit simpler terms?” You ask with a chuckle. “I’m not exactly in the right mindset to talk shop here, Bones.”

“Alright, simple terms? When your blood cells carrying the poison start dying, your white blood cells will eat those cells, along with the poison and in the white blood cell, the poison breaks down. Twilight tested it herself, she’s 100% positive. You’ll be fine in around 4 months.”

Now that got you excited.

“4 months? So I’ll be all fine in 4 months?”

“As long as you avoid any undue stress in your life, you’ll be fine. And we got one more bit of news, you might have mixed feelings about it though.”

You straighten up and feel yourself hold the phone tighten in your grasp. “Why?”

“Nurse Careheart. The Princesses offered her leniency if she told them everything about what she did, why she did it, how and when. From what Twilight’s told me, she’s gotten 10 years. But, we do have a time frame now and know some finer details,” he says. “Like for instance, how much she dosed you with and when she started.”

Reaching into your nearby saddlebag, you pull out your pocket calendar and start flipping through pages. “When did she start poisoning me?” You ask out of morbid curiosity.

“About... 15 days ago. She steadily increased the dosage when she didn’t see ‘immediate results’ as she puts it,” he says with venom in his voice. “I wish the Princesses locked her away for life.”

Flipping through the pages and into last month, you start counting back the days and find when it all started. “15... 15.. 15... Alright, here we-” Your breath catches in your throat. 15 days ago was the day after you took Rarity the Grand Gourmet.

Your mind starts racing a million miles a minute as you try to come to terms with what this meant.

Had the panic attack that night. Thought it was the initial attack. I had my first nightmare that night, I know it. But it wasn’t Careheart. IT WASN’T CAREHEART.

By now, you’re sweating bullets. “B-Bones... Are you 100% sure she said she started poisoning 15 days ago? Exactly 15 days?”

“Uh... Hold on, let me grab my notes...” A shuffle of papers is all you hear for a few tense moments before he speaks up again. “Yeah. She said she started poisoning your coffee 15 days ago right before you saw Crystal. She came in not too long ago, she-”

Your whole body felt like glass. A stiff breeze could knock you over and you’d shatter into a million pieces.

“B-Bones, I g-gotta go,” you choke out. “It’s, uh, I... I’ll tell you later.” Before he can even respond, you slam the phone down on the receiver and let yourself go limp, sliding down to the floor before bursting into tears.

It can’t be true, it can’t be true... You think grimly as you start sobbing. It’s something else. It’s something else, it has to be.

While you wrack your brain for some other explanation, a hoof finds its way onto your shoulder, making you jump. “Honey? Are you alright?”

You crane your head up and look at Rarity, her body still dripping wet and her face full of worry. “What happened?”

Your mouth opens and you try to say something, anything at all, but nothing comes out but a strangled squeak. In an instant, you launch yourself at her and hold her tight as you cry into her chest.

*******************************************

You told her.

You told her everything. You told her everything Bones told you and more. About the date at the Grand Gourmet, your fit of panic and how it had nothing to do with Careheart.

The look on her face.

You couldn’t tell if it was pity or disappointment, but seeing that look on her face hurt you. For the last hour, you’ve been curled up on the bed. Rarity kissed your forehead and told you that she’d be right back. Something about making a few phone calls and picking a few things up.

She didn’t say when she’d be back and that’s what’s worried you the most.

That’s why your heart nearly leaped out of your chest when the door finally opened and Rarity walked through, carrying a number of bags and looking rather haggard.

“I am so sorry that took so long dear, I was having a hard time finding the right stores and had to stop and ask for directions so many times,” she says as she starts setting bags down. “Are you feeling alright?”

“I... But wait... You’re not mad or anything? When you left, I kind of thought the worse...”

With a heavy sigh, Rarity gives you a weary smile and sits down at the foot of the bed. “Darling... I can never be mad with you. Irritated, maybe. Never mad. If anyone, I’m mad at myself.”

Running a hoof through your mane, she takes another deep breath and continues.

“I guess I fooled myself into thinking this would be so easy after you started to act so happy and carefree. I guess I thought that maybe, by some divine intervention, you were cured. And all I could do now was put the last finishing touches on your recovery.”

Laying down next to you, Rarity grabs ahold of you and draws you into her embrace. “I was becoming selfish and thought that at the end of all of this, we’d get our story-book ending. The princess saves her prince in the end, they get married and live happily ever after. Life is never that easy, it seems. Or fair.”

With a sniffle, you hold her back. “I... I’m sorry, I’m so sorry...”

“Shhh... Shhh... Don’t apologize. This is what we’re going to do. We’re going to have a nice, hot scented bath. I’m going to give you a massage and then we’re going to go to bed. I’ll hold you close, never let go, and you’re going to tell me every dream, every nightmare and every errant thought you’ve had. And when we wake up tomorrow? We’re going to continue our vacation.”

“B-But I should-”

“You should relax.” Rarity says firmly. “Remember? Stress is your trigger. We’re going to have fun and I’m going to take care of you. Just like you took care of me.”

You find yourself tearing up and snuggle in closer to Rarity.

“I don’t deserve you...” You mumble into her fur.

You feel her lips press against your forehead. “That’s my line.”

Chapter 9

You lay in bed, staring up to the ceiling. The bathrobe you wore was soft, the little kink in your back was worked out by Rarity’s dexterous hooves and the scent of lilac filled the air.

When an irresistible force such as you... meets an old immovable object like me... you can bet as sure as you live... something’s gotta give, something’s gotta give, something’s gotta give.

Still, your stomach found a way to work itself into knots. Rarity had been quiet the entire time she worried over you and only gave short answers when you asked her anything. “Yes.” “No.” “Don’t worry, darling.” “I’m fine.”

You still found yourself worrying and roll over to see Rarity’s sleeping form. You asked her to join you in bed and stop worrying over you for just a minute and rest. Within a few minutes she was out and snoring lightly. You watched her side rise and fall in rhythmic motion.

“You’re so beautiful...” You murmur under your breath, letting your eyes wander up and down her back.

You couldn’t help but worry about what was going through her mind. What she thought. What she could be hiding.

You weren’t getting worked up into a fit, you were past that by now. You knew it would only make things worse and you used that.

So instead, you took a deep breath and got a little bit closer to Rarity, wrapping a hoof around her and taking her into your embrace. Laying there, spooning her and resting your head on her shoulder, you breathed in her scent and perfume. It made you feel just a little bit better.

We’ll get through this, you think as you get yourself comfortable. We’ll get through this...

**********************************************

Night came and went. No dreams, no nightmares. You wake up slowly, eyes blearily blinking into the morning sun streaming through the windows. That’s when you feel something missing.

Looking around, there’s a specific lack of Rarity in the bed and alarm bells slowly start ringing in your head. A lone note with the words ‘Read Me’ was propped against the lamp on the end table.

Feeling a knot start to form in the pit of your gut, you scramble for the note, only to go head over hooves over the hooves and bang your head on the floor.

“Zum Donnerwetter!”
[Translation: Equivalent to damnit]

With a pained groan, you pick yourself up off the floor and grab the note off the end-table. Every part of you expects the worst.

“Honey, are you okay? I heard a crash. Are-”

You look up to the door of the hotel room, note still in hoof and panicked expression on your face.

Taking a deep breath, Rarity closes the door behind her after levitating in a number of shopping bags. A glance at the note leaves you feeling like an idiot.

Went to get breakfast, be back soon. Take care. XoXo

“Oh.” You say flatly.

“I take it you just woke up?” Rarity asks as she starts to unpack her haul.

You nod slowly. “Yeah... I saw the note and you weren’t there and I just panicked and...”

“Darling, this isn’t the first time you’ve ‘just panicked’ when I left and you didn’t immediately know where I was,” she says as she takes out a styrofoam container. Opening it up, she holds it out to you and are immediately hit by the smell of apples. Pancakes, apple slices, and a couple crepes. Apple raisin flavored.

Picking yourself up off the floor, you climb back onto the bed and take the container.

“We’re going to have a talk today. Not a long one, just up until lunch. There’s some things we really need to talk about. But eat first, you didn’t eat anything last night.”

Not that talk. Stop thinking that way, just calm down.

You eat in silence, munching away at your apple loaded breakfast. Even the pancakes seemed to have an apple spice blended into them.

“How is it? The apples certainly have a different flair than Ponyville’s.” Rarity idly asks as she picks at her own breakfast.

“Very good,” you say, nodding with each bite. “Where did you get it?”

“A little place down on the corner at the end of the street. And you would not believe it! The pony running the shop? I swear, give her a stetson and a ponytail and you have Applejack. My word, I had to do a double-take.”

You let out a little chuckle and swallow. “Though her speaking Mecklesh might have swayed that thought.”

“No, no, no! That’s the thing! When we started talking, I thought it was my imagination but she dropped my change and she spoke clear as day and said ‘consarnit’. And it was like I was back in Ponyville.”

You blink a few times before letting out a guffaw and shaking your head. “Oh my gosh... Well, it’s more than possible that Applejack has family out here. We should ask her if she does.”

“Ohhh imagine if she says she doesn’t!” Rarity giggles. “Now that would be a twist!”

You laugh with her and smile from ear to ear. I missed this, you think with a snort after Rarity’s impersonation attempt. I really missed this.

**********************************************

The laughs and smiles had to stop at some point, so after breakfast, you laid on the bed, forehooves resting on your chest and Rarity sitting in a nearby chair with a pad of paper and a pen.

“Alright,” she says with a deep breath. “Now, let’s take a step back and go over what happened this morning and how I found you. I’d like you to tell me everything you did, felt and thought after you woke up.”

Steadying yourself, you start to wax on about your morning.

“Well... I woke up and the first thing I noticed was that you weren’t there. I felt myself start to panic just a little and then I saw the note and...”

“Well, there’s more to it than just ‘panic’ I’d assume,” Rarity says with a low hum. “You’re outside the age range for Separation Anxiety Disorder, but considering the trauma and how I’ve been your ‘rock’, so to speak, let’s not rule anything out.”

She’s definitely done a lot of homework, you think with a small nod. “Well... This is going to go from psych to a heart to heart here,” you say with a nervous laugh. Rarity just stares at you expectantly, so swallowing the lump in your throat, you begin.

“I... I keep feeling like this? All this... stuff that’s been happening? I keep feeling that you don’t deserve it. Going through all this. You deserve so much more and I just want to give you the perfect life I know you’ve earned. But...” You take another breath and blink past the tears. “I feel like one morning? Maybe? I’m going to wake up. You’re going to say you want to talk. That this isn’t working. That we should spend some time apart. That you’re not going to be there and all of this will be in a little note, telling me how it’s not my fault but I’ll know.” Burying your face in your hooves, you let out another sob. “I’m afraid of losing you, but at the same time? I feel like I’m not doing enough. And I keep expecting it to happen.”

The entire time you talked, Rarity’s pen scratched against the paper. But the more and more you got into your confession, her writings slowed down until she stopped and was just looking at you with wide eyes.

“No, no, no... Darling, please don’t...” She coos as she joins your side. “You were the one who told me that there’s no such thing as perfect. This relationship? It’s not perfect and I knew it wouldn’t be going into it. We fight over silly things, we both have foods we don’t like but the other loves and we drive each other crazy sometimes and not in the good way. And you know what? I wouldn’t change a thing.”

You feel a little smile creep across your face at those words and it only spurs Rarity on further.

“And if I had a problem dear? We’d be discussing how we’re going to work through it, not leaving you high and dry.” Reaching out, she grabs your hoof with hers and squeezes yours. “You’re the one, after all.”

You furrow your brow at those cryptic words, but it suddenly comes back to you in a flash. After the dancing, after the time of her life.

You’re him.

You alternate between sobbing and laughing, bringing her wrist up to your lips and peppering her with kisses. “Dummkopf...”

Rarity blinks in confusion. “Beg pardon?”

“Me. Dummkopf.” You say with a small smile. “I’ve been such an idiot. My sweet, generous little treasure who’s been doing everything she can... And I still let those little thoughts find a way to take root.”

Rarity smiles and runs a hoof through your mane. “This is what we need. Those kind of thoughts, they’re the ones causing your stress and making everything worse. Things are going to get better, we just need to work through all those stressful thoughts and feelings.”

You nod in agreement. “Alright. Well, if I find myself getting panicky? I’ll remember this conversation.”

“Good. Now, the next bit of our conversation today... We’re going to focus on how you feel about other ponies and what they might be thinking.”

You purse your lips and try to suppress a sigh.

“Oh don’t give me that,” she chastises. “A lot of your anxiety and a full blown attack came when you thought ponies were talking about you.”

“Not thought. I knew they were talking about me. I’m not used to being in the limelight! What’s worse, I was in the limelight for something that has left ponies pointing, talking and pitying me! I hate it!”

Rarity remains silent during your outburst, instead writing down more notes. “And what angers you the most?”

“Out of what? The talking? Pointing? Pitying?’

She nods.

“Pitying,” you huff aloud, falling back into the couch. “I hate the fact they can’t see it. Here I am, thinking I’m getting better. That I’m working through things and all these ponies come along, look at me and think I’m a nutbar. What’s all the work for if they can’t see it?”

“Darling, not to be blunt, but why do you think what they think impacts how you’re progressing?”

You roll your shoulders. “The stress, I guess. Knowing they’re whispering? It stresses me. The anxiety does a number on me and that feeds... itself and I’m left worse off.” With a heavy sigh and a groan, you press your hooves against your face. “What’s worse, I know it’s stupid to worry, but I can’t help it!”

“Why can’t you?”

The question catches you off guard and makes you blanche. “Why?” You ask firmly. “It’s because I’m supposed to help ponies with mental problems, not be the one with them and it eats at me! It’s like a dog catcher allergic to dogs, a carrot farmer who hates carrots, a claustrophobic miner! The mind is my profession and I thought I...” You trail off and sigh heavily. “I seriously thought I was going to be... or already was institutionalized.”

Rarity bites at her lip for a moment before setting down her pad of paper. “I think I know where these feelings are coming from,” she says as she runs a hoof through your mane. “First and foremost, you must remember that you are getting better. Don’t ever doubt yourself, no matter what anypony else thinks. If you think you’re not getting better, then you’re not. A self fulfilling prophecy, if you will.”

You nod slowly and Rarity continues.

“As for how you’re feeling about this situation, about being a ‘claustrophobic miner’? It relates back to your state. You’re getting better. If you think you’re claustrophobic, you will be. If you think you’re not well... You get what I’m saying. You’re smart. You’re good at your job and what’s happening to you has nothing to do with it. Am I wrong?”

“Well...” You start to protest, but stop with a sigh. “No, you’re not.”

Rarity smiles from ear to ear. “Good.” Sitting up in bed, she brings her pad of paper back. “And onto our last topic, I’ve had an idea of sorts,” she says. “You said before that you had an incident at dinner, a moment of panic before the poisoning.”

Just being reminded makes you flinch. “Yeah.”

“Now, now! I told you before I don’t care,” Rarity scolds. “Now, we can assume that something before that event is plaguing your mind, namely your subconcious.”

The way she says subconscious just makes you chuckle. “You’re starting to sound like Golden Siggie.”

Rarity gives you a look before putting on a thick Mecklesh accent. “A Golden Slip is when you say one thing but mean your mother.” A pause. “I mean another.”

You’ve heard the joke a million times in college, but it still makes you crack up and it coming from Rarity just makes it all the better. You both share a hearty laugh and after coming down from the giggles, Rarity puts her analysis back on.

“Pinkie told me that one,” she says briefly. “Yes, anyway. Golden does make some good points about the unconscious mind. Our feelings, our motives, every decision we make is influenced by our past experiences and store in the unconscious. It’s the most important part of the mind, yet we hardly see any of it, just the tip like-”

“An iceberg,” you finish for her. “I liked that chapter.”

Rarity nods. “Yes. So, here’s my idea. Something in the past has influenced you and has made your unconscious mind rebel against the idea of getting married. Before the events of Careheart, it was simply a small episode. The poison amplified those feelings and the anxiety that came with it made you confront other thoughts and feelings along the way. So, we just have to figure out where this past event is and we can start down the road of recovery.”

