The Lady, and the Soldier

Introduction Chapter ‘Some Fairy Tales are True’

A Rarity ‘Belle’ Romance

“Jewel, Jewel Belle Marshall whatever are you doing?!”

I looked at my daughter as she walked toward me. The poor dear had been trying to help, but I had told her countless times that there are some very sharp objects inside of my work room. I watched as she neared me, her little horned head looking intently at the floor. It was something I had done with my mother when I was young, and now I suppose I was paying the price for occasionally being an unruly child.

“I’m sorrwy mama,” she said.

“It’s fine dear, but mommy doesn’t want you getting hurt. Why aren’t you playing with your brother?”

“Jake said that he didn’t wanna play,” she answered.

I shook my head. My little colt was trying to be all grown up. I knew where he was, and I was certain that his father had no idea that he hadn’t spent any time with his sister.

“Come here my little precious Jewel. Mommy will find your brother, and we’ll both tell him that he needs to spend a little time with you.”

It was so good to have John back home again. I felt my tail flicker slightly as we walked into the garage. I could see John tinkering around with that, I think he called a motorcycle, well thing of his again. Beside him, covered in grease was Jake. My son looked up, saw his sister, looked at me, and lowered himself as to hide from my sight.

“Jake, sweetie, Jewel said that you haven’t spent any time with her today.”

He didn’t answer, and I walked closer.

“Well? Have you?”

He shook his head.

“Don’t you think that you should go spend a little time with your sister?”

“Daddy, do I have to?” he asked.

I watched John look at our daughter and open his arms. She ran toward him and I cringed as he wrapped her up in a hug. His arms are so filthy!

“John!”

He looked at me, then at his daughter and then he laughed a little as he let her go.

“Sorry sweetheart, I didn’t think about it,” he said getting up.

“Daddy, do we gotta play tea party?” Jake asked.

“Son, sometimes you’ve got to man up, walk into a room, and play tea party or anything else a girl wants to play. It’s just part of growing up, but you’re not going to be alone. Ms Jewel, do you have room at your table for two gentlemen?” he asked.

“Yes daddy,” she answered.

I watched as walked with our son and daughter. Their cute little hooves clicking on the floor as they walked beside their father. I watched them, and then I walked back into the room I had come from. I could see the viewing screen, and there on it was two of my best friends. I smiled at them and took a seat facing them.

“Sure is nice to be able to talk to ya’ll even though you live so doggoned far away,” Applejack said.

“I know! I was telling Andy that we need to go visit all of you, and he said that we could on this book tour, but it’s taking Paul forever to get the dates down, and on top of that I have to take a test to make sure that I can teach Strawberry and Onyx while we’re on the road!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“How are the little dears?”

“Oh, their a handful, but not as bad as Pumpkin and Pound,” Pinkie replied.

“Rarity, you were a tellin’ us how you and John Met. Ah gotta say that Ah like ‘im,” Applejack said.

“Well, I suppose if I should begin right at the beginning. It was about six years ago.”

~~~~~2056 Arnett Texas (Roughly an hour and forty-five minutes north of Austin) ~~~~~

The I looked at my ensemble. The clothes I was wearing looked nice, although why in the world I was wearing my Gala dress was beyond me. I had thought that I put it away so I wouldn’t have to think about that inconsiderate stallion anymore. I looked at the two slightly odd stallions sitting across from me. Both of them wore the same drab, and slightly ghastly, gray uniforms.

“Might I inquire where it is that you are taking me?”

I realized that neither of them had any intention of answering me, and so I tried to pass a little time. I looked at my dress once more, and there on my hooves was both glass slippers I had made for this ensemble. That was odd, especially since I had crushed one of them to keep Blue Blood from finding me. I tried to shake it off, and then another thought came to my mind. I knew, somehow, where I was going. I was going to visit John.

I had memories of John, of him falling into Equestria, of his saving Scootaloo, and of course of his leaving. It had broken my heart in two when he left. Yet, those memories didn’t feel right. The ones I had of being with the girls, of our adventures, and of our time together felt right, but all of them felt a little clouded.

I pushed it off. I was a little tired and that was it.

I felt my ears twitch as the carriage, or whatever it was, we were riding in stopped. I looked up to see the two stallions standing, and opening a door for me. I stepped out and there he was. Every line, every bit of him reminding me of what he looked like. I walked toward him.

“John?”

“Rarity, you’re real, you’re really real,” he said.

I touched him and suddenly all of those memories became solid. I hugged him close, longing to be held.

“I missed you,”

“Let’s go inside,” he said.

I followed him into the small single story home and heard whatever it was I had rode in as it took off.

Author's Note

(So, Rarity is up for the Vogonverse, but I’m doing something a bit different with this one. I offered the idea to fixDbayonets, but he said that he had far too much going on to do the story. Instead, he wanted me to do it, and he would read it. So, is this a Vogonverse story? Yes, but at the same time it’s going to be using elements from Breathtaking.

There is a small spoiler in this chapter for I See Pink, but if you’ve been reading the story, it’s not that much of one.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

LF)