I'm Still in Love with You
All the Words in the World Aren't Enough
I sat before my sewing machine, staring down at the mulberry dress that I designed, with little fuchsia spots towards the bottom. Only the most beautiful dresses from Carousel Boutique, right?
I took the newly-made dress and hung it over a pony mannequin, next to the fuchsia dress with violet stripes and the violet hat with a pink bow around it. Staring at my latest creations, I frowned.
It's been six months, is that right? Oh who am I kidding, I’ve counted the days, the hours, even the nights since she left for Canterlot. I winced as I pictured her expression when I told her that I couldn’t do it anymore, that after I was gone, she'd pursue another.
“Oh Celestia, I can’t be thinking about this again,” I groaned, bracing for the impact of memories that bombarded my mind against my will...
It was several weeks after that pesky sleepover Twilight set up, and I hadn’t seen Applejack since. Twilight, however, was a different story. I had brought and returned multiple books from her library, most of them I hadn’t read past page 5. I swore that her eyes twinkled like stars as her head perked up from whatever task she had set that dazzling mind too, whether it was calling out for Spike’s help, or levitating books into different shelves. One time, I giggled at the thought, Twilight grinned and whipped her head around to see me enter her library, only for her magic to send the books flying into the wall. I couldn’t stop laughing, not even when Twilight huffed and levitated the books back to their spots.
“Is this why you came here? To laugh at my misfortune?” Twilight stared into my eyes, a small smile creeping up her face.
“Oh no darling, I’d get nothing done!” I smirked. “Just watching as you scramble from books to customers to Spike, until the day is done? Why, it's quite tempting now that you think about it.”
“I bet,” Twilight’s small smile grew into a wider one, as she batted her eyelashes at me. “Say, what book are you interested in today?”
“Well, there was this sleepover I had a while back,” I began to explain. “And I began to see this mare in a new light. I fancy her, if you will. And I like to think that I’ve been dropping hints, but I don’t think she’s gotten any of them. Is there a book for that dilemma, my dear Twilight?”
Twilight’s eyes widened as her smile was gone with the wind. Slowly opening her mouth, she responded with:
“You like Applejack?”
Before I could stop myself, I laughed, nearly falling on my rear end as tears came to my eyes. Stopping myself, if only to save ourselves from losing our sanity, I wiped my eyes dry with a hoof, and shook my head.
“Oh sweet Celestia, no!” I told her. “I just managed to get on good terms with her, love. Nothing more, I assure you.”
“Oh,” Twilight stepped forward, her expression glowing as she stared below my eyes. “That’s...nice.”
I attempted to pull together the right string of words for a response, but our breaths melding into one spoke enough for itself. Feeling her muzzle tickling mine, I closed my eyes and caved in to the symphony of different notes playing in my head, the addicting warmth bathing over the both of us as our lips met. When I had first met this mare, I couldn’t know if she saw herself with a stallion or another mare. But as we spoke after the sleepover, I had this feeling that Twilight told me was called intuition. Celestia bless my intuition.
Time seemed to melt away as the only sensation I experienced was her lips on mine. I heard a sound near the door to Twilight’s room, and I pulled out of the kiss. The sound continued until Spike managed to open the door, his tail flickering as his eyes met mine.
“Rarity!” Spike grinned. “What brings you here?”
“Oh, I uh, was getting another book!” I told him, before turning back to Twilight. “It was on fashion history, right Twilight?”
“Yep!” Twilight turned around, barely revealing her grin and blushing cheeks. Using her magic, she took a book from the shelves and threw it towards me. Catching it with my magic, I grabbed it with my teeth and waved my hoof.
“I’ll see you later?” I managed to say with the book in my mouth, trying not to spit any saliva into it.
“Mmhmm,” Twilight smirked, looking at me with those half-lidded eyes again. With her back turned to Spike, Spike waved at me and said goodbye.