All you can do is just beam at Rarity, smiling from ear to ear and feeling just so happy. “Smart, beautiful, caring and multi-talented. I lucked out.”

“Yes, you did.” She says firmly. “And so did I. Now, are you ready to start the day in earnest or would you rather continue?”

Getting up and stretching, you nod quickly. “Oh yeah, I’m more than ready. Württburg’s our next destination and we’ll take Romantic Road, stopping in Mecklich for the tail end of Octoberfest for the dance and be in Reign by the end of the day. I hope you’re looking forward to that dance,” you say, nipping at her ear.

Rarity titters on the spot. “Hehe, well, yes of course... Though, I do feel like we’re doing a lot of things I like,” she says with a sigh. “And I know my position before, but I’m going to change it slightly.”

That gets you to perk up. “Oh?”

“I’d like to sample some of the local brew, as it were... We are not getting ‘wasted’ as your father so eloquently put it,” she says with a grimace. “But I don’t see how a couple drinks can affect our evening.”

You smile from ear to ear and kiss Rarity on the cheek, making her blush. “Libe dich,” you say with a goofy grin. “Let’s not waste anymore time. Shower?”

“Ohh yes please,” she says with a giddy grin. “I’ve got knots in my back that you wouldn’t believe!”

**********************************************

So much can change in a small amount of time, that much you were certain of. After a nice hot shower, a change of clothes and getting outside was really bringing out the best of you.

“Slow down for a moment darling, I know you’re excited but a lady can only move so fast!”

Slowing down the pace, you look back to see Rarity catching up to you. “Oh thank you... As much as I love the weather, the sun is just beating down on us today,” she says as she offers you a spot under her parasol. “And I’d actually hoped to take the first few steps onto Romantic Road together.”

You blush bashfully and let out a little laugh. “Ah, yes... Sorry, I got ahead of myself-”

“-and me.”

“-and you,” you say with another chuckle. “I just haven’t walked this road in a long time.”

“Oh really? Have you walked it with another pony before?” Rarity asks with a coy smile. “Maaaybe a past lov-”

“It was a childhood sweetheart,” you admit. “I was 12, she was 13. I asked her if she wanted to walk the road to look at all the sweet shoppes and was hoping to ask her if she wanted to maybe do something like go to the movies or dinner afterwards...”

You let out a long sigh as the memories come flooding back.

“I chickened out. We had our fun, she went home and I saw her at school the next day. That was about it. I’m not torn up about it.”

Rarity blinks in surprise. “My, you’re quite open about this... I was not expecting that. Do you know what happened to her?”

You shrug. “Last I heard she was looking to open a shop somewhere in Canterlot. She always had a knack for fixing things. Besides, it would never have worked out.”

“Oh come now, don’t be so down on yourself. You’re a fine stallion-”

“That was the problem, dear. Around highschool, she came out and dated a few mares.”

“...Oh. Well then. Still, what prompted you to share all this?” She asks.

“You’re a gossip bug, Schatzi. I saw it in your eyes the minute I mentioned walking down this road.”

With a loud ‘harrumph’, Rarity turns her nose up and away from you. “I am not a gossip-bug! I just... enjoy the odd juicy story now and again.”

You let out a snicker and nuzzle up against her neck, getting the mare to melt and smile. “I think you’re going to like this walk,” you say. “Romantic Road, as you pointed out before, is supposed to bring good luck to the couples who walk it. But it’s also home to a number of other attractions.”

“Oh?” She asks. “Like what?”

“Well, there’s a new statue of Princess Cadence since her ascension to the title of ‘Princess of Love’... Bürgerspital is along the way and was founded close to 300 years ago as a refuge for the less fortunate by the wealthy elite.” Clicking your teeth, something comes back to you. “Mecklenorden Schloss!”

“Excuse me?” Rarity asks. “Mecklen Order... Manor? Is that right?”

“Kind of, but it’d be more like ‘Mecklen Order Castle’. It served as a base of operations for the Mecklish Knights.”

That got Rarity’s attention.

“Oh my! And what did these knights do that earned them a castle?” She asked with a titter. “Did they rescue a Princess?”

“Actually, the Mecklish Knights regularly made pilgrimages across Equestria to help establish hospitals. Though... Hospitals were a bit different during the time of knights.”

Rarity looks at you with rapt attention and silently begs you to continue.

“Hospitals were a place of worship as much as a place of healing and care. Around that time, there were some groups dedicated to worshipping Celestia and the Mecklish Knights were among them,” you say. “They’d go from place to place, start a hospital, spread the worship of Princess Celestia, heal the sick and help the poor and when the hospital flourished, they celebrated by going on another pilgrimage to start anew.”

“My word... When we talk about knights today, we more or less picture some pony clad in armor fighting a dragon, rescuing a princess or defending ponies from evil. I’ve never heard of these ponies until now.”

You let out a long sigh and rub the back of your neck. “Yeah... To be honest, Celestia wasn’t too keen on being worshipped. The Mecklish Knights apparently sometime referred to her as a God. When she found this out, she started stomping out any such notions. It kind of broke the Mecklish Knights and while they kept up their work, it was never in as much force. About a year after that, they retired back to Mecklenburg and just sort of... disappeared.”

“Oh my... That actually sounds rather sad.” Rarity says with a sigh.

You let out one of your own and nod. “It is a bit sad, I gotta-”

“Why the long face?!?”

The sudden scream and flash of red in your face catches you off guard and you jump back a few feet.

“Mr. Punch, he’s a pony. They all have long faces!”

It takes a few moments for it to click and you find yourself laughing as you stare at the two diamond dog puppets in front of you and the banner above their stage.

‘Punch & Judy - Fun for All and All for Fun’

“This one has a longer face.”

“Mr. Punch, you’re being rude now!”

“Was not!”

“Were too!”

A chorus of giggles behind you makes you turn around and the group of kids and adults sitting and watching just makes you smile.

“Hey, let’s get off our hooves for a spell and watch the show.”

“Really? A puppet show?” Rarity asks with a raised eyebrow. “I mean, out of all the places we could go today, why a puppet show?”

‘Judy’ lets out a scoff. “Out of all the faces you could choose today, why the homely one?”

Rarity’s jaw drops and you did all you could to suppress your laughter, but it comes out as a snicker, earning you a glare.

“I am not homely!”

“She’s not homely.” Mr. Punch. “Now you’re being mean.”

“Mr. Punch, put in your contacts!”

“Oh, right...There, I-AAAH! What’s Chrysalis doing here?”

By now, Rarity is fuming and you guide her to the curb where you two sit.

“Oh that little...” She grumbles.

“Rarity dear, what’s the subtitle of this show?” You ask as you pull a can of fruit juice from your bag.

“Fun for all and all for fun...”

“And what’s the word for taking pleasure in another’s misfortune?” Holding out the can, you see her face slowly relax before you see her realize what you were getting at. Every child was laughing and giggling still.

“Schadenfreude,” she says with a small smile.

“Gesundheit!” Mr. Punch yells.

**********************************************

“Give me the slapstick!”

“No.”

“Give me the stick! ...I can’t believe I just said that. Oooof!”

“That’s the way to do it!”

Rarity lets out an unrefined giggle as you both hear the puppetshow out of earshot.

“Alright, I’ll admit, that was funny,” she says with a smile. “What’s next on the agenda, darling? I’m so enjoying our little stroll.”

You open your mouth to say something, but it’s cut short when you hear the sound of cheering and clapping of hooves. Both you and Rarity turn to the direction and you watch a newlywed couple leaving a hall they must have rented for the occasion.

Rice is thrown, ponies clap and and you feel your throat tighten.

Rarity watches on and looks like she’s ready to leave, right up until the log comes out and the frame to hold it up.

“What are they doing?” She asks nopony in particular. You know the question isn’t directed at you, but you answer anyway.

“Baumstamm Sägen,” you say rather flatly. Rarity turns your way. “It means log or tree trunk sawing. It’s meant to represent the first obstacle to overcome together in the marriage.”

“The first obstacle?”

You nod sharply.

“Yeah.” The words leave your mouth bitterly. You watch as both mare and stallion grab an end of the saw and start to get to work and unsurprisingly to you, it’s starting to go quickly. “Lots of ponies just go ahead and use a small, dry log and just get over it. It’s meant to teach teamwork. Doesn’t teach anything about communication. That’s what I think every marriage should end with. A lesson in that.”

You can feel Rarity staring at you, but the words are already leaving your mouth and you feel like venting.

“Do you know how many married ponies I met? Ponies in what I thought were healthy relationships? Each one of them didn’t just tell the other what was wrong. I almost saw decades old marriages crumble because they kept secrets. You know what the statistics say? 40% of all marriages in Equestria end in divorce, but I say more.”

“D-Darling, when did you get so cynical?”

“Cause I got to see Ponyville as a case study!” You’re positively boiling by now. You’ve held this in for far too long. “79 couples! 158 ponies! Ponies who said they loved each other but every last one of them were such bloody dummkopfs that they didn’t think for one moment that there’s an easy way to work through your problems and didn’t require a ficken head shrink! It’s simple! Ask them wha-”

“What’s wrong?”

“YES! Exactly! Ask them what’s wrong! Ask them to be honest and open up and tell you why you’re acting the way you are!” You feel yourself shaking right now. “Ask them for an honest answer why they’re sleeping on the couch, why they close their eyes when you’re having sex, why yOU THREW YOURSELF DOWN THE BUCKING ST-”

“Sie das Gespräch abbrechen!”
[Translation: End this conversation!]

You whip your head to see Rarity standing there, her eyes glaring into you and her face flush with embarrassment. A glance back towards the wedding and you see why she’s acting the way she is. Every pony there stood slack jawed and stared. By the look in their faces, they heard every word you said. Biting your tongue, you hang your head. Rarity keeps the look on her face, but starts walking further down the road and you walk after.

As you pass the wedding and feel every eye on you, you swallow the lump in your throat and speak up.

“Entschuldigung.”
[Translation: Excuse me.]

**********************************************

The walk along the Romantic Road didn’t go as planned. Rarity was rather quiet the entire time.

The trip to the manor was more tourist-y than you’d like but you still saw her eyes light up when she saw the armor and artwork depicting the knight’s great deeds.

When the walk ended and you found yourself in Mecklich, your hooves were tired.

“I think it’s time we got a hotel room... We need to have another talk, anyway.”

Rarity had said that as soon as you entered town and now you were having deja-vu. Laying on the bed, you stared up at the ceiling as Rarity sat beside you with a pen and some paper, going over previous notes.

“It’s beginning to become clearer,” she says quietly. “You had your first panic attack when the subject of your own marriage was brought up and passed out when reminded of a nightmare you had the previous night that revolved around marriage.”

You watch her jot down a few notes and you swallow dryly. “Yeah.”

“Now... I had been thinking about this all day and how to approach this gently.” Rarity says. “But I don’t think I can do it gently. Not after what I saw today. So I’m just going to come out and ask: What are your honest opinions on marriage right now?”

You let out a tired sigh. “It’s complicated. It’s hard, it can ruin lives and shatter everything,” you say flatly. “I remember a comedian once saying that those vows? ‘Until death do us part’? Those stop being vows and start being goals. It stops becoming about spending time with someone you love and more about spending the rest of your life with someone who likes you and is stuck with you.”

Rarity’s quiet for the longest time.

“And if you imagined yourself getting married now?” She finally asks above a whisper. “How does that make you feel?”

Your mind immediately starts racing and after a few seconds of worst case scenarios, you bury your face in your hooves and moan. That’s all the answer she needed.

“Alright, alright, alright... I think I’m beginning to see what’s going on here. You saw some bad marriages during your time as a counselor and-”

You snap up and glare daggers at Rarity. “‘Some bad’ doesn’t even cut it.”

“...Darling, I’m having a hard time believing that every single marriage was a horror to behold,” she says firmly.

Looking around the room, you take a deep breath. “Whatever is said in this room, stays in this room. I’m not going to name names.”

Rarity opens her mouth to protest, but you cut her off.

“A mare threw herself down a flight of stairs and ended up in hospice because her husband wasn’t spending enough time with her and thought it was the best way to get him to pay attention,” you spit out. “He worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week. She refused to get a job, which is what he confided in me. He said that he worked all that time just to support themselves. And that this was the first she had ever said about being neglected.”

Rarity’s jaw hits the floor. “...In Ponyville?” She asks breathlessly. “That’s... My word.”

“That’s not even the worst one. 16 different cases of domestic abuse. Both ways. Gaslighting. Blackmail. Affair after affair after affair...” You moan into your hooves. “I even had to call the police a few times for what I heard. I remember having nightmares right after the first batch of clients.”

“...About what?” Rarity asked, her whole body tensing up. “You never mentioned anything about nightmares.”

“I know, I know... I didn’t think it was anything at the time. I mean, what was I supposed to do? Tell you how I had nightmares about the things my clients are doing?” You ask with a tired laugh. “You know the first thing you’d ask for is specifics because you’d want to know what was so bad that I was having nightmares. I’m only confiding in you now because it’s important, I know that now.”

With a dry swallow, you let out a strangled laugh. “Thinking back to all those times I hid stuff from you, didn’t talk to you when I should... Communication. I feel like a complete hypocrite after my outburst.”

You honestly felt like crying. Your eyes water and your face scrunches up. “I am a hypocrite.”

“Shhh... It’s alright, it’s alright...” Rarity coos, running a hoof through your mane. “It all makes sense now. I understand completely.”

“Well... What do you think, doc?” You offer up a dry laugh, but it isn’t returned.

Taking a deep breath, Rarity closes her notebook. “You were exposed to every last horror of marriage and relationships as ponies flocked to you to help them. Somewhere along the line, the innocence of marriage disappeared. You began to look at it negatively. And well... I was the trigger for your anxiety.”

You nod slowly. “Yeah... You mentioned something about us getting married. And I guess I lost it.”

“You don’t want to lose what we have,” Rarity says, taking your hoof in hers. “You value our relationship, don’t you?”

The words come in an instant. “More than anything in this whole wide world.”

“And that’s why you panic, why you get scared, why you’re fretting so much. You think that the two of us getting married would mean the end of what you treasure the most because you think all marriages are like that.”

You nod in agreement. “Makes sense. Hard to think of something supposed to be sacred when it’s been dragged through the mud. When all its skeletons are out of the closet.”

“So, I think I know what we should do.”

That gets you to perk up. Your mouth opens and you want to ask what, but Rarity’s already crawling into bed with you.

“First and foremost, I’ll make a promise here and now: I won’t speak a word about marriage and us in the same sentence. That is a discussion that we will have at a later point. But not now. Second? I think you should make some house calls when we get back to Ponyville.”

“...House calls?” You squeak out. “What do you mean? For what?”

“Well, let me ask you: did every pony walk out of your office with issues left unresolved?”

“No, I did what I could. I gave them all the advice and information they could need and told them to contact me if things don’t turn around,” you say firmly. “I-”

It starts to hit you.

“It’s risky. Those ponies out there could be still caught in the rut they came into you with. Or worse. But if they aren’t? If they’re doing better? It might be just what you need.” She says warmly. “Some proof that marriage, just like any relationship, is a series of bumps.”

You feel a small smile start to tug at your cheeks. “Where would I be without you?”

Rarity gives you a nuzzle. “I ask myself the same thing.”

Right at the end of my nose, you think with a sigh. As Bones would have put it... ‘If it was a snake, it would have bit me.’

The idea of seeing your past relationship counselees doesn’t leave the best taste in your mouth, but you push the thought away. Now wasn’t the time for that. Now was the time to let your love know how much you cherished her.

Wrapping your hooves around Rarity, you bring her into your embrace and hold her tight. You let your hooves wander up and down her back and just relish the feeling. With a relaxed sigh, you let out a whisper.

“Vielen Dank für alles.”
[Translation: Thank you for everything.]

