It was well past midnight and most of Ponyville’s residents were already curled up in their beds fast asleep, frolicking through whatever peaceful dream Luna had gifted them with. For some, however, particularly the night owls, sleep couldn’t be farther from their minds. Although the Helping Hooves Music Festival had been over for an hour, a few ponies still lingered around outside, not wanting to bring this incredible night to a close just yet. Rara couldn’t blame them, she never wanted it to end either. Never in her life had she felt so empowered and free than when she sang as Rara, as her true self, for the first time since...well, since too long ago. How long had it been since she last sung with nothing but a piano as accompaniment? It had to have been before she left for Manehattan and met Svengallop, and that was many years ago.
If only she’d known that the minute she signed that contract, she was signing away her true identity, and did the very thing she had vowed never to do if she ever made it big. She let somepony change her into something she wasn’t. She was still singing and making music, it was her passion and she lived for it, but it wasn’t her music, it was music so stylized and altered that she hardly recognized her own voice anymore.
But that night, sitting at the piano with each note harmonizing perfectly with her own natural voice projecting out into the summer night air, she felt home again. It was like reliving the day she’d gotten her cutie mark. She had found where she belonged in the world for a second time. She had sung her heart out, then there was a moment of stunned silence from the audience before she stood basking in a wave of applause, just like that day at camp. Everything had just felt so right, like she was seeing herself in a whole new light, just as her fans were.
They were confused at first, but once Rara’s song of self-rediscovery was over, their applause was not just out of appreciation for the music, but out of acceptance and admiration. Acceptance, all that Rara could ask for, of this new Countess Coloratura, this new Rara. Admiration not just for her immense talent, but for casting aside everything she had been told was true, for stripping her music down to the bear essentials and, well, putting her heart on the line.
None of her fans were allowed backstage after the concert so Rara hadn’t gotten to meet them, not because of Svengallop’s insistence that she had more important things to do, but simply because there wasn’t enough time. But she vowed that when she did have another meet and greet, she was going to make amends for treating them so superficially, and not like the light of her life that they really were.
There would be no more hoovsies and there would be no more rushing them along, she was going to make sure they felt appreciated through individual attention. It would take a while and probably wasn’t all that practical, but she didn’t care. She would do as many charity events as she could, just as long as there were still enough bits to actually pay for the shows. It wasn’t just her fans that were going to see a new Rara, she started imagining all the ways she was going to rectify her past actions. For starters, she owed the world to Applejack. She was the one who had lifted the veil from her eyes, both literally and metaphorically. She wouldn’t have been able to see the diva Svengallop had turned her into without Applejack, and she would find a way to express her gratitude to her oldest and only friend. She was leaving for Las Pegasus early in the morning, but she and Applejack had already agreed to start writing letters again like when they were foals to stay in touch. Applejack promised that she would try and come to as many shows as she could, and Rara had promised to sing a country song at each one she attended, prompting a laugh from Applejack.
Rara smiled as she remembered how much she missed Applejack’s laugh. It was hearty and genuine, but most of all, it meant she was happy. A soft knocking at her dressing room door interrupted her thoughts, and she swiveled on her stool in the direction of the noise. Rara had been sitting in front her vanity mirror, removing what little makeup she was wearing and found that once it was all gone, she was glowing with a self-assurance she had never seen before. Rara set her cloth down, it was damp so she set it back in it’s holder so it wouldn’t stain the wood and slipped off her seat. Applejack had already gone home to put Apple Bloom to bed, she knew it couldn’t be Svengallop, and she knew it couldn’t be a fan since her bodyguards would’ve turned them away. It had to be somepony allowed backstage. It was probably just one of her backup dancers needing to borrow her eye makeup remover again. Those stallions were wearing more makeup than she was now.