I walked out of the library, looking forward to our next conversation. Perhaps she’ll ask me out, or kiss me again. My heart skipped at the thought, and I used my magic to open and close the door to my boutique. Setting down my book, I glanced at the cover.
“Hay Cooking 101? This isn’t what I wanted. I better go back and...” My eyes widened, before I smiled and stared at the door. “Twilight, you sneaky mare.”
As I bathed in a familiar rush from the memory, I jumped as I heard several knocks on the door. Normally it was unlocked, but for the past few months, I had kept it locked so I could be alone with my own thoughts and ideas.
“Coming!” I shouted, before dashing over and opening the door with my magic. Speaking of dashing, Rainbow Dash was at the door.
“Heya Rarity,” Dash had a blank expression plastered on her face. “How are you?”
“Why, I’ve been doing just splendid, darling!” I told her. “What can I do for you?”
“Oh, I just um, wanted to check out your dresses,” Dash shrugged, walking past me.
“Since when have you ever wanted a dre-oh! Does someone have a secret marefriend, perhaps?” I teased, leaning against the pegasus as she stared at my dressed mannequins.
“Your color schemes are...interesting,” Dash said, before her eyes met mine. “Are you okay, Rarity?”
“Certainly! Why wouldn’t I be?” I batted my eyelashes.
“Rarity, it was years ago,” Dash whispered.
“I beg your pardon?” My body tensed as I narrowed my eyes at Rainbow Dash.
“Nothing!” Dash flinched. “You were right, dresses are boring anyway. I’ll look for something else, somewhere else. See you later, Rarity!”
Rainbow Dash took off, swinging the door open and flying into the sky before I could respond. I frowned, the comment stinging my heart. So what if it was years ago? I was allowed to have feelings. I gave a sharp exhale before using my magic to open the door to my room. Closing the door, I marched over to my pillows, pushing them aside. Behind the pillows, was the orange cat plush with black stripes. I felt warmth in my chest as I climbed onto the bed and brought the plush to my chest with my hoof.
“Oh Stripe, why me?” I sighed, running my hoof down the plush’s backside. While my chest was still warm, my ears flattened as I felt my eyes water. These two feelings shouldn’t clash with one another, but with Twilight Sparkle’s image in my mind, they do. Far more often than they should.
Staring down into Stripe’s beady little eyes, I felt my mind being pulled into another memory...
Several days passed now, and I walked straight towards the carnival visiting Ponyville. I glanced over my shoulder to see Twilight’s wide eyes taking in the roller coasters and groups of ponies with cotton candy and candy apples, laughing away and getting lost in conversation.
“You’ve really never been to one of these before?” I asked Twilight. Still staring off in another direction, Twilight gave a small nod. Bless her heart, she made it hard not to kiss her right then and there. I waited for her to catch up, before leaning against her and resting my head against her shoulder. Twilight turned to look at me, pressing her lips against my forehead.
I moved back as we saw Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie jumping into view. Well, mostly the latter. Rainbow Dash was flying around the pink mare, cackling about Celestia knows what. Their eyes landed on us, and Pinkie zoomed towards us in a pink blur that nearly caused me to jump out of my own fur. Rainbow Dash followed half as quickly, flying towards us and landing beside Pinkie.
“Hey you two,” Dash glanced at Twilight, before looking at me. “Carnival scene, huh? No spa date, or reorganizing books?”
“Haha, very funny,” I rolled my eyes. “What are you two doing here?”
“Coming up with pranks of course!” Dash dug her hooves in Pinkie’s mane, pulling out several whoopie cushions and worms. Shrieking at the sight of the latter, I jumped onto Twilight's back, nearly causing her to buckle beneath me. Dash fell on her rear and laughed loud enough to wake the dead, while Pinkie smiled at her with a familiar warmth that I recognized. Oh, that oblivious pegasus.
