Rarity Gets Weird in the Hot Tub

by Gweat and Powaful Twixie

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Comedy, Romance, Tragedy
Length: 48083

Rarity invites Fluttershy to the spa again, but not everything goes as planned.

Rarity invites Fluttershy to the spa and as they settle themselves in for a relaxing afternoon, Rarity's mind begins to wander.

The image inspired it.

What happens afterwards is the product of unrequited emotions as way too many ponies get caught up in the unicorn's passion play.

Rated T for shameless shipping and heavy implication. Also there is A Goofy Movie reference.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-01-26 18:27:21 UTC

Off to the Forest

Off to the Forest

Rarity slammed the door and pulled all the curtains, leaving her alone in the dark. At least nopony would be able to see her face. Her boutique was silent and she liked it that way. Her memories kept flashing back to that dreadful exchange only moments before. She could barely remember the moans she made, but she could still  hear her darling's voice waver as she called her name in confusion. Every time that track played through head she wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it.

Her face was still blazing scarlet, if she hadn't dashed home so fast, somepony probably would have stopped her and laughed at her miserable, horrible, failed attempt at seducing that wonderful mare. She could hardly believe she just did that. She wished all the blood in her face would just make her explode. She smacked her head against the wall in humiliation.

She just let a water jet do that to her...

The plan was fool-proof. She was this close, this close to having Fluttershy. She was exactly where she wanted her, in a comfortable, lonely hot tub with only each other to pass them time with. She could have had that pegasus all day long. If she hadn't messed up they'd probably be fulfilling each other's loving fantasies right now. But instead she was probably sitting in that tub wondering what the hay just happened, and Rarity was at home having an emotional breakdown. It wasn't her fault though.

As soon as Fluttershy entered the room, her heart began to thump in her chest and her mind was blurred by passion. There was just so much sensation in that tub, the bubbles and pressure, the warm feelings and the fire she felt. It was like Fluttershy had already taken her and was running her delicate touch and tender love all across Rarity. She almost felt her lips now...

Her blush lightened and she let a content smile spread across her face as she remembered the 'slightly-fabricated' moment. Her passion hadn't quelled, but this was a major setback.

Then those water jets just had to hit her in the perfect place and Fluttershy just had to touch her.

She didn't even want to think about it.

She stomped into the kitchen, entering with a loud and frustrated pout. Sweetie Belle was busy colouring at the table when she noticed her sister. Rarity pulled her chaise longue out from somewhere and buried her face into it, crying obnoxiously. Sweetie Belle didn't seem to notice her, so Rarity moved the it slightly closer and more centered to her field of vision before resuming, crying even louder. Sweetie Belle's expression didn't change as she struggled to remain focused on her drawing.

Rarity continued to cry louder and louder, challenging the temper of her sister. As she did, it was clear that Sweetie Belle wasn't going to budge. Hmph!

"Well aren't you going to ask me what's wrong?!" Rarity nearly yelling at her after finally giving up.

"What's wrong?" Sweetie Belle replied flatly after spitting her crayon out. Her eye never left her paper.

"I don't... want to talk about it..." Rarity dramatically explained, holding her hoof up to her forehead. Rarity fell back over on her couch, posing more like she was taking a tragic photo-shoot.

"Ok."

Rarity gave Sweetie Belle a stern look that she didn't even notice. Sweetie Belle picked up another crayon and resumed colouring.

"Fine since you insist on knowing! My spa day with Fluttershy ended absoulutely dreadfully. She looked stunning and I thought I had her, but those blasted water jets in the expensive tub..." She dropped her sentence and looked at Sweetie Belle stupidly. Right, Sweetie Belle was still a little filly.

"Uh huh..."

"They were uhh, really nice! You should uhh...try them...  sometime..." Rarity let out the awkwardest laugh. The image of her sister trying that hot tub was going to burned into her mind for awhile now.

"Okahy..."

Rarity's eye twitched slightly as she stared up at the ceiling. She couldn't take it anymore, she had to tell somepony, anypony. She had harbored these feelings for so long that now they were eating away at her. The passion had taken her and if she could release any of her pent up frustration, she'd explode. Never did she expect it to come to this, but alas it has. She unleashed herself on her kindergarten sister.

"Oh Sweetie Belle! I just can't get through to that darling Fluttershy! Every time I try and court her, something goes horribly wrong! She's just the shyest little pony. If only I could make her see I'm nothing to fear." Rarity flailed psychotically.

"You anhd whaht now...?" She tore her fixation away to watch her sister nearly tip the couch over, her crayon still in her mouth.

"If only there was a way to turn her shyness to my advantage..." She scratched her chin. Rarity was naturally an artiste and needed to approach her desired mare as a work of art, waiting to be painted. She'd need to weave and manipulate complex emotions in unconventional ways to show poor Fluttershy her beautiful heart. Her beautiful heart of pure loving.

"I need her to come to me when she's afraid. Once she associates me in such a way, I am certain she will open up to me! But how..."

"A-are we t-talking about Fluttershy...?" Sweetie Belle asked with wide, innocent eyes.

Genius stuck her.

"Ideeeeuhhhh!!"

*

Rarity rushed back to the spa with haste, her galloping breaking the quiet words and dealings of the establishment. The clerks gave her a friendly nod and she went to the back. She still had bought an entire day's worth of luxury and as far as she knew, she had only been gone a few minutes. She knew many confused eyes were upon her but she hurried to that regretful room and ripped the curtains open.

"Do you mind?!" shouted a great and powerful mare as a certain lavender unicorn suckled her neck. Twilight blushed and fanned herself as she spotted her friend. It was just as cute as it sounds.

"Oh... I'm sorry... wrong room..." Rarity lingered there for a moment with judging eyes. Twilight giggled nervously before Rarity gave her an approving wink.

She just blushed more and hid her face under Trixie's hat.

"Rarity? Is that you?" Fluttershy called out from down the hall.

Before she could even finish the sentence, Rarity was already in the room, panting lightly with a crazed look in her eye. Fluttershy quietly soaking in the hot tub. It had probably only been five minutes. Laps were short when one lived next door to the spa.

"I'm sure glad you're back, I thought I scare--" Fluttershy began.

"Quick! There's no time! Come with me to the Everfree Forest!"

*

All in the name of love, Rarity had torn an unsuspecting Fluttershy from her relaxation and thrust her straight into one of her worst nightmares. The dark forest breathed down their necks like a haunting shadow and where ever they went they had a feeling that there hoofsteps were being swept away. Always out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a pair of eyes. Eyes that didn't want to hurt or harm, but stalked them, deciding if they would. Every single creaking tree and wild call found their way into Fluttershy's shivering heart.

"R-r-rarity... W-what are w-we doing here?" she stammered.

"We are..." Rarity racked her mind. She probably should have given this more thought. "Searching!... For the thing...!"

Fluttershy winced and latched onto Rarity as a deep rumble came from beyond the thicket. Maybe this wasn't her best idea, but she couldn't help but squee a little as Fluttershy huddled up close to her. Operation 'Take-Fluttershy-Out-to-the-Forest-so-She'd-get-Scared-and-Cuddle-Rarity was showing promise. It ended quickly as the forest seemed to close in on them, swallowing them with darker forms of life. It might not be best to be out in the open. Privacy was preferred anyways. Rarity spotted a nearby cave.

"There! In there is the thing we're looking for!"

Fluttershy wasted no time dashing to it's safety. Rarity pleasantly trotted in after her. It wasn't the most graceful solution, but maybe grace wasn't the way to Fluttershy's heart. She applauded herself for her quick thinking. Fluttershy was busy, trembling her coat off in the darkness of the cave when she entered. Rarity lit her horn. The darkness didn't end and only expanded into a non-reacting void.

"Oh Fluttershy! Don't be afraid." Rarity said compassionately. She put her arm around her.

Fluttershy freed a fret of frustrated fear for she was far from her frolicking fields of furry friends, forever finding feeze in the foolhardy filly.

She went to squeeze her confident friend. "Oh Rarity! Can we just get the thing and leave!?" she asked desperately.

Fluttershy didn't seem to be showing the response Rarity had hoped for. She had imagined a scared mare who she'd sweep off her hooves and then take her hard-earned first kiss from. Then they'd proceed to get away from all this icky dirt and go back to the spa and hopefully make as much progress as Twilight did.

But instead, Fluttershy was just hyperventilating in the feeble position on the ground and this air was going to do ruin on her expertly styled mane. it was rather pathetic. Rarity trotted over to a musty old pedestal at the edge of the darkness and without thinking, she took a dusty orb from the top of it.

"Look, I found the thing," Rarity said flatly. She had never seen such a relieved face on Fluttershy, thus far yet. "Let's just go try the spa again. And this time no water jets."

Fluttershy gingerly smiled at her.

Suddenly, a thick stone wall rose from the ground at the entrance, picking up dirt and plant life with it. It rose until it completely covered the entrance and then locked into place with a thundering rumble. They watched with mouths agape and eyes pealed wide open as their fates were figuratively and literally sealed.

The moment of terror forgot itself and become wonder. Behind them, deeper into the cave, a single glowing mushroom slowly sprung to life from it's unknowing slumber. It shone like a faint, lonely star in the abyss. Then it's closest friend burst to life, triggering a massive chain reaction. green and violet hues that spread across the walls and ceilings like a wildfire igniting an ancient forest.

The cool fire raced across the massive cave, reaching a ceiling high above their little heads. Almost as though it were a gigantic web, lines of mushrooms peppered the distance and outlined the lumpy black landscape The end product was complex network that covered the walls with light that seemed to pulse as some grew brighter or dimmed. There were high mounds on both sides of a cleanly illuminated path, winding further and deeper into the cave.

Cool-coloured fireflies unlike anything Fluttershy had ever seen, floated close enough to shine their faint light over her glistening eyes. The worry had fallen from Fluttershy's face and now she was smiling brightly. Rarity was still trying to put it all together in her mind. She felt a special connection seeing this fantastic display with her Fluttershy.

She looked turned the orb over several time. There was writing on it.

Dreams await

She smiled. That's more like it.

For a lack of better direction they followed the path to the unknown.

Twixie Advice

Twixie Advice

"I don't think it's that weird at all! I mean we're best friends right?"

"What...?" Rarity said a little dumbfounded while making several facial expressions ranging from cute to unreasonable. Fluttershy was okay with them kissing?

"Are you implying that you like kissing me?" Rarity confirmed.

"Oh sure! It's lovely..." She trotted off merrily down the path.

The pulse of the cave shot up. The beat and rhythm were almost primal. She seductively narrowed her eyes at the clueless looking pegasus in front of her. Those big, innocent eyes were just the guise of a master of manipulation. Fluttershy had tricked her and fooled her and lead her on, but now the gig was up. They were going to spend hours in this enchanted cave exploring each other and falling in love. She'd show Fluttershy her generous side until the morning's light.

"Fluttershy! How dare you lead me on such a long venture! Now come over here so I can punish you..." Rarity purred.

"I'm sorry Rarity! I just wanted to find the heart of dreams. Now that we have it, we can leave, I promise."

"No darling I want you to come over here and kiss me." Rarity was getting tired of these games.

"Oh ok..."

Rarity stuck out her lips and closed her eyes, waiting for the beginning of that sweet embrace. She heard Fluttershy giggle and then felt her lips on her cheeks, instead of on her own lips.

"Hee hee! I didn't mean on the lips, I just meant on the cheek." Fluttershy pecked her on the cheek again. "Only special somepony's kiss you on the lips! Friends can kiss on the cheeks!" Fluttershy continued to trot off merrily.

Rarity's eyes began to water as it sunk in. She wanted to cry. Fluttershy seemed to avoid her true feelings yet again and she made no progress, except now she had this silly priceless, ruby artifact. She just hung her head as she followed her friend. The pulse slowed as Rarity's hopes died.

*

Rarity had gone over to Twilight's after the horrible ordeal and was busy overreacting on her chaise longue. Twilight tried to hug a pillow over her ears to somehow block out the constant crying and complaining, but had no luck. Trixie walked in and hung her affections up.

"She's still going?" Trixie half-yelled to her lover, trying to be heard over the noise.

"Yup..." Twilight was not amused.

"Have you tried talking to her?"

"Yup..."

"Do you want Trixie to say something to her?"

"Go right ahead..."

Twilight motioned to the fabulous, flailing unicorn. Trixie forced a smile and went and sat down on Rarity's chaise longue, stroking her mane. Rarity stopped crying and looked up at her with hurt eyes.

"There there," she soothed. "Everything is alright. Tell Trixie what's the matter."

Rarity sniffled and snorted in a big glob of runny mucus back into her nose.

"Fl-fluttershy is b-being mean! I tried to kiss her and t-then she kissed me on the cheek and now everything is ruined!" Rarity barely choked out.

Trixie turned around desperately to Twilight for support who was trying to remain non-confrontational. After some angry gesturing between the two magicians Trixie turned back to the unicorn who had gently made her way into Trixie's lap and cried softly into it. Trixie sighed. Rarity was actually really cute sometimes. If she wasn't with Twilight, Rarity wouldn't be a bad backup.

"M-maybe you should tell me h-how you and Twilight found each other." Rarity's eyes begged her the same as her words.

Twilight choked on absoulutely nothing as Trixie blushed a deep scarlet.

"Uhh Trixie does not think Twilight Sparkle would approve of that." Twilight shot her an stink eye. "Trixie knows Twilight Sparkle would not approve of that," she corrected.

"But I wanna know!" Rarity whined.

"You don't want to get Trixie in trouble now, do you?" She nervously stroked Rarity's mane.

"Hmph! I wish I could get somepony in trouble for spilling how we met..." Rarity pouted as she pawed at one of Trixie's dangling locks.

"Have you tried asking her out on a date?" Trixie suggested.

"Four times. The cafe, the Heartwarming's Eve Ball, the spa and the other one you can ask Twilight about." Rarity nonchalantly listed off.

"Oh is that right?" Trixie playfully accused.

"Don't get up in arms. Fluttershy just asked us to stay in their room for three days while we were in Canterlot." Twilight waved off, eyes glued to the book.

"Why wasn't Trixie invited?"

Rarity noticed the subject shift away from her and whimpered a little. That brought Trixie's attention back to her.

"But why don't you just tell her how you feel?" Trixie wiped a tear from Rarity's eye.

"What if she doesn't share my affection...?"

"Honestly, considering all the heartache you've already gone through and still go through on a weekly basis, Trixie thinks it would be best to just tell her." Twilight shot Trixie and approving look.

Rarity sniffled and blew her nose with a tissue she got from somewhere and put her chaise longue back somewhere else..

"You're right Trixie! I need to go tell her right now!" Rarity declared. She ran out the door in the direction of Fluttershy's cottage.

Trixie smiled smugly at Twilight as she closed her back to the door, locking it with magic. Twilight saw the glimmer in her eye, got up and slowly made her way to the great and lovely mare.

"So how did Trixie do?" She smiled seductively at Twilight. "Has she not learned a thing or two about friendship?"

"Oh Trixie." Twilight stood up against the door, trapping Trixie between her hooves. "You're such a good friend. But that won't be enough for me..." She began to suck on her neck

"My my, has somepony been a little frustrated today?" Trixie gasped as soon as she felt Twilight's warm tongue. Twilight's tail moved up her legs.

"Mmm... I'm always frustrated with you..." Twilight said softly between her kisses.

"Only one way to fix that..."

*

Rarity galloped to Fluttershy's cottage as fast as her legs would carry her. Her heart was racing, after so much pent up emotional frustration, the finality of professing her heart to Fluttershy would allow her to either have her or move on. She was tired of the game and just wanted the prize or to lose already. She found Fluttershy timidly approaching a cloud that had drifted a bit low.

"Flutter darling, can you come here for a second. I have something to tell you."

Long Dates and Hot Waits

Long Dates and Hot Waits

"What is it Rarity? Do we need to go to the forest again? As much as I dislike the forest, going with you was a lot of fun," Fluttershy chimed with a blush.

"No no no no no... Darling, I have a confession..." Rarity took in a deep breath. Her heart hung in the balance.

Here goes everything for like the fourth time this week time.

"I like you."

The words lingered in the air for longer than Rarity was comfortable with. Say something!

"I like you too?" Fluttershy mirrored skeptically. She was obviously still in the 'friend' mentality.

"No, I'm serious. I love you." Rarity corrected.

"Well I love you too. Friends always love each other!" This was getting old.

She facehoofed. "Fluttershy darling not like that! I mean I love you! I want to hold you and kiss you and sweep you off your hooves and cuddle you next to a warm fire while telling you my deepest desires and then have you fulfill them!" her heart cried out.

"I think I can do all those..." she said scratching her chin. She was actually figuring out how to make all those things into a 'friend' version.

"Stop it, just stop it..." Rarity had enough. Frustration was finally about to force her words. She didn't want to be so direct, but she had no other choice. "Fluttershy, I want you to be my special somepony..."

Rarity opened her great big eyes at her and let them speak her feelings. Fluttershy gasped with genuine surprise.

"What?! But we are friends! I what...?!" she started hyperventilating slightly.

"Easy there darling, it's not a huge deal! I just think you're the sweetest little pegasus and would like maybe go on a few dates, that's all."

"You? ME? Date?!" she stammered.

"Oh it's not the end of the world is it? I mean I didn't think I would be that bad of a date..." Rarity dug at the dirt a little.

"No! It wouldn't be that bad! I just..."

"So you'll do it?" Her eyes were full of hope

"Well I don't know! It's all sort of sudden, I've never done anything like this with you before..."

Rarity's put on the most begging face. Fluttershy couldn't say no to those eyes.

"I'll do it, I'll go on a date with you," Fluttershy conceded with a smile

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose..." Not like she hasn't been imposing for the last few weeks.

"I'm sure," she said before giving Rarity a reassuring peck on the cheek. Rarity's eyes sparkled as she rubbed the blessed spot.

"Alright then, you gorgeous mare you, I'll come by around six on Friday and pick you up, how does that sound?"

"Sounds wonderful. Just one question."  She blushed and her timidness came about her.

"Yes sweetheart?"

"What did you mean by telling me your deepest desires and have me fulfill them? Is that what were going to do for our date?"

Rarity flushed red too. "Oh that... Of course we're not going to do th--... I MEAN YES, that is precisely what we're going to do!" Her heart beat out of her chest as she her mind filled with the possibilities.

"Okay! I can't wait to hear them!!"

*

Twilight and Trixie were busy on the upper level of the library when Rarity bursts through the door. Theirs moans and ecstatic cries soon gave way to a flailing mess of blankets. Twilight kicked a pillow up high, landing it at Rarity's hooves.

"Oh my, are you having another one of those pillow fights?" Rarity asked far too innocently.

"Rarity! What the hoof are you doing here?! Isn't that door locked?!" Trixie yelled at her from over the ledge, her face blazing scarlet.

"What? No... Maybe... But I just had to come here and thank you! Guess which lucky unicorn got a hot date with the most eligible pegasus in all of Equestria?" She puffed out her chest. "I did!"

"Trixie is happy for you! Now go!"

"Don't you want to hear about how it happened...?" Rarity seemed hurt.

"Some other time, Trixie is trying to uhh... help Twilight Sparkle relax." Rarity could hear the heaving and a light whimper from the aforementioned unicorn.

Rarity gave her a weird, confused look, tilting her head slightly. "Oh...?"

Twilight whimpered again timidly. "Trixie... come back here and finish what you started..."

Oh...

Twilight probably didn't even realize that Rarity had just walked in.

"Well would you look at the time? I think I had better be off to go do Fluttershy. I MEAN DRESSES. Yes, because that's what I do, I do dresses! Au revoir!" Rarity dashed out with the awkwardest laugh.

*

As Rarity slowed her frantic escape, her mind caught up with her. She just witnessed number three on her list of desires. Her heart fluttered and she felt heat in her cheeks. A dreamy smile curled on her lips as imagination whisked her off to Friday. It would be so full of magic, wonder and love in the deeper, darker hours. She walked aimlessly, lost in space.

She hummed and sang as she did, in a state of complete infatuation, when she saw her again. There at the asparagus stand was Fluttershy, she was standing in line, most likely looking to buy some asparagus. Her delicate figure, gorgeous eyes and wonderful flank stood not fifty feet away from her in all their majesty. Rarity's eyes brightened, but hesitation soon find it's way into them.

Is talking to her before our big date weird? Or do we still talk like friends? She hasn't noticed me, so time to decide.

"Of course I can still talk to her," Rarity whispered to no pony in particular.

Rarity trotted up to her with an ecstatic rhythm.

"Oh hello there again darling. Buying some provisions are we?" she opened smoothly.

Fluttershy blushed intensely the moment she saw her. She couldn't wait to see that face in the lonelier parts of the night.

"Oh yes... It's Angel. He's just so picky..." she explained bashfully.

"Don't tell me you're letting him push you around again!" Rarity didn't savour the thought of her beautiful friend being bossed around by a bunny.

"I don't really mind. I like it when he's happy..."

"Yes, I know his happiness is important, but remember that you still need to stand up for yourself," Rarity assured.

The pony in front of them had purchased his asparagus and moved on. The clerk's trained eyes watched Fluttershy carefully. Rarity nudged her and she quickly made her purchase.

"Well I need to get back, so I'll see you Friday for sure?" Fluttershy asked, bagging her item.

"Of course..." Rarity winked and subtly brushed Fluttershy's inner leg with her tail. The mare squee'd and turned the most delightful shade of pink before bolting off.

*

Rarity went back home and proceeded to design outfit after outfit for Fluttershy, each one more devious than the last. They all would showcase Fluttershy's, more luxurious features and she giggled as she pictured her in each one. She imagined herself sleeping peacefully on a royal bed, in a silky, lacy nightgown, only to stir as Fluttershy dramatically threw open the doors. She'd confidently and slowly walk up to her in one of these new outfits and tear the covers off her. Then Fluttershy's strong but powerful body would gently caress her and hold her, keeping her safe and loved. What happened afterwards sent blood rushing to her cheeks.

It wasn't very likely, but a girl can dream.

Rarity found herself reliving each and every fantasy in the depths of the night. Her muffled panting being the only sound that pierced the silence. All she had was herself to play the part of dear Fluttershy, but it would have to do. At least only two short days from now, she'd have the real thing.

Twixie Rising

Twixie Rising

Rarity woke up incredibly happy, nearly falling out of bed with a big stupid grin on her face. She groomed herself, washing her coat pristine, without a trace of dirt, grime or sweat on it. In eight seconds flat she efficiently styled her mane in one seamless motion. Brush on hoof, she swung her forelegs in long dramatic arcs, she brushed up, down, outward and tweaked for the curl, letting her mane bounce perfectly into place. Tossing the brush from one hoof to the other, she continued with her lower mane using the exact same method. Technique was her secret method to a perfectly styled mane in seconds(along with fifteen years of brush-based muscle memory).

She wasn't entirely sure why she was in such a great mood, but she was sure that her proxy Fluttershy doing an admirable job last night had something to do with it.

She hurried downstairs and whipped up a grand breakfast for her and her sister. As she cooked, the pleasing aromas spread though out the house and found Sweetie Belle, seducing her back to the kitchen. In front of her was a smorgage board of fruit, hotcakes and anything else Rarity could concoct. Sweetie Belle hungrily eyed the set up and noticed Rarity's jumping trot and quiet humming. Rarity's moods were never hard to read, as she usually brought it with her to the room, if not the entire town.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Sweetie Belle asked as Rarity served her up a steaming hot plate of pancakes.

"Good mood? Oh can't a big sister make her little sister a decent breakfast every now and then?"

Sweetie Belle smirked. "Let's see, how would you put this...?" She put on her best Rarity voice. "Don't be coy with me darling. You are hiding something and you better spill it."

Rarity giggled at the impression. "Very good. For that I shall tell you. I have acquired a suitable meeting time with a pony that I've had my eye on for an age now," she said serving Sweetie Belle up some pancakes.

"A.. date... ? Who with?!" She asked excitedly.

"Na ah ah! Mustn't reveal too much! If all goes as planned, I'm sure you'll know soon enough." Rarity did love playing these sorts of games with ponies.

"Wait a minute... Does this have anything to do with Fluttershy...?" Sweetie Belle said before devouring almost the entire plate.

Drat...

"Oh darling, you'll just have to wait and see," she laughed nervously. "Oh my goodness! Look at the time, it's off to school for you."

Seeing the clock, Sweetie Belle downed her juice and grabbed a few slices of toasts before sprinting out the door. She nearly knocked Trixie over on her way out. The great and powerful mare had been just a few inches from the door before needing to swiftly dodge out of the way. She entered the shop without ringing the door bell, but opened and shut the door quickly to alert the owner anyways.

"Coming" called out the fabulous unicorn from the back. "Welcome to Carousel Boutique! Where everything is chic unique and magnifique," she welcomed, quite rehearsed.

"Good morning Rarity. Trixie has come to apologize for her rudeness yesterday."

Rarity thought back, but the aforementioned memory seemed to allude her.

"I'm sorry, I can't seem to recall..."

"When you came and wanted to talk about the pegasus, but Trixie told you to leave. Twilight Sparkle insisted that I apologize after she came to her senses."

Oh... yeah... that...

"Well no harm done!" Rarity cheerfully waved off. "Would you like some breakfast? Sweetie Belle left before she could even get any. It's still hot!"

"That sounds--" Trixie was cut off by her own, obnoxiously loud stomach. It churned and groaned hungrily.

It was endearingly adorable. Rarity hatched a devious idea.

"Ah... So you are hungry," she observed, "Perhaps I'll withdraw my offer and extend it only if you tell me how you and Twilight found one another." Rarity's eyes were playful and devilish.

Trixie flushed bright pink. Her great and powerful cheeks seemed to have lost their cool. She gave her a hungry and pathetic, puppy-dog look. The beautiful mare was still endearingly adorable.

If Twilight and Fluttershy decided to break both their hearts, Trixie wouldn't be a bad second choice by any means.

"Oh please! Trixie forgot to eat breakfast... and Twilight Sparkle would be most upset if she shared that story," she begged.

Rarity raise an eyebrow and faked a disinterested look. If was only a ploy and she didn't actually expect Trixie to tell her, she wasn't so heartless as to waste all the food in the other room over a little story. If this next attempt didn't work,  she'd give up and just invite Trixie in.

"Well, if you don't want to share a silly little story with me..." Rarity bluffed.

Seeing her lose her chance at a delicious smelling breakfast, Trixie caved.

"Ok fine! You win, but not a word to Twilight Sparkle, deal?"

"My lips are sealed," Rarity said satisfied. Surprised, but satisfied.

*

Trixie's great and powerful stomach lived up to it's name. Rarity watched her in a sort of stupor, trying to calculate where exactly Trixie was putting all of it. The baffling part was just how proper Trixie was when she ate. She had gone through probably twenty waffles and didn't have a smidgen of anything on her. Nothing felt unusual about the way she ate, but every time Rarity turned around, Trixie was getting another serving of something. After she was done she neatly patted her snout with a napkin.

"My my, I sure hope you're ready to talk Miss Lulamoon."

"I suppose Trixie does owe you a story. Please refrain from laughing at her. The Great and Powerful Trixie was... vulnerable..." Trixie blushed lightly. "After the most recent magical impasse, Trixie decided to stay in Ponyville. She was very lonely and just wanted friends, like Twilight Sparkle, but didn't exactly know how to go about finding them..."

Trixie nervously peeked through the door to the gymnasium. A few dozen ponies were awkwardly shifting their hooves at the edges of room avoiding eye contact with each other. There a few conversing ponies that broke the complete silence, but they kept the volume to a minimum for fear that every pony in the room would hear them. Small tables for two filled the rest of the space and fell into neat rows and columns. A huge banner reading "Welcome" hung across opposite wall. Maybe Trixie was in the wrong place. She hissed at the closest mare, a timid looking earth pony.

"Psst, hey you!"

She jumped.

"U-uh how can I help you?" she squeaked back.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie would like to know if this is the friend making meeting."

"I--"

A loud voice preemptively cut her off. It came from an official looking mare in the center of the room.

"Alright all you hopefully lucky mares and stallions. The event is about to start. Come up and get a number. That's going to decide where you're going to sit first," she said motioning to a table full of envelopes. "If your number is red, that means you're gonna be moving, so don't get too comfortable."

Trixie watched them with alien eyes, but with her usual confidence followed the other ponies to the table and collected an envelope. It was a little heftier than she thought it would be. She ripped it open and removed the paper inside and found her blue 'number'. Six...

"Excuse me, Trixie would like to know why she is number six," she demanded from the event runner.

"Oh that means you're going to sit at table six and that you'll be sitting there all night. Here let me show you."

She hurried Trixie over to the table in question and plopped her down on the cushion. A wiry stand holding up large number six sat to the edge of the table.

Oh... that makes sense.

A devilishly charming, lemon coloured, mustachioed stallion sat down across from her. He did a thing with his eyebrow over and over again that seemed both incredibly cheesy and stylish. Trixie wondered if she could imitate him. She couldn't and instead ended up looking like she wanted to kill him with something currently placed somewhere extremely inconvenient.

He seemed to like that.