“Gern geschehen.”
[Translation: My pleasure.]

After a while, both you and Rarity relinquish the grasp on each other.

“Now dear, I don’t know if you’d be up for it, but we still have time to sample the local drink and attend the dance.” She whispers in your ear.

You were smiling earlier, but it just got a little wider. “Oktoberfest.”

Getting to your hooves, you feel like a child about to head to the fair. Just as you were about to take off, you stop.

“Before we make a dash for the shower, I need to say something.” Getting on your knees, you get close to Rarity’s face. “You are the most wonderful pony in the world. You’ve stuck with me for this long and you’ve helped me in ways that I just can’t put into words. And I’m sorry if I don’t say it every day, but I want you to know it now. I love you and am thankful every day to have you in my life. Thank you.”

Rarity’s eyes flutter and she’s left staring at you with a deep blush. “Darling, you just know how to pour on the charm.” She says with an embarrassed smile. “You’re the only one pony in this world who knows how to make me blush like a schoolfilly.”

Getting to her hooves, Rarity starts towards the bathroom and flashes you a toothy grin. “Come on. We’ve got a dance to get to~”

**********************************************

Dressing for Oktoberfest had been a chore on your 18th birthday. This time around, Rarity was dressing you and went for something simple, rather than the layers of clothing your mother chose.

A checkered blue button shirt, a good pair of Lederhosen, your old Tirolerhüte you dug out of the attic and you were good to go. Rarity on the other hoof? She knew how to turn heads.

You could feel the stares every other pony go from her to you and you can’t help but smile.

Her Dirndl was the same shade of blue as yours and originally had her matching apron tied with a bow right in the center. When she showed it off, you snickered like a madpony until she was left fuming and wondering what was so funny.

“How was I supposed to know tying the bow in the center was a sign that you were a virgin?” She grumbles when you let out another snicker. “At least I have it in the right spot now...”

“And you look fantastic, Schatzi.” You punctuate the sentence with a kiss on her cheek. “Now, let me show you what true beer is!”

“Remember, we’re not going to over-do.” Rarity chides. “And it’s not going to be too bitter, is it? I’m more of a Rosé girl, afterall.”

All you can do is smile as you and her step up to one of the bars.

“Weihenstephaner!” You cry out.

The pony behind the bar nods and with the flick of a hoof, he pulls a bottle from under the bar and sends it speeding towards you.

‘Neighenstephaner Festbier’ it read. With the flick of a wrist, you twist the top off and down a mouthful.

“Oh sweet sisters above I needed this,” you say with a sigh. “Here, try it!”

Thrusting the bottle out to Rarity, she gives it and you a look before gingerly taking it. “What’s so special about it?”

All you can do is smile like your 18 year-old self all those years ago. “Taste it. Trust me, you’ll like it.”

With a small shrug, Rarity takes a small sip and her eyes go wide. “My word,” she says after swallowing. “That is good. A bit stronger than I’m used to, but good.”

Smiling from ear to ear, you grab Rarity by the hoof. “And the night is still young.”

Chapter 10

You let out a long, pained moan as the thudding in your head gets louder. You crack your eyes open and start to look around, trying to remember just who you are, where you are and what you are doing.

The first one is easy enough and after blinking blearily into the mid-morning light, you realize you are in your hotel room, that much was obvious.

What else was obvious was that it was completely trashed. Empty bottles and cans, half eaten containers of food, streamers, a few party balloons and more than a few unmentionables.

You turn over in bed to wake up the curled up ball that was Rarity and tried to call her name, but stop when your breath hitches in your throat.

She was wearing a wedding veil.

No. No way. We didn’t. We couldn’t, you think frantically. Looking down at yourself, you see you’re wearing a bow tie and matching cuffs. On the nightstand, hanging on the lamp looks like a tuxedo coat.

Ohhh no. Oh no no no...

You reach a hoof out and give her a little shake. “Rarity. Rarity!” You hiss.

She lets out a low moan of her own, but she doesn’t wake up. Somepony does, however.

A foal’s head pops up from Rarity’s embrace, their bright blue eyes staring into yours. You and the foal just stare at each other for the longest time before they smile from ear to ear.

“Daddy!”

**********************************

You let out a gasping choke and sit upright in bed; the real bed this time. A look around the hotel room showed it to be clean and orderly. Rarity shifts next to you and looks to you blearily.

“Darling, what’s wrong? You look... perturbed. Did you have a nightmare?”

You feel yourself blush a bit and shake your head. “No, no. No nightmare... Just odd. It’s nothing.”

No sooner do the words leave your mouth do you feel the hot stare of Rarity’s gaze boring a hole through the side of your face. After a moment, you relent.

“It’s... Silly, alright? It wasn’t scary, just a shock. Big shock,” you say with a small, strangled laugh. Which makes you groan out and hold your head in pain. “What happened last night?”

Rarity gives you a long luck and a thin lipped smile that spoke volumes. “Well then, where should I start?” She says with a hint of anger.

You flinch and feel your ears fold back. “Ich habe es vermasselt.”
[I messed up.]

Rarity nods slowly. “Yes. You did indeed ‘vermasselt’.” With a heavy sigh, she starts to get out of bed. “Where to begin? Well, I think the start of it all would be the best. It was a good night at first. I was letting you have a few tastes of the local brew, as you wanted to, and then the festivities started. There was dancing and music and that was the good part of the night, I will not lie.”

You bit the inside of your cheek. “I feel that there’s a but in there coming...”

“But. Then it happened. Now, I know it’s not entirely your fault, but you had it coming when you were drinking everything offered,” she says with a sigh. “Does the name ‘Well-Planned Thaumic Manticore’ ring any bells?”

You blink in confusion. “Uhh...”

“Of course not. You were offered a beer and you were halfway through it when the pony who offered it panicked. You didn’t hear them say that it was 50% alcohol until after you finished the whole thing.”

“What?” You blanch. “50... Percent?”

She nodded an all knowing smile. “Yes. I will admit, it was funny watching you try to dance after accidentally downing a brew that strong and you were having fun, so I figured that was all that mattered.” And then she lets out a long sigh and her smile disappears. “But then you grabbed a pony who you thought was me, danced and even kissed them.”

You feel the color drain from your face.

“Rarity, Rarity mein schatzi, I would never! I would never kiss another mare! You-”

“Who said it was a mare?”

You feel your jaw slowly drop and look to Rarity in horror. “Bwah...”

“Snrk...” Rarity tries to hold it together, but after a few moments, she’s snickering and trying everything to keep up the facade. “Ooooh you should have seen your face!” She says before letting out a raucous laugh. “Ohh my gosh I wish I had my camera!”

“B-But... Did I? Did... Are you messing with me?!?” You cry out.

“Yess!” She laughs. “Ohhh my gosh, Rainbow Dash was right! A good prank do has its charm!”

You feel your face blush and try to force a scowl, but you find yourself hard to stay mad. She got you good.

“Alright, alright... So, I assume everything else about last night is true? I got drunk and made a complete tit out of myself?” You can’t help but let out a depressed sigh. “I'm sorry. I suppose I ruined the night?”

“Well, dancing with your drunk self is hard, but we managed a few dances before the night caught up to you.” She smiles warmly. “All in all, it was a splendid night. Not a night at the Palace Theatre, but enjoyable nonetheless”

Slowly though, her expression hardens. “Now, please. Tell me what your dream was about. I promise, no judgement.”

You take a deep breath and cuddle up close to Rarity. “Well...” You start. “I woke up in this bed here. We were tangled in the sheets and I felt like I do now. Hungover.”

She nods slowly. “Alright...”

“And you were wearing a wedding veil and I was wearing what was left of my own formals.”

Rarity nods. “Well, I guess I can see why-”

“I’m not done. That wasn’t the shocking bit.”

This got her attention.

“I thought that the idea of marriage was one of those anxiety triggers we talked about,” she asks.

“Yeah, but... I don’t know. I didn’t freak out at that, I jumped when the foal you were cuddled up with poked their head up and called me ‘daddy’.”

Rarity’s eyes widen and she blinks slowly. “I’m sorry? A foal?”

You nod quickly. “Yeah. It’s a little fuzzy, but they had your eyes, that’s much for certain. It’s all started to disappear a bit, but... yeah. A foal. Our foal.” You let out a dry laugh. “I know it sounds bad, but I was kinda relieved to wake up and know that it was just a dream.”

“And why is that?” She asks, sitting up slightly. “I’m not being confrontational, I just want to know why you’re relieved.”

You flinch at those first words but slowly nod as Rarity explains. “It’s just... I mean, I’m not opposed to the idea of having a foal, don’t get me wrong. But it was more like a shock along the lines of ‘Oh sweet Celestia, we haven’t prepared for this yet’.” You take a moment to gather your thoughts. “It’s like jumping into the deep end without knowing how to swim. We didn’t talk, we didn’t save up money, we didn’t prepare or learn... If we were to have a child, I’d at least want to get a nest egg together to cover those first few years if anything. And probably learn how to change a diaper.”

Rarity’s expression changes slowly as you talk, first being intense and scrutinizing, but slowly shifting to a warm smile that leaves you blushing by the last few words.

You open your mouth to stammer something out, but instead are silenced when Rarity’s lips meet yours.

“Always the carer, aren’t you?”

You blush and give her a quick peck back. “One of my many faults.”

“I just find it odd...” Rarity says. “As I said, I was under the impression that you have an anxiety triggered by the thoughts of marriage. That you didn’t want to lose what we had. But in this dream, you woke up and found yourself married to me with no recollection, yet that wasn’t the thing to cause the shock.”

“Little early to start the next session, don’t you think?” You ask, feeling the first pangs of hunger. “Can we at least go out and get breakfast first?”

“Hmmm... How about a shower and discuss it over breakfast?” Rarity offers.

You nod slowly. “Yeah, a shower sounds great right about now.” Getting to your hooves, you let out a hiss of pain.

“What’s wrong?”

“My back,” you say through clenched teeth. Moving around and stretching, you try to work the knot out. “I think I did something last night...”

“Probably when you jumped up on the table and started singing “Hufe zum Himmel” when the band started up,” she said with a smile. “You danced a lot like you did at the Dog and Pony and probably got everypony there to join in.”

You manage a smile through the pain. “Well, at least ponies enjoyed it...”

“Ohhh come on you poor dear...” She says, draping a hoof over your shoulder and guiding you into the bathroom. “Let’s get a nice hot shower going and I’ll give you a massage.”

“Ohhhh heavens above that sounds lovely...” You smile.

“Well I do enjoy to reciprocate, after all~”

Something about the way she titters makes you blush and you can’t help but shoot her the same sly smile and make your way into the bathroom.

**********************************

You stretch once more as you ride down the elevator to the bottom floor. “Well that was... refreshing,” you say, feeling the last bit of stiffness disappear from your back with a pop.

“Yes, but I do hope we’re not late for breakfast.” Rarity says with a huff. “You know, you didn’t have to do that, you know.”

“Oh come now, mein schatzi, I know you enjoy it when I reciprocate as well~”

This gets her blushing. “You make it sound so dirty... It was just a massage, which I am ever grateful for, but I was trying to focus on you.”

“And you helped, don’t get me wrong.” You smile from ear to ear. “I just want to keep showing you how much I appreciate it all. Every time you do something nice for me, I just have to go that extra mile and do the same for you.”

Rarity’s blush turns a deeper shade and she gives you a sultry look. “I’ll remember that, darling. That way, we can make your massage end a little more... happily.”

The words hang in the air for just a moment and soon enough, you’re blushing and giggling at the thought, making Rarity join in. “Look at us...” She says as she cozies up to you. “We’re like a couple of highschool love birds... We can’t keep our hooves off each other.”

“Well... Considering everything that’s happened, we needed this. We needed the getaway. We needed the time together.” As the elevator reaches the ground floor, you smile from ear to ear and place a kiss on her cheek. “And every time I say I love you and hear it right back, it makes everything up here make a lot more sense.”

Rarity blushes and gives you a chaste kiss on the cheek as you walk out the elevator. “Ich libe dich~”

You follow right after her into the main hall, swing a right through a hallway and into the dining area. A full assortment of dishes were being offered and you took a deep breath of all the smells.

“Breakfast like a princess,” you say happily. You waste no time and slip by a number of ponies to grab a plate and start loading it up.

“You have quite the appetite, despite the hangover,” Rarity remarks as she tries to keep pace.

“I like to get a big, stodgy breakfast in after a night of drinking,” you say matter of factly, grabbing more toast and packets of strawberry jam. Looking around, you see a plate that makes your eyes light up. “Oooooh!”

“Wait, is that... Cheese?” She asks. “Cheese for breakfast?”

You shrug. “It’s not that uncommon. But this is a good starting point. I’m going to find us a table. If you want something hot, go over to that window, it looks like a chef is taking orders.”

Rarity eyes the cheese plate for a moment before smiling sheepishly. “I might just get myself an omelette.”

You give her a nod and make your way towards a tale and plop yourself down in a chair. Cheeses, jam, even a piece of toast goes into a few slices of bread before you start digging in.

The taste was unique and you always found a shock like that to the system woke you up good and proper, better than any hangover cure. Swallowing a mouthful, you smack your lips.

“Drink...” You mumble as you get to your hooves. Before you can stand up, Rarity’s passing you by and setting a glass of orange juice by your plate. “Is that what you were after?” She asks.

You nod quickly and throw back a mouthful of orange juice, washing down the last remnants of bread lodged in your throat.

“Oh yeah. That hit the spot... So, what’d you get?”

Rarity smiles. “A different kind of omelette for me. I never thought to put potatoes in it, but it smells divine. Especially on an empty stomach.”

You watch for a moment as she starts to cut herself a piece and eat a few bites before continuing into your own breakfast.

“So,” you ask casually. “What do you think it means?”

“The dream?” She asks, swallowing a mouthful. “Mm, well, yes... It’s quite a question, really. I mean, I was under the impression that your anxiety was manifesting in these dreams and causing you all this grief. But now, you’re faced with a scenario in your dream of being married... and that causes you no grief.”

You shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe it was just a dream? No real context?”

“While a cigar can sometimes just be a cigar, we’ve seen in the past that is not usually the case,” she says with a sigh. “And considering the very nature of your condition, that it’s partly magically induced, there’s always a need to take a closer look. So until we know the cigar is just a cigar, let me know if you dream of this foal again. It just might be the lead up to something bigger.”

“I will,” you say tiredly. “The only thing that really matters is that I’m getting better, right?”

“That’s true, that’s true.” Rarity says with a tired smile. “You’ve definitely made strides and are getting better. We just have to see where those strides take us and if we’re ever going to get better..”

“Better... What is better...” You trail off and take a deep breath before reaching out and grabbing Rarity’s hoof. “I don't know if I've said this yet, or enough times, but I am thankful for you sticking around despite everything. A lesser mare would have run at this challenge.”

Rarity lets out a loud scoff. “Puh-LEASE darling! Nightmare Moon was a challenge. Discord was a challenge. You are not a challenge, some obstacle to be overcome. You are my special somepony and I’m here for you, no matter what.”

You start to smile from ear to ear. “Thank you.”

You both start to lapse into silence as you work on your plates before Rarity is the first to break it.

“You know, it’s rather funny...” She says idly. “You’re biggest lesson to me is the biggest lesson we both are taking away from this.”

You blink once, then twice. “What do you mean?”

“Well, think about it. ‘There’s no such thing as perfection’. You said those words to me all that time ago. I’ve tried to take those words to heart, tell myself that every day and while I know it can be difficult, I know it’s true.” She offers you a tired smile. “I think the old Rarity would still be pining and moaning about how last night wasn’t what I dreamed of. But I’ve managed to find the things I enjoyed about it and that’s what’s important.”

You remain quiet as you watch her gather herself.

“And I think, this is the final thing we need to get through. My ever-loving darling, you are not perfect.” She says flatly. “You can do nothing in moderation, you overreact, you hide things that you think would put burden on another, and won’t let anypony treat you nice for one moment without looking to return the favor.”