"Rarity, they're fake worms!" Dash told me as her laugh settled. I glared at her as I jumped off Twilight's back. Twilight stretched her legs and her back, using magic to rub the latter.
"Ack, you almost killed me, Rarity," Twilight chuckled, wincing at the same time.
"Oh, sorry darling," I felt her back with my hooves before I could stop myself, and the two mares in front of us stared at us with open mouths.
"Wait, are you two dating?" Dash asked.
"Oh, um, are we?" Twilight blushed, looking over her shoulder to meet my eyes.
"Oh, yes! We are," I told them, wrapping my foreleg around Twilight's shoulders. "But please, don't tell Spike. I want to do it myself."
"Oh, right," Dash frowned. "I forgot about that."
"No need to worry darling, lets just have a great time," I assured her. "Where are Applejack and Fluttershy, by the way?"
"Fluttershy probably turned in early," Dash guessed. "And Applejack's either bucking apple trees or making dinner for her family."
"Shame they couldn't come," I sighed. "Shall we Twilight?"
Twilight nodded, following me as I walked past the different stands and rides. I stopped, my eyes landing on a plump orange cat plush with black stripes.
"Oh. My. Gosh!" I ran towards the stand. "That has got to be the cutest plush ever!"
"You want it?" Twilight asked with that simple smile of hers, levitating a few bits to the pony at the stand. "How much is it?"
"It's four bits to play for it, ma'am," the white stallion with floppy brown hair replied. "You then get three balls to try and throw into the bottle riiight there."
"All the way ov...okay! This should be-" Twilight stopped mid-sentence as the stallion used his magic to place a ring over her horn. Staring at her horn, Twilight frowned.
"Well, it would be hardly fair," the stallion shrugged. "If it makes you feel better, the pegasi can't use their wings either."
"Oh, don't you worry yourself Twi," I rested my hoof on her shoulder. "I don't want it that bad."
But Twilight took the first ball in her hoof as the stallion took her four bits. Standing on her hindlegs and closing her right eye, Twilight stayed silent as she kept moving the angle of her hoof for several seconds, before tossing it straight towards the bottle. Barely missing the bottle by an inch, Twilight whispered something under her breath before taking the second ball and trying again. The ball barely missed once more, and Twilight's scowl grew.
She whispered under her breath again, the only word I caught was "rigged." This time, she remained silently moving the third ball for two minutes.
"Miss, your friend is taking too long and-"
"Shh!" I shushed the mare waiting behind us. "She's concentrating!"
Twilight took a deep breath, before tossing the ball with a throw that wasn't as fast as the last two. My heart nearly jumped out of its chest as the ball landed right in the bottle.
"Yes!" I used my magic to pull Twilight to my side, nuzzling her cheek. "We'll take the cat plush!"
The stallion stared open-mouthed at the ball in the bottle, before narrowing his eyes at Twilight.
"Maybe that ring is a dud," the stallion whispered.
"No way!" I stepped forward. "Twilight Sparkle is one of the smartest and most accurate ponies I know. I think you're just trying to rip her off."
"Fine! Take the stupid cat," the stallion huffed, levitating the cat plush into my hooves. As I used my magic to carry the plush safely on my back, Twilight wrapped her hooves around me and buried her face into my mane.
"Anything else I can get for my lady?" Twilight asked.
"Twi! Since when have you become such a smooth-talker?" I giggled as she pulled her face out of my mane. "But in all seriousness, thank you for this. I think I'll name him Stripe."
"Hmm, he looks more like a Garfield to me," Twilight commented, staring at the plush.
"Why Garfield?" I asked.
"Hmm," Twilight shrugged. "Just a hunch, I suppose."
With the bits I had with me, we went on a ride that was practically a carnival tradition for me: the ferris wheel. With Stripe in the middle of us, we sat in our seats as it lifted from the ground.
