It was not the first rays of Celestia's dazzling sun that greeted her this morning, nor was it the soft music of the song birds birched in the lovely nest she had made last winter wrap up.
No, it was Opal trying to not claw her face as she mewed loudly, a soft rumble from the cat helping to inform her of the reason her rest was being disturbed.
She had slept in again, and missed Opals feeding time.
"Oh Opal, please stop, I'm getting up." Rarity said in a tired voice as she rolled out of the bed... literally. At least it forced Opal to jump off her to keep from getting squished underneath her.
Mm, I must be more tired than usual if the floor feels just as good as the bed, Rarity thought to herself as she pushed herself to all four hooves. Her blanket rolled off to the side and she let out a soft sigh, picking it up with her teeth and tossing it onto the bed with a grunt.
As if the cries of Opal weren't irritating enough, she soon heard a sharp ringing of a bell. A bell she was slowly beginning to loathe, even if she was the one who had given it to the Pony busy ringing it like a mad mare.
"Coming Mother!" Rarity shouted out, sounding more grumpy and snappish then she would have preferred. She looked over to Opalescence, who was giving her an annoyed glare as she sat on the bed.
"As much as I know you're obviously starving, you'll have to wait. Mother's needs come first. Why not go eat some of the dry food for once, the one Fluttershy got for you."
Opal glowered but gracefully hopped off the bed, sticking her tail up in the air and padding off. Whether she was going off to eat or pout somewhere, Rarity didn't particularly care at the moment.
Stepping out of her room, she walked down the hall to the guest room, which had for the last year and a half become her mother's permanent residence. The incessant clanging of the bell only grew louder as she drew closer, and didn't cease when she opened the door and walked on in.
"Yes Mother, I'm here, what is it you need?"
Her Mother, Cookie Crumbles, looked as bad as she had the previous night, and the night before that, and the week before that, and... well, really, she'd looked more or less like this since the Draining claimed her father four years ago.
Her mane had greyed considerably and she had lost some of her weight, leaving her sickly looking and fragile. Her face no longer could manage the charming, friendly smile it had used to normally sport, and instead was almost always framed in a resigned frown.
Excepting times like now, when it was screwed up in an irritated scowl.
"Breakfast for one, and those damn pills they want me to swallow." She croaks, her voice raspy as she looks Rarity over for a moment before adding "And another bottle of wine while you're at it."
Rarity let out a sigh, not meeting her mother's eyes as she said "You know you're not supposed to be drinking with those meds, no matter if they make it easier for you to handle the pain or not."
Cookie harrumphed, then grimaced as just doing that seemed to cause her pain. "I don't care what that hairless ape in the white coat says. The meds aren't enough, and I'd sooner keel over then be left without at least one of the few luxuries I can still enjoy."
"She has a name you know." Rarity replied, shaking her head at her Mother's words. They had had this argument many times before, and probably would again tomorrow or the day after. She had learned it wasn't worth pushing it too far, and that denying her drink was usually... well, it caused more drama than it solved.
"Fine Mother, but I will only give you one bottle as always. If you want to keep yourself inebriated, you'll need to drink it sparingly. I am most definitely not going to help you in your efforts to drown yourself in the stuff, especially when I barely have enough funds to keep the boutique running."
Cookie glowered but said nothing, her eyes instead turning to gaze distantly at a picture of Hondo Flanks on a nearby dresser. It was the last time the four of them had a chance to take a family photo before the Draining had struck their family.
The thought struck Rarity she could try to remind Cookie Crumbles that her husband certainly wouldn't want to see her like this, but knew better. She had tried that exactly once before, and lost several expensive and precious vases for her troubles.
Not to mention had to take her mother to the Ponyville Hospital so they could put her under to get the seizures to stop.
Turning about, Rarity was about to leave the room when she remembered to ask "The usual Mother, or do you want something different this morning?" A grunt was all she got, and she nodded as she said
"The usual it is then."
Heading downstairs, she winced every few steps but pushed on. This was nothing compared to how she had been last year, when walking in general had sent needle like stabs of pain through her whole body.
She at least was recovering. She could leave her bed without screaming in pain, fainting, or going into fits and spasms. Celestia damn the Draining, even if it's gone now!
She sent a glance towards the wall clock nearby, sighing as she realized she should have been up at least three hours ago. No wonder her mother was wanting her booze so badly. She'd probably been trying to be as generous as she could before the pain became too much for her to tolerate.
