Twilight gazed through the window of Canterlot Boutique, admiring the array of colors and design’s Rarity had inside. “Are you sure you really want to leave Sassy Saddles to manage all this Rarity?” She asked the white unicorn, who was currently getting the last of her bags out the door.
Rarity paused for a moment, and nodded cheerfully. “But of course, Twilight. I believe that even the worst ponies deserve a second chance, like that Trixie from a while ago.” Twilight thought back to it, and smiled softly.
“Yes, but she didn’t almost make my dream her dream. She was just power hungry and attention grabbing.” Twilight replied, to which Rarity nodded. “And I think the same thing of Sassy Saddles.” Rarity turned away from Twilight to gaze off into the empty streets of Canterlot. The moon was almost at it’s peek, and the light from its glow cast long, eerie shadows across the two mares.
“Well, I’m absolutely famished.” Rarity said, turning back to look at Twilight. “What do you think, Twilight? Know any places in Canterlot still open at this hour?” Twilight put a hoof to her mouth for a moment, deep in thought, before removing it and almost slamming it against the ground.
“Pony Joe always has his doughnut shop open till really early. We could probably still catch him if we hurry.” Rarity nodded, grabbed her many bags, and smiled at Twilight. “Lead the way, Princess.” Twilight blushed lightly, and nodded. She turned, and lead Rarity deeper into the darkening city.
Rarity could see the discomfort in Twilight’s posture since the moment they arrived at the doughnut shop. Her hooves and brow were twitching, and she seemed to be just over all in a state of great unease. Her purple eyes were currently gazing out the window their booth, as if scanning the empty street for somepony. Her cup of tea sat untouched as steam still rose off of its inky black surface.
Rarity felt more than a little concerned. “Twilight dearest, are you alright?” She asked, placing her hoof on Twilight’s own resting one. Twilight quickly snapped her head towards Rarity, startling the white unicorn just a fraction.
“What was that, Rarity?” She asked, her eyes wide, though still curious. Rarity sighed, and removed her hoof from Twilight’s. “I asked if you’re alright. What in the world has gotten into you?” She asked, her gaze not trailing from Twilight’s own.
Twilight gazed around the store, as if trying to find some kind of excuse, and when none came to her, she sighed and dropped her head in defeat.
“I’m just…” She started, lightly twirling her left hoof in the air in front of her. “Concerned about you. You and your new boutique.” All concern in Rarity’s expression fled, only to be replaced by surprise. “Is that all?” She asked, her quiet, hardly a whisper.
Though it seemed that Twilight caught it, as she nodded in defeat, her head still hung. Rarity rolled her eyes. “I already told you, Twilight. I forgave Sassy Saddles, and now she’ll have to report to me until I feel satisfied with her work, or she’s fired.” She turned to her alicorn friend. “It’s fine, Twili-”
“IT’S NOT FINE!” Twilight yelled, slamming both hooves down on the tables, knocking her cup of tea over and onto the floor, causing it to shatter. From across the room, Pony Joe sighed. Luckily, Rarity had caught her own cup of tea in her magic, but slammed it down right after Twilight sat back.
“OF COURSE IT’S NOT FINE, TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” Rarity yelled, surpassing Twilight in volume, causing the purple mare to shrink back in her seat. “YOU AREN’T THE ONE WHO’S DREAM WAS ALMOST CRUSHED BY SOME SNOBBY PONY WHO WANTED ONLY TO RIDE OFF YOUR FAME AND CONTROL YOU!” Rarity took a breath, sighed, and sat back down.
“I’m sorry, Twilight.” Rarity whispered. “I’m only scared about what might have happened.” Twilight’s ears perked up. “Scared?” She asked, her voice also in a hushed tone. “My dream was almost taken from me, Twilight.” Rarity began, tears welling up in her eyes. “Sassy Saddles had me making the same dress over and over, and I just…”
Rarity’s voice broke, and she buried her face in her hooves. “I’m such a mess. You must think so little of me.” Rarity hunched over, only looking up when she felt a hoof placed on her shoulder. “You’re right, Rarity.” Twilight said, her voice soft. “I don’t know what you’re going through.” Twilight removed her hoof from Rarity’s shoulder to pry her hooves away from her face.
“But what I do know, is that you would have been miserable if you had let her dictate your future.” Twilight finished, smiling kindly at her friend’s now tear stained face. “Oh….Twilight……” Rarity said, her voice wavering.
Rarity practically jumped over the table, knocking over her own tea cup in the process. Twilight barely managed to catch the tea cup before Rarity had her hooves around her, crying her eyes out. “TWILIGHT!” She cried, not her over dramatic sobbing, but actual crying. “I…i was just so scared!” She started, her voice wavering.
