A Model of Decorum and Tranquility
The day was finally here. All the bags were packed, all the forms were signed, Fluttershy had keys to the apartment to check on Opal and water the plants. Sunset felt like she was channelling Twilight as she ran through the checklist on her phone.
Snacks, Check.
Passports, Check.
Changes of Clothes, Check.
Calm Fiancée... that one might take a bit.
Rarity was fidgeting. That wasn’t a good sign because Rarity hated fidgeting. “A lady musn’t fidget,” she always told Sunset.
So the fact that she was fidgeting now meant she was past the point of caring about appearances. And that really wasn’t good.
“Itsy? You doing okay?” Sunset asked.
“You know I hate that name,” Rarity responded.
That was a good sign. She wasn’t completely past caring.
“I know. But I can’t help it! Especially when you have such a cute pout!”
Rarity immediately pouted. Then she realised what she was doing, and tried her best to frown. Neither of them could handle it, and pretty soon the two of them were both giggling.
“Thank you, darling. I needed that.”
Rarity’s smile could light up a room even on the worst of days. But there was a difference between her supermodel-grade winning smile and the private, secret smile. That one only her friends got to see, and only when she was genuinely happy. It was a gift to the world, and Rarity was nothing if not generous.
“Are you ready to go?” Sunset asked.
She checked the final item off her list.
Fiancee: calmed.
“Oh, almost. Now are you absolutely certain I’m only allowed two checked bags?”
“I’m very sure. The airline would probably ship as much as you want, as long as you paid them, but I’m not allowing you to bring anything more. Especially since I’ll be the one doing most of the carrying.”
Rarity gave a dramatic sigh. Dramatic was good. Dramatic meant Rarity still cared about keeping up appearances.
“Just give me a second to do my makeup, dear, and I’ll be right out.”
Sunset checked the time. It was late enough to leave, but not really late enough that she could rush Rarity through her beauty routine.
“You know we’re going to spend 24 hours in transit, right? Some of the passengers are probably going to be in their pajamas.”
“Sunset, you have no sense of romance! Airplanes used to be such glamorous affairs, passengers dressed in their Sunday best, beautiful flight attendants, fabulous food...”
“I suspect you’ll be disappointed with our trip, then. We’re in economy class the whole way.”
“Tch. A lady mustn’t complain, I suppose.”
Rarity stepped into the bathroom, presumably to powder her nose.
But ten minutes later, when Sunset went in to check on her, she was just staring at the mirror.
“Rares? You okay?”
Rarity blinked. “Q-quite alright. Just... lost in space for a second! I’ll be right out.”
Sunset wasn’t buying it. “You can talk to me, hon. Tell me what’s going on.”
Rarity sighed, her perfect smile slipping back into a worried frown.
“I can’t help but wonder if I’m making the right decision.”
“Rarity...”
“I know, we’ve been over this a dozen times. But I simply cannot believe it’s finally here. I’ve wanted this for so long and now...”
“Now that it’s staring you in the face, you’re second guessing yourself?”
“Yes, that’s it exactly. It’s just such a big thing. I suppose it’s natural to be afraid, but I can’t help but be overwhelmed.”
Sunset wrapped her arms around Rarity. “It’s okay to be overwhelmed, babe. I’d be pretty surprised if you weren’t. But we’re going to do this, and we’re going to do this together.”
Rarity smiled again. Celestia, what Sunset would do for that smile.
“Right, together.”
She picked up her brush and went back to work on her face. Sunset refused to let go.
The cab ride to the airport was uneventful. Not for the first time, Sunset was glad she’d talked Rarity down to three suitcases between them -- they barely fit in the trunk as it was.
Rarity chatted animatedly with the driver, in that way only she could. It turned out he was from Vanhoofer originally, but had moved to Canterlot to be closer to his nieces and nephews. When the cab stopped at a light, he pulled up photos on his phone and Rarity cooed at them.
Sunset sat in the back seat, staring at her phone. She knew Rarity was putting on a brave face right now, and there was nothing like some performative extroversion to lift her spirits but the reality of the situation would hit before long. Sunset checked Mystable, texted Twilight, and recharged her batteries. It was going to be a long flight, after all.