Reaching the kitchen, she considered using her magic to try and get Mother's wine while also taking care of Opal's wet food, then decided against it. The Draining might not have afflicted her long enough to leave her with almost no magic to her name, but it had still been weakened. Short bursts on one task or object at a time was the most she could do.
A few minutes later, once she had the bottle of red wine and breakfast going, she drew Opal into the room by the simple act of using the can opener. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she set the plate down and pushed it towards her.
"Here you go Opalescence, now you can stop looking so grumpy wumpy."
Opal had the decency to... not glare and simply give her equivalent of a shrug as she started eating. Rarity turned her attention to the food as she used her magic to flick the power switch for the radio nearby.
It was one of the human models rather than the older, clunkier versions Equestria had, courtesy as a present from her sister, who was on tour in Europe right now. The sound of Just a Pony came on, and Rarity found her smile widening as the wonderful music of Ra-Ra filled the air.
They've been playing that a lot lately... no surprise though given what happened, she thought to herself as she flipped the pancakes over, the bland taste of the spatula in her mouth not bothering her nearly as much as it used to.
Breakfast for two took only another few minutes, after which she used her magic to set the tray harness around her neck. Using her magic to levitate Mother's breakfast and her booze onto the tray left her feeling a bit exhausted, but it hadn't been for long and she'd feel better in an hour at most.
Taking it up to Cookie, she found herself shaking her head in disappointment as she nearly drank a quarter of the bottle with her pills before setting it down next to her. Rarity then spent the next few minutes feeding her til she drifted off, soft snores filling the air.
"Sometimes, I'm glad you're such a lightweight." Rarity muttered before leaning forward and giving her forehead a brief kiss, the ghost of a smile tugging ever so slightly at Cookie's lips before it returned to a thin line.
Now that her Mother was going to be out of it for at least a few hours, it was time to take care of some chores and work on some dresses.
Today, the chores only took the better part of an hour and a half, something she was becoming rather proud of as it happened. She could truly understand why Earth Ponies put so much value in not relying on magic now and their ethic of hard work being so important.
A pity it took a terrible magic draining and nerve damaging plague to figure that out.
She was just getting her things together to start working on her dresses, when she heard a bell ringing downstairs. "Odd, haven't had a customer this early for a while now..." Well, perhaps it was someone from Canterlot or Hoofington who had heard of her reputation and taken one of the early trains. It wasn't like there were as many Ponies in town who needed new dresses...
... at least until the town got an influx of New Foals that is. Hopefully the gossip vine was correct and this month Ponyville would be one of the towns in the rotation for resettlement.
She waited till she was climbing back downstairs, schooling her face into a friendly and inviting smile before she called out "Hello, welcome to Carousel Boutique, How may I-"
"Oh my, did you forget our weekly luncheon again?" A soft, quiet voice called out, though in the silent showroom it was fairly loud.
"Why Fluttershy, I thought that was supposed to be tomorrow. It is Tuesday isn't it?" Rarity asked, a sinking feeling running through her as she saw Fluttershy shaking her head.
"No, it's Wednesday Rarity." Rarity groaned at hearing this, walking over to a wall and lightly smacking her head into it. It didn't hurt at any, as she made sure to avoid stabbing or smacking her horn into the wall, but it was somewhat therapeutic.
"I can't believe I forgot the day again..." Rarity muttered, shaking her head as Fluttershy came over and rubbed a hoof along her neck soothingly. A worried look was plain as day on her face, and Rarity had a feeling she wanted to ask, or say something.
Pulling her head away from the wall, she held Fluttershy's hoof for a moment as she said "No Fluttershy, I don't need to go see a doctor about it. It's only the second time this month I've forgotten, and you know that I have more stress then I used to. Sometimes it's just so much that I forget any number of things."
She chuckled, though it was a sad, tired one as she admitted "I even made a double order of those dresses for Miss Orange over in Manehatten the other day. Thankfully, she didn't mind since it meant she could share them with her office staff."
"Actually, I was going to ask if you've thought of hiring stay at home nurse." Fluttershy replied simply. "You do have an extra room after all, and I know that Princess Celestia's mandate is keeping the prices for such services low for the next few years..."
Rarity shook her head. "I'd thought about it darling, but I'm afraid the only one who has an open slot right now is a Human named Yan Wei, and Mother absolutely refuses to hear the idea. She only accepts the visits by Dr. Pranson because the hospital informed her it was that or they'd have her moved to stay in the hospital for 24/7 care."
