//------------------------------// // Rarity // Story: Heart's Desire // by LunarShadow //------------------------------// Rarity         “Fluttershy, dear. You’ve been all too quiet lately.” Water sloshed as Rarity leaned forward in the spa’s soaking basin and brushed Fluttershy’s mane out of her face. “Well, quieter than normal. What’s wrong?”         Fluttershy shied away from Rarity’s touch. “I-I’m sorry. I just—”         Rarity frowned and leaned back in the steaming bath. “Don’t apologize. You can say anything on your mind around me, darling.”         “It’s nothing. Just please forget I was going to mention anything.” Fluttershy tried to smile, but it came out as forced. “Anyways, we’re here to enjoy ourselves, right?”         Rarity closed her eyes and slid down deeper into the water. “I suppose.” For a few seconds she sat there in silence, letting the soothing heat soak away the weeks stress. But whatever seemed to be bothering Fluttershy started nagging at Rarity’s mind.         Fluttershy has never hidden anything from me. Rarity snorted into the water and watched the bubbles. We’ve been friends for far too long to keep secrets from eachother.         “Actually, there is something.”         Rarity perked up and looked at Fluttershy, anticipating some big reveal. A stallion? She’s got her eyes on somepony! I just know it!         “Do you think if I took care of Opal for a week or so, she’d calm down?” Fluttershy smiled nervously. “I mean, ever since a few days ago when we tried to get together for the spa date where she freaked out, she’s been acting strange.” She shrugged. “I mean, even strange for a cat.”         Disappointed, Rarity sighed and replied, “It might, but do you think you’d want to, darling? I mean, last time we tried that, she found a mouse and spent an hour trying to make Opal spit it out.”         Fluttershy looked away, embarrassed. She stirred the water with her hoof. “I know, but I want to try something.”         “Try what?” Rarity looked at Fluttershy curiously, then waved her hoof dismissively. “Actually, I trust you. Just make sure she—”         “All right girls, time to move to the sauna.” The arrival of one of the spa workers cut Rarity off. The employee passed them towels to wrap around their manes as they stood up and pulled themselves onto side.         They followed the employee to the sauna in silence. When they arrived and opened the door, a cloud of steam drifted out. They sighed in pleasure and sat down on the benches against the far wall. Rarity immediately added a few rocks of coal and poured a pitcher of water on top.         “Do you think it’s possible to achieve perfect harmony?”         The question surprised Rarity and she opened her eyes, raising an eyebrow at Fluttershy. “Hmm...?”         Fluttershy brushed a few strands of her wet mane out of her eyes and said, “I mean, do you think it’s possible for something like Opal living next to some mice and not eat them?” She leaned forward and poured a little more water on the rocks. “I’m just wondering because that’s what the mirror showed me.”         “Mirror?”         “Yeah, the one in Twilight’s basement.” Fluttershy shrugged. “She said that it shows a pony’s heart’s deepest desire.”         “And what did you see?” questioned Rarity.         Fluttershy sighed and unwrapped the towel from her mane. “Animals living together as if they weren’t any hunters or hunted. I just wanted to know if that was possible.”         Rarity tapped her hooves on the ground and said, “The manticore needs to eat.”         “I know, but it’s still a nice thought.” Fluttershy smiled at the thought. “I mean, it’d make my job that much easier.”         “I know it would, dear. It’s a nice thought.” Rarity stood up and knocked on the door, stepping back to wait for the spa employee to get them for the last part of that day’s spa trip. “Just don’t put too much faith in mirrors that “claim to know you”. We both know what it showed you isn’t possible.”         Though, it is a novel idea. I am a tad curious what it would show me. Rarity tapped her chin and pursed her lips. Perhaps just a peek. I’ll ask Twilight.         The spa employee opened the door and gestured for the two mares to follow her. They walked to the massage tables. They lay down and a masseur joined them. Both Fluttershy and Rarity sighed in pleasure, practically melting into the tables.         I wonder what I’d see. Probably something mundane like being the big news in Canterlot. Rarity turned her head to get comfortable and flexed her back slightly as the masseur rubbed her tense muscles. Or maybe I’ll see my family together for once. I’ve always wanted that.         Her mind drifted off, fogged with half coherent thoughts about the mirror. Rarity knew that she shouldn’t but she couldn’t help it. All she wanted was a quick peak. I’ll ask Twilight right after this. She should be at the library. She just got out of the hospital.         “Rarity!” Fluttershy gently poked her friend.         “Hmm...? Rarity opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Fluttershy. “What is it, darling?”         Fluttershy backed up and smiled. “The masseur is finished, and I have to get back to the cottage before Angel gets impatient.”         Sliding off the table, Rarity stretched, feeling renewed. “Of course, dear. I should probably get back to the boutique, but I have one stop before I do.”         At the front of the shop, Fluttershy and Rarity hugged before parting ways. Rarity trotted down the path towards the library. It was a straight shot several blocks down and she hurried, paying no attention to the buildings around her. She sidestepped several ponies by the fountain and stopped a second to look around. Seeing that she was alone, she walked up to the library door and pushed it open.         