There was something calming about working with needle and thread. Something relaxing about the rhythmic clacking of the sewing machine. Something safe about the tactile sensation of fabric against the frogs of her hooves. Rarity loved creating beautiful works of art through her craft, loved to share them with other ponies and, hopefully, bring them a sense of glamour and pride. The sight of a pony beaming with joy upon trying on one of her dresses made life worth living. Yet at the moment, what Rarity needed was balance and something to focus her entire being on. It was not that she did not want to speak with Fluttershy again; in fact she wanted nothing more. But she feared that anything she said would only make things worse, that a rift neither of them could hope to cross would open up between them if she picked the wrong words. In that way, the design work for Sapphire Shores was nothing short of a blessing. It was a chance to put something together, in the truest sense of the word, when everything else was falling apart.

The morning, though, had proven to be mentally taxing. Her thoughts had again and again broken her focus by returning to the events of the night before: Her anger at herself, her confusion and frustration regarding her relationship with Fluttershy, and the pettiness she had displayed during their argument. But more than anything, the guilt she felt for not telling her friends the truth about what had happened, instead letting them believe Fluttershy had fled without even telling them about it first. No matter what were to happen in the future, that guilt would no doubt stick around for a long time. She should have done things differently, but instead she had made up an excuse that she had to leave early because she needed to get started early in the morning and needed plenty of sleep. The fact that it was, essentially, true did not make it better in the slightest.

Yet, little by little, she found herself able to focus more on her job, unpleasant thoughts giving way to shapes, colors, and daring and unorthodox designs. The designs ideas had come to her early on in the creative process, she had imagined a scene in front of ten thousand cheering, applauding ponies. In the middle of it all was a group of costumes, moving as if through their own will, not even worn by ponies but just hovering in the air, swirling and twisting as they danced. Their flowing shapes and unusual colors gave off a particular raw energy, something youthful and confidently whimsical. All Rarity had to do was hold that image in her head and focus it into her hooves, simply putting pieces of fabric together in the way she could see in her head. Celestia had blessed her with a miracle of steady hooves and a lack of hangover (or at least, only a very mild one), making her creativity easier to focus on. Surprisingly, although by no means unwelcome, Sweetie Belle had also been hovering around her all morning. Her presence meant getting to talk to somepony who was not from her regular circle of friends. Also, having a little sister to fetch whatever you needed at the moment made for an uninterrupted creative flow. Or at least it would have, had Sweetie not been so clumsy. Her constant tripping over her own hooves, dropping rolls of fabric, tipping over jars of buttons and generally making a mess of things did cause a few delays. None the less her presence was delightful, even the interruptions, and took Rarity's mind off of... other, less pleasant things. All things considered, it worked on the same principles as owning a cat.

But then, somehow, she managed to spill an entire basket of sequins.

"Sweetie Belle, I adore having you help me, truly I do..." Rarity said in the most diplomatic voice she could manage as she picked up the sequins. "But..."

Sweetie Belle smiled sheepishly. "Guess I got a little carried away." she squeaked, "It's just that I know how important it is for you to finish this wardrobe in time for Sapphire Shores and her backup dancers."

That angel, Rarity thought to herself. That perfect, unselfish little baby angel! So young, and yet so helpful and caring for her older sister!

"This is without a doubt my most prestigious order ever. After all, Sapphire Shores is the Pony of Pop, and her Equestria-wide tour launches in Canterlot next week!" As she described it to her sister, the weight of her task suddenly slammed down on Rarity like a cartoon anvil. A moment such as this could make or break a pony's entire career. "Which means," she continued, voice only slightly weaker than before, "she must have these outfits by day after tomorrow at the latest."

"But is there time?" Sweetie Belle gasped.

"Barely. But I work well under pressure." Rarity replied, assessing her situation. "Hmm, as long as I stay calm, I'll be fine."

As long as I don't think about the whole mess with Fluttershy, she added to herself. Oh, horse apples, I just did! It's... It's fine, Rarity, just get to work! Work through the bad thoughts! Forcing herself to smile, she immediately began cutting a piece of cloth to focus her mind on other things.

"Oh, good." Sweetie Belle seemed marginally more at ease compared to a second ago. "Then maybe you could check the stitching and finish the buttons on the dresses I made for me, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo? I really want them to look perfect, and... I think I need your expertise."

"My, you've been so much help to me, how could I possibly say no?" Rarity replied. True, she had been more helpful as company than as an assistant, but being kept reasonably sane was a great blessing. "When do you need them?"