The cab eventually arrived at the airport. Rarity, of course, tipped generously, and told the man how beautiful his kids were. Sunset had a feeling that conversation was going to be happening a lot over the next few years; it probably wasn’t going to get any easier.
He helped unload their many suitcases and Sunset found a cart to stack them on.
They made their way into the airport, dodging happy-tourists and serious-looking businesspeople alike. More than once, Sunset had to tear Rarity way from someone who was lost, or looked sad, or who “simply cannot wear green. With her skin tone? I just had to give her my scarf.”
“Rarity, how many of the things in your bag are actually to give away?”
“Well, certainly some of them are... perhaps even a majority, but there are some things in here for me! I had to bring a lot of makeup, you see, you never know what the hospital lights are going to do to your complexion.”
Sunset sighed, but couldn’t help but smile. She might not be the Element of Generosity in this world, but that didn’t mean she was a slouch when it came to gift-giving.
The colourful logo for Pegathai Airways hung in the middle of the concourse, and eventually Sunset managed to maneuver Rarity to the ticketing counter. She produced passports and printed tickets.
Rarity grinned with fake innocence when the ticket agent asked if they had bags to check. Sunset sighed and got out a credit card to pay for the extra baggage fees.
The flight to Buckkok wasn’t boarding for another hour, so the two of them found themselves wandering around the terminal.
Despite Sunset’s protests, Rarity bought several kinds of perfume and make-up at the duty-free shop.
Despite Rarity’s protests, Sunset bought a lot of candy and chips at Studson News.
Relationships were all about compromise.
“Are you sure we’re not allowed in there?” Rarity asked.
She was pouting outside one of the first class lounges. The idea of being cut off from a luxury was probably trying for her, especially given the circumstances.
“Rarity, these are economy tickets. And you and I aren’t exactly frequent fliers.”
“Alas. Can you imagine it? Me, suitcase in hand, designed by moi of course, dressed in a suit that never wrinkles, boarding another important flight to an important meeting?”
“I’d certainly never object to seeing you in a suit.”
“Oh, Sunset, the lounge has showers. Surely we could talk our way in.”
Sunset had no doubt that Rarity could, but she shook her head anyway.
“Hmph, you’re no fun.”
“You’re just gonna have to wait out here with us commoners.” She offered Rarity her bag of candy. “Sour patch filly?”
Rarity scoffed again, but took the offered candy nonetheless.
Half an hour passed in silence.
Rarity had her notebook out, but Sunset noticed that she wasn’t sketching, but was just staring idly at the book.
“Rares? Are you okay?”
It was a silly question, Sunset knew. Of course she wasn’t. But she had to ask anyway.
“Hmm? Don’t worry about me. What about you? Have you ever flown before?”
“I have, and you’re dodging my question. What’s up?”
“Nothing at all, dear. Just... waiting for that flash of inspiration to strike!”
She made a show of writing in her notebook, but it was only a few strokes. Less of a sketch, more of a stick figure.
Her body posture shifted away from Sunset. No more questions for now then. Sunset left Rarity to her own thoughts. Unfortunately, that left her alone with hers.
This wasn’t just a vacation, after all. Sunset knew she shouldn’t bother Rarity with it, but she was still stressed. The date had seemed agonisingly far away, for both of them, when that email had come in. But then it was months away, then weeks, and here they were. Sunset had told herself that she’d be ready when it came, ready to support Rarity in this and all things. But now that the day was almost here and... well perhaps being in the airport just made it all feel more real. She had to be strong for Rarity. The only question was if she could be strong enough for herself too.
“Pegathai Airlines Flight 23, now boarding at gate seven. All passengers please proceed to the boarding area.”
The announcement snapped Sunset out of her lamenting. She stood, packing her snacks away in her backpack.
Next to her, Rarity slipped her notebook into her backpack. Sunset caught a glance of the still-empty page.
“You got everything?” Sunset asked.
“Let’s see. Backpack, suitcase, most gorgeous woman in this airport... I believe that’s all.”
In response, Sunset leaned over to give her a peck on the cheek.
The two hefted their luggage and wandered towards the gate. By the time they got there the queue stretched out to the hall. Fortunately the line moved quickly, and before they knew it they found themselves across the jet bridge and walking down the aisle to their seats.
