//------------------------------// // Sapphire tear, emerald embrace // Story: Together Alone: I live to love you // by Shadowlight Wanderer //------------------------------// Chapter 5 Under the door of Rarity's bedroom he heard the sounds of sobbing and angry muttering. He gently knocked on the door and the room became quiet Rarity, it is me. What is going on ? Are you alright" "S-S-Spike, Ahm...alright. P-P-Please leave me be..." came the distorted and muffled voice Spike shook his head "I am really sorry, but I can't leave you like this. You don't sound alright at all. Please let me see if I can help" He opened the door and walked inside. Rarity's royal sized bed under canopy was a total mess with sheets messed up all over. Rarity herself was stretched out on the bed, her mane in messy halo around her head. it seemed that she was crying for a while cause her eyes were already starting to look glassy and red. She slowly turned her head towards Spike Spikey...it wasnot supposed to be this way Spike came a bit closer "Rarity, I am sorry, could you repeat that ?" "It was not supposed to be this way..." "What, I really can't hear..." "THIS IS ALL WRONG !!!" the unicorn yelled and Spike was telekinetically pulled towards her. The next moment, he was sitting in front of fashionista. Rarity's sapphire irises were looking like the two shimmering oceans, with the tears coating the surface of her eyes. " THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT YOU !!! YOU CAME HER WITH A PROBLEM, YOU OPENED YOUR HEART IN FRONT OF ME, YOU AGREED TO MY HELP !!! AND WHEN I THOUGHT I CAN TRY TO BE AS WONDERFUL AND SUPPORTIVE AS YOU ARE ALWAYS TOWARDS ME, I GOT HIT IN MY OWN HEART !!! HOW TYPICAL !!! RARITY, SPOILED BRAT WHO CAN'T HAVE A MOMENT WITHOUT MAKING OTHERS TAKE CARE OF HER PROBLEMS !!! I AM SO PATHETIC, I DIDN'T CHANGE AT ALL !!! I WILL MAKE IT UP, I AM SORRY, I..." Spike put a claw on Rarity's lips silencing her The mare looked down, tears wetting her bed sheets. "Rari..." The unicorn's head shot up with her mouth opening slightly. While she was constantly calling Spike pet names, he was only used them towards her when he had something really important to say "Rari..." dragon continued" Breathe...now, that's a bit better. Listen, you are not right. There is nothing wrong with you being sad because of your problems..." "B-but...but..." "It is true that I was feeling bad and decided to talk to you about it in hope you can help. And I know that in the past you put your problems in front of mine or the others and now you want to atone for it. But guess what ? It isn't about this at all !" Rarity blinked confused "Wha... wha..." Spike spread his arms "It is about us ! Not me, not you, us ! Working together through our problems, cherishing our happy moments and being there for each other ! You don't have to sacrifice everything to make me feel better. And you don't have to pretend that you are not hurt, even if you are obviously suffering. We don't have to worry about being selfish. Just when the time comes, we are there for each other and we know that we can feel safe. I will stay here as long as it takes and will be here for you as long as you need me. I trust you will do the same for me and that's why I feel that we can truly confide with one another" Rarity sniffed and embraced the dragon in a tight hug "You..." she whispered, choking slightly" You are so terribly sweet, you know that ?" Spike smiled weakly "Just the part of my awesomeness I guess. But seriously..." He sit back on the bed and looked the beautiful pony in the eyes. "Can you tell me what really made you so upset in the first place ? If it is not a problem..." Rarity shook her head and pointed to the note that Spike gave her earlier "Read it please" she instructed Spike unfolded the message and began to read Hi Big Sis I know that you don't like me barging in like this but I had nowhere else to go. There is a note on the door of mom's and dad's apartment saying that they went on an exclusive holiday trip because of dad's latest victory. They won't be back for a week and the place is locked up. This is strange, I am sure that I told them that I am staying with them till the rehearsal. Anyway, I was stuck in Manehattan with no previous reservation in any hotel so I used my remaining bits to buy myself a train ticket back to Ponyville. I used the spare keys you gave and here I am. I will wait here till you come back. Please don't be mad at me, I promise I won't cook anything. Love ya, SB Spike felt sadder just by reading Sweetie's tale even without a context "Spike" Rarity began her explanation” Do you know my and Sweetie Belle's parents ?" Spike slowly nodded. He only met the parents of his loved one once and to be honest, he couldn't seem to recall much about them. "Let's see...Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles, right ? He is a hoofball player and she is a baker." Rarity sighed deeply "A catering executive and supervisor to be precise. But yes, my father plays for Canterlot Royal Hoofball Team which is also an official Equestrian representation as far as I recall. And my mother is responsible for the production of the food for the most esteemed guests and social events. She supervises everything to be just perfect and was even noticed by Princess Celestia, who made my mother her official cake supplier. That's because mom's talent focuses on pastries and cookies." "With Celestia and her cake obsession, your mom must be really popular" Rarity groaned "She sure is and THAT is exactly the issue. Spikey, did you notice something odd concerning my parents ?" Spike thought for a minute and then he got it "It has been ages since I saw them here" "Precisely, my parents were always very kind to me and I don't hide the fact