It was Thursday. Winter Wrap Up was in four days. Rarity didn't care. She sulked in her tears in the hospital bed's pillows. Her mascara ran down to her cheeks, and had stained in strokes of blue turned Navy blue from the wet, salty tears. Nothing in life could make her happy. Sweetie Belle would trot in with a gift, but it would never get her spirits up. Teddy bears and stuffed dragons soon filled the table beside her. She sighed often. More than when making dresses. The nurse would enter the small complex that was Room 304, and offer her condolences. Rarity waved her away with a hoof, and she would leave promptly. Three meals now sat on the pearly white swinging tray on which her food platters were put. She couldn't eat, for her sorrow would throw her food out of her stomach in a tidal wave of sorts. The pain of the event pained her. Even her own name was making her more distraught.
'It is highly unlikely anything will go wrong'
She replayed the scene in her head. Doctor Whooves' reassuring words were comforting to her then-hopeful self. How he was wrong. How everything was wrong now. Her decisions, wrong. Her choices, the path she carved through sweat and tears and perserverance- had gone to waste in minutes. The sheer memory of her life for the past year- the anxious waiting, the pain and the comfort from within, - didn't even matter.
Rarity, done with this moment, fell asleep. Her love, he left. His child, she carried. Her pain was all she truly carried now and forevermore.
Just like any other dream, it quickly turned into a nightmare. Flashbacks of the past 12 months- oh, the horrible flashbacks...
“Miss Rarity?”
“Hello, Thunderlane. How are you?”
“I just felt it needed to be said, you look absolutely gorgeous this evening.”
“Why,” She blushed, “Thank you dear. You look rather dashing yourself.”
“Thank you, but I know you aren't serious. I'm not evening in proper attire to be talking to a mare like you.”
“Why,” She blushed again, “I... I...”
“You needn't say anything, darling.” He kissed her on the cheek, “Your beauty is worth a thousand words.”
“I...”
He held her forehooves, “May I?”
“But of course.”
He kissed her on the lips. She felt- stellar. He was quite the handsome stallion himself, and she never knew him to be the sweet talker he was to her.
“Miss beautiful Rarity, would you accept my offer of courting?”
“Why, yes, I believe I would.”
“Then it's settled. The mare of my dreams has agreed to date me.”
“Oh, Thunderlane, stop, please! You've done enough flattering!”
“I suppose because I've worked up the courage to talk to you, I should listen to your graceful word. Hmm?”
“But of course.”
The flashback went into fast forward now. The pair had been dating for three months, and Rarity had become impregnated with Thunderlane's child, unbeknown to Thunderlane.
Fast forward to two months from the third. Five months after the pair had been dating.
Rarity broke the news to Thunderlane at a dinner. He expressed his feelings for it with mixed results.
The night after Rarity's announcement.
Thunderlane doesn't show up to their scheduled date to go to Canterlot for the evening. Rarity is upset, but figures he must've forgot. When she later finds out he moved to Fillydelphia with his mistress, she cries. The reason why she forgets about the cheating bastard is one thing- her soon-to-be child.
Fast forward to a month before the birth.
Doctor Whooves reassures Rarity that anything bad is, well, a rarity.
Fast forward to the worst day of the young mare's life.
“Push, Rarity, push! The baby is almost here!”
She pushed as hard as she could. Her low strength was a downfall, but the doctor's knowledge got the baby out soon enough. He pinched the newborn pony. It didn't flinch. He immediately left the room. She passed out from the excruciating pain that now plagued her.
Three hours later, she woke up. Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and, of course, Sweetie Belle, were all standing around the cot. Not a single one of them bore a smile or a smirk. Not even Pinkie Pie.
“Wha-what happened?”
“Oh, you passed out.”
“Where is my baby?”
Doctor Whooves walked in empty-hooved.
“Doctor! Where is my little pony?”
“Friends, could you please leave? Sweetie Belle, would you please?”
“Sure.” Sweetie left the room.
“What's going on? Am I dying?”
“No.”
“Then what? Tell me!”
“Miss,” he took off his glasses, instantly making his topic more serious, “You have my deepest condolences. The child you have delivered, was victim to a miscarriage.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that,” he breathed heavily, “The pony that you were carrying, has passed away.”
“Wha-what?”
“It seems that something in the critical stage of heart growth went wrong. The child- has passed away.”
“My baby- is, dead?”
“Unfortunately, yes. You have my deepest condolences.”
Rarity was shocked, confused, distraught, and enraged, but managed to remain calm while the doctor was still in the room. When he left, she bawled her eyes out until she cried herself to sleep.
Her life was over. Her lover was a cheater, a liar, and he abandoned her, and her beloved child-to-be was dead. She had nothing to live for. Everything that mattered was over. Sweetie Belle was the only pony in the world who mattered in the least. Comparitively, though, she was nothing.
Rarity awoke from her sleep. Twilight Sparkle was standing at the foot of the cot.
“Twilight, would you get Spike over here?”
“Of course I will. Why?”
“I want him to roast me alive.”
“Rarity!”
“I HAVE NOTHING, TWILIGHT! NOTHING!”
“That's not true!”
“Yes it is! My love is gone! My baby is dead! My shoppe is going bankrupt without me,” she started to weep once more, “and, Swee... Sweetie Belle...”
“Exactly! Sweetie Belle! She needs a sister, Rarity! Applebloom got her cutie mark! So did Scootaloo! She needs support, Rarity. And she needs it now.”
“I...”
Rarity hugged her friend.
“Twilight Sparkle, how can I ever thank you?”
“It's fine, really. You've been through a lot. It's the least I could do for a friend.”
“Thank you.”
Rarity checked out of the hospital that day. Sweetie Belle needed support. Being the Element of generosity, she generously helped her with anything she could. And to thank Twilight Sparkle, well, let's just say Spike's never been happier. And he never will be.