"Tomorrow night, for the opening night of our show!"

For a split second, Rarity thought that her dear little sister was joking. "But, Sweetie Belle, darling! I-I'm behind as it is!" she explained, hoping that Sweetie Belle would understand.

"I understand."

Seeing the frown on her sister's face was enough for the guilt Rarity had buried deep in her mind to burst out of her mental soil like an undead pony, ready to torment her once again. The image of Fluttershy wearing the same look of sadness and disappointment as her sister flashed in her all too fresh memory.

She had already hurt one pony in the span of less than 24 hours. She had no desire to add to that list.

"I suppose..." Her mind scrambled, desperate to find a solution. "If I got a few more ponies to help me, then maybe..." Twilight, perhaps, if she could maintain a good pace. Her perfectionism tended to get the better of her. Pinkie Pie had the occasional lapse, but for the most part was very focused on whatever job was required of her. Applejack lacked in finesse, but would if nothing else make a good assistant. There was also Rainbow Dash of course, except, no.

"Oh, thank you thank you thank you thank you!" Sweetie Belle launched herself at Rarity to hug her tightly. The older sister smiled, relieved that at least she had managed not to let down one pony. "You're the best sister ever! The dresses are right over there!" Sweetie exclaimed, gesturing towards a clothes rack at the opposite end of the room.

Rarity cast a single glance at her sister's designs and terror washed over her.

· · · • • ◇◇◇ • • · · ·

Rarity knew that in many ways, she was a flawless pony. She was also painfully aware of all the ways she was not. Among her many issues was a latent, sometimes surfacing OCD; especially when dealing with other ponies' messes. She had more than once considered consulting a therapist and on one occasion even had an appointment scheduled, but in the end she had told herself that other ponies saw therapists, and not her. Looking at the three admittedly splendid medieval-styled dresses before her, she wished she could go back in time and slap herself repeatedly for cancelling the appointment. Correcting a few seams, making sure the arms were symmetrical, maybe replacing a few patches of fabric and adding some flourishes would have been enough. Yet the more flaws in her sister's designs that she noticed, the greater the need to fix them. Yes, it would have been enough to just check the stitching and finish the buttons, just as Sweetie Belle had asked. It would have taken perhaps ten minutes.

Heading to the library to borrow books on medieval fashion and reading up on pre-industrial cloth manufacturing, needle designs and stitching techniques, and what effect Equestrian foreign politics of the time had on symbolism in pattern and color choices for the attires of ponies of various monarchial positions and then redesigning the dresses entirely, had taken considerably longer.

The whole day, in fact.

Rarity whimpered, holding her breath to keep from screaming. Her mind had still been reeling from the events of yesterday, subconsciously desperate to cling onto anything that could offer a distraction, but now whatever worst case scenario she had feared earlier in the day was a fact. Or, on second thought, things looked considerably more dire than that even. Glancing at the very much unfinished costumes which had received not so much as a single stitch since morning, she bit her lip hard and walked over to the shelf where she stored rolls of fabric. There, she picked out the thickest roll she could find, then took a deep breath before pressing it hard against her mouth, screaming as loud as she could.

Keep it together Rarity, she thought to herself, lower lip beginning to tremble. Keep it together, you can do this, you have gotten through worse. No no no, that's a lie! This is a disaster! There is no way you can get this finished on time! She began pacing back and forth through the room, tears dripping down her face.

There was no choice but to ask her friends for assistance, that much was clear. Yet she knew full well that even if she asked Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie and, she shuddered, Rainbow Dash, it would still take a miracle to get everything done on time. There was only one pony she knew could handle the workload ahead, only one pony whose freaky knowledge of sewing rivaled even her own. And she had called that very pony a twisted, sex-crazed maniac.

· · · • • ◇◇◇ • • · · ·

"AAAAAAAAEEEEAAAAAAAUUGHH?!?!" Fluttershy shrieked at the top of her lungs, throwing the bucket of vegetables she had been carrying at Rarity as hard as she could and clocking her right in the face before scrambling inside and locking the door.