That makes you hitch slightly. “Wha-”

“And that’s fine. Remember? Nothing’s perfect. If we don’t accept the good with the bad, we’ll go mad in the end.” She smiles warmly. “Because you care for me deeply, put me ahead and on top of every list and love me each day as if it was the first.”

Rarity’s words ring in your ears and you find yourself start to smile goofily.

“Does this help darling? Do you still think you’re going to wake up one morning and see I’m gone? Because in all honesty, that is the one thing that sets me off and makes me irritated. The very fact that I’d leave my prince.”

You feel your heart flutter in your chest.

“Thank you for that... But if we get any more lovey dovey, I might just overdose from all this sweetness,” you laugh. “I don’t think Bones would appreciate me going into hyperglycemic shock on my vacation.

Rarity waves a hoof. “If it helps, it helps~”

“It does.” Taking a deep breath, you reach out and grab both of her hooves. “Alright, here’s the plan for today. We’re going to get dressed and we’re going to hit the town. See a few museums, take in the sights, right up until tonight. And we’re going to sit right by the river Reign and watch the fireworks.”

She leans in, smiling. “Reign in Flammen... On top of the Celesteskirche...” Rarity says wistfully.

You nod slowly as you finish off the last few scraps on your plate. “The Celesteskirche, or ‘Celestia Church’ is the oldest church in the city. It isn’t used for worship anymore, but it’s still one of the best places to see the fireworks and how they dance across the water.”

Rarity lets out an excited squeal and claps her hooves together. “This is going to be quite the night!”

**********************************

“What do you mean it’s all booked up?” You ask agape. You were doing everything you could not to raise your voice. You were having flashbacks to the Queue du Chevaux. “My parents attended here last year and told me it was free to the public!”

The two ponies behind the desk sigh in exasperation. “Yes, but this year, you need to buy tickets in advance,” the walnut stallion says. “I’m sorry, but if you’re going to come here, you tourists really should do your research.”

You could feel a vein throbbing in your temple. “I was born in this country, you dummkopf.”

The stallion tenses up and glares at you and you do the same, only to have a hoof pull you back.

“Darling, darling... It’s alright. We’ll find another place.” Rarity says. She gives you a look that just screams ‘don’t make a scene’ and you find yourself relenting.

“Alright, alright...” You mutter, walking away dejectedly. You half hear the mare next to your instigator say something, but by then you’re halfway down the street.

The night had been going so well, too. A visit to the opera, a stop by an ancient history museum and to top it all off, a night on top of the Celesteskirche with a live band, dancing and the best view of the river.

“I’m not giving this up that easily, Rarity.” You say firmly. “I want to end this night on the highest note possible.”

“We can’t always get the perfect ending, darling...” She says with a sigh. “But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want the same.”

Your walk leads you to a park bench a stone’s throw away from the Celesteskirche and you take a load off of your hooves and loosen your tie.

Rarity adjusts her satin red dress and takes a seat right next to you before mimicking your tired sigh. “Last night here,” she says plainly.

“Mmhm...”

Her eyes climb the tower. “I’m sure it’s not that overbooked,” she says. “That stallion gave us a dirty look the minute I opened my mouth and spoke Equish. I think he has a thing against tourists. It’s like the Queue du Chevaux all over again.”

“Mmhm... Yeah,” you say downtrodden. “If only we could get around them.”

“Well, we...”

Rarity trails off and you look over to her. She looks conflicted as her eyes dart to the ground and to a corner of the building. That’s when you see it.

A service entrance.

It clicks and you look to her with wild eyes.

You couldn’t possibly be thinking of doing that. And she couldn’t. She couldn’t possibly-

“...We could always, you know... slip around them,” she says innocently. “I’m sure that we could find our way to the top. But that’d be wrong. We’d be breaking and entering.”

“It wouldn’t be that wrong. I mean, as far as crimes go, we’re just going someplace that’s usually open to the public. And if they are charging, we could always leave some money behind somewhere.” You say aloud. “It’d be a victimless crime and it’d be like we paid.”

“Yes... Yes, indeed...” Rarity says smiling slowly. Then suddenly, she tenses up and shakes her head. “No. No, we can’t possibly do that. I mean, the door is most likely locked and-”

You both shut up as the service entrance door opens up and a haggard looking mare walks out. You watch curiously as she picks up a large stone and uses it to prop the door open before walking right around the corner with a cigarette in her mouth.

Looking to the side, you see something in Rarity’s eyes and you can’t believe she’s thinking the same thing you are.

Getting up, you both dash towards the door, but just short of it, you push Rarity against the wall. She opens her mouth to say something, but you shush her and pick up a stone off the ground and chuck it as hard as you can at a trash can.

The minute the stone hits, you grab Rarity by the hoof and fling the door open.

“Wha-” You vaguely hear the mare let out a startled cry and feel your heart start hammering in your chest. You absolutely panic, but the sound of chimes stops it short and you watch the rock float out the doorway and the door close.

You and Rarity are deathly silent and you hear the doorknob jiggle.

“Up.” Rarity says breathlessly.

You swallow dryly and are right on her heels as she’s the one to be leading you this time.

Your heart hammers in your ears and your mouth is so dry right now and you just numbly follow after her up the stairs.

In your heightened state, you hear a door open directly above you. You grab firmly onto Rarity’s hoof and stop her panicked climb and look up.

She does as well and in the stairwell, you clearly see a couple of mares coming down the stairs.

With no time to lose, you fling open the closest door near you and duck inside with Rarity in tow.

You let out a little sigh of relief as you find yourself in a locker room, but Rarity didn’t seem to have the same look on her face.

“We’re in so much trouble.” She says breathlessly. “We are in SO much trouble.”

“We’re only in trouble if we’re caught,” you say. As much as you wanted to sound cool and confident right now, you couldn’t stop yourself from hyperventilating and your voice cracking. “We just gotta... We gotta think.”

Looking around the room, you see a shelf with a number of outfits for mares and stallions.

“We’ll look the part, come on, grab a uniform.”

Rarity looks at you mortified as you hold out the maid’s outfit and you can see a small blush start to color her cheeks.

“No. I am not dressing like that. I will for you at home, but not for a public.” She says with a sneer. “I have some dignity, we just-”

“Are you excited? We’re gonna be serving some of the most prestigious ponies! We may not be the upper crust, but play our cards right...”

“I can’t wait! Come on, let’s get changed! I still need to do my makeup!”

You hear the voices right outside the door and the adrenaline is enough to smack both you and Rarity into overdrive and her previous qualms are quickly silenced. Now both of you are in a dressing room and trying to get dressed as quickly and quietly as possible.

“Help me with the socks... Celestia knows why they need them...” Rarity grumbles. “Your uniform is so much more simple.”

“Yes, but yours helps show off your assets.” You whisper. “Now help me with this bowtie.”

“So does yours, it seems. Aren’t those pants a little tight?”

“Really? Now? Of all times?”

“No, I’m serious. They look like they’re one step above spandex. I can see every curve on your butt and they leave no imagination around the crotch.”

“I don’t care, come on, we gotta hurry up now keep calm and follow my lead.”

Both in your uniforms are something that anypony would see a butler or maid wear in Canterlot. Black and white trim with all the bells and whistles one would need to call themselves a maid or butler.

You both try to walk out of the dressing room as nonchalantly as possible, but find the two mares whom you heard earlier staring at you and standing just outside the door.

“Umm... E-Everything okay?” One of the mares ask. “We, uh, heard a lot of quick dressing and whispering going on.” You swear you see a blush appear under her fur.

“O-Oh, uh... It’s uh, well...” There goes you taking the lead. You had a story in your head all planned out, but the mare’s insinuation makes you start blushing. “You see...”

“My coltfriend was just helping me with a stuck zipper, isn’t that right dear?” Rarity says with a bashful smile, topped off with an adorable titter.

You swallow your tongue and just nod. “Uh, yes. Stuck zipper.”

There’s no way they’re going to buy this. You think with growing fear.

“I know we aren’t supposed to... share a dressing room but it was just a one time thing, you know?” She continues, smiling all the time.

All three mares share a look and the two in your way look to each other and blush deeply.

“Well, umm... If it’s a one time thing... Then I don’t see what the huge problem is,” The first mare says, blushing harder.

The second mare nods slowly. “Yeah. We understand a thing or two about... stuck zippers.”

You couldn’t believe what was going on and decide to just keep your mouth shut.

“Well, I think my coltfriend and I have kept you two long enough, we’re going to our posts. See you up there!” With a shimmer and chime of magic, you feel Rarity tug and pull you out of the room, still in a slight stupor at everything that just happened.

As the door closes and you both start to ascend the stairs, she lets out a long, pained sigh.

“Great. Every time those mares see me, they’ll remember how I had a quick romp with a stallion in a dressing room,” Rarity groans. “Celestia, kill me now.”

“Let her do it later... We’re not in the clear yet. We still need to get to the top of the tower and then somehow ditch these uniforms and finally, blend in enough to enjoy our night.”

“We’re going to spend tonight in jail, aren’t we?” She says darkly.

“Yeah, with that attitude. Come on, we just have to be a fly on the wall.” You say above a whisper. “Walk the walk and talk the talk.”

The next few minutes are tense. You pass by a number of ponies, both workers and party goers before finally making it to the top of the stairs.

When you do, your jaw drops.

You expected it to be a very ritzy party, but this was far beyond anything you expected. You hear Rarity’s breath hitch in her throat and give her a small glance. Her eyes are as wide as dinner plates.

And for good reason.

The top of the tower was open to the night air and lit by a number of crystal chandeliers that weren’t hanging, but floating.

Music filled the air and you could swear the crystal lights were dancing along with the tune. They were an ensemble of mares and stallions you didn’t recognize, but their musical skills were obvious.

The spread of food and drink was wide and grand, with things you thought only existed in Canterlot or the upper crust of the noble houses.

You realize you’ve been standing there for far too long and give Rarity a little nudge to start moving.

“Let’s check for an empty balcony,” she half whispers. “Then-”

“Ah! Good, you’re here. You can start by offering our guests a glass of Eiswein.” A rather important looking stallion in a matching outfit as yours gives you a silver tray of wine glasses.

It takes a moment for it to register what he just said, but the second you get a good look at the tray and just what you were holding, you feel your gut drop.

Eiswein. You think. Ice wine. I’m holding a tray of ice wine that’s worth more than what I make in a year.

You look to Rarity and silently beg for help. From the look on her face, she realizes what you just did and takes a step towards you, only to be ushered away by the stallion.

“The hors d'oeuvres are over on that table, offer them to some of the dignitaries and make sure to...” They trail off as they disappear into the crowd, leaving you all alone.

Don’t drop it. Don’t drop it. For the love of all that is good, DON’T DROP IT!

You do your best to mimic your ‘co-workers’ carrying around their trays, holding it up with one hoof and walking on the other three in what was becoming a completely contrived way of delivering drinks.

Why can’t they just get a cart to carry these all around?!? You think, grinding your teeth. This can’t go on for that long... We’ve got to get our chance...

**********************************

A full hour later and your hooves ache, your back hurts and you couldn’t take any more of this. Setting your empty tray on a nearby table, you manage to slink off to one of the nearby balconies.

The fireworks were supposed to be starting soon after the next dance, which could happen any minute. It would be okay to watch if the ponies here didn’t dance like they did in Canterlot.

Just watching them totter along made you groan and sigh. At this moment, you wanted to be anywhere but here.

“What a great idea this was...” You mumble. “I’m an idiot.”

“We’re both idiots,” Rarity says with a sigh, making you jump. Turning to her, she looks more than a little frazzled with a few stray hairs of her mane sticking up. “How could we not see the possibility of us being dragged into working to keep up the charade?”

“And the night’s almost over...” You add.

You let those words hang in the air and it just lets you know that this whole affair was a mista-

“Buck it.”

Your head whips to the side and you look to Rarity agaw. “W-What?”

“I said buck it. I’m done playing this little game of maid for them. So, when the next dance begins, we’re going to join in.” She states plainly, losing the headband and a few frills. “I’m sorry darling, but I’m not going to have our last evening here be stuck serving drinks to nobles. Thinking it over, I’d rather spend the night in a Mecklenburg jail than listen to one more elderly stallion ask if I would like to work for them and be on their ‘staff’.”

“Wait, work... what?” You feel yourself start to bristle with anger. “Who asked you tMMPH!”

You don’t know when she grabbed you by the lapels or when she started kissing you, but you knew three things: she was rough, she was needy and...

“Now darling...” She starts. Her voice is firm and it sends a chill through your spine. “Are you going to come out to the dance floor or am I going to have to drag you out there?”

... and she was only ever like this in the bedroom.

You slowly manage to swallow the lump in your throat and nod. “Yes... Yes, let’s get ready.”

“Good.” Her smile only grows bigger as the orchestra starts to pick up, wasting no time as the heavy drums, cellos, violins and woodwind pick up in a flurry. “Let’s make this a night to remember.”

With a flick of her hoof, she grabs you by the collar and starts dragging you onto the dance floor, much to the chagrin of many-a pony there.

You don’t know if it’s the beat of the music pounding in your ears or how Rarity’s dominant side starts to shine through, but you don’t care and start to meet her halfway.

And like the many times you’ve dance with her before, you waste no time and rear up, standing on your back legs and start to dance in earnest.

*******

“Daaaarling~” Rarity coos as you give a little flourish in time with the record player and it makes you smile. “Pleeease...”

With a small pause in the music, you start a small trail of kisses up her shoulder, to her cheek and then her lips. “Yes mein schatzi, whatever you desire. Name it.”

You do your best not to trip over the living room rug or kick Opal for a second time this week and while it wasn’t Canterlot, the Carousel Boutique was the two of yours own personal dance hall for tonight.

“Don’t ever let me go.”

*******

“Oh my gosh, this is an outrage!” You hear one noble pony yell. But you don’t care.

All you care about is making your mare happy and if she wants to waltz tonight, by the sun and the stars, you are going to waltz until they all burn out.

One, two, three. One, two, three. You count in your head with each step. You’ve done this enough times with her at home, but it makes you feel more confident and it shows.

Any other time, you’d start to try and lead the dance, but you know better right now and simply do as she instructs. Every subtle movement she makes is a request or an order and you follow through easily enough, spinning with her and adding your own flourishes.

From the smile on her face, you knew you were doing splendidly.

“Stop this! Stop this instant!”

During one flourish, you catch sight of the butler pony who had ordered you earlier and let out a little scoff.

“I can’t, I’m sorry. I just can’t stand to be a graue maus like you.” You say with a hearty laugh. While not as Swiftian as you’d like, the look on his face is priceless.

The music picks up just a little faster and you can feel the climax coming soon, so you put him out of your mind and focus on your mare. In your one act of defiance, you use your momentum and pick up Rarity off the ground, holding her aloft as you pivot on your hoof for almost a full turn.

By the time you set her down, she’s giggling like a school filly and the song has ended. All around you, it’s quiet. The band has stopped and every pony is staring. Some in anger, other is shock, though a few have a pleased look on their face.

All at once, the memories come back and you’re right back at Queue du Chevaux after that fateful dance.

“Oh come off now. It’s not like any of you were doing it right,” you say, smiling cheekily.

The stallion butler is just looking at you, seething and you swear you can see a vein bulging in his forehead.

“Call the guards! The police! I want these two in irons!”

That was all you needed for your cool demeanor to falter and after feeling Rarity tense up in your grip, you figure she’s in the same boat.

And just when you think things are over, the fireworks begin.

The start of Reign en Flammen always starts with a bang and the deafening boom and flash of the fireworks is all you need; grabbing onto Rarity, you bolt for the nearest exit.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE WE DID THAT!” Rarity cackles as you both thunder down the stairs, hearing the startled ponies from the observation deck coming in hot on your heels.

“Not out of the woods yet, my love! As a dear friend of mine has said before ‘Run fast or lose your ass!” With a delighted laugh, you make a mad dash down a hallway, knocking over an empty hat rack and throwing open some doors along the way, hoping to slow your pursuers down.

