//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Diamond and the Rough // by Trinary //------------------------------// The pre-summit celebration was quite the spectacle. Delegates and attendees gathered inside the palace ballroom, intermingling with the musical talent and the crem de la crem of Canterlot. Some of the regular citizenry also had the opportunity to rub shoulders with the elite, albeit in controlled numbers. All eyes were drawn to the main entrance as the trumpeters announced the arrival of Princess Luna, resplendent in her sleek, stunning silver dress. It sparkled like the stars in the night sky, which no doubt had been Rarity’s intention. Rainbow Dash’s own dress was bright and vibrant, with an array of colors matching her mane. Rarity meanwhile had apparently gone all out. Her gown was studded with gems and layered with alternating swatches of light blue and purple. If anything, Rainbow thought she might have put extra effort into her dress, but tried to set that suspicion aside. Being surrounded by, in her view, a bunch of phonies, Rainbow was all too eager to find something else to do. Luckily for her, she didn’t have to look hard.   Spotting a familiar face, Rainbow grinned and trotted over. Vinyl Scratch—DJ-P0N3 to her fans—was rocking her head as she worked the mixer. “Hey! Hey Vinyl!” But Rainbow’s call couldn’t penetrate her headphones. Some more shouting didn’t do anything to help, and Rainbow was half-afraid Rarity would swoop down on her for not using proper manners when trying to get the attention of a DJ or whatever.   When confronted with a problem, Rainbow Dash knew there were two ways of dealing with it: the ‘proper’ way, or her way. Hers was better. She grabbed a napkin off a nearby table and wadded it up into a ball. With a practiced three-point throw, Rainbow managed to toss the napkin-ball so that it bounced neatly off Vinyl’s head.   That finally seemed to do the trick, Vinyl stopped rocking out long enough to spot who had just beaned her. Her face lit up when she spied Rainbow. “Hey Rainbow-girl!” The famous DJ tilted her head, the light reflecting off her eponymous glasses. “What’s up with you, saving the world?”   “Nah, today I’m slumming it.”   Vinyl laughed. “Yeah, these are some digs, huh?” She nodded to the high-class performers, press and crowd. “That all you have to say to me?” Rainbow mock-frowned for a moment before dropping any pretense and zipping over to her. “C'mere you…” She clapped Vinyl on the back. “It's been forever! Glad to see you still remember us little ponies ... the little ponies who saved the world, granted--” “Like I'd forget the most awesome flier ever,” Vinyl grinned and gave her a one-legged hug. “Heard you’ve been busy.” “Yeah, Ancient evil monsters returning, best young flyer competition, foalsitting, you know.” Rainbow shrugged modestly. “The usual for awesome ponies.” Vinyl chuckled. “Sounds like you, yeah. You never did things the normal, quiet way.” “Yeah, like you have?” Rainbow asked skeptically. “The q-word scares you.” She shrugged. “Eh, you got me. What brings you back to the big city?” Rainbow tossed her head over to where Rarity was guiding Luna through a crowd of admiring onlookers and parasitic hangers-on; she suspected there were more of the latter than the former. “Princess wanted me to help Luna make a good impression with high society.” She paused. “Actually, now that I think about it, I’m a little surprised to see they invited you here. I mean, you’re an awesome musician and all, but--” “What, you think I don’t have any class?” Vinyl tilted her head back so she could look down at Rainbow Dash. Feeling put on the spot, Rainbow squirmed. “That’s not what I meant!” “No no, I get it. I’m just a dumb disc-jockey,” Vinyl Scratch shrugged. “I should feel honored to be allowed in the presence of such esteemed company.” Rainbow snorted. “You overplayed your hoof. Now I know you’re putting me on. You’re just trying to guilt me into getting you a free drink or something.” Vinyl humphed indignantly and mock-glared at her over the rims of her glasses. “Speaking of which, you still owe me for getting me tossed into the drunk tank with you when we first met.” She paused. “Also for having Princess Celestia show up to start lecturing us in the Royal Canterlot Voice when we were hungover.”   Rainbow chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah … turns out that sneaking out of the castle after our first big fight wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done. Or, you know, getting really hammered.”   “You don’t say.” She couldn’t be sure, but Rainbow suspected that Vinyl was rolling her eyes behind her shades.   Dash coughed. “Well, anyway, I appreciated that you didn’t ban me from ever coming back to your club … or trying to use me to meet important ponies. That—that was really cool of you.”   