Sunset caught Rarity looking longingly at the lay-flat beds in first class. Once they’d taken their seats she couldn’t help but agree: it sure would be nice to get some real sleep. At least their seats were a set of two instead of three, so they wouldn’t have to share with some stranger.
As the plane’s massive engines spooled up, Sunset grabbed onto the armrest and held on tightly. This wasn’t her first flight, that hadn’t been a lie, but it had been under considerably different circumstances. For one thing, Celestia had been with her. And for another, she knew the “engines” by name. Economy on an airliner was about as far from a golden chariot as one got. Twilight had gone over the statistics with her -- flying was very safe, safer than driving, much safer than her motorcycle, but her fears persisted.
Rarity squeezed her hand. “You sure you’re alright darling?”
“Never better!” Sunset forced the best smile she could. “And anyway, this trip is all about you. Don’t worry about me one bit.”
Rarity was about to protest, but Sunset silenced her with a quick peck on the cheek. Rarity blushed.
Still got it.
The plane began to rumble and roared forward, pressing Sunset into her seat. She squeezed Rarity’s hand -- out of concern for her fiancée, of course -- and tried not to hold her breath as the plane sailed into the sky.
Sunset wasn’t sure how long she’d dozed, but when she awoke all the lights in the cabin had been dimmed. The only sound was the low thrum of the engines and the occasional clatter of the lavatory doors.
That and a soft sniffling coming from Rarity’s seat.
Sunset looked over and saw Rarity’s head in her hands, tears dripping from between her fingers.
As soon as Rarity heard Sunset stir, she quickly wiped her eyes and put on her winning smile, the one that said “let Rarity take care of you.”
“Rarity...”
“Oh, goodness, don’t even look at me. My makeup is absolutely wrecked.”
“You were crying.”
“Hmmph. Just a quality of the air here, nothing more. Terrible for one’s complexion honestly, it’s a good thing I brought moisturizer. Do you need any? I think I have some in my purse, let me just grab it.”
“Rarity, please.”
Something in Sunset’s voice must’ve gotten through, because Rarity stopped and looked at her.
“What is it, darling?”
“You... don’t have to do this for me.”
“Do what? I’m simply taking care of my gorgeous fiancée. That’s allowed, is it not? Or is there some obscure rule in Pegathailand that means future spouses must always be unhelpful to one another?”
“Rarity, we’ve been together for what, six years? I can tell when you’re hurting.”
“I...”
“And I can tell when you don’t want people to know. Why are you so afraid of letting me in? Why do you have to hide this from me?”
Rarity deflated.
Sunset flinched as soon as she realised what she’d said. She wanted to get through, but a guilt trip was a low blow.
Rarity just looked at her hands. “I... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to... cut you off.”
“I know, Rares. I’m not mad at you. I just want to help. I hate seeing you in pain.”
“Well, then you’re really not going to enjoy the latter half of our trip.”
It was probably meant as a joke, but at that moment it was hard for Sunset to laugh. Instead, she lifted up the armrest separating them and hugged Rarity as tight as she could.
“I love you so much,” Sunset whispered. “I want you to be okay.”
“I know. I love you too. I’m just... Sunset, I’m terrified.”
Sunset squeezed her tighter.
“Why am I only just hearing about this? I figured you’d be scared, but you just kept being yourself.”
“Rarity doesn’t get scared. A lady has to hold decorum.”
“You should introduce me to this ‘Rarity who doesn’t get scared,’” Sunset teased. “She’d probably not wake me up in the middle of the night to get rid of a spider.”
“Hush, we’re having a moment.”
“Yes, dear.”
Sunset released her hug so she could give Rarity a peck on the cheek.
Rarity had started crying again.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Sunset asked.
“I suppose we should address the elephant in the room, yes. I don’t honestly know what to say, though... I’ve gotten so used to pretending everything’s okay that I don’t really know what to say.”
“Well, what are you afraid of?”
“Oh, a hundred things. What if something goes wrong? What if there’s a problem with our money? What if I don’t like the result? Goddess, what if I never wake up?”
Time for more hugging.
Sunset grabbed her again and squeezed tight. “It’s gonna be okay. We’ve managed so far haven’t we? Surely fighting the odd magically-empowered monster is harder than... uh.”