My heart and my mind were at a peace that I'd never felt before: staring at the stars complimenting the night sky, glancing at the fat cat plush before looking up to stare into Twilight's violet purple eyes, already staring back at me. Three words jumped into the forefront of my mind, but it was too soon. For now, this alone will say enough.
I pressed my lips against hers, feeling her hoof pressing gently against my cheek. As the kiss ended, I pressed my hoof against her hoof.
"Maybe Dash has a point," I told her. "Perhaps we can spend an afternoon organizing some of your returned books?"
Twilight's eyes lit up.
"I'd like that, Rarity."
The sky had turned a dark blue with Twilight's moon hanging over the stars. That was the thing about having a Queen as an ex-marefriend, every little detail in the sky brought back memories of a mare that I didn't want to remember, a mare that wouldn't respond to my letters, alluding to wanting more than what we already have.
I heard a knock on my door again. Glancing down at Stripe, I gave him a small kiss on his head before gently tucking him behind the pillows. Opening the door to my room, I trotted over to the boutique door and opened it. Applejack stood in front of me, a basket containing an apple pie hanging from her mouth.
Applejack took several steps inside the boutique before placing the basket on the floor.
"Hey, Rare," Applejack stepped closer, pulling me into an embrace. "Take it this apple pie will be your dinner for the next few nights?"
"Probably," I shrugged, attempting at what I hoped was a smile.
"Ah swear, sugarcube, ah gotta teach you how to cook sometime," Applejack shook her head, ending the hug. "Doesn't even have to be apples, can be soup or pasta. Something, Rare."
Applejack's expression was pleading with me, her wide eyes attempting to reach out to me, pull me out of the memories I keep succumbing to.
"Ah'm sorry to bring 'er up," Applejack frowned, glancing at the door. "And ah know we're all supposed to be friends, but she just ain't treating ya like one. Ah have half a mind to write a strongly-worded letter-"
"Applejack."
"What?" Applejack turned her head to look at me once more. "You deserve a better mare than 'er, Rarity. Somepony that looks after you always."
I felt my body tensing up as my eyes widened.
"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" I asked her.
"Is that so wrong?" Applejack asked, narrowing her eyes at me.
"Applejack, you don't want to be my second choice," I sighed, turning my back to her as I looked at my mannequins. "I think it's best that you go."
Applejack stepped forward, staring at the mannequins in purple and fuschia before giving a sharp exhale and slamming the door shut. I turned around, seeing that the basket was still near the door untouched. I stepped forward, staring at the apple pie until I felt a tightness within my throat.
Turning around and walking back into my room, I closed and locked the door. In the darkness, I jumped onto the bed and pulled Stripe out from the pillows and close to my chest. As the moonlight rested over me and Stripe, I allowed my watering eyes to finally let the tears escape into my pillow.
My eyes flickered open as I glanced down at Stripe still resting against my chest.
“186 days now, Stripe,” I whispered in the plush’s ear. “Here’s to a better day, right?”
Or a more productive day, at least. I opened the door to see the three mannequins, sitting there in their purple and pink dresses and accessories. What do I call this new line of fashion? Will other ponies like it?
I jumped as I heard knocking on my door, more aggressive than Dash’s or Applejack’s knocking. Walking to the door, I opened it only for a pink blur to rush past me, causing me to fall onto the floor. I turned my head to the left, seeing a familiar pink pony hopping around my mannequins.
"Rarity!" Pinkie jumped at me, her hooves gripping my shoulders. "I'm getting married!"
"Oh, he proposed?" I asked her, to which Pinkie nodded like a bobblehead. "That's wonderful, Pinkie, I'm sure you want me to-"
"Oh it was, Rarity!" Pinkie grinned. "He threw a party, a party! And there were cupcakes everywhere, and cake!"
"Darling, was I not invited?" I asked.
"Oh, you were! But you told Applejack that you weren't up for going to a party," Pinkie explained.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. If I had known that it wasn't just any party…" I drifted off, my words lost to me as I felt my eyes rapidly blinking and my chest tightening.
