1 The Price of FameView OnlineRarity's Foal1 The Price of FameThe white unicorn leaned forward to get a better view of the sheer fabric as she fed it under the presser foot of her trusty sewing machine. All of her fabulous dresses had been stitched together by this machine as the very instrument through which her creativity had flourished and delivered her to the attention of the highest levels of the Equestrian fashion scene. However, this dress was more difficult than most; not by virtue of its design, but through the simple fact that she couldn’t get as close as she would have liked to see the stitching, and this was hindering her to the point of offending her critical eye. Not for the first time that day, she cursed the bump that held her away from the worktable as the stitching began to follow a path subtly different from that which she had painstakingly marked out. All because she could no longer get close enough to see. “Of all the worst things that could happen …” she whined despairingly to nopony except for her faithful sewing machine and the bump; that accursed bump. Then she focused her anger onto the dress and ripped it forcefully from the machine, hurling it across the floor accompanied by a howl of anguish; the whole day’s work wasted. It had all begun at a party last year, not just any party, but one hosted by all the major fashion houses, aimed at showcasing emerging talent. It was widely known that talent scouts would be there from all the major designers and magazines, and that exhibitors would be by invitation only. Naturally, she had felt elated to receive an invitation and took delight in reading and rereading her name alongside all of the big movers and shakers in the fashion world. She had pulled together the most exquisite collection for display and surpassed even her own high standards to come up with a range that was stunning, yet unmistakably underpinned by that Rarity touch. She had awaited her turn anxiously, fussing over the most minor details as her models prepared to go on to the runway and then once she was announced, it all seemed to flash past in a blur, one creation after the next being greeted by gasps of wonder and ecstatic applause from the audience. Then she had seen him; the legend that was Yves Saint Lariat, known in the business as YSL. She had singled him out in the crowd, in a smart suit and wearing his distinctive glasses, nodding appreciatively at her designs, her designs, as he dictated notes to an assistant beside him. Once the last model had strutted back up the runway from performing her routine, all the models went out to make two lines as a guard of honour for Rarity to walk down, to the applause echoing in her ears. It was then she looked towards Yves and their eyes met as she watched him rise to his hooves, offering her a standing ovation. At his cue, everypony else stood and the applause went up a notch, seeming never to end. She had done it! At the reception afterwards, she had been besieged by reporters, all wanting to run exclusives on her new collection, but even the most tenacious had parted to make way when Yves and his entourage had made their way towards her. As the clamour from the throng of reporters around her had unexpectedly quietened down, she had looked up too see why, and had seen him walking towards her. Her mouth went dry and her jaw fell open watching as his charisma seemed to part all before him, cutting a swath that led to her. She suddenly felt at once nervous and excited, an expression summed up neatly by Pinkie Pie as nervouscited, but to such an extent she had never felt before. “Ma Cherie” he whispered in the understated way of somepony who is used to being listened to, “I am enthralled by the originality of your designs; perhaps we can talk?” Rarity wanted to swoon, but fought to keep herself focused as she could imagine doors she had always thought would be closed suddenly being flung wide open for her. He was, as she was becoming increasingly aware, very engaging and also strikingly handsome. She felt her head start to swim and next minute she was held in his forelegs as he reached out to save her from falling. Looking up into his deep blue eyes, she could only think of hugging him and reached up to give him a kiss on the cheek, flustering a word of thanks. “This lady needs some space” he announced, and suddenly his entourage gently ushered back the crowd that had begun to form, one photographer just managing to get a picture of Yves holding the swooning Rarity, a picture that would make his fortune. “I do not wish to capitalise upon your time here when so many ponies are seeking your attention” he said, proffering her a card, ”Perhaps you would care to meet me afterwards? I’m staying in the penthouse suite of the Royal Hotel.” The rest of the evening flew by mid a flurry of interviews and job offers, but she only had eyes for one stallion, and he would be waiting for her in his suite at the hotel. She had gone to him as arranged and, well, one thing led to another; she had been very