Bejeweled

As the door of Agate's closed, the key slid out and hovered over the shelf. Agate took off her saddlebag and put it under the hanger, while Rarity rolled her little red cart next to it. The night wasn't far away, and there were a couple more things had to be done for them here. Agate feared this moment, but she made a promise.

"So, are we going?" she asked with a joyful glee that was oozing from pain and suffering.

"We don't need to if you don't want to, dear." Rarity explained, as it was clear she dreaded the thought of this happening. What had to be done had to be done however.

"Trust me, she'll be fine with it." Agate nodded with a playful giggle, but she knew well this is not going to be the case. She knew her mother, she saw her there in the crowd, and what was to come was anything but good.

They decided to have a bit of a break beforehand, the contest sapped most of their energy not to mention they had no lunch either.

"So, the Quartzia restaurant?" Agate asked for final confirmation. Rarity nodded with a reserved chuckle. The two had been discussing about where to dine as a sort of celebration of their victory on the way home. Naturally, Agate insisted paying for both of them so she can start paying back already. Rarity knew she can't change her mind though, so she didn't even try. If that what made the smith happy, who she was to stop her?

Only a few minutes of rest they needed first, as such, both of them headed up to the bedroom to lie down a little bit. Agate jumped onto her bed with a quick aerial turn, landing on her back. A moan full of relief left her tongue as she turned towards the seamstress on her side. Rarity was laying down the sofa much gentler, being the elegant mare she was.

"I can't believe I'll be sleeping in the home of my dreams by the end of the week." she confessed, staring right into the azure rims of Rarity ever so gratefully. It was the matter of time before yet another 'Thank you' leaves her mouth.

"And it all thanks to you, Rares." she added, an expectable move by now. The tailor could see why Fleur found this a bit irritating now, Agate sure appreciated both of their help as much as possible.

"You're ever so welcome, though I think you might be giving me a bit too much credit here," Rarity pointed out "I was just merely assisting you, darling."

"That's the least in I can do, sweetheart, what you gave me I cannot repay." Agate answered, she was burdened by favors she wanted to give back, and she loved giving just as much her ivory counterpart. Rarity however, was rather caught off-guard by that strange word, one she heard from the smith's mouth for the first - and preferably last time.

"Sweetheart?" she turned her head away, but still keeping the eye contact with a very curious, raised brow.

"I just thought about coming up a filler, like your 'darling'." her friend flustered with an awkward grin. It was a special word to her, that 'darling', soothing and charming, she loved hearing it from the ivory mistress.

Rarity allowed a soft giggle to leave her mouth, with her mouth covered. She also knew what effect that word had on the ebony mistress, of course. It felt nice that her friend wished to get her to know it, even if that wasn't possible. For her, it was just a simple word, no more.

"I should refrain from using that, to be honest, somepony might get the wrong impression." she explained, but Agate already scrapped everything about this silly plan by the time.

"Yeah, I think I'll leave this to you." she answered with an embarrassed look "Suits you way better.".

The two of them shared a good laugh before moving onto a different topic.

As they left, Agate locked the door and put the jewel-adorned keychain into her saddlebag. It had both Rarity's and Belle Garde's gemstones hung on it. The dark blue sky of the night fell upon them by the time they arrived to the restaurant. It was peaceful and empty, for it was closing in less than half an hour. However, it was more then fine for the two of them.

Canterlot was so vastly different at this time of the day. Ponies were still strolling down the streets because the mild spring weather, yet their numbers were few, and everything looked so different. Rarity could just not have enough of it. She eyed the streets even after they took their seats, again, by the window.

"May I take your orders, madams?" the waiter asked. He was quite quick, the two of them didn't even look at their menu yet. He probably wanted to hurry them, though half an hour before closing it was understandable.

"Just two rose sandwiches, please." Rarity replied. She didn't want to rob the staff's time, she had some knowledge on how things in restaurants work, and she knew by this time they are usually packing up and matching numbers.

The waiter nodded, and took his leave. Memories flooded Rarity's mind. Two weeks, passed like nothing. She could still recall scolding Agate, then listening to her story about that one Gala, an event that was coming soon once again.