Pinkie's grin vanished as she looked at me, her expression giving away nothing for a few moments, until she frowned.
"Hey, it's okay," Pinkie stepped back, allowing me to get up on my hooves. "You can always come to the engagement party."
"Was that not the engagement party?" I asked.
"No silly! It was the proposal party!" Pinkie told me, her grin returning. "I'll be needing a wedding dress, several dresses for the bridesmaids, and several tuxedos for the groomscolts."
"Any themes you had in mind, darling?" I asked her. Pinkie put a hoof to her chin as she thought for a few moments in silence, her eyes glancing over at…
"These colorswould be great for the bridesmaids!" Pinkie decided, pointing a hoof at my mannequins. "And maybe pink and blue for the tuxedos, and something special for my wedding dress. I haven't decided on exactly what yet."
"Alright dear, just fill out this form for how many," I told her, giving her a form attached to a clipboard with my magic. Pinkie took a pen from the table and sat in front of the clipboard, writing away.
"So dear, if you don't mind me asking…will Rainbow Dash be at your wedding?"
Pinkie dropped the pen from her mouth, glancing at me with a stare so quiet, my heart started beating faster.
"Yes, and Twilight will be there too," Pinkie replied. "These relationships were years ago, so why does it matter?"
There it was again, that cursed word. No time would change the beating of my heart, the discomfort that came everytime I remembered what happened in the final moments of our relationship…
The day had been simply dreadful with trying to manipulate rain clouds, waking up with a rainbow mark on my flank. Twilight had managed to help me reunite with my true calling, along with our friends. Then, our Elements all shot at Twilight at once, leaving nothing but a scorch mark in the library.
We were lost until Twilight reappeared with a set of wings, and with my blood running cold, I realized that she had become an alicorn. A royal and immortal alicorn.
I recall her hugging me at one point, but I found myself practically speechless. What was there to say that could be said in front of our friends? In front of the Princesses?
I waited till after the coronation, when I walked into the castle where Celestia was walking towards the stairs. Taking a deep breath, I followed her and spoke.
"How dare you," I managed to say aloud.
Celestia stopped in her tracks, turning her head to look at me.
"I'm sorry?" Celestia frowned.
"You should be," I glared at her. "To make my marefriend immortal without talking to me about it. Take it back."
"Take it...back?" Celestia asked.
"You are just as capable of removing those wings as you are giving them," My voice went lower. "Take. It. Back."
"Rarity, Twilight Sparkle is one in a million," Celestia said softly. "To deprive her of all of this, just because she is seeing you? Don't you see how selfish that is?"
"Selfish?!" I shrieked. "You're the one who made Twilight just like you! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you just wanted her for yourself."
"Rarity, you are way out of line," Celestia returned my glare, turning her body to face me.
"Tell me I'm wrong!" I stomped my hoof.
"Rarity!"
I froze up, and when I tried to move, I couldn't. I felt my body being turned away from Celestia and towards the door.
"I'm sorry about her, Celestia," I heard Twilight say from behind me. "I'll talk to her."
"Please," Celestia huffed.
My mouth couldn't move, I could barely breathe. I felt my body being placed on the balcony, facing Twilight, when I regained my ability to move.
"You...used your magic on me," I whispered.
"You were causing a scene, Rarity," Twilight frowned. "What did Celestia do anyway?"
"She made you an alicorn," I told her.
Twilight paused, opening her mouth briefly before closing it. She looked away.
"What's wrong with that, again?" Twilight asked.
"Twilight! You'll outlive me, and you'll find somepony else," I explained to her. "Not only that, but Celestia did all this without talking to me. Our relationship isn't for the rest of our lives anymore, it's for the rest of mine. And you'll find somepony else, and I'll…"
I buried my face in my hooves, a tortured sound escaping my mouth.
