The Rariad

by Tundara

Part Nineteen

The Rariad
By Tundara

Rarity’s weary body relaxed into the old cushions of the couch, sinking into grooves made by many a pony. Familiar smells wafted over her. Spices, apples, a bit of smoke curling from the crackling fireplace, and hot chocolate; they were balms for an even wearier mind. 

The ordinarily spacious living room of the Apple Family house was cramped that evening. 

She was surrounded by the Muses, the little darlings dozing with eyes half-lidded as they fought valiantly to stave off sleep. It was a battle they’d shortly lose, and they’d be carried upstairs to the guest bedroom. As she stroked Aoide’s mane idly, Rarity looked her friends over with a discerning eye. 

In and out of the kitchen bounced Pinkie Pie. Fat would have been an unkind descriptor of Pinkie, but one that wouldn’t have been untrue either. Never a beautiful mare by traditional standards, Pinkie nevertheless had an aura about her that made her shine brightly in the Weave. It was her smile and beautiful heart, overflowing with joy and laughter that made her a beacon on par with any of the great beauties.

Rainbow Dash leaned against the wall between the entrance and a large window overlooking snowy orchards. The beginnings of crow’s feet creased the corners of her eyes from years of squinting as wind blasted her face. She was weathered, her coat bleached by the sun to a lighter blue, and fit. All of which was completely expected. What was unexpected was how calm Rainbow had become. Her brashness had been smoothed by experience and motherhood, and there was a dignified matronly aspect to her eyes that wouldn’t have been out of place among the courts of Gaea’s many polises. When she shifted steely thews rippled in her withers through the joints of powerful wings.

Applejack had claimed her grandmother’s old rocking chair in the nook between the same window and the crackling hearth. Matronly hardly touched the surface of Applejack. There was a no nonsense aura about her as she barked simple orders or directed ponies and organised things before settling down herself, where she took up a pair of needles and continued working on a thick blanket. Their click-clack resonated in the moments of silence.  

Then there was Fluttershy, and her appearance was both shocking and the most familiar. Rarity had expected the change in height, as well as horn, but otherwise, Fluttershy was unchanged. She retained her quiet demeanor, hardly speaking as she sat in a corner attentively watching everypony else. When she did speak it was with a fimer tone. But, these were rare moments, and Rarity savoured them. Oddly, Big Mac sat next to Fluttershy, and occasionally leaned in to whisper something to her. Rarity was no goddess of Love like Cadence or Aphrodite, but she could read the signs well enough to know the pair were at least dating, if not engaged. Yet, nopony else seemed to comment on the situation, or give them much attention, as if by noticing it they may cause the pair to scatter like a pair of frightened hares. 

Her friends were the same, yet different. Older. Slightly more weathered, like wood polished over many years by the gentle rub of passing ponies. Their laughter lightened Rarity’s heart, and she felt at home and at peace, as if the last few years had been nothing but a string of nightmares or troubled dreams.

Beyond her closest friends, the room was full. 

Additional chairs had been brought in from other rooms, or just conjured with a little magic. Enough for Celestia, Cadence, Fleur, and Trixie to find places. Then there was Soarin, who sat on a stool next to his wife, a wing stretched out across Applejack’s lower back where he gently gave her a massage. They’d put their foals to bed a little bit ago, though the trio could be heard through the ceiling talking in muffled, but excited, voices. 

Inspecting her friends, wondering about what she’d missed in their lives, kept Rarity’s mind focused, and turned away from Lilith and Asmodeus. She could still feel the ghostly imprint of his touch on her coat drawn forth by the opening of the green door in her mind. The night of Lilith’s conception was so freshly restored, so raw, so repulsive—

Rarity shuddered. 

Next to her, Mneme pushed harder against her shoulder and mumbled a couple lines from the ballads she’d been singing most of the day detailing the events on Gaea. 

Her heart swelled with pride for the Muses, and turned her thoughts towards them. She had to take care of them, raise them properly, and teach them right from wrong. It was going to be long and difficult, given the Muses were probably already more than a century older than her in lived experience. 