Twilight didn’t react at first, but slowly put her arms around her friend to comfort her. “What was so scary about it, Rarity?” She asked, now genuinely curious. “S-she made me make the same dress over and over!” Rarity sobbed. “It was horrible, copying the same design over and over again. She just made me into a glorified printer.”
Twilight lightly rubbed Rarity’s back in a comforting way, before holding her out in front of her a hoof’s length away. “And you let her have your entire business. Why would you do that?” Twilight asked.
Rarity wiped her eyes with her hoof, and sadly smiled up at Twilight. “Because I believe that even the worst ponies can change, don’t you?” Rarity asked. Twilight would have started to speak, but a cough from her side turned her head.
Pony Joe stood there, levitating a plate of doughnuts and cookies in front of him. “Ah got yur order, yur majesty.” Pony Joe said, his eyes indifferent to the two mares having a heart to heart over the tabletop.
Twilight let Rarity go, causing the white mare to almost fall onto the table, and blushed. She rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment, and chuckled awkwardly. “Uhm…Thanks, Pony Joe.” She said, sitting back down in her seat.
Pony Joe set the plate of sweets down on the table between the two mares, and turned to leave. He noticed Rarity’s empty tea cup, and Twilight’s lack thereof. He sighed, and picked up the glass shards of Twilight’s cup.
“Ah’ll get you two a new pot ah tea.” He said, before walking away, muttering to himself about princesses and respect for the working class. Twilight watched him go, but her gaze was turned back to Rarity as she saw movement out of the corner of her eyes.
She watched as Rarity stood from her seat, walked out of their booth, and sat down next to Twilight. Almost as if out of instinct, Twilight wrapped a wing around Rarity. Rarity paused in her sulking for a moment to admire Twilight’s pristine, soft feathers, and the warmth to her body that the wing provided.
“Is that all, Rarity?” Twilight inquired, to which Rarity nodded. “I feel as if you’re not telling me all of what’s bothering you.” Twilight watch as Rarity bit her lip, confirming her suspicions. “What’s wrong?” She asked, pulling Rarity closer to her body with her wing.
Rarity released her lip from her teeth and opened her mouth, but before she could speak, a pot of tea and a new tea cup for Twilight were levitated in front of her. She took them in her magic, as Twilight mouthed a ‘Thank you.’ to Pony Joe over her head.
As Rarity filled their tea cups, she was shaking. “You…you’ll probably think this is silly of me, Twilight…But I…” Rarity began, setting the pot down as she paused. “But…what?” Twilight began.
Rarity said nothing for a moment, before shaking her head vigorously. “It’s nothing, silly idea really. Just a passing thought. Not really worth the time of day if you ask me. Do want more tea Twili-”
“Don’t lie to me, Rarity.” Twilight cut her off from her fast paced rant, poison practically dripping from her words. “I can tell when something is bothering you, and something is defiantly wrong. What is it?” She continued, though her voice was now softer in tone.
Rarity sighed again, and hung her head. She mumbled something incoherent, and Twilight didn’t catch it. “What was that, Rarity?” Twilight asked, leaning in slightly. Rarity mumbled the same thing again, to the same results.
Twilight was growing inpatient. “Rarity, you tell me what’s wrong right now or I swear I’ll-”
The purple alicorn stopped herself mid sentence from the look Rarity gave her. Her friend’s eyes, once full of tears, were now full of an all-consuming fear. A fear of Twilight. Twilight saw the faint glow of her magic reflected in Rarity’s eyes.
She quickly doused her own magic, and wrapped her hooves around Rarity. “I’m sorry, Rares.” She spoke softly into Rarity’s mane. “I’m so sorry…but I can’t help if I don’t know what’s wrong.”
Rarity nodded solemnly, and gulped, before opening her mouth to speak. “I’m sorry I had you wear the princess dress.” Rarity muttered, and it finally reached Twilight’s ears. ”Why would you feel sorry about that?” Twilight asked, watching as Rarity began to shove cookies into her muzzle in her self-pity.
Twilight pulled the plate of sugary food away from her, and frowned. “Please tell me Rarity.” She said softly. Rarity gazed into Twilight’s eyes deeply, as if searching for something, and turned away. “It…it wasn’t really my idea to put you in the spotlight like that. Sassy Saddles convinced me, and after I saw how miserable you looked I just…”
Rarity trailed off, looking down into her cup of tea. “You just felt so bad about making me uncomfortable?” Twilight asked, to which Rarity nodded. Twilight smiled, and gave Rarity a small squeeze. “It’s alright Rarity. I’d never have my feather’s ruffled by something like that.” She smiled at Rarity, and it seemed that, to Rarity at least, all of her previous fears melted away.
She forgot all about her fear of Sassy Saddles copy-and-paste routine. She forgot all about her fear of what lay ahead, for it could only get brighter from here. And she forgot all about her fear…of Twilight.
Well…at least for the moment.