"You only have a few minutes, so make them count. A bell will go off when time is up, so make sure to move to the next table numerically. Number thirty loops back to number one. Ready."

Ding!

"The name's Flam. And you are?" He smiled warmly.

"I am the Great and Powerful Trixie. She is confused though. Is this the friendship meeting? If so, please instruct her on how to make friends."

"Well my dear. I'm not sure about friends, but I would like to tell you about a little secret of mine." He motioned her closer to which she did for reasons unknown to her.

"Say hello to the Super Pumpy Humpy Pleasey 9000."

Trixie's eyes grew wide as she flushed blazing red.

Ding!

Trixie was still recovering when a gentle looking tan mare with silver grey locks sat down. It was the Mayor.

"Oh Trixie, good to see you again. Trying to find a special somepony I see." The Mayor winked.

"I... I..." she stammered.

"You alright?" she asked with a hesitant smile.

"Uh, yes. Trixie is f-fine..." She shakily composed herself. "What did you say about special someponies? Isn't this a friendship meeting?"

"Oh uhh... In a way. it's speed dating! You meet as many ponies as you can in the hopes of finding a special somepony."

Special someponies were in theory just really good friends. Trixie decided to play along because spending another lonely night in her caravan didn't seem any more appealing. It could be fun, if not surprisingly scarring.

"So uhh... Mayor, have you found your special somepony yet?" Trixie asked flatly, unsure of what exactly to talk about.

"I don't know... But... I've never been with such a young mare before..." the Mayor ran her hoof up Trixie's leg under the table, sending tingles up and down her whole length.

At first, she tensed up, but as the Mayor's carefully trained touch convinced her otherwise, Trixie sort of just 'went with it'. She had no complaints. Objective complete, friend made.

Ding!

This next pony Trixie remembered as a school teacher. Over the last two 'dates' she had observed and gathered information. She was starting to get what 'speed dating' was all about. This time she wasn't going to be caught off guard. This time, she was going to take the initiative like the Great and Powerful Trixie would.

"My, my! Of all the mares I'd never expect, the Great and Powerful Trixie. Is this your first time speed dating before? It's mine," Cheerilee chided cheerfully.

"This is Trixie's first time as well. At first it confused her, but she thinks she understands it now," Trixie thought tenaciously.

"Oh wonderful, show me what you got sister!" Cheerilee was excited to finally meet the real showmare. She asked for it.

Trixie then did something to Cheerilee that she'd regret to this day.

"YOU WHAT?!" Rarity shouted nearly falling out of her seat.

"Trixie was only following the Mayor's and Flam's lead! Special somepony-making was all new to Trixie! She didn't know what to do!" Trixie turned a wonderful shade of scarlet. Rarity couldn't help but adore the socially awkward mare in front of her.

"Oh Trixie darling... That's just... I cannot begin to fathom... Did it have to be Cheerilee of all ponies?" She choked out. Rarity rested her forehead against her hoof in disbelief. "Just... just get to the part about Twilight..."

Trixie had met with a variety of ponies who had a variety of ideas at what was appropriate for speed dating. Some were friendly and some were a whole other level of friendly. By the end of the night she was surely going to have a jubilee of dreams about what transcended this evening. Some of them left her wanting a bit more than she thought she'd be comfortable with. She had worked up a consistent, light blush over the night as her heart rate steadily climbed.

Much to her surprise, her old nemesis was the 26th pony she met. Twilight Sparkle sat down looking quite disturbed. Trixie made the mistake of taking her sultry eyes and grin for that of disgust. Trixie instantly lost the heat in her face and flutter in her heart.

"Twilight Sparkle...?" she asked concerned. "Is everything alright? How come you're looking at Trixie like that...?"

Innocent little Twilight had never been stimulated in such a way before. All these questionable ponies had tickled a fancy that, up until this point, she was completely unaware of. The switch of passion had been flipped on. Her legs felt warm and she shared the same blush as Trixie. Trixie was unaware of how much the unicorn had taken to the carnal vice. The normally introspective bookworm had been transformed into something devious.

"Oh Trixie... so much is wrong. I have so many problems..." she feigned dramatically. "Too much to say in such a short amount of time..."

"What's wrong Twilight Sparkle? You can tell Trixie."

"I need a friend..." She batted her eyes.

Trixie jumped on that. This was exactly what she wanted to do, make friends, not feel up other ponies in five minutes or less. Twilight was the master of making friends and being well-liked. Being her friend would be the road to easy-street. She wasn't going to lose this chance.

"If you've forgiven Trixie, she wouldn't mind being your friend. She gets lonely sometimes..." Trixie admitted, unaware of the implications of such a statement.

Twilight stared passionately at the beautiful blue unicorn, her eyes full of raw, directionless lust.

"Oh Trixie, of course I forgive you! I've been so lonely as well... You should come over and have a slumber party tonight. No reason for both of us to be alone. I wouldn't mind confiding in my new friend."

"Oh... my... stars... You are not serious!" Rarity's smile grew and grew as she squee'd at the story. She never knew that side of Twilight and it tickled her pink. "You can not be serious! Oh my stars Trixie..." she repeated, still in disbelief.

Trixie wish she had brought her hat, so she'd have something to hide her face in.

"After that, we just sort of clicked... She likes magic, I like magic. We both have... healthy appetites..."

Rarity's sly eyes dug at the truth of that statement.

"Food appetite!" she asserted.

"Of course." Rarity batted her eyes at Trixie. Her face was warm and her heart fluttered. "You know Trixie... with all these stories. I've worked up quite an appetite myself... Perhaps you would care for some dessert...?"

Dessert

Dessert

Trixie blushed bright pink. "The Great and Powerful Trixie always saves room for dessert..."

She daintily drew her hoof across Rarity's chest, her eyes fixed on the young, inexperienced mare. Rarity's heart thumped harder with each hair she touched, inspiring rushing blood to a few choice places.

Oh my stars... Today is going to be the day... This beautiful mare is going to take me...

Rarity had heard that 'dessert' line in a movie once. The stallion in the movie said it to his romantic interest and ended up successful in his endeavour. She didn't know very much about 'common' dating, only of royal courtship, so these lines were all she had to go off of.

Rarity had planned several other lines as well but none of them proved as effective. Fluttershy just gave her puzzled looks the last time she tried to 'check her out' of Twilight's library. Apparently Twilight doesn't distribute library cards.

This line had worked perfectly though.

Trixie was casually sprawled out across the cushion. Her confident, but gentle hoof moved up and pulled Rarity’s chin closer to her own. Rarity trembled as she leaned in towards the mare. They both closed their eyes and let fate guide them to each other. The further she leaned the more she trembled.

As their lips met Rarity fell into complete jelly, only held up by Trixie's hoof as it caressed her face.

Lightning surged through her as they held this first kiss. Rarity was surprised by how soft and wet Trixie's lips were, nothing like Fluttershy’s stubborn, pursed lips. These lips invited her, squeezed at her, quivered ever so slightly in excitement with her and pulled her back, just in case she had any silly ideas about breaking away.

Trixie tongue found its way out and Rarity took no time opening her mouth to let it in. As their tongues touched the world melted away around them, leaving them alone in each other's intimate slippery wetness. All that was and all that should be was their kiss.

Trixie tasted like a combination of fresh clean water and maple syrup. While not the most regular mix, it was ultimately refreshing and immediately sensualized. The taste was so foreign and unlike anything Rarity had ever tasted before, that it became her perfect memory of ecstasy. Their wet tongues pushed on each other, sometimes daintily and sometimes a bit more forcefully. Every movement they made was recognized and accepted by the other. It almost turned into a game of tag as the searched and discovered each other’s mouth.

After an eternity, they both took their first breath simultaneously, still refusing to part. The breath revitalized their passion play and they pushed farther into each other, forcefully and with purpose. Trixie and Rarity instinctively wrapped their forelegs around one another and pulled the other closer. Rarity could never get enough of kissing Trixie. Their lips remained locked and their tongues in play until Trixie inevitably pulled away some time later, a time far too soon. Rarity chased her lips for a half-second not wanting to part.

Euphoria over-whelmed the frazzled, blushing mare. She giggled after realizing they'd somehow gotten on the floor with Rarity softly resting on top of Trixie.

Forget Fluttershy's kiss on her cheek, that was a real kiss.

As Rarity's thoughts turned to Fluttershy she felt wild. She was doing something she probably shouldn't be doing and she liked it. It boiled the blood. She wanted more danger and more Trixie. (doesn't everypony?)

Does this count as cheating? I mean I'm not a dating Fluttershy, so it shouldn't. She did have her chance, so her loss.

No, that's wrong Rarity. Your heart belongs to Fluttershy and it would be wrong to have an affair with your friend's marefriend. Oh my, an affair! Listen to me, I sound so scandalous! *squee*

She had to stop it though. She held up her hoof to a very enlivened Trixie as she was about to pull her back in for another.

"Stop right there deary! Just what the do you think you're doing?"

Trixie blinked stupidly at her, searching for sarcasm or any other ploy that could be easily discarded so they may resume. Since she couldn't find it she returned to her passionate self.

"Oh but Trixie adores the way Rarity kisses her," she whispered into her ear, "Trixie wants Rarity to kiss her more and do naughty things to her. She wants to be humiliated and taken advantage of." She suckled Rarity's neck.

"B-but--" Rarity protested. Instead of words, gasps of ecstasy were the only sounds that escaped her.

Trixie continued mercilessly. "She doesn't want to be Great and Powerful while she's with Rarity. She wants to be the Weak and Submissive."

Rarity's eyes flew wide open. Her passion had easily halved from the statement. She knew what Trixie spoke of and she did not want to get involved with that right now. Whips hurt.

"You know Trixie, I really think it would be best to avoid upsetting any current marefriends with extra activity," Rarity said pushing her away. Trixie face turned from passion to shock to genuine pain and sadness.

Rarity had hit her where it hurts. Trixie wasn’t entirely accepted in Ponyville yet. Twilight was the first one who really took her in as a friend and Rarity just attacked that friendship indirectly. It was true to both of them that Twilight needed to be considered and Trixie had forgotten her place.

Still in her forelegs, Trixie’s hurt eyes searched Rarity for an answer.

"Trixie is sorry!" she blurted out, "You're right... Twilight Sparkle has been so good to Trixie..." She started sobbing. "Trixie is so ashamed..." Tear flowed freely from her eyes as laid there under Rarity pathetically. She hid her face from Rarity as though her worth was being judged.

"Oh Trixie, there, there. You just got caught up in the moment. I'm just as guilty as you if not more. I'm sorry too." Rarity consoled.

Well that turned sore quickly.  And not the fun kind of sore.

"But how could I do this to that perfect unicorn? She's never done anything wrong to Trixie!" Trixie whined further in a tone reaching obnoxious.

One thing Rarity did know about concerning relationships were the level of hysterics that some ponies reached when emotionally jeopardized. If she didn’t do something soon, they’d be watching a movie common with overly emotion mares. The Memoir for Somepony with Alzheimer’s Whose Husband Dies at the End *Notebook Spoiler*.

Rarity hated that movie. Not the premise, just that one part where he threatens to kill himself unless she dates him. Ruined the whole thing for her.

"How about you march back on over to that library and do your job?" Rarity tempted. Trixie looked up at her confused.

"Twilight's going to be dropping by later this afternoon to pick up an order and if she can actually walk over here, I'm going to let her in on our little impasse. You have six hours." Rarity’s smile was devious and sultry.

The information took a moment to register in Trixie's mind, before an enormous, determined smile came over her face. Rarity wiped Trixie's cheeks and eyes dry and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Trixie hugged her and returned the favor with another passionate, open mouthed, embrace. It caught Rarity completely off-guard and just as soon as she was starting to enjoy it again, Trixie had already dashed out the door. Rarity was left a blushing mess as she waved out to what she now considered ‘the second weirdest pony in Ponyville.’

What the buck just happened...?

*

As the hours passed, Rarity found that she was conflicted over her decision earlier that day. Part of her regretted it as she found herself daydreaming about Trixie. Her lavender eyes and silver blue coat still evoking fresh memories of racing hearts and wet lips. Rarity wasn’t an expert in the field, but Trixie wasn’t too shabby at kissing. Even now, whenever she closed her eyes, she felt herself leaning forward as if to meet her lips half-way.

Thinking back to that last kiss, Rarity wasn’t sure if she would have stopped her a second time. It was a good thing that Trixie was on her way out, or Rarity might have even pulled her back in.

Yet she was happy to remain, mostly, removed from Twilight’s romantic relationship. Twilight deserved to be treated right and given the time and the lack of purple unicorn in her shop it seemed like Trixie kept her promise. Maybe Twilight was still being treated right.

A bittersweet smile found her knowing that it could have been her, but her hopes still lied with Fluttershy. What Fluttershy lacked in spunk, she made up in grace. Sure Trixie was the showmare of showmares, exceptional for a hot and fast evening, but Fluttershy felt far more genuine. A night with Fluttershy would be passionate and romantic, slowly revealing itself and enticing the heart to higher, realer love.

She based all of this on nothing but wild conjecture and baseless deduction.

Besides that, everypony knew that Fluttershy was the gorgeous knockout, ten out of ten, to Trixie’s eight. Her eyes were the envy of heaven itself, her wings looked lighter than the clouds she walked on and that flank. Rarity purred and pawed at the air in front of her as she imagined her in lewd positions.

The ringing bell to her shop broke her reverie.

That had better not be Twilight.

It wasn't. It was somepony better.

Somepony Better

Somepony Better

Rarity's heart exploded when she saw who had entered her shop.

It was Fluttershy, but for an unusual reason she was riding a small cloud around. Fluttershy wasn't much of a weather pegasus, but seeing her on top of the cloud compelled Rarity to want to suggest otherwise  because it was the most adorable thing she ever saw.

The premise in itself wasn't strange, but now that she thought of it, something about it confused her. Not a single mental image of Fluttershy on a cloud came to mind. Surely this could be the case, Rarity told herself, she is a pegasus after all. There was the one time where they went to Cloudsdale to see Rainbow Dash compete, but was a little bit preoccupied by those wings Twilight had whipped up for her. Also that was one big cloud and didn't hold the same effect.

As hard as she tried to think, no memory of Fluttershy simply sitting on a cloud came to mind. It didn't matter in the end, she was making a memory right now.

The pegasus never ceased to amaze her. The way she just laid down on the cloud with her two front hooves dangling off the front held an uncanny grace to it. The whiteness of the cloud perfect accented her complexion giving her a very 'bright and early' look. The puffiness helped to bring out and contrast her natural, succulent curves. Her beautiful mane and tail were always at their best and her cheery expression perfectly wrapped up the adorable and innocent little package at Rarity's door.

Oh Flutter darling... You mustn't surprise me so... wonderfully...

"Oh hello darling. What brings a mare like you around to my lonely boutique?" Rarity replied.

Princess Luna drifted down on a dark cloud, sitting identically to Fluttershy in every way. Same position and cheery smile. Rarity was weary of her though. Luna has come a long way since her last excursion into Ponyville, but she still held a certain darkness about her.

"Greetings Rarity. Fluttershy hath told me of thou's talent to conjure garments of aesthetics and impracticality." Luna smiled brightly.

The Princess's uncharacteristically light tone completely threw Rarity off. "Indeed?"

"Well you see, I've been showing the princess--" Fluttershy started.

"Luna..." Luna kindly corrected.

"Oh right, I've been showing Luna around Ponyville all day and I told her that you might be willing to possibly consider giving her own of your famous makeovers." Fluttershy blushed and smiled gingerly.

"Oh..." Rarity was immediately envious of the Luna for getting to spend an entire day with her Fluttershy."Yes, of course!" She resumed her usual confident demeanor, it wasn't everyday that she got to work with a Princess. Maybe it'd be fun. "Right this way Princess! You know the first time I saw your new mane I had the most brilliant..."

*

"You look smashing! Don't you think Princess?" Rarity exclaimed a few hours later.

Luna awkwardly shifted around in her new stockings. While nothing more than simple knitted tubes for a pony to cover their hooves and legs with, they were indisputably adorable. The horizontal stripes perfectly accented the flank and natural curve of the leg while the colours broke up the chromatic monotony of the extremities. Despite Luna never looking cuter than she did right now, she still wasn't sold.

"I am not sure fair Rarity, art thou certain that this it the style that young ponies wearest these days?" She said, looking at her own flank, semi-provacatively in the mirror. "I desire only the most attractive attire."

"Darling, I design the styles that ponies where these days," Rarity reassured. "Believe me, socks are in."

"I think you look wonderful Princess Luna," Fluttershy commented with a blush.

"Well if thou insists..." She was still skeptical.

"So Princess, if you don't mind me asking. Why the sudden interest in modern fashion? I'd imagine that you'd never require or desire the fashions of us common pony. You are quite literally a timeless model of grace and majesty, ageless in beauty." Rarity mused. Normally she would never have dreamed of talking to the Princess so casually, but their time together had torn down some barriers and reset some comfort zones.

"Thou flatterest me." Rarity swore for a second that the Princess had lost her regal grace and blushed. But as soon as she blinked it was gone. "To be the most honest, I have just recently found reason to don the fashions of the modern age."

Luna winked at somepony. And it wasn't Rarity.

Rarity again thought she caught the Princess in a humble moment. That wink at Fluttershy held such a devious connotation to it, but it was quick and Rarity convinced herself she was just seeing thing. However, Fluttershy was much easier to scarlet and turned  scarlet after falling to Luna's ire.

Rarity blinked stupidly at the exchange.

What...? What did I just see?

Well whatever it was, I'm going to find out.

"Uhh... Well there you have have it Princess! Modern fashion! Go ahead and just keep those. Consider it a gift of good will towards the crown!" Rarity finished up quickly, she had a few things to ask Fluttershy preferably with the Princess out of the room.

"Nay, I could not! The least I can do is giving you fair offerings for the socks," Luna protested.

Rarity wasn't going to fight money being thrown at her.

"Well if you insist. If I may make the humble request to speak to my dear friend Fluttershy in private. Perhaps you could trot around my boutique and break them in so to speak."

Before Luna could say another world, Rarity gently hurried her out of the room and quickly closed the doors. Fluttershy looked at her quizzically.

She couldn't believe she had just forced the Princess out of the room, but her emotions had gotten the better of her. It was obvious something was going on between the pegasus and the Princess. She needed to know what that thing was. Fluttershy was probably already confused by Rarity's sudden strange behaviour so to avoid sounding accusing, she'd need to be smooth.

"Flutter darling, however did you become such good friends with the princess?" Rarity asked coyly.

"Oh uhh... she uhh..." Fluttershy stuttered. Silence followed.

"Something the matter?" Rarity had thought it would have been an easy question, but it seems that she'd gotten to the root of this quickly.

"No..."

"Are you sure?"

"It's nothing..." Fluttershy hid behind her mane.

"Flutter, I know when something's bothering you. You are my best friend after all." Rarity put her hoof on Fluttershy's compassionately and looked her straight in the eye. "You can tell me..."

Fluttershy let out a heavy sigh. Her dropped her facade to a face wracked by worry. "Promise you won't tell anypony or freak out?" Fluttershy shuffled her hooves and looked down.

"I promise." Rarity couldn't help but feel a sense of intimacy with Fluttershy. Whatever was bothering her was clearly bothering her a lot. Something told her she wouldn't have just told any of her friends about this.

"I"m Princess Luna's Royal Concubine...' Fluttershy muttered quietly.

Rarity first reaction was to gasp and scoff and generally overreact in ways that would become increasingly harder to describe. This was then followed by a frantic search for words  in the form of short sporadic chokes while adorning a twitchy eye and placing her hooves in every imaginable position on her face in every combination. Finally she ended her reaction with a cocked head and single word.

"What...?" she choked out.

Fluttershy buried her face in her cloud. "I'm Princess Luna's Royal Concubine."

Rarity felt the urge to react in the exact same way all over again. The pure shock of that unimaginable combination of words would have stopped her heart were she an older pony. After a deep breath she composed herself enough to push a progressive question. "So... How did this happen?"

Fluttershy's words came fast now. Rarity must have opened her up. "Remember last Nightmare Night?"

"Uhh sort of..." She remembered waking up in Fleur de Lis' suite with massive hangover. That was about it.

"Well Twilight brought Princess over cause she thought I'd be able to teach her how to talk quietly so I ran away. I ran away two times, one time into a door, and then I just sort of watched Twilight coax her into being quieter. I didn't do anything I swear. And then she came up and hugged me because she was so happy." Fluttershy paused to take a breath.

"Go on..."

"Well apparently Princesses aren't supposed to ever show public displays of affection towards any pony without declaring them a Royal Concubine or fiance or something. It all started yesterday when I went to sleep. She came to me in my dream and told me about it and when I woke up she was standing there. She's a super nice pony but I just don't know what to do. And please save me Rarity, I like you more..." Her friend cried and whimpered pathetically. It broke Rarity's heart.

That last thing she said stuck out to her.

She likes me more...?

If she wasn't mistaken Fluttershy had just met her half-way finally. It was just the smallest statement, but it held enough for weight for her it's deeper meaning. Immediately Rarity took a certain ownership of Fluttershy's feelings. Somepony had hurt her Fluttershy and she needed to go right that wrong.

"Oh my... Fluttershy, this is no ordinary problem, this will take a long night of talking and venting to resolve."

Fluttershy looked at Rarity hopefully and smiled. Her confidence alone helped calm her down.

"Please excuse me. I'm going to inform the princess of our sudden change in plans." A fire burned in her, one that would let her tell off a Princess. " I'll be right back."

Rarity marched over to the door and swung them open. Luna was waiting on her cloud patiently.

"Princess I know it's short notice but Fluttershy has requested an extremely ambitious and difficult design. I'll need to have her for the rest of the night. I know you're probably busy anyways, being a princess and all so you wouldn't mind, would you?" Rarity inflected a bit of rhetoric into her tone. She wasn't exactly asking the Princess to leave.

Luna shot Fluttershy a glare. "Nay, of course it doth not troubleth me." Luna's words were thick and tense. She obviously knew exactly what was going on, but wasn't about to call Rarity out on her bluff. "I had planned to meet with Twilight Sparkle this evening so this fits perfectly."

"Thank you, your grace is infinite your Majesty." Rarity made sure to butter up every thing she said almost sarcastically. "And of course I will show your Majesty out."

Rarity could not believe she actually got away with that.

*

"The Royal law decrees that any pony who shares in an affectionate gesture with a Royal Princess is presented the title 'Royal Concubine' to be held as a matrilineal vassalage to the Princess in question. Any title claims can only be pressed by the respective Princess," Rarity read out loud. She looked further down the page for any additional notes or clarification but found none.

"Well that's just silly. A princess could just go around hugging anypony she wishes and force them into the concubinage."  Rarity said, trying to lighten the mood. As preposterous as the law was, Rarity was concerned because concubinage meant Fluttershy couldn't see other ponies, Rarity included.

"Well she told me that she could release me from it. Since technically I'm her vassal, she could take my title away. The law was set in place to stop ponies from trying to court the Princesses. It's a little over the top, but it worked." Fluttershy explained. "She told me she and her sister have released a bunch of ponies from concubinage because of things like this."

"Well why doesn't she release you?" Rarity raised her voice a bit.

Fluttershy was silent. It spoke for itself.

"Flutter darling, you're not telling me what I think you're telling me."

More silence.

Fluttershy shook a bit as sobs forced their way up her throat. Rarity was too caught up in her own emotions to catch it.

"Are you telling me that Princess Luna is interested in you?" The words seemed so foreign as they left her mouth.

Only Fluttershy's cries broke the silence now.

"But what about our date?!" Rarity cried out. These words weren't so foreign. They hit both of them right in the heart. It was a simple concept that perfectly perturbed the predicament.

Fluttershy's refusal to talk  provoked the cracking unicorn.

"Fluttershy! Say something!"

She wanted to.

She wanted to tell Rarity that it was all some horribly conceived joke.

She wanted to tell her she how much she thought about her after she professed her feelings, how wonderful it made her feel when she realized her best friend had gone through the gates of Tartarus to show her how much she loved her.

She wanted to tell her how stupid she felt when she realized how many obvious signs she missed.

She wanted to tell her how she was ready to make up for all of the heartache she put Rarity through and that Friday was going to be the first date of many.

Even though wasn't completely sure of Rarity, her heart had opened up to her and she was ready to let her in if she could make a home there.

She couldn't tell Rarity any of those things though.She wouldn't break Rarity's heart further by adding hope and the longing "what ifs" to the mix.

Fluttershy didn't know where she found the courage to speak, but one thing needed to be said.

"The date is off. I have a hot date with Luna on Friday now..."

Dearly Beloved's Long Night

Dearl Beloved's Long Night

They cried for bit, just sitting there holding each other. They cried quiet sobs that couldn't rival the sound of the storm that had picked up outside. The wind raked at the windows and the rains dulled them out under the monotonous pitter-patter. At first Rarity cried over a broken heart. She was truly upset that she'd miss her date with Fluttershy but an unspoken connection shifted the paradigm. She felt foolish crying over something so trivial as missing a date and it became apparent that they were crying for something else. They cried because they didn't know how else to respond.

Were they sad? A little, but not enough to warrant tears. The true core of the problem was the Princess's interest in Fluttershy. Rarity sensed a fear in her friend. Fluttershy didn't know how to date, let alone try and measure up to the expectations of the Princess. She was royalty and even Rarity didn't know how to behave in that sort of situation.

She would to her best, but nothing came easy for the poor mare when it was with ponies she barely knew. The pressure in itself was immense. All she could do was help Fluttershy vent her worries and be the friend she could talk to.

Fluttershy left with a few words and formal kiss on the cheek. Rarity knew it wasn't supposed to mean much, but she let its gentle warmth sink into her heart.

As the ringing of the her door's bell dissipated into silence, she found that the kiss wouldn't be enough to stop her dying heart. Fluttershy only had a single day to let her feelings manifest, but Rarity had felt this way for months now. She had endured countless get-togethers watching her own feelings grow in the face of that wonderfully clueless pegasus. She had resisted the urge to just grab her and kiss her on the spot in basically every spot of Ponyville during one excursion or another.

Now she had a Princess to compete with and she knew the outcome of that contest. Her heart would be left broken.

"Oh it just isn't fair!" she raged. "I was so close!" Rarity stood up and banged her forehoof against the wall, letting it slide down as she rested her head against it. A few angry tears fell. "What the hoof does the bloody princess want with Fluttershy?! Of all the other bloody ponies in all of Equestria, she has to pick the one, the one I'm in love with!" Her shouts fell through the silence, reminding her just how alone she was.

"The one who said she liked me back..."

She began to cry. Not like how she did before with her beloved, but real crying, sad crying. As much as it hurt to cry, she needed to know the perfect truth and tears didn't lie. She really did love Fluttershy and her tears were the proof of that. Knowing that truth kept her crying harder but validated everything feeling up to this point. She knew the night would be long, but honest.

Her fit was broken by the ringing of the door. She was no less than ten feet from the door, lying on the ground, eyes puffy from crying. She must have looked utterly pathetic to whoever just entered.

It was Twilight Sparkle. She was soaked head to hoof, the rain storm must have gotten the better of her.

Rarity was taken back by this new development and did her best attempt to compose herself.

"T-twilight... Dear, w-what happened? You're soaked! Let me get you a tow-"

"Shut up...Don't say another word you snake..." she seethed with a primal anger.

"P-p-pardon?" Rarity was truly surprised by her friend's tone.

Until she remembered this morning...

"WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!" Twilight yelled. Anger was obviously her primary emotion but even in her vulnerable state, Rarity could sense something hidden beneath it. "What did you do Trixie?" She was quieter but held the same suffocating intensity.

"N-nothing!" Rarity choked out.

"Lies! Give me the truth before I blast your sorry flank out of existence!" Twilight's horn lit with violent magic. Her eyes shown a luminescent white

"Ok ok ok! I'll tell you, but please... can you give me a moment...?" Rarity's begged. In the span of fifteen minutes the mare she loved was taken from her and her friend had threatened to kill her. She wasn't in any condition to face anything more.

Twilight powered down and watched her friend cough out a more few sobs. Twilight's eyes were sore and upset and Rarity knew Twilight wasn't far from tears either.

"Rarity... what did you do to Trixie...?" The anger had left her voice, instead replaced by a desperate accusation.

"Honestly? I kissed her earlier this morning... She came in, I fed her breakfast... She was just so adorable that I kissed her... That was it..." Rarity felt like she had just signed her own heart's death sentence. She could feel Twilight's hateful gaze but refused to meet it. Twilight had full reign over her, anything she said she'd listen to and do.

"Well I hope you're happy with her..." Twilight surrendered. Tears had made their way out.

"What no! I stopped myself. I told her that she needed to remember the most important mare to her. I told her to go home and make sure that mare knows she's loved," Rarity explained. "She still love you..."

Twilight face flushed a knowing scarlet in light of her recent heavy tones. It was adorable in a maniacal way.

She knew her friend wasn't lying though. Even though she loved Trixie, she'd always trusted her true friends more.

"W-well! Why did she tell me that she kissed you and then run off telling me she didn't need me anymore?!" Twilight's blush had cracked and now she was sobbing hard too.