grateful after all. True to his word, Yves had accepted her entire collection and showcased them throughout his chain of shops, the fashion press seizing on the new style and the fact that Yves had taken her under his wing. However, this was short lived, and soon there was speculation about how she could maintain her exalted position through the next season’s collection and as such she was forced to redouble her efforts to demonstrate she was worthy of continuing to be under the YSL banner. She worked hard, from early in the morning until late at night within the walls of the deserted Carousel Boutique; Opalescence having gone to Fluttershy while the Apple family had kindly agreed to look after Sweetie Belle, whom she now saw only rarely. If she didn’t notice the eerie quietness within what had formerly been a happy bustling home as well as a shop, she had also failed to notice that she had missed her period, and then the next as well. When finally the next season’s range had been completed, she allowed herself a brief opportunity to catch up on everything that she had let slip during her intense rush of creativity, including a visit to the hospital to resolve a recurring stomach ache and sickness she had put down to overwork. Nurse Redheart had run a series of tests and once she had double checked to be sure, came back to congratulate her and tell her that her foal was developing well. Rarity had been mortified, her shocked eyes meeting those of the kindly nurse before her eyelids flickered and her eyes rolled up; she never even felt herself fall as her body had crumpled. She had stayed in under observation for a few hours as a precaution, giving her time to take in her condition and plan how best she was going to cope with the new life, but had found no palatable answers. As she walked home, she still couldn’t think of what to do, so decided to get on with her life until such time as she could make plans. That had been more than six months ago, and she still hadn’t come up with any ideas, although her bump had grown massively in that time, pushing increasingly into everything she did. Of course she had approached Yves and presented him with the news. He had been dismissive to the point of being cold and said something about It being a mare’s responsibility to take precautions, changing the subject to remind her of her obligation to provide a source of new fashions for his stores. He had also recommended that she didn’t make waves in the popular press, as success in the fashion world depended so much on good publicity and his name carried so much more status than hers. As veiled threats went, this was devastating. Very quickly, she had come to realise how one sided their relationship was, and by the time she had left, was in no doubt that if she didn’t continue to provide new lines, then she would be dropped as quickly as she had been accepted, while another eager and impressionable rising star would be promoted to take her place under the prestigious YSL banner just as quickly. She had wanted to throw herself onto a fainting couch, to whine to anypony who would listen how unfair it was or gorge herself through gallons of ice cream, but she had done all that already. With stark realisation she had come to appreciate that none of her established defence mechanisms would help, and a sober, more fatalistic Rarity had emerged, one who dreaded waking in the morning because every day her work became just that little bit harder as her bump grew one day bigger. Now, for the first time, she had marked a date on the calendar; the day that her world would change forever, the date her foal was due. Every morning when she looked at the calendar, she could see the Damoclean sword one square closer, but still she didn’t know what to do, other than struggle on as best she could. She knew she was fighting an ever losing battle, but couldn’t think of what else she could do. Her friends had all gathered round to help as best they could, but she had sworn them to secrecy about the foal’s father as the inevitable publicity would almost certainly finish her career. They had all tried their hooves at cutting and stitching the dresses, even Spike, but none had been able to realise her couture to the standards she demanded, standards which were much higher than her usual meticulousness because she knew they had to be good enough to satisfy the YSL brand too. Once again, the Apple family had been the first to rally round and offer her foal a home, where they would be happy to bring it up as one of their own. Fluttershy too had offered to help out with the foal, but other than those welcome offers of help, there was little anypony could do except drop round to provide moral support, make cups of tea and give her a shoulder to cry on.