Vinyl snorted. “What, that? Please, that was no big deal. You were a friend of Cloud’s and a cool pony to hang out with. All that other stuff doesn’t matter to me.”   “That’s what it should be like,” Rainbow grumbled. “You like somepony or you don’t because of who they are; not because of their connections or because you want something from them or are jealous of them or—”   Vinyl held up her hooves. “Whoa, whoa, rein it in. There something on your mind, Dash?”   Rainbow hesitated. “Maybe.”   “Ya huh. How about if you tell Aunt Scratch all about it.”   “‘Aunt’ Scratch?” Rainbow snorted skeptically. “Way to age yourself.” “Girl, why you acting so cray-cray?”   Rainbow blinked. “Vinyl, look I know you hang around with a lot of ponies who are big into the newest trends and stuff but … could you never say that again? Ever? I feel dumber just for having heard that. I mean, you could ask me right now what two plus two is, and I’d have to think for a minute before remembering the answer because that was so stupid.”   Vinyl chuckled. “Totes lame, Dash.”   She glared back, before realizing that she was being had again. “Ha ha. Funny Vinyl, funny.” “I thought so.” Vinyl adjusted her glasses. “And it’s cool, RD. Truth is, there’s a big thing where some buisness ponies want to seem ‘hip’ with where the foals are at these days, so they hire me to drop some beats at their openings. It isn’t the best music scene, but since they don’t really ‘get’ why ponies like me, they give me a free hoof to be as awesome as I wanna be.” She grinned toothily. “It drives Octavia nuts.” Rainbow Dash nodded, vaguely recalling Vinyl’s kinda-sorta marefriend, a Jura-drinking cellist who epitomized class and sophistication; needless to say, Rainbow never got the appeal. “Sounds like the same old Canterlot: ponies just going with the latest trend to seem important.” She couldn’t quite hide her bitterness. “Something on your mind?” Vinyl asked. “You’re being a bit of a downer.” “Maybe,” Rainbow grunted. “It’s just that--you remember Trixie, right?” “The Great and Powerful?” Vinyl made a big production of tapping her hoof against her muzzle ponderingly. “No.” Realizing she walked right into that one, Rainbow Dash decided not to dwell on it. “Yeah yeah, dumb question. Anyway, she came to Ponyville a while back and--I found out that a lot of what Cloud tried to tell me about her was true: that she did try to use our friendship to advance herself.” Vinyl shook her head. “Damn. That sucks.” “Yeah,” Rainbow sighed. “It wasn’t all bad, though. We didn’t stop being friends or anything, we just needed to hash some things out and I think we’re in a better place.” “That’s good.” Vinyl cleaned her glasses with her magic. “I’m happy for you.” “Thanks.” Rainbow sighed. “I guess a real friend is somepony who wants to be around you without wanting anything in return for it.” “Sounds about right to me.” Rainbow hesitated. “Hey Vinyl, you never really liked Trixie, right?”   “Hm.”   “So … why didn’t you ever say anything? Cloud tried to warn me about Trixie until she was blue in the face. But I don’t remember you ever getting worked up about it.”   Vinyl shrugged. “Yeah, I knew she was bad news; I also knew that it’s hard getting anything through that thick head of yours without a hammer and chisel, so I decided to save us both the headache.”   “Gee, thanks.” Rainbow frowned.   “Okay, look,” Vinyl tilted her glasses down a bit. “The way you were back then? You were being driven nuts by all the snobs who looked down on you, the Princess telling you what to do, the whole shebang. Coming out and telling you that one of the only three friends you had in this town was a self-serving nag wouldn’t cut any ice with you: you were too grateful to have anypony you could be yourself with. Cloud never got that. The more she argued with you about Trixie, the more you dug in your hooves.” She sighed. “You were so sick of being taught this and being told that, I figured the best thing to do would be sit back and let you come to your own conclusions. Way I see it, life tends to resolve more issues than any argument.”   Rainbow ran a hoof through her mane. “Yeah … I guess you were right.”   “Don’t take it personally,” Vinyl grinned. “You see a lot of stuff when you’re a DJ. Think of me as the wise old bartender. Except not old and still totally hot and stuff.”   “Sure you are,” Rainbow Dash patted her hoof patronizingly. “Sure.” Her good mood didn’t last long though. “So, you don’t think I was a good student?”   Vinyl looked at her warily. “Depends on how you define it, I guess. But if you mean sitting in a classroom, reading books and taking notes? Nah, that was never your strong suit. You can read about something or have somepony else tell you about it—but it doesn’t really become real for you until you experience it for yourself. You let life teach you more than books and teachers. It means you mess up sometimes, but then, who doesn’t? You always get back up there in the end and that’s what counts.”  “I guess that’s true.” However, Rainbow wasn’t feeling all that buoyed by her friend’s words. “What did you think Celestia was teaching me to actually do?” Apparently, she’d caught Vinyl Scratch off guard with that question. “Um, what? Would you be the pony to know that? Didn’t you ever ask her?” Rainbow snorted. “Of course I did: she’d give me some vague answer about helping me grow into myself or become a better pony--you know what she’s like.” “Noooot, really.” Vinyl shrugged. “Look, if you don’t know what she wanted from you, there’s only way to find out.” An uncomfortable dryness entered Rainbow’s mouth at the thought of talking straight to Celestia about this. It felt like the ultimate admission of failure--she didn’t even know what she was supposed to have been learning all these years. And after everything Celestia had done for her--even the things Rainbow didn’t understand--it felt like she’d be repaying Celestia’s kindness with the ultimate slap to the face. Then there was the worse possibility: that Rainbow would get confirmation that Celestia had been teaching her for a purpose, one she either didn’t like or one she had already failed at. They sat like lead in her gut. She looked away, idly spotting Princess Luna speaking with Countess Coloratura. “Hey Vinyl, check it out. You know her?” "Oh, Rara? Yeah she's cool, when her scumbag producer isn't breathing down her neck, anyway. When he's not around holding her leash, she's a sweet kid." Vinyl lowered her glasses so Rainbow could see her roll her eyes at the thought of him. "Just distract him with something shiny and he won't be a bother." “Gotcha. Wonder where Rarity is…” She scanned around. “She should be making sure Luna doesn’t mistake her for an actual countess or something.” Rainbow quickly spotted Rarity not far off, talking to a small gaggle of ponies who were looking positively enviously in Luna’s direction. “I should go check that out, catch you later Vinyl.” Vinyl nodded, putting her headphones back on and returned to blasting out some beats. Rainbow trod over to Rarity, just in time to hear snippets of what she was saying. “...yes, I’m certain Princess Luna would love to visit your fine establishment, time permitting of course. She’s simply so busy and so in demand, as I’m sure you can understand Ms. Saddles.” “Please, call me Sassy,” Rarity’s lanky companion insisted. “I understand of course. But surely you can see how beneficial it would be for all concerned, especially since I regularly donate to various charitable foundations in Canterlot. For Princess Luna to be seen contributing to that would be to her benefit.” She briefly paused, before dipping her head. “Of course, we could arrange it for Princess Luna to be wearing one of your designs while she patronizes my boutique.”   Rarity’s tail swished slightly in excitement. Having heard enough, Rainbow loudly cleared her throat. “Hey Rarity.” “Rainbow Dash!” Rarity turned, smiling widely. “Did you hear? We were just putting the finishing touches on a magnificent opportunity for Luna to--” “Yeah, I heard.” Rainbow rubbed her face. “Could we talk for a minute? Cuz--” But Rarity’s sudden gasp cut her off. She grabbed Rainbow Dash and spun her around so she was facing the same direction. “Oh my goodness, is that Fancy Pants?” She squeaked, pointing a trembling hoof over by the buffet.   “Huh?” Rainbow Dash looked over neutrally. “Yeah, that’s him. He’s pretty cool. Not as stuffy as the rest.”   Rarity took such a sharp intake of breath Rainbow momentarily feared Rarity would faint. “You know him? Personally?”   “Yeaaah…” Rainbow said slowly, channeling how she’d seen Fluttershy try to soothe a distraught animal to prevent it from charging her. “You want to go over and say hi or—gyah!” Before she could even finish the offer, Rarity grabbed her by the hoof and led her over to where Fancy Pants stood, other delegates and hangers-on clustered around him.   As they drew close, Fancy caught sight of them. A disarming smile graced his muzzle as he turned to face them. “Rainbow Dash! It’s delightful to see you again. Princess Celestia had told me you would be attending.” He lowered his head and extended a hoof in a gallant gesture. “Who is your charming companion?”   Rainbow heard Rarity’s barely repressed squeal of delight and rolled her eyes. “Hey Fancy, it’s cool to see you too.” She hoof-bumped him, ignoring the scandalized gasp from some on the onlookers—and she suspected, from Rarity as well. “This is Rarity, one of my friends from Ponyville.”   “Ah yes, Miss Rarity of Ponyville!” Fancy awkwardly accepted Rainbow’s hoof-bump and extended his hoof again, this time to Rarity. “I’ve heard talk of an up-and-coming designer who stood poised to make a rather impressive splash on the world of fashion. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He gently pressed his lips to her hoof.   