From the thumps and thuds behind you, it’s working and when you get out to the open street, the fresh air of the night and dull roar of the fireworks sets your blood ablaze, letting you know, yes indeed, that just happened.

You don’t stop running until you’re far down the street and by the river.

“O-Ooooh my... Oh my...” Rarity heaves, her breathes long and labored from the dead sprint. “We... that was...”

“Just what the doctor ordered...” You gasp out. “That could have been our entire vacation. And it would have been worth it.”

Collapsing into the nearby bench, Rarity unbuttons the front of her dress and fans herself.“Why did even do that?”

“I dunno,” you breathe out, joining her side. You’re sore, your sweaty and you know you’re gonna be feeling tomorrow.

Looking to Rarity and meeting her eyes, you don’t know what prompts you, but you lean in and give her a peck on the lips.

And just like that, the flame is roaring and her lips are on yours again, the kisses coming hotter and faster.

Oh yeah, I’m gonna feel this in the morning.

Chapter 1

Trotting ahead of Rarity, you open the door to The Grand Gourmet and hold it open for her.

“Nachdem Sie, mein Fräulein.”
[Translation: After you, my little miss.]

Rarity gives you a little nod as she walks by. “Ich danke Ihnen sehr, Mein Schatzi.”
[Translation: Thank you very much my darling (literally ‘my treasure)]

You feel yourself blush a little bit at those words and join Rarity’s side as you and her take your place in line.

“I have to admit, I’m amazed that you’ve managed to pick up Mecklesh so quick.”

Rarity giggles a bit. “Oh, es war nicht so schwer. Es half, dass ich einen guten Lehrer gehabt.
[Translation: Oh, it wasn't that hard. It helped that I had a great teacher.]

You can’t help but beam at the compliment. “Thank you, but do you mind switching languages for now?”

“Warum?” Rarity says with a cocked eyebrow.
[Translation: Why?]

“Because I like your english voice better. It has a better ring to it.” You move a little closer and whisper the next part in her ear. “And I think it sounds sexier.”

Rarity nods. “Oh, alright. I’ll speak english if you want me to...”

“Oh don’t be so down,” you say as you and Rarity make your way to the server. “You’ll be able to speak Mecklesh all day long when we go on vacation.”

Rarity lets out a little squeal as the server grabs two menus and leads you into the main dining hall. “I am so excited to go to Mecklenburg with you! All the attractions and sites...” she says with a swoon. “Neuschwanstein Castle, The Black Forest, The Romantic...”

You begin to smile from ear to ear. “You’re leaving out Ocktoberfest.”

“There’s a reason why I’m passing over that one,” Rarity says with a scoff. “Remember last time you got drunk?”

“Yeah,” you say as you take a seat at the table. “I ended up in your bed and confessed my love. What was so bad about that?”

The server sets the menus down in front of you and pulls out a pad of paper. “What would you like-”

“Well, nothing really. But if I want you in bed for another reason and you’re drunk, you might not be able to... Stand up... when the time calls for it and I’m not-”

The server coughs heavily into his hoof. “W-What would you like to drink this evening?” he asks with red-tinted cheeks.

Looking over the wine selection, you shrug before setting it down. “Just get us a bottle of Cabernet Franc and two glasses. That sound alright?”

“Yes, that sounds delightful. Can you give us a moment, dear? We still don’t know what we’re ordering.”

The server gives you both a nod. “As you wish, I’ll be back when you’re ready to order.”

Rarity gives the server a smile as he walks off, but quickly turns back to you with a flat look. “You’re still not going to Ocktoberfest.”

“Come on, couldn’t we have at least one drink during Ocktoberfest? The lager there is to die for.”

Rarity gives you a look before sighing. “Alright... ONE drink. Not one and a half, not one and three quarters, ONE drink,” she says firmly. “Because so help me, if you get drunk, you’ll be sleeping out in the hallway .”

“Alright, I promise,” you say as you hold up one of your hooves. “I promise, scouts honor. I won’t get drunk.”

Rarity gives you a smile before leaning in and kissing you on a cheek. “That’s a good boy.” Her eyes widen a bit. “Oh! I just remembered! Did you talk to the contractor about-”

“The renovations? Yes. He said that it would be around two thousand bits. So if I sell my house, we’d have more than enough to pay it off with enough left over to pay for a month long trip through Mecklenburg.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful darling! I’m so happy that you’re moving in with me... But are you sure that you’re not going to miss your house?” Rarity asks as she puts a hoof on yours.

“Oh not at all. It’s got a leaky roof and the basement floods, so it’d be nice to get rid of that headache. And with the renovations, we’ll have a third floor where you can move in more supplies-”

“And a study for all your books and things-”

“And another bedroom Sweetie Belle can actually call her own instead of the guest room. See? We’ve got this.”

Rarity nods with a smile. “Yeah. It’s nice to see things actually going our way for a change.” Her smile starts to fade before she lets out a heavy sigh. “I wish the same could be said about Twilight. Did you hear what happened between her and her boyfriend?”

You open your mouth to ask, but stop as the server comes back with your bottle of wine and glass. As he sets it down, he looks to both of you. “Are you ready to order?”

“Can we have five more minutes?” Rarity asks as she pretends to look through the menu. The server nods and leaves you and Rarity again.

“What happened?” you ask as you grab the bottle of wine and pull the cork off.

“They had this huge fight a few days ago and broke up! I’ve tried to talk to Pinkie and Rainbow about it, but they’re not saying anything.”

You bite your lip a bit as you pour yourself and Rarity a glass of wine. “Maybe Twilight had something to do with that. You know, ask them not to say anything.”

“You think so?” Rarity asks as she grabs one of the glasses. “Why would she do that?”

“Well, she could be embarrassed,” you say before taking a sip of wine. “Here, she’s been displaying this happy little life with her boyfriend and now that they’re broken up, she doesn’t want anyone to see her vulnerable and just wants it to disappear.”

“Well, she’s also locked herself up in her home. From what I’ve heard, she hasn’t left her home since the breakup three days ago.”

You blink a few times in surprise. “Oh, that’s not good. She’s cocooning.”

“Cocooning?” Rarity asks with a hint of confusion. “What’s that?”

“It’s a catch all term for retreating away into a safe area, like a home, or a room, and avoiding social contact. It’s unhealthy and it could to lead to more serious problems.”

“Maybe you should talk to her, darling...” Rarity says with a smile. “You did wonders for me.”

You shake your head as you turn your attention to the menu. “I don’t know... While I’d love to help, I don’t think she’d be comfortable talking with someone she barely knows.”

Rarity furrows her brow at her. “Well we can’t just sit by and let things get worse!”

“I never said we should, dear,” you say calmly. “I’m saying that maybe she’d be more comfortable talking to a friend, rather than a shrink.”

“Hmm...” Rarity taps her hoof on the table for a few moments before a smile starts to form on her face. “Oh Mein Schatzi~ Do you still have those psychology books? The ones you keep in your office?”

“I think I do, but they might be packed up. I’ll have to find them... Wait, why? What are you planning?”

“Well, Twilight needs someone she can talk to, and while I’d like to think of myself as a master of matters of the heart, I don’t know about ‘cocooning’ or anything else the poor dear might be going through. I was thinking of giving myself a ‘crash course’, if you will, before I go and talk with her. It might just give me the insight I need.”

You rub at your chin a bit before closing the menu. “I think I’m going to go with the the curry pumpkin soup, what about you?”

“This is serious!” Rarity says with a tinge of anger in her voice.

“Do you really need an answer for this?” you ask with a chuckle. “You think I’m going to say ‘No, I’m not going to let you look at textbooks I haven’t picked up in years so you can help your friend’? If it’ll help you, you can use my whole study. You don’t even have to ask.”

“Oh, that’s a relief...” she says with an elated sigh. “You wouldn’t mind teaching me a few things, would you?”

“Oh sure, I have no problem with teaching you a thing or two...” Leaning closer, you whisper the next part in her ear. “Especially in the bedroom.”

Rarity blushes deeply before letting out a little giggle. “Oh stop it...” she says as she turns her attention to the menu, just as the server returns.

“Are you ready to place your orders?” he asks as he takes out a pen and pad of paper.

“Yes, could I get a caesar salad for an appetizer and for dinner, how about pumpkin curry soup?”

The waiter nods as he writes it all down and then turns to Rarity. “And what will the miss be having tonight?”

“Hmm... How about the vegetable lasagna?” she asks as she gives the waiter the menu. He finishes writing down her order and takes bother her and your menu.

“Alright, I’ll be right back with your orders. It’ll be five, ten minutes at the most.”

You give him a nod and watch as he trots off towards the kitchen.

“Have you talked to Bones or Rainbow lately? Have they got a date for the wedding?”

“Rainbow says that it should take place next week, if everything goes as planned,” Rarity says before taking a sip of wine. “They’ve got the Cakes catering it and I’m just putting the finishing touches on Rainbow’s wedding dress, so everything looks fine on my end.”

“Ooh, that reminds me. Have you finished tailoring that suit? I want to look my best up there at the alter as the best stallion.”

“All that’s left is to tailor the pants. I’ve got six bridlemaid dresses, to remember?”

“Wait, six bridlemaids? I thought it was going to be you, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Twilight.”

“Ah, well, about that... Scootaloo practically begged me to make her a dress for the wedding and when Rainbow Dash found out, she asked the little filly if she wanted to be a bridlemaid,” she says as she swirls her glass. “Needless to say, she nearly hit the ceiling screaming ‘yes’ so loud, it nearly blew out my eardrums.” Rarity lets out a long sigh before taking another sip of wine. “Kind of makes you jealous, you know?”

“Hmm? What does?”

Rarity goes to open her mouth, but stops when the server comes with your salad. “Thanks,” you say as you grab your fork. “Anyway, what’s making you jealous?”

“You know,” she says as she plays with her silverware, “everyone around you getting married. First Rainbow, then Pinkie and I’m sure Fluttershy said something about her boyfriend and a ring... Just gets you in the mood for marriage, doesn’t it?”

You feel your throat go mysteriously dry as you try to say the word ‘yes’. Grabbing your glass of wine, you take a sip of wine, but as soon take a swig you feel your heart pound in your chest.

“Oh, um... Well...” Hearing a set of hoofsteps, you look over your shoulder and let out a sigh of relief. “Hey look at that! Dinner is here, I’m starving!”

You smile as the waiter comes over and sets the tray down containing your soup and Rarity’s lasagna.

Picking up your spoon, you dig into your dinner quickly in the hopes of calming your nerves. Sweet sisters above, what is wrong with you? you ask yourself as you bring your spoon to your mouth. Calm. Down.

“Darling, are you alright?” Rarity asks as she puts a hoof on hers.

Forcing a smile, you look into her eyes and nod. “Of course mein Fräulein. I’m just a little distracted by your beauty,” you say as you brush a lock of mane out of her face.

Rarity gives you a little look before smiling back. “Don’t push my buttons like that,” she says with a tease. “You’ll make me blush...”

“If I wanted to make you blush,” you say as you lean in, close enough to whisper. “I’d bring up what we were doing last night.”

At the mere mention of the night before, Rarity lets out a little gasp and shrinks in her seat, pulling at her dress. “Don’t remind me, darling... My flank is sore just thinking about it...”

“Well don’t blame me,” you say above a whisper. “You’re the one who busted out the riding crop, saying you wanted to ‘try something different’, if I recall correctly.”

“W...Well...” she says with a visible blush.

You lean forward a bit and give Rarity a quick peck on the cheek. “Oh don’t be so embarrassed, mein kleiner Masochist,” you say with a tease. “I know for a fact you enjoyed yourself...” Leaning in a bit closer, you whisper the next part. “And so did I...”
[Translation: My little masochist]

Rarity’s eyes dart around the room as she bites her lip before leaning in close. “Können wir versuchen den Fesseln nächste Mal?”
[Can we try the shackles next time?]

You shake your head as you let go of her and let her move back in front of her plate. “How can you still call yourself a lady?” you ask with a tease.

Rarity simply scoffs. “I’ll have you know I’m a lady with refined tastes.”

You give Rarity a look and in a few moments, she’s giggling. “Alright... I’ll admit, our... activities... aren’t exactly proper, but please, they’re so enjoyable. How can it be wrong?”

“Gesprochen wie ein wahrer pervertieren.”
[Translation: Spoken like a true pervert.]

From underneath the table, you feel her hoof connect with your shin, almost making you bite your tongue. “Ow, ow, ow! I’m kidding!” you say as you rub your sore shin. “There’s nothing wrong with having a few kinks. In fact, it’s quite healthy for a relationship.”

You feel your heart sink a bit as you watch Rarity let out a long sigh as she played with her food, looking quite distracted.

“Hey, are you okay? You’re not mad about the whole ‘pervertieren.’ thing, are you?”

“No, no,” she says as she shakes her head. “Not that, it’s just... Look at us. We’re so casual about it.”

“About what?” you ask as you take a sip of your soup.

“Sex,” she says plainly.

“Well...” you say as you clear your throat. “There’s a reason why they call it casual sex, love.”

“Yes, but that’s not what I mean... What if my parents find out?” she says with some worry in her voice. “They’d probably have a conniption...”

“Well... We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” you say with a comforting smile. “I’m sure they’ll understand.

Rarity continues to look down at her plate, playing with her food before looking up to you. “Maybe we should get married,” she says suddenly. “I mean, we’ve already been this far, why don’t we just take our vows and go that final distance?”

You simply sat there, your spoon an inch away from your face as you stared at Rarity. You could feel your heart hammer in your ears and your knees start to get weak. Setting the spoon down into the bowl, you take a deep breath and try to calm yourself.

“Something wrong, darling?” Rarity asks as she leans forward a bit.

You force a smile as you nod “Oh, it’s nothing. I just remembered I have an appointment tomorrow I’m not really looking forward to...”

“Oh, I see...” she says with a silent nod. “Why is it getting to you?”

Your heart was now thundering in your chest for a different reason; you didn’t expect to have to lie to her, especially over something you couldn’t explain.

Think fast.

“Well, I really can’t talk much about other patients,” you say as you idly pick up your spoon. “But it’s a really messy divorce. You know the kind, lots of yelling, lots of fighting, and swearing. How’s the lasagna?”

Rarity looks down to her plate and then back up to you. “It’s alright, but what about this couple? What are they fighting about?”

You hold the spoon in your mouth for a few moments before shrugging. “You know, the judge didn’t really tell me... He just said that he was tired of all the yelling in the courtroom and wanted them to separate without all the screaming. And that’s what I planned to do.”

“You’re not even going to try to get them to patch things up?” Rarity asks in confusion. “I thought you would be fighting for them to stay together.”

You shake your head grimly. “No, no... I’ve looked over the file enough times and what’s there isn’t good... It’s all dirty tricks and underhanded tactics to get more out of the other, there’s no saving this marriage... All the bridges are burnt. All that’s left is to get them to separate with some dignity.”

“...Oh,” she says plainly. “Alright.”

“I’ll be right back,” you say as you get to your hooves and motion to the other side of the room. “Something’s not really agreeing with me.”

Trotting towards the bathroom across the restaurant floor, you give a passing waitress a nod before passing into the bathroom. As soon as you lock the door behind you, you bolt towards the toilet and kneel infront of it as you start to dry heave. Spitting into the toilet a few times, you gasp for air as your heart thunders in your ears.

What have you done, what have you DONE?

Stumbling over to the sink, you turn the water on and take a deep drink.

What is WRONG with you?

“I don’t know...” you mumble after swallowing.

YOU’RE LYING TO THE MARE YOU LOVE AND FREAKING OUT IN THE BATHROOM.

Shaking the cobwebs out of your head, you slump to the floor. “I know...” You say as you grit your teeth.

Taking a deep breath, you slowly start to count under your breath. “One... Two... Three...”

What is WRONG with you?!?

“Four... Five... Six... Seven..."

You don't KNOW, do you?

"Eight... Nine...

Well? Do you?!?

