Last Option and a Pair of New Wings

"Rarity." called out Fluttershy. They walked the pathway towards the cottage, even so they're walking the opposite direction. Not knowing what to do now, they decided that it was best to wait out the flames. It was already dark outside. The outdoors were also very hazy, both from the fire and whatever would be going on in town.

"Hmm?"

"Maybe we should go to Canterlot," she said finally. "You're right. Canterlot could be the only place we could go at this point. Yet alone Celestia might be glad that we're okay. The only ones okay."

Rarity frowned. "But with what bits? Train tickets aren't cheap, yet alone the train station would be bustling with ponies getting rides out of this place. My bits are in the cottage, who knows if it's even in one piece at this point."

Fluttershy lowered her head. "That's...right. I'm sorry, Rarity. This was all.....so sudden. It's such a coincidence to be having a talk about going to Canterlot this morning that I haven't even planned saving up bits for that."

"You spent them all already?" asked Rarity, befuddled.

"Well, with how hard it is to get supplies from other towns now, veggies are bound to raise in price due to the limited stock."

"You should've told me. I could've cashed in a few for you if I knew, then you wouldn't have spent it all."

"What's the point? It's going to get caught in the fire anyway." Rarity sighed. Fluttershy began to tear up. "I can't believe I lost the cottage."

"Don't worry. We could-"

"And alot of the animals."

"Yes but also-"

"And my belongings. What would Pinkie think of me if she knew that her paper mache bunny rabbit had been burned up into ashes."

Rarity frowned again. "You know, you're not the only one that lost something."

Fluttershy looked up to her in surprise. "Oh no, I'm sorry if I seemed brash-"

"Actually you lost less than me."

Fluttershy regretted her words as she stammered. "I d-didn't mean to sound so ungrateful, I-"

"You lost a cottage, some rodents, so what? They're all replaceable. What about what I lost? I lost a pony, Fluttershy! A pony!" Rarity shrieked, her throat caught as she suddenly felt teary eyed. "And it was all because of this stupid war! You ever think how stupid it is for a town to have a war with itself? It's practically suicide! And...a-and...." she stopped dead in her tracks. "I should've done something."

Fluttershy stopped as well. "Rarity, you couldn't have-"

"Why was she such an idiot?! How come I've raised such a.....stupid....foolish....caring....little child- she was a child! A- a great one....a-and all because of her 'friend', she died! She died, she died, she died!!!" she shrieked as she fell into a fit of hysterical crying. "She died! All because of a kid that couldn't protect herself! Just because she wanted to be kind, she ended up getting herself killed! Why was it her?! Why wasn't it me?! Why wasn't I kind enough to chime in?! Why....." she stopped herself. ".....I'm such a hypocrite." she sniffled.

"What do you mean?-"

"I always thought you were pathetic for prioritizing your animals' safety rather than your own! Now.....I-I realized how similar we really are. I just can't.....help but wonder how things would've gone had I been the one that saved that Scootaloo." Rarity sat down, sniffling as she recapted. "I wonder how different everything would be. Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell could've both stayed with my parents in Manehattan. Instead of just Scootaloo. Mother wouldn't have looked at me with eyes of betrayal. Mother couldn't look at Sweetie the way she glared at Scootaloo if everything were different. She was only a child. She couldn't have done anything. It wouldn't be so awkward then. To just call for my parents to pick up Scootaloo and leave. It'll make more sense if it were Sweetie."

"Rarity...." she looked at her with pity. First, shun out of her own boutique, then losing a sister, and if that wasn't bad enough, disowned by her own parents for letting in happen. "I'm sure Sweetie was glad that Scootaloo was sent to stay with your parents. I'm sure it's a bit of a painful to have Scootaloo around them, as if she were a reminder of their lost, but it's what Sweetie would've wanted, and that's all that matters, right?" she sat beside her, a soft pat on her back as she did. "You're not a hypocrite. You're right. I can't replace Rainbow Dash in my life either. Sure, she wasn't a sister, but we were very close. I'm sure she would've wanted me to live as long as I could. Sweetie is a sweet child, as her name implies. I'm sure she thought the same."