Spike looked up from the book he had been reading and cheerfully said, “Oh, hello, Rarity! What can I do for you today?”         “Where’s Twilight?” Rarity asked. “I need to ask her a question.”         “Umm...” Spike tapped his chin, looking up. “Sorry, she kinda told me not to tell.” He went back to reading his comic book. “She said she’d be back in about half an hour if you want to wait.”         Rarity fluttered her eyelashes and smiled at Spike. “Please? I really need to ask this question and I don’t have much time.” She leaned close and whispered, “please tell... just for me?”         Spike shifted uncomfortably. “I really shouldn’t. Anyways, I don’t know where she is exactly.”         “Pretty please?”         Spike sighed and closed his comic book. “Only for you. Alls I can tell you is that I saw her heading towards Sweet Apple Acres.” He backed up slightly and raised his claws. “It’s all I know, I swear!”         She’s at Sweet Apple Acres? It couldn’t be in relation to that explosion she caused in the barn loft, could it? Rarity chuckled and patted Spike on the head.         “Thank you, Spikey. Now, for your reward.” She smiled and kissed his forehead. She could practically see his heart flutter and laughed. “My lips are sealed. You told me nothing.”         “Th-thanks.” Spike sighed and rubbed his forehead as he watched Rarity trot off. ---         “Twilight, dear?”         Ugh... it’s so dirty here. How does Applejack stand working in all this dust and hay?” Rarity snorted in disgust, stepping around a wet pile of hay. She looked up the stairs leading to the loft. No answer. I guess she left already. Might as well go up anyways to see what she was doing up there.         She trotted up the stairs, waving away the dust floating around the air. Shoving aside some hay that peeked over the edge of the loft entrance, she looked into the room. She frowned a bit at what she saw. “Twilight? I thought you’d left. Why didn’t you answer when I called, darling?”         Twilight turned and raised a hoof to her lips, shushing Rarity. Waving her other hoof, she beckoned for Rarity to come closer. “Do you see it?”         Rarity cocked her head and raised an eyebrow curiously, walking towards Twilight. “See what? You look like you’re staring at nothing.”         “The mirror!” Twilight grabbed Rarity and dragged her close. Raising her hoof, Twilight forced Rarity to poke at something she couldn’t see.         Her hoof touched a cool, almost freezing cold surface. Gasping, she started in amazement as a ornately built mirror shimmered into view. She tried to back up, but Twilight shoved her forward.         “What do you see?”         “What do you mean? I see myself! Nothing el...” Rarity stopped, her mouth hanging open. Her reflection winked at her and walked away on its own accord. It returned a second later with Sweetie Belle in tow. Around them, the boutique materialized. It looked just like the real one. Mannequins under the window, shelves of fabric, the modeling mirrors, and a sewing machine.         What happened next surprised Rarity. Her reflection lead Sweetie Belle over to the sewing machine and pulled a beautiful red, satin cloak off of a hook nearby. She passed it to her sister and stepped back.         Sweetie Belle smiled and lay it under the needle of the sewing machine. Closing her eyes, she concentrated. Her horn glowed and the needle moved up and down, forming an intricate pattern.         Sweetie Belle sewing? But... she hates the craft! Rarity frowned and tried to look away, but couldn’t. The image was mesmerizing and she didn’t want it to stop. Is that really what I want? To pass on my talent to my sister?         Suddenly, something grabbed her shoulder. Crying out in surprise, Rarity whirled around. “Twilight!”         “Rarity! How long have you been here?” Twilight stared at her friend, concern in her eyes.         “I... I don’t know.” Rarity looked around nervously. “You saw me come up, darling. You tell me.”         Twilight sighed and rubbed her forehead. “That’s the problem. I left the library with the intent of coming and moving the mirror before anypony else discovered it, but I don’t remember arriving.” She shrugged. “I just came around a few seconds ago to find you sitting next to me.”         “Twilight? What is this mirror?” questioned Rarity. “Fluttershy told that it shows the heart’s desire, but I have the feeling it does more than that.”         “Well, yes and now,” Twilight replied. “That’s all it does, show you what you want most. The catch is that you eventually get curious enough to look at it again because you want to see your desire so badly. It slowly becomes harder and harder to resist it until...” she gulped. “... until you become a shell of a pony doomed to forever sit in front of it.         Rarity gasped. “Then what are you waiting for? Get rid of it!” She turned and ran for the stairs. “I’m leaving now! I have no desire to be trapped by some magical artifact!”         “Wait!” Twilight called out, raising a hoof to stop Rarity. “Did you see anypony running from the barn when you came in?”         “No. It’s only me and you up here.” Rarity stopped and looked back at Twilight. “Why?”         “Oh, no reason. While I don’t remember arriving, I do remember a brief moment where I thought I saw another pony jump from the window as came into the loft. Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath, a spell already forming at the end of her horn. “Anyways, I’d best cast the spell that’ll transport the mirror to Celestia knows where, and you should probably get back to the boutique.”         “Right.” Rarity nodded and galloped out of the loft, heading for home.