Raise the Sun

"Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is-" Rarity began as she turned to see Fluttershy's entrance, immediately cutting herself off, "Oh, Fluttershy darling! Oh do come in, whatever can I do for you?"

"O-oh, it's nothing." Fluttershy whispered in her ever-meek tone of voice. "I just needed to talk."

"Then talk, my dear!" Rarity flourished at the otherwise empty room about her. "Whatever is on your mind?"

Fluttershy gingerly stepped in, careful to avoid the rows upon rows of dresses that Rarity had assembled for fear of misaligning any. "It's the others," she confessed, "it's all of us really. Ever since a year ago it's been like we've all gone our seperate ways here in Ponyville. Rumors about you leaving for Canterlot, Rainbow Dash going back to Cloudsdale... I-I couldn't."

Rarity gave a start. "Oh nonsense darling! Whoever told you that? I'm staying right here! It might not be much, but it's still home!"

Fluttershy smiled. "Oh, I'm so relieved." she exclaimed, though her relief sounded through the whispers all the same.

Again Rarity gave a slight start before her ears folded down to her head and she sighed. "Alright it's true," she pouted, "things have settled down here, and I always have dreamed of living in Canterlot..."

Fluttershy let out a gasp, her eyes flying wide. "B-b-but you can't!" she protested, "What about our friends? Our weekly spa morning? Or, or-"

By this time Rarity had bitten on her lip, unable to resist her best friend's protests, and tears brimmed on her eyes. "I never said I was going to go now." she insisted, despite her prior plans for immediacy, "I suppose I can stay for a while."

"Oh, Rarity..." Fluttershy gripped her friend in an embrace. "Please don't go. I feel like I'm the only one who cares about our friendship anymore, it's like everypony's gotten so distant...!"

Rarity nodded. "And I'm not helping matters either, am I?" She pondered, before stamping the floor with a hoof. "As Celestia is my witness, we shall remain together!"

"See to it that you do." A familiar voice sounded through the room as Princess Celestia appeared in through Rarity's window. "The situation is much deeper than you know."

"Your highness!" Rarity immediately lowered into a bow, as did Fluttershy. "W-whatever do you mean?"

Celestia nodded, her expression grim. "The Elements of Harmony are growing weaker since their last use. I can only take this to mean the friendships between their wielders are also thinning."

"W-what can we do?" Fluttershy offered, "We're only two..."

Celestia nodded. "I have already seen to Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps it would be best for her sake you visit her. In the meantime I will see to your friends whom I have still not reached. I will see you again on the coming dawn, my little ponies." With a somber sigh, she looked up at the sun through the Boutique's window. "Tread lightly, my faithful subjects. I fear the consequences if we fail this day."

Just as Rarity made to question the severity of the situation, the sun's rays glinted brighter through her window, and the radiant princess had gone  with it. "And to think I wanted to move to Canterlot in spite of all this?" she pondered aloud, "How could I? Ah, what have I done!"

"Uh, Rarity?"

"Imagine me, turning my back on my friends!"

"Rarity?"

"Oh-hoh-hoh, woe is meeeeeeeeee!" Rarity cried.

Fluttershy spent the next several minutes trying to calm the young unicorn's wallowing in despair. Silently, she regretted her own building obsession with her animals' caretaking. If everything Princess Celestia had said was true... it was going to be a long day.