"I don't even know anymore...." she sniffled. She dropped onto the ground with a shaky exhale, feeling the wave of grief hit her like a boulder. She's been repressing her feelings for so long that it stings to just remember it after so long. How much she had tried to forgot, to try and hide herself from the reality of the situation. She felt like such a hypocrite. She used to look down on Fluttershy's negative views on everything, reassuring her friend that everything'll be alright. That she should see the bright side of everything, that nothing is really gone as long as she sees the other side of things. She's been lying to herself. Lying to herself. Lie. "....everything I've ever told you since I've lost her. Everything. Lies."

"Rarity?-"

"LIES!! LIES!! LIESSS!!" she shrieked as she sobbed hysterically. Fluttershy was taken aback. She has never seen her friend this way. The friend that had been positive this whole time during the events that happened. The only day she had seen her this sad was...after telling her parents to pick up Scootaloo. She cried the whole day about how disappointed her parents were. How their eyes looked at her as if she were a stranger. A murderer. A liar. How she lied to Sweetie about protecting her forever. How she promised to always be there for her through thick and thin. How.....

How this rant of hers is so...so sudden. She looked up to Fluttershy with teary eyes and snot covered face. "..I-I'm sorry....Fluttershy.....I...I..." she can't stop herself however. ".....I just don't know what to do anymore....."

Fluttershy didn't seem upset however. She didn't seem sad or disheartened by the sudden tantrum. Only, she gave the look of understanding as she sat next to Rarity, and gave a comforting rub on her back. "It's okay.... you're okay..."

"I failed as a sister!" she continued to sob hysterically. Fluttershy didn't mind, however. She didn't want to mind. This was the least she could do for Rarity at the moment. Who has always never minded.

"Lulu~~~~" called out Discord. He hung from the ceiling, walking around looking for Luna. "Oh Lulu~~~~- Ow!!" he fell from the ceiling as the back of his head was whacked hard. falling on his back with a groan, he gazed up to a very annoyed alicorn.

"For an old goat, I'd thought you'd act the age."

"Hey now, you're not any younger," he said as he stood up and dusted himself off.

"I don't climb walls and ceilings."

"Doesn't mean it's too late for you to try."

Luna rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Now, what is it that you want?" she asked. She was getting ready for her shift, as usual. And she had to be interrupted by him. Discord stared at her. And she stared back. He didn't wear his normal jokester look of his, or doesn't look like he was planning anything considering he was quiet all day until he started calling for her. Well, him being quiet would be suspicious already. But for the him she sees now, that's non the latter. He stuck his tongue out a little however, which served to peeve her more as she got no response. "What?"

"....I'm bored."

"Well what do you want me to do about it?" she said as she walked towards her room which neared the end of the hall. "I haven't got time to play your games, wait for Celestia to come back from her meeting."

Discord followed along. "But she takes such a long time at those meetings. She'll probably be back very late. And now it's barely night."

"It's evening already, Discord, night had just begun."

Discord whined. "But I'm not willing to wait such a long time. Can't I accompany you this time with your shift?"

"Absolutely not! You do know that my job is to look after ponies' dreams, right?"

"So?" he raised a brow.

"You can't accompany me as I won't be conscious to even talk to you!"

"But Lunaaaa...." he whined. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Luna rolled her eyes. "Try reading."

"What if I don't know how to read?"

"If you know how to read recipes to bother me while I sleep then you can damn well read."

"You don't know if I'm actually following the recipes I'm reading. For all I know the recipes could just be for show and I'm improvising the whole way!"

"Ughhhh...." she groaned in annoyance as she got to her door. As she turned her knob, she paused as Discord waited behind her. Waiting for her to open the door as well. "....I'm not letting you in."

Discord frowned. "Well can I at least sit by your door?"

"And why in Equestria would you do that?"

"So that I know you aren't slacking off when you're doing your job."

"I DON'T SLACK OFF!!!" she exclaimed in her royal voice, which blew Discord away a little as he blinked. "How about you go take a nap in your room?"

"How about I take a nap in yours?"

"How about no? I'm going in and I'm not letting you in less you disrupt my concentration," she said in frustration as she walked in. "Goodbye," she said in a passive aggressive tone as she looked at him for one last time before slamming the door shut.

Discord flinched as his ears lowered by the loud slam. He sighed. He didn't really want to read, neither did he....want to sleep..... He'd be lying to himself if he said that he wasn't tired. But he forbid himself to sleep. Not without any of the sisters.

It wasn't that he was lonely or anything. None of the sort! He was Discord! With his skills, he can pick up many damsels if he wanted to! If not, thousands of friends! Yes! He just......didn't want to at the moment. Yes. "....yes....that's it....." he spoke to himself. "....that's it......"