Fluttershy looked decidedly confused, and Rarity realized she hadn't mentioned her mother's thoughts on Humans. "She doesn't hate them for being what they are darling... but she does hate them for not being fast enough with their cure work."
"Oh... oh my... that's so sad... wrong and terrible of her to think such, but mostly sad."
Rarity nodded, but then gave her old friend a smile. "Let us not talk about that though. Until Ponyville get's some more medical staff, I'll just have to manage. For now, let me mix you up a salad and we can share some tea."
Fluttershy nodded at the change of topic, then stopped, hoof raised in mid-step as she asked "Wait, aren't you going to eat something?"
Now Rarity did give a more honest laugh. "Woke up late, so I ate just a little while ago. Eating now would just be silly would it not?"
-*-
Rarity had needed this, more then usual. The last few days had been rough, and she needed something to unwind with.
Fluttershy had done most of the talking so far, Rarity just sitting and listening as she sipped at her tea, laughing at the moments of mirth in Fluttershy's last week and shaking her head at a few choice things she had noticed about town.
She had enjoyed hearing the story about Angel chasing off a Timberwolf with nothing but an unlit fire poker. She wasn't exactly sure how to feel about the next bit though.
"Did you really overhear Rumble cursing out that New Foal Unicorn who moved here from Fillydelphia? Oh what was her name... Jade Shard that was it not?"
Fluttershy nodded. "She moved into their old home, the one his brother used to own before he, well, you know." Rarity nodded, knowing that Fluttershy wasn't a big fan of any words associated with 'death'.
"What you told me certainly doesn't sound like the young Rumble I remember... he was such a bright and friendly colt."
"I think his time with his relatives in Cloudsdale has something to do with it... there are a lot of Pegasi up there who haven't taken too kindly to the New Foals." Fluttershy mused as she pushed her bowl away and took a quick sip of her tulip tea.
"I don't see why they would." Rarity said, glancing up in the direction the great Pegasi capitol floated. "Twilight told me that the New Foals do take a bit to get used to using the Pegasi magic, but that once they get the hang of it they're just as good as any native born Equestrian Pegasi."
Dragging a hoof around her cup, Fluttershy looked up for a moment, again having that same look as before. Rarity gently placed a hoof on her side as she said "Well go ahead dear, whatever it is you have on your mind, it won't bother me if you share it."
"Well, I certainly don't know any decent sounding reason from a few of the rude and mean ones, but Rainbow Dash did suggest that she has two ideas." Rarity quirked an eyebrow up at this, having not heard from Rainbow Dash in the better part of four months. She motioned a hoof for her to continue.
"Well, the first reason makes more sense. Rainbow suggested that some hate the Humans for the same reason that some didn't like the Skyships or some of those hoof powered gyrocopters, like the one Pinkie used to have. They think the skies should only be the domain of those who have wings. The Humans are more... arrogant about their mastery of machined flight, or so a few of Rainbow Dash's letters have said, and it rubs a lot of Pegasi who live among the clouds the wrong way."
Rarity tapped a hoof to her chin at that. "How does that- Oh... I think I see it. They think New Foal Pegasi are just Humans trying to show that they're so great at flying without feathers, that if they get feathers they'll be even better?"
Fluttershy nodded. "Some of them anyways. A few though lately are more worried about the Humans finding away to steal their jobs. Did you see the paper last week talking about that glove the Japanese are working on? The one that can mimic some unicorn magic?"
"I had... but I also remember that article saying even they don't think it'll be perfected for anything outside laboratory work for another decade."
"Rainbow said that it's an extension of thinking the sky belongs to those with wings. If Humans can find a way to mimic unicorn magic, then they could eventually find a way to mimic Pegasi magic too."
"Assuming they even needed it since Unicorns can use some weather magic as well." Rarity added. She understood now why Cloudsdale would hold so many who would be against Humans and the Human turned Ponies.
Finishing her tea, Fluttershy looked over to the tea pot curiously. Rarity smiled and lifted it up, pouring another cup. With a nod of thanks, Fluttershy took a long drink before finally admitting. "That wasn't the only guess Rainbow Dash had... but I don't like the other one."