To her surprise, it was Applejack’s friend Rarity, the unicorn seamstress who had lent her the dress she’d worn that night. Applejack had introduced her to all of her friends a few hours before the show, and Rara found them all delightful. They were each charming in their own way, but Rara couldn’t help but notice that the unicorn, Rarity, was extremely attractive. In Rara’s line of work, beautiful mares were commonplace. She saw them everywhere: premieres, exclusive parties, photo shoots, and because Rara was average looking, her celebrity status didn’t matter, they considered themselves superior to Rara.
In all other aspects the opposite was true. Rara was aware of how much sway she had in show business, she knew she could topple their careers with a flick of her hoof if they so much as looked at her funny. But she never did, she never wanted to abuse her power like that, like the way Svengallop had done. He was no better than them, they believed that because they were beautiful, they could treat other ponies like they were dirt beneath their hooves, and Svengallop had used Rara’s fame for that exact purpose. They never said anything blatantly rude to her, they were always in the public eye and acted polite just to maintain a “positive” image in front of the cameras. But she knew it wasn’t politeness, it was condescension.
They all shared Rarity’s gorgeous looks and Rara had expected her to be no different, even if she wasn’t a star. But it became clear to her that this mare contrasted all the prejudices she had formed about pretty mares. What made her stand out among the rest, what made this mare, and Rara had a feeling she got this all the time, a rarity, was that she was genuinely kind, not just under a false pretense. Rara could tell Rarity was aware of her beauty, how could she not be, but she wasn’t shallow or pretentious because of it. It was quite refreshing to say the least. As Rara conversed with her, she took in the details of her face, completely entranced. Her brilliant smile, her glossy, expertly styled mane, and her most prominent feature, huge blue eyes that glistened like moonlight on placid water. The analogy might have been cliche, but it was certainly accurate. Then Rara found her gaze shifting further down, lingering on her shapely body. When she realized what she was doing she immediately tore her eyes away and chastised herself for checking out one of Applejack’s friends.
The whole time Rarity was helping her prepare for the show, Rara hadn’t made much of an effort to talk to her. It was hard to concentrate on anything but the sense of unease and doubt worming its way into her gut, turning all her thoughts to worries. But just as she had been all those years ago, Applejack was there to reassure her and turn her fear into courage. Applejack convinced her that if she did away with all the excessive bells and whistles, she would see that they weren’t necessary for spectacular performance. In fact, they had been taking away from it all along. Applejack had been right, it turned out. Of course she was, she knew Rara better than anypony. After they had time to talk after the show, Rara was amazed to find that it was like nothing had changed between them. Like years had been reduced down into mere hours and they were able to pick up right were they left off. Friends were few and far between in show business and Applejack was the only true friend she’d ever made. Rara had felt an overwhelming sense of foal-like giddiness when she realized that, as if this night couldn’t have changed her life for the better any more, she had her back for good this time.
When Applejack suggested she wear something simpler, Rara had told her she didn’t have anything but the showy, garish outfits that Sven gallop had bought for her. They only had twenty minutes before the show and Rara was beginning to panic, but Applejack assured her that Rarity was a miracle worker and she could find something in time. Rara had thought this was just an exaggeration meant to calm her down, but Applejack’s words rang true when Rarity returned from Carousel Boutique with a sleek black dress just in time for the show.
The same dress that Rara realized she still hadn’t returned, which must’ve been why Rarity was here. Now that Rarity was standing inches from her in the doorway, those first traces of a crush that had been forming when they first met came back ten fold. Rara had to remind herself to be realistic, that she couldn’t think such thoughts about a pony, it would only escalate into something that just wasn’t possible. Rarity had just come for the dress, then she would be on her way, and Rara would never see or think about her again.
Rarity smiled beatifically and greeted Rara in a cheerful tone. “Good evening, Coloratura.”
Rara was pleased that there was no “Countess” preceding it, but it was still a name she didn’t want to be addressed by anymore. She wanted everypony to call her by her new -- no, her real name, and even though Coloratura was technically her real name, it was still a name larger-than-life and that was something she never considered herself to be. Even if, according to the rest of Equestria, she was. But she just couldn’t find it in herself to correct Rarity, the way it sounded in her velvety voice was different somehow, and Rara figured she could make an exception. If there was one thing that could rival the beauty of Rarity’s features, it was her voice. Rara wished she could transcribe it into music notes, but she had a feeling no instrument, not even one as refined as the grand piano, could capture it’s essence. She was clearly from Canterlot, she had the accent and a lot of the same characteristics that somepony who had grown up there possessed. Rara wondered what she was doing in a place like Ponyville.