"Ten...”

Lettinng out a heavy sigh, you get to your hooves and collect yourself. "Alright... You can do this... You're calm, cool, and collected. Just go out there and don't forget to smile."

Putting on a plastic grin, you walk out of the bathroom and put on a false air of confidence. Making your way back to your table, you sit down silently and give Rarity a little wink as you dig into your meal again.

See? Everything is fine...

"Feeling better, darling?" Rarity asks as she sets her empty plate aside.

You nod as you swallow a mouthful of soup. "Yes, much better, thank you. How was your dinner?"

Rarity takes a sip of wine and smiles. "It was quite lovely," she says as she inches closer to you. "In fact, I think I'm ready for dessert..."

You raise a hoof to get the attention of a nearby waiter, but freeze when you feel something slide between your legs, followed by the freezing cold sensation of an ice-cube taken from a pitcher of water from the table next to you, making you nearly jump out of your seat.

“Wha-”

“Shush,” Rarity says as she brings a hoof up to your lip, her horn growing faintly. “You don’t want to spoil the fun, do you?”

“Oh my, oh goodness that’s cold! Don’t leave it there!” you think, subtly bringing the edge of the tablecloth over your lap, hoping to disguise what Rarity was doing.

As if the world was conspiring against you, the waiter walks towards you with a smile on his face.

“And how was your dinner?”

You do your best to keep your composure, but what the playful mare’s magic subtly moving the freezing cube up and down your inner thigh was making it quite hard to remain calm. “It was good!” you say rather loudly. “Very good! My compliments to the chef!”

“O...Okay...” The waiter says as he grabs Rarity’s empty plate. “Are you two ready for dessert? We have a wide variety cakes, pies, and other confections that are sure to please,” he says as he lays out two new menus in front of you.

“Hmm... I was thinking of having a slice of cheesecake, but I’m feeling adventurous...” Rarity says rather calmly as she moves the icecube just a little further up your thigh. “Now let’s see... Tell me, are these all the desserts you have?”

“Oh no, we do have more,” the waiter says as he pulls another menu from beneath his apron. “We have thirty-two flavors of ice-cream, including wine ice cream, and all sorts of toppings. Would you like me to list them?”

“I think that won’t be necessary, I’ll have the vanilla and chocolate sundae,” she says, pulling the ice cube away from your thigh, making you sigh in relief.

“Any toppings?” he asks as he jots down the order.

Just when you thought it was over, the sting of the cold ice hits a more sensitive spot this time, nearly making you jump out of your skin.

Oh, you are going to pay for this... you think as bite your tongue to suppress a gasp.

Your whole body tenses up as Rarity’s hoof guides the ice cube around and discussed her order with the waiter, as if everything was fine. “Hmm... Can I get whip cream on my sundae? With chocolate sprinkles?” she asks with a smile.

“Of course,” the waiter says with a nod. “And a cherry on top?”

“Thank you, dear.” she says with a smile. “And what about you, darling? What would you like for dessert?”

Oh, you are SO going to pay for this... you think as Rarity presses the ice cube against your thigh, making you squirm in your seat.

Taking a deep breath, you do your best to keep a straight face. “I-I would like uh.. Um... Ah! Ice!” you cry out as Rarity glides the ice cube from one thigh to the other.

“...Ice?” The waiter asks with a cocked eyebrow. “Oh! You mean shaved ice? Yes, we have some left... Strawberry okay?”

You nod quickly as Rarity pulls the ice cube away. “Yeah... Yeah...” you say with a deflated sigh. “Yeah, that’ll be nice.”

“Alright then, I’ll have your dessert for you in just a moment,” the waiter says as he takes the menus from you.

“You’re a sado-masochist, you know, that don’t you?” you say to Rarity as you wipe cold water from your thighs.

“Oh, admit it...” she says with a tease. “You enjoyed it.”

You feel yourself blush a bit before shifting in your seat. “That’s besides the point... I’m being serious. I mean, there’s the riding crop... and then this...”

Rarity folds hooves into her chest and turns her nose up at you. “Oh like that means anything. You’re just sore I-”

“And then there’s your little... side project,” you say in a rather hushed tone.

Rarity looks to you in shock as the color drains from her face. “...Y...You know about that?”

Putting a hoof around her shoulder, you draw her close and give her a quick peck on the cheek. “I saw you working on it a few nights ago when I was coming down from bed. But you don’t need to worry... I won’t tell anyone you’re making a-”

“Don’t say it,” Rarity says as she brings her hooves to her face. “It’s so embarrassing...”

“What’s embarrassing about making a black studded corset with matching boots?” you ask with a tease.

Rarity visibly shrinks in her seat. “You did this to me, you know that? I used to be such a pure, innocent little filly,” she says in a mocking tone.

“And look at you now, teasing stallions with ice... What a bad filly you are.”

“Oh.... You think this is bad?” she asks in sultry tone. “Well just you wait.. I’ve got something planned tonight...”

You feel yourself grin from ear to ear as you run a hoof through Rarity’s mane. “My little treasure...” you whisper into her ear.

Rarity lets out an elated sigh before wrapping her hooves around your waist and hugging you back. “I love you so much. You know that, right?”

Resting your head on top of hers, you squeeze just a little bit tighter and try to force a smile. “I know.”

**********

Standing at the altar, you look out at the crowd of people, all staring at you. Your mother, your father, your sister, your friends.

Everyone.

And you couldn’t help but sweat bullets as you adjusted your bow tie, which felt just a tad too tight.

“Bones, I don’t know if-”

Looking for your best man, you find him strangely absent. Instead, a very familiar earth pony stood by your side. An earth pony that looked exactly like you.

“Nervous?” he asks you with a smile.

“No, not at all,” you say as you fiddle with your tie. “I’m too scared to be nervous.”

“Why are you scared?”

You try to answer, but your tie just felt too tie. Pulling on it again, you manage to croak out a response. “I... I don’t know.”

Without missing a beat, your doppleganger responds with a sharp retort. “Yeah you do. You’re just too scared to admit that. Just as you’re too scared to marry the mare of your dreams.”

“I... I don’t-”

By now, you’re choking aloud as you grip at your neck, but it’s as if no one even noticed.

Or cared.

They all just smiled and laughed as the traditional wedding march played and a white unicorn in an equally white dress walked down the aisle, smiling at you as you try desperately to breathe.

“Heeeere comes the bride... All dressed in whiiiiiiite...” your doppleganger sings as Rarity walks towards you, laughing heavily under his breath as you struggle to stay on your feet.

“Aaaaand there stands the groooom...” he sings, his voice dripping with malice. “Reeaaaady to meeeeeet his dooooom....”

Your knees give out and you fall to the ground as your doppleganger laughs aloud with the whole room joining as you tug desperately at your tie.

At least, what was once your tie.

Looking down, your heart races and your mind reels as you gaze down at the weathered rope noose around your neck, growing tighter and tighter the more you try to pull at it. As the world fades to black, a burning smell hits your nose, filling you with the dread of what you face-

*********

“Breakfast!”

You nearly jump out of bed as you gulp desperately for air, certain the noose was still around your neck. Looking down, you blush heavily as you gaze at the piece of silk used last night as a makeshift collar and leash before tossing it to the side and panting heavily as your nightmare comes flooding back in vivid detail.

You try to shake it from your head, but the feeling of the noose around your neck, squeezing the life from you.

Taking a deep breath, you start counting again, hoping to calm yourself down.

“One... Two... Three...” you say aloud as you wipe the sweat from your brow.

“Four... Fi-”

“Darling, breakfast is ready! Are you going to come down and eat?”

“...Rarity?” you ask, half unsure. Getting to your hooves and swinging out of bed, you wince as you feel something tug at your back and grope around, only to rip a piece of cooled wax from your coat. Tossing it to the side, you make your way out the door and down the hall to the kitchen where you meet an elated Rarity, levitating a pan full of scrambled eggs over to the table.

“Good morning darling~” she says rather happily. “Sleep well?”

Sitting down at the table, you nod meekly as Rarity pushes some eggs onto your empty plate. “Yeah...” you say meekly.

“Oh, good... I’m glad you slept well. Personally, I’m still tuckered out from last night’s little game,” she says with a flick of her tail. “You’re not sore or burned, are you?”

You shake your head as you chew idly on your scrambled eggs. “No. Not really.”

As you stare off into space, you wrack your brain over last night’s nightmare, wondering what in the wide world of Equestria caused it.

Bad food, maybe? The pumpkin curry soup was pretty spicy and upset my stomach a bit... And the shaved ice was almost sickly sweet, so that probably didn’t sit well either... But...

“Darling, are you okay?” Rarity, asks, knocking you from your thought process.

You give her a weak smile and nod. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” you say as you get to your feet. “Breakfast is delicious by the way.”

As you make your way out, Rarity stops you in the doorway.

“Where are you going?”

Turning to you, you nod downstairs. “I need to make a phone call. I just remembered I have to schedule a consult about another patient of mine. He’s been having nightmares and I wanted to rule out any biological causes.”

Rarity gives you a small smile as you back up to the stairs. “Alright darling, just don’t take too long or your breakfast will get cold.”

“Will do.”

Trotting down the stairs, you make a beeline for the telephone and dial frantically. As soon as you hit the call button, you find yourself tapping your hoof quickly, pleading for an answer.

“Pick up pick up pick up pick up” you whisper into the receiver.

You let out a sigh of relief as soon as you hear the voice on the other end of the phone.

“Ponyville General Hospital, this is Doctor-”

“Bones?” you ask with a measure of relief. “It’s me.”

For a while, the line is quiet.

“Fritz? What-”

“Listen, I need you to talk with you. Something’s wrong,” you whisper.

“Fritz, what do you mean something’s wrong? Is it Rarity? Is-”

“No, it’s me. Something is wrong with me and I don’t know what.”

Yes you do. “Shut up...”

“What was that?” the stallion asks with concern in his voice.

You let out a haggard sigh as you run a hoof down your face. “Nothing. Please, Fritz... Just... Schedule an appointment or something. I really need to talk with you.”

“Hold on, let me see... My day is pretty clear. Any time’s good today.”

“Alright, I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

“Fritz?” he asks as you go to hang up the phone. “What’s happening?”

You rub at your eyes as you shake your head in frustration. “I don’t know...”

Hanging up for phone this time, you take a deep breath and make your way back up the stairs and into the kitchen. With one more breath, you manage a smile and trot in as Rarity puts the frying pan in the sink. “All taken care of,” you say as you slip behind her, wrapping your hooves around her waist. “Now why don’t we take a shower?”

Rarity giggles and cranes her head back, planting a quick and tender kiss on your lips. “After all the dirty things we did last night, we definitely need a shower,” she says with a tease.

A quick shower and then off to see Bones, you reason.

Kissing her back slowly, you let out a long sigh as you guide her to the bathroom, moving your hooves across her body, eliciting a little gasp from the white mare. Slowly, she walks ahead of you and gives you a look you’re all too familiar with.

“Don’t keep me waiting...” she says as she hops into the shower.

Maybe Bones won't mind if I'm a few minutes late... you think as follow her in.

*******

Walking into the Ponyville General Hospital, you start to second guess yourself.

Maybe this is all a mistake, you muse to yourself. Maybe I'm just overreacting...

Walking up to the sleeping nurse at the counter, you tap on the bell, stirring her from her slumber.

"Huh? What?" she asks, sounding still half asleep.

Putting a hoof on her shoulder, you do your best to stir her sleep. "Nurse Redheart? Wake up, nurse."

Slowly, she looks up to you and blinks a few times before her eyes go as dinner plates. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” Nurse Redheart cries as she sits up in her seat. “I closed my eyes for just a minute and-”

“Oh, it’s alright Nurse,” you say with a smile. “From what Bones has told me, you’re not going to be too busy today.”

“I know that,” she says with a haggard sigh. “But it’s no excuse to sleep on the job. I-”

“Nurse Redheart, if you’re tired, get a relief and take a nap or talk to your boss and see if you can get the day off. You shouldn’t work if you’re tired. You could start making mistakes and in your profession, mistakes can have serious repercussions.”

“I... But...” Letting out another long sigh, Nurse Redheart gives you a tired smile. “You sound just like him, you know that?” Getting up from her chair, Nurse Redheart opens the door and points down the hall. "The doctor is waiting for you in his office. Just show yourself in. He's very eager to see you."

“Thank you, nurse. Try to get some sleep, okay?”

“I’ll try,” she says with a weak smile. “Can you let him know I’m looking for a reprieve?”

“Sure,” you say as you trot down the hall. Making your way for the large oak door, you open it slowly and step in, feeling a little better about the whole situation.

“Hey Bones, I’m starting to think this was all-”

You stop dead in your tracks and feel your throat go very dry as you stare at the white unicorn standing before you wearing a tuxedo and black bow tie, admiring himself in the mirror.

“Oh! Sorry Fritz, didn’t hear you come in,” he says as he faces you turns to you with a large grin. “What do you think? I just got it today in the mail and had to try it on. My dad wore it to his wedding and it fits like a glove! I’m just so excited!” he says as he takes a step towards you. “I can already hear the wedding music as my little angel marches down the aisle... Heeeere comes the bride... All dressed in whiiiii-FRITZ!”

As you hit the ground, you hear your friend call your name frantically as everything goes dark.

Chapter 6

“Honey... Are you awake?”

You blink a few times and let out a long sigh before turning in bed to look Rarity in the eye. You can tell from the disapproving look she’s giving you that you don’t need to answer her.

“You had nightmares again... Didn’t you?”

Leaning up in bed, you rest your head on your hooves. “I swear, they’re so real... I woke up in the middle of the night and didn’t want to go back to sleep.”

Rarity’s hooves slide along your sides and grab ahold of you, drawing you into her embrace. “That’s the third night in a row, you know. Do... Do you want to talk about them?”

Resting your head into her chest, you draw in a deep breath and mentally steel yourself. “I was... back in the mental hospital I told you about. Y...” Your mouth goes dry as you try to find the words, all the while feeling her stare at you patiently. “You were there. You were telling me how much of a disappointment I was. That I was so weak for not being able to stand strong under pressure. You told me how you didn’t even want to look at me anymore. So you were leaving ‘for greener pastures’.”

Rarity’s grip tightens around you and she places her lips on your forehead, kissing you gently. “Do I really have to say it?”

“I know, it’s...” You find your own hooves wrapping around her waist. “I need to hear it. Please?”

“Darling, I’ll always love you. And I’m not leaving you. I’m here for you, always.”

You and Rarity simply stay like that, time ticking by as you enjoy each other’s embrace.

“Now... Let’s go get some breakfast and start looking forward, shall we?”

Her smile leaves a warm feeling in your chest and you actually manage to give her one in return. “Alright.”

Getting up from bed, you and Rarity make your way down the stairs to the kitchen. “We’ll have some pancakes and there’s melon and fresh eggs in the refrigerator. We’ll-”

As you step into the Kitchen, you and Rarity both come to a halt as you see Sweetie Belle with pancake batter all over her front hooves and a whisk held tight. “Hi guys!” she cries out happily.

“Why don’t you sit down, I’m making pancakes!”

Rarity lets out a little laugh and turns to you. “Well... Great minds do think alike.”

You can’t help but chuckle under your breath. “Sweetie Belle, I think you’re going to need a hoof with the frying pan. Come on, let’s get you cleaned off a bit and then we’ll get the pancakes started. Sound good?”

Rarity smiles fondly as she watches you lead Sweetie Belle to the sink and joins your side.

“Hey, at least she was thinking of us.”

“Yeah, I heard you having nightmares again,” Sweetie says rather matter-of-factly. “So I thought I’d make you pancakes because our mom used to make them for us when we were feeling down.”

You and Rarity freeze for a moment and look down to Sweetie Belle. “You... You know I’m having nightmares?”

“Yeah... I sometimes hear you talking in your sleep and it wakes me up sometimes.” Sweetie Belle says impishly. “So I thought maybe some pancakes would make you feel better! ‘Cause well... You deserve it. For being there for me and Rarity when we need it.”