“Bottom surgery? Vaginoplasty? Crotch origami?”
Rarity said the last one a little too loud. The people across the aisle glared at them.
Sunset blanched. “Right. That. What does that have on a magically corrupted monster?”
Rarity sniffled. “Not much, I suppose. Though it was all seven of us for most of those. Except the first one”
“Right, let's ignore her. I don’t think this is quite a friendship laser situation.”
“Perhaps not. It would be easier to deal with if it were.”
“Yeah. Sometimes I miss for the days when we just had to worry about fighting monsters.”
“It did seem to make things simpler.”
The two sat in silence, listening to the low hum of the engines. The inflight map showed them halfway over the Mare Pacifica with seven hours of flying remaining.
“Have you been able to sleep at all?” Sunset finally asked.
“I have not, I’m afraid. Though I can’t be sure if it’s from stress or our current accommodations.”
Rarity gestured at the cramped seat.
“Are you saying this barely-reclining airplane seat is not the pinnacle of luxury?” Sunset gasped.
Rarity rolled her eyes. It wasn’t a laugh, but it was still a good sign.
“I suspect I’ve had better accommodations while camping with Applejack,” Rarity replied. “To say nothing of what this recylced air is doing to my hair...”
“Not exactly beauty sleep, then”
“It’s hard to imagine a less beautiful sleep, if I’m quite honest. Though I certainly can’t find fault with the company.”
“Flatter.”
“I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true, dear. I... I am very glad you’re here, Sunset. I cannot even imagine trying to do this alone.”
“I’m pretty sure they required you to bring someone, so I suppose that’s technically true.”
Rarity punched her arm. “You know what I mean. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still terrifying, but with you by my side it seems a lot more manageable.”
“No pressure, huh?”
“This is romance, darling! The stakes simply could not be higher!”
Sunset rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but agree. There was nothing in the world more important than keeping Rarity safe and happy. This trip may have been her biggest trial yet, but she was up to it.
Probably.
No pressure.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are now arriving in Buckkok, Pegathailand where the local time is 3 P.M. Please remain in your seats until the Captain has turned off the fasten seatbelts sign. Thank you for flying Pegathai Airways.”
The first thing Sunset noticed was the humidity. Even just walking across the jetbridge felt like stepping through a swamp, and she wasn’t even properly outdoors yet.
It certainly didn’t help Rarity’s hair, either. Sunset didn’t have the heart to tell her what a mess it was. She’d see it in a mirror soon enough. Hopefully after the two of them had managed to find their hotel.
First, though, they had a crowded airport to navigate. The flow of people pushed them away from the gate and toward a large customs hall.
A bored-looking guard waved them through after barely even a glance at their passports. Sunset let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Getting a passport wasn’t exactly straight forward for an Equestrian, it had taken calling in a lot of favours with some of Rarity’s business contacts and, oddly enough, Vinyl Scratch’s parents who worked for the state department.
Princess Twilight had tried to come with an Equestrian passport, but her human counterpart had gone into a complicated spiel about “diplomatic relations” and “visa waivers,” and they eventually agreed it’d be more trouble than it was worth. Sunset was just glad she wouldn’t have to explain Equestria to the United Nations yet.
A quick cab ride took them to their hotel. Sunset was pretty sure the driver had fleeced them, but at this point, she was far too tired to care. Rarity left a giant tip anyway, but only coaxing the driver, who spoke minimal English, into accepting a hat from her overflowing suitcase. Somehow Rarity had one that matched his current outfit and cab decor perfectly. Sunset was beginning to see why it was so stuffed.
Walking into their hotel room, Sunset flopped onto the room’s bed, ignoring Rarity’s complaints about her dirty clothes and clean sheets.
It was astonishing that one could be so tired after spending so long sitting down. Most of the last twelve hours had been spent asleep, yet somehow she still felt like she’d been awake for days.
As soon as she saw herself in the mirror, Rarity let out a distressed whine at the state of her hair. She disappeared into the shower, dragging a veritable dufflebag full of cosmetics with her.
That was fine with Sunset, who promptly passed out.
When she woke up, she somehow felt more tired than before. A quick glance at the clock told her why: it had been scarcely half an hour since Rarity got into the shower.