Then she noticed her once more, Agate, gazing at her with those deep purple eyes. She couldn't help but return the gesture, and the curse surfaced once more. They could not escape until the arrival of their dinner snapped them out of the trance.

"Your rose sandwiches, ma'ams." the waiter told them, then left them alone.

"Well, good appetite!" Rarity told her friend, who already was eating by the time. Agate still nodded with some humming as a response. She had a lot to learn, but it was something Agate had to do on her own from now... if she wished so that is.

The meal was done in just mere minutes this time, just as they planned. Agate and Rarity wiped her mouth with the serviette, then neatly folded it. Rarity giggled, it was odd to see Agate so well-mannered, but moreover seeing her enjoying it.

"Anything else I can help you with?" the waiter asked.

"Just the check, please." the smith replied with a soft, kind of high-pitched and jumpy tone, as if she'd try to mimic the seamstress. The waiter nodded and left once more, coming back in a minute or two and placing the bill on the table.

The two unicorns waited until he left and went out of sight, then Agate took her the bits out of her wallet. She left the money on the table, along with a few tips. Rarity shut her eyes as she hummed ever so quietly in herself. She couldn't have been prouder to her, after so much refining and polishing, the rough stone turned into a beautiful jewel. After all said and done, the unicorns left to visit another place, Agate's mother.

A tall house of gray with Canterlot's signature purple dome atop it, its entrance looking at one of the main streets. Agate pressed the button that rang the doorbell with no hesitation whatsoever. She just wanted to get over at as fast as she could.

Several long seconds passed until the door opened, revealing a beautiful mare just a bit taller then them, with beige coat. She had a long, just a bit wavy mane of charcoal grey that fit well with the black and white maid uniform she was wearing. Her eyes having a wonderful, orange tint to them that was warm as the sun. She looked curious at first, but soon she noticed Agate her lips turning their corners upside.

"Welcome, Miss Agate!" she greeted her with a soft, deep voice.

"Belle Garde! Hi!" the smith charged at her, as the two embraced one another "I'm so glad to see you." the maid just giggled in herself as Rarity usually did.

It was strange, Agate could drop by and see her pretty much anytime she wanted to, yet the two still treated each other as if they wouldn't have met in months.

"Belle Garde, this is Rarity, my newest friend from Ponyville." Agate introduced her friend, making the two take a step closer and shake their hooves ever so gently.

"A pleasure to meet you." the earth pony told her, disarming Rarity for a few moments. That's what she wanted to say, word to word as a matter of fact.

"Yes, well met." the seamstress improvised a quick reply.

"It's getting quite cold out here, let's get inside, shall we?" Belle Garde explained. Her gentleness and her whole sentence structuring really reminded Rarity of... herself? Could that also play part in Agate's attitude towards her? It was quite intriguing.

Three of them headed inside. The house was as fancy as one could image. A checkered floor, beautiful, red wallpapers with fleur-de-lis patterns, golden framed pictures and a breathtaking chandelier welcomed them.

"Do you know where Mom is?" Agate asked her. Belle Garde nodded then lead them up the stairs just in front of them into a narrow corridor of the same style. Paintings, excessively decorated wooden shelves with the finest vases on them, the building had the same wibe as Octavia's except this was even larger and fancier. It would explain it, though, after all the bassist was from Canterlot as well. After a couple minutes of storlling, they arrived to one of the rooms.

"Here we are." the maid told them, but she didn't enter yet.

"Um, Rarity, could you stay here a bit more until I get to tell Mom about you? She's a bit picky with visitors, you know." Agate explained, her eyes overflowing from fear. Rarity, though a bit confused she was, respected that and let the two of them enter at once.

"It's Miss Agate, madam." Belle Garde said, entering first, followed by the ebony mistress. The room was dark, only the shadows and silhouettes indicated the locations of the shelves, wardrobes, nightstands and the gigantic bed with a roof, similar to Rarity's. The only light source was the Moon itself, shining through the glass of the enormous window lighting up the room, and in front of the window sat a figure.

"Years, and years, and years have passed, but I knew..." she said, turning around and revealing herself "I knew, one day you'll learn what's good for you, and return to me."

A tall unicorn of light blue, with darker blue, short curls and slightly slanted eyes that shined like pure gold, Tinpan Alley. In front of her pearl necklace she held a teacup and a small dish, both engulfed by a golden aura that was her magic.