2 A Night to RememberView OnlineRarity's Foal2 A Night to RememberThere was a knock at the door that shook Rarity from her reverie, and she looked around to see the lilac form of Twilight come into her workshop. “Hi Rarity” she greeted, “How’s it going today?” “Just awful, darling” she wailed pointing a forehoof at the crumpled pile of partially finished dresses she had just thrown across the floor. “You know” her visitor began, “You’re too close now. You’re going to have to stop.” “But I can’t!” she wept sadly, “I have deadlines!” “Yes, and the most pressing one is inside you.” “But I can’t …” she repeated. “Look Rarity, we all admire how well you’ve been keeping going, but you’re going to have to stop. You’re too close now and you mustn’t risk hurting your foal …” “Oh, damn the foal and all the bad luck it’s brought me!” she exploded, “I was too trusting and got taken in by that unprincipled philanderer! I am too trusting, aren’t I Twilight …?” “How many dresses do you have to finish before the foal’s due?” she asked sympathetically. “Six” whispered Rarity sadly. “How many days to go?” “Five …” “Come on” reasoned Twilight as gently as she could, “There’s nothing more you can do now.” “But …” the meek protest died in Rarity’s throat and she allowed her friend to help her up from the sewing machine to go and recline her onto her fainting couch that had become increasingly covered in a mass of throw cushions over the last few months. “One of us will be with you every hour of the day and night from now on, and we’re going to do two things” Twilight stated, filling the kettle, “One - we’re going to look after you, and two - we’re going to make sure you stay away from your sewing machine.” Rarity knew she was beaten and didn’t put up a fight any more. She had been fighting for almost a year and it hadn’t made her happy, so she simply conceded. In truth, she had already appreciated the increasing hopelessness of her situation, but had not wanted to quit while she still felt there was a chance she could honour her commitments. It had taken a well-meaning friend to intercede for her own good and she acquiesced gracefully, smiling gratefully as Twilight gave her a loving hug. A few nights later, Fluttershy was taking her turn at staying over in the Carousel Boutique having left Harry and Angel in charge of her cottage. Rarity had been restless throughout the evening and been uncomfortable no matter what position she got into, rubbing her tummy to ease the unusual sensations she could feel inside. She had put it down to something she had eaten and went to bed in the hope that she would feel better for a good night’s rest. Fluttershy went outside briefly for some air and called to one of the owls she could hear hooting its mournful night-time vigil. It came to her and landed on her forehoof, listening intently as she asked it to go to Golden Oak library and pass on a message to Owlowiscious. She thanked him and gently tickled his breast feathers before letting him go and returning inside where she found some towels, a bowl of water and a flannel that she brought into the bedroom. She laid everything out in easy reach before plumping up the cushion on a chair, anticipating she would probably be needed as the night wore on. Rarity remained unable to settle and the pains she felt only seemed to be getting worse, and then suddenly she gasped as a wave of cramp surged through her, taking her breath away. “That … that can’t be normal” she fretted, vocalising her thoughts. “Oh, I think it’s perfectly normal” said Fluttershy, coming over from her chair, “It means your foal’s coming.” “What! Now?” cried Rarity, “It can’t be, it’s the middle of the night!” “It probably picked a time when you were most settled” Fluttershy reassured her, “Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine.” The contraction eased and Rarity took a breath, one sweeter than she had ever remembered. It was like she had been winded and had suddenly been able to breathe again. A few minutes later, another came, but even though they were both expecting it, Rarity gasped at the intensity which seemed to grip her insides in a vice like grip for an eternity, but was in fact less than a minute, as she fought to control the pain. Fluttershy pulled away the wet bedding that Rarity was clawing on to and looked down to see a hoof starting to emerge, wrapped in a white membrane. “You’re doing really well” she comforted, dabbing her forehead with a wet flannel. “It’s coming isn’t it?” she cried, her eyes wide and the fear evident in her voice. “Yes it is” commented Fluttershy softly, “And it’s all going nicely.” Another sharp contraction stole her breath away and she screamed as another forehoof emerged. “Make it stop!” she sobbed between gasps, desperately trying to get herself comfortable and failing. Fluttershy whispered soothing words and kept dabbing her muzzle down, appreciating how important such little things were, but knowing also that there was nothing more she could do as the miracle of a new life came into being. The contractions continued as the hooves inched their way into the alien environment of Rarity’s bedroom, but then she felt something frightening. