It was a bit sudden to be practicing so early, but after seeing what she did, it couldn't have happened soon enough.
After their night on her family's farm the two young ladies got together on their off days to play around with their music. Applejack hadn't performed yet for their friends, but she figured that's why Rarity suggested their weekly get-togethers, in order to strengthen her violin playing skills as well as re-awaken Rarity's vocals. In all her time knowing the seamstress Applejack never knew she had a set of lungs on her! Her voice was elegant and strong on the high notes. She could very well be a pro soprano! Together they came up with an idea, and it was to perform for their friends in a sort of duet. And so it was decided that they would rehearse, and within a fortnight, they would dazzle their friends with a mind-blowing performance!
Usually she would wait for the farmer to have a day off from her work on her family's farm so that they could get together for their usual rehearsal. However, this day seemed to be one of urgency. Rarity had called her out of the blue, with Applejack having been called to the house by Applebloom. It sounded important, so she asked that Mac take over her remaining part of the orchard while she went over to the boutique. Her brother nodded without the slightest hesitation and smiled at his sister as they bumped knuckles.
When Rarity had opened the door for her, Applejack knew something was wrong.
Her well kept curls were disheveled and her hair stuck out in random directions. The collar of her white dress top was askew and a few of the top buttons were missing, with a hint of thread sticking out from where they once were. Since the buttons were gone, the briefest glimpse of her lacey bra showed. Her skirt was wrinkled, the thin violet garter she kept well hidden beneath its hem now hanging limply against her thigh. Her dress shirt, once tucked in, now hung partway out of the hem of her skirt. And one of her red pumps was missing a heel. All of that was indeed making red flags flare in the farmers mind. However, what made her blood begin to boil was the woman's face.
Rarity's lipstick was horribly smeared over her lips and chin. Her normally pale and porcelain-like complexion was paler then what she was comfortable with. On the left side of her cheek was a deep red welt and her right earlobe was bleeding from an earring being torn from it. The corner of her lip was split slightly, blending in with the smearing of her lipstick and almost missable. A thin, angry red line could be seen from around her neck where a silver chain necklace used to hang from. Along with that little line, she could also see huge bruises beginning to form. The tailor's makeup was something she took great pride in and maintained on a daily basis, sometimes bordering OCD even. So for Applejack to see her friend like this......it was heartbreaking.
"A-Applejack! Good of you to come, dear! You're just in time!", she exclaimed.
The farmer winced at how Rarity's voice seemed to crack at saying her name. Her deep blue eyes were wide with fear and her smile was a forced one. Applejack wanted to cry, scream and beat someone to a bloody pulp all at the same time at seeing her friend in this state.
"Rarity? Sugarcube, what ha-"
"Darling, don't dawdle now! A proper lady never lurks in the doorway, you know! Do come in, dear!"
In a fast motion Rarity caught Applejack's hand and pulled her inside with a strong and insisting tug. She could see her wrists were red and bruising as well. As the fashionista led her captive through the boutique and up the stairs to her room Applejack saw the inside was in shambles! Mannequins were laying everywhere while clothing and unfinished fabrics were strewn about. Her desk was a mess, though that wasn't entirely new. Though seeing as it was turned onto its side, it was a new type of mess. It was chaos inside the little boutique!
"Uh, Rarity! What in the sam hill ha-"
"I've just finished your suit for our performance, dear! I was going to wait until our rehearsal tomorrow night but I felt you simply MUST take a look at the finished piece Today!"
Once at the top of the stairs the seamstress all but shoved the farmer into her room, making the blonde stumble forward and nearly tripping over her boots.
"Rarity! Dagnab it, stop fer just a second an' tell me what-"
She heard the harsh pull of a curtain and turned to see Rarity opening a specialized closet containing an article of clothing. Inside was an elegant black tux with a matching Stetson instead of the standard top hat. It looked like a regular tux, but the collar and lapels were embroidered with a silver chain lining and the tie at the neck of the mannequin was an orange color. It too was embroidered but with white jewels and a huge jeweled apple in its middle. Seeing it there, with a skittish Rarity showcasing it while wringing her hands together, made her chest ache and her throat tighten as she forced back tears.
"Well? What do you think, darling? I know how much you hate wearing dresses-"
"Rarity....."
"so I improvised with an old order that was abandoned and spruced it up-"
"Rarity....."
"and made it absolutely FAB-"
"RARITY!!!!"
Applejack shouted out her friend's name and grabbed her by her shoulders, making the fashionista squeak out in alarm and shrink in the farmer's rough hold. Applejack saw Rarity's eyes were wide as saucers with silent tears streaming from the corners of her lashes. She was tense and frightened but did not try to get away from her. Applejack cleared her throat carefully and spoke out in a slow and even tone.
"Rarity. Sugar, what happened?"
The seamstress let out a shaky breath and slowly bowed her head, tendrils of her long, deep purple hair falling over her face and hiding her eyes from Applejack's view.