She was out now, in a new outfit and quietly humming a Rainbooms song. She was bent over in front of the mirror, applying the last touches of eyeliner.
“Sunset! You’re awake!”
How did she always know?
“Yep, guess so!”
“I spotted a gorgeous little market on the way in, do you want to check it out?”
Sunset did not want to do anything that wasn’t “going back to sleep.” But she knew that Rarity wouldn’t be able to walk soon, let alone explore the local wares, and she was willing to make that sacrifice.
“That sounds lovely, Rares. Let’s go.”
Sunset gave one last longing look at the bed, then grabbed her purse and followed Rarity to the door.
The market was gorgeous. Rarity wanted one of everything, of course, but she also gave away just as much. It was hard to tell if the bag was getting more empty or more full, but at least Rarity was happy.
They found a curry spot, and Sunset managed to convince them she didn’t eat meat. Or at least, she hoped she did. The curry was delicious either way. Rarity gave their waiter a bracelet that perfectly matched his uniform, and then had to talk him into accepting a tip.
Sunset learned to say “no fish” in Pegathai, and Rarity learned “you’re quite welcome, darling,” or at least the closest local equivalent.
As they walked back to the hotel, Sunset could tell something was eating Rarity. She was a master of putting on masks, that was one thing she’d learned early in their relationship.
Sunset had taken Rarity out for falafel, and only later learned Rarity hated Marediteranean food. Something about chickpeas just didn’t agree with her. But she had put on a brave face, trying to pawn off her sandwich on Sunset under the guise of generosity.
Over the time, Sunset learned that Rarity had tells. Right now her smile was just a little too wide, her gaze straight ahead instead of looking about. She was giving things away at an alarming rate, even for her.
Sunset reached over and grabbed her hand. She got an “I love you” smile in return, but was still just a little off. Sunset started to ask if she was okay, but instead looked around.
The street market was colourful, noisy, and smelled like coconut and lemongrass. They were walking through the middle of Buckkok, and there was a time and place for these things.
Rarity looked at her now. “What is it?”
“I... I just love you so much,” Sunset said.
Rarity blushed and squeezed her hand.
“I love you too, my little sunbeam.”
Sunset concentrated on her own smile, then. The last thing she wanted to do was to worry Rarity about her. Rarity would drop everything of course, prioritising everyone over herself. Sunset came on this trip to support Rarity, not to burden her. So she smiled at Rarity and dragged her toward a vendor selling mangoes.
Who didn’t love mangoes?
Once again, Sunset woke up in the middle of the night.
Rarity was sitting at the small desk in their hotel room, drawing in her sketchbook and looking out over the city lights. They had a pretty good view from the top floor of the hotel, a gift from the concierge after Rarity gave him a new tie.
“Can’t sleep?” Sunset asked.
She got up and walked over to Rarity. Since Rarity was sitting in the only chair, she rested her hands on Rarity’s shoulders and began giving her a massage.
“Mmmm.”
Sunset saw tear drops scattered across the sketchbook.
“Hey. You okay?” she asked.
Rarity just sighed.
Sunset desperately wished she had her amulet with her, but the Twilights had nixed the idea. The amulets had to stay near Canterlot in case something happened. The last thing the world needed was powerful magical artifacts in the hands of some pickpocket or confused baggage agent. She’d just have to do this the old fashioned way.
“Are you scared?” Sunset asked gently.
Rarity nodded.
“Of the surgery?”
Another nod.
“It’s going to be okay. I’m going to be right there, right?”
“I highly doubt you’ll be allowed in the operating theatre.”
Sunset snorted. “Probably not, but every moment I can be, I’ll be right by your side. So what are you afraid of? Are you... having second thoughts about it?”
“No! Maybe. I don’t know.”
Rarity leaned back, looking straight up at her. There were tears glistening in her eyes.
“I suppose I’m just... It’s such a life-altering thing. It’s hard to be sure about anything.”
“Is it? You’re still going to be Rarity afterwards. Doesn’t seem like that big of a deal to me.”
Rarity frowned.
“Wrong thing to say,” Sunset said. “Sorry. Continue.”
“No, you’re not wrong, it’s just... it doesn’t help right now, I suppose. I’ve lived with this thing for so long, even if I hate it I can’t imagine life without it.”