It would never make up for abandoning Lilith. 

A treacherous part of her thought that she had made the right decision in sequestering those memories, cutting herself off almost totally from Lilith. Lilith was half demon, and the effects of her heritage were easy to guess. It was almost certain that she was at a fundamental level unable to be taught right from wrong, good from bad, or ever have a shred of empathy. 

Not that Rarity would ever be able to know if this was the case. 

Real life was messy, dirty, and nothing like the sagas the Muses loved so much. 

A tearful reunion with Lilith, where Rarity bared her soul to her daughter as she pleaded for forgiveness, was… unlikely in the extreme. There simply wasn’t the connection between them for such levels of remorse to manifest. 

If anything, Rarity felt more regret at not being upset with herself. She should hate herself for leaving Lilith, and yet she didn’t. The twisting bite of guilt in her stomach was only a fraction of what it otherwise might have been. Should have been. 

Perhaps it was some aspect of being an alicorn that was attempting to protect her. As it had done by sequestering the memories in the first place. 

No, Rarity concluded quickly. Alicorns were as prone to mental issues as any other race. Perhaps more so due to their godly powers and abilities. Her encounters with the Gaeans certainly seemed to indicate this to be the case, and then there was Luna and Iridia on Ioka. And Twilight couldn’t exactly be called a beacon of mental stability. 

Thinking of Twilight brought a pang of longing.  

Rarity started to open her mouth to ask about Twilight's whereabout, when, there was a thump overhead, followed by cursing and hooves scrabbling over creaky boards. 

With a sigh, Soarin got up. “I’ll deal with it.”

Without looking up from her quilting, Applejack nodded with a, ‘Mm hm.’

The moment to ask her question had passed, and Rarity's thoughts drifted once more.  

Hypocemia and Penolota had been invited to the informal gathering. Perhaps sensing the nature of it they had politely declined, stating that they needed to be with their people. There was still much to be done for the Athenian refugees. For the time being, at least, Ponyville had thrown open their doors and welcomed the otherworlders into their homes and hearts. 

“A place will need to be found for them,” Rarity spoke to herself.

“It’s fortunate that there is plenty of untamed land in Equestria’s western reaches,” Celestia supplied as glasses of wine were passed around. “I’ll have some meetings set up for the next few days with the land bureau and Speaker’s office so that an appropriate place can be found.” 

“Coastal would be best, with a decent space of arable land. The Athenians are decent farmers and are used to traveling the seas on oared galleys.”

“Perhaps between the Scorched lands and the southern end of the Equestrian mountain range, then,” Celestia thought out loud. “The only issue would be the monsters that come out of the wastelands. It is what has kept us from developing that area.”

“Monsters won’t be an issue for the Athenians,” Trixie chuckled. “They have several champions now who would make short work of any manticores or basilisks that thinks the Athenians are an easy meal.” 

Several long seconds of uneasy silence followed Trixie’s declaration. 

“Yeah, ain’t today been something else. First, that gate popped up outside town. Then that whole mess of ponies all banged up and frightened landing on us. Rarity comes back from the dead, and then another of them demon kings shows up, but this time he just wanders off after being a complete… well, you know.” Applejack shook her head with a resigned chuckle. “Was almost like the good ol’ days. If only Twi’ had been here.” 

At the mention of Twilight, Rarity’s head perked up, and this time she leapt at the question. “Yes, where is Twilight? I thought she’d be here.”

“She’s off with Luna and their stallion-friend checking up on Tartarus,” Rainbow flicked a dismissive hoof with a wry smile.

Rarity blinked a couple times as she processed what she’d heard, then exclaimed, “Twilight has a stallion-friend!?”

“Really? That is what you focus on? Not that they are in Tartarus right now?”

The room seemed to spin momentarily around Rarity as she rubbed her face with a wing. “Actually, no, that isn’t the more shocking news! I never thought Twilight would leave her shell enough to date somepony.” 

“‘Date’ is perhaps too strong a word,” Fleur said from her corner of the room. “Rainbow is projecting a bit, non?”