Luna sighed as she heard him talk to himself on the other side of the door. She didn't walk to her usual spot to get ready. To fully raise the moon. It might've been a little too over the time of how long it was supposed to be in said position. He was just.....so weird.

She had always considered him weird. Even before he was known as the infamous villain she had grown to hate, the little unsubconcious acts of his never ceases to weird her out. But in a way, his weirdness is what makes him, well, him. When he dropped by to Canterlot a few years ago however, the day that confirmed Twilight's sanity fully gone, was when his little acts of weirdness shouldn't feel as homely as they should.

He had never been the same after that day. He never was the same anymore. She had never seen him that way before. So drained of colour that she couldn't even comprehend the state his mind was in. So depressed. Hopeless. Celestia was nice enough to try and help him, too. Slowly, she realised how his attitude changed. From a brave, confident, and usually joking draconequus, to a coward. He never did feel like showing his face to ponies outside of the castle anymore. Never did Celestia's words of encouragement reach him anymore. Never did he look so vulnerable. So hopeless of himself.

Usually he'd be so proud of his accomplishments. How he was able to make six friends without anypony's help. It's usually like that. And although he never admitted it, it was obvious that he was thankful for Celestia's help in his new path to a better life, although he never admits it. Nowadays, whenever Celestia even hints at meeting or befriending anyone outside of the castle, he'd find a way to change the topic.

It was clear what his intent to accompany her was. He was clinging onto them at this point. And today specifically, Celestia had to go for a very private meeting. Usually, he'd tag along just to stand around with eyes glued onto him as if he'd lose her if he blinked even once. But as it sounds, private means private. And he wasn't allowed to follow. It bothered him, and Celestia as well, to say the least. What could they want to talk about? Why does it need to be that private? Sometimes, Discord would tag along for private meetings as long as he never tells a soul to anypony else about the contents. Needn't worry about that, however. Not like he would even if he could. And they trust Celestia well enough to know that.

Just what could they be talking about?

"I don't think that's right...." she heard him say again from the other side. He really does have a problem with speaking out loud, sometimes it's concerning. He's still out there, as well.

She sighed. How does Celestia put up with this? She turned back to the door and opened it. "You really are like a mutt, you know?"

"Aren't you supposed to raise the moon by now?" he said as his eyes glued to the window he conjured on the ground, looking at it.

Luna turned to her balcony in surprise. "I've completely forgotten!" she said as she rushed towards her balcony.

"What were you doing this whole time then?" he asked in confusion. "Did you miss me? You missed me, didn't you?"

"Oh can it, would you?" she groaned as she lit her horn. Well, he didn't really lose much of his 'joking' side as far as she's concerned.

Carefully but quickly, her magic emitted the moon, and slowly it was lowered. She concentrated and hoped to the dear Heavens nopony noticed. The higher Gods forbid her sister know about this. She'll never hear the end of it.

After a few minutes, the moon was finally raised. She sighed a content sigh as she looked down from the moon. She turned back and was opting to her normal spot when sh realised he was still there. Laying by the doorway. Of the door that she had forgotten to close. Which makes it all the more sad to look at. "....you're still there."

"And you're still there. Dreams are lining up and waiting for you, you know."

Luna looked at him with annoyance. Why is he still there? He could've at least be distracted by something else. Why her of all ponies. "...." They stared each other off for a very long time. Luna looked at him, half annoyed but half also feeling sympathetic over how pathetic he is at this point. ".....hnnnnnggggg......fine. You can sleep in my room for tonight. He brightened up as he stood up quickly and went in. "But no funny business! You are to stay on my bed and nowhere else!"

"Your wish is my command, your Highness," he said as he jumped onto her bed, curling himself up as he looked at her.

"Don't dirty my sheets. Once it's morning, I'm pushing you straight off."

"Seems fair," he said. And immediately, he yawned. Curling himself right again, he sighed, contented. Before he dozed off however, he spoke again. "Luna?"

"Hmm?" she hummed as she laid on her own little pillow pile she made so she could feel comfortable while doing her duty.

"I'm so glad to have a not-sister sister like you," he said, before dozing off into his slumbers.

She stared at him, a little surprised. It's been so long since she's heard him say that. Ever since childhood, even. It....warmed her a little, to say the least.

She smiled a warm smile, something she had rarely given him in a while. ".....goodnight to you too, not-brother brother."