“I think I know what you mean?”
Rarity quirked her head. “You do?”
“I used to be a pony, didn’t I? I got used to walking on two legs eventually, but some things are still a little surprising.”
“Never considered that angle.”
Rarity looked back at her sketchbook. There was a small pony drawn on it.
“I didn’t want to bring it up and compare it to your situation. It seemed disrespectful.”
“Understandable. At some other time I might have thought you were.”
“But not now?”
“Right now I’m just happy my fiancée is here to take care of me.”
Sunset gave her a squeeze. “You’re dodging the question though.”
“Am I?” Rarity did her best “surprised” face. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“Come on Rares. I know I haven’t been where you are, but I’m here to listen.”
“Are you sure? You’ve probably heard this story before.”
“This is why I’m here, isn’t it?”
“I thought it was to change my catheter.”
Only Rarity could make a word like that sound elegant.
“Ugh. You’re lucky I love you so much. Still deflecting.”
“I know. I just don’t know what to say. I know this procedure is routine, and that everything is going to be okay, I just can’t help being scared.”
“Oh, hon...”
“I once made the mistake of asking Twilight about this. She gave me a whole bunch of statistics, about how this was 98% safe or 95% guaranteed, and now I simply cannot help but think of those 2-5%. Or even if it all goes well, what if I don’t actually like the result?”
“I don’t think that’s very likely.”
“It’s not likely, but it is absolutely possible!”
Rarity was crying again. It wasn’t the loud, tantrum cry she made when she wasn’t getting attention or her hair got tangled. She was crying softly, as if she was afraid anyone could look over and see her. That kind of reserved crying broke Sunset’s heart every time.
She rotated Rarity’s chair around, and leaned over to squeeze her in a hug. Rarity’s quiet sobs cut deep into her, but she held strong. Some problems couldn’t be solved, and sometimes the best she could do for her partner was simply be there.
Right?
“Come on, let’s go back to bed,” she whispered.
Rarity stood, still sniffling, and followed Sunset. The two of them nestled under the covers, Sunset still holding Rarity close.
“No more crying alone at night, okay?” Sunset said gently. “I want to help. Let me.”
“I’m very sorry. I just didn’t want you to be bothered.”
“Rarity, we’re engaged. That basically means you’re required to bother me when you need to.”
“I’m not sure that’s right--”
“I think there’s a law somewhere.” Sunset grinned. “Or at least there should be.”
“Thank you, Sunset.”
“You’re quite welcome, Rarity. Now how about we get some sleep?”
Rarity didn’t answer because she was already softly snoring. Sunset wasn’t particularly comfortable wedged under her, but she didn’t have the heart to move the sleeping woman.
Eventually she managed to drift off as well.
Rarity wasn’t allowed any solid food that day. So, in solidarity, Sunset tried not to eat around her. That was difficult in the city, because everything smelled absolutely delicious. They both decided a Pegathai Iced Tea would be okay, and didn’t regret it for a second.
They still had a few hours to kill before they were due at the compound, and poor Rarity’s stomach was growling with increasing urgency. So, rather than subject her to more olfactory torture, the two ended up cuddling in their hotel, watching a movie.
What it was about, though, Sunset couldn’t say.
She spent most of the time fretting about the upcoming days and all that needed to get done. Rarity was going to be pretty much completely out of commission, and Sunset wasn’t relishing the idea of not having someone around to help her navigate the city.
Rarity seemed utterly incapable of getting lost, if only because she’d strike up a conversation with every passerby. Sunset wasn’t even sure if she knew what their hotel looked like.
She snaked an arm around Rarity, who happily snuggled into it. There wouldn’t be much snuggling after today either, she realised. That thought made her sad enough to squeeze her fiancée just a little tighter.
Where was she going to sleep, she wondered. Would she be allowed to share a room with Rarity? What if Rarity needed something in the middle of the night? How much sleep would either of them get?
On the screen, the two love interests drew each other into a kiss as the music swelled. Beside her, Rarity cooed her appreciation.
Sunset couldn’t help but frown. It all seemed so easy, laid out on the silver screen. But what came after that first kiss? How do you handle loving your partner so much, that you can’t help but be terrified every day that something might happen to them?