Rarity’s powdery-white coat was ill-suited to hide her flush. “F-Fancy Pants … knows me…” she murmured in a tone so quiet even Fluttershy would’ve struggled to understand her. She quickly recovered. “On the contrary, it is I who is delighted to meet you. It’s not often ones gets to meet a pony of your caliber.”   Fancy Pants chuckled. “Says a friend of the Princess’ protégé; not to mention a national hero in her own right.” He looked to Rainbow Dash. “Are you two representing Ponyville?”   Rainbow Dash was quick to shake her head. “No, Filthy Rich and Mayor Mare are here representing Ponyville. We’re just here because—”   “Princess Luna has requested our presence so that we can offer her whatever assistance we can in making this Summit as productive and successful as possible.” Rarity smoothly interjected.   Fancy Pants blinked, clearly impressed. “The Princess asked for you?”   Technically, she hadn’t. Not specifically anyway. Rainbow was about to correct him when Rarity once again overrode her. “Indeed!” She saddled up next to Rainbow. “She’s aware of our unique skills and has entrusted to us the task of assisting her in organizing the Summit. Now, she did have some changes she wanted made…”   Rainbow Dash resisted the urge to bristle as Rarity mentioned some stuff about the order of events, some seating arrangements: all stuff that Fancy—as delegate for the hosting city—would oversee. After a bit, Rainbow started to get an uncomfortable feeling as Rarity asked for certain fashion reporters to be allowed to attend the dance and that she promised Luna would be sure to attend one talk about expansion of the textile district.   She cleared her throat loudly. “Sorry, I think I need to grab some water—Rarity, do you mind?”   Rarity soon picked up that Rainbow wanted to have a word with her. “Hm? Oh, yes, of course. If you’ll excuse me…” Rainbow led Rarity away from Fancy Pants and his hangers-on, leading them out of the room and into an empty hallway. Rainbow made sure to door was closed firmly behind them. “Is something the matter?”   Frowning fiercely, Rainbow skewered her with a glare. “Yeah, I think there is. Mind telling me what all that was about back there?”   “I was doing what we came here to do—to make sure Princess Luna’s first Summit is a success!”   “Really?” Rainbow challenged. “Because it seems to me like you’re arranging a lot of things that benefit you and not her, like getting those reporters from Cosmare?”   Rarity drew herself up. “Fashion Plate and Trenderhoof are renowned journalists and writers. Their reviews carry a lot of weight, especially among the well-to-do. A glowing review of Princess Luna at the dance could make a huge impact for her.”   “And I suppose it’s just a coincidence that you included a fashion journalist—somepony who’d make a big deal about what Luna wore to the dance … which just happened to be one of your designs?”   Rarity colored. “Princess Luna trusts me to design the best possible dress for her. If she hadn’t found a dress by now, it’s because she was not satisfied with what others had to offer.”   “Maybe she just didn’t see why she should have to dress up at all, seeing as Princess Celestia almost never bothers to.” Rainbow shot back.   “As I already explained,” Rarity ground out, “Princess Luna has to make a positive impression on the delegates. Princess Celestia might choose to attend … under-attired, but that’s because she has centuries of experience and support behind her. Princess Luna does not. Plus inviting comparisons of that sort between them could only be to her disadvantage.”   “Or it could just be a disadvantage to your business.” Rainbow finally voiced her suspicion. “After all, if Luna gets rave reviews when she wears one of your dresses, then every high muck-a-muck will fall over themselves to follow her lead and buy from you.”   Rarity’s eyes flashed. “Do you really think that if somepony else had given Luna the perfect dress that I’d still try to talk her into wearing one of mine regardless? I’d never put my desires over somepony else’s needs!”   “You seemed perfectly willing to make it sound like Luna asked for you in particular.” Rainbow observed sourly. “And you made a bunch of promises for Luna about who she’d talk to—without even discussing it with her or me!”   “I’m trying to help her!” Rarity stomped her hoof. “That’s the whole reason we came—something you can’t seem to do seeing as you’re preoccupied with trying to make sure she’s at her most abrasive and demanding!”   Rainbow Dash snorted, flapping her wings angrily. “You’re not helping her—you’re helping yourself!”   “I’m helping us both!” Rarity shouted, surprising herself. “That’s what friends do, they help each other! Unlike you!”   Rainbow drew back. “What? What’re you talking about?”   “This!” She poked Rainbow Dash in the chest. “This is what it’s all about with you—yourself! Do you know how hard ponies like me work, just simply to get noticed by the likes of Fancy Pants? And all this time, you had the ear of some of the most important ponies in Equestria and you’ve done nothing with it.” She shook her mane angrily. “Just a word or two to him, a letter, a recommendation—the tiniest little thing and you could’ve opened so many doors for me.”   “So now it’s all about you?” Rainbow couldn’t hide her incredulity—or her anger. “Is that what you want from me now, favors because I’m the Princess’ student? Why not just ask me to get the Princesses to give you a big bag of money and free trip to the Bahamares while I’m at it?”   Rarity almost screamed her answer. “I’m not asking for charity, I’m asking for a chance! To show them all that my works deserves to be taken seriously! Do you know what it’s like, being from Ponyville and not Manehattan or Canterlot? They turn up their noses before they even see my work, because they hear ‘Ponyville’ and think ‘hick!’”   “Are you bucking kidding me?” Rainbow blurted out. “I’m from Cloudsdale—I know exactly how stuck-up and full of themselves the upper crust is in Canterlot is about that stuff. Hay, the entire reason I was even in Ponyville and met you guys was because I couldn’t stomach it anymore and needed a break!”   “All the more reason why you should understand what I’m trying to do!” Rarity insisted. “You know as well as I do that hard work and determination only carries you so far in certain circles—sometimes its reputation and connections are what makes the difference between success and failure.”   “Yeah, I do know that.” Rainbow growled. “And it’s wrong. It’s wrong that good, talented ponies never get a chance because they were born in the wrong town, or their parents weren’t rich. What matters should be what you’re able to do—not who you happen to know. I hate it and I hate being made to play along with it!”   Rarity shook her head. “Right or wrong, that’s the way things are. The ones with power and influence decide what music will be played and the rest must either dance to it, or be wallflowers.” She looked at Rainbow pityingly. “You have the ability to change so many things. With a word you could send the elites flocking to Carousel Boutique. I know that seems selfish to you, but that’s merely an example. Think of what would happen if you were to ask the Princesses to turn to Sweet Apple Acres to provide the apples for the next high-class event. Or if they asked Mister and Misses Cake to cater! You can make an impact, a huge impact in their lives. You know the Cakes have a foal on the way--a few words to the right client could ensure that they never have to want for anything, never live in fear that their parents could lose their business, be uncertain for the futures…”   Rainbow Dash shook her head but said nothing. Rarity took a breath and tried again. “And there’s Applejack’s family. You know how hard they work, and how there’s always a thousand things that need to be done. While they take care of all that; the barn roof sags, the plow rusts and Granny Smith’s hip only grows worse. Even an off-hoofed recommendation or order can give them so much.” Rarity pursed her lips. “I can understand why this makes you feel uncomfortable.”   “I don’t think you do.” Rainbow turned to her. “I got to be Princess Celestia’s student because she saw me perform a Sonic Rainboom. That’s it. You think that makes me qualified to make decisions about all that other stuff?”   “You truly think that’s the only reason?” Rarity asked. “Now, I say this as somepony who witnessed—and had her life transformed by—your Rainboom not once, but twice. Even so, I find it hard to believe she picked you just for that alone.”   Rainbow shrugged, not having a good answer. “Look, the point is—nopony had to do any favors for Celestia to get her to make me her student. I earned it by doing my Rainboom.”   “So because you were fortunate enough to achieve something wonderful and get the recognition due you, it’s everypony else’s fault if they can’t do the same?” Rarity’s tone was dryer than the Badlands.   “That’s not what I’m saying,” Rainbow rubbed her face. “What I meant was that even though I was Celestia’s student—I don’t want to get into the Wonderbolts because of that. I wanted to get in because I’m genuinely good enough to be one of them. You were at the Best Young Flyers’ Competition, you know what I’m talking about.”   Rarity nodded numbly, still amazed at how Rainbow Dash had backed out of the competition. The hype Cloudsdale had whipped up around its favorite daughter—protégé of Celestia, vanquisher of Nightmare Moon and performer of the legendary Sonic Rainboom—had intimidated other talented athletes into dropping out, convinced that Rainbow Dash simply could not be beat. “Yes, I recall.”   “I never wanted to win because of all that other stuff. I wanted to win because I’m an awesome flyer. End of story.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, but if the only way to win is to play that game, make a few deals … then the win won’t be worth it.”   “Sounds to me like you’re afraid.” Rarity’s softly spoken words made Rainbow Dash whip her head around. “You’re afraid that when you do make it into the Wonderbolts—which I have no doubt that you will—somepony, somewhere, will say that you didn’t earn it, but only achieved this by trading favors as the Princess’ student, correct?”   Rainbow shrugged. “I guess?”   That only served to further annoy Rarity. “So, just so we’re clear—you’re saying that your fear of one day being accused of trading influence to accomplish your dreams is so great that you won’t even offer any of your friends the slightest bit of help in accomplishing theirs? Even though you wouldn’t have to lie or do anything the least bit underhoofed. All you’d have to do is tell the ponies who practically fling themselves at you that Applejack, Pinkie Pie and myself work hard and produce quality goods. But that’s too much to ask of you?” Her nostrils faintly quivered. “We work our hooves down to the nub but a kind word to ponies who could make or break our businesses is too much effort for you?”   Rainbow Dash felt her own surge of anger. “You have a harder head than Applejack! Don’t you get it? When ponies like that give you favors they always want something in return … and when it’s the kind of ponies who treat this all like a game where this is all to be expected, what they want isn’t some innocent little thing. They’ll come to you, ask you to do something, say something that’ll compromise you in ways you didn’t even know were possible. They’ll string you along with promises of giving you everything you ever wanted and leave you with a stain that never comes clean—no matter how many visits to the spa you take.”   Rarity lifted her head pridefully. “I suppose it’s easier for you to see it that way—you’re already on your way to getting everything you ever wanted, while some of us are struggling to even be recognized.” In a gentler voice, she added, “Sometimes I think you have no idea how much of a positive force you could play, if you only allowed yourself to act that way.” It was a long pause while Rainbow thought over her answer. “You said I could change things. Could I change things so that the elites wouldn’t play these games? Where a pony’ll go, ‘sure I’ll give a thousand bits to charity, but only if you convince so and so to endorse my product’ or whatever?” Rainbow asked. “Where ponies trade influence and favor and even ponies’ futures like old hoofball cards?”   Rarity hesitated then shook her head. “No. You could probably shame some of them into behaving better, appeal to the better nature of others who are decent, like Fancy Pants. But no, you could never end it entirely.”   “Didn’t think so,” Rainbow sighed. “I’ve heard that before. The whole, ‘you’ve got to be in it to win it’ or ‘you can only make changes from the inside’ or whatever. Thing is, no matter who says it or why, they all end up the same place: as just one more pony with an angle to work. They become so swept up in the game that they become part of the problem. They want to fix the game, maybe get rid of the worst players … they never even consider that they could end it. Or even should.” She rubbed her face. “Some ponies don’t even see other ponies as ponies anymore, just opportunities on four legs.” She chuckled ruefully. “I mean, remember how you got so excited when we first met? First thing I thought was that you were only interested in me because I was from Canterlot and maybe could’ve helped you with your boutique stuff.”   Rarity looked thunderstruck. “Rainbow Dash … are you implying that I only became your friend because I learned you were from Canterlot? That I wouldn’t have spared you a second thought if you weren’t?” Rainbow’s eyes widened, realizing in that fateful second how badly she’d stepped in it. “W-well, you did seem to latch onto that when we first talked—” Trying to defend herself only made it worse. Rarity’s nostrils flared angrily. “So? And you think that if you had said you were from Cloudsdale or Fillydelphia I wouldn’t have wasted another thought on you? Just how shallow do you think I am?” Rainbow Dash, for one of the rare times in her life, hesitated. And it was the worst mistake she could have made. She saw the flash of anger and, worst of all, hurt well up in Rarity’s eyes. “You do, don’t you?” She whispered. “I didn’t meant it like that—” Rainbow started to protest. “I think you did,” Rarity shook her head. “Do you believe I only remained your friend because I found out you were Princess Celestia’s student?” “I—” “Do you think that all ponies who enjoy fashion and high society are the same?” Rarity barked. “That because I value certain things you don’t that I’m shallow, petty and manipulative?” “I never said—” “You didn’t have to!” Rarity spun on her hooves and stormed away. “You said enough.” Well, horseapples.