You take a deep breath and focus yourself, your throat going strangely tight and your eyes starting to well up.

“Thanks Sweetie... I needed that.”

Turning on the water, you guide Sweetie Belle’s hooves into the warm water and wash the pancake batter off. “Don’t mention it~”

It takes only a few seconds for all of the batter to wash off of her hooves and into the drain. “Alright. So, let’s get the range on and we’ll-”

You all perk up and turn your attention to the phone on the wall as it wailed out a ring.

“I’ll get it,” Rarity says as she moves towards the phone. “You two get breakfast ready.”

“Alright Sweetie, let’s just go ahead and get the pan greased up before we put the batter down. That way, they don’t stick and burn.”

Sweetie Belle nods quickly and stands on her tip-toes to see onto the oven, watching intensely as you place the frying pan onto the range and apply a little oil to the center of it.

“I really do need to thank you,” she says with a smile. “I learned how not to burn things now, so I’ve been cooking for my friends lately. I thought it would be my special talent, but...”

Sweetie Belle glances down to the ground and lets out a long sigh. “I’ll get it eventually. I just have to be patient.”

You can’t help but tussle her hair and chuckle aloud. “Very wise for somepony so young. Now, wanna learn how to flip a pancake without a spatula?”

She nods as fast as her head would let her without coming off. “Yeah!”

Putting a little pancake batter into the now heated pan, you let it simmer for a bit before looking over to Rarity. “Who was it?” you ask idly.

“Oh, it was your doctor friend,” Rarity says as she joins your side. “He called Manehattan General and got some ‘sleep study gear’, as he put it. He wants you to come over and won’t take no for an answer this ti-”

You shake your head and throw your hooves up. “Fine. I’ll call him back after breakfast and do the study.”

“...Why the sudden change of heart?” Rarity asks, a hint of confusion in her voice. “I half expected to have to talk you into it.”

“I hardly slept at all last night and I know, I just know I’m going to pass out the minute I lose this momentum. Not only that, but... I’ve been putting it off for too long.”

Using the spatula, you send the pancake into the air and catch it deftly, making Sweetie Belle giggle aloud.

“I figure if I’m going to have a nightmare again, I might as well have Bones looking me over while it’s happening.”

Rarity leans in and nuzzles your cheek, all the while drawing you in for a quick little hug. “Und ich werde für dich da sein. Wie ich schon immer gewesen.”
[Translation: And I’ll be there for you. Like I’ve always been.]

You smile and place a kiss on her cheek just as she pulls back. “Danke.”

“Oh! I know what that means! It means ‘thank you’!” Sweetie Belle exclaims with a proud smile. “Now if only I knew what else you guys were saying.”

“Well... I’ve been speaking Mecklesh since I was your age. Wanna go over some words while we cook?”

Sweetie Belle nods enthusiastically. “Yeah! Like... G...Glieb...Gliebter. What’s that mean?”

You feel your cheeks grow a little red. “Ummm... Where did you hear that?” you ask, more than a little curious.

“You called Rarity that and she smiled,” Sweetie Belle says plainly as she flips a pancake. “What’s it mean?”

“Well... It’s something you call your special somepony,” you say with a shrug. “Now, why don’t we-”

“And then there was Sinnlich Stute. She got all giggly and red when you called her that.”
[Translation: Voluptuous Mare]

By now, your face is bright red and Rarity is having a hard time keeping her composure. “W-Well... It’s something a stallion calls their special somepony who’s a mare.”

Sweetie Belle nods slowly, but her face scrunches up in confusion and looks up to you. “But what about all the things Rarity calls you when she’s screaming and-”

“HEY, WHY DON’T I SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE A PANCAKE THAT LOOKS LIKE A MOUSE?” you say with a big plastic grin as Rarity’s pupils turn to pinpricks.

“I’m investing in something to soundproof our room...” Rarity mumbles under her breath as she makes her way to the refrigerator. “Welche Zeit haben Sie denken, es ist in Mecklenburg? Ich vermute, es ist letzten fünf am Nachmittag.”
[Translation: What time do you think it is in Mecklenburg? I'm guessing it's past five in the afternoon.]

Your ears perk up and you shoot a glance towards Rarity as you finish dabbing some pancake batter into the pan. “Speichern Sie den Wein für heute Abend, bitte. Es ist viel zu früh.”
[Translation: Save the wine for tonight, please. It's far too early.]

Sweetie Belle’s head bounced back and forth as you and Rarity talk before she finally speaks up. “When are you going to teach me how to talk like you guys?” she asks with a growing smile.

You and Rarity shoot each other a quick look before answering in unison.

“When you’re older.” “When you’re in highschool.”

“Speaking of which,” you say, trying to move the subject. “How’s school been?”

Sweetie Belle just rolls her shoulders. “It’s been okay, I guess. Math has been hard, but I got everyone to help me out when it gets hard.”

You nod slowly. “Good to hear. Maybe you can teach me a few things. My math is rusty after all, and it’s always good to brush up.”

“Oh come on, you gotta be better at math than me! You’re like, older and stuff.”

“Math was my worst subject,” you say with a little laugh. “And I’m pretty sure I wasn’t taught what you’re learning right now when I was your age.”

Sweetie Belle looks up to you before slowly smiling. “Well... Alright then. I’ll get my stuff together and we’ll study together sometime. That sound good?”

You give her a nod and flip another pancake out of the frying pan. “Sounds great. Now, think you know how to do this yourself?”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes light up. “Do you mean it?”

“I don’t see why not. You’ve been watching me like a hawk this entire time, I figure it’s only fair to let you have a go. Just remember to watch for the little bubbles, okay? That means it’s ready to be flipped.”

“Alright... I can do this,” she says, psyching herself up as she pours some more batter into the pan. You step away for a moment, making sure to watch her out of the corner of your eye.

Rarity takes a step forward when Sweetie Belle starts struggling with the spatula, but you put a hoof in front of her and give her a quick look.

“Just watch,” you say below a whisper.

With one little quick movement, Sweetie Belle manages to flip it over and looks over to both you and Rarity with a beaming smile. “I did it!”

“Great job, Sweetie!” Rarity says, smiling from ear to ear. “Think you can handle the eggs, too?”

“I’m sure she can,” you say, making your way for the hallway.

Making your way to the bathroom, you leave the two sisters to their own devices for just a moment and look into the mirror. The stallion staring back at you was sporting a disheveled mane and was starting to grow a bit of a beard.

Grabbing a pair of scissors, you start giving yourself a trim and let your mind wander.

It’s just a sleep test. Nothing too serious. They’re just gonna put some wires on you and watch you sleep.

The mere mention of sleep makes you let out a long yawn.

“Easy.”

****************************************************************

Something about the Ponyville General Hospital set you on edge. The smell of disinfectant, the way ponies would glance at you as you walked by, and just the atmosphere reminded you of a darker place.

The mental hospital... you think, swallowing the lump in your throat. But you’re not there. You’re in Ponyville General. Repeat it. You’re in Ponyville General and Rarity is right by your side.

You look to the side, reinforcing the fact that Rarity was right by your side.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” Rarity says aloud. “Not now at least.”

“No, I have to...” you say, shaking your head. “I’ve been putting it off. I’ve come up with too many excuses... Besides. The sooner we get this done, the better. Maybe I can start pretending things are normal again...”

Rarity nuzzled up to you, making you drop the frown you wore and start to smile. “Thank you.”

“Just remember,” she said above a whisper. “You’re safe. I’ll be there for you as soon as you wake up.”

You give Rarity a quick peck on the cheek before leading her over to the reception desk where Nurse Redheart sat. She looks up from her scribblings and shoots you a grin. “Ohh, you must be here for-”

“Yes,” you say abruptly, feeling yourself growing a little more nervous now. “Yes. Can you, umm... Show me where I have to go and-”

Nurse Redheart looks over the empty waiting room and gets to her hooves. “Certainly. Today’s slow, so we can see you right away. Just follow me.”

Greeeeat... you think with a forced smile. And here I was actually hoping for a good long wait.

Stepping out from behind the desk, Nurse Redheart starts her way down the hall and shoots you a look. “Something wrong?”

You blink a few times and realize you were standing still and let out a little laugh. “Sorry... Zoned out there for a second. Guess I’m just really tired.”

Nurse Redheart gives you another one of those warm, patient look and leads you down the end of the hallway. “It’s alright. If anything, needing a good rest will help us,” she says as she opens the door. “Just sit on the bed and I’ll go get the doctor so we can start.”

As she steps away, leaving you and Rarity in a room of the hospital you’d never thought you would see. The sleep lab somehow managed to send a chill up your spine as you sat down on the bed. White walls, white floor, white ceiling, white bed, white sheets. Something about it just felt... wrong.

“Something wrong, dear?” Rarity asked as she took a seat next to you on the bed. “Are you-”

“I just... I’m just on edge, I think. I’m used to treating ponies, not-”

“Ahh! Fritz!”

You turn towards the door just in time to watch the doctor start wheeling in a tower of machinery taller than him. “Just gimmie a second to plug this thing in...”

“Bones, what the hell is that?” you ask, your eyes running up and down the contraption a few times. “I thought you were just gonna take some sleep readings.”

He turns to you, a big grin plastered across your face. “I am. This polysomnogram takes more precise readings than any other machine on the market and we’ve got it for the next few days. We’ll be able to see down to the millisecond when you enter REM sleep. Are you ready?”

You look over the machine and let out a long sigh before shooting him a tired grin. “...Alright. Let’s get this over with.”

“Okay then... Just lay back in bed and we’ll get you all set up,” he says before pulling a number of wires and sensors.

Ohhh boy... Suddenly, this is a lot scarier than I thought it would be... you think as Bones starts securing a band around your arm.

Just as you take a deep breath, Rarity takes your hoof into hers and squeezes it tight. “Just relax,” she says with warm smile. “And remember, if you’re a good boy, you’ll get a lollipop when we’re done.

You can’t help but laugh aloud and shake your head. “Aww, but you said we were going out for ice cream.”

You and Rarity both share a good laugh, all the while the doctor places a number of sensors along your head, face, and neck.

“Alright... That about does it,” he says, taking a step back. By now, you had more than half a dozen wires connected to you and it did nothing to help your anxiety.

“I feel like an unlucky lab-rat...” you mumble under your breath.

Leaning in, Rarity places a quick kiss on your lips and runs a hoof through your mane. “You’ll be fine. Just sit back and try to relax.”

“Yeah. Also, there’s no deadline when you have to fall asleep. In fact, the longer you stay up, the better the baseline we get,” he says, double checking everything on the machine. After a few seconds, it starts printing paper with a number of different colored lines. “Alright! We’re good. Now Fritz, I’ll be in my office and doing my rounds. If you need anything, anything at all, don’t be afraid to ask.”

You give the doctor a grin and chuckle. “Don’t worry. I will.”

Leaning back in bed, you let out a long yawn before looking over to Rarity. “Well... Any time now, I’m going to be out like a light.” Your eyelids were already starting to feel so heavy as the pillow molded around your head.

“I know... Now, just try and relax like the doctor said. I’ll be here for you every step of the way.”

You look up to Rarity and feel another of those big, goofy smiles growing on your face. “What did I ever do to deserve you? I-”

****************************************************************

“-would like a glass of glass of champagne, please.”

The stallion holding up the silver tray of champagne glasses stops mid stride and looks down his nose at you before lowering the tray down.

“Thank you.”

Grabbing a hold of the slender crystal glass, you swirl it for a second before taking a little swig. Scanning the crowd of ponies, you spot Nurse Redheart standing next to one of the tables where a rather extravagant looking cake stands.

“Well good to see you here, Nurse.” You smile from ear to ear and stand by her side. “Great party, huh?”

Nurse Redheart doesn’t pay you much mind and simply stares down at her own champagne glass.

Feeling a little awkward, you try to break the silence. “How’s work?”

That gets her attention and she turns her head towards you. “It’s fine. My boss takes care of me.”

You blink in confusion. “W-What?” You sputter out, your grip loosening around you glass, causing it to fall the floor and shatter.

The conversations stop and the room goes deathly quiet, all eyes now focused on you.

“How could you not notice how she looked at her? You know what? Don’t even answer. I don’t think I can even look at you now.”

You feel your jaw go slack as you watch Nurse Redheart walk towards the exit, a few ponies in the crowd following her.

Taking a deep breath, you try to steady your shaking hoof. Reaching into your jacket, you fumble around, trying to find a handkerchief.

Your vision is obscured as a white cloth bounces in front of your face. Looking up at the white stallion in front of you, you breathe a sigh of relief. “Bones... Thank you.”

“Save it. This is the last favor I do for you.”

By now, your whole body is trembling. “W-What? What’s going on Bones, I-”

“And stop calling me that. I never really did like that pet name, you know. It makes me sound like all I’m good at is chopping up ponies. But you heard me,” he said, throwing the handkerchief into your chest. “I’m done. All I ever do is help you get out of your own messes. From college to Ponyville, all I’ve ever done is clean up after your messes. Well I’m done. I’m tired and I’m done.”

“Bones, wait!” you call out as he stomps away, leaving you to clean up your mess.

With a heavy heart, you bend down and start to mop up the spilled champagne, doing your best to avoid cutting yourself on the glass.

“I wish you never met her.”

Your head jerks up and you find yourself looking eye to eye to Sweetie Belle, who is looking at you with disdain.

“I wish I never met you.”

You feel your throat tighten and you try to squeak something out, anything, but Sweetie Belle bounds off before you can even say a single word.

“It’s... It’s okay...” You say aloud, trying to steady yourself. You blink rapidly, doing your best not to tear up. There were less ponies looking at you now, but that didn’t matter. “I just... I just gotta clean this up. That’s it.”

You gently scoop the pieces of broken glass into the handkerchief and start looking around for a garbage can, only to bump into another familiar pony.

“You forgot about me.” A young blue mare stops you dead in your tracks, her eyes burning into you. “You said you’d help me. But you let them take me. When I needed you the most, you weren’t there.”

“C-Crystal... I called around... I couldn’t find you, I-”

She tears her eyes away from you and looks on ahead, leaving you standing there as she makes her way for the door.

“I... I...”

“Coming to you was the biggest mistake of my life. I can’t believe I asked you for advice.”

“Twilight! I-”

“You ruined my marriage, you asshole! What makes you think you know anything about relationships?!?”

“Rainbow! Wait, I-”

Both mares stomp off, taking with them the rest of the crowd until there are only three ponies in the room.

You.

And your parents.

“M...Mutter? Vater?”
[Translation: Mother? Father?]

“Wir sind sehr enttäuscht von dir.”
[Translation: We are very disappointed in you.]

“A-Aber es ist nicht meine Schuld! Bitte Vater!”
[Translation: But it’s not my fault! Please father!]

“Sie sind eine Schande für die ganze Familie! I have no son!”
[Translation: You are a shame to the whole family!]

You cry out to them, but they don’t hear you. They turn their back on you, leaving you by yourself. Your legs give out from underneath you and you collapse to the floor, lying on your side.

“They’re gone... They’re all gone...” you mumble, hot tears running down your face. “I have nothing...”

Your eyes drift along the floor until you spot something close to your head. A single diamond. Marquise. “Except this diamond,” you say weakly. “It’s just me... Me and my diamond...” Closing your eyes, you drift off, away from it all.

****************************************************************

Slowly, your eyes slowly flutter open and you find yourself looking into a set of big, blue eyes. “Are you okay, darling?”

You swallow the lump in your throat and weakly wrap your hooves around her. “I... No... No I’m not.”

“Then I’m here for you. Always and forever, I’ll be there for you.”

You lean forward and place your lips onto Rarity’s and give her a quick little kiss. “Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you... I wish I could show you just how much I love you.”

You lean in for another kiss, yet this one lasts a little longer and your hooves start to across her body, hitting all the right spots to make her shiver and squirm with excitement. “H-Here?” Rarity asks, her voice filled with fear and a hint of excitement. “B-But... I don’t think...”