“Hi, Rarity. It’s Rarity right?” Rara asked, as if it were a name she was capable of forgetting.
Rarity nodded. “I’m so sorry to bother you, it’s late and I know you’re probably exhausted after tonight.”
Rara shrugged and opened to door a little wider. “Performing does take a lot out of me, but I usually don’t go to bed for another hour anyway so it’s no problem. Are you looking for Applejack? She left about a half an hour ago.”
Rarity opened her mouth to say something but Rara remembered the dress and thought she had stolen the words out of her mouth. “Oh, you want your dress back don’t you? Thanks for letting me borrow it.” Rara turned to retrieve it from her clothes rack, but Rarity quickly reached a hoof out to stop her.
“No, no, you can keep it, darling. I don’t believe it would look as flattering on anypony else as it did on you.”
Despite Rara’s efforts to dismiss her feelings, the compliment brought an intense blush to her cheeks and she could only pray that Rarity thought it was just out of modesty. Rara shook her head to say no and hoped that the movement would rattle her brain into thinking rationally again. “Nah, it would-” She was about to say it would look much better on her, which it would, anything would, but she decided against it. She couldn't afford to feel emotions like this and she knew it. It had never been a problem before, Rara had feelings for many mares in the past and she was able to forget about each one. A pony would stand out to her in the crowd for however long she had in one city to be with them, then she would be back on the road and the memory of them would be drowned out by thousands of screaming fans at her next show. Rarity would be no different, she would be forgotten by the time Rara crossed the town border.
One of Rara’s bodyguards walked past the hall and gave Rarity a suspicious glare. Rarity’s back was turned to him so thankfully she didn’t notice, but it reminded her that their conversation wasn’t exactly private while the door was open. “Uh, you can come in if you want. Have a seat over there.” Rara pointed to a rustic but comfortable looking chair in the corner, next her clothing rack where Rarity’s dress still hung. It really was perfect for Rara. It was modest and unadorned, but it’s simplicity was what made it all the more stunning, just like her music had become.
Rarity was eyeing it too and Rara could see a fondness behind her eyes. “Are you sure you don’t want it back? I should at least pay you for it.” Rara placed her hoof on the hanger and took the dress off the rack, offering it to Rarity, who only shook her head. The motion made her indigo curls bounce, mesmerizing Rara for a few seconds until they stopped.
“I appreciate the offer but it’s not necessary. Seeing Countess Coloratura wearing one of my garments on stage for all the world to see…” The words brought back that surreal memory and with it, the feelings of indescribable elation and pride at seeing one of her dresses being worn by a famous popstar who was likely to be on the cover of every magazine because of it. She lost herself in imagining what this could mean for her business, until she remembered she was in the middle of a conversation. The twinkle in her eyes dimmed and she laughed sheepishly. Rara didn’t mind, she was glad that she’d made Rarity so happy, even if it had been a last minute decision to wear one of her dresses.
Rarity put a hoof to her mouth and cleared her throat. “Ahem...that was all the payment I could’ve ever asked for. Besides,” She scanned the room for any other clothing racks, but the one with the single dress hanging on it proved to be all there was, “if you’re going to be simplifying your wardrobe you’ll need something to start with.” The hanger was enveloped in a blue glow and Rarity levitated it out of Rara’s hooves and back onto the rack. “It’s all yours, darling. I insist.” Her blue eyes gleamed under a half-lidded gaze that, had Rara not just sat down, would have made her legs buckle.