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy!” she wailed in fear, “It’s stuck! What can I do?” “Try to relax” she replied softly, “It’s just the head getting ready to come out.” “The head?” she screamed, “That’s going to be massive! I … I’m not ready …I can’t …!” Fluttershy daubed her muzzle once more with soft pats of cool refreshing water, still wearing her gentle smile. The next contraction was the most severe yet and Rarity screamed as loud as she could. Fluttershy cast a quick look to confirm that her friend was dilating normally, and much to her relief saw that everything was alright. She whispered a reassuring Well Done, stroking her purple mane as she did so. Then another contraction hit, and Rarity twisted her back in pain as she felt something the size of a bowling ball start to push its way out of her. “Make it stop! Make it stop!” she cried during the snatched breaths she could only take between bouts of pain that she could do nothing to control. One more push and the head could be seen to pop out accompanied by a bout of uncontrollable sobbing. Just then, the door opened and Fluttershy looked up to see Twilight standing in the doorway, a look of surprise and delight on her muzzle. The primrose pegasus smiled sweetly and nodded her greeting as she continued to tend to the gasping sweat soaked form of Rarity with her foal partway out. Twilight had never seen anything like this before and was transfixed, summoning a notebook and pen while a gentle cough behind her served as a reminder that the nurse was behind her waiting to get in. “Oh, sorry, sorry” she said, stepping to one side as a pink maned earth pony with a white hat moved into the room carrying a bag. Nurse Redheart gave the expectant mare a quick examination then exchanged a knowing smile with Fluttershy as she settled down to helping the delivery, while Twilight lay down on the floor and started scribbling furiously. Rarity felt another contraction and screamed again. Her voice was now becoming hoarse and ragged, but she could feel something even bigger than the head lining up to come through now. Nurse Redheart and Fluttershy both knew what was coming and so too would Rarity had she the opportunity to think; even Twilight worked it out and commented in wonder “The shoulders …” Twilight had read about such things but never for a moment thought that she would see it happen to one of her closest friends, the experience filling her with a mix of pride, fear and respect for the miracle of life. Rarity confronted the next contraction with another scream, her eyes rolling up as her foal’s shoulders pushed ever harder. “No! No! No!” was all she could cry as she threw her head from side to side unable to satiate the pain in her loins, then the next contraction was upon her and the shoulders came through. Rarity let out a scream unlike any other she had ever made before and just sobbed loudly and uncontrollably as the sharpness of the pain began to subside, catching a few well-earned breaths. “You’re doing well” comforted Fluttershy, dampening her patient down again, “We’re all very proud of you.” Rarity, the lady known for her primness, let out a stream of words that nopony present thought she knew; indeed Twilight still didn’t know what some of them meant, but wrote them all down anyway so she could ask later. After a few minutes, Rarity looked up but instead of Fluttershy saw Nurse Redheart smiling back at her. “It’s stopped” she said nervously, her voice edging towards panic, ”It’s stopped, but I know it isn’t out! What’s wrong?” “You’re fine Rarity” she replied, “This is normal, just trust me, I’ve seen this many times before. You’re doing really well, just let nature take its course.” Her respite was short lived, and the contractions started again forcing the trunk of the body out fraction at a time, making her scream with each inch of discomfort. With the foal now close to being delivered, Rarity felt that familiar blocked feeling inside once again. “It … it’s the pelvis, isn’t it?” she cried. “Yes” confirmed Nurse Redheart, “But it shouldn’t be as bad as the shoulders. Just relax and go with what your foal is telling you.” “Relax?” she screamed, “RELAX? Have you any idea …!” Her words were cut short as another contraction grabbed her, carrying away her words in another scream. She shouted, she cursed and she swore, shouting out the father’s name with such hatred and venom as would have killed him at fifty paces. Fluttershy and Twilight looked at Nurse Redheart, whose eyebrow merely raised a fraction in recognition of the name. Their closely guarded secret was out! They continued supporting Rarity as the foal’s hips popped out and the legs began to follow on behind. She was panting hard, gulping down air as if it were her final opportunity to savour the last of the valuable commodity left in Equestria, her contractions now much less severe as the hindlegs inched their way out. Then her body shuddered with a surge of tears that was like a dam bursting and the contractions resumed, pushing the legs out as the foal started to wriggle. The struggling foal ripped the membrane and its rear hooves quickly