"Can...can we just rehearse for now?.....Please?"
The farmer took in a harsh breath as if Rarity's words burned her. She could feel her anger rising, both from how the seamstress was and from being powerless to stop it. She wanted to know who was responsible, what they did and why they did it. However, she let that same breath out calmly through her nose and eased her grip on Rarity's shoulders, shaking her head dismally.
"Sure thing, sugarcube. Lemme go 'n' get my violin up here. Hang tight fer a sec, I'll be right back."
In quick strides Applejack went back out to the front door to retrieve her violin case and bag. She closed the door to the boutique and locked the deadbolts good, turned the "Open" sign to "Closed" and stepped around the mess back up to Rarity's room. She entered just as the fashionista was slipping her arm through the front of her cocktail dress . It was a glittering blue black piece that was backless, with a V-shaped hemline running down her back stopping at the small of her back. On the front of the dress was a lacy net design blended in with the solid black and the entire piece hugged her curves well. She looked towards Applejack and gave her another forced smile while twirling in place, limping slightly.
"How do I look, darling?"
Applejack saw her red shoes tossed aside and her previous attire strewn about as if she had tore them off and threw them in every which way. Still, Applejack remained calm despite a flurry of rage building up inside. Blowing up now wouldn't help Rarity in the slightest, so she respected her wish to rehearse. She would reveal everything in time, at her pace and on her own terms. Now was a time to put her patience to the test.
"You look amazin', Rares."
Rarity stopped twirling and once again began to wring her hands together.
"T-Thank you, dear."
Applejack then turned to her case and took out her instrument, just as she always had in rehearsals before, and took a seat at the edge of Rarity's love seat. Though she warmed up the strings, Applejack was sure to keep an eye on Rarity as she prepared. Rarity stood there in the middle of the room, barefoot and broken but still beautiful. She had in her hand one of her brushes to act as a makeshift microphone.
From where she sat Applejack could see Rarity's hands shaking as she held the brush and she frowned. She brought the violin up to her chin and held it in place with her shoulder, bringing up the bow and waiting for Rarity's cue. Their eyes locked and held. Rarity could see that Applejack's hands sported new and clean bandage wraps and her flannel shirt was left open, revealing her white tank beneath. Her green eyes bored into hers and she wanted to breakdown all over again then and there. The seamstress shook her head and repeated 'Not yet, please not yet' in her head, before bringing the brush up to her lipstick smeared lips.
With a final glance into the farmer's eyes Rarity gave a single nod. As the strings came to life, Rarity began her aria.
We are the lucky ones
We shine like a thousand suns
When all of the colors run together
I'll keep you company
In one glorious harmony
Waltzing with destiny forever
As she sang out, Applejack noticed her usual swaying took on a more meaningful motion, as if she were pouring her words directly into the pseudo mic. Oh, wow. She even had her eyes closed. That one was definitely different then their usual routine.
Dance me into the night
Underneath the moon shining so bright
Turning me into the light
Time dances whirling past
I gaze through the looking glass
And feel just beyond my grasp is heaven
Rarity went from swaying in place to taking tentative steps in rhythm, moving about to the violin's singing strings. Her feet carried her over to the closet where the mannequin wearing Applejack's tux was. She then took hold of the mannequin by its arms and pulled it towards herself, bringing it into her timid shuffling, abandoning the brush entirely.
Sacred geometry
Where movement is poetry
Visions of you and me forever
Dance me into the night
Underneath the moon shining so bright
Turning me into the light
Being a weaver, Rarity enchanted the mannequin, a light-blue aura encasing the inanimate object and had it lead the waltz as she leaned into it. Applejack's small solo made the waltz stretch for a time. She took note of Rarity's rising intensity as she sang out the sorrowful words. It was like she was lamenting something, pouring her hearts pain out into both the song and her strides. Applejack watched as the song continued.
Dance me into the night
Underneath the moon shining so bright
Let the dark waltz begin
Oh let me wheel - let me spin
Let it take me again
Turning me into the light
As Rarity sang out the last verse Applejack saw the light-blue hue of her enchantment flicker to a darker, more ominous color then return to its normal shade. And her eyes opened for a brief moment as her words rose in a fierce crescendo, revealing her dark blue eyes and for the faintest moment Applejack could have sworn she saw slits in them. She dismissed it as being an effect of the waltz. The mannequin twirled her around near the aria's end and as Rarity held out that last high note, lilting it's falling end in a mournful dip, the mannequin then dipped Rarity close to the carpeted floor, causing her hair to touch the rug and sway as it held her there.
Applejack's violin ended their duet and afterward she patiently waited to gauge her friend's reaction. Rarity was still in the grasp of the mannequin, staring blankly up at her ceiling as she held onto its shoulders.
'It's okay now...'
