Carousel Boutique's doorbell rang out with its ornate, tuneful chime. Rarity looked up from the parchment she'd been poring over. Ordinarily, she'd be quite frustrated with whoever had rang—though, of course, she'd put on a smile if it were a customer—for breaking her concentration. Lately, however, there hadn't been much concentration to break. She'd been holed up in her inspiration room for most of the day, and yet the parchment in front of her was blank. She had made a few abortive starts on some sort of new design, but as nothing she'd produced was even fit to line Opalescence's litter box, they were all buried deep within the wastebasket.
The doorbell chimed again. Rarity sighed, stood, and walked to the front door. She opened it and launched into her customary greeting: “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is—Oh, hello, Twilight.” She pulled up short, realizing (with a mental sigh of relief) that it wasn't a customer.
“Hi, Rarity,” Twilight said. “Have you heard the news?”
“News, dear?” said Rarity. “I'm sure I haven't. Would you like to come in? We can have some tea, and you can tell me all about it.”
“Oh, no thank you. I can't stay long. Here's the news: Shining Armor and Cadance are coming for a visit.”
“That's wonderful. However—and forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn—I can't help but wonder if the princess should be traveling in her… well… condition.” Some simple mental math told Rarity that by now, Cadance would be very pregnant indeed.
Twilight shook her head, smiling. “Cadance would be really flattered that you're so worried about her, Rarity, but she'll be fine. She and Shining Armor wanted to make time for one last visit before the foal arrives. The train ride from the Crystal Empire is long, but it's safe. Anyway, the real reason I came by is that all the other girls are at the castle, helping me get the guest room together for them. I was wondering if you wanted to join us. I'm sure we could use your eye for decoration.”
“I wouldn't miss it for a dragon-hoard, dear. We'll go at once.” Rarity stepped out onto the doorstep, standing beside Twilight. She lit her horn, closing the door, locking it behind her, and putting out the Closed sign all at once. “Shall we?” she said to Twilight, and the pair trotted off to the castle.
The first few minutes of their walk were silent. Then Rarity said, “So when will the happy couple be arriving?”
“Tomorrow, around noon,” Twilight answered. “They sent me a letter this morning.”
“Indeed,” Rarity said, then lapsed into thoughtful silence. She was truly happy that Shining Armor and Cadance were coming; if nothing else, it gave her an excuse to get away from the work that was vexing her. But it was this same work that tinged that happiness with guilt, anger, sadness, and frustration. She was a fashion designer. That was the talent for which she'd gotten her cutie mark, the talent with which she'd built a life and a business. So why were there times when she couldn't design a single piece, no matter how hard she tried? Why did the thing she loved make her so aggravated sometimes?
The next thing Rarity knew, she stepped through the large front door of the castle. Immediately, her ears picked up a bustle of activity coming from a chamber just off the front hall. It was toward this chamber that Twilight led her.
“We have them on the ground floor,” Twilight said. “Obviously, Cadance isn't very good at climbing stairs these days.”
Twilight opened the door to the chamber, and Rarity saw her friends gathered there, all in the middle of some job. Pinkie Pie was affixing balloons to every available surface. Rainbow Dash was hanging Wonderbolts memorabilia in places only winged ponies could reach. Applejack was moving the larger pieces of furniture into position. Fluttershy was making the bed, arraying it with all kinds of stuffed animals. They all stopped and looked up from their work when they heard the door open. They greeted Rarity and welcomed Twilight back.
Rarity surveyed the room in a second. Everypony seemed to have a pretty good handle on the task they were doing. For a few moments, she didn't understand why they had called her down here in the first place, what help they expected to get from her. What aid could she hope to offer, in her current mental state? How could she help them, when it seemed her capacity for creating beautiful things had deserted her? Her stomach felt as though it had taken a sudden interest in acrobatics.
This mood only lasted a short time, though. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let it wash over her. It did, and then it passed. She opened her eyes again, and saw where she was needed. Fluttershy, through no fault of her own, had chosen the complete wrong bed-sheet to go with the color scheme of the room. A simple fix, and a way to make herself useful. Rarity trotted over.
“Hi, Rarity,” Fluttershy said. “Aren't you excited about the visitors?”
“I certainly am,” Rarity said. She watched, wincing, as Fluttershy placed another teddy bear on the bed. She hated to undo all of her friend's hard work, but this was why they'd invited her, was it not? “Um… darling, I don't mean any offense by this, but we may have to remake the bed.”
“Oh,” Fluttershy said, “did I do something wrong? I'm so sorry.”
“No need to apologize. I'm sure it was an honest mistake, but I just couldn't help noticing your choice of color for the bedding. I'm sure you'll forgive me saying so, but it's a bit off.”
Fluttershy looked from the bed to the room around them a few times, then blushed and gave a small smile. “I don't know why I didn't notice it. Of course they don't match. I'm glad we have you with us, Rarity.”