“Wow, thanks Rarity. I really appreciate it.” Rara was pleasantly surprised by such an act of generosity. She was always extremely grateful whenever she was given a gift by a fan, even if all she could do to express it was offer a quick “thank you” before they were swept away with the rest of the crowd. It was already clear to Rara that Rarity was beautiful inside and out, but she hadn’t expected something like this, and this simple gesture spoke volumes to Rara about the kind of pony she was.
Rarity hopped up on the chair and tucked her tail around herself in a cat-like fashion, then waved a hoof dismissively. “There’s no need to thank me, it wasn’t even one I was planning on selling anyway. I made it for myself after Pinkie Pie invited me to go sing karaoke with her, but for some reason I never ended up wearing it and it’s been in my closet ever since. I picked it because I thought the black would accentuate the gorgeous shades of blue in your mane and eyes. It turns out I was very right! Had I known when I was making it that this dress would belong to a celebrity such as yourself,” The twinkle in Rarity’s eyes returned and an amused smile crossed Rara’s lips, she half expected to lose her again. But it appeared Rarity’s time for reminiscing was over and she continued, “I would’ve put much more T.L.C. into it. But in the end I suppose it doesn’t matter, you looked absolutely stunning regardless.”
Rara resisted the urge to blush again. She was touched by such lovely compliments and she hoped a simple "thank you" would suffice. “Thanks, Rarity. I can’t say that enough. I think it looks pretty good on me too. It definitely symbolizes who I am now. Or who I've always been I suppose.”
"That's actually the reason I came here." Rarity shifted her gaze around the room, as if suddenly aware of where she was, and Rara could see that familiar look of awe in her eyes that she'd seen from a million different ponies in a million different places. “I can only imagine how many ponies have dreamt of being in my position right now, and I must say I’m a little starstruck myself. I’m a fan of yours too. Maybe not as…zealous as some.” Obsessed seemed like too strong of a word, even though it was accurate. “I’m a singer myself, you see. I’m in an a capella group called the Ponytones.”
Rara’s eyes widened and she exclaimed in amazement, “Wow, you must really have good pipes if you can sing a cappella! Applejack didn’t tell me you could sing.”
Rarity ran a hoof through her mane and pretended to examine her hooficure, feigning nonchalance. “Yes, well, I wear many hats, darling, some I don more than others.” Suddenly, she realized that she was bragging, and not in front of just anypony, she had the audacity to do so in front of the Countess Coloratura! Rarity hastened to say, “but I can’t sing anywhere near as beautifully as you!” Ever since Rara had opened the door, Rarity had tried to treat her like a normal pony, but her inner fanfilly had been waiting for an invitation to come out, and this proved to be it. She found herself unable to stop the praise from flowing out of her mouth. “I’m a soprano but I'm not skilled in coloratura! I may be able to hold a tune but your voice is so clear and flawless. It projects so well, it’s like you have a tiny microphone in the back of your throat. And those riffs! I’ve never heard anything so melodious, it’s like each note is-”
“-Rarity, it’s fine, I know I’m not the only mare in Equestria who can sing.” Rara interjected through chuckles. She felt humbled and immensely flattered just as she always did whenever a fan gushed over her. It felt good to be able to show her appreciation for such praise, before she had acted indifferent, unaffected, as if her greatness was something she was well aware of and didn’t need to be told. It was another thing Svengallop had manipulated her into thinking would maintain her image.
Rarity gave a curt laugh that came out more as a cough, and to her surprise, her cheeks turned a light pink as embarrassment washed over her. Embarrassment was an emotion she very rarely felt, she was not a mare who was easily flustered and was a bit taken aback by the way she’d let herself ramble on like that. Usually she was concise and eloquent when it came to speaking, she conducted herself with poise and she certainly never acted like the starry-eyed fanfilly that she was behaving like now. Rarity mentally scolded herself for acting so foalish and reminded herself of what Rara has just spent a whole song trying to convey: that she was just a pony. Little did Rarity know, Rara was just as much in awe of her as she was of Rara.