"She did what?! Oh heavens no... What do you mean she just ran off?" Rarity was able to forget about her problems in light of her friend's.

"After we uhh... finished..." Twilight blushed a frustrated pink,  "...having dinner that is! Luna came over and visited for a bit. She said she had just been over here which reminded me about my order. So I trotted over here and then it began to rain so I ran back home, but when I got there Trixie was standing in the door all seductively. I thought maybe she'd join me out in the rain, but then she said that she kissed you and that she didn't need me any more and just trotted on past me." Twilight ranted "I tried to chase her down but she put a force field around me..."

What Rarity didn't understand was that she was about to project herself onto Twilight's situation. In Twilight's story, she was seeing herself and Fluttershy. Trixie had been selfishly torn away from Twilight, just like Fluttershy had been from her. Her longing for a personal happy ending had turned into a longing to make Twilight's happy ending.

Rarity was left dumbfounded. She couldn't understand how anypony do that to her beautiful friend, Twilight Sparkle? It was a travesty if she ever saw one. She was powerless in her situation but she could make Twilight's right.

"No pony breaks Twilight Sparkle's heart!" She rushed to her friend's side as she struggled to even stand up against the anguish.

"Oh Rarity..." she sobbed into her shoulder. Rarity gently helped her down to the floor as her sorrow intensified.

"Darling... I will hunt Trixie down," Rarity said through tears. "No pony treats Twilight Sparkle, my friend, like that..."

Twilight looked up at Rarity with a mixture of emotions that neither of them could begin to describe. Twilight's beautiful eyes glistened with a raw fire of emotion, a directionless fire whose passion was boundless and undefined. The moment of hesitation lingered between them, but as soon as they knew they wasted no time.

In actuality, it was a gentle kiss that neither of them would claim to understand. It moved slowly as if to acknowledge the proper amount of respect to the dearly beloved. Two other ponies' hearts were still in play, so they were soft and delicate. Like two lovers saying goodbye before a long trip, they seemed to have held back only because the true goodbyes had already been said.

Passion pervaded through both of them though and this was by no means the end. Their passion reflected off each other, only building and building, provoking them and enticing them. They forgot about the pegasus and the unicorn and mended their broken hearts in another way. Their tongues soon found each other and so began the furious lip lock.

Sadness and loss is what drove them and carnality is what guided them. Without words Twilight knew something had happened between Rarity and Fluttershy. The enthusiasm  and willingness to let go stood as proof alone. Given the intangible amount of frustration that both of them felt, Rarity's building up over a few months and Twilight's somehow equal to that after just a few hours, their every move flowed perfectly with each other.

Twilight levitated Rarity's hot form and rushed her upstairs, gently teasing her the whole way. She threw her on the bed and produced magical rope to hold her down. Even though she liked her library, Rarity had an absolutely wonderful bed to which her's held no contest. Rarity did know comfort best and upon throwing her devious closet open, Twilight smiled.  Her most recent creations sparked her imagination. It was clear they were for a certain pegasus, but they would have to do.

It was going to be a long night.

A Rude Awakening

A Rude Awakening

Temptations of varying deviations from the central frequency laid psudo-randomly across the floor. Convenient sampling had been used but the method was definitely a within-subjects design. A significant relationship between the variables had been found.

The warm sun had already made it's way into the late morning, shining golden light through the windows on the bedded mares. Rarity fluttered her eyes and took a deep breath from the mane of the beautiful unicorn lying beside her. That enticing, ecstatic aroma filled her mind again. She decided she was going to have more of her soon as Twilight woke up. but until then she'd just enjoy having a warm loving mare in her arms. Twilight lightly snored and Rarity sqee'd as squeezed all the adorableness out of Twilight.

Her mind drifted back to the incredible events of last night as she hugged her tighter. Twilight proved to be a most excellent lover. Rarity honestly didn't think Twilight would take command so fervently, but she had worked over her softer parts with perfect pacing and force. Every time Rarity hit a peak, Twilight would respond so fluently, pushing Rarity farther and farther into euphoria. Her heart had spread wider and wider open until Rarity was sure that the lightest touch would shatter her heart. Yet that sort of touch never came near her. In fact quite the opposite occurred.

In depths of the heights of passion right before their grandest finale Twilight whispered something that will remain etched in her heart forever.

"I love you Rarity."

That alone pushed Rarity to a place she couldn't ever imagine reaching again without her beloved Twilight Sparkle getting her there.That finale belonged to and would only ever be played by Twilight Sparkle. Of course Rarity demanded an encore, three to be exact.

What amazed Rarity was just how powerful and authoritative Twilight was. She didn't think that Twilight had such a powerful energy and passion burning in her. She tossed Rarity around and took her whenever she willed it. Rarity was starting understands Trixie's desire to be weak and submissive. She had loved it last night and was ready for more.

Despite being horribly inexperienced and lacking in 'technical skill' Rarity had truly given it everything she had. She wielded her heart and soul in an attempt to pay back what Twilight had given her. From the cries she evoked from the mare and the rhythm she felt in her, she knew she hit the mark. It wasn't a confidence in ability, but a trust in the love between them that brought her the conclusion.

All this reminiscing had begun to work up Rarity all over again,  She thought that release would have sated her, but it just to whetted her more.

"Mmmm... Twilight darling... wake up..." Rarity purred. "Poor wittle Warity is getting so lonely..."

She nudged her Twilight stirred gracefully and smiled warmly at the unicorn.

"Oh hey, what is a beautiful unicorn like you doing in my bed...?" she played.

"Twilight Sparkle!" she gasped gently. "You are in fact in my bed. I'll let it slide because you called me beautiful. You're such a charmer." Rarity dabbed Twilight on the nose and nuzzled her with a giggle.

They both knew where this was going. An unspoken bond told them that nothing fancy or extra would be used this time, just each other's moans to fuel them. Just as she pulled Twilight closer to  begin their next adventure, her eyes snapped wide open.

Oh, Sweet Celestia...Sweetie Belle...

Twilight was tugging her in a bit hard and normally Rarity would have been okay with this, but the thought of her sister in a feeble position in her room, wondering what those sounds she heard for five hours straight were took precedent.

Rarity pulled away. Twilight looked up at her hurt.

"Warity! Twilly needs you." She gave her an adorably pouting face. Rarity almost caved.

"Just one moment darling... I should probably go check on Sweetie Belle..." Rarity face was madly scarlet. How in the name of Equestria did she forget about her own sister?

"Oh my goodness..." Twilight reflected Rarity's complete embarrassment. "Y-yes! It would be good to go check on her..." She buried her face into a pillow. "Ohmigosh ohmigosh."

Rarity gingerly trotted out her room, closing the door with extreme caution to avoid making any noise at all. Why she did this, she could not say, but her mind still spun with fresh memories of last night and that had something to do with it. She swayed a bit as she walked, her sense and motor skills not returning yet either. In other words, Rarity was not thinking clearly in the slightest and effectively drunk.

Sweetie Belle's room was literally right next to her own which just made it worse. Rarity stared at her door blankly.

What the hoof do I even say? Do I go in there quiet and apologetic or just walk in like nothing happened?

She remembered that she read somewhere that filly's minds were extremely suggestible. Just by saying something confident enough while they're in an emotionally jeopardized state, they would believe anything. She also read that if a pony was emotionally stricken hard enough, the details surrounding the event would be blurred out and potentially forgotten. It said it was to help cope with traumatic events.

It's so simple! All I have to do is traumatize Sweetie Belle and then give her some reason for why she heard all the things she did last night. More than likely the night's events already traumatized her, but it never hurt to be thorough.Nothing can go wrong.

Rarity crashed through the door. Her little sister snapped awake at the bang."OH SWEETIE BELLE! Mother and father just sent us a letter! They're dead! Dead I say!" Rarity was great at being dramatic, this would be a cinch. She began to cry and was generally broken and pathetic looking.

"W-what...?" asked the groggy filly.

"It's true! They just told me! They're dead. We are both orphans now!" Rarity did her best to cry as hard as convincingly as she could.

"De-dead...?!" her sister squeaked. Her harsh words drew tears like blood, slowly trickling out in a constant stream from her eyes.

She is totally buying it. Look at those tears! Rarity you are a GENIUS! Just a little more and then you can suggest that all she heard was something beside what it was.

She dramatically fell to the floor, bawling her eyes out. Sweetie Belle ran over to her and Rarity just hugged her closer. "Sweetie Belle... they told me to tell you that they loved you... They loved you so much..."

Sweetie Belle was sobbing now too. Those words spoke to her heart.

"Mom said that you were always going to be her little princess...She wants you to never give up..."

Sweetie Belle had covered her eyes with her hooves and crying hysterically. Everything had gone exactly to plan. It was the time to strike.

"Father also told me about this fun wrestling game that you play in the dark. Since it's so dark, you end up shouting each other's name a lot. I decided to play it with Twilight last night, so just in case you heard any noises, that's what happened."

"Wh-what?" Sweetie Belle looked desperately to her sister, trying to understand, "I didn't hear anything last night..."

Traumatized? Check. Forgot all about last night? Check. Rarity you truly are silver-tongued.

"Well I'm glad we had this little talk Sweetie Belle. If you need me I'll be off playing that dark wrestling game, with Twilight," she hummed.

Rarity stood up and waltzed out. She found a very upset Twilight Sparkle when she opened the door to her own bedroom. She had heard everything and clearly didn't approve of Rarity's chosen method. She peeked around the corner to the tearful Sweetie Belle that had innocently followed her around the corner seeking the comfort of her big sister. Her big, glistening eyes were lost in the entire exchange that Rarity just evoked.

Rarity's reverie broke.

I may be an idiot...

*

It took awhile to convince Sweetie Belle that the spirit of April Fool's Day lived on even past the solitary date, but soon she was only a little shaken and riled up, which was a massive improvement. It also turned out that Sweetie Belle was an incredibly heavy sleeper, a detail that Rarity made a mental note of. She did make a deep apology to her sister for such a cruel 'prank' and told her to never use that one on anypony. Sweetie Belle forgave her and they hugged lovingly. In a strange way, it brought them closer together.

Twilight's heart was warmed as she watched the unicorn sisters deal with what she assumed was a normal day in their household. Twilight honestly expected no less than this to happen on a daily basis.

Rarity and Twilight fixed up and quick breakfast for the three of them and ate in a comfortable silence. After that, Sweetie Belle left to go play with her friends, leaving the unicorns alone, again.

"I think I'm proud of you Rarity... You handled that mess you created really well. I might have to write to the princess about that one." Twilight commented as the happy-go-lucky filly raced out the door.

"Heh..."

Rarity smiled weakly as she recounted the last 36 hours. Talking to Sweetie Belle had brought her down from her emotional high and back to terms with reality. In record time, she had made out with two mares that happened to be dating each other, had a night she'd never forget with one of them and learned that Fluttershy was Princess Luna's concubine. Also something happened to Trixie and she had no idea what, but knew she should care more than she did.

From the look in Twilight's eyes Rarity could see the same sort of confusion she felt. It was almost too much. Life was too much to handle, she wanted all the emotions back to take her away from her troubles.. Rarity felt this urge to just grab the unicorn next to her and throw her onto her bed so she could continue playing in a dream. Being on that emotional loving, high was the both the deepest passion and sweetest solace, all of it better than unfeeling. It reminded her that even though she was alone and desperately trying to find a reason to feel, life isn't always so cruel. It had given her an encouraging boost when she was at her lowest, breaking point.

There was hope.

First she had to deal with the unicorn standing next to her because so much of it rested in her.

"Twilight... can we talk about last night...?" Rarity started slowly.

Twilight looked into her eyes thoughtfully and put her hoof on Rarity's. "Let's go sit down and talk."

With that, they both went to Rarity's parlor, a simple half-circle booth surrounding a plain white table. Bright windows lined it's walls, but the shades were pulled. They and sat across from each other, holding hooves. They were going to listen to each other's hearts. Maybe they'd find there weren't too far apart.

"First I want to say thank you... Thank you for a wonderful evening. You are an absolutely darling mare." Rarity's words came deep from her heart. "I don't think I could forget a night like that if I tried..." She blushed, but didn't break eye contact for a second.

Twilight blushed too, flitting her eyes with Rarity's. Her ears flopped down bashfully.

"I'm serious dear... you have a gift." Rarity winked. She felt herself getting off-track. The heat was returning but she'd have to hold off.

"Oh stop it Rarity... You're making me blush."

"I can see that..." Rarity let her words trail off. "I want to see that.. For a long time to come...."

Rarity hesitated. Her lips trembled and she could feel the doubt come back to her.  The same doubt that kept her from Fluttershy for so long would now take this from her.

"You want to see me blush?" Twilight giggled, blushing more, teasingly.

"Yes! Yes I do! Darling I think it's absolutely adorable!" Rarity playfully nudged her.

Twilight just stared at Rarity's flustered expression fondly. To Rarity it looked and felt like a dream, but unlike the other one, this one felt proper and justified by her own feelings. They were in the middle of an emotional impasses laughing and giggling. Maybe love was the reason why.

She trembled as she thought of the concept. Her heart was pure and innocent as it spoke. "Twilight, I don't know what happened last night. It just happened so quickly. I couldn't stop it... I didn't want to stop it... It just felt... felt..." she stuttered. The words

"Right...?" Twilight assured her.

"Darling... there was a time last night I will never forget..." Rarity choked up, her eyes watered but she fought the tears back. "When you said something to me..." Rarity's heart was opening wide open again and hung in the balance. "... Nopony has ever said those words to me like that... and I was starting to wonder if anypony ever would..."

Rarity looked up at her friend. Twilight knew of the moment she spoke of instinctively, it was when she spoke her heart too.

"Did you mean it?"

Something Even Better

Something Even Better

"Of course I meant it. I do love you Rarity. And when you told me how much you loved me back, I knew that there was and should be more between us.

Rarity’s heart had been answered. A small but sweet smile came over her face. She could have been at the top of the world, deep into space for all she knew. It wouldn't have mattered, Twilight had admitted to loving her back.

"But..."

And then she had plummeted back to earth.

"I have to find Trixie... It wouldn't be fair to her or myself to do this..." Twilight looked away from Rarity's dying smile and let out a heavy sigh. "You're an amazing pony and one of my best friends Rarity. Knowing that we have this special connection makes me realize how much I care about you, but Trixie is my friend too and I owe it to her to see our friendship through to whatever end it may find."

Rarity just listened. She knew this was coming and admitted that anything less would be unlike the Twilight she knew. Now that she thought about it, there were so many things wrong with what was going on, things that only till now could she see. The emotional haze was clearing, the shining link between her and Twilight was dimming and beyond the glare of bliss, she saw the ugly truth.

Wha- What have I done...?”

She had destroyed her dearest friend’s first love and then proceeded to selfishly interject herself between them. Any of Twilight’s other friends would have taken her in, been there to talk to her about it and then probably gone with her to help find Trixie.

Not me though... I had to go and be a complete imbecile...

She had caused all this heartache to Twilight, herself, Trixie and maybe Fluttershy by some distant effect. No pony came out on top.

She had so honestly pursued Fluttershy, professing herself to the pegasus and then gave it all up for a chance with Twilight. It just went to show how shallow she was and how she had no respect for her own emotions. That feeling plunged her into icy, frozen waters.

With every high comes a low and she was spiralling out of control.

Sweet Celestia... What have I done?! I am a worthless pest of a pony who desires nothing more than to destroy everything my friends hold dear.

Twilight’s words were distant.

"In all honestly wish I would have known about this before... About our connection... I don't think I would have chosen her..." Twilight’s solemn words hung in the air, a weak smile forming on her lips.

Just... j-just shut up Twilight... you don’t mean that. You don’t want to mean that...

For the second time Rarity had fallen short of happiness. She wanted to cry. She wanted to cry harder than she ever had in her entire life. She wanted to tell Twilight to just forget about the horrible pony that runs that second rate fashion boutique and go on with her life. Twilight was just being considerate, but Rarity knew what sort of pain she might be going through, because she felt it herself. It was the pain of her first love telling her that things weren’t going to work out.

Twilight read deeply into Rarity’s conflicted state. Neither of them truly knew what she was thinking but her silence meant that she still expected Twilight to speak for one reason or another.

She spoke calmly in contrast to the emotional storm inside Rarity. “I don’t know what happened with Trixie... I still love her and no matter what  small part of me will for the rest of my life... She’s out there somewhere and I still have the chance to find out what see she meant and make it right.”

Rarity wish she could do the same. She wanted to make something in her life right, anything at all, but she was useless, helpless and worthless. Her heart was tearing itself apart trying to find the solution, but nothing besides making herself disappear made sense.

“It’s horrible selfish of me to say this... but if something has happened between me and Trixie, I’d know that my place is with you...” Twilight said hopefully.

Rarity chuckled painfully.

“Twilight darling... Y-you don’t mean that...” A bittersweet smile came over her. Her eyes watered and tears fell with each suppressed sob. “You my dear deserve far better than a selfish old mare like me.” Rarity patted Twilight’s hooves.

Each word from her sundered the heart. Rarity had regressed back to her typical demeanour in an attempt to save her shattering psyche. She just couldn’t handle it. She had completely disregarded her own emotions, lost out on her chance and ended up hurting two or three of her friends and she couldn’t even explain to herself why she did any of it.

"Rarity, please don't cry..." Twilight begged, wiping a tear from her eye.

Rarity just shook her head. Her delicate heart had broken. She needed to be alone before Twilight saw the extent of her pain. Even if she had to throw her out of her house she wouldn’t put any more guilt on Twilight if she had something to say about.

"P-puuhlllease Twilight! A-a lady n-never cries!" Rarity took the last reserve of strength she had to steel herself for these last words. "Now off with you! I'm sure that silly Trixie is already pounding on your library door begging to take you back. It's easy to take what you have for granted until you’ve lost it." Rarity put on the best smile she could.

Twilight could read straight past her. Rarity's soul shone shamelessly though her eyes. It was wrecked and torn and Twilight didn't have the heart to say anything more. Rarity was truly hurt down to her core and there was nothing she could do about it.

After Rarity quickly showed her out, she watched Twilight run far in the distance, sadness wracking both of them for the same reasons. Rarity closed the door with her back to it and slid down as the tears did.

*

The next day was Friday. Rarity didn't know why, but she was sure that this was going to be a day of reckoning. The last few days had hit her like a hurricane. It slowly built up to the catharsis that was all yesterday, but now she was in the eye.

She woke up with a headache from all the crying, leaving her worn out and somber. Crying for fifteen hours on and off had a way of doing that to a pony. The morning was quiet. No unusual visits from one mare or another. Sweetie Belle had stayed in her clubhouse for the night so she didn't even have that distraction, just eerie quiet.

She was left only to her thoughts and yesterday had burnt all of them out. She found herself wandering from room to room with no real purpose. Periodically she’d fall into a short but silent spittle of tears, but nothing as dramatic as yesterday. Her mind was completely blank. Designing dresses was impossible. The few customers she did have she answered shortly and rushed them out unlike how she usually liked to chat them up and work them over.

To think that today was when she was supposed to go on a date with Fluttershy hurt a lot less than she predicted. Of all the things she really wanted to do, she really just wanted an emergency spa day. The spa was kind of her place to recover. She had a few girlfriends there that she could vent to if she needed to or she could get a private hot tub so no pony would see her crying. Mostly she just wanted to get out of the stupid boutique where everywhere she looked she saw her own failures.

Maybe the storm would just blow over.

*

The sun was reaching it's twilight hours. It was late when a knock sounded on Fluttershy's door. She went to answer it, already knowing who it was.

"Most dearest Fluttershy, I have brought thee a floral assortment and sweet confections so that thou may decoratest thine homestead and enjoyest the pride of Sugarcube Corner!" Luna announced happily.

Fluttershy just blushed as Luna piled her gifts on the pegasus. Luna smiled a toothy grin at her as she opened the box of chocolates and took one out, anxiously awaiting her approval. Each one looked like they were painstakingly crafted by hoof. The ornate lacing and individual decoration spoke leagues about how committed the Cakes were to all forms of sweets. Luna must have paid out the nose for them.

Fluttershy smiled and ate it. The flavour startled her, it was the most delicious piece of chocolate she'd ever had. "Oh my! These are really good!" she exclaimed before blushing more in reaction to her own outburst.

Luna giggled. "I am glad thou likest them, but enough! Shall we be on our way?" The princess cordially bowed and motioned out down the path. Fluttershy couldn't help but note that the Princess had just bowed to her, She wasn't a vain pony, but it brought a smile to her face.

Fluttershy cutely popped another one of the chocolates her mouth and thoughtfully picked one up for the Princess, before following her out the door.

"Mercy, tis art the most luscious sweets," proclaimed the pony who talks like that after testing it for herself.

They trotted down the road with good pace. Fluttershy did her best to push Rarity out of her mind, which proved fairly easy. Not considering the unspoken attachment that Rarity had to Fluttershy, little had actually transpired between them.

She had really only had one day to feel anything towards her, so it didn't seem entirely unfair to herself to go on a date with the Princess. Already, Fluttershy felt more mature taking time to try different options. The infatuation with Rarity had happened so quickly that she was kind of glad that the Princess came and forced her to slow down. She didn't want to rush into anything because nothing good would have come from that.

Besides that, Luna had proven to be a much kinder and gentler pony than the last time she came to Ponyville. She was a bit odd sometimes, and pray she never knew these thoughts, but Fluttershy found it endearing. The Princess was still ages behind the times and it allowed for her step up and correct the Princess whenever she made a mistake. Which was a lot.

For once she felt like she was the more graceful one in social situation. Being hoof-picked by the Princess was terrifying at first, but in only a few days, it had done a ton for her self-esteem.

The turning point was when she actually corrected the Princess on the one of the newer forms of crude entertainment.

"A hay ride? For what purpose would thou want to give hay a ride? Tis the most silliest of tasks!" Luna levitated eight more bales onto the wagon. "Now ride Big Macintosh! Entertain these stalks so that I may observe the peculiarity of this ritual!"

Everypony exchanged glances, none of them wanted to be the pony that corrects the Princess. Fluttershy just waltzed up to her though. Since Luna had insisted that they spend as much time together as possible Fluttershy didn't see her as a Princess anymore and more as a regular old pony.

"Luna, you're not giving the hay a ride. You ride on the hay," Fluttershy explained.

Luna looked from the massive tower of hay bales she just placed on the struggling cart to Big Mac who was just smiling awkwardly.

"Oh..." She flew the bales off back the field that she got them from and calmly stepped up onto the wagon with an adorably blank look on her face.

Everypony else would see that as just the evolution of a relationship, but to Fluttershy it was a victory. She remembered a day when even a unicorn as unassuming and friendly as Twilight would cause her to cower in fear. Now she was talking to royalty casually where even esteemed ponies wouldn't.

"So where are you taking me?" Fluttershy ventured.

"Pray, the itinerary for this evening shall remain a surprise.” Luna teased.

Fluttershy smiled. Going on a date with the Princess had terrified her, but she kept telling herself that she was a normal pony and that they were just spending time together. Once the repetition set in and she started believing herself, the idea of a date romanced her. She found herself giddy with excitement at the thought of a pony taking her on a romantic date.

Surely a Princess of infinite grace who has lived at least a hundred of her lifetimes would enchant her and take her beyond her wildest imagination. Fluttershy couldn't help but feel like the luckiest mare in the world. Her mind raced with the sorts of things Luna might show her. Spells? Secret places? Memories brought to life? Considering Luna’s unique powers, she wouldn’t be surprised if her very dreams came true.

"Behold! The finest dining establishment in all of Ponyville! The CherryCobbler Factory!" Luna announced to Fluttershy.

In front of her was the iconic, upper-middle range restaurant chain that most couples went to on their like, ninth, anniversary. Not exactly newly-weds, not a decade yet, but it was nice enough. It was technically the nicest place in town, but that's because no celebrity chefs had decided to invest into a town with such a low population yet.

It was extremely underwhelming to be brought to a chain restaurant on her first date with a princess, but Fluttershy grinned anyways. She liked their food and had that one item she always ordered. She knew almost everything on the menu was palatable, but the Trottingham Fortune Five was her favourite salad. Luna was just being a lady, letting her know that she wasn't going to skimp on feeding her. No, Luna was keeping it classy, mid-range classy.

Luna opened the door for Fluttershy, quite heroically. The light buzz of conversation and energy died almost immediately as they walked in. Also a vinyl scratch was heard somewhere in the distance. The presence of the Princess momentarily stunned the staff before they reflexively threw themselves at the couple.

One of the better dressed stallions that Fluttershy assumed was the general manager took point. "Good evening her Royal Majesty, Princess Luna of Canterlot. Welcome to the CherryCobbler Factory! Table for..." He looked down at Fluttershy,  "Two? Yes right this way!"  He shot death stares at multiple employees. They scrambled off.

"I have a reservation," Luna said startled by the sudden rush of attention.

"Of course you do! Royalty is always welcome and do we have the loveliest spot for you to dine in!" He bowed and motioned to a lone table that several employees were scrambling to decorate.

"Nay, it is under the name Fluttershy. I called earlier. Make sure that thou crosses it off thou’s list!" Luna cried as the mob carried them both off to the table and plopped them down.

They sat on luxurious foam cushion couches that formed to their every curve. The table was set in the traditional setting with an an artsy royal emblem sitting to the side. At least two dozen candles floated around them, their flames rollicking gently. Strangely enough, the glare from the candles made it hard to see anything beyond their sphere, giving them a sense of seclusion.

The entire restaurant was silent as they watched the Princess and her guest. A stallion whisked a few of the candles to the side and  gracefully entered the ring.

"My most graceful Majesty and honoured guest--"

"Fluttershy," Luna corrected flatly.

He looked at her shocked. He had never been interrupted like that before. His mind raced for how to use proper names in an an such humble greeting.

"Pardon me your Majesty," he recovered confidently. "Her majesty and the most lovely Miss Fluttershy. It would be my honour to personally welcome you to our humble establishment.--"

"Aye... Thou hast the lovliest decorations. Now..." Luna was already looking through the menu, clearly confused “Let us view thine selection. I do not even under--What is a New Colt City Philly-- Oh nevermind.” She mumbled before closing the menu in a fit. Blast these modern delicacies “Fair stallion, I desire thine finest waffles,” she announced.

The waiter blinked at her in a stupefied terror. He was their best, most experienced waiter, and he actually thought that waiting for the Princess would be easier because of all the implied manners and ceremony involved. Oh no, this was Princess Luna and he was definitely way in over his head.

"Luna, I think the stallion was trying to say something." Corrected Fluttershy. "He was going to ask us if he could get us some drinks." She shot him an approving glance.

He twisted his mind, trying to comprehend everything. Was this little pegasus, who he saw run away from a rolling tomato two days ago, lecturing the princess?

"Art thou sure?" Luna was endearingly skeptical, but Fluttershy just bobbed her head at her. "If thou sayest so... Proceed, continue fair stallion, I apologize for my brashness"

"... w-welcome to our humble establishment. May I start you off with your order?" He choked out. He was completely screwing up his line. His entire life flashed before his eyes. His boss was watching his horrible screw up. He was probably going to lose his job over this then his apartment, his pregnant wife...

Fluttershy spoke next before the Princess. Maybe it would be better if she just did the talking to spare this sweating stallion any more trouble.

"We'll have some Sweet Apple Acres Special Blend 4 Cider to start off with,” she said gracefully.

“O-of course.” He scurried out.

*

Fluttershy trembled with anticipation. The Princess really was going out of her way to keep the evening a surprise. Even though she had been walking blindfolded for fifteen minutes she couldn’t imagine what sort of wonders Princess had in store for her. Luna fine tuned Fluttershy’s exact position before ripping away the blindfold.

Fluttershy tore open her eyes and gasped. The enormous smile initially on her face turned hesitant and reserved. She looked from the picture to the princess with anxious eyes.

It was the swing set in the schoolyard.

Fluttershy assumed there was more to it. “Oh my... What is it?”

“Tis a swinging set! I will push thee on it so that thou may enjoyest it.” Luna was obviously excited.

“Oh!” Fluttershy exclaimed. Luna was so adorably awkward. “Heh, ok!”

Thus the best date ever began.

The swing set was clearly too small for the full grown mare. She had to duck a bit to even sit on it. Luna was forced to push her from a crouching position and because of the small arc Fluttershy moved a bit too fast. Luna was obviously challenging herself to get Fluttershy as high as possible.

Fluttershy voice wavered with each push.“So... w-where did you c-come up with a swing s-set Luna?”

“I learnt of it in one the thee’s modern theatre performances.”

Fluttershy thought for a moment. “You m-mean a movie?”

“Aye, taking one’s date for dinner and then pushing them on the swinging set is modern courting tradition, is it not?”

Fluttershy jumped off and hung in mid air, sending the swing back to Luna to catch. She was getting nauseous. Luna eyes glistened anxiously.

She frowned. “Is everything alright dearest Fluttershy? Art thou not enjoying thyself?”

“Oh I am! But I was just wondering if maybe instead of following what you saw in that movie you could perhaps maybe show me your traditional way of umm... courtship...” Fluttershy blushed.