Ears ringing and head spinning, Rarity howled in pain, clasping at her snout. She was certain she had heard a loud, sickening crack, and was afraid to even open her eyes in fear of what the impact must have done to her face. She cautiously opened one eye ever so slightly, seeing only literal stars as she gazed up at the night sky, lying prone on the ground as she were. No blood in her eyes blurring her vision so at least her face was not a bloody pulp, but no doubt her snout was broken. Whimpering, she hesitantly rubbed her wrist against her aching snout, then checked for blood. Nothing. Well, maybe the bucket had not hit quite so hard after all. Sitting up shakily, she picked a carrot out of her mane, snorting twice to test if her breathing was obstructed.

Swearing under her breath, Rarity reminded herself that what had happened was not Fluttershy's fault. Noticing that the hour was late, she had quickly put on a hooded robe and started walking towards Fluttershy's cottage, certain that she would think of what to say to her while on the way there. Yet try as she might her mind had drawn a blank, each excuse she could think of seeming feeble and insincere. Once at her marefriend's door panic had taken hold of her and she found herself unable to knock, unable to move, unable to even call for her loved one, frozen in fear of not finding the right words. All she had been capable of was silently weeping, listening to Fluttershy go about her evening routine inside her cottage. When the poor pegasus finally opened the door, going outside to feed the nocturnals, she found herself face to face with a terrifying hooded figure with bloodshot eyes and a mascara-streaked face.

Rarity heard a click as Fluttershy unlocked the door. Many, many moments later, the door opened and she peered outside, still hyperventilating from the shock, face pale with fear and covered in cold sweat.

"R-Rarity? Why are... Wh-... You..." She drew a deep breath in a futile attempt to calm down. "Why... Why d-did you sc-... Why did you scare me li-like that?"

"I-I'm sorry Fluttershy, I didn't mean to! I was just... lost in thought."

"I-It's fine, I'm ok," the pegasus assured her, not sounding overly convincing. "Are... Are you ok, though, Rarity? I'm sorry about the... bucket... You kind of startled me. Come in, let me take a look at you."

Fluttershy had led the unicorn inside to treat any potential wounds. Though Rarity had again and again reminded herself she had been potentially hurt, coming to terms with the fact that her marefriend was pampering her so soon after their first real fight was none the less proving to be a bit of a challenge. She felt uncomfortable and unwelcome despite rationally knowing that Fluttershy had said nothing, and did not at all seem unhappy to see her.

"Stop fidgeting, Rarity." Fluttershy commanded her, the tip of her primaries pressing a cold compress against the unicorn's lower lip. Somehow Rarity had gotten through the ordeal with only a cut on her lip and an aching snout.

"I'm ever so sorry." Rarity apologized, grabbing the compress with her levitation magic and doing her best to speak without moving her lower lip. "I really didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine, Rarity." Fluttershy replied with a sigh, gaze fixated on Rarity's lip as if it was complicated puzzle to be figured out. The fashionista could not help but feel as if her marefriend was trying very hard not to look at any other part of her, though whether it was out of avoidance or shame, she could not say. "You don't have to apologize. Besides, I threw the bucket at you. I'm the one who should say sorry."

"I'm..." Rarity hesitated. Certainly it had been a shock, but it was an honest mistake. In the end Fluttershy seemed more upset by the incident than her. "I'll be fine. This should heal in no time."

"As long as you don't eat any spicy food."

"I'll try not to." Rarity made a mental note not to eat dinner at Pinkie's, seeing as how the pony had a fondness of foods that could burn clean through the plate, table, floor, and about fifty feet of bedrock.

"So why did you come, anyway?" Fluttershy asked suddenly, eyes widening upon realising how confrontational her question had sounded. "Uhm, I'm n-not saying you're not w-welcome but, uhm..." she stuttered, seemingly unable to find the right words. "Uh, you know."

The vaguely unpleasant feeling which had so far only been a slow simmer suddenly exploded in Rarity's mind. Part of her wished she could go back in time a bit to more pleasant circumstances, such as getting hit in the snout with a bucket. That had been nice and simple. She hesitated for a great many torturous moments. "This is ever so awkward." she eventually squeaked.

Fluttershy looked at her, nodding as though she had stated that the sky was blue. "Yes. Yes, it is." Rarity could swear that the pegasus tried desperately not to roll her eyes.

There were certainly words, but though Rarity's mind scrambled to find the right ones, none seemed to fit. As the seconds ticked by in silence, meeting her marefriend's gaze became more and more uncomfortable. Eventually, she had to force herself to talk. "Fluttershy, look, I'll... I'll be honest... I screwed up. I screwed up bad."

The pegasus at once seemed very worried. Even when she had all reason to be upset, Rarity noted, she still cared. "Oh no, how? Are you ok?"

