Stepping Stones

by yoshiXII

Flawed Gem

Love one another and help others to rise to the higher levels,
Simply by pouring out love.
Love is infectious and the greatest healing energy.
-Sai Baba

The bell above the door jingled softly.

Rarity opened her eyes. The soft velvet canopy yawned above her. She stared blankly at the canopy as she waited for her vision to become clearer. Groaning, she rolled onto her stomach before using her magic to remove her night cap. She smacked her lips a few times before craning her head to peer at the clock on her bedside table. 1: 25 pm.

“Rarity?”

Rarity perked up at Applejack’s voice. Her eyes scanned frantically around the room. Random scraps of cloth and materials scattered the floor. Manneponies were toppled over and Opalescence’s claw marks were apparent on the curtains. Her desk itself had a multitude of unfinished dresses and clothes piled upon the sewing machine. The shelf next to it had collapsed with spools of yarn and rolls of felt lying in its wake.

Rarity hurriedly picked up a hoof mirror on the dresser next to her bed with her magic. She grimaced as she saw her disheveled hair forming a ghost of Rarity’s signature mane and atrocious face blemished with the decaying makeup. She swiftly levitated a comb lying on the ground and brushed her mane quickly before dabbing at her face with makeup brushes. Leaping out of bed, she used her magic to upright the manneponies and the shelf before stuffing every scrap and trash on the floor under her bed. Straining a bit with her magic, she uprighted the shelf before stuffing the dresses underneath the desk. Scanning the room again, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Applejack trotted promptly up the stairs and into the room. “There you are. Ah was worried about you,” Applejack said, worry etched on her face. She glanced around the room apprehensively.

“Oh hi, Applejack. I’ve been quite all right,” Rarity said, a smile stretched tightly across her face, “I’ve just been busy. You know.” Rarity laughed awkwardly and threw a hoof. “Anyways, was there something you wanted from me?”

“You didn’t show up at the funeral this morning,” Applejack said bluntly.

Rarity opened her mouth before freezing as her face flushed crimson red. “Well, I, uh...I’ve been very secluded from the outside. I can’t believe I forgot it!” Rarity exclaimed as she faked surprise.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “You know Rares, being a filly who means every word she says means Ah know when others are lying.”

Rarity sighed. “I suppose I can’t keep up this farce though I don’t know why every other pony is so adamant on keeping this up. Why did you come here?”

Applejack glanced around nervously. “Ah’ve seen that you’ve been living...like a slob. Ah can’t see you do this to yourself, Rares.” Rarity bit her lip and studied the floor. “Ah realize that what happened wasn’t your fault and Ah’m glad that you’re still alive. My Ma and Pa did what was right.”

“I know, I’m just...a coward, Applejack.” Rarity looked up into Applejack’s eyes. “I’ve been running away for my entire life. Yet I can’t shake my feeling of perpetual gloom. I’ve been so petty yet I still don’t know what I should do now.”

“Ah’ll say it again Rares, you didn’t kill them. You need to stop holding in your guilt. Ah know Ah should hate you but nothing will come of it. Everypony’s worried for you. It ain’t good for you to be cooped up in here.” Applejack’s earnest gaze felt almost like spears embedding themselves into Rarity’s eyes.

Rarity looked toward the ground as tears brimmed her view. “I can’t move on. I can’t even follow my own advice.” Rarity let out a dry chuckle before looking back at Applejack. “I’m such a weak pony. I don’t even know why you’re trying to comfort me. I shouldn’t be nearly as sad as you right now.”

Applejack stared sympathetically at Rarity before putting a hoof on her shoulder. “Ah’ve been thinking about what you said at the hospital. Ah’m still torn up and Ah don’t know if my life will ever return to normal. Ah think in the end it doesn’t matter ‘cause Ah just knew that you were the type of pony who would be more torn up and Ah couldn’t bear let that happen.”

Rarity shuddered a little as she felt a warm feeling sweep over her entire body. Tears streamed down her face again yet she managed to make a weak smile. She couldn’t help but feel so joyous when a pony who barely knew about her actually cared for her.

“Thanks, Applejack.”

Applejack glanced around the room again. “Have you told Sweetie Belle?”

Rarity shook her head. “It’s for the best, I guess,” Applejack said. For a brief moment, a look of uncertainty flickered across her face as she stared blankly at the wall.

Now it was Rarity’s turn to put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Applejack. You don’t have to do this. I’m fine with taking the blame.”

Applejack shook her head. “Ah can’t let that happen. Ah don’t want you to get hurt. T’aint right that you be forced to stay in this boutique ‘cause of them.”

Rarity nodded absently as she stared at her hooves. “Um...Applejack,” she said timidly after a moment of silence, hardly daring to look up at the other filly. “Do you think we can be friends?”

Rarity closed her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable rejection. She timidly opened one eye to see Applejack drawing her in for a hug. “Ah thought that went without saying. We’re here for each other whether we like it or not.”

Rarity smiled and breathed what felt like the first true breath in weeks. She hugged Applejack back, embraced the first chance for companionship she’s had in years. Yet she feared to let Applejack go since she was scared. Scared of the moment she would face the world in a new light. Scared of facing who she was again. Scared of how badly things could go.

But pull back she did as she held Applejack at the shoulders. For some reason, she felt calm. “I think I’m fine now, Applejack. Thanks for everything.”

Applejack smiled. “Don’t worry, Rares, Ah’ll be there for you through thick and thin whether you like it or not.” She winked at Rarity before turning around and starting down the stairs.

“Oh, and Applejack?” Applejack stopped and turned.

“Yeah, sugarcube?”

“I’m sorry for not showing up.”

Applejack smiled reassuringly. “It’s quite all right.” She resumed descending the stairs.

Rarity levitated the hoof mirror in front of her again. Staring deep into the mirror, she grinned at her reflection. Bursts of giggles erupted out of her until she abruptly put a hoof over her mouth as she glanced down the stairs. Hearing the familiar, tinkle of the bell above her door, she began snorting with gales of laughter until tears came down her cheeks. Looking back to her mirror, she gazed confidently at herself and lay the mirror back down beside her bed.

Rarity trotted down the stairs with an air of elegance. “Sweetie Belle, I’m off now. Take care!” She opened the door with her magic and continued on to the center of Ponyville.

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief as she observed Rarity in her hiding spot amongst the front bushes. Leaning against the wall of the boutique, she stared at her hooves. After gazing plaintively at her hooves for a while, she proceeded to bang her the back of her head against the wall several times. Tears started streaming down her face as she lay defeated.