“My way...?” Luna let go of the swing and looked down. “I... I never courted another pony before...” she admitted. It was a lie, but she didn’t really want to go into her last attempt. “I doubt I would be any good at it...”

“Oh my...” Fluttershy didn’t know she hit such a sensitive topic. She needed to think fast or else Luna might start spiralling. “Well neither have I...”

That seemed to return a little bit of her confidence. “ What dost thou wish to partake in together if not modern tradition?”

“We could always go for a walk and just talk.” Fluttershy suggested. The moon was clear tonight without a cloud in the sky, a perfect time for such an activity.

She smiled dubiously. “Very well, I have no objection. ”

They began down a path that would lead them into the quieter countryside. It was warm and comfortable out. Fluttershy stole a glance at her date and noted just how lucky she was. The Princess of the Moon shimmered in the moonlight. Her mane rippled in a lunar wind that she couldn’t feel it on her coat, but deep in the mysteries and doubt of her mind. Something about the unknown aura that surrounded Luna both unnerved her and brought her comfort. More importantly, it forced a sense of intimacy with Luna’s intrigue.

The silence between them was comfortable, but quickly forcing them to start opening up.

“So Luna... I umm... have been wondering...”

“What troubles thou?”

Fluttershy decided to get straight to the point. It had been bothering her ever since Luna came to her in her dream. “I was just wondering... why did you pick me? I mean you’re a princess and I’m just a normal pony. I’m not complaining! I mean you’re really nice and lovely and I’m probably the luckiest pony in the world.”

Luna blushed ever so lightly.

“I erhm... Watchethed thou for some time...” she began. “Thou hast a gentleness about thee and kindness in thine heart...I erhm have never sought a pony of gallantry, but one more delicate like a dove to uhmm... a falcon!... Since I am none of those things I envy and desire thee greatly...” She was tripping over her words.

Fluttershy just giggled at the flustered pony. Those last words made her heart skip a beat.

“I mean! What I intended to say was that I desirest thine traits and would like to imitate them. But with thee present of course!” Her blush heightened. “Oh Fluttershy, thou hast me tongue-tied!”

Fluttershy still giggled lightly at the Luna’s ever growing red face.

“Oh it is folly, in thine’s company I have become a bumbling jester.” Luna conceded.

Fluttershy mindfully brought her giggling under control. After a few moments of warm silence, she spoke.

“You’re really sweet Luna...”she admitted

“As art thou...”

They exchanged glances and continued on with shy smiles on their faces. They approached a small pond, whose perfect surfaced mirrored the sky far above. Luna saw an opportunity.

“Thou spoke of seeing traditional courtship, correct?” she asked coyly.

“Oh yes please!”

In the moonlight the royal regalia of the princess began shimmered brightly as they shared their first moment. It was nothing more than a quick glance into each other’s eyes, but a delicate and tangible magical connection was made. Fluttershy felt her head rush as she gazed into Luna’s matching teal irises.

“Now rest here in the grass and look at the night sky through my flowing mane.”

Fluttershy cutely stumbled onto her back as Luna instructed. Luna then drifted slightly above her to create a better angle, but also bringing them intimately close. Whatever Luna did to her, it affected her vision. The night sky was much clearer, the lights of the city had been filtered out and what remained was the constellations and nebula as they should be. The violets and blues of the distant universe shone with ardor in the small window of her mane.

With that moment came another. A harmonious ringing quickly grew and chimed off as Princess Luna’s accessories and crown disappeared. All the things that made her royal fell from her in a brilliant display. Their forms dissipated into a shower of sparkles that spun around her and dashed off towards the moon. The glow, illuminated both of their caste faces as they nervously smiled at each other.

Each sparkle as it passed through Luna’s mane lit the nebulae with a relative light as though it shot deep into space, giving it a tangible depth. Fluttershy couldn’t even grasp the magic of the spectacle. These celestial objects of truly universal sizes danced in Luna’s mane like a child’s plaything. Fluttershy swore she could have just reached out and touched an entire universe with her hoof.

It was like somepony shot a storm of sparkling rockets through the universe revealing objects in boundaries barely broken before.

What was left was of Luna was something both familiar and alien, a bare image of the beloved princess. One who felt intimate and personable. Her deep indigo coat uninterrupted by the break in colour from her accessories humbled her appearance. From the tip of her horn to her hoof she shone in the moonlight as a purely ordinary pony. No titles, no royalty, nothing besides her character, hopes and dreams to define her.

Fluttershy had never seen Luna this way, but now that she did, she preferred it. She knew she was one of the few who’d ever see Luna like this and that alone made it special to her.

Fluttershy gasped. “Oh my goodness! Luna, what happened to your crown and necklace?”

Luna blushed blazing scarlet. “Thou spokest of my tradition. Tis tradition to remove one’s adornments in company of a mare such as thee...”

Their eyes connected and Fluttershy expected that they’d kiss much like Rarity had implied before. While Fluttershy welcomed the idea, she mostly accepted it because she knew the Princess expected it. She delicately licked her lips in preparation.

Much to her surprise, something even better happened. Something that made her weightless with bliss and affection, something that felt infinitely more right than a kiss.

Luna slowly glided forward and just tenderly nuzzled the pegasus who could only blush back.

"...yes..."

'...yes..."

Twilight really needed to get a new type of wood for her flooring. After about three hours Spike had already worn a groove a few inches deep. Whatever wood she had now was about as structurally sound as Fluttershy’s occasionally explosive excretions mixed with yeast and baked for ten minutes too short.

Spike had overheard the fateful exchange between Twilight and Trixie. Initially he was jealous of Trixie for her somewhat successful impasse with his fabulous crush, but it turned to protective anger soon enough.

Of any other being in Ponyville besides the alliterate couple, Spike knew the most about the depth of their relationship, or lack thereof. After enough other grooves had been worked into her now, very arousing, floor, it was clear what glue held them together.

Or at least what glue held Twilight in.

Trixie on the other hoof, while clearly enjoying herself too, had something of a guilty conscience. During their pillow talk, that Spike couldn’t help but eavesdrop on, Trixie would regularly tell Twilight how terrible of a unicorn she was and how she’d never make any friends.

At first this just looked like Trixie shallowly fishing for compliments, but at time went on, the pity had overstayed it’s welcome and hinted at a deeper conflict within the unicorn. Spike never talked with Twilight about the depths of the relationship, but he assumed that Twilight’s confidence is what held her in.

The most recent development shocked him at first, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. If Trixie had found another lover, rubbing it in Twilight’s face would be her first step to the recollection of her self-esteem. She had crawled her way up from the lowest low to befriend an old rival and finally assert herself over her. Twilight was the lowest common denominator in the small rise and fall of Trixie they had observed.

The part about Rarity threw him for a loop though. Regardless if Twilight didn’t get back soon, he’d be forced to go out and look for her.

“Come on Twi, the suspense is killin’ me.”

Twilight conveniently walked in right as he said that, looking like a complete mess. She had a dazed look in her eye, her mane and tail were messy, she had obviously been crying a lot and she smelled like the rest of the library.

From what he saw, he had no idea if she had a good or bad night.

“Twi! Oh man, have I been worried about you! How’d it go? Didya let Rarity have it?”

Twilight slowly scanned the library for her mare. “Trixie didn’t drop by, did she?” Her tone was exhausted and sad.

“Hmph, Trixie. Why’d ya want to talk to her after the way she yelled at you?”

“I just need to talk to her...” she took a moment to think before turning back to the door, “I’m gonna go look for her. W-watch the library f-for me...”  Twilight choked up and gritted her as she tried to fight the memories flooding back to her and the tears that came with them.

Seeing the library only reminded Twilight of all her favourite moments of Trixie, their first kiss, their first time waking up together, their first time making a groove in the floor. For some strange reason, each and every memory seemed stronger than the last for no apparent reason.

Twilight tried to fight them but didn’t even make it out the door before collapsing in a fit of heart-wrenching sobs.

“Twi! Hey you alright?” Spike said softly to his best friend, running over to her. She slowly wrapped her arms around him and cried into his pudgy little belly. “Aww come on Twi, Trixie isn’t worth the trouble anyways...”

“B-b-ut I-i l-lo--” was all she got out.

“No way Twi, you deserve way better than her. Man the next time I see her, I’ll burn every hair off her body... No one treats you like that, ya hear me?” Spike said compassionately. He meant it too. It broke his heart to see his favourite pony cry.

Twilight took it the wrong way though. She scurried away hysterically and yelled out, “N-naah my T-twwixie!” running off towards the door, her eyes sealed from anguish. Unfortunately she missed the door and ran head first into the wall which, unlike the floor was, actually hard.

She smacked into with a heavy thud that shook the tree house before falling back down. In the few seconds of shock before the pain set in, she stopped crying and glared innocently at the wall as if it, itself was trying to stop her. As soon as the her head started hurting she just kept crying again, slowly crawling back over to Spike using just her rear legs.

It was excessively pathetic.

She cried a primal, uncontrollable maelstrom of tears and all Spike could do was sit there and be the belly she cried into.

*

“So my hoof’s stuck in there right? I’m freaking out, Scootaloo was having a seizure and I still have half a pie left,” Sweetie Belle exclaimed dramatically.

Rarity barely heard her sister. To say she was distant was an understatement. She wouldn’t have even known that there was food on her plate if she didn’t make it herself and even then it sort of looked funny. She pushed it away for no apparent reason.

The spa had brought her mind back to her, only to send it off into the distance again. Lately she had only worried about her own role in all the madness but taking some time to think about all it’s players brought her one conclusion. Luna notwithstanding, she was the single cornerstone of this mess.

She had broken two relationships, started three, and no other pony came close to her in influence. It disgusted her but in a way brought her a sense of control and power that she jokingly fancied. The only ponies missing were Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Pinkie Pie. If she pulled them into it, she’d have her core group. She mused at ways to somehow involve them, perhaps they’d involve themselves and she’d find Trixie spending the night at Sweet Apple Acres.

From the direction of Sweet Apple Acres a sonic rainboom exploded. It was shortly followed by another sonic rainboom.

Perhaps not...

Whatever, still she had single hoofedly created a love pentagon, who could blame her for being distracted in her own thoughts. She had felt so helpless earlier, but pretending she was the director of this play helped her cope with the heartache she still felt.

“So how did your date go?” Sweetie Belle asked half-heartedly noticing that Rarity wasn’t listening to her story.

“Oh umm... It was canceled last moment.”

“Aww how come?”

“I’d rather not say.”

Sweetie Belle read the subtle sadness in her sister but decided against fishing for further information. Her sister was the kind of pony who’d talk when she was ready. Her sister was also the kind of pony who’d make sure everypony knew after she decided she was ready.

“Well there are always more fish in the sea.” Sweetie Belle’s encouraged, but Rarity only sighed. The same distant, glum look was flat on her sister’s face. She thought for a moment before coming up with a questionable idea. “Well if you’re having a really hard time finding a special somepony, maybe you could ask Twilight’s sister-in-law for help. She’s really good at lovey dovey stuff.”

Sister-in-law...?

Oh my stars...

Cadance...

Rarity took a moment to seriously consider the idea of bringing in Cadance for support. Something as powerful as Cadance’s magic would be a trump card since she could mend anypony’s heart and incite love where ever she saw fit. If Rarity could make this work, then she might have a chance at redemption and maybe even love.

Things were about to get a whole lot weirder.

*

A few hours after Rarity had furiously scribbled a letter off to the Princess, another Princess was walking her date home after a beautiful evening.

“So um... when will I get to see you next...?” asked the pegasus as she reluctantly reached her front door. She wouldn’t have minded staying out a bit longer, but the night had been perfect that she didn’t want to ruin it by letting exhaustion will her into something they weren’t ready for.

“I can not say dear Fluttershy. This time was my only recess from royal duty and it may be for some time to come.”

The words resonated between them. Even though she didn’t look like it right now, Luna was still a princess and with that, responsible for much of Canterlot and Equestria as a whole. She had to take time away from the needs of a kingdom to be with Fluttershy. That was what initially scared Fluttershy, and it still did, but now it scared her for different reasons.

“It’s ok Luna... I had a wonderful time...” Fluttershy said bittersweetly. “If you’re ever in Ponyville on official business and you require ummm...” she flushed crimson and spoke in almost a whisper, “... your royal concubine... I’ll make time for my royal duty...”

Luna smiled weakly.

“Of course... But I shall release thou from thine concubinage. Tis the unfairest decree to ask that thou stayest only mine. Thou shalt be free.”

Fluttershy’s eyes grew wide with heartbreak.

“Oh it isn’t any trouble at all! I don’t mind, really!” Fluttershy’s emotions had gotten the best of her. “You’re a really nice pony... And I kind of like you...” The Princess looked almost estranged.

“Tis it true...?”

Fluttershy just let out reserved, high pitched, “Mmmhmm...” She had startled herself with her forceful reaction.

“You are the most wonderful of ponies... Thank you Fluttershy.” Luna bowed deeply leaving the timid pony speechless.

Fluttershy took her eyes off Luna for just a moment to open her door when she heard her whisper gently in her ear. It heavied her eyelids and relaxed her to a sleepy daze like a lullaby.

“Sweet dreams...” it said.

When she turned around Luna was gone. All that was left was final breeze of the lunar wind that lapped her heart to remind her that she had even been there at all.

She quietly entered her dark house and dragged herself upstairs. She didn’t bother turning the light on, instead just falling through the darkness into her bed. There was a warmness in her empty bed, the warmness imprinted by another body. It would have bothered her but sleep took her instantly.

Unbeknownst to Fluttershy, Luna had laced her words with a tiredness spell. She was already waiting for Fluttershy when she entered the Princess of the Night’s realm.

Here they could continue to grow where the world would have stopped them.

*

The lavender unicorn carefully surveyed the board. All the pieces were in place and the time to strike was soon. Her scaly opponent would soon be defeated. She moved her piece.

“Check...” she muttered quietly. No look of satisfaction came over her, only pure, unyielding concentration.

“Oh wow...” he admired. “Uhh... let’s...” He moved his queen backwards to defend the king, a move she didn’t anticipate. It ended up being a free piece and Twilight greedily took it. Unfortunately it opened up her back row and Spike sent his rook out after the castled king, promptly ending the game.

“Checkmate,” he announced.

Spike had been in one chess club or another for five years now and despite Twilight’s natural aptitude for learning and intricate theory, he proved an exceptional opponent. He was five to her four.

He folded his arms in satisfaction of winning an extremely close game. “You know Twi, you should enter a tournament or something. You’re really good at this.”

She cracked a smile. “Yeah? You think we’d win?”

“I’ve played enough tournaments to know it’d be you and me in the finals.”

Twilight blushed. She knew he was just flattering her, but his extra attention did a lot to make her feel better in the wake of Trixie. He wasn’t pampering her, but just took extra time to make sure she was never alone for too long.

Spike had convinced her to stay in for the past few days and withhold herself from going out and looking for Trixie. It took three hours of heart-to-heart talking and two dramatic slaps in the face to stop her from getting hysterical, but in the end she calmed down.

Spike explained that if Trixie loved Twilight, she’d realize it and come back, if she didn’t, she’d leave town and avoid her. Trixie had no other real ties to Ponyville besides Twilight so looking around Ponyville for her would be pointless and by now she could be halfway across Equestria. She understood this, but it didn’t stop every knock on the door from being a hopeful chance of reuniting with her beloved. She soon noticed this and added an artificial slowness each time she had a visitor in introspective retroaction.

As time went on, a sad truth was starting to emerge. The chance of Trixie returning shrinked with each day and every knock on the door would end up being just another let down that suffocated her heart.

Of course, a fateful tap on wood sounded.

Twilight jumped initially but kept her eyes glued to the board as if studying the game like a book. Her hopeful apprehension was completely shameless.

“Oh Spike, would you mind getting that?”

Spike got up and waddled over to the door. Twilight stole a glance to see who it was. Against all her expectations it was Princess Cadance.

“Oh, good afternoon Spike, is Twilight here?” she asked warmly, her tone, cheerful and optimistic as always.

“Cadance!” Twilight exclaimed.

Cadance spotted the unicorn and then ran up to each other excitedly.

Sunshine, sunshine

Ladybugs awake

Clap your hooves and

Do a little shake!

The both giggled a bit more than they should have.

“Cadance what are you doing here? I mean it’s great to see you again, but if I knew you were coming I would have cleaned up a little bit.” Twilight admitted, surveying her incredibly suggestive floor. The lack of description for Spike’s more recent groove suggested what could have only been a marathon.

“Oh I decided to take a few days off to come visit. Shining is busy with some guard thing for the week, so I thought why not come down and see Twilight?” she explained. “Anyways, have you eaten? I was thinking we could go get some lunch.”

Twilight felt bad being skeptical, so she let it go. If Cadance decides to show up and ask to hang out completely out of the blue, then she wasn’t going to send her home. It would be nice to get to know her sister-in-law again. A lot had changed since she stopped foalsitting Twilight and they didn’t have much of a chance to catch up during the wedding. A massive filly-like grin came over her face.

“Ok!” Twilight replied brightly.

“Awesome. Do you think Trixie would like to come with us? I’ve been dying to meet her. Shining tells me she’s been treating you well and by the looks of I’d assume that’s a pretty safe assumption.” She gave Twilight a wink.

“Oh umm... no... I don’t think she’d like to come...” Twilight replied sadly, her face falling into a frown.

“What why not?” Cadance analyzed her in less than a second and gasped. “Twilight, what’s wrong?! Don’t tell me...” She didn’t want to hear what she already knew.

Twilight sad face only confirmed Cadance’s suspicion. Twilight hadn’t told any other pony about her broken heart except Spike. Rarity and she had been comfortably avoiding each other while they took time to figure themselves out, so even she didn’t know the whole story after Twilight left. Twilight wasn’t sure if she was ready to confide in another pony yet, but Cadance’s caring and loving persona made her ready. Cadance was the best pony, if any, to talk with about this sort of thing.

“I’ll tell you about it over lunch.”

*

They had settled on the CherryCobbler Factory for lunch. Cadance had decided to treat her sister to something appropriately nice. Upon entering the hum and buzz of conversation died immediately and a vinyl scratch was heard somewhere in the distance. The staff was had again frozen in terror before throwing themselves at the pair.

The manager had come to greet them. “Welcome to the CherryCobbler factory your Majesty, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Crown Empress of the Crystal Empire and Lady Twilight Sparkle of Canterlot. Table for two I presume?”

“Yes, table for two please.”

They were hurried off to a familiar table, this time, not surrounded by candles. An extremely nervous looking stallion approached them. He looked like he hadn’t slept in a few days.

“My most graceful Majesty and royal lady--”

Cadance interrupted him sweetly. “Please, call me Cadance and my friend Twilight.”

The earth coloured stallion twitched and convulsed, accidentally snapping his pencil in half. The three of them looked at the broken pencil, confused and horrified. His nerves had gotten the best of him. His last impasse with a princess had put in him on this ice and now he just screwed up his last chance. His lips trembled and he began tearing up.

“I’m sorry Derpy...” he muttered before running through the restaurant and out the door crying.

The manager was by their side before they even realized the stallion had left. “Esteemed guest, Cadance and Twilight. It is my honour to personally welcome you to our humble establishment. My name is Fancy Smancy and I will be taking care of you this afternoon. Can I start you off with a glass?” He looked to Cadance.

She whipped her head and chose to ignore what she just saw.

“Doux Hyros on rocks.” Cadance answered regally, shooting Twilight a playful smirk,

“Aspira’s Distilled Peppermint, neat.”

“Cadance my dear, such a fine taste and Twilight, tis the season,” he played. “Please relax and enjoy yourselves.”

He bustled off. Once he was clear of the table, Cadance leveled with Twilight. “Alright Twilight, now what’s been going on between you and Trixie. I’m getting mixed signals here. Shining says you guys are happy, but I get here and your face is telling me otherwise.” Cadance’s tone was both welcoming and reasonably concerned.

“Oh Cadance... I don’t even know, I thought things were going good... We were so in love and then I leave for five minutes and she tells me she doesn’t need me anymore and runs off.” Twilight admitted. Cadance just nodded her head and thought.

She didn’t expect something so sudden. Relationships can swing in a heartbeat, but even she found something off about this.

“Just get’s up and leaves? You guys weren’t fighting or anything?”

Twilight just shook her head innocently.

“That doesn’t seem right at all... How long ago was this?”

“Umm...” Twilight had to think, so much had happened in the last few days that she sort of lost track of time. “Last time I saw her was Wednesday night and today is Monday. So five days?”

That was a long time and it ruled out quite a few explanations Cadance had in mind. It was nothing hormonal, it wasn’t spur of the moment emotions, considering that Trixie had been staying with Twilight, there was the need for lodging that would have brought her back. That alone denoted an unnerving level of seriousness.

Cadance knew Twilight must have already thought about all this and redirected the conversation.

“Do you miss her?”

“Mmmhm...” she squeaked out. Her eyes were watery.

The waiter brought them their drinks. Twilight levitated it, stirred it around and downed the entire shot in one motion before handing it back to the waiter. He nervously took it and against her better judgment Cadance did them same in empathy to Twilight. He eyed the two skeptically and carried the glasses away.

“You know what Twilight? I don’t know what happened to her, but if she’s willing to toss your entire relationship away without even the respect to talk to you about it, she’s not worth it.”

Twilight’s eyes were hurt and borderlining tears.

Her words were a bit harsh for the vulnerable mare, but she knew she was right and sometimes being direct is what a pony needed to see the truth.

“That’s what Spike said...”

Cadance didn’t know very much about the situation, but she already didn’t like Trixie. She broke her little filly’s heart for what couldn’t have been a good reason. Twilight was far too pure to really do anything too wrong. All Cadance pictured was some worthless, stuck-up mare pushing her little Twilight in a puddle of mud and laughing at her.

“And you know what? Spike loves you and values your happiness as do the rest of your friends...”

Twilight’s mind flickered back to Rarity as she said that.

“...You’re important to us Twilight, we care about you and we want you to be happy. I know Trixie was your first and that she’ll always be in your heart. You gave her that place and she’s damn lucky to be there, but it doesn’t mean you can’t move on. Like I love your brother. I love him more than anypony else and I love him more each day, but I still remember my first love and the memories we share. I couldn’t forget them no matter how much I want to.”

Twilight smiled weakly. Cadance was on getting on the exact same level as her.

“If Trixie comes back, then you have every right to be with her and take her back. But you better believe that you’re going to get some answers before you do. Me and Spike will see to that,” she gave her a keen wink, “I’d say, don’t hold your breath though. Take the time you need, but don’t wait on her and get back out there. You’re going to make some pony the luckiest pony in the world some day.”

Twilight just blushed. Even though Spike had effectively said all those things just a few days ago, hearing it from Cadance had a certain magic to it. It was like she truly knew after only a short exchange. Every word had mended and warmed her heart.

Yet in all her perceptiveness, Cadance still mistook Twilight’s silence for something else.

“Ohmigosh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to rant so much. I just got carried away. Seeing Trixie treat you so poorly just riled me up and--” Cadance frantically apologized.

“Thank you Cadance...” Twilight sobbed. Cadance smiled softly and blushed.

“Hey, just looking out for my little filly.”

Twilight had hit the lowest low just a few days before. Her first love had brutally abandoned her and she had broken her own friend’s heart. Now she felt a hundred times better because of the best sister in the whole world.

“So what else is new?” Cadance asked noticing the tears and deciding a change of subject should be in order.

Twilight’s mind flickered to Rarity again. Before she could answer, the waiter brought out the second round of drinks. The mare and the Princess smiled at each other and downed their drinks again. Surprised he took them on his tray and proceeded on with the afternoon.

“Thirsty today are we? Oh well, it’s none of my business, we all need a day off,” he joked, “Normally I’d like one too, but today I get the honour of serve a Princess and a lady of the court. So what can I get for you two today?”

*

Five drinks and a half an entree later.

*

Cadance giggled hysterically, a light and attractive red painting her guiltly cheeks. They had attracted some attention from curious onlookers, but to them it appeared like nothing more than a tipsy Princess and her royal guest.

Traces of laughter peppered Twilight’s words. “Yeah and that’s why Rarity won’t let me around sewing machines anymore!”

Cadance was cracking up harder and harder. “W-whelll I c-can see why!”

“Hey! Applejack needed to get home and I still couldn’t tell Rarity about the rash!”

After laughing a bit longer, they both let out a warm, hearty sigh.

“Your friend Rarity sounds like a blast, you should invite her along next time,” Cadance suggested.

“Oh you have no idea... She has a way, no, a gift, in the way of making mares happy...” she replied openly with a big dumb grin on her face.

Twilight was about to become a lot more tipsy.

Cadance raised a curious eyebrow. “Oh?”

“I should know, I spent the night in her boutique finding out.” Twilight popped her hooves on her mouth as soon as she said it.

Cadance smirked at her and let out an exasperated gasp.

“Twilight Sparkle! Have you been a naughty filly?” she teased.

“Maybe...” she replied coyly.

“Do you like Rarity?” Cadance smirked

“Maybe...” Twilight felt herself becoming more honest.

“Do you love Rarity...?”

“...maybe...”

*

In the darkness two forms had moved in peak rhythm to perfect pleasure. They entered the epitome of euphoria as ecstasy enticed them to ever expanding emotion.  Back and forth they traded feeling and intimacy, the newer mare following the lead of the older.

Each of Twilight’s movements pumped her fuller with love. Rarity felt helpless in the passion of her lover, yet somehow Twilight moans ecstatically pierced the night. Rarity gave no thought into throwing herself completely at the task of bringing Twilight the greatest feeling she could. She had entered the night nervous as to what was expected of her but now she felt nothing of the sort. They expected nothing from each other, but knew that only through each other would they find the most perfect bliss.

Over and over again the end seemed to come, their panting and echoing cries waking in the climactic release. Yet one or both of them would decide that enough wasn’t enough and they’d revitalize their efforts, finding some way to push themselves further and further. After her first release, Rarity saw the end of love though, the height of all feeling far in the distance. In the beginning she was afraid that it would rip her apart, but before she knew it she had already been torn apart and put back together by her lover. Now she was approaching the finale.

Twilight went forward with fury and relentlessly in her pursuit. Rarity couldn’t fathom greater feeling, but the heat fused them together and Rarity lost herself in Twilight, allowing her to share her tolerance. Diluting the feeling gave meaning and depth to it and elongated it, allowing it to mature. It also helped to dull it into something tolerable for a time, but passion never behaves so.

Sharing the feeling ended up compounding it and pushed them an eternity over the edge. The thinnest line came to separate them from release and from each other. In order to cross that line there could was no longer ‘her’ or ‘she’ or ‘I’. It would have to be ‘their’, ‘we’ and ‘us’. Together they had created this beauty and together they would release it.

Rarity’s face had been stained a deep scarlet. She looked into the eyes of her lover as they pushed past the edge.

“Twilight... Please end it! Please for the love of the heavens end it!” Rarity cried out into the night. “Oh darling... I... can’t...” she writhed and grimaced. She was starting to cry.

Twilight kissed her ending the thought and giving them the last few seconds they’d have. A tear in her eye, Rarity knew what Twilight was about to do. She was going to to say the one thing that would push them into infinity. It scared Rarity, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to say it, if she’d mean it and what it’d do to her. Yet, it needed to be said and Rarity needed to answer her.

”I love you Rarity...” she whispered.

Rarity’s body surged. Through every pore and every orifice she exploded in what felt like a searing white light. It starting deep inside her forced it’s way out, an unstoppable force that wiped her mind clean. Tears streamed her eyes.

There was only one thing left to say.

”I love you too Twilight!” Rarity cried out throwing her head back as it crawled up her spine.

With that they screamed and released. In a flash their vision went white and nothing else mattered.

*

“...yes...”

Cadance smiled thoughtfully, but the moment only lasted a few seconds. A flurry of screams shattered Twilight's reverie. The patrons stood up, shocked, searching for the source of the commotion. A panicked mare came rushing to the side of the Princess.

"Princess, we need you outside."

Sandcastles

Sandcastles

Twilight stirred briskly, from what she assumed must have been a nightmare. She had a pounding headache and threw her hoof in front of even the candle’s soft light. It’s gentle flame just pounding the chisel deeper. She looked around to see Fluttershy napping on her other bed and Rarity quietly reading a book by her bedside.

“Oh darling, I’m so glad you’re awake...” Rarity said, putting the book down.

“Ugh... What are you guys doing in my house? What’s wrong with Fluttershy?”

“Oh, well, Fluttershy is just napping,” Rarity watched the unicorn carefully, “How do you feel?”

Twilight’s eyes were droopy and her ears flopped constantly. “I...I... What happened?”

Do you not remember what happened...?”

“I remember... screaming... lots of screaming...”

Rarity wondered if Twilight had light amnesia. Magical whiplash had unpredictable effects ranging from memory loss to personality reassignment to magical blocks. She understood if Twilight didn’t want to remember what happened. Even Rarity tried not to think about the blood she had to wash out of Twilight’s coat after bringing her home.

“Yes, there was a terrible accident...” Rarity sighed. She struggled for a better way to put it, but, “Time Turner has taken his own life... You tried to save him but couldn’t...”