"Good Evening, Agate." she greeted her, at last. While not as young as Fleur-Dis-Lee, Tinpan was one of the top models Canterlot could possibly offer.

"Greetings, Mother." Agate replied. Her mother was very satisfied about her daughter, that was clear.

"You might not have noticed me, but I was at your little competition too. You weren't a top model, but for first try it was quite good." she explained, filled with pride and happiness inside, but remaining still outside, only taking a gentle sip from her tea.

"Well, yes, I didn't notice you. The flashing cameras made it kind of hard to see." Agate explained, hoping she can get away from this embarrassing situation, but she knew well its just postponing the inevitable clash.

"Oh, I know, it takes some time to get used to, but all that matters now is that you won the money and the reputation." she replied, along with a gentle swing of her hoof "So, did you find who you're going to invest in? The headlines won't be talking about you forever." she giggled, taking another sip.

It was so typical from her, Tinpan wanted to be nothing but a trophy wife once more, just like Fleur. Having fame, fortune and a husband to buy all your heart desires was her paradise... her, but not her daughter's.

Agate swallowed hard, she knew well what's going to come is not going to be pretty.

"My friend, Rarity. I'll be moving to live with her in Ponyville."

Tinpan began coughing, the tea she was to gulp now was in places it shouldn't have been. She dropped the cup and dish, the former hitting the floor hard enough to break a larger shard off it. Belle Garde rushed to the models aid, but she tossed her aside. The model wiped a bit of the liquid from the corner of her mouth, as a furious, long roar left her mouth.

"What?!" she groaned, but she couldn't help but cough some more instead of continuing.

"I'll move to Ponyville, to make new armors and hang out with new friends." Agate responded in a cold, serious manner, sitting completely idle while her mother got better on her own, even Belle Garde decided not to interfere this time, she knew what that last act meant and decided to clean up the mess after the storm was over.

"Why would you even go to Ponyville? Only dirty peasants live there. That no pony's land doesn't even have normal roads." her mother shouted.

"No, there's more than that there, Rarity's a tailor, Aloe and Lotus have a spa, and Twilight runs a library, if you could take a look already you'd see." Agate replied, taking up the aggressive volume of her mother. Her words fell to deaf ears, however.

"That Rarity, she was with you on the stage. You befriended her?" Tinpan noted, snapping towards the maid on her left "You didn't let her in, did you?"

Belle Garde shut her eyes and shook her head gently, despite said mare was just behind the very door in front of her. Rarity heard all of that, of course, but despite the mare testing her limits she remained as calm as she could be, and kept listening.

"You don't know her, so don't judge her!"

"But I know what's good for you, I am your mother." she yelled back "I won't let your beautiful skin and those delicate hooves soiled by that filthy place. Don't even think about it!"

The furious screams echoed through the entire building, as the two let out a groan through their clenched teeth before Tinpan continued in a somewhat calmer tone.

"I raised you, I always gave you the best of all things, tolerated your mistakes, that you turned towards your father's path, that you humiliated me in front of Canterlot, and that's what all I get in return?" she asked, though pulling that card just made Agate even more enraged.

"You tossed me around like a pinball, raising me into whatever tool you wanted me, not even caring what I actually wished for or anything!" Agate lashed back out at her very mother "I made my decision."

"I forbid!!" Tinpan screeched at her on the top of her lungs, as if Agate'd have troubles understanding.

"I don't care! I'm big enough, I can handle myself." the smith shouted back. A moment of silence took place between them, as the two menacingly stared at each other's irises.

Then the model closed away hers.

"Hmpf, fine, be that way." she huffed "However, don't you dare come back."

An audible gasp was heard from outside, Belle Garde recoiled, almost frozen solid from what she just heard.

"M-madam Alley-"

"Belle Garde shut up!" Tinpan shouted at her, turning back to Agate at once "I've let her put us to shame for more than enough time."

Agate hardly could believe it, her mind still tried to make her believe that all of this was just a terrible trick. That her mother didn't actually want to disown her. However, the ebony mistress knew well that what she stated before was the truth. Yet, despite all conditions, she couldn't help but feel attached here still, something tied her to them. She couldn't make up her mind.