“As I said, it could have happened to anypony—even me, I must admit.” She used her magic to start removing plush toys. “We'll get something more appropriate from Twilight's linen closet. Though I am sorry to upset your adorable little arrangement of stuffed animals.”
“Don't worry about it. We'll be able to put them back. And I'm sure you could think of an even lovelier way to arrange them.”
“Fluttershy, my dear, you do know how to flatter a pony.”
They finished stripping the bed. Using her magic, Rarity folded the sheets into perfect squares and held them suspended in a shimmering blue glow. They asked Twilight—who was doing what she did best: overseeing—where the linen closet was. She directed them to the third door on the left in the upstairs hall. Thanking her, they left the bedroom and began to make their way there.
As they climbed the stairs, they were silent. The only sound was the echoing click of their hooves on the crystalline stone floor. Lulled by this noise, Rarity began to think. Even interior decoration was coming easier than dress designs. Again, the tantalizingly simple question rose to the surface of her mind: Why? Why was the one field she loved to work in now the one that was giving her the most grief? Why couldn't she think of anything new? Why were all the designs she sketched out mere rip-offs of something she'd seen before? Why did her passion always seem to leave her when she needed it the most? Why?
“Um, Rarity?”
Rarity came out of her reverie to find Fluttershy staring at her. Fluttershy's eyes were full of concern and anxiety. “Yes, dear?”
“Are you okay?”
“Of course.”
“But… well… I… you don't seem okay. You were frowning a lot, and I thought I heard you talking to yourself.”
“Was I really?”
Fluttershy nodded.
Rarity chuckled. “I should know better than to try to lie to you. Truth be told, I'm not okay. Not completely, anyway. I'm having a problem with my dress designs.”
“What kind of problem?”
“The problem is that there aren't any. I haven't drawn up a design that was worth anything for close to a month. It seems like there aren't any designs left inside me—or rather, if there is something in there, it cannot find its way out.”
“I'm so sorry to hear that, Rarity. I know that must be very hard for you.”
Rarity was filled with a sudden rush of affection for her shy friend. It was always like that, hearing something she thought only she herself knew come out of somepony else's mouth. Her heart felt suddenly too warm and too large inside her chest. She pulled Fluttershy into a hug. “It is,” she said into her neck. “I feel so lost and empty when I'm not creating. I don't know if you understand, but my fashion designs are one of the few things that give meaning to my life. Of course I have my sister, my parents, you girls and Spike, but my designs are the one thing that is truly my own. I really don't mean to trivialize our friendships, because I love you girls more than life itself, but even if you all were somehow taken away from me, I know I could go on, if I only had my fashion left. If that were to slip away, I honestly don't know what I'd do.”
Fluttershy said nothing in response, but continued to hold on to Rarity. Rarity was glad; she didn't know that there was anything left for Fluttershy to say, but the simple fact of her presence was enough. After a few more minutes, Rarity broke the hug, sniffing. She noticed a small wet spot in Fluttershy's fur that hadn't been there before. She ran a hoof under her eyes, and saw that it too came away wet.
“Thank you, Fluttershy,” she said. “I suppose I hadn't realized just how much I was holding in. I really didn't mean to unload all of it on you at once.”
“That's okay,” Fluttershy said. “I just hope you feel better.”
“I do. A little bit, anyway.”
Fluttershy smiled, and they went on. They found the linen closet, and in no time, Rarity located sheets that would match. They took these, and went back to the others.
The next day, Rarity stood in the castle's main chamber with the rest of her friends, waiting to welcome Shining Armor and Cadance. After they'd finished decorating the bedroom the previous day, she had gone home and once again tried to design something. Once again, she'd had no luck. As she watched for the opening door that would signal the guests' arrival, she tried her best to put the dress designs from her mind. She was excited to see Shining Armor and Cadance. She told herself that over and over, until it took on a vaguely mystic quality in her mind.
Her friends were all restless. Fluttershy bit her hoof. Applejack hummed a tune, bouncing her weight from her hind legs to her front and back again. Rainbow Dash circled in the air above their heads, occasionally muttering words nopony could catch. Twilight paced relentlessly. Pinkie Pie darted amongst everypony, engaging in hyperactive conversation.
“What do you think Cadance will look like, Rarity?” Pinkie said, passing close to where Rarity stood.
“I imagine she will look the same as ever, Pinkie,” said Rarity.
“You know what I mean, silly. We haven't seen her since she… you know.”
“Are you asking how big I think she'll be?” Of course, it was obvious that that was where Pinkie Pie had been headed from the start, but Rarity had been trying to gently steer her away from the subject.
“Yeah.”
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Rarity said. “We all saw what Mrs. Cake looked like when she was carrying the twins, and you in particular saw a lot more of her than any of us.”
“Oh, yeah, I remember,” said Pinkie, with a giggle. “She was ginormous!”
“Pinkie Pie!”
The sound of another voice made Rarity look around. Apparently, Twilight had also caught Pinkie's observation, because she'd shouted at the exact instant Rarity had. They looked at each other and silently agreed that Rarity could handle it.