Rarity cleared her throat again, a nervous habit it seemed. "Anyway, I only mention the Ponytones because Torch Song, another member of our group, introduced me to your music. I listened to some songs and I greatly enjoyed them, but I must admit I was only a fan of your music and not you as a pony. I actually knew very little about you except that you were...well...” Rarity trialed off, unsure of how to put it delicately.
“Demanding?” Rara offered, well aware of how Svengallop’s actions had reflected poorly on her.
“Well….yes.” Rarity said, hesitantly. Rara winced and she quickly clarified, “but that wasn’t something I considered to be a bad thing! I told Applejack that you simply require certain necessities in order to perform at your best, and I feel the same when it comes to my own work.” There was a pause and then Rarity’s demeanor changed; it wasn’t drastic, but it was definitely noticeable. Her shoulders slouched a little but she still kept her posture erect. The spark in her eyes that had been there ever since Rara opened the door vanished completely before she averted Rara’s gaze, now finding it difficult to look her in the eye. Her voice was soft and heavy with guilt, such a strong contrast to the clear and confident one that Rara had come to adore.
“But that wasn’t all I told Applejack, and the main reason I came here was to apologize -- and yes, I do owe you an apology,” Rarity added when Rara opened her mouth in protest. “I was wrong about you, darling. I didn’t think your performance would exist without all the extra elements in your show. All that ‘glitz and glam’ as you call it. Now, I’ve always been a pony who can appreciate glam.” Rarity put a hoof to her chest proudly, and this gesture seemed to bring her back to her usual self. “But there is a time and place for it, and I’ve never enjoyed your music so much as I did tonight. Never in my life have I heard anything so moving or profound as that song, and knowing it was sung from the heart of a pony who had found herself after being lost for some time...it brought tears to my eyes. I wasn’t the only one either, I saw them in Applejack’s as well. You probably already know this, but she very rarely cries. It takes a lot, and she was beside herself with pride at seeing you be yourself again.”
Rara could only sit and listen, utterly transfixed. As Rarity spoke, Rara felt a steadily growing warmth rising in her heart and she was too overwhelmed with emotion to try and prevent it from spreading throughout her body. Rarity’s expression and voice were calm, but Rara could see that fervent look in her eyes had returned. It was still that of awe and admiration, but now it shone with an intense sincerity.
“And I also wanted to tell you how much of an inspiration you are, not just to me but to everypony. It takes courage to admit when you’re wrong or in your case, have been wronged, but it takes a strength far greater to do something to become a better pony because of it and learn from your mistakes. My younger sister, Sweetie Belle, after her initial shock from being on stage with you had worn off, told me that your song is going to help a lot of ponies who have lost sight of themselves find their way, and I agree.”
Rarity looked to Rara expectantly, indicating that she was done and awaited a response. But none came and silence rushed to fill the space that the absence of Rarity’s words had left between them. The complete lack of sound was making Rarity a bit uncomfortable and she wished Rara say something, but soon her own thoughts started swarming in her mind, drowning out the silence.
Rara was experiencing the same thing. Applejack had told her something relatively similar to what Rarity had just said when she'd come by her dressing room right after the show ended. Hearing her friend say these things brought Rara feelings of indescribable joy and fulfillment, and she had been on cloud nine ever since. Hearing it from Rarity was no different, it garnered the same feelings, just as it would from her fans who would no doubt tell her the same thing the next time she met them. It was something she knew she would never get tired of hearing. Why then, did those feelings seem to transcend that of just being thrilled her song could inspire somepony? Maybe it was the way Rarity had said it, with passion in her eyes and conviction in her voice. Whatever it was, it was making Rara’s heart beat faster and suddenly all she wanted was for Rarity to leave. The longer she was with her, the closer Rara got to falling down the rabbit hole. She would inevitably drag Rarity down with her, and she knew Rarity would be the first to hit the bottom. Luckily for Rara, she would get her wish. A few feet away, Rarity was experiencing her own maelstrom of thoughts and emotions.