"So, what is it going to be? Us, or them?" her mother asked in vicious whispers.

Agate shut her eyes off. She stood up. She turned around. She walked over to the door and told them her last words:

"Fare thee well."

The door opened, as the mother watched her very daughter gaze into her eyes. Agate's were filled with anger and sadness, hers were tinted by defeat and disappointment. Yet, it ended like lightning, and the model only awoke from this mysterious trance by the sound of the door closing ever so gently. She turned around, gazing straight at the Moon.

"Where did I go wrong, Belle Garde?" she whispered, her words dripping from pain. The earth pony already had the small brush and plastic tray prepared and was just starting cleaning up the remains of the teapot.

"It'll all be fine soon, madam." she responded in her soothing, motherly voice.

Meanwhile as Agate left, a worried sick, frozen solid Rarity waited for her, her right hoof covering her mouth since she silenced her gasp. She was paralyzed, her mind couldn't grasp what have happened. Agate stepped closer, and embraced her closest friend for just a second.

"Let's get you home, Rares." she said, as she let go of her and lead the way downstairs.

"Agate, I... I-I'm so sorry." she whimpered, still shaking her head gently in disbelief.

"It's all fine, not much is going to change anyway. I think I will just keep contact with Belle Garde in letters, I don't know." Agate replied, her voice sounded ever so... lifeless, as if she wouldn't even care anymore. Maybe this was the case. Maybe she saw this coming. It was a mystery better left untouched.

There was one last thing left to do together. Agate gazed over to the lit bell tower, it was closing to eight 'o clock. They had time to get to the train station without hurrying but they couldn't allow to wonder around very much, after all they had to get Rarity's cart and bags on the way as well.

The streets were near empty by that time, only two of them roaming on them. From time to time a night guard or a tourist showed up, but the busy, wonderful city have turned its other side at the unicorns. Rarity still couldn't entirely get used to this side of the city, but it never failed to amaze her.

"Have you decided where you'll be moving, yet?" Rarity asked, though that question might have been a bit too late. Still, she'd rather look forward, towards the future, rather than mourning about the recent events that may have bothered her more than Agate herself.

"Yeah, actually, that small house on Hay Row... can't remember the number, but its on the edge of town." she explained, now in her normal voice again. Oh, she could hardly wait to move in, then decorate and furnish that empty building as she pleased. Though it would probably take more than a single day, but with friends like the ones she made, she was sure nothing could go wrong.

"That's great to hear, but I hope you know that house has a curse on it." Rarity responded, immediately going in denial afterwards "Not that I believe in such things or anything, just pointing it out."

'Yeah, of course.'

Agate's lips formed a sly grin as she hummed a bit. Liked it or not, Rarity had the blood of the little town deep inside her veins, but that was not a bother for either of them.

Finally, they arrived to the small alley the workshop was at, Agate took out her keys and opened the door, letting the seamstress in. She closed it but left the key in. Good thing Rarity pretty much kept everything by the entrance, she could just pick them up and get going. Agate's mind wondered away while she was at it, though, straight towards her decorated keychain.

"Do you think I should've gave the jewel back to Belle Garde?" Agate asked. She had a point, the mare had nothing to remember her from. The jewel was broken and cracked, but it served its purpose still.

"Hm?" Rarity hummed, turning her attention towards her friend "How about sending her one instead? Something unique just by you, I'm sure she'd love it." she explained. Rarity knew well that a present made with passion worth the most, in her eyes at least. She took up her saddlebags and signed her friend that she is ready. Agate opened the door, letting the white mare ahead of her once more as they continued their way to the train station.

With the sound of rolling wheels added, a sudden question came up in Agate's mind.

"By the way, what should we do with the dress?" she asked, raising her eyebrow in curiosity. Interesting question it was, and it got them thinking for quite a bit, but by the time they arrived to the train station they agreed on keeping it for the sake of their memories.

They entered the train station, which was almost completely empty as well. Rarity bought her ticket, and the two headed outside to spend their last minutes breathing in the cool, night air. The platform was all theirs. The forest of street lamps suddenly came to an end in front of the rails, an unusual but charming darkness was laid in front of their eyes. From the left, the rails disappeared into the forests of the mountain range, and on their right, the tracks - like an invisible wall boxed in the city, with small woods on the other side.

