“Rarity! Ah said open up!” Applejack shouted, pounding on the door to Carousel Boutique.
On the inside of the boutique sat a single snow-white unicorn. Quite obviously under duress, she sat wide eyed, starring at the door hearing only the muffled demands of her friend.
“I've only known about AJ, excuse me, Applejack being attracted to mares for a few weeks. Why in Equestria was I even so...”
Her thoughts trailed off, searching for the right word to describe how she felt. The connoisseur of all things considered high-society was now bumbling over her own vocabulary. A distorted sound filled the now incredibly crowded space between her ears. Minuscule rivulets of sound pervade her senses as she shakily ran a brush through her mane.
“Honestly I don't know what to do... She came to me as her friend and I completely and irrevocably took advantage of her trust in me, what kind of mare am I!”
In the back of Rarity's mind she could hear the latch of a long-closed door being lifted, something that she had suppressed for so long was coming back to wreak a terrible toll on her as it had done years before. The snapping sound of glass echoed in the ears of Generosity, though her hoof continued its progression sliding itself through the air near to her mane. Looking down she could see herself, many different angles of herself. She could see that in many of these images she was not the mare she believed herself to be. Rarity shook ferociously as a thought probed its way to the forefront of her mind.
“Image... that's what this has all been.”
Another jolt shook the mare, the cool floor a comfort to her now heat laden cheeks. For now, a slight sigh of exhaustion crept between the Unicorn's lips. Her hooves jilted against the floor shaking her still posture. Rarity found herself in a dark, ill-lit hallway, obviously rarely used. The painted walls obviously suffering stress fractures and the tile flooring lost its luster long ago. The hall slid forward under the feet of the mare several meters forward.
Peering down the length of the hall it seemed endless to the young mare. Shadowed silhouettes moved silently through the halls, each conversing with others as they passed. One conversation among the shades was clearly audible among the others however. The tense voice finally made itself distinct enough to be heard well down the hall. Echoing with the strength of an earth pony, the words were obviously terse and certainly not meant with good intent.
“I told you once, that is not our daughter, not anymore...”
The shadows that heard this all seemingly bowed their heads.
A rushing screech filled the hall as it was torn asunder by some unseen force. A blinding light filled the Unicorn's senses as she was ripped back to her own living room. She opened her eyes to the sight of a smaller white Unicorn, tears welling up in her eyes.
“R-Rarity?” Sweetie Belle stammered out, uncontrollably sobbing.
Seeing her sister in shock, Rarity ambled to her feet. A light crystalline tinkering could be heard as she stood. In her best attempt to control herself she spoke as evenly as she could.
“Yes, Sweetie, what's wrong darling?”
The young Unicorn looked up to her sister and the tears kept flowing, doing her best to keep herself from becoming indistinguishable from a fountain, she trembled under the weight of her emotions. A deep breath later she drew her hoof up and gestured towards Rarity's work station.
“Wh- why did you break all those mirrors, sis?”
Rarity surveyed her shop, the boutique was in shambles and the glass glittered the floor like a carpet of false gems. Without giving her a chance to respond Sweetie continued.
“and why was Applejack sounding so upset? She seemed like she needed to talk to you something terrible.”
Thoughts ran rampant through the white mare's mind. She had heard Applejack and had completely ignored her. Why had she been so oblivious to her friend? Why was she even here? Why did she feel like she had finally grown past her fears and understood herself?
“Sweetie Belle.” Rarity deadpanned.
The filly looked up to her older sister, eyes still pandering to the tears that she shed.
“I need to speak with Applejack, could you be a dear and fetch her for me?”
Sweetie Belle looked at her sister, confused as the day Discord turned Ponyville upside down. Obviously trying to process the request when from behind Rarity a voice sounded. Calmly and evenly it spoke with a hint of sweetness.
“Ain't no need ta go fetchin' anypony, Sugarcube.”
Rarity's eyes became saucers as she spun around to meet the farmer.
“We-Well... Sweetie, could you give the two of us some time?” Rarity jerked her and looked at her sister, “we need to have a private discussion, for Mares-only, see if you could go be with the Crusaders for the night.”
Sweetie Belle offered no rebuttal and quickly cantered out of the store, naking sure to shut the door when she left.
“Appleja...”
“Stop, just stop Rarity. Ah'm gonna do the talkin' for a minute.”
The air tense with emotion set Rarity on edge, unsure of her friend's intention.