//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: All's Fair // by Equestria Buck Yeah //------------------------------// It may have been several minutes; it may have been several hours. The only thing Rarity knew as she laid against the wall, curled up in a ball with her eyes having poured out everything they could, was that the sun was still up. As if her out-of-town experience wasn't bad enough, Spike, who was one of her closest and dearest friends, had suddenly tried to assault her too. She once welcomed his gentle claws wrapping around her long neck and hugging her tightly; now the thought of those claws had sent a shiver up her spine multiple times that afternoon. She didn't want to move from her safe place, but she also knew she needed to tell Twilight about what had happened. She'd understand and make sure Spike was punished. It left a twisted feeling in her stomach knowing that being in the same room as him now, instead of bringing happiness, would probably leave her jumpy and paranoid. Whether or not she could ever forgive him...well, that was even more difficult to determine. Sighing heavily, Rarity staggered to her hooves and crawled her way upstairs. Despite the terrible things she was going to speak to Twilight about, the designer needed to pull herself back together and look somewhat presentable. She wasn't going to go too out of her way like she would under normal circumstances though. ----- The prim-and-proper pony generally lived by the idea that looking good helped make you feel good. This couldn't be farther from the truth as she carried on to the glittering castle at a snail's pace. The whole while she prepared herself in front of the mirror in her boudoir, she wondered how to break the news to Twilight. After all, the princess had hatched him! It was entire possible that she was going to be skeptical of the accusations to say the least. Her train of thought, however, came to a sudden stop when a familiar, colorful streak flew by, high in the sky. The posh mare barely had the energy to wave hello when the sky blue pegasus dragging the multi-colored display behind her began to approach, let alone smile. "Hello, Rainbow Dash," Rarity muttered as her comrade slammed her hooves into the ground, not noticing the scowl on the daredevil's face. "I can't tell you how nice it is–" "Y'know, I really can't believe you'd have no problem showing your face around Ponyville again so soon after what you've done. Don't you have any shame at all?" the speedster growled. The unicorn did a double-take, her eyes bursting wide in shock and mostly confusion. "Errr...what in the world are you going on about?" "Don't try and play stupid with me," Rainbow snarled, jabbing the lady in the chest. "Twilight told me everything the other day. Y'know, at first, I was kinda sorta okay with it since we all knew he liked you and all, but then I heard about the way you've been acting about it and that was it for me, and let's not even get into what you did to Spike today." "What?! What I did to him?!" The pegasus rolled her eyes. "Uh, yeah. Twilight told me about that too when I stopped by earlier to see how they were doing. And fighting with the Princesses? Why in Equestria would you do that?" "Fighting with...? What are you talking about, Rainbow Dash? I've been stuck in Manehattan for weeks trying to get home and I'd still be there if I wasn't able to track down Coco! Then I get back to Ponyville and the first thing that happens is Spike tries to assault me, and now you come along and start accusing me of doing such...nonsensical things!" Rarity shouted. Her cheeks began glowing red with increasing rage. "Right, like you haven't been getting all lovey-dovey with Spike behind closed doors, or are you calling him and Twilight liars now too?" A vein in the fashionista's head started to throb. "I'm not calling anypony a liar! This is ridiculous! Where are you coming up with all this?! I'm the victim here!" "Yeah, Twilight told me about how you said you were attacked and came right home, about how you wanted to keep things quiet. But why keep it a secret at all? We would have helped you if you asked! Nothing you're saying makes any sense! You stand there telling me you were gone for weeks yet I saw you around town the entire time. Whenever I tried to talk to you about anything, you were always 'busy' and blew me off! For Celestia's sake, what's gotten into you?" "Nothing's gotten into me! I'm telling you the truth!" "Psh, Spike's sure gotten into you." An angry hoof smacked her across the face, leaving Rainbow momentarily stunned. Not by any pain despite being a decently strong whack but simply by the act itself. She turned back and glared at Rarity, almost wishing she'd try it again. The tears coming from