"Rarity, I've got something to tell you." Agate said in a very shy manner. From what the seamstress read off it, it was likely to be a confession.

"Yes?" she asked, as her friend clearly needed a push.

"You know, I got this sixth sense kinda thing, just with guardian angels." the smith explained. Rarity raised her eyebrow in curiosity, it was a miracle the Agate could still surprise her with her... 'things', for better or worse. Though she could sort of guess where this was going, she was still intrigued.

"I can't really explain it, I just feel it, and I have that feeling around Belle Garde and Fleur and... well... since these last days when working with you as well, so..." Agate continued but shied away as she was afraid to ask at first, but a few seconds later she let go of the weight.

"Could you be my guardian angel?" she finally asked with glimmering eyes. Rarity didn't really know how she felt, or how she should have felt about this at first. It was both exaggerated, bizarre, silly, cute and flattering at the same time, it was just... it was Agate, in short. Upon realization of this, Rarity couldn't help but giggle.

"Well, if you insist." she said, turning her head and only looking at her friend from the corner of her eye, teasing her.

Agate knew that meant, of course, and she was moved beyond words by this. She shut her eyes with a nod and a soft "Thank you." in response. Rarity chuckled in herself once more. A total overkill what it was but how could she not accept it?

Then bells rang up once more, four times in a row this time. The gigantic clock behind them shown exactly eight, it seemed like the train was late.

"So, what are you planning in the meanwhile?" the seamstress asked, referring to the time they was to spend apart from each other, those few days. Agate broke eye contact, staring at the darkness in front of her as she just imagined what might happen.

"I'll go to the pub me and the guards tend to hang around, make a bit of a farewell party I guess. Then I get to say bye to Fleur too, pack my stuff, all that." Agate replied, turning her attention back to the mare afterward "It'll be a busy weekend for sure." she giggled, but a small "Huh?" escaped her throat when a strange noise hit her perked-up ear.

It came from the other side, from the mountain range. It was the train, getting closer and closer.

"Well, here's my carriage." Rarity noted "Let me just say this was a truly wonderful adventure, I'm glad I could spend it with you." she added.

"Agreed, I loved every moment of it. Thank you for this journey." Agate responded, grateful as ever, but as the ivory mistress turned away to get closer to the other end of the platform she called her back.

"Rarity!" she said, stretching out her front arms wide. Rarity got the message, and just rolled her eyes over it, then smile. Fleur was so right about her.

"Oh, darling..." she sighed, her smile sweet and heartwarming as ever as she looked deep into the rims of amethyst until two of them embraced each other one 'last' time. Of course, both of them knew they'll reunite in the close future but they insisted keeping this moment special.

The two mistresses felt their tender hooves against one another's back, as they rubbed their cheeks together. As the train rolled in, the two of them broke the mold, but not entirely. They held each others hooves so they can lose themselves in the beauty that was their eyes for a few more ever so short seconds.

But it couldn't last forever, inch by inch, their hooves let go of each other, as Rarity took a step back, then one more, then one more. She turned around, trotting over to the train with the little red cart she pulled with her magic. She hopped on it, disappearing behind the machine's walls. Agate took a few steps closer to have a better look, when the purple curls revealed themselves once more, then the horn, then her head. Rarity took the bed on her side, after all probably nopony else was on the train judging by the lack of curtains drawn together. She packed her bags down on the other side of the bed and made herself comfortable while a mare closed the doors from inside the train.

After all was said and done, Rarity allowed herself to take a look at mare once more. The train hissed as it started up, as the ebony mistress started waving at her just the way her friend used to, which the ivory one returned the same way. More hisses came, as the vehicle began moving at the pace of a snail, yet they just kept waving and waving and gazing at one another. The train began accelerating and the two was harder and harder to look at with each passing moment, until they were completely gone.

Only when the train left the station entirely did the smith stop the gesture. She watched as it disappear in the dark night as her hoof slowly lowered itself to the ground. Even when there was nothing to be seen anymore, she just stared that way for a couple more seconds to let the thought sink in...

'She' was gone.