Rarity had said exactly what she’d intended to say, but for some reason, a part of her was sayings she’d gone overboard, and the other part was saying she hadn’t said enough. Rara had probably heard the same speech from Applejack already, and it probably sounded like she was just rambling on again. That being said, she didn’t know where the latter was coming from. Of course she’d said enough! The reason she was awake at this ungodly hour was to tell Rara before she left Ponyville tomorrow that her actions were admirable, and that she wasn’t the only one who felt that way. She’d accomplished that. Why then, was a nagging voice in her head saying there was something else? Maybe it was the way Rara was looking at her. She’d seen that infatuated gaze burning bright in Spike’s emerald eyes before. But this look wasn’t coming from a humble little dragon, but an Equestriawide famous popstar. A thought materialized in Rarity’s mind, and the instant it did, she felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to be somewhere where she couldn’t see Rara’s beautiful turquoise eyes. Rarity knew she was committing a social faux pas by leaving so abruptly with nary a goodbye, but she’d let her manners slip more than once already so what was one other time.
“Anyway, t-that's all I wanted to say. I really must be going. Ta-ta!” Rarity hopped off her chair so fast it nearly fell over and she all but sprinted to the door.
Despite Rara’s previous desire to be alone, she couldn’t stop herself from calling out, “Rarity, wait!” But she was already out the door and down the hall. Rara’s heart was telling her to chase after her and she willed herself to move, but her mind refused to cooperate, knowing full well that this was for the best. She heard the entrance door to backstage swing shut at the end of the hall, leaving Rara alone in a dressing room that suddenly felt a lot emptier now that the warmth of Rarity’s presence was absent.
Later that night, Rara tossed and turned. It was a new city and new mattress, and each one seemed to be more uncomfortable than the last. But the mattress wasn’t the only thing that was keeping her up. It was a vain attempt at dismissing every thought of Rarity that tried to invade her mind. Their conversation played over and over like a recording stuck on repeat, and she just couldn’t get the image of Rarity’s face out of her mind. She slammed a hoof down on the pillow and made a promise to herself that when she woke up, her memory of Rarity would be gone. It was for Rarity’s own good, and that thought brought her the comfort she needed to finally drift off the sleep.
About a mile across Ponyville, the same thoughts and feelings that were keeping Rara up plagued the mind of another pony. Sleep evaded Rarity and she lay awake staring at the ceiling of Carousel Boutique. Her hoof absentmindedly stroked Opalescence, who purred in a contented slumber that she envied. She dissected every thought, word, and emotion she’d felt and had seen from Rara, trying to discern what it meant. It was obvious that Rara liked her, but the severity of that like was something she wasn’t sure of, or something she was denying. Rarity had experienced romantic feelings for ponies of high regard like Rara in the past, and they had either been uninterested or downright rude to her. She’d all but given up pursuing ponies who were in the public eye. But Rarity knew Rara was far from rude, or at least, she was now, and what if she really was interested in her? She continued her internal debate until she eventually wore herself out and was finally able to join Opal in the realm of dreams. She would sort things out when she had a good night’s sleep under her belt. All those thoughts and feelings would still be there in the morning. Unfortunately for Rara, this was the case for her as well.
Author's Note
Alrighty guys, so here's the story: I had originally intended to write this for the Friend Off, but I'm awful at writing for deadlines. I rushed through it and by the time I had it written, I wasn't happy with it and decided to completely rewrite it. It's my dream to be featured on EQD, but I would rather have a quality piece than a rushed through one for all the world to see. I'm not so sure what direction I want to take this story, although I have a rough idea. What do you guys of my portrayal of Rara? She's only had one episode so far and any of us who want to write her personality don't have a lot to work with. All I know is, I love the idea of shipping these two. Who else had tears in their eyes during Rara's song? I'm with Rarity, I've never heard anything so beautiful in my life, and I just knew I wanted to do a story with her. This is just the first chapter, and knowing me it's going to turn into a 20,000 word story when I had only planned on 5,000 
By the way, anyone who knows what story I'm referring to where Rarity sings karaoke with Pinkie has excellent taste in fics and authors 