Sunset leaned over and gently kissed Rarity on the cheek.
“I love you,” she murmured.
“Love you too, darling,” Rarity replied, eyes not moving from the screen in front of her.
Sunset wished she could be that distracted, but her thoughts kept roiling. She squeezed Rarity tighter, trying to anchor herself in the present moment. Not that there wouldn’t be plenty more moments together, she chastised herself. The surgery was going to go fine, they were going to get married and live long and happy lives together.
“Sunset?” Rarity was looking at her now. “Are you okay? You’re shaking.”
“I’m fine, hon. Just tired.” Sunset flashed her best “okay” smile.
“Do you need to sleep? We can finish this some other time.”
Ugh, now look what you’ve done.
“No, it’s fine. I can make it till tonight.”
“If you’re certain...”
“Don’t worry about me, Rares. I’m good, honest.”
Rarity shot her a skeptical look, but turned her attention back to the movie.
It was going to be a long trip.
Rarity was not having a good evening.
She was midway through the complex process needed to prepare herself for surgery. Namely, preparing her intestines for it. Right now she was on the “drink foul-tasting liquids” phase, and it was going about as well as it possibly could. Rarity had picked the “black cherry” flavour in the hopes that it would go down smoother.
“I never want to see another cherry in my life,” Rarity whined.
It didn’t work.
Sunset squeezed her hand tight.“You got this, hon. You’re almost done.”
“I knew I should’ve brought Pinkie. Perhaps she could’ve made this palatable.”
That stung a little, but now wasn’t the time to retort.
“Can you imagine that girl on an airplane for fourteen hours? She would’ve exploded.”
“That girl wouldn’t have even made it through security,” Rarity agreed. “Ma’am, is this... a cannon?”
Sunset laughed and soon Rarity joined in. The two collapsed on the floor, cackling.
Maybe it was the stress, the sleep deprivation, or just the jet lag, but the two of them couldn’t stop laughing.
“Ma’am, is this container of frosting under three ounces? ‘I sure hope not, that’s barely enough to frost one cupcake!’” Sunset said in her best Pinkie voice.
“Are these balloons? ‘Sure are, ya want one? Here’s one shaped like an airplane!’” Rarity responded.
The two just laid on the carpet for a minute, giggling sporadically.
“I love you,” Rarity said.
“I love you too,” Sunset said.
She leaned over and kissed Rarity, and... ugh.
“I see what you mean about the cherry, wow.”
“Don’t remind me. I still have half a bottle to go.”
“True, better get to it.”
“Eugh.”
“Bottoms up!”
Rarity spent the next twenty minutes trying to choke down the solution. She managed to get three-quarters of it, and they decided that was probably good enough. The next few steps were even less pleasant, but eventually the two of them made it to bed.
Neither of them particularly felt like sleeping, though.
“So,” Sunset said.
“So.”
“Tomorrow’s the big day.”
“It certainly is.”
“You’ve been waiting for... how long?”
“I’ve been on the waiting list for two years. But how long have I wanted this... accoutrement gone? A great deal longer.”
“So how does it feel? For it to almost be here?”
“You know, if you’d asked me earlier today, I would’ve told you I was completely terrified. I still am, I suppose. But now that there’s nothing left to do I just feel... well, ready.”
“Yeah?”
“I was worried that when this day finally came I’d be uncertain. But I trust myself. Even if I’m scared now... Well, I can certainly be cowardly. But I can face this.”
Rarity turned to look at Sunset.
“Especially with you, Sunny. I’m pretty sure I could face anything with you by my side.”
Then Rarity gave her the smile. The smile that melted through everything Sunset was worried about. A smile Rarity could charm her way into anything with. Rarity was generous with it, as she was all things, but Sunset knew she would never, ever grow tired of it.
The two laid there cuddled up for a while. Sunset didn’t know when Rarity fell asleep, but her own worries kept her up. Everything still felt so scary, so big, so final. But even if she couldn’t sleep, she didn’t feel overwhelmed. She laid there, smelling Rarity and listening to her breathe.
This would be okay.
The next morning came far too soon.