her furious blue eyes and the aggressive stance Rarity took made the speedster believe that a second swing was coming, but the unicorn's conscience was what took the next blow instead. The anger she put into her attack just as quickly subsided, morphing into regret – as well as fear of retaliation. With her lips quivering, the designer mumbled, "I...I-I'm sorry. B-but you know I wouldn't do that! Even if I wanted to, he's far too young!" "Oh, yeah, cuz that stopped you before. Why are you doing this? Just what did you hope to gain from...from using him the way you did?" "I haven't used him or anypony else because I just. Got. Home! Why aren't you listening to me?!" Rarity shrieked as she stomped the ground, turning the tears on again. More than a few ponies took a curious glance at the increasingly loud scene. Rainbow popped back into the air, hovering just overhead. "Ugh! You know what? If you're going to keep making up stories right to my face and going around in circles, I'm going to go waste my time somewhere else." She shook her head and sneered at who she had always thought was a close friend. "Really can't believe you. Sickening..." Her cries for her high-flying companion to wait were futile as the prismatic pony zipped away in an instant, leaving Rarity in the dust with a multitude more questions than ever. Her scowl shifted back and forth between fury and misery. What could have possessed Rainbow Dash to chastise her with lies out of nowhere like that? They knew each other, didn't they? Rainbow could be crass sometimes, yes, but Rarity had never heard her say anything so...so hostile before. Ultimately, wherever Rainbow Dash was getting her ridiculous notions was irrelevant for the moment. The fashionable mare would get to the bottom of it eventually, but now she had even more reason to go speak to Twilight. The pegasus did say she had been speaking to the young princess. Maybe she had experienced Rainbow acting peculiar recently and wasn't sure how to handle it either. She would definitely have to mention it. Now, how to break the news to Twilight that Spike had just tried to molest her? The attack in Manehattan would be easy enough to share, as terrifying as it was, but Spike's...advances? Sniffling in a most unladylike but frustrated way, Rarity trotted ahead to the castle, ready to rip anypony who got in her way in half. ----- If Rainbow Dash's tirade hadn't kept repeating itself through Rarity's head as she went, she wouldn't have been grumbling to herself as she came up to the castle's double doors. Before raising a hoof to knock, she took a deep breath that didn't do as much to calm her as she would have liked. A second breath helped quite a bit more. Quickly straightening her mane and making herself presentable, the designer rapped at the door and waited patiently. Sure, she could have join walked on in as she was always welcome with open hooves, but this was a more formal visit and she was going to approach this formally. A moment or two after another knock, the mare she wanted to see answered. The princess' pleasant demeanor vanished in an instant – as did she, slamming the door in Rarity's face and leaving the posh pony momentarily stunned beyond words. "Twilight! Twilight, open up, please!" she yelled, pounding at the entrance. "I need your help!" The door suddenly swung open as Rarity carried on, nearly causing her to fall on her face. Her distraught blue eyes gazed up at her glaring lavender friend. "...Twilight?" "I thought I already told you to get lost," the princess snarled through gritted teeth. Whatever response Rarity may have had on her mind escaped her. All she could muster was a blank, empty stare in disbelief until she was able to think somewhat coherently again. "Wha...but...T-Twilight, I...I-I haven't seen you since I went out of town! Please, dear, what's going on? I just saw Rainbow Dash a few minutes ago and I thought she was going to kill me and now you're–" "At least Rainbow's honest with me. How dare you come back here after everything you did!" Twilight countered with a snort. Tears started to form yet again. "What did I do?! I come home after being attacked by some...some thugs and then Spike tries to...t-to have his way with–" "Ah ah ah! Don't you dare say another word, you...you...despicable harpy!" The furious alicorn marched the few steps forward with her wings puffed, forcing Rarity into a mortified, cowering ball on the ground. Under normal circumstances, Rarity could easily come up with a scathing retort and put the pony trying to slander her good name in their place, but what could she say when one of her best friends is the one attacking her? "You abuse Spike and then try to say it was his fault? What you've done to him was low enough, but trying