pulled free of its mother, Nurse Redheart moved in at once to check the mother and her pure white newborn, and once satisfied that everything was normal leaned in close to Rarity telling her she was safe to meet her offspring. Fluttershy and Nurse Redheart got up to leave the room but Twilight was engrossed and continued writing her notes until the primrose pegasus tapped her gently on the shoulder. “Twilight, this is the part where we leave mother and daughter to bond.” “Daughter?” she gasped. “Why, yes” she replied with a little giggle, ”Couldn’t you tell?” Casting a lingering look back at the sweat stained white unicorn who had got off her bed and was now leaning over the wriggling foal on the floor, she wanted to share the moment. Rarity was making soft nickering sounds that she had never heard before and the foal seemed to be responding. “Ahem” interrupted Fluttershy tactfully, “Now …” Once the door was closed behind them, the three mares swapped notes on how successful the foaling had been, both friends eager to get the professional’s view on the prognosis for mother and filly. “Um, Nurse Redheart” began Twilight awkwardly, ”If Rarity said anything, like, oh, I don’t know, mentioning a name or anything … that doesn’t mean that pony has any connection with her condition, if you get my meaning.” “I understand” she replied, “Just a name conjured at random. How unconnected thoughts happen to flash through a pony’s mind at times like these escapes me.” The friends relaxed a little, but equally knew that those party to Rarity’s little secret now had a new member.
3 The Start of a New LifeView OnlineRarity's Foal3 The Start of a New LifeRarity was only a week past having given birth when she got a letter from Canterlot bearing the YSL logo. Once she had made sure that Sweetie Belle was happy looking after her new niece, she withdrew to the kitchen so she could have a bit of privacy, but also be free to keep an eye on the pair of them should any intervention be needed. She had a pretty clear understanding of what the letter would contain, and sure enough, few words had been wasted in getting straight to the point. She read, with little surprise, that because of late delivery, her contract had been terminated with immediate effect. At any time earlier in her career, she would have cried and thrown a regal tantrum befitting a true drama queen, but a quick glance at her foal told her she had things to consider now that were far more important than pandering to her former idol, that self-obsessed, narcissistic philanderer. She raised her nose into the air and sniffed haughtily, leaving the letter on the side to show to all her friends when they arrived. First to arrive that morning was Twilight, capitalising upon the opportunity of some flying tuition from Rainbow Dash. Once Rarity had welcomed them in, she showed them the letter and Rainbow had been furious, having to be forcibly restrained to prevent her from flying directly up to Canterlot and punching his lights out. Indeed, if Twilight hadn't had restraining magic at her disposal it was unlikely that either of them would have been able to stop her, such had been her anger. “So what are you going to do now, Rarity?” asked Twilight. “Well, I’ll let you girls into a little secret, if you want” she smiled conspiratorially, “As a new mother, I have found precious few outlets for foals’ clothing, and those that you can buy are simply a crime against fashion, so I have identified an opening in the market where I can positively clean up; stylish foalwear!” “But what about those fancy frocks you’re so famous for?” asked Rainbow. “Oh, I can still make the occasional one on a commission basis or for friends, but the business is too cutthroat, darling. Now I have the security of a foal to think of, I want to have a more reliable source of income that doesn’t keep me up all hours of the night and doesn't take me away to fashion shows for days at a time.” “Wow, Rarity” exclaimed Twilight, “That’s brilliant!” “Yeah” agreed Rainbow, ”Cool outfits for fashion conscious foals and their parents, huh?” “Why, of course darling” agreed Rarity, “Never too early to start them off on a habit that will last them a lifetime, wouldn’t you say?” “You know, maybe having a foal has turned out to be just what you needed” pondered Twilight. “Yes, I think you could well be right. It didn’t seem so at first, but she has opened me up to this whole new venture that I would never have recognised before” she agreed, adding, “And she is so adorable, I simply cannot imagine my life without her now.” “Talking of which, have you come up with a name already?” pushed Rainbow. “Funny you should ask” smiled Rarity, “I was going to save it to later, but there’s no reason why you can’t know now; I’ve decided to call her Pearl. You see, her coat is purest white and she’s very precious, so it suits her to a tee. Also, ponies will be able to think of me as Mother-of-Pearl, so that's what I'm going to call the new line.” “Only you, Rarity” giggled Twilight, ”Only you.”