“I-i did?” Twilight trembled.

“Yes dear, you nearly turned your brain to mush trying to cast as many spells as you could to save him, but he managed to dodge them.”

“Oh my goodness...” Twilight took a moment to digest this new information.

“It was very brave of you. You threw everything you had at him. Even the Princess couldn’t save him...”

It was true, after Twilight’s barrage, Cadance had called upon her most powerful healing magic to mend his body and hopefully save him, but it was a futile effort. Given the state of his body, it was more of a formality and point of respect than an actual attempt at bring him back. Nothing save the unholiest of spells would have brought him back.

“I-i...” Twilight was lost for words. Confusion stole the only sense she had left.

Her heart leapt and she sat up quickly to save an already taken life. It still hadn’t clicked entirely. The blood rush sat her back down as dizziness spun her her head around in circles.

“Sweetheart, take it easy! I’ve been waiting patiently for eight hours now for you to wake up and I don’t want you passing out again. You know how dangerous magical backlash can be!” Rarity scolded caringly.

After taking a second to make the world stop spinning Twilight responded. Her sense were starting to come back and so did her memory.

“So... where is Cadance...?”

“The Princess went back to Canterlot.” Rarity didn’t want to hit Twilight with too much information, so she kept her answers short.

Rarity didn’t know the entire story herself, but she did know that Cadance wasn’t handling her failure very well.

In all of the warmth and love that Cadance represented and radiated, Rarity had never seen a pony so emotionally shaken. Only for a moment did Cadance let anguish fall through before steeling herself and refocusing to the mare he mentioned. Yet in that split-second, Rarity saw the boundless depths of the Princess.

To lose a troubled soul hurt everypony, but Cadance looked like she just lost her own brother, despite not even knowing his name. It would have been pleasant to see a Princess of genuinely caring if not so heartbreaking. Rarity was actually uncomfortable seeing so much of Cadance, like she was intruding on something private.

Twilight just looked blankly at her hooves, turning them over on her stomach.

“I can’t believe it.. What do you think will happen now? I mean... nothing is ever going to be the same, is it?”

Rarity bit her lip. During the whole ordeal, she had been less than selfless. Today was supposed to be the day that Twilight asked Cadance to cast her famous love spell on her. Rarity figured that Twilight would choose either her or Trixie as the soul bound partner and since Trixie was still nowhere to be found, she’d be the lucky one.

But just as she had invaded the lives of so many ponies, her own life had been upset.

“No, I suppose not...”

They sat in a thoughtful silence, unsure of how far to go into the grimmer subject at hand. Neither of them had a great attachment to Time Turner, but it was out of respect to him and their own mortality that they felt compelled to talk about it. It was shocking, horrible and tragic, something that deserves pensive words and deep conversation, but they felt just so distant, so unsure of what to say.

“I wish I could have saved him... I trained my entire life to use magic in a meaningful way... and the one chance I have I blow it... If only I wasn’t so hazy...” Twilight said woefully.

“Now Twilight, you acted admirably where dozens of other ponies stood like statues. You did you best and that’s all anypony could ask for.” Rarity’s defense was spirited, she did not want to see Twilight fall into a depression over this.

Twilight continued rubbing her head. Rarity decided to change subjects.

“Everything alright dear?”

“Just my head really hurts...”

“Oh well why did you say so? Here let me help.” Rarity’s horn shimmered and a faint blue light showered over her friend. Warmth loosened the driving wedge in her brain, letting it blissfully fall out. “Better?”

Twilight sighed in relief. “Mmmhmmm...”

An awkward silence came over them as the memories and implications of last Wednesday night reentered the mood. Almost instinctively they both blushed lightly and shied away from each other. This was the first time they talked since that morning.

Rarity didn’t know about how Twilight felt and both of them were a unsure of what to say. Rarity had thought all day about her Twilight as she watched her sleep. She thought about what she’d say to her and about her own feelings. Now would be the time to say something but, nothing she thought of sounded right.

Twilight, I know it’s sort of an odd time, but I must profess myself. I love you.

No no no... that’s stupid.

Twilight sweetheart, I was just wondering if had come back yet? I’m still available if she hasn’t!

Also stupid...

“So... You’ve just been sitting here studying me for the last eight hours?” Twilight asked innocently.

Rarity hesitated as she was broken from her inner monologue. “Well certainly wouldn’t use that word. I haven’t been studying, maybe watching. No, guarding. I’ve been here guarding you,” she stuttered.

Twilight giggled, but was interrupted by Fluttershy mumbling something in her sleep. Her voice was strained and whimpered a bit.

“Luna... ple ple...” She squee’d, “neehhoo... Lu...! Lu... cam mmph... mmm....*eep*!”  Her outburst fell straight back to peaceful silence with a light snore.

“Is she alright?” Twilight asked skeptically.

“Yeah, she’s been doing that for awhile now. She told me to wake her up when you woke up, but I think we’ll just let her sleep.”

The two unicorns watched their friend sleep fondly.

“I never will stop envying her for her grace. Even when she sleeps, she the darlingest mare,” Rarity admired.

“I disagree...”

Rarity gasped. “Twilight! Puuhlease, have you seen the pony on your extra bed? She is the living model poise, the essence of grace.”

Fluttershy’s leg twitched in agreement as she began drooling into her own mane. She snorted and let out a silent, odorless fart before returning to her grace.

“I was saying I don’t agree with you envying her. I’ve seen you sleep too and it’s pretty darn cute,” Twilight corrected sweetly.

Rarity blushed wildly. Apparently Twilight had decided to take the mood somewhere else and forgot to tell her.

“O-oh, d-did you now? I can’t seem to recall the occasion. I was almost certain we fell asleep at the same time, I mean we were both so tired...” her voice quivered nervously.

“Oh you mean that night? I was going to talk about our last slumber party. Well since you brought it up...” Twilight grinned.

Drats... Twilight you sneaky girl...

Rarity could feel the heat return to her face. Twilight had beaten her to the punch and was already five steps ahead of her. Rarity wanted to be the one who’d initiate this conversation four long, emotional days in the making.

“I was wondering if maybe you wanted to talk about it... and us...” Twilight said solemnly.

“Ok...” Rarity stared down at her own hooves, trying to think of what to say.

They flitted each other’s eyes. Twilight saw the hesitation in her eyes and talked first.

“So Rarity, I realized something that took me far too long to figure out. When Trixie left me without so much as a goodbye. It hurt... It hurt really bad... I felt heartache like that I never felt before or knew existed. I could eat or sleep or do anything. It confused me actually. I wrote Princess Celestia about it asking about it. After promising to hunt Trixie down and cut her mane off eight times, she told me something, something simple...”

“What was that?” Rarity asked quietly.

“A true friend would never leaves you without saying goodbye. Saying goodbye means that you want to see them again.”

Rarity listened, her nervous heart taking a slow, steady breath as the moment drew nearer.

“That means Trixie doesn’t want to see me again... If she did, she would have said goodbye...”

Twilight felt like crying, but fought the tears.

Her first love had completely abandoned her, shamelessly casting her aside. Twilight didn’t know what a breakup was supposed to be like, but she’d rather never love again than be left out in the rain like she was. It was agonizing and nothing would take the razor edge off it. Her heart felt like it was literally being cut open. The knife that Trixie sunk into her had cut deeply.

But in loss, she also found something else, a beautiful heart that loved her purely. It was a discovery that only came from loss. She wasn’t sure which one brought her to tears. Maybe it was one, both or neither.

Twilight threw expecting eyes at Rarity. “I want to know what’s on your mind...”

Rarity swallowed hard before speaking. “Of course, well... You are an absolutely darling mare. Beautiful, sweet, intelligent...” she paused awkwardly breaking flow as she racked her mind for more things to say.

“You’re also exceptionally friendly and I would very much appreciate the chance to prove myself to you.  Also it was a wonderful night... You’re quite the superstar in the hay.” Rarity laughed nervously. Twilight gave her a look that she read as disapproving. “Umm I... Oh I’m so terrible with words right now. I’m blowing it, aren’t I?” Rarity trembled..

Twilight held up a hoof to her friend, cutting her off.

She looked deep into her friend’s eyes compassionately. “Why are you so nervous? It’s just me.”

Twilight’s hurt look stole Rarity’s remaining composure.

“I-i don’t know...”

“Just tell me how you really feel Rarity, anything and everything. You’re my best friend and nothing will ever change that...”

Rarity choked. She couldn’t find the words she wanted. Now was the moment where she would tell Twilight how she really felt and there wasn’t a single word left in her. She had spent hours rehearsing dramatic monologues in preparation, but they all escaped her.

Then suddenly she found her voice. It was the same voice that gave life to these feelings, the voice she told Twilight she loved her in. What followed was her heart.

“To be completely honest, I don’t know why I’m so nervous, I guess I’m just afraid. I’m afraid of letting us down. You changed that night. You’re not the Twilight Sparkle I used to know, you’re the Twilight Sparkle I’ve fallen in love with. Now I dream of something more for us.“

“I imagine going to the beach and building ourselves a perfect sandcastle. We’ll build it just like the one we’ll live and grown old in. I dream of us having something beautiful together and realizing all the hopes we have for each other. I want so badly for all of this and even though I have doubts, I’ll sit their and build with you, even if it only get’s torn down.”

“It’s so early, too early to be having feelings like this. Maybe the waves will wash away my dream, maybe it was never meant to be and maybe that is all these feelings are, a sandcastle ready to be knocked over, but I still want to try..”

“I love you, and even if it doesn’t turn out how we wanted it, even if all this falls apart, at least we’ll have our castle...”

A tear fell from Twilight’s eye.

“That’s beautiful Rarity...”

Rarity just smiled and watched Twilight gently sob. Number four of the six monologues had worked pretty well, but she  sat there afterwards, unsure of how to follow it up. Twilight just cried as Rarity chewed her lip.

“Hey Rarity...?”

“Yes Twilight...?”

“Would you stop looking so clueless and get over and cuddle me already...?"

Before Rarity could protest or even respond at all, Twilight had already grown impatient, levitating her love into her bed, immediately latching onto her. Twilight cried like a little filly into Rarity's chest. Rarity could only smile as her heart finally had it's answer.

“I don’t want to wait for Trixie...” Twilight said, before embracing the pony who’d keep her warm for days to come. “I want to build our castle...”

*

Fluttershy woke up with a slimy coat of drool hugging the side of her face. She clumsily wiped it off and sat up. It was too dark too see much beyond the her immediate bubble. What could see was moon shining brightly through the window to her left. It’s silver light painted the room in a black and white abstract, that only illuminated the floating dust. She got up and stirred her way through it, opening the window and exiting silently. Her smile glimmered in the light.

She had somepony to meet.

*

Rarity sighed. “I’m not surprised in the slightest. I mean it’s such a juvenile reaction, but he is a baby dragon afterall.”

“He didn’t give us a chance to explain ourselves!”

“Oh yes darling, I’m sure, ‘Yes I am in fact in a romantic relationship with the pony you’ve had a crush on since you first saw her, I hope you don’t mind.’ would have worked fantastically.” Rarity read the note over again.

Dear Twilight.

I saw you and Rarity.

And then I heard you and Rarity.

And then I felt the thumping from you and Rarity.

No, I’m not going to forgive you.

I’m going off to work on a rock farm.

Tell Owlicious that I left the recipe for your favourite oatmeal cookies on the kitchen countertop.

Love,

Spike

P.S. Tell Rarity we’re over. Do not let her down easy.

It was only their first day together and they were already handling the fallout. They didn’t want to go chase after Spike. They needed to time to cuddle, play and do whatever their hearts desired, but, life had swept them back up momentarily. Instead of a truly blissful, tender day together in the comfort of a private home they’d be off to go fetch Spike before something awful happened to him.

The heavy open-hearted mood soon turned to light exasperation.

Rarity read the note over for the sixth time. “Sweetheart, do you think he meant Pinkie’s rock farm?”

“I can’t think of any other nearby rock farm. If he’s not there I’m sure the Pies would be willing to help us find him.”

Rarity thought for a second. “We should probably tell the rest of our friends and go as soon as possible, shouldn’t we?”

Twilight smiled. “Well... we do have the library all to ourselves,” she said innocently. “I’d be such a shame to let all this privacy go to waste... It has been almost twelve hours...”

Rarity giggled girlishly. “Oh my Twilight Sparkle never in all my days!” Rarity feigned a gasp.  “Are you suggesting that we not divert all our time and effort to bringing back our Spikey Wikey and instead indulge in our own pleasure?!” she accused gingerly.

“Oh shut up Rarity, you talk way too much.” Twilight levitated Rarity, utilizing her forceful magic in ways she just recently devised, much to her love’s ecstasy.

“Oh my stars...! Twilight!” She moaned. “What... oh sweetheart... please... please...!” Rarity huffed and blushed as blood started coursing through her. “Darling...I.. I...!”

Twilight’s magic had taken her by storm and quickly worked her to an edge.

Rarity had been taken by the promise of another Wednesday night. Her moans just fell into the lavender unicorn’s suddenly present mouth. Those warm, soft lips had been the epitome of her dreams ever since that long night. She was immediately intoxicated by them but as soon as they were there, they vanished.

Twilight set her back down in front of her, only to watch her collapse, panting shallowly. Rarity struggled to release, but Twilight magically blocked her, teasing her relentlessly.

“Twilight Sparkle!” she called from the ground, breathless. “You... are a terrible unicorn!”

Twilight laughed maniacally. “Oh shut up Rarity.” she chided, climbing on top of Rarity stealing her mouth away again. She relished in toying around with her fabulous little mare.

Twilight quickly got off her and quickly made her way to the door, her ears drooping with a played sad looked on her face.

“I guess we don’t have time for this though Rwawity,” she pouted childishly, “Unless you want to give him a chance to come back and not leave your poor Twiley all lonely and unsatisfied...”

Twilight’s pout tore away any will or counter-opinion on the matter. It was the same face that convinced Rarity to go through with it last Wednesday.

“Oh no! I don’t think so! No one leaves Rarity a bumbling mess on the floor!”

Twilight smirked. “I thought so. Come, I want to show you something love.”

Twilight walked up to a bookshelf and pulled a fake book lever. The entire bookcase swung open, revealing a steep staircase that spiraled deep underneath the library. Twilight made sure to strut a little slower as she made her way down it, leaving Rarity a lovely sight to follow.

What Rarity found underneath all the books was something beautiful and passionate. Something she’d never expect from the unicorn.

*

The two unicorns arrived at the desolate and functionally questionable farm alone. None of their other friends had been able to come. Rainbow Dash was recovering from her injury after trying to save Time Turner and was staying with Applejack while it healed. Despite having good ties with her parents, Pinkie opted to stay away from the farm for reasons she wouldn’t explain and Fluttershy had left them a note telling them that she was off with Luna.

It was sort of welcomed by the lovers. It gave them the time together to explore the other in more personable ways. The distance and dispersion of the wilderness gave them a vague level of privacy whose setting actually intensified their later activities. Even though they would have rather had their friends with them on this sort of task, they looked forward to the trip.

The forms of a few ponies graced the rocky field with life. What they were doing out in a field of rocks was any pony’s guess. Twilight picked the closest one and walked up to her. She was an attractive grey mare with a darker grey mane and amethyst eyes. Her lean form betrayed the implicit strength within.

She recognized her from Pinkie’s stories.

“Hey there, you must be Inkie.”

“I might be, who’s askin’?” Her voice sounded soft, but behind it sat a rigidity that fit her nature.. She crushed a rock under hoof like it was a glass ornament.

“My name is Twilight Sparkle and this is my friend Rarity. We’re friends of Pinkie and we think another one of our friends may have passed through here,” she asked with a smile.

Inkie just gave them slow calculated looks.

“I’ll tell you what, we ain’t seen another soul ‘round here for a few good weeks,” she replied flatly, “So I don’t how much of a chance you’ll have to find em’.

Both their faces fell.

Rarity spoke next. “Well to be perfectly honest, all he left was a note telling us he aspired to work on a rock farm. Since the only rock farm any of us knew of was this one, we thought we’d come here first. We’d appreciate any leads on where he might be.”

“Welp, you need to talk to my Pa then. Let me see if he’s busy.”

Inkie looked around, her attention drawn to a figure a few hundred feet away. She lifted her back hoof and stomped the ground at an angle in his direction. her hoof hit the ground with a soft, but deep thud, eleasing a seismic shockwave that rippled towards him. Moments later a shockwave returned, sending shivers up all their legs.

“Alrigh’ follow me over to the house.” Inkie left trotting onward to the distant house.

The two unicorns were left dumbfounded.

“Rarity... Did she just stomp to release seismic vibrations to communicate?”

“And Pinkie can throw parties... Yes Twilight, sometimes life isn’t fair...”

*

They sat in a cozy old-fashion wooden dining room. Homemade trinkets and memories littered the walls, the yearly family portraits showing a clear distinction before and after Pinkie’s cutie mark.. Across the table from both of them was Clyde Pie, the patriarch of the household.

He sat forward, his hooves connected in front of his face meditatively. His charcoal black hat shadowed his face, with only a glint in his eyes showing through. A powerful jaw was flanked by a pair of sharp grey sideburns. He was a bit older now, but he still had a commanding, no- nonsense, presence. A thread of wheat hung out the corner of his mouth.

It amazed them that this was somehow Pinkie’s father. Their suspicion of adoption had become fact in both their minds.

Inkie leaned against the hallway, silently watching.

He spoke with a straint in his tone, that both forceful and practical. “So what brings you to my farm?”

“Our friend Spike ran away and told us he was going to work on a rock farm. Inkie told us he isn’t here, so we were wondering if maybe you could tell us about any other rock farms we could check out,” Twilight explained.

“You’re talking about the young dragon?”

They both smiled.

“So you’ve seen him!” Rarity was overjoyed.

“I have... You two are welcome to stay here for the night. Get some rest because you’re gonna need it if you want to find your friend. Now if you’ll pardon me, I need to get back to work. Inkie, see that our guests are taken care of.”

“Yes Pa.” A smile cracked on her face.

*

Trixie had been banging on the door for what must have been at least fifteen minutes before giving up. Twilight was either not home or completely unwilling to talk to her or worse. The entire trip back to Ponyville had been one existential crisis after another.

Thoughts of fatality and the the guilt that follows in the assistance of a suicide haunted and plagued her mind. The thoughts were like venom, she couldn’t even let it cross her mind, let alone explore them, without making herself sick. She had been sick five times in two days, spending extended periods of time around the porcelain bowl, removing the nutrition she probably didn’t deserve anyways.

Now that there was no answer and she was starting to get sick again. Thankfully nothing would have came out as she had skipped breakfast in favour of more time in the restroom. She could barely walk as her heart raced and raced, trying to keep up with her endless demand for borrowed energy.

Fortunately a pony she recognized passed by. It was the orange, country mare with the cheap rope tricks.

“You there! Apple pony!” she said as casually as possible, her voice coming sounding more like that of a senior pony.

“Oh howdy there Trixie! Lookin’ fer Twilight?”

“Why y-yes...Do you know where she is?”

“Ya mean ya don’t know?”

Initially she suppressed a gag reflex, but Trixie had hope as Applejack didn’t seem all that upset. Either Twilight was still alive or the Apple pony had questionable ideas on proper grieving.

“N-n-no...”

“Hmm, ah thought she’d tell you of all ponies, well she went out ta the Pie’s rock farm lookin’ fer Spike. Rascal high-tailed outta here fer some reason.”

Twilight was alive.

Trixie vomited all over the ground in front of Applejack, soaking the ground with bile. Her body went into an emotional shock as it tried to rebound itself from the spiralling hyper-depression.

Applejack stood back startled and unsure how to react. To say Trixie was behaving strangely was a massive understatement. “What in tarnation?! Trixie ya feelin’ alright there?”

Trixie’s legs trembled as she struggled to even stand up. Her body was completely draining itself. She wiped some spittle, dripping from lips.

“Tr-tr-trixie... would like a-a g-glass of water...”

Trixie collapsed.

*

Trixie fluttered her eyes to see the face of familiar pegasus whom had called herself “Rainbow and Dash” less than two feet away from her. She was hovering above her just staring at her blankly. It wasn’t clear what Rainbow Dash was doing hovering above her while she slept, but Trixie seemed to have caught her off guard by waking up. So they both stared at each other stupidly. The long silence was broken by Rainbow.

“Yo what’s up Trix?” she said with a monotone.

“You are.”

Rainbow nodded her head as if Twilight was trying to explain one of her egghead things again.

“Yeah... ok. So how are you?”

“Uhh... ‘Trix’ is fine.”

“That’s cool... uhh here’s that water you asked for.” She handed Trixie a glass of water.

“Thank you...”

“No problem...” Rainbow just slid out from over her slowly and drifted out the door.

Trixie waited for her to leave before chugging the glass of water greedily. She still had an unquenched thirst, but the cold liquid was almost euphoric against her dry throat. She barely realized she was sitting in somepony else’s bed after letting the last drop hit her tongue.

She hesitantly looked around the room before the Apple pony came in, with the pegasus gliding in behind her.

“How ya feelin’ Trixie? Ya had me more scared than a sheep in a pack of wolves after ya took that spill.”

“Trixie is feeling much better, thank you for saving her...”

“Ah couldn’t just leave Twilight’s special friend layin’ ‘round in the dirt,” she winked.

Trixie fought to suppress another gag reflex.

“I was wondering if I could maybe have another glass of water...” she asked quietly.

“Well, course you can. Rainbow stay here and keep Trix company while ah go grab ‘er a pitcher.”

Applejack left, leaving a room full of awkward.

“So uh... what were you doing puking in front of Twilight’s house?”   Rainbow said bluntly. “It’s kind of weird you know.”

She bit her lip. “Trixie was uh...” Rainbow listened intently.

Trixie couldn’t think of a better excuse than the truth. Maybe she could butter it up, but nothing really explained throwing up after knocking on someone’s door for fifteen minutes.

“Trixie and Twilight got into a fight and Trixie left for a few days. Then she heard about the suicide and came back to make sure it wasn’t... you know...”

“Yeah no, Twilight’s fine. Why? Was she really upset when you left.”

The silence confirmed it. Rainbow just nodded her head knowingly, silently judging the mare.

“Did you make her cry?”

More guilty silence.

“You should probably go say you’re sorry before I make you.” Rainbow’s harsh words were calm and deceptively gentle but immediately imposing. Trixie swallowed hard, she shouldn’t be nervous as that was exactly what she planned on doing, but the pegasus added weight to the room.

“Believe Trixie, she has been sick with worry over Twilight Sparkle. Trixie wants nothing more than to make everything right with her...”

Rainbow Dash cracked a small smile.

*

Trixie left the farm on a journey to another one. A final journey to redeem herself, where she would find Twilight and more. A fitting finale to the mare of shows.

The Pie’s rock farm had been something of a redeeming experience for Trixie. There she had learned the value of honest, work hard work, doing whatever it was that rock farmers do. She also found something she didn’t expect, a reason to try again and keep going no matter how far she’d fallen. She had made somepony there a promise and only a few short months later, she walk back there with her promise kept. Fate had set things in motion to bring her to forefront of life.

Twilight being there complicated the matter, but nothing would stop the Great and Powerful Trixie.

More "An intermission about Trixie"

More

“A rock farm?”

Trixie didn’t even know such an occupation existed.

“Yes, it’s the only lead I have for you right now given your job history.”

Trixie considered walking out and giving up. Nopony would book a show with The Great and Powerful Trixie anymore. She had become butt of everypony’s joke since Ponyville. Out of money and out of options, she half-heartedly made her way down to the unemployment offices.

Only a certain sort of ironic self-pity drove her to accept the job. A sad smirk came over her face. She had definitely hit rock bottom.

“Trixie will be a rock farmer then.”

*

“This is Sue,” the stallion introduced, “Blinkie and Inkie. They are my family and you will treat them with respect. You’ll be staying in our guest room.”

Trixie just nodded understandingly. The mother and lighter grey one watched her coarsely, their eyes unwelcoming. The one called Inkie was more of an uncaring stoic. Fair but, watching for the mistake she’d inevitably make.

“Breakfast is at five, lunch is at noon and supper is at six. We take breaks at...”

Clyde Pie started to list off various times that Trixie barely heard. Now that she was actually here, seeing fields full of rocks, she felt a solace come over her. She was no longer great nor powerful, she was Trixie the rock farmer. It stung, but also brought her a comfort knowing she couldn’t humiliate herself any further.

*

Trixie arrived at her first breakfast as per the usual hat and cape. Her coat had been groomed and her mane and tail were neatly kept. The culture shock of the rural life with the uncertainty of her life’s current direction had made last night very long. The Pies had given her an inkwell, quill and some parchment, encouraging her to write to her friends. Clyde told her that it would be good to keep in touch with the ponies she cared about because holidays on a rock farm were few and far.

She only stained those empty letters with silent tears.

However when she woke up, she decided that she wouldn’t let anything change who she was. She got up early to do her mane and tail. She donned her cape and hat, feeling rather silly, but after throwing a few dramatic poses in the mirror, she caught herself smiling.

Now her new employer just shaking his head as she entered the dining room, his daughter Blinkie snickering at her.

“What in the hay are you wearing...?” Clyde asked bewildered.

Trixie looked down at her trademark regalia. “Why these are Trixie’s affections. She always wears them...”

“Not when you’re working you won’t,” he said flatly.

Trixie mouth was left agape. She stretched her cape out,  if he would change his mind if he could see just a little more. They continued to look at her like an outcast. She let her hat fall in front of her face to shield her hurt eyes.

*

“So Trixie just needs to roll them around?” She kicked a rock over as if to demonstrate its simplicity. “Like this?”

Inkie was growing annoyed.

“I’ll tell you what Trixie, you best stop talking in the third person,” Inkie wouldn’t have any of it, “It isn’t that easy, you need to follow the rotation.”

“So how is it that you make money off this dreary task?” Trixie asked, as if they viewed a mutual futility.

Inkie narrowed her eyes.

“I’d suggest that you change your tone. Last thing we need is some hotshot city slicker comin’ ‘round poppin’ her mouth off at us. Us Pies can be real swell to work with or real nasty,” she snarled.

Despite being slightly shorter, Inkie had a hefty presence. She had worked hard labour all her life and it showed through her physique and character. Trixie on the other hoof, had for the most part never done any real manual labour in her entire life and Inkie knew that. That friction was starting to grind between them.

“Excuse Trixie. Trixie was just wondering how Trixie was supposed to be paid. Trixie didn’t know that Trixie wasn’t allowed to know the farm’s inner working,” Trixie taunted, making sure to refer to herself as much as possible.

Inkie had, had enough. Her voice was terse and her temper was starting to peek through.

“Ok Trix, you think you’re somethin’ special?” she fumed, “You think you’re hot stuff? Come on, how bout you mine this here boulder,” she pointed to a boulder about twice her own size, “Just break it apart so we can get anything valuable out of it.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow at the mare’s simple task, letting her confident smile speak for itself. Trixie charged her horn and fire off a spell at the rock, aiming to disintegrate it cleanly. As the smoke and dust cleared, they both watched it in anticipation, desperately searching for opposite outcomes. She had no such luck, not a scratch on it. Inkie just watched her with a look of satisfaction peeling across her face.

“Stupid rock... stupid farm...” she muttered under her breath.

Wanting to shove that look in Inkie’s face, Trixie redoubled her efforts firing off spell after spell with increasing ferocity. The magic seemed to just wash off the stone, none of them coming close to damaging it. Her barrage left Trixie panted as she took a moment to rest. She hung her head as Inkie walked up beside her.

“Well, well, well Trixie. Is this big stupid rock giving you a hard time?” she mocked, “Ever considered going up and just kicking it?”

Inkie stomped the ground, inexplicably bouncing the rock up into the air. She lifted her back hoof and after waiting for it to fall back down, she kicked it into a falling pile of coarse dust. The rock had shattered into countless grains of sand that flowed over Inkie’s still outstretched hoof. The sand uncovered a small gem resting on her outstretched hoof. She kicked it up and over herself, letting it hit Trixie on her stupid head.

Trixie just watched her in a defeated awe.

“Tri-- I am sorry,” she said, ears drooping.

Inkie sighed and reluctantly shot her a grin out of the corner of her mouth. “You’re a mighty big pain in the rear Trix, but I think you’ll turn out alright. We’ll give you work that you can use your magic to do. Just do the job and keep your big mouth shut.” That was the most Inkie could muster saying.

*

Over the next few days, Trixie grew accustomed to the life on a farm. She didn’t do her mane and tail in the morning anymore, opting instead for a practical ponytail to keep her hair out of her face. She still wore her cape and hat when she was alone in her room. They kept her warm and comforted whenever she was feeling down. Whenever they were wrapped around her she’d think of her mother and the last thing she ever said to her.

The Pies had given her jobs to mostly move small things in large quantity. Trixie had rarely ever used levitation to move so many individual objects, but being forced to helped her improve this newly crucial talent.

She remembered Inkie’s words and kept to herself unless pressed over something work related. She’d go to Inkie with her questions and she’d reply with short, minimalist answers, often just pointing or gesturing. The less they talked, the less likely it would be that they’d end up arguing and yelling. Other than that, no one talked to her and she didn’t talk to anyone else.