to turn this all around on him? What kind of monster are you?!" The young princess shot her nose barely an inch away from the target of her wrath, glaring harder than Rainbow Dash wished she could. "You listen and you listen good. If you ever come back here again...if you ever come near Spike again wherever he may be, I'll summon the royal guard to come take you away and then you can tell everypony what you did to the poor kid from a cell. Do I make myself clear?!" "Y-y-yes, your highness," Rarity squeaked, shaking like a leaf. With the brutal point driven home, Twilight gave the dressmaker a dismissive smirk and stormed back inside, slamming the door closed again. Rarity's soft whimpers quickly grew into loud wails, leaving her a blubbering mess. Her chest started to ache from crying so hard. "What is going on?!" None of the small crowd that witnessed the squabble had an answer. ----- It was the only logical place to go after being eaten alive by the princess. For the first time all day, fate decided to smile on Rarity. If only it was something a little...grander than bumping into Fluttershy on the way to the market instead of booking it across town and meeting her at home. Still, with the way things were suddenly going for her, Rarity wasn't about to be picky. Feeling like a broken record, she recanted her tale of terror to her introverted friend – the trip, the attacks by both the muggers and Spike, Rainbow Dash's and Twilight's reactions to everything...every last detail she preferred not to remember. All the while, Fluttershy remained quiet and absorbed the stories like a sponge. Rarity only noticed after they had gotten to Market Square and stopped in front of a familiar apple stand that the pegasus was looking a bit perplexed. She had been far too busy staring solemnly at the ground the entire way. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked the timid mare. "Well, um...it's just that I've seen you here and there around town recently, but you always looked busy and I didn't want to impose if you were." Not to seem rude, she addressed her farmer friends, her cheeks reddening for the second one. "Hello, Applejack. H-hello, Big Macintosh." "Howdy, y'all!" "Miss Fluttershy, Miss Rarity." "Good afternoon," the fashionista sighed. Throwing in a facehoof, she groaned, "Fluttershy, am I going to have to defend myself against you too? Everything I've said is true!" "I...suppose it could be just a case of mistaken identity. I did always see you...or at least thought I saw you from a distance." "Sorry for interruptin', but defend yourself against what, sugarcube?" "Everypony I've talked to today has been accusing me of...some rather unspeakable acts that I don't want to repeat. And apparently, I've been home for weeks despite being stranded in Manehattan after some hooligans attacked me." Applejack raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't you I saw a few days ago?" "No! For the hundredth time, no!" Rarity whined, stomping a hoof. "Hmm." The farmer tapped her chin, trying to recall the everyday events. "It was kinda crowded around here that day. Eh, maybe I just seein' things. What about you, Big Mac? You happen to spot her? You have been workin' the stand more than me recently." "Nnnope." "And what about when you didn't set up shop? Don't suppose you've seen any other ghosts of me running around?" "We really haven't had much of a social life recently, to be honest. Got a little behind when Big Macintosh here came down a bug a couple weeks ago. Been a pain in the flank tryin' to catch up, but we're almost there," the cowgirl explained. "I still think you should have let me come over and help him get better a little faster," Fluttershy said with a firm but teasing nod. The big red machine uncomfortably shifted his eyes away and cleared his throat. He considered himself lucky that they couldn't see his cheeks becoming flush – he'd never hear the end of it. "Anyway, Rarity, it sounds like this is just a big misunderstanding." "But why would Twilight and Rainbow Dash both accuse me of such...things? You don't suppose Discord is having some sick fun at my expense using our friends like he did before, do you?" "It's always possible, I guess," Applejack added. "Though he hasn't been up to much trouble these days. I'd think if he was being obnoxious, he'd want us to know about it." "He probably would, yeah. I can talk to him if you want." Rarity shrugged tiredly. "It's up to you. I just...I just can't stand the idea that my friends aren't my friends anymore." As tears started to form again in her sad, blue eyes, Fluttershy wrapped a foreleg around Rarity's neck and nuzzled her close. "Don't say that. I know they still care about you!" "Then why did they yell at me the way they did?!" The