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow gave a snorting guffaw. “Everypony else sees it but them! It’s just a matter of time before they realise what’s happening. I just hope I’m not some grey maned crone by the time they decide to get hitched. Twilight’s a little too slow and steady for her own good. And of course she’d fall for somepony who is even more oblivious than herself.”

“I’ve tried my best with them, but they are both so obstinate,” Cadence threw up her wings in mock exasperation. 

This brought knowing giggles and laughter from the rest of the room acquainted with the budding romance. Laughter subsided into a tense silence as everypony retreated into staring at their wine, lost in thoughts of the past few years. Of losing Rarity, learning she was alive, and of the tribulations of the years she was gone. She could sense they were all curious about her journey, but didn’t want to press her for details. 

Thankful that they weren’t peppering her with questions, Rarity asked one of her own. It was the most pressing question, and she’d wanted to shout it the moment she was back on Ioka.  

“Where is Sweetie?”

She’d expected her sister to be one of the first to greet her back, and her absence left a hole. 

Unease bunched in Fluttershy and Fleur’s shoulders, and Applejack needles came to a stop with a sharp click. Pinkie excused herself and darted back into the kitchen, drawn by the ringing of a timer on the cupcakes she was baking. 

Snorting, Rainbow glared out the window. “She’s fine, last anypony heard from her. Got a letter from Scootaloo last month saying they were heading for Neighpon with the Autumn convoy. Sweetie’s first of the Blazing Beard, and Scoots is a Master’s Mate, of all things.”

“Blazing Beard?” Rarity repeated the familiar name, specifications and history of the aged ship popping up in one portion of her head, while in the other there was a combination of relief that her sister was fine, with sadness that she was half the disc away. Although, that wasn’t much of an issue for Rarity. It just meant a little bit of a flight to see her sister. Smiling, she continued, “Good. I’m glad she got on with her life, though it would have been nice if she’d remained in Ponyville, or Equestria at large.”

The silence grew heavier. Oppressive.

“She… Mon amie, Sweetie has had a difficult time after you… died,” Fleur spoke softly, regret thick in her throat. 

Rarity’s heart sank over the next half-hour as everypony spoke in turn, filling her in on the hardships Sweetie had endured in the months after Rarity’s presumed death. Depression, anger, adventure and horror culminating in a battle waged between alicorns and demons on fields surrounding a cursed city. Many of the details were skipped over, and some that weren’t Rarity wished she’d been spared. In the end she held up a hoof to stop the retelling.

“So, my sister got a cutie mark for fighting, of all things? Not singing, or writing, or even pageantry, but fighting? If Faust were here I’d give her a piece of my mind! That mare is lucky she vanished thousands of years ago!”

“Actually, she’s currently up north with Iridia for Hearth’s Warming Eve.” Cadence noted.

“She’s also always had faith in Sweetie. Said she wouldn’t have chosen her if she didn’t,” added Applejack, an undertone of bitterness in her own voice. 

It began to dawn on Rarity how much she’d missed over the past few years. The Namegiver returning made sense, what with every other mythical figure coming out of the woodworks. Applejack settling down with a large family anypony could have seen coming. Rainbow Dash less so, but it perhaps should have been obvious given she was the Element of Loyalty. And saying Rainbow was ‘settled down’ was a stretch for the head of the local weather team.  

Twilight dating somepony, however, was almost inconceivable.

As preposterous as Sweetie Belle having a cutie mark that involved fighting!  

Rarity was suddenly struck by a realisation. “She made my sister a champion! Oh, when I get a hold of Faust!” Almost vibrating with anger at Faust, and at herself, Rarity stood quickly. She almost dislodged the dozing Muses. They protested, squirmed a little, and then settled back down.    

Images of the recent battle swirled in Rarity’s head, only with an older Sweetie among the thronging ponies. She could picture her cute, innocent sister so easily beside Algremetus, Alametea, and Telephos… 

Telephos, who was dead. Algremetus was sorely wounded but alive. While Alametea’s old life was over. Whatever lay in store for her, it was not the simple days of a farmer’s wife. None of Aphrodite’s or Hera’s champions had survived the battle, and with a pinch of sorrow, Rarity realised she’d never even learned their names, or watched them fight. 

