Rarity looked out over the edge of the balcony in which she had been sequestered, watching the Ponyville night through the subtle protective haze of the magical bubble that stopped unwanted entry and obtrusive sounds, letting all judge the question in security and relative silence.
It seemed such a basic question that she had been tempted to simply mark her ballot in the first instant then wait for all the rest to come to the sensible conclusion. There was a certain propriety to life, a general flow that informed all the ways and works of ponies.
But as her magic held her stamp over the paper, her mind stopped her and made her consider. She knew the legal, social and psychological reality of how things worked. But some twinge, from somewhere deep within, thought about the potential of having a child that was hers, actually hers. Not merely hers by rights of issuing from Fluttershy after marriage. Such a selfish idea.
But... if the child was hers, hers by reasons of actual genetics, born of her own womb, the child would not be Fluttershy's, by the same token and for the same reason. Selfishness and selflessness were at war, without being truly rancorous. But the confusion it stirred in her made her sit down hard.
She was no base and avaricious Randomoid. She repudiated their reprehensible and covetous ideology with all due vehemence and passion. As she sometimes ran in the circles that could be corrupted by such foolishness she ever kept her eyes open to make note of any genuine and unmistakable hint of such, having resolved to report any such thing to an Officer of the Cult-Finder General without hesitation.
But her socialist leaning, natural for every pony, could not ignore the idea that it might be good to have a child that was the full genetic mix of herself and Fluttershy. She knew, deep inside, she would never love any foal less than completely, of her womb or no. But she wondered what it would be like, to see both mixed together, a daughter of two mothers and from their line without need of legalities saying it was so.
She caught herself again. She had never thought like that before. She had also never been offered an option before. The fact that the thoughts disturbed her buoyed her spirit and made her feel secure in her sanity and proper socialization. It was just curiosity. And care. Care for Fluttershy. Surely Fluttershy would also love a child of both of them.
Excuses. She was trying to basely push her thoughts onto her own marefriend. She almost wanted to turn herself into the OCFG for doing such a thing. The thoughts were natural but felt so wrong. There was nothing wrong with the system as it was, and it ensured gender diversity besides. They could not just rely on cross-breeders to make males.
It wasn't her responsibility to do so alone. But she was part of the community, and as was well known the community relied on the interactions of all members within. Her actions had effects. She could not be selfish, but she was not expected to never do anything for herself. All sensible ponies knew the lesson, forgotten by Randomoids, that decisions had to be considered carefully and rationally, to balance the interests of self and others. It was well known that some selfish or at least self-considering decision could help others. To rise as others were raised. Like a Changeling nurturing love and community so they could feed, self-serving and community-serving, and well-respected by the whole of the principality.
It all came down to the effect of the decision she might make. Would either decision help or hurt anypony besides helping or hurting her? If she chose one side would she always wonder about the other? That could happen in any choice. She could not live her life looking backwards at every choice.
Her curiosity was strong, her love of nation was strong. She wanted to do the right thing, to do what she liked, with a mind to her responsibility to the community that surrounded, scaffolded and supported her every step. She was not afraid of her thoughts, because they were the usual thoughts of duty and consequence, but made starker, on a subject more emotional and immediate than most.
Rarity stared at her blank sheet of paper and the two stamps for a long, long time, trying to read the future in the empty page, while the stamps each acted like totems of their potential impact. She could mark the very future of the nation, and she would not think she could hide behind the decisions of the others. She bore a not-insignificant share of responsibility. An equal portion.
Her magic flared, hesitantly raising one of the stamps. She gingerly inked it and very lightly impressed it onto the paper. She hoped that the future would be kind to her for her choice, and that she had done what was right for herself and for all that stood around making the world which she adored.