"I uhhh... May sort of..." Rarity begun, realising that she had not really felt true shame before in her life, at least not like this. She took a deep breath, speaking rapidly as she exhaled. "...Have spent the entire day working on dresses for Sweetie Belle and completely forgot about the time and now I'm way behind schedule on the costumes for Sapphire Shores, and there's no way I'll be able to finish them on time!"

"That's really awful!" Though there was certainly a possiblity that Fluttershy resented her, her voice at least betrayed no such emotions.

"The only way I have a chance to finish on time is..." Rarity's voice trailed off into silence.

"...Yes?"

"I....." She steeled herself, her body feeling cold, as if it had been drained of blood. "I need your help, Fluttershy."

After a very long, supremely uncomfortable silence, Fluttershy uttered two words: "My help." Her face was every bit as blank as hey voice was monotone.

"I'm..." Rarity was not certain what she had hoped for, but just about any reaction would have been preferable to this one. Anger, screaming, crying, anything would have been better than the expressionless face she found herself looking at. "I beg you, Fluttershy!"

Something seemed to flash across the pegasus's face, an emotion too quickly gone to read. "I..."

"Please!" Rarity pleaded. "I can't do this on my own!"

"No." Fluttershy stated as calmly as she could manage.

"But..."

"I said no, Rarity!" she snapped, frustratedly tapping her hoof against the floor and whipping her tail side to side. "The old me would have done it without questioning... But that's not the pony I am now."

"F-Fluttershy..." Rarity gasped, feeling at once shocked and, despite the atmosphere, strangely proud of her lover.

Ears flicking and nostrils flaring, Fluttershy remained silent for several long moments, a grimace betraying her internal struggle between conflicting emotions. For a split second her legs seemed to give out ever so slightly, as if her determination was beginning to crack. She immediately stomped down with her hoof to steel herself, inhaling sharply several times, like a swimmer desperate to make it the entire way onto land. "No. I.. I can't..." There was a slight tremble on her voice. "I can't just pretend like nothing! Not for anypony. Not even you."

"But... My career is on the line..." Rarity's voice was barely above a whisper. She frowned, knowing how stubborn and desperate she had to seem, how selfish and inconsiderate.

Fluttershy walked over to the fireplace, poking at an unburned branch lying in the cold ashes, again and again stepping on it to make one end rise slightly and land with a tock and a small puff of ash each time she lifted her hoof. "Rarity, I'm not angry, not anymore," she began, voice suggesting that she was contradicting herself, "but you still hurt my feelings yesterday. When I came home... When I came home I cried myself to sleep! You're just going to come here and pretend like nothing at all happened and the first thing you do is ask me for help? You're not even going to talk about yesterday?"

Tock. Tock. Tock.

"... Oh, buck, I... I know." Rarity shook her head, as if the situation was something clammy and unpleasant she could simply shake out of her mane. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work. "I know how rude I must seem, ok? But even though I tried to think of something to say, I couldn't think of anything. I didn't know how to make it better! I was going to talk about it... Eventually..."

Tock.

Fluttershy snorted. "But asking me for help was more important?"

"No! I mean... Yes. No." A deep, frustrated sigh escaped Rarity's lips. She was back to the dilemma she had faced earlier, crying outside Fluttershy's door. No matter what she said, she would come off as egotistical and unempathetic. No matter how she explained herself, there was a risk that she would end up hurting Fluttershy's feelings again. "I... I wanted to tell you the truth by not hiding the fact that I had screwed up. Not make it seem like a phony apology by saying I'm sorry and then immediately asking you for help."

Fluttershy kicked the branch towards the back of the fireplace, hastily scraping the ash off of her hoof against the hearth. "You're going to be honest?" There was mock surprise on her voice.

"Yes!" Rarity exclaimed. "And about yesterday, I'm... I'm so very sorry, Fluttershy."

"Are you?"

"The truth is, I'm..." Rarity paused. In a way, she could not help but find the situation darkly comical. In the past, she had on occasion had theories about Fluttershy; about how any relationship she would potentially end up in would be over in a matter of days due to her many, many insecurities and complexes. Theories she had never told anypony else, and had chided herself for even thinking, but none the less she had been unable to stop. Funny how that had turned out. "I'm a wreck," she continued, "I'm a nervous wreck, I'm insecure and I worry too much, and..."

"And?" Fluttershy raised an eyebrow.