They were working out in the fields one day and a recent streak of fortune had put the family in a good mood. They didn’t tell her what exactly happened, but it made Inkie want to talk to her against her expectations.

Trixie was busy lifting a few dozen small rocks into Inkie’s cart.

“You know Trix, if you ever wanna just talk, it ain’t gonna bother nopony...”

“I thought you wanted me to keep my big mouth shut,” Trixie bit back.

“Yeah I do, but that don’t mean you can’t just talk, just don’t be a loudmouth.”

Trixie’s brow furrowed with agitation. “Maybe I don’t want to talk.”

“What’s your problem? I’m tryin’ to be friendly here.”

“Why? I called your farm stupid and I kept talking in third person!”

Inkie really wanted to just explode on her, but nothing good would have come from it besides making her cry again. It had already happened twice this since she got here and Inkie learned her lesson. Despite being a completely arrogant pain, Trixie was a sensitive pony.

Inkie let out a deep, aggravated ‘I’m only going to give you one more chance, so don’t blow it’, sigh.

“And you know what? You stopped talking like that and I haven’t heard a single complaint since,” Inkie admitted

Trixie just continued to throw rocks in the cart in spite of the earth pony.

“It seems like a good amount of improvement and I want to tell you that you’re doing a good job.”

Trixie’s face softened and she looked skeptically into the pony’s eyes who just looked avoided her gaze.

“Yeah?”

“I’m not sayin’ let’s be friends, but if we’re gonna be spending eight hours day in the field workin’ our tails off, it’d be nice to have some sort of friendly work environment.”

Trixie knew it would be better to just let go of the animosity between her and Inkie. In reality, Inkie hadn’t really done anything wrong to her, so she deserved a chance. Also, it would nice to have a friend. The fields were lonely and even worse when it felt like every pony hated her.

A seismic vibration coursed the ground, letting them know that is was time for one of their breaks. Inkie threw off the yoke and and grinned.

“Well there’s the bell. Hey instead of going back to your room, maybe you could spend the break with me and we can pretend like we don’t hate each other,” Inkie suggested.

“O-ok...”

*

Over the next few months, Trixie watched two things grow. Her pocketbook and what she considered her first real friendship in years. They were slow to start, but eventually they worked up a consistent friendly banter between them. In the fields and on their breaks they joked and told stories. It made the days easier and the hours go by faster. Sometimes they goofed off a bit and found themselves laughing hysterically at some of their rock-themed hijinks.

Trixie found herself being following Inkie around on their days off, playing tag-along for a lack of something better to do. More often than not, Trixie would take extra shifts if only to work with Inkie.

Inkie was deceptively prying. For a quiet pony, she sure talked a lot after Trixie got her to open up a bit. Once the floodgates were open, there was no stopping her endless questions. She asked Trixie all sorts of things about the city, her shows and her family. Trixie shared each and every one of them, much to the amusement of her friend.

“She was really great...”Trixie reminisced, staring into the void.

“Sounds like it.”

“The last thing she told me was that one day I’d be great and powerful and then handed me that cape and hat you saw me wear.”

“Yeah I remember them. Shoot... And you wanted to wear em out into the fields. I’d be too scared ta even take em out of the box...” she laughed weakly,  “I mean they were hers... Doesn’t get much deeper than that...”

They shared a meaningful silence. Inkie gave Trixie a smile, a real smile.

“And I thought you were just some stuck up pamfy unicorn coming ‘round here to make a quick bit,” Inkie looked out into the sunset thoughtfully, “ Been spendin’ too much time around rocks, I think it might be getting to me. Can’t read ponies as well as I used to.”

Trixie just giggled.

“Hey, what’re you laughing at?”

“You’re getting that look on your face again. The big ole’ starry eyes and all. Trixie can tell something’s on your mind.” Trixie had also picked their midwestern dialect a bit.

Inkie glanced over at her and smirked. “Only because you’re here.”

Before Trixie had too much time to think about that Inkie continued talking.

“Yeah something is on my mind.” she continued, “You gonna keep your promise?”

“Huh?”

“Your ma’s promise. She told you that you were gonna be great and powerful one day. Doesn’t sound like a hope, it sounds like an expectation to me. You gotta be now, for your ma.”

Trixie chewed her lip.

“I suppose you’re right.”

*

Trixie always hated days like this. There was just an anxiousness in the air that she’d never be able to shake until it was over. Breakfast was a lot quieter than usual and the fields, even quieter. Leaving something behind was never easy. Especially something that had found a way into her heart.

She didn’t want to go, but Inkie convinced her to. She told her that she needed to go out and become The Great and Powerful Trixie again. That she needed to be herself and even though she had become an able-bodied rock farmer, she knew it wasn’t her place or calling.

Still it didn’t make it any easier. Today she took every bit of work she could and worked twice as hard, savouring each rock like it was part of an old foalhood collection. In a way she felt like this was part of her foalhood. She had grown fond to the family and the work they did. They opened their hearts to her and even though the bonds between them were unspoken, they were unbreakable.

In return, Trixie brought some colour back to their life. Colour they thought had long since past.

She’d thrown each of them a birthday party, despite their half-hearted reluctance. They insisted that they don’t celebrate, but Trixie threw them anyways and everypony had a blast. It was clear that Inkie’s party in particular was a bit grander, but she didn’t spare any of them the slightest amount of respect.

All too quickly the day was over. Trixie had moved the last rock she’d move in a long time. A certain somberness fell over her as she it rolled perfectly into place. Her time with the Pies was coming to a close and that moment was approaching fast. The last time she’d see the farm and Inkie in a long time.

Supper was just as quiet as breakfast. Nopony wanted to see Trixie go. They all just sat there quietly eating, their eyes emptily on their plates. Clyde looked up Trixie.

His voice was strong but soft-spoken. “How was your last day Trix?”

“It was fine sir,” Trixie replied with a weak smile.

The rest of the table looked to Clyde, waiting for him to say what was all on their minds.

“Well Trix, before you go, I just wanna take the time to say thank you for all your hard work. You’ve been a real swell worker. Inkie tells me you plan to go on back to the city. I won’t pry, but I pray you find success in whatever you do.”

Trixie did her best to remain and composed and fight the big smile surfacing across her face.

“Thank you sir.”

“We’re all gonna miss you and everything you did for us. I think there’s not a single pony at this table who didn’t have a bad day flipped upside down by something you did for them. Also I think I speak for everyone when I say you are always welcome back. You’ve become like family to us.”

Trixie’s sensitivity got the best of her. Seeing all of them smiling warming at her in light of Clyde’s words lit her up. Unfortunately, this time she didn’t have her hat to shield her bittersweet eyes from making it a tender moment.

*

Inkie was the last one to say her goodbyes. Each one had gotten her a little going away present. Sue had knitted her a blanket to which Trixie only giggled as when unfolded it. It had all four of their faces artistically sewn into four blocks so that she’d “Never forget them, even while she sleeps.” Sue always had a quirky sense of humor, something that Trixie would miss.

Blinkie had made her ten different flavour pies, selling out “We’ll miss you.”

Upon seeing Clyde’s gift, Trixie could only shake her head in disbelief.

“Oh no no no no... You didn’t...!”

He wheeled out a big looming mass from the shed, covered in a tarp with a big bow on it. He tore off the cover, revealing a new caravan, just like her old one. He smiled at it proudly. He had spent a few long nights in the barn building it from scratch just off of the scant descriptions of it he caught wind of. Trixie walked around it and inspected it, speechless. It almost identical to her old one.

“I.. I don’t even know what to say...”

“You don’t hafta say anything Trix, I’m just glad you like it.”

He then gave her a hug she’d never forget. Clyde was never a sensitive pony, but something about the firmness, the comfort and perfect length of his hug spoke his mind to her. He was sad she was leaving and would need to see her at least one more time in his life.

After everyone else had finished, all eyes turned to Inkie who just shifted uncomfortably in place.

Clyde read his daughter carefully. “Well we’ll miss you Trix. Come on everypony, let’s give em a moment,” he said herding the other two back. “When you’re done Inkie, just meet me in the south, gotta lot of work to do.”

Left alone, the two mares almost felt more uncomfortable. Neither of them knew what to say. They had grown so close that saying goodbye just felt wrong.

“So I guess this is it, huh?” Inkie started.

“I’ll come back to visit as soon as I have a chance.”

Inkie just couldn’t find the words she wanted. The fear of not saying anything overtook her though. The last thing she wanted was for this goodbye to be a short, unmemorable one.

Inkie hesitated before blurting out. “Hey look I wantcha to have this.” She said, shoving a poorly wrapped box at her. “I know it ain’t no carriage or blanket, but it’s all I could come up with. I hope you like it,” she said nervously.

Trixie opened the box to find a beautifully crafted silver anklet. It glimmered with almost a chromatic polish. It was comprised of identical rectangular links, with a small diamond in the center of each one. It wrapped around her hoof, fitting perfectly.

On top of being a born rock smasher, Inkie was also an amateur jeweler.

“Inkie, I... This is beautiful...”

“I uh...” Inkie blushed, “Spent a long time on it...”

Trixie embraced her and whispered in her ear. “Thank you... I’ll treasure it...”

Inkie probably never looked more unsure and uncomfortable in her whole life as Trixie hugged her. She wasn’t the a touchy-feely pony and even though she actually liked it, she coughed nervously to signal Trixie away.

Trixie giggled and smiled warmly as she saw Inkie’s grey complexion turn pink. “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fluster you.”

“Oh it’s fine...”

They shared another silence as their eyes flitted each other. They never had trouble finding something to talk about, but here at the end, neither of them wanted to say the thing on both of their minds.

The both spoke at the same time, interrupting each other.

“Hey--”

“Look I--”

More silence and nervous eyes. Inkie broke it, blurting out again.

“Hey Trix, I know this is probably the worst time, but have you ever wondered ‘what if’?” she said quickly. “Like what if that anket meant something more?” Her tone was desperate.

“More?”

Words were not Inkie’s strong point right now. What Inkie couldn’t say with her words, she said with her heart.

*

”When you’re big and famous, promise you’ll come back?”

“Trixie promises.”

“Don’t you sell yourself short either. Only when you’re a superstar are you allowed to come back.”

Bad Timing

Bad Timing

There was silence. Neither of them could comprehend his words.

“What do you mean, you’re not coming back?!”

”I don’t wanna talk about it... Just... just get out...”

Twilight thought she was hurt when Trixie left her, but never did she imagine Spike.

His statement was heavy, only to be confirmed by his own tears. He knew that Trixie would fall flat one day and that he’d be able to wait that one out, but Rarity? There was longevity to that one. He knew he wouldn’t be able to weather that storm.

Maybe if he hadn’t been such a coward, he wouldn’t be here telling Twilight to go away. He thought being over the top about Rarity would throw her off his track and he got so caught up with keeping it a secret that he forgot what his real goal was. Now he was too late and couldn’t tell her the truth. Doing that would only bring more heartache, at least she would be happy with Rarity.

“Spike you know I can’t do that!” Twilight cried.

“Darling, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you felt so strongly. I must profess myself to Twilight, but there is an entire world full of wonderful ponies. Don’t sell yourself so short.” She smiled weakly.

No, there wasn’t a world like that for Spike. That world had been taken from him by the very mare who suggested it. He spent long hours listening and feeling that love being taken from him. Every single “I love you” just cut him deeper and deeper until he was sure that his heart stopped beating altogether.

Hope had reemerged when Trixie left. It was a strangely happy day for him despite Twilight’s misery. He should have felt guiltier, but he didn’t.

Maybe that was the the magical kharmatic answer.

It took ten years to work up fhe worked up the courage to say something. He picked the anniversary of when he first met Twilight as the day, and at first it seemed like a good enough day. He made her an extra special breakfast and even got her a rare book that he was going to give to her later at the right time. But that time never came.

First Cadance walked in and whisked her away, leaving him alone with his chores. Then she came back unconscious and covered in blood, ruining any real chance of saying anything to her. He figured he had been defeated today, but that tomorrow he’d have better luck. So he went to bed.

But then he woke up and heard the moaning. At first he thought Trixie had come back, but it became clear that he wasn’t even that lucky.

“I said get out of here!” he yelled.

“But S-spike...” Twilight’s face reflected his.

“Twilight, get the buck out of here...” He needed them gone before he broke down entirely.

Rarity gasped. “Hold it right there Spike! You have no right to talk to your best friend like that over something I did!” she defended, putting herself between the dragon and Twilight.

“Spike... If it’s that important to you... I’ll stop being with Rarity... I won’t let her come between us.”

That was the last thing he wanted, to let his greed take away his friend’s happiness.

“No. Twilight... Stay with Rarity. Be happy with her. It doesn’t matter. I just want you out of my life...”

“But why?!”

“I...I...!” he choked up before finding the courage he wish he had before. “Just go away! I can’t take it anymore,” he cried bitterly.

“I won’t leave without you!”

Tears began streaming down his face, He needed them away before he broke down and told Twilight what he felt for her. If he did, he’d ruin his love’s chance at happiness. Maybe they’d lose him in the process, but what was he even worth.

“GET THE BUCK OUT OF HERE.” He hissed.

They had chased him into an emotional corner. His heart was breaking and he was out of time. He’d do the brave thing and sacrifice himself.

He fell to his last resort in a blind, emotional fury.

*

Spike had never known real regret until that day. And since that day, it was all he knew. He endlessly asked himself what in the name of love made him act that way. It was such a pointless mistake, if he’d taken just ten minutes to calm down he’d probably still be in the library with Twilight; Cherishing her, laughing with her, being happy for her new found happiness. Instead he resorted to a dragon’s natural defense.

Not a moment passed that he didn’t wish he’d done something different.

He wished his last words to Twilight would have been anything besides what they were.

He wished he could have just said what was on his mind, instead of having pain force his claw.

And what he wished for most was to have never used his claws or his smouldering breath and to see Rarity burned or Twilight scratched.

He knew that there wouldn’t be a scar on them an hour later. They’d move on eventually, but he’d never heal.

Now he sat alone in his room, on a rock farm, far away from love, friends or comfort, trying to cry himself to sleep. The first time it wasn’t so easy, but after doing it enough he got good at it.

*

Spirits broken, Inkie led them back to the Pie’s rock farm in a solemn, bitter silence. None of them felt like they could say a single thing to make what just transpired right. After the shock wore off and reality of the situation set in, they stopped talking altogether. Initially, they healed themselves and just asked each other in disbelief if that really just happened.

Spike had just attacked them.

It was hazy to them. All either of them could remember was fire, smoke and screaming before galloping out at full speed. They were clear of the farm, already crying their hearts out before they even saw the burns and slash marks. It took their minds a few minutes to catch up with what their hearts already knew.

Inkie just stayed quiet, not daring to ask a question knowing it wasn’t her place. She was just there to lead them to Spike and back to the farm, nothing else. When they did reach the farm, Clyde was waiting at the perimeter with a warm smile on his face.

“Welp, how did it go?” he asked, oblivious.

Neither of the unicorns said a word. The absence of the little dragon and their puffy, watery eyes told the story. His smile weakened.

“I’m sorry,” he offered genuinely. He turned to his daughter, “We have a visitor Inkie...”

In the distance, a blue mare peeked her head out of the house. Twilight’s heart plummeted.

Oh Celestia... not now...

*

A dark chariot tore across the sky.

“But why does there have to be lightning?!” Fluttershy cowered.

“Tis tradition! The Princess of the Night is always to be accompanied by lightning and storm clouds!” Luna exclaimed.

Fluttershy just whimpered pathetically as she latched around Luna’s rear hooves. It was endearing, but was ultimately something that displeased Luna. She sighed and called off the storm effects.

Fluttershy gingerly looked around before smiling up at the Princess.

“Art thou happier? I have reduced the amount of storms clouds to one. Also it is much smaller.”

A tiny little cloud, too small for even Fluttershy to sit on, scurried up and around her. It sparked and crashed with miniature thunder, tickling her in a sickeningly adorable way. She laughed and giggled with each lightning strike and rumbling thunder. Luna’s heart melted a littled.  A tiny cloud... was tickling her Fluttershy...

A small fluffy storm cloud... was tickling Fluttershy...

Just imagine that for a second.

“I call that one ‘Cloudy’, tis my companion,” Luna explained happily.

“Cloudy? You named a cloud, Cloudy?”

“Aye.”

Fluttershy just shrugged. She never took Luna as the most creative pony. She fondly looked up at Luna and they caught each other’s eyes. Cloudy jealously redoubled its efforts upon losing the attention of the pegasus, sending her in a giggling fit.

*

The air of antagonism wouldn’t leave the sisters. Luna glared at her sister in sheer spite. Celestia didn’t want to do it, but it was far too convenient. Luna had, had a lovely evening all planned out for Fluttershy consisting of ice skating, eating cookie dough, holding each other’s tails and snuggling. But her sister, of course, had to ruin her ‘fun’.

It may have been for a good reason, but it still didn’t stop Luna from being upset.

“I’m sorry Luna.”

“Do not be sorry sister, instead explain to me why thine fortune takes precedent over my own. It is coincidence that I have found a time slot to spend with Fluttershy, it is also coincidence that thou needest her aid,” she snarled

“Stop being difficult Luna. You know as well as I that our subjects come first. Cadance needs her right now and we aren’t going to deny her that comfort. We will also not lose her too.” A commanding tone laced those last words.

“Hath she really deteriorated so?”

“She is cursed Luna. She can know the heart and soul of another pony in seconds, but only by making a place in her heart for them. Any pony she reads into like that becomes family to her. ”

Luna just listened.

“Her emotional connections are magical. She had just connected with Time Turner when he killed himself, so his death touched a delicate part of her,” Celestia’s eyes looked distantly to ground just in front of her, “It was just the bad timing really...”

Luna could agree with that statement. “What role doth Fluttershy haveth in this?”

“If her talents truly are kindness, she alone should be able to bring Cadance back to us.”

“Back to us?” Luna found that an odd choice of words, “Where hath she left to?”

“Somewhere dark...”

*

Every step Trixie took towards them filled each one with something different. Be it pride, happiness, anger or dread, this mare had found a way into all their lives. None of them knew the extent of all the emotions in play, but soon they would.

As Trixie approached, Inkie trotted over to meet her. They exchanged a few quiet words and a hug. Twilight ignored it all as she followed the earth pony to the fateful exchange. She spoke to her old marefriend.

“What are you doing here...?”

Trixie approached her apologetically.

“Trix... I am sorry Twilight Sparkle... I was horrible to you. The way I left you like that.”

Since leaving Spike behind, Twilight had been struggling with how to react. It had been so traumatic that she was still struggling with what to feel. Trixie showing up when she did gave her definition though.

She was angry. She wasn’t sure why, but the pain had surfaced and now she wanted somepony to blame.

“You think I care?” she growled.

They all took a step back, except Rarity. Her love shared her anger.

“I-i-i don’t know... I just wanted to say sorry!”

Twilight laughed. “Oh no no no no, Trixie. You don’t need to say sorry! You know what? I’m happy you left me. Really, I should be the one thanking you!” Twilight’s poisonous smile unnerved them all. “Without a terrible mare like you around, I could finally appreciate the ponies worthy of appreciation.”

Inkie was the next to speak. “Now hold on a second Twilight, you best not be talking about the mare I think you’re talking about,” she threatened.

“Stay out of this,” Rarity defended harshly, “This matter doesn’t concern you.”

“Oh yeah? Trix is my friend and I’d be dead before I let you lie about her!”

“Twilight’s not lying darling, Trixie is a terrible pony who cares not for those who care for her. At the height of their love, she abandoned Twilight and left alone in the rain, without so much as a goodbye.”

“After telling me how much you love me, you just ran off!” Twilight shouted

Inkie laughed coldly. “Now I already know that’s a lie, right Trix?”

All eyes fell to Trixie in this moment of truth. Her expression did not falter, having stage training helped her in more ways than she was willing to admit. She didn’t want it to come to this, but Twilight was alive so her guilt had been squared away.

Trixie needed to save the last good thing she had left.

“Twilight Sparkle, you are hardly worth the time. Trixie was friends with you because she thought you needed a friend. She took pity on you and this is how you repay her. And what is talk about love? Maybe in your mind, but Trixie did no such thing, nor did she lead Twilight Sparkle on.”

Twilight and Rarity stood there in a speechless, seething anger as she lied through her teeth. Every word she spoke was the purest venom to their hearts. They didn’t even know where to begin picking apart her lie. Trixie had shamelessly projected her entire story on Twilight.

Much to their amazement she continued.

“Trixie was angry when Twilight had kicked her out on a whim without even a day to vacate, throwing her affections in the rain. She said some things she regretted, so she came back to say sorry.”

Eyes then fell to Inkie as she worked it over in her mind. Her ferocious eyes shot daggers at Twilight. Never had Twilight stared down such hatred before.

“Twilight here didn’t throw your hat and cape out in the rain did she...?”

Trixie smiled internally as soon as Inkie bought her story. “It doesn’t matter anymore...” she teased.

That was the last straw for Inkie. She shook visibly with anger, a few tears streaming down her face. She stomped the ground hard, throwing a few nearby rocks high into the air.

“You two have about ten seconds. You can talk or you can run,” she muttered heavily, “I’d suggest running.”

“In opposite directions...”

The Hope of Happiness

The Hope of Happiness

Fire burned in Inkie’s eyes. It didn’t matter if these were Pinkie’s friends. Once she learned what Twilight did to Trixie, she was sure that Pinkie would have stood right there next to her. In Inkie’s mind what Twilight did was completely inexcusable and deserved punishment. To what degree she wasn’t sure of yet.

Inkie would just keep going until she felt like enough was enough.

Twilight met her fiery gaze with her own. Her heart was an inferno. Nothing mattered more to her than exposing Trixie for the horrible pony she was. She wanted to see Trixie cry, weep, hurt herself, be alone without comfort, anything to pay for what she’s done. Spike’s abandonment was fresh in her mind and Twilight was already making Trixie the culprit.

Coincidentally, exposing Trixie would be the one thing that’d save her from this fight.

The boulders had been sent skyward, popped into the air like bouncy balls. Twilight didn’t want to know what Inkie planned to do with them when they came back down. So she thought as quickly as possible. She needed to catch Trixie in a lie somewhere.

Then the obvious hit her. The lie was right in front of her face threatening to murder her. Twilight would have to base her last defense off a guess,  but she learned one thing after living through the last week of her life.

Love makes you do crazy stupid things. And everypony right now was being crazy and stupid.

Trixie had never gone into great detail about her time on the farm and now Twilight knew why. She had fallen in love with Inkie. She hid that from Twilight for obvious reasons. Her hatred compounded in that moment, knowing that Trixie had ruined the life of yet another pony.

“You know what’s funny Inkie?”

“That you’re talkin’ instead of runnin’?” she snarled.

“That Trixie never said a single thing about you to me.”

“Yeah? How many more lies you gonna tell today?”

“Think about it, why wouldn’t she tell me about you? Seems like an awfully big detail to leave out. Also we both know she’s not stupid, she’s actually very smart. Don’t you think she would have noticed if I was making advances on her and then told me about you to throw me off?”

Twilight smiled, satisfied, as Inkie looked to Trixie in a moment of hesitation. She was already one step ahead though.

“You must be the stupidest mare in the world Twilight. How can you have known what would throw you off without Trixie telling you? She told you all about Inkie and you still did what you did... You sicken Trixie...”

Twilight was completely baffled by Trixie’s lightning response. Her lie was so complete, so perfect. She admired it as if doing so would save her from the fight incoming in less than a second.

Then she remembered how pissed off she was. She wouldn’t hurt Inkie, only Trixie.

“Time’s up!”

Inkie swung her back legs around and spiked one of the rocks at Twilight. She barely had enough time throw a shield up to prevent her from being completely crushed. The shield shattered and sent her magical backlash.

Adrenaline set in, letting her shake off the splitting migraine she just acquired. She moved on instinct, thinking and reacting quicker. Inkie’s assault was relentless as she acrobatically spun and flipped around, unleashing her full force on the rocks in rapid succession at the unicorns..

Twilight casted quickly in perfect response, teleporting out of the way of the majority of the rocks. Even though was kept on her toes, she was reading into Inkie’s attacks an planning her own response.

Rarity wasn’t so lucky. She was left using a combination of clumsy dodges and weaker gem magic to try and deflect Inkie. More than a few times, Twilight had to teleport both of them simultaneously, setting back her ability to gain an advantage. All she needed was two seconds to think and she’d have.

Unlike Twilight though, Rarity was actually trying to fight back. She threw storm of smaller, sharper gems at the grey mare. Inkie blocked most of them, but some made it through, grazing and cutting her.

Inkie began stomping the ground in almost a rhythm as she methodically would pop a rock into the air and punch or kick it at them. In way her movements were a beautiful dance. Each movement followed a strong pattern of force and as time went on her attacks grew in intensity.

“Do you know who gave Trixie that getup?!” Inkie yelled.

Her only response were the grunts and shouts of the unicorns as they tried to find some sort of opening.

“Her ma did! And you threw it out in the rain!”

In her rage, she stomped up a dozen boulders and mercilessly knocked all of them at Twilight. Twilight saw the opening she was looking for. She was going to hate herself later, but she hated Trixie more.

She chained together enough teleport spells in rapid succession to close the gap between her and Trixie. Without having to protect Rarity, she had her moment. She grabbed the mare’s neck in her telekinesis, making her intention clear.

Twilight felt an immense satisfaction watching Trixie squirm and gasp for air, having complete control of the mare who had ruined so many other’s lives.

All of them stopped, Inkie face was so twisted by anger that even Twilight gulped, wondering if her move had been a smart one.

“Ok Trixie, you want to tell Inkie the truth?” she said nervously. “There is no reason for anypony to get hurt. I know Inkie will forgive you if you just tell the truth.

Trixie choked under the magic, but Twilight released just enough to let her talk.

“Unhand Trixie you monster!” she choked. “Trixie did tell the truth!”

Twilight couldn’t believe it. Even with her life on the line, Trixie still wouldn’t admit a thing. She wanted to just be rid of her. It would have been as easy as snapping a twig, but only the grace of Celestia stayed her hoof.

“You bucking coward! You wanna play that way?! We can play that way!” Inkie snarled.

She stomped up a rock and sent it hurtling towards Rarity. She was too busy watching Trixie and Twilight to see it coming. None of them saw such a cheap shot coming.

Twilight only watched in disbelief as she heard the second most sickening noise she’d ever hear.

*

“I can’t ever forgive myself Fluttershy...”

“Cadance, you’ve made so many ponies happy. Nopony is perfect, you included. We all have flaws and you need to forgive yourself.”

“I don’t know what happened!” Fluttershy cried, tears streaming down her face. “I was just talking to her and she started crying really hard, and then she just fell over!”

Foam had begun sizzling in from the side of Cadance’s mouth as she laid there lifelessly with a glazed look in her eye. She wasn’t breathing.

“Luna, get in her dreams now! You two, I want a full medical staff here five minutes ago!” Celestia shouted to her two guards.

Celestia’s horn glowed, momentarily returning breath to the dying Princess. Her eyes sparkled with the faintest glimmer of life. She looked around from face to face as she started hyperventilating.

Her heart rate skyrocketed, her eyes moving from face to face so quickly it looked as if she had been possessed. Before she spasmed again and her eyes went dead. She was still breathing, but very shallowly. Celestia frantically kept on casting spells while Luna toppled over going into a deep stupor. Never in all her days did Fluttershy hear Celestia swear so profusely.

“WHERE IS THAT BUCKING STAFF? I SAID FIVE BUCKING MINUTES AGO.”

Cadance’s heart rate continued to spike spastically. She began choking up blood and twitching, her eyes becoming bloodshot.

Fluttershy couldn’t help but cry profusely. Cloudy was crying too and proved to have either the worst placement or worst sense of humor as he downpoured right onto Fluttershy’s head.

The medical staff teleported in, primed and ready. Without wasting a second, they scoured the princess with every instrument in their arsenal, identifying a terrifying number of issues. They set her up to an the IV and vitals monitor.

The head physician shook his head as he spoke.

“Nurse, oxygen, 50 mm of beta blockers, a check on all her magical leylines...” he said calmly, worry seeding his face.

Everypony already knew what to do, and they worked in an abrupt silence for about minutes. The head physician looked her over carefully. His face turned grim.

“Oh sweet mother... she’s also having a heart attack...”

Everypony began barking orders immediately. None of them took a second to be surprised, their training taught them that they had just been put on a short clock.

Fluttershy watched the terror of the scene unfold, wondering if she had somehow done this. No less than a dozen doctors were now scrambling around the Princess. More and more equipment continued to teleport in as Cadance’s room quickly turned into an makeshift ER.

“I need a complete sedation! Aspirin, nitroglycerin, morphine in that order! I want my entire surgery staff in here, primed!”

”There has just been this tightness, squeezing in my chest... Like all the love in my life is gone.. I can’t even tell Shining Armor I love him anymore...”

“Oh Cadance... I know everypony you’ve ever met loves you.”