“Ahem!”

Both you and Rarity jump slightly, with the latter sitting upright and attempting to hide her blush.

“H-Hey Bones...” you say with a bit of embarrassment, rubbing the back of your head. “So, umm... What’s the news?”

The doctor starts gathering up the mound of paper the machine spat out and starts looking it over, somewhat pleased.

“Well, nothing yet. Right now, I need to sit down with your somnograph and spend the next few days picking it over,” he says with a tired laugh. “But I will want you to come in tomorrow for another sleep test, okay?”

What? I thought... Again? He seriously wants to do this again?

You lean back in bed and let out a long sigh and curse under your breath. “Verdammnt...”
[Translation: Damn]

“If you want, you can talk to Nurse Redheart and she can schedule your next appointment.”

Shaking your head, you get to your hooves and shrug. “Alright then.”

“Well Bones, I’ll... See you soon, I guess.”

You walk out of the room with Rarity hot on your heels. “Well... That went well, all things considering,” she says with a little laugh. “So, what do you feel like doing for supper, darling?”

“I have no idea, to be honest. Whatever is good.” Walking up to Nurse Redheart’s desk, you give her a little smile. “Can you schedule me for my next appointment around the same time as this one?”

She smiles back and opens up a rather large planner. “Well sure I can, just give me one moment...”

As you stand there, you feel your ears twitch and pick up on what somepony thought was a quiet conversation.

“You see that?” the stallion in the waiting room whispers. “That’s him. He’s the one who went batty...”

“Poor thing, really... I can’t help but feel bad for his mare, too. I mean, just imagine having to take care of him.”

Your throat starts going dry and you feel your eyes grow wet. “I-Is there anyway we can hurry this up? I’m, uh, I’m kind of in a hurry.”

You can almost feel Rarity tense up next to you.

Nurse Redheart looks up from her planner and gives you a patient. “Well, certainly... I can pencil you in for the day after tomorrow, same time. Sound good?”

“Yes, yes. That’s perfect. It was nice seeing you Nurse, have a nice day.” Turning on your heels, you make your way for the door as quickly as you can without it making it look like you were running. You just make it out into the streets, only to bump into another stallion.

“I-I’m sorry,” you manage to sputter out.

The stallion in question looks to you and you can see a flash of recognition in his eyes. He doesn’t say a word, but his mouth does contort slightly before he walks off.

The way he looked at you, it looked like a mix of embarrassment and... something else. You couldn’t quite place it.

You continue walking through the streets, only to jump slightly when Rarity joins your side and speaks up.

“What was that all about? What’s going...” She stops when she sees your face and leans in close, talking below a whisper. “Are you having an episode?”

You felt your jaw tighten and you started walking forwards. “Ich bin völlig in Ordnung.”
[Translation: I am perfectly fine.]

“Legen Sie sich nicht zu mir. Du bist nicht die in Ordnung. Jetzt sagen Sie mir, was beunruhigt dich.”
[Do not lie to me. You are not fine. Now tell me what is troubling you.]

You open your mouth, but quickly close it when you pass by another couple, their eyes darting to you, then Rarity, and back to you. Both of them wearing the same expression the stallion had.

That’s when it finally hits you like a ton of bricks.

Poor thing.

They pitied you.

You felt yourself freeze up in the streets of Ponyville, your legs shaking slightly as your head whipped around. Each pony you looked to quickly looked away, acting as if nothing was happening, but you saw it.

That look.

You wanted to run. You wanted to hide. But you were locked up.

They’re watching me... you think, your chest tightening up at the thought. They’re watching me and pitying me.

The couple on the bench behind you, the mare at the market stall, the stallion sweeping the porch.

You saw them when you passed, but even with them to your back, you could feel their eyes burn into you.

They were judging you.

“Darling, you’re going to start walking. Now.”

You look to your side and see Rarity standing there, her own eyes burning into you. “I have no idea what is bothering you right now, but we’re going to go home and we’re going to talk about it like two adults. Okay?”

You swallow the lump in your throat and nod dumbly. “I, uh... I... Rarity....C-Can I lean against you?”

“Of course you can,” she says with a smile. “Is there any rea-”

“Two reasons,” you whisper hoarsely. “First, so I don’t collapse.”

“Second?”

“Second... Is so I don’t run and make a scene.”

Rarity bumps up next to you and stares at you with her big, blue eyes and for a moment, you feel just a little bit better. Leaning against your mare, you let out a sigh and start walking down the street.

The fifty feet from the street corner to the boutique was the longest fifty feet of your life. Every passing glance, every word spoken by a stranger; it was all you could do not to snap and scream at them or barrel home and never look back.

But you stayed by Rarity’s side and finally made it to sanctuary, lasting a whole ten seconds before breaking down.

“Oh sweet gods above, they all think I lost it...” you moaned out as you collapsed on to the floor. “They don’t see me as a stallion anymore, they see a mad-pony... A deranged mad-pony who needs to be sectioned...”

You didn’t even make it halfway to the floor before Rarity rushed to your side, holding on to you as you shook.

“I don’t know if I can leave the house knowing that Rarity...” you snivel aloud, nuzzling your face into her chest to hide your tears. “I’m...I’m... Oh gods...”

“Shh... Shhh... They don’t matter,” she coos in your ear. “Those that mind don’t matter and those that matter don’t mind.”

You shake your head. “It’s... It’s easy to think that way, but... putting it into practice is another thing. I wish I could just...”

Another sigh of frustration and you get to your hooves. “I care what other ponies think of-”

“Now, that’s no way to think darling!” Rarity started, her brow furrowed. “You shouldn’t-”

“I care what other ponies think of you! They look at me and then they see you! This beautiful, perfect mare who’s staying with a disjointed, mad-”

All you could do was yelp out in a mix of surprise and fear when Rarity lurched out and grabbed you by your shoulders. “Don’t you dare say another word,” she hissed out, her words like venom. “If you do, I’ll never forgive you.”

You swallow the lump in your throat and manage to squeak out one word. “Okay.”

“Good. Now listen. You are not ‘disjointed’. You are simply in a bit of a rough patch at the moment. It’s nothing we can’t handle. We just need to take a step away, and...”

Everything else turns into white noise.

A step away...

Your mind rushes with the possibilities until you’re grinning from ear to ear, looking like a true madpony.

“W-What? What is it?” Rarity asks you look to her, still smiling.

“A step away,” you say calmly. “That’s what we need to do. We need to take a step away from it.”

“It?”

“It. All of it. Let’s get away from Ponyville for a week. You, me, Mecklenburg. A vacation away from all of it.”

Rarity’s eyes go wide and she starts getting to her hooves. “D-Darling? Are you sure that’s the best idea?” she asks, her voice full of trepidation. “I mean... You aren’t exactly-”

“Rarity.” Still kneeling down, you grab ahold of one of her hooves and kiss it lightly. “I’ll be just fine. Do you wanna know why?”

You let the question linger in the for a few seconds before trailing a series of kisses up her leg until you reach her shoulder. “I’ll be fine because you’ll be there. You’re my rock.”

“I-I... Ohhhh my...” By now, Rarity was melting in your hooves, each kiss followed by a little playful nip that made her shiver in your grasp.

“So what do you say?” You look her square in the eyes, a playful grin on your face. “A vacation sound good?”

The question snaps Rarity out of her stupor and she clears her throat. “W-Well... If we do, and I’m not saying we are, then I’d like there to be a few conditions.”

You remain silent and continue to kiss her neck, making her squeak aloud.

“O-One!” she gasps out, “You are to be cleared by your doctor. If he says you are in no position to be leaving Ponyville, then you stay.”

“Done.” You punctuate the word by biting the spot between her neck and shoulder, making her legs almost buckle out from underneath her.

“T-Two...” she moans out, her tail twitching frantically. “If anything happens and I f-feel we need to get back to Ponyville... The we leave. No arguing.”

“By your command.” By now, Rarity is doing her best to remain stoic, but you can tell that she’s just one good push from being sent over the edge. Leaning up, you grab ahold of her ear in your teeth and nip it ever so gently, making Rarity cry aloud.

“T-Threeeeee!”

You gasp out in surprise as she grabs you and brings you in for a deep, rough kiss. Not one of passion, but one of lust. “Three...” she pants out, breaking the kiss for a moment. “Upstairs. Bed. Now.”

Before you can even open your mouth, Rarity’s horn glows and envelopes you in her magical aura. Ohhh boy... I think I pushed too many buttons, you think with a nervous grin as she carries you upstairs, her eyes half glazed over with lust.

She unceremoniously tosses you onto the bed and jumps on you, licking her lips.

“Ohhh yeah... Too many buttons...”

****************************************************

“Hey, uh... Nurse Redheart? Is Bones busy at all?”

Nurse Redheart’s gaze moves away from whatever papers were in front of her to you. “Oh my goodness! Are you alright?”

You limp into the waiting room of Ponyville General and give her a smile. “Yup. Perfectly fine. I, uh... I fell. A couple of times.”

She raises a single disbelieving eyebrow at you.

“I just need to talk to him. Is he busy?”

“No, no...” she says, giggling aloud with a light blush. “He’s in his office. Go right on ahead...”

You give her a smile and start to make your way down the hallway..

“You stud, you...”

You blush furiously and do your best not to look back at her. Oh dear... Is it that obvious?

Grabbing a hold of the doorknob, you walk into the doctor’s office and smile. “Got a second?”

The white stallion looks up from the stack of paper and gives you a smile. “Ahh! Fritz! Just the stallion I wanted to see.” Getting up from his chair, he carries over the papers and almost thrusts them into your face. “I think I’m on to something.”

You look at the papers, confused for a second before you realize that it’s the somnograph.

“Really?” You can’t hide the excitement in your voice. “What’s going on? What did you find?”

“Two things. First, look here.” He points a hoof at a large red spike along the paper. “Right here. When you first came in, you were having night terrors. All the classic symptoms of ‘em. But now? You’ve just been having plain old nightmares.”

“Huh... Alright then. So, we know I’m having full blown night terrors, not just nightmares. And that they... stop abruptly?”

The unicorn shrugs. “I don’t know... It’s odd. It’s a very sharp decline. Your heart rate was through the roof, your breathing was erratic, and then all of a sudden, it just starts to stabilize. As for the second thing, Twilight Sparkle found mentions of the same kind of mixture Nurse Careheart gave you in an old medical textbook. We’re following up that lead and trying to get in touch with the pony who wrote it. In the mean time, I want to run a few more tests. Zecora has a few remedies from Zebrica and we need another blood sample.”

You grimace at those words and sigh aloud. “Umm... Bones? To be honest, I was about to ask you if I could... Leave.”

“Leave? Why would you want to leave the office, you just-”

“I mean, leave Ponyville. I was thinking of taking Rarity and going on vacation for a week. You know, get away from it all for a while.”

That stops him. He looks you in the eye and his face drops slightly. “Fritz... I really don’t think leaving Ponyville right now is the best idea right now. I mean, you were hallucinating not too long ago. What do you think’s going to happen when you’re out in some strange city and you need medical attention? I don’t want some quack looking you over and sectioning you.”

You open your mouth to protest, but close it slowly. “Well... Alright then,” you say, a little crestfallen. “I promised Rarity I wouldn’t fight your decision. So, where does that leave us? What happens now?”

“Umm... Well, your next visit. But, uh, Fritz-”

“When’s the next best time for you?”

The stallion goes quiet for a few moments before letting out a long sigh. “The 27th.”

“So next week then?”

“Yeah. Go talk with Nurse Redheart and tell her I need some blood work for you done. After that...” He lingers for a moment before putting a hoof on your shoulder. “I wanna see you as soon as you get back.”

Your ears perk up and you look to him shocked. “Back?”

“Yeah. After everything that’s happened to you, I think you deserve a vacation.”

You can’t help but smile excitedly. “Thank you Bones, I-”

“But you better promise me you’ll get your ass back on the first train if something happens, alright?” he barks out, his tone changing quickly. “I don’t want to hear that you spent the majority of your vacation hospitalized.”

You nod quickly. “I’ll keep in touch with you Bones, I promise. If I so much as sneeze, you’ll know.”

He gives you a warm smile and nods back. “Good. Now that that’s out of the way... Why are you limping?”

“Ummm... Uhhh...” You give him a nervous blush and a laugh. “Yeah... funny story.”

************************************************************

“You sure you have everything this time?”

“For the tenth time, yes.” Rarity answers with a bit of a huff. “It wasn’t that much of an issue... And besides, how can I go to Mecklenburg without my dirndl?”

“Or your designer belt... Or your designer sunglasses,” you add dryly. “But I’m just asking again so that you don’t have a little fit when we actually get on the train this time.”

“Well, that’s good because I have everything I need,” she says with a smug smile. After a few seconds, her smile grows warmer and she nuzzles her head into your neck. “And I mean it. I have everything I need.”

The little bit of anger you had for being forced to run back and forth between the Carousel Boutique and the train station melted away. “Love you too.”

Walking onto the train platform, you feel yourself smile as you the steam engine barrel towards you, its whistle cutting through the air.

You can’t help but sing aloud.

“Tuff tuff tuff, die Eisenbahn!”
[Puff, puff, puff, the train!]

Everypony on the station looks to you, some with a curious look on their face, others with shock at the sudden outburst.

“Wer will mit zu Oma fahren?”
[Who wants to come with us to Oma's?]

Putting a hoof around Rarity’s shoulder, you draw her in close as the train pulls into the station. “Alleine fahren mag ich nicht!”
[I don't want to go alone,]

“D'rum nehme ich die Rarity mit!”
[So, I'll take Rarity with me.]

Rarity blushes and leans up, planting a little kiss on your cheek. “You should sing more often,” she says, smiling from ear to ear.

You open your mouth to say something, but are quickly cut off by the ticketmaster's booming voice. “Mecklenburg! All aboard for Mecklenburg!”

“That’s us!”

Rarity bounds ahead, leaving you with her luggage. You watch as she disappears into a nearby coach, only for her to poke her head out. “Are you coming or not?”

“Yeah, yeah! I’m on my way!”

With a kick in your step and a smile, you climb on to the train and smile.

“Mecklenburg... Here I come.”

Epilogue

“It’s been a hairy few months, but honestly? I think you’re in the clear now.”

You let out a long sigh of relief. When Twilight asked to meet you at her Library, you honestly felt like you were gonna have a coronary. “Oh thank the stars above.”

Rarity’s hoof finds its way into yours and squeezes tight. “And you’re 100% sure? There’s no more of that wretched poison is still floating around in his system?”

“Oh no, it’s still in there,” Twilight says flatly. “Trace amounts are still in your bloodstream, but nowhere near the amount to trigger anything like that initial poisoning.”

“Well, it’s only been a couple months,” you say sheepishly. “And you gave me 4 for a clean bill of health. At least now I can sleep a little sounder.”

“Especially considering the bank completely forgave our loan!” Rarity says with a laugh. “I mean, honestly! I’ve never heard of that happening before! It’s like it just got paid off in full!”

“Eh heh heh... Yeah, that really is something!” Twilight says a wide grin and a laugh. “So, umm! How are those renovations coming?”

“We just need to get the painting done and we’re ready. After that, the movers will get everything in and now that the whole debacle with Careheart is well and behind us, we can start looking to future!” Rarity beams for all but a second before scowling. “Ooooh just thinking about that mare makes my blood boil...”

“Well, she’s good and locked up now.” Twilight says. “I was about to go out and get something to eat. Wanna join me?”

“Ooooh! That sounds grand!” Rarity says, perking right up. “I’ve been craving a hayburger all day! One with onions, pickles, just a dash of sauerkraut and a side of onion rings. Ohh that all sounds so sinful but I can’t help myself!”

“Eeesh,” you mutter as you get to your hooves. “At least you’ve got your appetite back.”

Twilight raises a single eyebrow “Back?”

“Yeah, Rarity’s been sick these past couple mornings. Nothing serious, but...”

Twilight just stares at you, her eyes growing a little wider with each passing second.

“What?”