"... I see disasters and pitfalls everywhere, and everything feels unfamiliar and scary and I.. I know that I'm happy with you but when I think about us, I just feel confused. I love you but I'm scared and I don't know why!" Rarity suddenly felt her eyes tear up at her own words, and she found herself having raised her voice despite not meaning to.

"I love you too, Rarity. Shouldn't that be enough?" Despite her unamused expression, there was something pleading in Fluttershy's voice.

"It should! I'm happy with what we have, I really am, and I don't want to change a single thing but I..." Rarity's voice trailed off again. She looked at her hooves, and saw that they were trembling despite the interior of Fluttershy's cottage being cozy and warm.

"You what?"

"The more I try to not think about it, the more difficult it becomes to ignore it." she admitted. The tears that had blurred her vision were now rolling down her face, soaking the coat on her cheeks and making it feel wet and uncomfortable. "I... I can't let go of it, I can't stop thinking about... Everything... You make me happy, but it all feels so unnatural!"

Fluttershy said nothing, remaining near motionless as she watched the unicorn break down in tears. Despite being upset at Rarity, watching somepony cry was contagious to her in much the same way as watching a yawn, and she soon started fidgeting uncomfortably, clearing her throat to stifle a whimper. "I... know what irrational worries can be like." she said, sitting down beside her marefriend.

"I didn't mean to make you feel... Neglected or ignored." Rarity sobbed, clinging to Fluttershy and pressing her face against her chest, soaking it with tears and staining it with mascara. "I'm so sorry Fluttershy. I'm so sorry!"

"It's... It's ok. I understand." Fluttershy embraced her lover back and, with a shuddering sigh, began to sob loudly.

They cried together, locked in a tight hug, neither of them having been aware of how much they needed to vent their emotions. The sobbing seemed cleansing, as if every ragged breath allowed them to exhale their accumulated frustrations and sorrows. Both were ponies who were quick to tears, especially if somepony else was crying. As such, the crying dragged on, the two pulling each other back into sobs and tears the moment it appeared to be waning. In the end the crying did not stop until both were completely drained of tears, eyes stinging and heads hurting.

"You really understand?" Rarity asked while wiping her tears on her wrist, forgetting that her eyelashes were still sticky with mascara. "I must sound so irrational."

"Yes. I mean, maybe. I still don't understand what you're worried is going to happen with us..." The pegasus smiled weakly. "But I understand how you can't stop worrying, even if you know it's irrational."

"So you'll forgive me?" Rarity asked, shrinking away immediately in fear of having been too presumptuous.

Fluttershy closed her eyes, hesitating for a few moments before answering. "I do... But..."

"But...?"

Fluttershy embraced Rarity again, a bit tighter than what could be considered comfortable, but she was not about to voice any complaint. What seemed like several minutes seemed to pass in silence, the hug seeming more desperate than loving with each passing second. It was only when Rarity inhaled to speak that Fluttershy finally replied. "But after the dresses are finished, after you return from Canterlot... We need to talk about this."

"I... Yes, I suppose we should." Though it seemed like a reasonable demand to Rarity, she had begun worrying the moment Fluttershy had finished the sentence. After all, if she had not been able to figure out her emotions already, the odds of her doing so during a trip to Canterlot seemed slim at best.

"I love you, Rarity. You're my precious diamond..." Fluttershy placed a gentle kiss on her marefriend's lips. Never before had a kiss felt so melancholy to Rarity. "But your worrying is making me second-guess myself. It... It makes me feel like I'm not good enough. And that needs to stop."

Rarity gasped in shock, feeling as if she had been dunked in ice water. "Oh no!" she exclaimed, panic in her voice. She had been dumped countless times before, and while she had certainly cried at times no sadness she had felt compared to the fear of losing Fluttershy. "Oh no, Fluttershy, darling! I didn't m-"

"Which is why," the pegasus cut her off, "we're going to sit down and talk about it like adult mares when you get back. We're going to talk about everything. We're going to talk about what I can do to make you feel more comfortable, and what you need to stop second guessing us. And we're not going to stop until both of us are happy. Pinkie Promise?"

Rarity's panic faded, if not completely then at least to a manageable level. Despite not knowing what good talking could even do, Fluttershy's determination was enough to inspire cautious optimism. "Pinkie Promise." she replied, doing the associated gestures.

"Good." Fluttershy nodded, pleased with the reply. "Uhm, so what did you need help with?"