“Pinkie,” Rarity resumed in a calmer tone, “I do hope you will refrain from comments like that once they arrive. That is not the way one talks about pregnant mares. Surely Mr. and Mrs. Cake told you as much?”
“They might have mentioned it.”
“Then please do keep it in mind. Pregnancy is beautiful, and not something to be laughed at.”
Pinkie remained silent for a few moments, her face a picture of utmost bewilderment as her brain tried to process the meaning of “not something to be laughed at.”
She didn't stay that way for long, though, because the castle's front door opened just then. Shining Armor came in, all white fur, blue mane, and smiles.
“Hey, Twiley,” he said, “you think you and your friends could give me a hoof with the luggage?”
“Sure, BBBFF,” Twilight answered.
They all walked forward, out the door, and into the sun-soaked square in front of the castle. Cadance and Shining had taken a cab from the train station. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all picked up a suitcase from the back and took it inside, collecting all the baggage in one trip. Meanwhile, Shining Armor levitated a small pile of bits into the driver's saddlebags. Rarity stood back and watched all this, until she felt somepony tap her.
“Come on, we should help her,” said Twilight's voice in her ear.
Rarity walked with Twilight to the door at the side of the cab. Twilight used her magic to open it, and there, stepping slowly and carefully down, was Cadance. She was big. Rarity again thought that this whole affair could not have been entirely safe, but Cadance didn't seem any worse for the wear, at any rate. She spread her wings as she descended, placing either one on Rarity and Twilight's proffered withers for balance. Her belly swelled beneath her, heavy with life.
Cadance at last reached the ground and joined Twilight in a very subdued rendition of “Sunshine, Sunshine.” When they'd finished, she looked at Twilight and grinned. Cadance said, “It won't be long now, Aunt Twiley.”
Twilight went red. “I know.” A smile so wide that you could almost see a Pinkie Pie Seal of Approval on it spread across her face.
Everypony was silent as they waited for Shining Armor to finish up with the cab driver. Finally, the taxi pulled away, and he joined them.
“There's the proud father now,” Rarity said cheerfully.
Shining smiled. “Thanks for all you help.”
“Yes, thank you,” Cadance echoed.
“No problem at all,” Rarity said.
“Come on inside,” Twilight said.
The four (almost five) ponies went inside. They walked down the hall to the guest bedroom, from which they could already hear the excited voices of the four other ponies. Twilight pushed the door open, and the new visitors were immediately set upon.
“Do you think it'll be a filly or a colt?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Have you already started planning its first birthday?” said Pinkie. “Do you need any help?”
“Hoo-wee!” Applejack said. “You look like you're about ready to pop any day now, Princess.”
Rarity heard this last remark and grimaced. She'd focused so much on reining in Pinkie Pie, she'd forgotten about Applejack's uncivilized tongue.
“Do you—?” Fluttershy began.
“Please, everypony,” Twilight interrupted. “They just had such a long trip. I'm sure they want to rest, especially Cadance.”
The room fell silent, everypony looking chastened.
“I'm thrilled that you all missed me so much,” said Cadance, “but Twilight's right: I am tired. I'm going to get into bed, but you can sit beside me and talk quietly for a little while, if you want to.”
Shining Armor stepped to her side and walked her to the bed. Using him for support, she lowered herself onto the pillows. Shining sat on the bed alongside her, and Twilight's friends pulled up cushions and sat down on the floor near the bed.
Cadance was silent for a while, her face slick with sweat, trying to regain her breath. At last, she said, “So what is it you all wanted to know?”
They talked for a long while. Cadance patiently listened to and answered all their questions, with help from her husband when she needed it. In this way, Twilight and her friends learned that Shining and Cadance were hoping for a colt, but that they'd love their foal no matter what it was. Cadance also said that they had not started planning the foal's birthday, but that when they did, Pinkie would be the first pony to know.
The topic of possible names had come up when Cadance stopped short. “The baby's kicking,” she said. “Everypony come feel.”
Rarity leaned forward with the rest and put a hoof on Cadance's belly. At first, all she felt was the warmth of the princess's skin. Then Rarity felt the foal. She felt its movements in there, as if it were impatient to be born, as if it were tired of living in the dark world of its mother's womb. Rarity didn't know what to say. What could she say? That she felt exactly as Cadance did right now, with a little life inside her that wanted nothing more than to escape, stand on its own hooves, look with its own eyes, breathe with its own lungs? She didn't think she could say something like that. Even if she felt it the sheer truth of it in the deepest parts of her soul, it wasn't the kind of thing one said to an expectant mother.
“Wow,” she said, instead. Then after a moment, she asked, “Are you nervous? For when the time comes, I mean?”
Cadance nodded. “I know it's going to be hard.”
“But it'll be worth it,” Shining Armor added.
“Of course it will,” Cadance said. “I know our foal's going to be beautiful.”