The farmer saw Rarity's eyes slowly narrow, her chest started to rise and fall as well. The fashionista began to cry. It was a choked sob at first, sounding more like a polite cough. The mannequin began to shake, her enchantment lifting from it. Applejack reacted by tossing her instrument aside and diving in to catch the seamstress before she could hit the floor. It wouldn't have hurt her really, but it was in that moment that Applejack could see her friend's last sliver of strength had shattered into a million pieces.
Rarity broke.
Once she felt Applejack's arms capture her the seamstress clung onto the farmer like a drowning woman with a life preserver, her fingers biting into Applejack's shoulders. She then buried her face into the flannel lapels of Applejack's front and bawled loudly. Her slim shoulders quaked with the intensity of her sobs. Applejack wrapped her arms more protectively around her crying friends' frame and remained rooted to her spot on the carpet, with a weeping Rarity sitting on her lap. She stroked her hair and tried to sooth her with a hushed mantra of "It's alright, sugarcube", and "Yer safe now, shhh". Rubbing her back Applejack held the distressed seamstress close, almost trying to will the hurt she was feeling into her own body. At one point Rarity began screaming into Applejack's front, her grip on the flannel material in her hands tightening unforgivingly with each muffled wail.
Applejack winced but remained stationary like an obedient sentry, save for the comforting gestures. She didn't budge from where they say as she continued to hold up her pale skinned friend. Inside she was seething, wanting nothing more then to find the party responsible for this crime, whatever it may have been, and stuffing them into a crate box while folding them in half! 'Easy, girl'......her mind warned.
After her wails died down to hiccups and sniffling Rarity timidly brought her head up. Her face was flushed from the severity of her crying and her mussed up make-up, mascara streaks and all, were wiped away clean from her face and now stained Applejack's flannel shirt. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy while her eyes still leaked tears. Applejack reached into the pant pocket of her overalls, taking out a clean red handkerchief and gently dabbed at the falling tears, as well as cleaning other smudges of make-up that her shirt didn't pick.
"Talk to me, sugarcube.", she whispered, almost on the verge of tears herself.
Rarity let out a trembling breath and nodded with closed eyes. She relaxed in her friend's strong embrace and rested her head against her shoulder.
"I was preparing the final order for the day, hoping to finish up early so that I could show you your outfit for our performance. I was so engrossed in my work that I forgot to lock the front door while closing. It was an overzealous client from a prior job that came in, I can't recall his name but his face was recognizable. For a time I asked for him to leave my shop. He wouldn't listen so I was about to call the police, when.....when..."
Her voice shook and faltered into a pained whimper and she sniffed against Applejack's shirt. That explained why the deadbolt didn't appear to be jimmied into when Applejack went to lock the door.
"Go on, sug. I'm listenin'."
Applejack felt Rarity dig her nails into her shoulders again as she tensed up.
"He....He tried to-to.....force himself...on...me..."
Rarity felt sick now, her stomach quivering with the threat of rising bile. Trying to quell the rising need to retch she buried her nose into Applejack's shirt front. It was then that she no longer smelled cheap aftershave, but a more earthy and cleaner smell reached her nose as she stayed buried into her farmer friend's front. The rising bile calmed after a few subtle drags of the earthy aroma and, telling herself she was safe now, found the strength to continue on.
"I-I fought back, using my weaving abilities to throw things at him while I maintained some distance. I...broke a heel and lost my balance. He lunged at me then and pinned me down. I tried to call for help but he throttled me. I nearly gave up then.....until I remembered our performance, our friends and I remembered you. So...."
She gestured a kicking motion off to their side, letting a huff hiss through clenched teeth as she brought her leg back down.
"....got him right there in the sweetbreads! Uuuuuurgh, the vulgarity of it all!!!"
Applejack chuckled and nodded in approval, impressed by the fashionista's quick thinking. Those martial arts classes she took really paid off!
"Sounds like you really gave him what fer, even managed to chase him off all on yer own. I'm mighty proud of ya, Rares."
To accentuate her words Applejack took off her worn Stetson and placed it onto Rarity's head with a proud smile on her freckled face.
"Y-Your hat, darling? Applejack..."
Her throat tightened as a new threat of tears rose into her eyes. She smiled up at her and muttered a breathy Thanks.
"C'mon. Let's get the police over here and get the place cleaned up. I know yer probably goin' nuts thinking of how much is goin' to need fixin' around here."
Applejack wasn't that far off from the truth. Now that she was lucid and regained most of her faculties Rarity was indeed beginning to mourn her damaged goods. And maybe a good soak in a nice, hot bath would be in order as well. Her ankle, neck and face were aching terribly and everything else felt stiff and sore.
Still, as the farmer tried to pry the shaken seamstress off of her lap and made a move to end the embrace Rarity found herself still clinging tightly to her friend, not wanting to leave the safety of her arms.
"N-Not yet. Please! Don't leave me just yet."
"R-Rarity..."
The woman in her arms merely squeaked out in protest, shaking her head like a child refusing to eat their vegetables. Applejack sighed and resumed holding her shaken friend.
This was going to be a very long night....
-End