that being a filly from a wealthy family had its perks. It helped me start my boutique after all. But because of all that fame, they always traveled a lot and I was being sent to the houses of my parents' friends. I...I couldn't understand what I was doing wrong. They never took me with them, not one time. When they were coming back, they were smiling and happy to see me. But I dreaded the moments of reunion because I knew that they will shortly lead to new feeling of loss. I hoped that after Sweetie Belle was born, our family will spend more time together but..." Rarity became silent for a moment and the new stream of tears began to wet the bed "...B-but i-it only g-got worse ! They were starting to just go on vacations, without any good excuse, leaving their daughters in the hooves of the ponies they only knew from meetings. I felt so alone back there. Spike, I know what is like to feel unwanted and abandoned. I was considered beautiful from my earliest years but even with the praise of the entire world, I couldn't feel more invisible than during those years. I started to design to make them come back. And even if I love high society because of the various reasons, I also wanted to be close to them. After a while, I learned to walk away from this feeling of rejection but in the times like this it just comes back. When I was old enough, they were leaving me to take care of Sweetie Belle, ignoring my own needs and forcing me back into loneliness. Even if I don't show it sometimes, I love my sister dearly. At least we have each other and sometimes I bitterly think that I was more of a mother figure to her than our actual mother was. I am not even concerned about myself anymore but Sweetie Belle...how could they do this to her just before her big day ? THEY SHOULD BE WITH US, WATCHING THEIR DAUGHTER BLOSSOM INTO THE ANGEL OF MUSIC AND NOT..." Rarity's voice broke as she before sobbing once again. Spike didn't move an inch but he suddenly realized that his own cheeks were wet from tears as well. "Rarity..." he whispered Breathtakingly beautiful, talented, creative, generous, confident, popular, sometimes dramatic and needy. Rarity appeared to be all this things. But for the first time Spike looked at THE RARITY, pried open like an oyster. The similarity to his own experiences hit him with brutal force. Rejection Loneliness Insecurity Longing for closeness Sometimes overwhelming responsibilities They both struggled with them, although for extremely different reasons. Two beings from two different worlds linked through their past and hope to find a better future. A soft glow appeared in Spike's eyes as he scooted closer to Rarity and put a claw on her back "Let it out now" he whispered Rarity looked at him wide eyed "Pardo-" "There is no one else here and I know that there is much more in for you to let out. I know because I know what it's like. Let's just stay here and let it be gone from you. I will try to do the same, I will be here and I promise I won't let you go no matter what. Twilight says that the only true way to deal with sadness is to embrace it and let it out openly so..." Rarity embraced him and cried, louder and more desperately than before. Her body started to shake and tremble as she cried loudly into Spike's chest. The dragon in question was crying out his own past, that he was reliving over and over the last couple of months. But he still tried to comfort Rarity the best he could. The pair both cried their pain from their souls, all of the years of loneliness pouring out from them Rarity screamed into Spike's chest and her magic, amplified by her emotions, picked up various sewing items which started to circle around the bed like a small tornado. ******************* Finally, after some time, the bodies of dragon and unicorn began to stop shaking. The tears were flowing less and less, and finally, they ceased their cascade. And lastly, items unconsciously wielded by Rarity started to fall around like a rain. The pair fell down on the bed, still shaken by the "emotional detox" "How are you feeling Rari ?" Spike asked Rarity was silent for a while then her lips stretched into a small smile "I had better days...but now I feel good enough to have a serious talk with my parents." She looked at Spike with half lidded eyes, that were slowly starting to lose their red hue "Thank you so much Spike. For being here for me" "Same her" Spike grinned ” we both needed it, remember ?" He took a small handkerchief from a night table and gave it to Rarity The fashionista covered her dainty snout and blew her nose with a loud honk that would put Shining Armor's guard geese into shame. She looked angrily at Spike "Don't you dare say a word..." "W-wouldn't dream of it... it is not like we didn't have to hide anything anymore..." Rarity winked at him and lifted her head high "I suppose...but now we are ready to face the world." With that she brought her head and hoof down on a mattress and... REEEEEEP !!!! "AUUUUUGHHH !!!" Rarity struggled to get back up but the upper half of her head disappeared within the mattress Spike watched bewildered as Rarity struggled to pull herself back up, her lower part doing some pretty interesting movements, before falling lifelessly on the bed. " I...am stuck..." came a muffled voice Spike started laughing "Did your horn seriously pierced through..." "Just help me please !!!" "Wait, this is too good, I have to have a moment to appreciate the beauty of this glorious fail" "While I am assured that the view from your side is certainly more interesting, get me out of here !!!!. Spike chuckled and grabbed her by the sides "Ay ay, milady" 'And there it is. The lovely Rarity, the embodiment of grace' Spike chuckled before grabbing Rarity by the neck and gently pulling her up.