That was cliche, but in this case they’d scarcely gotten four hours of sleep. Sunset nursed a coffee while Rarity looked on jealously. She wasn’t even allowed liquids at this point. There was some paperwork to sign, some questions to answer, and a very large cheque to address.
Somehow it felt... anticlimactic. There was no big speech from the surgeon about the risks, no “last chance to back out.” It seemed the staff trusted Rarity to make her own decisions, and that in itself was quite refreshing.
The hardest part was the door. Sunset stayed by her fiancée’s side as long as they would let her, but after a certain point they had to part ways.
Despite promising herself she wouldn’t, Sunset was crying when the time came. No matter how many assurances she got, there was still a small, infinitesimal chance this was the last time she’d see Rarity, and she wasn’t going to settle for half measures.
In retrospect, making out in the middle of the hospital waiting room was a little “uncouth,” and Rarity was mortified.
Sunset didn’t care.
Then the doors were closed and Sunset was alone. She’d brought a book, but after five minutes of re-reading the first sentence she realised that was a lost cause.
Instead, she got out her phone. Like her geode, the journal had been deemed “too risky” to bring along, but that was fine. The Twilights had managed to rig up a contraption that let her send messages to Equestria via the book and her phone. They’d given a very long-winded explanation, getting each other more excited about magic/technological fusions, and Sunset promised she’d help them with their research when she returned. Right now she was just happy it worked.
Princess Twilight was up at what was almost certainly a ridiculous hour, just to be there for Sunset. Everyone back home was, in fact: Every few minutes, Sunset got a request for a status update from someone or other. Not just on Rarity though. Her friends were worried about her too, alone in a waiting room.
As Rarity had put it, “I’m going to be asleep for this. You’re the one who has to worry her way through the procedure!”
Fluttershy sent cute animal photos. Twilight reassured her with facts and figures. Pinkie was planning a party for their return, Applejack was going to bring the drinks. Rainbow actually offered to run over with her super speed, before Sunset gave her a geography lesson in why that wouldn’t work. Then she said she would fly, and it took Applejack and Fluttershy to talk her out of it.
The distraction was nice, but the knot in her gut was not going to go away until she saw Rarity again. Every time the doors opened, she looked up to see if the nurses were there for her, but every time it was just someone coming, or going, or talking to the other families. At one point she had to go to the bathroom (thanks, coffee) and she was terrified she’d missed the nurse while she was gone.
She didn’t even know how long it was supposed to take. Lunchtime came and went with Sunset still in the waiting room. She wasn’t hungry, anyway: that knot in her stomach was more than enough. Instead she texted until her phone was almost out of battery, then she found an outlet and charger and started texting more.
And then, suddenly, it was over. A nurse walked into the room, and she didn’t en notice.
“Sunset Shimmer?”
“Y-yes! Me! I’m, me, Sunset Shimmer!”
“Rarity’s out of surgery. You can go see her now.”
Sunset had to avoid sprinting down the hall. Instead she followed the nurse down a maze of corridors, trying not to panic. Surely the nurse would’ve said if something had gone wrong, right? What if she wanted to tell them together? What if they were just taking her away so she wouldn’t cause a scene? What...
There she was. A very tired looking Rarity, utterly bereft of makeup, staring off into space.
As Sunset came in, Rarity smiled wide. Not The Smile, but certain allowances had to be made for her current state.
“Hey, Rares. How are you doing?”
“I’ve been better, to be quite honest. But I’m glad to see you.”
“Everything went perfectly,” the nurse added. “I think she’ll be very happy.”
All of the fear and anxiety drained from Sunset, and she barely avoided pouncing on Rarity and squeezing her. She was okay. verything was fine, and they were going to be happy together.
“When I get out of here,” Rarity announced, “I am going to the spa. No, I am going to move into a spa. I am going to stay there for the rest of my life.”
“Can I come?” Sunset asked.
“Of course. What kind of spa doesn’t have my favourite thing in the entire world?”
Sunset beamed. She knew the next few months would be tough. She knew from Fluttershy, that the recovery process would be very taxing on both of them. But the scary part was over. All she had to do now was pamper Rarity as much as possible. She’d practically spent their entire relationship preparing for that.
She reached over and squeezed Rarity’s hand, the closest thing to a hug she could give.
Rarity squeezed back, and all was right with the world again.