Luna snapped out of her stupor, quickly sitting back up. Entering the dreaming world of a pony having a heart attack had been a first, and hopefully last experience for her. She was dizzy and dazed, but still ready to help. She got up too quickly and tumbled around, crashing into Cadance’s dresser.

“Sister, what’s wrong with her?!” Celestia yelled

Luna got back on her hooves shook her head. She ran her hoof along the length of her face as she looked for the right words.

“How doth one explain this gracefully?” she asked herself. “Her soul is dying, Tia. Time Turner’s death hath created a rift in her heart that needs magical sealing. For one reason or another, it had been the worst possible timing. She hath also internal bleeding and could suffer a stroke at any moment.”

“You heard the Princess everypony! Time is muscle!” he shouted out. “Is that oxygen value on? Use a tube if you have to!”

“Doctor Redheart. Get her physically stable and we’ll take care of the rift,” Celestia dictated.

“What do you think I’m doing Princess?!” He was getting flustered.

“I’m going to stay here and do my best to mend her. Luna, I need you to go to the Everfree Forest and recover the Heart of Dreams. I believe it is the best chance we have. It returns the hope of love to a shattered soul.”

“I know of what thou speakest of. Dost thou know where it lies? That forest is a tangle...”

Celestia’s solemn, sad face gave her the crushing reality. Tears in both their eyes, Luna just nodded her head, ready to begin her teleportation. The futility of her errand would push her harder, faster than she’d ever pushed. She’d do everything but die trying to save Cadance. She took a moment to divine every location she could.

They had less than ten minutes.

Fluttershy perked her head at the mention of the term “The Heart of Dreams”. She also knew what Celestia speakest of.

“Wait! I know where that is! Take me with you!” she cried, finally happy to help. Cloudy leaped up too.

Seconds later they were gone.

Luna, Fluttershy and Cloudy entered the dreamspace of the cave, after Luna cleanly blasted a gaping hole in the entrance. They dashed through the cave, down to where Fluttershy remembered seeing the glowing ruby heart.

“Luna! There was a waterfall! The stone is in the center of it.”

Oddly enough, the slow, cool-coloured pulse she remembered from before, was instead replaced by a blazing red inferno. It beat quickly and then faster and faster as they ran. Each pulse standing as a reminder to whose heart was on the line.

”Celestia, I don’t know what crazy magic you have at your disposal, but I need you to--”

“What?! You need me to what?!”

He’d never imagine talking to the Princess like that, but he He shook his head faster and faster. Her line had gone flat. The room got a louder and busier.

“Doctor, she’s going into cardiac arrest!”

“Talk to me Redheart!” Celestia had never felt so helpless in her entire life

“Induce hyperthermia, give her some anticoagulants and get some Epinephrine on hoof,” he barked, “And for the love of Celestia, I know one of you has fantasized about give her CPR!”

Luna blazed past the majority of the cave, nearly crying of joy when she saw the waterfall. She dashed down to and let out a frustrated scream, causing Fluttershy and Cloudy to jump. Luna raced back livid.

“Fluttershy! It is not here! Where the hoof is it?”

Fluttershy trembled as the adrenaline kicked in, her heart and mind raced for an explanation. She retraced her steps. She came here with Rarity, they walked through the cave, they found the heart and then...

“Its... It’s at Rarity’s!” she exclaimed.

In that moment, the cave stopped pulsing red, leaving them in complete darkness. A horrible, darkness that disturbed her to her very core.

Why did you stop?

After Rarity took it, she remembered the pulse had changed to red and gotten faster. Like it was somepony else’s heart beat...

“R-rarity...?” she trembled.

Without wasting another moment, Luna and her were in the boutique.

*

Inkie intensity faltered a slight as the unicorn fell limp to the ground. The rock had hit her square on her crown. Lighter hits would have easily killed a pony.

“Rarity!!!”

Twilight had dropped Trixie and ran over to her love that laid lifelessly on the ground. She threw herself over the body and listened for vitals. Rarity’s eyes had rolled in the back of her head as she struggled for her last breath. Twilight heard only the faintest heart beat. She struggled to breathe herself as she failed to find any signs of life.

She whimpered quietly, defeated. Any will to fight had vanished. Anger wasn’t the answer anymore, anger should never had been the answer.

Her friend was almost dead and was going to die in her hooves. The friend whom she’d fallen in love with.

Inkie looked to Trixie for answers, for what to do next, hoping that Trixie would take responsibility. Trixie threw her an accusing look that she took as an expectation to continue.

She mercilessly popped up another rock and punched it at the two. Twilight conjured a shield she knew wouldn’t be able to hold back Inkie’s rage. Maybe this would be the end for her too and she wouldn’t have to be without Rarity for very long.

“ENOUGH!”

Clyde Pie stomped the ground and around the unicorns a wall of rock appeared, effortlessly deflecting Inkie’s attack.

Throughout the fight, he had watched carefully, unsure of what to make of it. He loved Trixie dearly and decided that it wasn’t his place to enable or impede what was transpiring. That all changed with Trixie’s last words.

In her terror, her ability to mask her lies had waned and Clyde, being the only calm one in the situation, saw right through her. He felt the subtlest, nervous vibrations of her heart as she lied. His good common sense put the rest of it together. At first Clyde thought it was the other way around, but Twilight hadn’t been lying, she had been trembling over losing her dragon friend.

As if transformed, Inkie looked to her father with dazzled innocence. In that one word he communicated her guilt to her flawlessly.

“Pa...?”

“Inkie, go get your ma and sis and tell them to bring the first aid kit...” he ordered with of heaviness that would have broken lesser ponies. “After that, go to your room... I will deal with you later.”

Inkie’s lips trembled as she looked from Trixie to Rarity to Twilight and back to her house. She stared at Trixie the longest, as if asking her what she did to make Inkie lash out so hard. She refused to make eye contact with her father with such shame in her soul. She’d might have become a murderer today. That truth sent her running back home with silent tears.

Clyde galloped over to Rarity and a crying Twilight. She just hugged her head, gently stroking her dirtied mane as she wept. Her body was limp and lifeless. She wasn’t breathing, but her heart was still pumping very slowly. Clyde looked at her grimly. The inevitable truth was about to become the only truth.

Rarity didn’t have much time left. Twilight could only hope that Rarity would hear her last words to her as her warm tears speckled her face.

“Oh nonononono...Rarity, please... please don’t leave me here alone...” she cried. “I don’t know what I’m going to to do without you...”

“Come on Rarity! The stupid gala is coming up and you know I can’t wear that same old dress! She tried to rationalize.

Her voice and reason broke down as her heart rate slowed.

“A-are y-you gonna l-let your Twilley g-go in l-last y-year’s fashion?!”

“P-please... we still have to g-go to the b-beach and make that stupid sandcastle! You can’t hoofing leave me!” she screamed. “Just wake up you stupid unicorn I love so much! I love you Rarity! I love you more than any stupid book or any stupid anything...!”

It felt like she was stealing Rarity’s remaining life. While Rarity’s heart fell flat, Twilight’s spiked. She knew Rarity was still alive if only just, so she decided to do the last meaningful thing she could in her last moments.

“... we have to at least have a sandcastle...”

Broken down and horribly lost for any composure, Twilight desperately starting gathering a pile of dirt in an attempt to make the only home they’d have together. Their sandcastle. She clumsily scraped in as much dirt as she could, pulling in armfuls to try and make it as grand as possible.

She stared at the pathetic mound, her heart breaking more and more as if it reflected the hope for Rarity’s life.

“L-look Rarity...” Twilight could barely see out her own eyes. “I-it’s our perfect castle... I k-know it isn’t much... but it’s just like you said... remember... we can be happy here...”

“...i love you...” she whispered with her last breath before passing on.

“I love you too Rarity! Please don’t go!!!” Twilight cried frantically upon hearing her love’s voice one last time.

Clyde watched holding in his own tears. He was lost for action or words, until a final, last idea crossed his mind. It would either be the cruellest or most beautiful thing he’d ever do in his life. It was something his daughter taught him.

“You know why I’m a rock farmer?” he asked quickly. He selected a nearby rock and begun grinding it up like it was the last thing he’d ever do in his life.

Twilight could barely hear him over her own sobbing. Honestly, she didn’t really care, but she bit anyways. “Why..?”

“Since everything comes from the earth, you can make all things if it is your craft.”

Twilight just listened, a little dumbfounded by this stallion’s complete lack of social skills.

“I used to think I had everything I could ever ask for until a little pink filly came into my life and showed me I was wrong,” he frantically ground up the rock, his words coming quicker as he raced time. “She brought me and my family the hope of happiness even after I’d become a tired old farmer.”

“Most importantly, she showed me I was still a little colt myself, that only a child wants to make and have all things. That I should seek to make all things possible.”

“To have all things become possible.”

Once the powder was fine enough, he inhaled it and then forced it back out into Rarity’s gaping mouth, filling her lungs deep with the dirt of hope.

In the next few minutes Twilight never cried harder in all her life.

The Worst Day

The Worst Day

A knot grew in Twilight’s stomach that threatened to rip her in two. She held her lifeless friend in her arms, blood slowly trickling down from an almost anti-climatic wound. A sharp cut and deep purple bruise were all it took to take the life from both of them.

Twilight watched with the hope of despair as Clyde made his last vie for Rarity’s life. She wanted so badly to believe that he had some unheard magic that would bring Rarity back to her, that he had found a way to turn humble dirt into the essence of life, that anything was possible. It was a truly hopeless situation, but only in such tragedy was Twilight able to unleash everything she felt into a few shining moments of anticipation.

After he pushed the last bit of his breath into her, they waited in despair. There were only a few precious seconds left. Those few seconds passed.

Clyde’s voice was strong, dauntless. “Now, we trust the good earth beneath us...”

Twilight felt in her heart that it would work. She told herself that it had to work.

Because she couldn’t imagine what she’d do if it didn’t.

She imagined Rarity opening her eyes and smiling up at her, saying something extraordinarily beautiful, only to leave Twilight a babbling mess. She imagined the two of them sobbing like little fillies, deeply embraced, promising to not even leave the house at the chance of a stray meteorite. She even imagined forgiving Trixie and Inkie if Rarity would just wake up. As a concession to karma, she made herself promise to that.

While she imagined all those things, the hope waned. Clyde may have become the cruelest pony in Equestria for giving false hope to so dire a situation. He raised her spirits just to let them fall even faster in the abyss.

...this can’t be happening... it just can’t...

Rarity coughed.

Twilight held her breath, still as a statue, only tears pouring out. Too afraid to move or interrupt her friend, she watched the lone breath of her friend with horrible anxiety. She could be excreting the last breath, she could be coming back. All Twilight knew is she wouldn’t be able to take this much longer. Rarity either needed to wake up or move on.

Any more broken promises and she might end up following Rarity back home.

She coughed again and gasped, filling her lungs full of air. She struggled to retain a steady breathing pattern, choking and hacking away. After a few seconds the coughing fit subsided into shallow, but sustained breathing. Rarity blinked her bloodshot eyes, returning her pupils to the center.

Twilight trembled and shook almost violently, eyes glued to her love. Snot ran down her nose, mixing with tears and probably drool. She bit her pursed lips as her face scrunched up in an indescribable mixture of happiness, terror and hope. For a moment she didn’t know what to do with herself. Inside, she was completely hysterical, but on the outside she refused to even make a noise. Her silence was merely the calm before the storm she’d unleash on the unknowing unicorn.

Twilight looked up to Rarity’s saviour whose face was more or less the same. Clyde smiled at her and knelt down, placing a hoof around shoulder as they watched.

Rarity fluttered her eyes, still intensely dazed. She groaned, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, she moved. Shock kept her spitting headache at bay, but her vision was blurred everything together. Her mind was far from focus. Extraordinarily random things passed through it with no real rhyme or reason. She’d forget most of them, but the concept of baking stuck with her as odd. It seemed ridiculous to put things in a fire box to eat them. Also basic math was impossible.

In her enchantment she did make out a familiar combination of purples in front of her. A combination that made her happy. She smiled dreamily.

“...d-darling...?”

Twilight’s face scrunched further as her love spoke. She had both a thousand things and nothing to say. She wanted to explode, but didn’t know how. So she went with the first thing that came to her mind.

“...s-s-shut up...! you stupid bucking unicorn!” she sobbed. “...h-how dare you do that to me!”

Rarity’s was left perplexed by the odd idea of having a conversation. Fortunately Twilight didn’t want to talk. She threw her hooves around her love, crying deeply into her shoulder. She lifted up her up and squeezed her tightly, savouring every moment like it would have been their last. Rarity was taken back by the gesture.

“...ugh... please... I’m going to be sick...” Rarity groaned as she was displaced from her perfect resting position. She burped.

“I don’t care! I’m not letting go!” Twilight squeezed harder.

Rarity puked all over Twilight’s back. The warm, slimy bile running down through her mane and and back. It was the most bizarre feeling that Twilight had never felt before, sending shivers up her spine. The smell was sickening. After heaving for a few seconds, Rarity wiped her lip, looking at the spittle on her hoof, estranged. Her mind shut down for a second and she nearly passed out.

She swayed dizzily. “...Did... I just vomit all over you...?”

Twilight’s face morphed into some sort of combination of total disgust and the smile someone wore during the happiest moment of their life. She didn’t care in the slightest and in the maelstrom of emotion she was feeling, she even found it sort of funny.

“Yes... yes you did...” she smiled and laughed.

Rarity groaned again. “...that’s... revolting... I’m so gross...”

*

Fluttershy dashed up and around the boutique, checking every corner for Rarity or her sister. Fluttershy didn’t know how much time they had, but Luna’s unnerving sense of urgency broke any delusion of leisure. Cadance was dying and finding the Heart of Dreams was their last chance. It was somewhere hidden in the house and neither of them had the slightest clue where.

Upon finding Sweetie Belle, Fluttershy grabbed her and threw her in front of Luna. They both proceeded to yell relentlessly at the poor filly in their panicked, time pressed anxiety.

“Where doth it rest?!” Luna interrogated.

“Wh-what...?”

“We don’t have time for this!” Fluttershy asserted.

“SIlence fool! Where art thine’s kin?”

Sweetie Belle gave them a petrified look of fear and misunderstanding.

“Where’s Rarity?!” Fluttershy shouted, clarifying.

“Sh-she’s at the Pie’s rock farm...! Why? What’s goi--”

“I don’t know where that is!” Fluttershy cut her off.

“Neither do I!” Luna parroted

Cloudy thundered.

“I don---” Sweetie Belle started.

Fluttershy cut her off again. “Have you seen a big heart shaped ruby with a bunch of weird veiny things on it!?”

“No! What’s going on?!” The foal began hyperventilating in reflected fear.

The situation was growing desperate. Fluttershy wasn’t sure if they had time to search the house, but there wasn’t any reason to stand around and think about.

“I’ll check the upstairs, you check the downstairs, Sweetie Belle you look in--” Fluttershy commanded

“We hath but minutes dearest! Evacuate Rarity’s sister, I shall find it.”

Acting on instinct, Fluttershy grabbed Sweetie Belle and flew her outside. As soon as she cleared the doorway she heard the Princess’s sovereign command.

“Exsisto etiam...”

Following the Princess’s words, all the sound in the world muted, leaving perfect silence. In slow motion, Fluttershy turned around to see the boutique explode. The entire house looked like it had been crushed and shot outwards from the force of a dazzling light. Fluttershy screamed as her life flashed before her. The entire front side of Rarity’s house came hurtling towards her.

Yet, she was left unharmed.

Still screaming, Fluttershy opened her eyes to see remnants of the house pop up high into the air, and as they landed, they turned vapour. It smelled oddly of baked goods, filling her lungs with a peculiar, somber state of relaxation.

Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy sat in a daze, one clearly more upset by exploding the house than the other. The spell’s effects had a entrancing quality to it. Seeing each massive piece of debris splash against the town silently was eerie to say the least.

In the misty wreckage, the saw the silhouette of the princess dash to a glowing red ball that had remained afloat. Instead of searching, Luna opted to remove the house from the equation and leave only the Heart behind. She vanished from the mist and behind the two ponies she appeared, only to vanish again in a flash of light.

*

The three of them, and Cloudy, were thrown back in the chaos of Cadance’s room. Sweetie Belle was left trying to absorb the scene. Everypony was running around and shouting, some of them favouring extensively colourful language. A dozen doctors and a half dozen scary looking machines surrounded the unconscious Princess of Love, who laid lifelessly on her bloodstained bed. Even scarier medical terms were constantly bellowed throughout the room. Terms like cardiac arrest, heart failure and morphine stuck out and traumatized the filly most.

Luna didn’t mean to take the Sweetie Belle with her, but Fluttershy still had her in her arms when they teleported back.

Celestia was unconscious on the floor when they arrived. Her eyes were rolled back and she was muttering quietly to herself.  Sweetie Belle screamed as Luna toppled over next to her, putting herself out cold. The aforementioned gemstone lay between them.

Both their eyes glowed bright gold and indigo, respectively, when suddenly the gemstone lost its faint glow.

“She’s coming back! I got a pulse!” shouted a nurse.

Celestia snapped back awake. She took a deep breath and shook her head to refocus her mind. The horrors she encountered deep within Cadance’s psyche would never leave her nightmares. She cast them aside and turned to the head doctor.

“Is she stabilizing?!”

“Yes, she’s breathing again and we’re doing--”

“Don’t touch her! Don’t do anything else! Her leylines are open, she’ll heal herself now! Unhook her from everything!” Celestia commanded. “Somepony find me Captain Armor of the Guard!”

Celestia, still heaving from the adrenaline, smiled weakly as Cadance slowly took her first breaths.

*

The two remaining members of the Pie family hurried out with a small, wooden box and wash basin. They ran with urgency, but upon seeing the white unicorn alive and awake, they relaxed their pace. Sue set the box down next to Rarity and opened it to reveal a wealth of homemade medical supplies, bandages, vials of medicines, syringes, medical tape, a splint.

Twilight was stroking Rarity’s mane, holding her close. She had almost lost her once and wasn’t about to let anypony take her love away from her again. She eyed the Pies wearily.

“Why hello hon, how are you feeling?” Sue asked rhetorically, working quickly to assess Rarity’s condition.

“I’m fine.” Rarity smiled.

Sue’s tone was warm and comforting. “Seems like you took quite the bonk to the head. Don’t you worry, you probably just have a concussion. It’s nothing we can’t handle. Here on a rock farm we get bonked on the head all the time,” she said genuinely, holding Rarity’s hoof. “You’re gonna be just fine.”

Sue took out a some alcohol and cleaned Rarity’s wound, much to the dismay of Twilight. Rarity winced in pain with each delicate touch of the cotton swab. A tension grew in Twilight’s chest as she watched her love hiss and grimace. The last thing she wanted to see was Rarity is even more pain. Seeing Twilight’s uneasiness Sue spoke to her.

“Twilight dear, why don’t you give your friend a little room to breathe and get yourself cleaned up? Blinkie, could you help Twilight with that little mess?”

Blinkie waved at her and Twilight reluctantly released the unicorn and walked over to the water basin. Twilight took a washcloth in her magic and began wiping off Rarity’s vomit. Blinkie did the same and they shared an awkward silence. Blinkie wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure if she’d find the right words.

“I uh...” Blinkie hesitated, her words were quick and terse. “Just pulled out a boysenberry pie... Should still be hot. After we’re done you and your friend are welcome to have some. It’d be good to get some food in your belly.”

“Thanks,” Twilight muttered.

Meanwhile, Trixie watched distantly, sitting stupidly on her rump. None of them had so much as acknowledged her existence. She wasn’t surprised though. She wouldn’t have even acknowledged her own existence if it wasn’t what she did for a living. She thought she had finally lied her way out of all the questionable decisions she let herself make, but instead she was left alone.

‘Alone’ was something she had been for far longer than she’d ever admit and now it seems like it was all she’d ever be.

The only family she had left was shunning her, the mare she loved was probably furious with her and, sickeningly enough, she could still only think about herself.

She watched the compassion that these ponies were displaying, almost proudly, in spite of her and wondered why she didn’t have that in her own life. Maybe it was because she was a terrible pony, but even the worst of the worst had somepony who loved them. Wasn’t it everypony’s right to be loved? S

One pony did look at her though. Even though it was the last pony whom she’d want to lock her shameful eyes with, she was surprised to see something besides seething hatred.

Twilight Sparkle looked at her with a look of mutual pain and suffering. Maybe Twilight knew how much she cared for Inkie and could honestly tell her she knew what it was like to lose that special pony. Maybe she was humbled by the pass with death she just faced and resolved that anger wasn’t the answer. Maybe she was just confused and Trixie should make her peace before facing the end herself. Ending Trixie wouldn’t even be revenge now, but justice.

Given what she’d done and what she had left, Trixie wouldn’t fight it. She had a whole other world of hurt coming to her.

Amidst the low chatter of Sue interrogating Rarity for her medical symptoms and Twilight sobbing lightly with Blinkie doing her best to make small talk with her, Clyde stoically watched in pensive thought.

“Twilight, may I have a word with you?” he asked, slowly approaching the mare. Blinkie scurried away towards Rarity to lend a hoof.

“What is it?” she replied.

“Now, you are always free to do whatever you will, but I have a request.”

“Absolutely anything. You saved my friend’s life, I’m eternally in your debt.” Twilight bowed her head humbly.

“I’ve been thinkin’, I don’t want you talkin’ to Trixie. Later today, I want to take you and Rarity back to Ponyville. We can go by train and after that, I don’t want to see either of your hides ‘round here for a good while.”

Twilight didn’t know how to respond to his request. She was mostly worried about Rarity, but a part of her still needed to say something to Trixie before she left. There were things that still needed to be said.

Clyde continued.

“Trix has made a mighty big fool of herself to say the least, but I think you and Rarity have done enough talkin’ today. Let me handle her. She’s like a daughter to me and it pains me to see her fall so low.”

Clyde watched from afar as the azure unicorn cried a few silent, shameful tears. Despite keeping his voice low, Trixie could hear every word Clyde said. She couldn't believe, even after what she'd done, that she was still being shown such mercy.

“Trix ’ll get what’s coming to her and believe me, she will be set straight after we’re through with her. But we’re gonna do it because we care about her. She’d had a hard life. No family, no friends...” He paused and reminisced. “Too long without family or friends and you do things you wouldn’t normally do. I know now what she did to you Twilight and soon Inkie will learn the truth. Hopefully at least one daughter will have the grace to let go of the past.”

Twilight nodded her head knowingly.

“I’ll agree on two conditions,” she replied.

Clyde eyed the unicorn wearily.

“First, you have to tell Trixie I’ve forgiven her and that I want to talk to her again. Not anytime soon, but someday I’d like to be friends again.”

Clyde smiled. “Twilight, you are wise beyond your years,” he said fondly. “I can do that for you. Maybe when I tell her, Trixie ’ll learn something from you about the value of mercy. What’s your other condition?”

“The other condition, you have to tell me what you did to bring Rarity back. I’ve never seen magic like that in my life.”

Clyde smirked and rubbed the back of his neck before digging his hoof into the dirt. “Heh...That? That’s an old, Pie Family secret.”

*

“Twilight... This isn’t the concussion playing tricks on me, is it?” Rarity said shaking her head.

“Why what’s wron--- Oh my goodness! Rarity! Where the hoof is your house?!” Twilight shouted quite obviously, mouth now agape as she beheld the crater that was Carousel Boutique.

“Yes, that’s what I thought...”

Twilight trotted in place, antsy, as she searched the ground frantically trying to locate the missing establishment. To both of their complete surprise, it was not there. There was a rather interesting looking crater that Twilight was sure must have been new. She could study it and maybe live in it after she lost the last bit of sanity she had been clinging to.

Twilight looked around, hoping an answer would present itself. She turned to passing pegasus carrying some groceries.

“You!” she bellowed out.

“Who? Me?” he replied, oblivious.

“Yes, you! Where did Rarity’s house go?! What happened to it?!”

“Oh, you mean that clothing store?”

“Darling, the term is ‘boutique’,” Rarity corrected, now a bit more properly frazzled by her new lack of housing.

“Yeah, ok,” he replied, weary of her tone. “Princess Luna came by earlier with Fluttershy and blew it up. Then they foalnapped your sister.”

The mares stared at him stupidly, unsure of what to make of his answer. Something about it just wouldn’t connect in their minds. No, that couldn’t possibly be the explanation. That would have been absurd. Princess Luna and Fluttershy, of all ponies, blowing up Rarity’s house. Maybe if it was just Princess Luna she’d maybe believe it, but not Fluttershy.

“No, I mean what happened to Rarity’s house?” Twilight asked him again.

“Princess Luna and Fluttershy blew it up and then foalnapped her sister,” he repeated, annoyed.

The dumbfounded, non-understanding looks on both their faces left him defeated. The pegasus perked his head up and looked around, spotting his friend.

“Hey Joe, come back me up here,” he called out to a nearby earth pony.

The stallion trotted over. “What’s up bro? Oh, hey Rarity!” he said noticing the unicorn. “Nice seein’ you around. Oh yeah, by the way, we’re all supposed to tell you that Princess Luna and Fluttershy blew up your house.”

The pegasus stallion crossed his arms.

“Indeed....” Rarity stuttered. “That... that explains the crater, now doesn’t it Twilight darling? And what was that part about my sister?”

“They grabbed her and the three of them teleported off somewhere,” the pegasus replied.

Rarity nodded her head slowly.

Twilight’s ear flopped and her eyes twitched. She had hit her absolute breaking point. Today may had been the worst possible day conceivable. She had been attacked by her number one assistant, she got in a horrible fight with a her first love, Pinkie’s sister had almost killed Rarity and two of her friends had been accused of blowing up her love’s home and foalnapping her sister.

This was too much for any one mare to handle.

“Rarity?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“Would you like to go to dinner with me this coming, oh I don’t know...” Twilight feigned. “Right now?”

“My, my, feeling romantic are we? Where shall we dine? Cherrycobbler Factory?”

“Nah, I was thinking we should just go to Applejack’s and steal a keg of cider...”

Things are Getting Weird

Things are Getting Weird

Not a soul in sight. Perfect.

Rarity had paid out the nose for this and she was going to get what she wanted. She threw the small curtains shut and let a thin cloud of steam fill the room, the thick air clearing her lungs. She stomped lightly with a squee, the clops of her hooves muffled by the steam and soft wooden floors. She waltzed happily around the tub and dipped her hoof in the luxurious water, eyeing the spot where she'd sit with growing desire.

Oh my, they really do get the water to the specified temperature, exactly. Mustn't be too hot for delicate, beautiful Fluttershy.

Rarity had thought that the tub would be too small, but now knew it was a blessing in disguise after seeing it. A devilish grin came over her face. With only barely enough space to stretch out and relax, they'd be forced into closer quarters. There would be no escape and after Rarity was done with her, she wouldn't want to. Even though the kindest pony had resisted, avoided and 'dumb-lucked' her way out of other every other advance that Rarity could conjure she knew she had her this time.

"Your fresh towels are outside your stall on the hanger Miss Rarity," chimed a voice from behind the curtains.

"Thank you darling, now leave me. I shall require complete privacy should my guest arrive."`

Just thinking about her "guest" flushed her face full of scarlet frustration. She had given Rarity quite a run for her money, but every failed attempt had only driven her desire higher. When she asked her to the Heartwarming's Eve Ball and instead went as friends with the rest of the group, she ended up dancing a slow song with every other pony besides Fluttershy. As soon as Rarity had a chance to dance with her, the beats pumped and she timidly retreated to the sidelines. Rarity made sure that a Ms. Vinyl Scratch was going to have gems-glued-all-over-her-equipment themed nightmares for a few years.

Or when she had invited her to come to a three day long trip to see a fashion show in Canterlot. A fool-proof plan to get three lonely nights with Fluttershy in a shared suite. But of course the Eggheads and Apples Convention had to be held in the same center on same three days and Fluttershy just had to invite Applejack and Twilight over for a slumber party. Rarity had given up on just the premise itself. If a pony's date is ruined by the E&A Con 1001, then that pony should just abandon the cause because the universe is trying to tell them something.

Unless that pony is Rarity.

Rarity refused to surrender and this plan would be truly fool-proof. Fluttershy was always so busy getting herself dirty with all those animals, that Rarity insisted that they have a proper spa day. It took some coaxing, but eventually the mare gave in. Nothing was wrong with a harmless day of rest and relaxation. Recently Fluttershy had been extra busy overseeing all the various migrations that she'd go home and fall straight into bed. Rarity used that to justify the extras she tacked onto her "usual".  She made sure to include an extremely private, special hot tub, far in the back of the building away from everypony.

Now it was a waiting game. She shouldn't be more than a few minutes, but Rarity still found her tapping her hoof like a snare anxiously against the wood.  Noticing her nervous tapping, she resolved to pace the tiny room instead. With laps of one or two paces a piece, she felt more like she was just spinning in circles and that failed to serve her any relief. She pouted in frustration.

Fluttershy, you better get here fast or I will give you no quarter.

The thought of Fluttershy purposely making her frustrated only whetted her appetite further. She could feel the flutter of her heart as she thought of may transpire after her "guest" arrived. Those eyes, that smile, her grace and those lips. She  would show her the depths of her generosity. She spotted her drooling reflection in the water and slapped herself.