The next day she would go among the Athenians, and from them learn of Paris of the bow and Sampson the Unshorn, of Polantea the fleet-hooved, and Balda who wrestled King Agethemus when the Spartan king first entered the ruins, and held him at bay for half an hour before being struck many times in the throat by his enemy’s spear.  

That night, before she learned the names of these chosen heroes, Rarity felt only guilt for what she’d done to her champions. Excusing herself with the need for a moment alone, she went to the kitchen. The kitchen was hardly the place to think, what with Pinkie baking, or other ponies coming and going to get food or more wine. 

Worse waited, however. 

Algol’s heart sat in a bowl on the kitchen counter. The lump of heavy metal was supposedly inert, but Rarity could sense the twisted magic of the fallen star radiating out into the room. Crinkling her nose, Rarity covered the obscene object with a cloth. 

“Don’t worry about that meanie,” Pinkie called over from the oven. A light blue aura rippled around Pinkie’s hooves, and a tray of muffins came zipping out of the oven. “Twilight will put her in star-jail or something. All the other stars are super duper mad at Algol still.”

“Pinkie, how did you…?”

“Magic, of course, silly.” Pinkie grinned as if it were obvious, and put another tray of muffins on to bake. “Now, these are for the ponies in town. No stealing!”

As Pinkie worked her aura, Rarity sensed the presence of another pony in the room. 

“I’m helping her get better,” Pinkie continued. “And she helps me do things. Twilight says it is a symbionic, symbillic, symbiotic relationship. A symbiotic relationship.” Pinkie gave a firm nod and broad smile, the impression of another pony in the room fading with her aura. 

“Uh huh…”      

“She’s talking about Hope,” Celestia said softly from the doorway. “Authea is her name. She’s taking the long route back.” 

“Oh, I see.” Rarity didn’t, but that hardly mattered. 

“Do you want to go for a stroll?” 

Rarity arched a brow and glanced at a clock. It was almost midnight. “At this time of the evening?”

“I could rouse Sol if you're afraid of the dark.”
 
Laughing softly, Rarity shook her head. “That would only cause problems for everypony else.”

“I note you didn’t argue that you’re afraid.”

“With you, who could possibly be frightened? I thought it was so obvious, darling, it hardly needed saying.”

“Awww, aren’t you two so cute!” Pinkie cooed. “Hurry along, I’ll let everypony else know you’ll be back soon.”

Pinkie made a shooing motion, and with Celestia pressing her towards the door, Rarity couldn’t argue against the idea before she was out in the chilly winter air. Not that she felt the cold as more than something that was there. 

Side by side they trotted at a leisurely pace through the orchards, and then down the lane towards Ponyville. Rarity didn’t really have any destination in mind, and Celestia was thankfully quiet. 

It wasn’t long until they came across the first tents and bonfires. Athenians huddled together close to the warmth, and performed their customary bows as Rarity passed. She greeted them all by name, unconsciously reaching out through the weave of Beauty to know the ponies. 

“I would have thought Ponyville had enough room for all of them,” Celestia said as they reached the field where the Gate stood.

“They’re guards,” Rarity replied, her tone drifting along with her thoughts towards how it was unnecessary for the Athenians to maintain a picket to keep watch for monsters or raids. It would take them some time to get used to the idea that Equestria was a relatively peaceful land. Ponyville was walless, while Athens had had many walls encompassing their farmlands, orchards, and adjacent towns and villages in a network intended to keep the Spartans out. The idea of bivouacking in a field with no protection made them nervous. “It makes them feel better.”

“They remind of the pre-classical ponies who first settled Equestria.” Celestia noted as they stood before the gate, neither of them broaching the subject on what to do with it. 

A short, wonderful silence as a northwind carried the sharp whispers of the Equestrian winter. 

Rarity became aware of the warmth radiating from Celestia, and shifted a little closer as one might do to move from the shade to soak up the sun in summer. 