"I'll be n-n-nothing but a memory!" I sobbed. "Oh, I'd be so lucky! You might not even remember our kisses in the library, the ferris wheel, and everywhere else. Twilight Sparkle, I'm in love with you…"
"But," Twilight frowned, reading my mind.
"But I cannot compete with her," I glanced in the direction where Celestia once was. “The mare that can lift the sun, banish her sister, and now sweep my marefriend out of my reach. Twilight, you’re smart with your books, but you cannot understand the level that a mare is willing to stoop to for the sake of attraction.”
“Celestia? Liking me?” Twilight laughed. “Rarity, she’s like a thousand years old! She’s my mentor, not some pony I’d choose over you.”
“Well, when I’m gone, you won’t have to,” I huffed, turning my back to Twilight. Nothing that Twilight could say would change the soul-crushing realization that she was no longer in my hooves.
She won.
“It's over, Twilight,” More tears streamed down my face. Our relationship wasn’t real anymore, it couldn’t be with another pony in the picture, with Twilight belonging to a destiny that had no room for me.
It was over.
Tears joined tears already on my floor for Celestia knows how long after Pinkie left. After that day, Twilight and I rarely spoke to each other. Only to be civil, fellow Elements of Harmony. But now that she was in Canterlot, it was like we were never anything.
When I heard another knock on the door to my boutique, I tensed up. Now wasn’t the time for Dash’s flighty attitude, Applejack’s advances, or Pinkie’s defensive remarks. I couldn’t handle it, not today.
“Go away!” I shrieked, bolting to my room. Closing the door, I dove under the pillows and brought Stripe to my face. I messed up, Celestia couldn’t have been interested in Twilight, and perhaps Twilight would’ve given me a place by her side. I’ll never know unless…
“Rarity?” I heard a soft voice. “You left your door unlocked, I’m just here to check up on you.”
“Oh Fluttershy, I still love her,” I whimpered into Stripe’s stomach.
“I know,” Fluttershy whispered. I felt her hoof rubbing my back, in the soothing motion that only Fluttershy could.
“So you're going to tell me that I have to move on?” I removed my head from the pillows, sitting up and revealing Stripe as I held him in my hooves. Fluttershy adjusted her hoof so that she was still rubbing my back.
“No,” Fluttershy frowned. “But you need to do something.”
“Like what? The letters I’ve sent to her have done nothing,” I pointed out.
“Well, maybe words alone aren’t enough,” Fluttershy suggested. “Maybe a gesture to show that you want her back will open her eyes.”
“And if it doesn’t?” I asked.
“Then...you’ve gotten your answer,” Fluttershy patted my shoulder, returning her hoof to her side. “Either way, you should go back to your business. Ponies have been sending you letters, asking when the boutique will open up again. No mare is worth this much pain. And maybe…”
Fluttershy glanced at Stripe for a second, and I held him harder against my chest.
“Never,” I growled. “It’s all I have left of her.”
“Oh no, I just mean that you could tuck it somewhere else, like your closet!” Fluttershy gave a small smile as she stretched out her wings.
“Oh, sorry,” I blushed, dropping Stripe into Fluttershy’s wings. Fluttershy got up, placing Stripe on her back as her wing opened the door handle.
“Oh wait!” I gasped, realizing too late where she was taking Stripe. I jumped off my bed, but Fluttershy was already staring at the many poems on the closet wall, decorating the dark space like stars in a night sky.
Fluttershy walked to the one closest to her eye level, whispering the words that I knew too well.
“She wrote you all of these?” Fluttershy asked, glancing at me over her shoulder.
“Y-Yes,” I stammered. “You can just place Stripe on that box over there.”
“And what’s in the box?” Fluttershy asked, gently placing Stripe on top of the brown box.
“Memories,” I told her as she walked out of the closet. Using my magic to close the door, I asked her a question. “Do you have anything else to do today?”
“I’ve already left my animals’ in Discord’s care, why?” Fluttershy asked.