tight squeeze loosened ever slightly when Fluttershy quietly sighed. "I wish I had an answer for that." Suddenly, her face lit up. "You know, there is one pony we know who can prove your friends care about you better than anyone." It almost felt as if Rarity's spirits couldn't get any lower despite her companion's best efforts. Under most circumstances, a small get-together among friends would be wonderful. Today, however... "I know who you're referring to and I don't think Pinkie Pie's enthusiasm is going to cheer me up right now. H-how's she been anyway? Don't suppose she's hating me like everypony else all of a sudden?" "Come on now, Rares, you know she would never do that." "Of course not!" the animal lover agreed. "As far as how she's been, well...not bad, but she could be doing a little better as far as I know." "What do you mean, sugarcube?" "I stopped by Sugarcube Corner a couple days ago and talked with her for a bit. She's been having some difficulty convincing some of Ponyville's new arrivals to let her throw them a 'welcome' party like she usually does. She hasn't said anything, but I can tell she's pretty upset about it. I just hope she hasn't noticed that they seem to be getting along rather well with many of the other townsponies around here. It'd probably break her heart if she thought they were actively trying to avoid her." Fluttershy paused to bite her lip. "I...haven't said anything to her like that though. I'd hate to end up hurting her over what could very well be nothing more than empty rumors." "Don't blame you for that," Applejack said while making a quick sale. "Thank ya kindly. But yeah, she can be a hoofful sometimes with all her energy and such. Not everypony can handle it like we can. Have you suggested to her to maybe ease up on them a bit? I'm sure they'll come around in time, but maybe they feel she's being too pushy or something." "I've thought about it a couple times, but I doubt she would listen." "Especially when it comes to trying to make new friends," Rarity interjected. Her lips curled. "Hmph. The irony is just wonderful, is it not? She's having trouble making new friends and...I'm having trouble keeping old ones. I just wish I knew what we did to deserve all this." The dressmaker turned to Fluttershy, Applejack and Big Macintosh with a gentle but exhausted smile. "Thank you for believing me. You have no idea how much I appreciate it – and for listening to all my rambling. I know I must have sounded like a damned lunatic at times." "It's alright, Rarity. We always be here for you," Fluttershy assured her, nuzzling her again. "You know it, girl. We'll figure this all out eventually." "Eeyup." "I hope so," the fashionista sighed. "If it's alright with you, I...kind of want to just head home and pretend this day never happened. Maybe pop open a bottle of your apple cider." "Quick question before you go, hon," Applejack said. "Would you...want me to talk to Twilight or Rainbow Dash for you? If they're not speakin' to you for whatever reason, maybe they'll talk to me and I can help patch things up a might quicker." It wasn't a bad idea, and she thought and thought about it for a brief moment. But what if the cowgirl's good intentions backfired and she ended up getting turned on as well? Rainbow Dash and Applejack always had a friendly but fierce rivalry, and it wouldn't take much under the right circumstances for things to escalate into something terrible. Twilight could be stubborn in some ways herself, and who knows what would happen if she and Applejack started butting heads in a contest to see who was more correct if they started arguing over Rarity's alleged actions? It'd devastate her to no end if she was responsible, directly or not, for their friends splitting up even further. The more she took it into consideration, the further her blue eyes fell. "I don't know. I'll see you all later." "...Bye," Fluttershy whimpered as the heartbroken unicorn trudged away, leaving the group in a funk. While the anguishing quartet slowly disbanded, save for the Apple siblings at their market stand, a small pink unicorn foal sat at a nearby with her snout deep in a school book but her eyes focusing hard on the small gathering. Several others nearby had been keeping an ear in the air as well, eavesdropping as nonchalantly as they could and sharing the occasional glance among their conversations and business transactions. As for the youngster, she had occasionally sniffed at the air, searching for a particularly interesting smell that had tickled her nose soon after they gathered together. The scent died down several minutes ago, but Cottontail knew it had been there. Terrible wheels began to turn. Who would have expected such a tragedy to produce such an unexpected gift?