At Rarity's questioning glance, she sighed and said "This one she told me in person, when I went to see her in Canterlot for that Wonderbolt recruitment drive. She was... a little drunk when she suggested it, so I don't know how serious she was being..."
"She told me Cloudsdale got hit hardest by the Draining, out of all the Pegasi cities. And that, well, most of the folks who were left were all the mean and hateful Pegasi the city had to begin with, or all the loss had turned most of the few good ones into such Ponies."
That... was not a pleasant thought to have, and rather damning, even if it came from a drunk Rainbow Dash.
Rarity was about to suggest turning the conversation to something more happy or lighter when she heard the bell ringing sharply from upstairs. There was only one reason she'd be ringing it like that.
"Uughh... she's managed to knock the bottle over again. Great... there goes another set of bed sheets..." Rarity started to get out of her seat, when Fluttershy stopped her.
"Don't worry about it Rarity, you just sit down here and relax for a bit. I'll take care of it."
Rarity didn't bother arguing the point, even if a tiny part of her wanted to. Her eyes grew a little damp and she pulled the yellow Pegasus in for a tight hug.
"I appreciate your help Fluttershy, and your company. Thank you."
Fluttershy simply nodded, returning the hug before flying upstairs, after getting another bottle from Rarity's wine cabinet. Albeit, to Fluttershy's credit, one of the smaller bottles. Mother wouldn't be too happy, but she doubted Fluttershy would have any problems with that.
It wasn't like it was the first time Fluttershy had lent a hoof with the caregiving.
The next ten minutes Rarity just sat there, drinking down the rest of the tea and just resting... something she didn't really do enough of lately it seemed. She thought about how in the last week alone she'd had several mostly restless nights, and had slept in more than once.
Come to think of it, she could even remember falling asleep at her sewing table once. She'd somehow finished the dress she had been working on as well, but she knew she had fallen asleep while putting it together. Something she almost never did.
Every so often, she'd hear the muffled voice of her Mother, offering some sort of protest or complaining about something or other. That was mostly what she did these days, when she was awake and only a bit drunk. Rarity didn't like it, but she pushed through it. She knew it was just her Mother's way of dealing with her own stress, since she couldn't do much else.
And, sometimes, it was preferable to the moments when she would just weep.
Rarity let out a wince, and found herself wishing she hadn't thought of such. Cookie was sobbing upstairs, her cries echoing about the entire boutique. With a sigh, Rarity got out of her chair, the dampness returning to her eyes as she let a comforting smile graced her muzzle. When she got like this, there was only one thing you could do.
You had to hold her, letting her know she wasn't really alone. And let her cry, letting the pain flow out so that it wouldn't remain bottled up where it could sit and fester.
When she reached her Mother's room, she found that Fluttershy was already holding onto her, whispering sweet nothings and making soft, soothing sounds to try and comfort the pained mare. She gave Rarity a smile as she softly walked up and climbed onto the bed, joining the hug as she gave Cookie a much needed nuzzle.
Cookie let out a hiccup and then bawled a bit more, but pulled Rarity into a hug as well. It was a bit tight, showing that even weak, her Mother was still a master practitioner of bear hugs.
They sat there for a time, the two friends providing comfort to somepony who needed it. The sobs of Cookie Crumble eventually settled down into whimpers, and then faded off into light snores.
They held onto her for a bit longer before letting go and quietly making their way out of the room. Rarity cast one look more to her Mother, wishing there was more that she could do to help her.
Sadly, there was only so much her generosity could do.
"Uhm, Rarity..." Fluttershy said, drawing Rarity's eyes to her as she closed the door behind them.
"Yes Fluttershy?"
"This... well, this reminded me of something I wanted to tell you." The ghost of a smile began to form on her face as Fluttershy lead the way back downstairs towards the kitchen. "It's part of the reason I came over a little early in fact."
"Well, don't leave me in suspense then dearie." Rarity remarked, giving her a gentle nudge with her hoof to coax Fluttershy into spilling the beans.
They both stopped for a moment, ears twitching as they could almost swear they heard a soft cheerful voice whispering to them all the things that rhymed with beans. Then they both dropped to their stomachs and let out a few much needed giggles and chortles.
Once they had both recomposed themselves, only the rare giggle or snort escaping their lips, Fluttershy finally shared what she had come to tell Rarity about.
"I just finished classes at the Hospital on Home Care, and by this Friday we're supposed to have some more Ponies arrive to help with Ponyville's animal management. Since I'll have more time on my hooves, I was thinking I could come here and help out with Cookie Crumbles."