“I need some support while I brainstorm,” I told her. “I’ll be writing, nothing that I’ll send to her. But hopefully I’ll stumble upon something during my letters.”
“I’ll get us some tea,” Fluttershy hugged me with her wings, nuzzling my face briefly before opening the door to my room and leaving the boutique.
I grabbed several sheets of paper from my room, dropping them at my desk and retrieving the nearest pen with my magic. It was a page out of my former lover’s book, writing out your thoughts. But if I covered all of them, I’d have a whole novel…
Hmm, that might not be such a bad idea. I took a mental note and started writing off the top of my head:
Twilight Sparkle, why don’t you answer my letters? Do I not mean anything to you anymore?
Do you remember the times where I’d lean against you and cuddle into your side? Do you remember the long nights where you’d unload the latest trouble on me, and I to you? Afternoons where we’d both use our magic to organize and reorganize books, over and over until I would kiss you, and we’d waste the day away enjoying each other’s company? And maybe we could never get back together…
I felt a pang in my heart at that line, but I continued regardless.
...but what happened to us? Surely the Princess of Friendship doesn’t find our fallout to be irreparable? Have I ever apologized? I’m sorry to you, Twilight Sparkle, and to Celestia, and all the creatures that faded away in the name of my love for you. Perhaps I love you more than anypony should. Who writes these many letters?
I suppose that I can’t help it, not after all we’ve been through. Maybe I’m a crazy mare, out of my mind. But I’d rather be out of my mind, getting lost in thoughts of you, than be a pony that doesn’t feel anything at all.
All I want to know is...do you still think about us? Have you forgotten me? Do you want to forget me? Do you still care about me?
As I wrote the final line to that letter, a lightbulb appeared over my horn. I knew exactly what to do. Writing one more letter for myself before I began my plan, I grabbed a new paper.
This letter is the last letter that I will speak of you, my Twilight Sparkle...
Several months later
“So you’re not going to see her face-to-face?” Fluttershy asked me as the two of us sat on the seats in the train to Canterlot.
“Oh no, darling,” I replied. “Don’t get me wrong, the thought crossed my mind a few times. But what’s in this box will speak enough words than I ever could. And you’re the only one I can trust to bring along for this particular trip.”
“Oh, well, I’m honored,” Fluttershy smiled.
“As soon as we get off the train, I will teleport to the castle for a few minutes,” I explained. “You wait at the train station, and I’ll return from this trip as soon as possible.”
After an hour or so, we had stepped off the train. Fluttershy sat at the bench nearby, pulling out a book from her wing and opening it. Glancing at me, Fluttershy mouthed “good luck,” and it brought warmth to my heart.
“Thank you,” I told her. With the sealed box on my back, I casted a teleportation spell and the train station was gone. Replaced by the castles of Canterlot, I walked over to the nearest guardspony.
“Sir, I need you to do me a favor,” I told the pony. “I’m Rarity, Element of Generosity, and I have a gift for Twilight Sparkle.”
“Oh, well, I can take y-”
“Let me finish,” I insisted, never breaking my smile. “She cannot know who brought this gift, you must bring it to her yourself. But do not try to take credit for it either, because I will know. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the guardspony nodded. “It was brought to me from an anonymous pony.”
“Exactly,” I used my magic to give him a few bits from my mane, as well as placing the box on his back. “Thank you, you have no idea how much this means to me.”
“Oh, it’s my plea-”
Before he could finish, I teleported back to the train station where Fluttershy was waiting for me. Walking towards my dear friend, I felt myself glowing for the first time in a long time.
“Rarity,” Fluttershy whispered, keeping a small smile. “Remember that she might not respond.”
“I know, darling,” I shrugged. “But to put it out there, that she’s still in my heart...that’s priceless, don’t you think?”
Author's Note
Even though I wrote this originally as a stand-alone, I am open to writing a sequel if enough people are interested. Thanks for reading, and please review!