“You should come to Canterlot,” Celestia said, her voice soft as if the idea had only just come to her. 

“Oh? Should I?” Rarity tilted her head with a teasing inquiry. “When my friends are down here in ponyville? My father? My store?”

“What about the Muses? A trio of precocious alicorn fillies loose in the madness Ponyville attracts? I can’t see the town surviving.” Celestia pointed out.

“Why, if Ponyville can weather Nightmare Moon, Discord, and a new trouble seemingly every other week, I think it will be fine with the Muses as well.” Rarity considered the city on the mountain off in the distance, a sparkling cluster of lights like jewels set into a dark crown in the dark of the night.

“Oh, and about your father; he moved to Manehatten a few years ago.”

Rarity raised a brow at how and why Celestia knew this seemingly mundane tid-bit. It also explained her father’s absence. With Sweetie gone, and Rarity believed dead, his leaving Ponyville wasn’t unexpected. 

She would go see him as soon as the Muses were settled down at the beautique, and—

“Also, Carousel Beautique is now a museum.”

“Oh.” This was… troubling. 

“Surely, now I am back, and since I owned the beautique…”

It was Celestia’s turn to lift up a sculpted brow. “Are you suggesting the government hand over a heritage site?”

“It is my home!”

“Was,” Celestia corrected, and her tone was all teasing. “Now it is visited by fillies on school trips to hear stories of the Element of Generosity and how they can be better ponies by learning about your exploits and life. It seems like there is a new story to add, I believe.”

“Well, darling as that sounds, I need a place to live.”

Smiling, Celestia pointedly looked towards Canterlot. 

“Oh, fine! Far be it from me to fight something you clearly want, Your Highness. I could try to draw this out, certainly, but what would be the point?” 

To Rarity’s surprise, there was a flash of hurt on Celestia’s face, visible just barely in the corners of the princess’ eyes. 

Continuing quickly, Rarity added, “And besides, Canterlot has tutors that might be able to teach the Muses. It wouldn’t be fair to them or other students putting them in a regular school. They have a lot to learn, and not just their history, numbers, or sciences and magic. Did you know they spent a few centuries trapped inside a plant?”

“Inside a plant?”

“Yes, it would attack anything that approached the island. They called it the Lotus Eater, as it was a lotus that ate things. It emitted pollen that had a soporific effect on ponies. I had to save Trixie and the others from it.” 

The rest of the night passed with Rarity recounting her time on Gaea, and of the ponies she’d met. The night continued to stretch on and on as she and Celestia sat before that Gate, looking up at the stars, gazing at the distant city, and treating the biting winter no differently than they would a balmy summer eve. There certainly were some nice perks to being an alicorn. 

It was easier recounting things to Celestia, oddly enough. The princess just listened with an attentive ear, rarely speaking unless to ask for some point of clarification. Her presence brought a gentle comfort, all the bad memories melting away and the good left with a golden afterglow. 

Years later it would come to Rarity that it was that night, her longest night, that it was that conversation where she fell in love with Celestia. 

“So then, what do we do about that?” Rarity indicated the gate with a flick of her wings. 

Celestia did something very un-Celestia; she shrugged. “I suspect that the gate is now unimportant. Asmodeus only needed to go through it once to be able to reach Ioka again. It is extremely unlikely that destroying the gate’s physical presence could prevent him from returning. I wouldn’t have made such a mistake, and neither would he.” 

“Well, that is disconcerting.” 

“Yes. Was this the sum of his plans, or just the opening movements to a much larger orchestration? Were I a gambling mare, I’d lay all my bits on this being far from the last time we’ll have to deal with him.” 

Rarity shivered and drew a hoof up her leg. 

“We’ll be ready, then,” Rarity declared.
Celestia gave a subtle nod. 

Side by side they continued to sit, soaking up the lengthening night.

Finally, Sol crested the edge of the disc, painting a glorious dawn across the sky. Rarity lifted her face to the rising sun, and let out a long breath, saying, “It is so good to be home.”