Rarity's eyes widened at this, and she started shaking her head, saying "Why Fluttershy, there's no need to do that, I-"
"I insist Rarity." Fluttershy said firmly, her hoof softly stomping the ground, earning a slight jolt from Rarity. "I know you've been under a lot of stress, and as much as I know you'd like to be the one responsible for your Mother, you simply have too much on your hooves."
"I don't have nearly as much as you think Fluttershy..." Rarity grumbled, though she wasn't immediately trying to deny her friends words.
"Even so, you need help, and with Pinkie Pie off helping orphans across Earth and Equestria, Rainbow Dash busy with the Wonderbolts, Applejack helping the Ivory Coast rebuild their agriculture with Zecora, and Twilight off on her work for the Princesses, there's no one else around who has any sort of experience as I do tending to the sick and needy."
"But won't you be giving yourself too much of a burden as well?" Rarity asked, before having a hoof placed on her muzzle, silencing her further.
"Friends shouldn't carry a burden like this alone, and I won't let you do so any longer. You've been doing this for a year and a half while trying to work with less of your magic and your own pains. You've been putting on a brave face Rarity, but I can see it chipping away at you."
"And don't worry," Fluttershy added, a warm loving smile gracing her features. "I'll be here to help when I can, and I won't push myself too far or hard either. It wouldn't do any of us any good if I did."
Rarity let out a defeated sigh, even as she returned Fluttershy's warmth with a hug. "You truly are a good friend Fluttershy. I don't know what I or the rest of us would do without you."
Fluttershy just hummed in agreement, then stood and pushed Rarity to her hooves. "Why don't you let me take over for a little while. I know for a fact you haven't been to the spa in two months, and I'm one hundred and twenty percent sure your very overdue for a long visit with Aloe and Lotus."
Rarity blinked at that. Had it really been two months since she'd visited the Ponyville Day Spa? From the look on Fluttershy's face, it might actually have been longer.
"You know Fluttershy darling, I think your right." Rarity said, walking over to a rack with a number of stylish hats. She looked over a few, then picked a nice red bonnet with white frills at the edge.
"Are you sure you'll be alright with Mother?" She asked, only to feel Fluttershy pushing her towards the door.
"I'll be fine, and so will Cookie. You however need this. You can't take good care of another person if you don't take care of yourself." She gave a soft giggle as she said "It was one of the first lessons in the home care class."
Rarity found it funny that anypony would need to be taught such a thing, but then realized that she herself had been failing it for at least a little while. She'd been focused on taking care of her Mother above herself, and too caught up in making sure she had enough bits to take care of all the bills before she even really thought about herself.
As Fluttershy guided her out the door and gave her a friendly nuzzle, Rarity returned it and said "Thank you Fluttershy. I'll find a way to repay you for this, and just as you won't take no for an answer, neither will I. But you need not fret, I'll save it for another time, when things aren't as hectic."
"Well alright then, I won't argue on that. Now you go and enjoy yourself. I've already paid for the visit, so you just worry about yourself for a little while."
The door then closed behind her, and Rarity turned her gaze away from the Carousel Boutique, walking along the quiet streets of Ponyville. She gave a few waves to the occasional Pony she passed, and polite nods to one of the town's few human residents, a mechanic who was busy working on an air conditioning unit.
Her mind though, was mostly elsewhere, thinking about what Fluttershy had said, and how lately things had been getting worse. Mother's condition hadn't been improving, if anything, sometimes it felt like it was getting worse.
Now that she had a chance to think, and not worry, she realized the stress had been getting to her. She'd barely left her home more than perhaps a dozen times in the last few months. Her sleep patterns had been growing erratic, and she had been eating less to stretch the money she did have until the dip in business corrected itself.
She'd also become more irritable and cranky, and had a few times argued with her Mother not because she was wrong or needed think about what she was saying, but because she'd just wanted someone to yell at.
A smack to the head and face, and a searing pain as the nerves in her horn flared in furious pain made her yelp in surprise and then whimper, eyes watering. She looked up to see what she had bumped into, and realized she had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she had walked straight into the door for the Spa.
Shaking her head as she got up, she took a deep breath and let it out, imagining that in that breath was all her problems, all her worries. For the next few hours, she wasn't going to think about a single one of them.
It was time for the caregiver to give herself some TLC.