What am I thinking?

She was a lady and would give into no such desire. No, this was merely her offering an outing to her friend and anything that happens, happens. Maybe she would push the conversation a certain direction of another, but she would not give into such carnality. So quickly.

Rarity carefully watched the approaching hallway though the break in the curtains for her favourite colours, pink and yellow. As soon as she saw them, her heart melted. Fluttershy was wearing the hat that Rarity made for her and a very stylish pair of sunglasses. Unfortunately those dreadful sunglasses were covering those teal gems Rarity dreamed about so often, but the hat caused her to giggle bashfully. She looked like she was trotting on a cloud, so graceful that the ground probably didn't even know she was there. She was humming and had a warm smile on her face.

"Rarity? I'm here," called out that musical voice.

"Yes darling! Come, come! The waters is absoulutely perfect!"

Fluttershy happily quickened her pace. She hung her hat and glasses up and stepped into the steamy room. Rarity smiled as her aroma filled the air. It was intoxicating and shifted Rarity's heart up another gear.

The presence of this particular pegasus piqued her pleasure plexus, projecting a position of promising payoff.

Fluttershy looked timidly at the water, and then up at Rarity. Rarity primly dripped into the tub with Fluttershy following her lead. Together they let out harmonious sighs of relief as the warming water covered them.

"Thank you so much for inviting me. I had forgotten how nice it was to take a day off and just relax." Fluttershy closed her eyes and sunk deeper into the water.

The euphoria on Fluttershy's face was well worth the money so far. That smile had already made Rarity weak in the knees. Should she had been standing, she imagined would have yet another failed attempt to add to her collection. She steeled herself though, she had a Fluttershy to seduce.

"Of course! Since you've been so busy lately I'd thought it was the least I could do."

"You're a great friend. You didn't need to go all out though. The usual would have been fine..." She blushed. She was so cute.

"Oh no, no. no! Fluttershy darling!" Rarity smiled warmly. "Sometimes you need to treat yourself to something extra..." She stroked her mane longingly.

"It's nice. The umm... hot tub has... extra features..." Fluttershy shifted uncomfortably as she unknowingly blushed more and more.

"I know, isn't it wonderful?" Rarity's eyes were full of desire. "The water jets are just so relaxing..."

Fluttershy's eyes grew wide and glistened as Rarity ran her hoof across her cheek. Rarity felt a certain hotness in her face too, but it much lighter than her "guest's". It certainly was warm in the room, the water and steam helping to alleviate any feelings of calmness in their blood, but Rarity felt the fire in her burning her up more. She knew a certain amount of blush was attractive to a pony and had practiced her innocent look for weeks now, throwing it shamelessly at her friend. Fluttershy knew what that look meant and desperately searched for a distraction.

"Oh look it has bubbles!!" she said pressing a button on the control panel. She gave Rarity an innocent toothy grin.

Bubbles began to gently rise to the surface of the tub and she squeed as they filled the tub. The increased pressure the from the jets found Rarity quite easily causing her to shiver a bit.

"Oh Fluttershy..." Rarity called out.

Fluttershy was busy bouncing a bubble off her nose, juggling several in mid-air. She popped a few and giggled as she did. Yes giggle more. Fluttershy began to hum as she occupied herself with her new floating round friends, gathering them up in her arms, blowing them into the air and popping them one by one.  Her whimsical humming filled Rarity's head. Oh... that humming.... As the bubbles disappeared, Fluttershy turned the flow up to replace them. The pressure increased.

"Oh Fluttershy!" Rarity called out again, with an almost crazed tone, the jets working every inch of her.

"Yes Rarity?"

Rarity had turned a blazing scarlet and was now panting lightly. She saw the beautiful mare who called out her name and longed for her. The pegasus wore a confused and worried look, but soon she'd know of Rarity's passionate intentions and welcome them with open hooves. She wanted to press those lips against her own and let her take her away. Fluttershy was the mare of her dreams and every second not completely embraced and enraptured in her would be a waste of life and her happiness. The frustration had gone on long enough! Enough was enough, she would take what she wanted!

"Rarity? Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked the unicorn, her face twisted by desire and eyes full of passion.

At that moment, Fluttershy's hoof had gently grazed one of Rarity's forelegs.

Rarity ecstatically convulsed and shivered as her body surged with euphoria as they touched. She let out an ecstatic moan as she blushed the most pleasant, strawberry red. She jerked for a few moments and as the storm of activity came to a close, and with a few "ahh"s and "oh"s she let out a massive sigh of relief.

"Ra-R-Rarity... A-Are you o-okay?" the pegasus stammered.

Rarity's vision had flashed pure white. But as she came out of her bliss, she slowly absorbed what had just happened. She looked stupidly to Fluttershy and then at the hot tub. She facehoofed harder than she ever facehoofed in her life, whilst the maintaining the redness would be permanently burned into her face. She covered her face with complete embarrassment.

"Rarity...?"

"Just! Forget it!!!" Rarity screamed as she stomped out the curtains.

Back from the Forest

Back from the Forest

They took their time walking down the path, their eyes pealed to the wonder in front of them.

Fluttershy gazed into the majesty of the cave. The mushrooms and fireflies pulsed like a gentle heartbeat to the same rhythm. A silent heartbeat that found no envy of even the wildest imagination. Fluttershy felt like she was in a cosmic meadow as she surveyed the landscape developing slowly in front of her. Small mounds and valleys dipping up and down were outlined by the glowing fungi.

"This is so... wonderful." Her eyes watered and glistened.

Rarity gazed at the majesty of Fluttershy's flank. It shook to a hypnotic rhythm that entranced and enticed the poor unicorn.  Her eyes and coat gleamed in the gentle hues of the mushrooms. All the different colours reflecting off her turned her into something of the most inspired artistry. Fluttershy really did look completely divine, almost out of a dream.

It was a dream come true to be in such a beautiful place with this darling mare. Rarity's mind wandered to what loving memories could be made in such a place, some easily lasting a thousand lifetimes. The stories of their initially troubled, but legendary romance would be told for generations to come Rarity mused. Fluttershy turned around and said something, but Rarity was too busy sighing with a light blush on her face to notice. She was so cute when she said things.

"Yes. I agree completely." Rarity's replied mindlessly. She watched her love's lips move delicately as though they spoke her soul and trembled. She had to kiss Fluttershy.

This romance will start now! No more waiting! It is destiny for us to be together forever!

Rarity went in to kiss her cherished pegasus when Fluttershy casually turned around and kept walking, leaving Rarity kissing a very empty nothingness. She pouted and followed Fluttershy a bit further, running into yet another sight.

The deceptive nature of the lighting had greedily hidden the cave's finest gem. Almost as if by magic, a pool of perfect, clear water jumped out from behind a mound. It's smooth, undisturbed surface reflected the glory of the cave like a mirror, the pulse was carefully placed so that the reflection didn't break it and instead followed it without missing a beat.

'Fluttershy! Come now, I'm scared and need you close to me!" she pouted as Fluttershy blissfully trotted down to the edge of the pool.

Rarity caught up with her and stood their mouth agape at the magical sight. Oh yes, this will be a fine place for our first kiss. What was I thinking?

"Is this amazing Rarity? Who knew such a place existed? All right under our noses."

"Indeed, it kind of makes you think, doesn't it?" Rarity batted her eyes.

"It does."

"It makes me think about the pony who I wish would be my special somepony and how I'd do anything to be with them..."

Rarity's eyes sparkled, naturally.

"Oh? Whose that?" she asked with an innocent, friendly smile.

Just say 'you' and seal the deal. Come on Rarity, you can do it!

The dream word was about to leave her mouth, but Fluttershy had accidentally knocked a small rock into the pond. Ripples spread out in perfect circles as the rock sunk. The mirror like reflection distorted and that distortion resonated throughout the cave. The slow pulse surrounding them had become chattered and erratic like the ripples. The dreamlike atmosphere felt disrupted in ways that seemed alien and defacing. The fireflies began to fall slowly from their docile flight only confirming it further.

They looked in horror around them, as the very fibre of this dream had been destroyed. The reflected light in the pond started to shift, creating a message for only a few seconds.

The heart of dreams lies beyond

Awaken it and restore it's broken bonds

"This seems important..." Fluttershy observed, reading the short message before it finally fell apart.

No, do not let her get distracted, even though the cave isn't doing that lovely light effect it is still plenty romantic.

"Does it? Well it does seem odd, but I'm sure we could take a rest. Ooh! I have an idea! Let's play truth or dare! Doesn't that sounds like fun?" Rarity smiled and giggled girlishly.

"No time for games right now Rarity. I think we need to follow the path."

Was Fluttershy being brave?

She trotted off as Rarity let a out a sigh and drooped her head, slowly working her way up to Fluttershy's pace. She looked up and that wiggling flank wasn't helping the frustration. Rarity watched it with a defeated hunger. At least she had a nice view.

"What do you think it means? The heart of dreams?" Fluttershy was determined.

"I honestly don't think it really matters. The pre-classical era left behind a lot of melodramatic artifacts and such." Rarity scoffed. "Remember when we had to find The Griffon's Last Feather and it was just a quill that erased any grammatical error it wrote? I mean, hugely practical, but sort of underwhe--"

"...But I still think we should..." Fluttershy interjected

"I don't thi--"

"Please! I never get to do any questing!" Fluttershy turned around with her puppy dog eyes. "I think I can handle this one. It's just fireflies and mushrooms! If anything scary happens I promise I'll run away!"

Rarity couldn't say no to those eyes.

"Fine..." Rarity said defeated.

Fluttershy squee'd and trotted on happily. She was so cute when she was trying to be brave. Rarity smiled weakly.

Fluttershy, after we find this dumb heart thing, I am going to have you.

*

After walking for awhile through the vast subterranean landscape, they started to wonder just how far it would go.

A single titanic pulse surged through the length of the cave, illuminating the entirety of it for a few seconds. Every mushroom shone like a lamp and they covered their eyes to keep from the glare. As it started to subside, Rarity glued her eyes to the horizon and Fluttershy flew up to get a better view. They could barely register their surroundings as their eyes were desperately searching for the end.

They could see no end.

"I saw some trees over there," Rarity pointed. "Fluttershy darling, what do you see from your vantage."

"I saw a waterfall a little farther than the trees."

After the pulse subsided, a feeling of dread fell over them..

"Did it just get darker?" The mushrooms had lost some of their luminosity, leaving them in an advanced darkness "Fluttershy I think we should go back to the spa, immediately."

"Let's just go as far as the waterfall and then we can go back, please?'

"Ok fine..."

They quickened their pace and sure enough, the path led to the elusive waterfall. The fireflies were drawn to the splashing mist like a sanctuary. Their light refracted unusually off the mist, showing the warm colours like a soft fire. The gentle inferno was a lone ruby in the cave. It contrasted and broke the monotonous tones and they couldn't help but be drawn to it too.

Floating in the center, a few feet from the surface was the beating heart of the dream surrounded by the mist. It was a ruby with veins of light surrounding it, pulsing with pink magic. It struggled to pumped it's life, beating erratically in it's weakness. It was dying.

"Well this ought to be simple. Fluttershy, be a dear go retrieve that. I'd like to be rid of this dreadful cave. We are on the spa's clock and I'd like to get my money's worth." Rarity's sparkling eye appraised that gem. It would make a fine addition to her collection should she be fortunate enough to keep it.

Fluttershy daintily drifted over to the heart, but as she neared the mist, the eerie weight in the air dragged her down to the water. As she skimmed the water the ripples seemed to upset the fireflies, as they all sunk a bit more . Another long and bright pulse surged throughout the cave, leaving everywhere but the waterfall in near complete darkness. Like before, the ripples in the water formed to words that both seemed familiar and alien.

Dreams that are found

Will leave the heart unbound

Fluttershy screamed and flew over to cuddle her friend as the lights went out. Rarity read the message and let it stir in her head. She could definitely turn this into some action.

"Ra-r-rarity.... we c-can... g-go now." she stammered.

Rarity barely noticed her adorable whining until it stuck her. It was a cryptic riddle. The heart needed somepony's dream to come true to be released. Or at least that's what Rarity' was going to try first.

"Fluttershy, you need to kiss me." Rarity did her best to look focused and determined, despite her pounding heart and blushing face.

"Wh-w-what?"

"The mist will disperse if you do, quickly now." Rarity gave her a stern look.

"O-oka--"

Rarity grabbed Fluttershy before she could even finish speaking and embraced her completely. She passionately kissed her, stroking her mane and entwining tails with her. She wrapped her forelegs around her neck and brought her closer and deeper into the long awaited lip-lock. Rarity's blushed blazing scarlet as her drive soared even higher. She thought that a kiss would have sated her passion, but it just crazed her mind. She had tasted the fruit and now she wanted the tree.

She panted as she threw a barrage of short and fast kisses at her beloved pegasus, beginning to move her tongue in whetted anticipation for Fluttershy's. It was already past her own teeth and was almost inside Fluttershy's lips.

"Rwarity?" she heard in her passion.

"Yes, darling?" she barely whispered out between kisses.

"I theink... mmm.... the mist is.... mmm. gone," Fluttershy struggled to get out as Rarity constantly kissed her pursed face. "You can... mmm... stop kissing me.... now."

Rarity tore her eyes wide apart and looked stupidly at a blushing Fluttershy, backing up with her tongue still hanging out. She slowly drew her tongue back in and closed her mouth like a deer in headlights. Fluttershy didn't look like she enjoyed it quite as much as Rarity did and was giggling nervously. Rarity turned back and saw that the waterfall had retreated, leaving the heart untouched by the mist. She turned her face away and unraveled her tail from Fluttershy's, feeling that same eternal embarrassment come back.

Oh sweet Celestia I am an idiot...

"Uhhh... yes.... I was just being.... thorough. Go get it and let's be off," Rarity recovered messily, staring off into the distance.

Fluttershy obediently did just that.

"So uhh... what do we do with it?" Fluttershy asked, the heart in her hooves

Rarity took it from her with magic and suddenly the old pulse of the cave returned, exactly to that of her heartbeat. It was fast, pulsing a few times a second, but it was at least consistent. Of course it had to do that. It had to tell the entire world how fast her heart was beating and how crazy this mare had just made her.

"Mystery solved, just needed some magic. Come on darling." Rarity said tersely as trotted off, still hiding her face.

Fluttershy trotted behind Rarity, but had a hard time keeping up with her pace. The cave responded appropriately. Rarity had been defeated and was now sadly trying to trot away from her. A tear escaped her eye.

At least I got to kiss her. Even if she was disgusted by it.

"So are we going back to the spa now?" Fluttershy asked cheerfully.

"I don't even care." Rarity's spirits had been crushed completely. She had given up on Fluttershy being her special somepony. She just wanted to get away from her and be alone.

Fluttershy noticed the harsh tone of her friend and decided to change the subject. "So umm... Is it weird that my first kiss was from my best friend?"

"I don't know, you sure looked weirded out. Maybe you should tell me..." That remark bit at Fluttershy a little harder than it probably should have, but she didn't care. It was her first kiss too and was nothing like she imagined it.

That was an understatement. It was horrible and embarrassing and Rarity was pretty sure she was going to do some extreme wallowing until later this year. She was going to find out what it was that ponies wallowed in. She'd run tests and write a journal so she could share her findings with the pony world about her completely pathetic wallowing.

That sounded an awful lot like Twilight, writing journals and all. Maybe she could go after Twilight next. Oh wait, she was busy being pleasured by that--

Fluttershy smiled and interrupted her thought.

What Draws Them Together

What Draws Them Together

It was a single, swift and calculated motion. With over a decade of experience, every tiny muscles and fiber in her foreleg knew it's place, a tweak of the hoof here, a leveraging there and then the curl. After just a dab of gel and a few clouds of hair spray, her mane sat ready, awaiting her move.

With a glint in her eye and in one seamless movement she dramatically swept her brush upwards, downwards and then pulled it out, letting the tension build like a spring. She held it there for a half second and then let go, letting her mane bounce into it's trademark curl. She threw the brush to the other hoof and continued the elegance with another grand sweeping motion and curl. Almost if by magic, her lower mane bounced into it's normal, perfect, flawless curl.

In the span of five seconds she accomplished a style that would have taken most mares hours to even attempt. Maybe it was magic and maybe it wasn't. She liked to believe it was a different kind of magic.

Rarity ended with a stunning pose and caught eye of the beautiful mare in the bathroom mirror.

Fabulous.

She opened the door to release a nauseating blend of a half dozen body scents and hair sprays, nearly knocking out a very disgruntled Sweetie Belle.

"Finally you're done!" she said covering her nose.

"Yes, I am finished and looking utterly fabulous! Please do not refrain admiring me," Rarity said jokingly.

"Oh brother..." Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes with a chuckle. As she did, she fought to suppress a gag from the vapours and gave her a cross look.

"Sister. Oh sister." She corrected. "You know Sweetie Belle..." She sized up her sister. "The loving scowl on your face is giving me inspiration. Would you mind letting me indulge a little and allow me to style your mane today?"

"Oh yeah?" she replied cleverly. Sweetie Belle put on the biggest, warmest smile she could muster, effacing the aforementioned scowl.

"Yup, inspiration gone..." Rarity said flatly. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. "But seriously Sweetie Belle. In the right light you are just such a doll. Pleaseee?!" She playfully nudge her sister with a loud whine.

"I would, but I have some crusading to do today. I'd hate to ruin your hard work on that." As much as Sweetie Belle would have enjoyed spending the day with her big sister, their lead was too good.

Rarity gave her a quick hug. "Oh it's alright darling, I'm sure it will come to me again sometime. So where are you off to today?"

"We're all meeting up at Zecora's to try and be sorceresses!" She drew a towel over her head and motioned at Rarity more in the likeness of a ghost than and sorceress.

"Well that sounds like a smashing time!" Nothing that Rarity would personally partake in, but for the more 'outdoorsy' ponies, it seemed like a good bit of adventure. "You have fun dear and tell Zecora I said hi!"

Rarity patted her sister on the head and headed for the door. Sweetie Belle just smiled. Her sister seemed to be back to her old self. For the last few days she had moped about the house. Sweetie Belle had tried her best to cheer her up. She took her out shopping, she helped as much as she could around the house, she even made Rarity’s favourite quiche but nothing lifted the rainy cloud over her. Today though, she seemed completely normal.

It almost caught Sweetie Belle off guard when she heard her sister happily singing as she went about the boutique pampering herself as usual. Sweetie Belle sprung from her bed and picked up the harmony perfectly, much to the surprised approval of her sister. Neither of them were complaining in the slightest. If Rarity was happy today, who was she to ask why?

Cadance said she would have arrived today and Rarity was feeling lucky.

Unfortunately the storm wasn’t forgotten. They were about to pass out of the eye.

Rarity heard a commotion outside, a few ponies shouting here and there. They both walked over to the window to see if they could find the disturbance. Then bloodcurdling screams started. One particular scream stuck out to her and tore into her spine.

”Twilight!”

Ponies passing by looked in the direction of the noise and ran towards in, some straight up sprinting. Unsure of what to make of it, Rarity took the confident initiative.

“I sure do hope this isn’t another one of Pinkie’s failed baking excursions again,” she tried to play it down. Her sister was clearly terrified. “Stay right here and don’t leave, I’ll be right back after I figure out what everypony’s fussing over.”

Rarity trotted quickly outside to more screaming and ponies frantically galloping toward it. Rarity tried to remain composed, but the panic of the crowd carried her faster to the epicenter. The normally peaceful town would never be the same again.

*

Fluttershy had gathered her last ingredient for Angel’s newest, most ambitious demand when it started. First there was the shouting.

Her latest dreams had been leaving her a bit exhausted. As much as it dragged on her to wake up tired, it had been time well spent. It didn’t matter how long it was until they saw each other. Fluttershy and Luna had an entire day’s worth of time together as long as she could dream. That wouldn’t suggest that Fluttershy was fine with never seeing Luna again, because, for once, dreams weren’t quite as good as real life. They planned a much closer and intimate evening next time. Nothing to fast, but Luna had expressed a great interest in cuddling.

She woke up and mindlessly droned to and from the market. Her thoughts were in her dreams again as the world didn’t hold as much interest to her anymore. At first she didn’t even hear the shouting as she went about her business. Normally these ponies didn’t get into fights, but every so often shouting would be heard in the market as a deal turned sour.

So the shouting continued. It wasn’t until the screaming that Fluttershy snapped back to reality. She desperately looked for the source of it. She followed other ponies eyes to the distant structure, but after seeing it she wish she hadn’t.

Her eye barely caught a glimpse of the sight she would never forget. The sight that shattered her and made her remember that life wasn’t a dream. It would remind her later that sometimes dreams are merciless.

It threw her back into an panicked haze. She might have screamed but she didn’t remember it. All she remembered was running towards it while getting tripped and knocked over, not caring in the slightest.

*

Cadance authoritatively ran to the front of the panicked crowd. Everypony made way for her, half their eyes hopefully on the Princess, the other half still on the figure inches from the edge of the roof. She met up with the mayor and guards who had been directing everypony. They graciously handed control over to their monarch.

It was her time to lead.

The waiter, Time Turner, stood on the roof of the local hotel, hesitantly inching closer and closer to the edge. His intention was clear. Even from the ground anypony could see the anguish and strife on his face.

While suicide was always startling in itself, Cadance wasn’t sure exactly how he planned to get away with it. One of the only unicorns she would trust with her own life  was standing right next to her and the legendary flier, Rainbow Dash, had already started hovering closer and closer. Given the countless ways to save a fall, it felt like more of a publicity stunt than anything else.

Still the Princess proceeded with caution.

“Hey, I know what you’re thinking right now... I’m not going to try and stop you, I just want to talk.” she projected calmly.

He shouted through tears. “O-oh yeah?! Tell me, what am I thinking?!” He took a step took a step towards the edge quickly. Cadance knew he was just playing games. He’d take one threatening step and get the crowd riled up.

Cadance nervously bit her lip.

“Get me someone close to him. Now.” She commanded quietly to the few ponies around her. “Friend, family member, anyone.” They ran off.

“You’re thinking that maybe you’re out of options... That you can’t make everypony happy. Hey I know what that’s like. I know exactly what it’s like to be hated no matter what decision I make.”

Twilight was amazed by how genuine the Princess sounded. Even more so than that, she was surprised by the assertion she made. Cadance had made a rather far-fetched assumption about the stallion’s life without even knowing his name.

An assumption well found, the stallion started backing off.

“Yeah... well...” he sobbed.

Cadance watched him antagonistically, she had dealt with more than enough suicide attempts in her life than she was willing to admit. The Princesses represented a spiritual trifecta in Equestria, Celestia was the body, Luna the mind and Cadance the heart. Being the element of love, she had a certain dominion over all emotional impasses and had been called to intervene in matters such as this countless times.

She had seen this before and was almost annoyed by ponies who threatened to jump off tall things. She’d never lost a pony in an attempt and she refused to. She could tell he wasn’t serious and was doing it for the attention, but it was always good to be prepared.

“Yeah... well...?” she empathized. “Come on down sweetheart. We can find some of your friends and all talk about this together. Maybe you can tell me what’s wrong, I might be able to help,” she said with an impossible sweetness.

He stepped down from the ledge.

And just like that Cadance seemed to have the entire situation under control in an instant. Twilight never really thought of Cadance in the same way she thought of Celestia or Luna, but right now she glimmered and radiated brighter than either. She had just saved this pony’s life.

The air loosened around them and a small applause even broke out. He just sat there crying pathetically as Rainbow Dash approached him cautiously. He was still unstable and could lash out at any pony, but for the most part he appeared self-contained. Just as soon as Rainbow was about to reach he looked like he threw an invisible toaster at her, spazzing wildly, much to Cadance’s surprise. She didn't expect that and would have to reevaluate the situation.

“You? You can’t help me! There’s nothing any pony who can! I’m just swell as you can see, look nothing wrong here.” His tone was liquid hatred and spite, he shouted as if he loathed every single pony in front of him. Rainbow backed off. “I guess that means you can all just go home!”

Cadance considered her options. “Look, you’re going through some rough times, we all do, but you have ponies who care about you.”

She was short with the ponies around her. “You all have sixty seconds to find his damned loved one...” she said harshly in stark contrast.

He overheard her. “Find somepony who cares about me?!” he laughed. “No pony cares about me! See?! You can’t find her, you’ll never find her! Because she’s.... she’s...” his voice cracked. “Oh s-sweet mother... I-i...” he choked.

Cadance’s heart plummeted. All the pity she felt for this individual turned strictly business. It was now only her duty to save this life, not her will. She knew exactly what he was talking about, but it was clear those around her didn’t. Whoever this pony he was talking about was, he had done something to her. He had killed her or set her on the path to death. Cadance had misjudged him horribly and she could feel herself losing control of the situation and letting it slip into the hooves of this ever maddening pony.

“Who is he talking about?!” she shouted.

Cadance was met with silence from the flock of scared sheep around her.

“Anypony feel like being a hero today?!” she glared at them, “A pony’s life hangs in the balance and none of you will be the pony who stands by and watches her die!” Cadance screamed in frustration. A few of them scattered, but most of them remained frozen in place.

She turned her fierce gaze to him. “Where is she?!”

“Neither of them are going to make it and neither am I... Our time is up...” He just laughed with pitiful sinistry before falling off the edge. Screams erupted as his body plummeted the short but lethal fall.

“Rainbow! NOW,” Cadance commanded.

Rainbow Dash didn’t need an order to know what to do. She had immediately locked on to her target and would there in a quarter of a second. She flew as quickly as her wings could carry her.

Twilight was still a bit hazy from the drinks, but she didn’t doubt what she saw. It all happened in slow motion. The stallion had jumped off off the building, but before he even got a quarter way down, Rainbow was already on top of him. She wasn’t sure if he planned to hit her or was just flailing and got questionably lucky, but Rainbow never got her hooves around him. She was sent flying by a stray bucking hoof, leaving a nasty gash on her flank. In the heart of the moment, it didn’t even faze the champion flier, but she spun out and recovered far too late to go back.

Twilight struggled to aim her spell. The drinks had gotten to her and she was seeing a little double. The Princess had probably magically cleared her system, but Twilight never took the time to learn such spells yet as she never imagined she’d be in this sort of situation.

Realizing she was going to most likely miss, she began casting as many spells as she could at him, completely unleashing herself. In a second and a half she probably cast a dozen spells in ultra-rapid succession. Every school she’d been to advised against fast casting, but the drinks had allowed her to forget such lessons.

Such an explosive magic storm instantly knocked her on her flat on her flank. Her vision whited out as she went into a magical shock. The last thing she remembered was the most disgusting sound she’d ever forget and screaming.

Endless screaming.

*

The Great and Powerful Trixie was busy putting the finishing touches on her makeup and mane. She always need to look her best for a performance. Now that ponies were actually lining up to see her, she’d give them a sight worth seeing. She was on hour three of her preparation when a loud obnoxious bang on the door caused her to smear a her eye shadow. She gritted her teeth in frustration.

“Can you not read?! The Great and Powerful Trixie requested not to be disturbed!” She turned around angrily to see the mare responsible for newfound success, casually leaning against the threshold.

“Hey chill, it’s just me,” replied Vinyl, “Oh look at you, lookin’ all pretty. You did that for me, right?” she smiled coolly.

“Oh Vinyl, sorry I didn’t mean to shout. I’m just so nervous... That’s a really big crowd.” Trixie admitted. She never had an audience of thousands.

“Trixie baby, you need to loosen up... Ditch the dollface, ditch the crazy hairdo, those ponies don’t want to see any of that.”

“T-they don’t?”

“Nah, look we have a half hour till we’re green. How about I help you loosen up? Get you in the right mindset. Help you do your makeup and mane, my way...” The world famous Dj had a devilish, sultry smile on her face.

Trixie giggled and blushed. “Oh my... Vinyl... the rumors really are true then. Right before every show?”

“Gotta find someway to relax.” She closed and locked the door behind her.

*

Trixie couldn’t remember the last time she partied this hard. Her head was spinning, beautiful mares, drinks that never stopped, one sensation after another, this was the way to truly live. They had all been teasing her a little for opting out of a few rounds, but she needed to pace herself or she’d wind up somewhere incredibly unfortunate. She needed to find somepony a lot less daring to relax with before dive-bombing back into the party.

She found a quieter looking pretty mare, lounging about in the corner. From the look in her eye, she was about on the same page as Trixie, but with a slight sadness looming over her. Trixie plopped down next to her.

“Hey, what’s with the sad face, not having fun?” Trixie was going to bait this one into a something steamy if her life depended on it.

Startled, she flipped her frown to meet this newest superstar. “Oh, I was just thinking about that suicide in Ponyville. It’s really sad that stuff like that happens. It seems to happening more and more lately.”

Trixie’s heart nearly stopped.

“Suicide...?” she replied almost in a whisper. If her voice had shown itself, it would have trembled in the wake of her words.

“Yeah I guess somepony decided to end it after their marefriend left them.”

Trixie was silent. It was hard to talk when her heart was shattering and the shards were tearing her soul apart.