Going through what needed to be done in her mind, Rarity threw her head back and let out a guttural groan of pure frustration. "Everything!"

"Oh. That bad?"

"That bad!" Rarity replied, whimpering. "Most of it is still in pieces. There are four costume changes for Sapphire Shores and her four backup dancers. The piece de resistance is finished, but the rest..."

"Oh. That is a lot." Fluttershy seemed ever so slightly intimidated, but none the less gave her marefriend a warm smile. "But we'll get it done," she assured her, "together."

· · · • • ◇◇◇ • • · · ·

Rarity yawned loudly, filling her lungs with crisp early morning air. She did not bother to cover her mouth, something she normally considered a terrible faux pas, but the only other ponies at Ponyville Station were half asleep or their attention was elsewhere. Besides, the sun was not even up yet, so it was not like anypony could easily see. Despite operating on less sleep than usual, body feeling sluggish still, her mind was wide awake and she had woken up before the alarm, raring to get going. She looked over her luggage again, counting the bags and boxes just to be sure. It was a silly thing to do, she knew that much, especially considering the fact that she had already done so seven times over the last fifteen minutes. Inside were the full wardrobe for Sapphire Shores' show, or at least it was supposed to be, had she not forgotten to pack anything. Which, she told herself, she had not; having gone over everything with a checklist. Twice.

Rarity felt nervouscited. Immensely so.

The day before had been a very productive one indeed, if ever so exhausting. Everything had gone off without a hitch (save for some... sister issues, but that was a problem to be solved later). She had worked together with her friends, and everypony, -even Rainbow Dash-, had put in as much effort as they could muster. Fluttershy in particular. The poor pegasus had barely allowed herself a single pause, even at Rarity's insistence. Working beside her had been downright invigorating; her single-minded determination, her undeserving focus and absolute mastery of the sewing machine impressive to behold. How she had gotten so good at sewing still remained a mystery to Rarity; the subject apparently causing no small amount of embarrassment to the pegasus who had stubbornly refused to divulge her secrets.

Despite their argument Fluttershy had arrived early with a big smile on her face and had gotten to work almost immediately. There had been nothing insincere or forced about her cheerful demeanor; of that Rarity was certain. She could read her marefriend that well, at least. Reluctance, avoidance, or even irateness would have been understandable and probably deserved, yet Fluttershy had remained optimistic throughout, even when the task seemed overwhelming.

Rarity was determined to pay her back for her effort. If her marefriend was prepared to work so hard to ensure her happiness, then by Celestia was Rarity going to work just as hard to make Fluttershy happy in return. There could be no more hesitation, no more irrational fears or worries. Fluttershy deserved better.

Rarity glanced through the window at the clock inside the station. In just a few minutes the train would arrive, taking her to Canterlot and her most important client ever. The single greatest proof of her skills, and the exposure for her creations she so deserved. Merely thinking about it made a giggle escape her lips, and she could not stop herself from skipping in place. Yet for as important and life-defining as that meeting would no doubt be, figuring out her own emotions regarding her relationship with Fluttershy was an equally if not more important task.

Rarity knew that she was a pony of great accomplishments, a pony of sophistication and refinement beyond her simple upbringing. She knew that her knowledge was held in high regard, and that the recognition of her skills was in no way undeserved. But despite her growing fame throughout Equestria, she knew all too well that at the end of the day, you are still from your home town. She was a pony with grand dreams, but the last few days had shown how little she really knew, how narrow her perspective truly was.

A faint, rhythmic hissing sound in the distance and the whine emanating from the railroad tracks told her that the train was about to arrive. It was a noise that had filled her with glee ever since her foalhood days. A sound that promised something more, an escape from the simple, the everyday, a chance to experience someplace more interesting, someplace full of opportunity. Besides the job for Sapphire Shores, journeying to Canterlot was exactly what Rarity needed to widen her perspective.

Or rather, meeting a certain pony in Canterlot. A pony she had come to trust fully over the years she had known her, a pony with the kind of metropolitan savvy and experience a simple Ponyville unicorn could only dream of. A pony who always knew what's what and who's who. A pony she could turn to with her concerns, and who would never let her down...

Author's Note

Dialogue shamelessly ~~stolen~~ borrowed from For Whom The Sweetie Belle Toils, written by Dave Polsky.

In the next chapter: Twilight and Pinkie Pie switch bodies due to a magical accident and learn more about each other's individual struggles as a result, or something. I dunno. Some bullcrap like that.