//------------------------------//
// This Day is Going to Be Perfect 
// Story: Unexpected Confessions 
// by Dianwei32 
//------------------------------//


Unexpected Confessions

Chapter Eleven


This Day is Going to Be Perfect

Rarity felt a sense of pride well in her chest, not to be confused with less savory feelings welling up in other areas, as she followed Fluttershy down the street. She stared at the swaying green skirt in front of her, visualizing the yellow flank underneath. It had been the ideal first date, right up until the end. A nice, private dinner at an intimate, albeit slightly expensive, upscale Prench restaurant. She had even been able to convince the cream-colored mare to partake in a couple glasses of wine. The only thing that marred the evening’s perfection was the accidental triggering of the restaurant’s sprinkler system during dessert, dousing them and the rest of the restaurant, and even that was not without its silver lining. Fluttershy looked exceptionally gorgeous in her dress, and the wet fabric only served to accentuate her curves.

Despite winter not officially starting for another week, a light chill permeated the night air. Luna’s moon and stars shone down, providing a soft, silver glow to the world. A shiver passed down Rarity’s spine as a breeze washed over her. A warm bath will be fabulous once we get home. Her eyes were drawn back to the swaying flank before her, the green skirt of the dress seeming to flow in an ephemeral breeze as the pink tail hidden beneath it twitched.

Fluttershy stopped in the road, her eyes drawn upward. “Ooh... look, Rarishee.” She pointed a hoof skyward. “It’sh the... the...” She paused for a second, blinking. “The Luna! No...” She squinted up at the silver disk, leaning forward shakily to get a closer look. “Oh, it’sh the moon!”

Rarity followed her inebriated date’s hoof up to the full moon which shone down on the sleepy town, surrounded by glittering stars. “Indeed, Princess Luna has done a wonderful job with the night sky tonight.” She looked back down, only to see that Fluttershy had already resumed walking back toward Carousel Boutique. She rolled her eyes and broke into a trot to close the distance. She watched as the pink-maned pegasus simply stood in front of the door, knocking on it.

        “Pinkie?” Fluttershy called out, dropping her hoof from the door before she fell over. “Pinkie, open up. 'M hungry. I wanna cupcake!” She reached up to knock again, but stumbled to the side.

        “What is going on, dear?” Rarity focused all of her calm to keep from breaking into a fit of laughter. She sidled up to the pegasus, providing her a surface to lean against.

        “S’locked!” Fluttershy tried to wave a hoof at the door, but slipped and ended up headbutting it.

        “I’m sorry, but I didn’t quite catch that.” The unicorn felt her poise slipping as a smile pulled at her lips.

        “Door!” The other mare flailed a foreleg toward the Boutique, her head still resting on the door. “It’sh locked! Pinkie won’t open it!” She stood up and looked around, seeming to finally notice she was not at Sugarcube Corner. “Bout... Booties?” She turned to face her marefriend. “I had a really... nicshe time tonight.” She leaned in and nuzzled the other mare, bumping into her with a little more force then she meant to. “Thanksh.”

        “You are quite welcome, darling.” Rarity returned the affectionate nuzzle. “I must confess that I was initially worried that it all might be a little... much for a first date, but I am glad that you enjoyed yourself.” They pulled apart, and she leaned down to kiss her marefriend on the cheek. However, a hoof pressed against her muzzle and redirected it so that their lips met. She felt a brief moment of shock as Fluttershy’s tongue forced its way into her mouth. After too-brief a moment, they separated, a light pink tinge coloring both of their cheeks.

        “That was -hic- fun.” Fluttershy dropped her hoof to the ground, but it slipped, sending her sprawling to the ground.

        “Fluttershy, darling... you’re drunk.” Rarity shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips as she helped the other mare back to her hooves. She unlocked the door with a quick flare of magic.

        “I’m not as think as you drunk I am.” Fluttershy waved a hoof dismissively, coming dangerously close to falling over. She pushed open the door. “Now, we s-sshould go sho... shoe... shushhh... shusher...” She gave up on trying to pronounce the word ‘shower,’ and pouted. “Take a bath.” Without waiting for an answer, she turned and trotted inside, heading for the staircase. Before she got halfway however, she tripped over the hem of her skirt, and fell to the floor with a surprised squeak.

        “Are you alright, dear?” Rarity followed her date inside, closing the door behind her. She watched as the inebriated mare tried to right herself, and her eyes were drawn down to the skirt of her friend’s dress. It had bunched up around the pegasus’ legs during the fall, revealing the curve of her rear legs. The unicorn traced the gentle sweep of her date’s legs with her eyes, following them tantalizingly high before they disappeared under her voluminous tail. What am I doing? She shook herself, taking a step toward her floor-ridden friend. We don’t normally wear clothes. I’ve seen them countless times. Still... She stopped, finding her gaze wandering up the cream-colored calves again. They’ve been covered all night. Seeing them now is... rather enticing.

“I’m okay!” Fluttershy waved a hoof from her place on the floor. She awkwardly clambered to her hooves, taking care not to step on her skirt again.

        “Perhaps you should take your dress off first." Rarity watched the other mare sway on her hooves unsteadily. “On second thought, allow me.” She  trotted over to her drunken friend, loosening the laces on her dress with a brief pulse of magic. She grabbed on to the shoulders of the gown. “Here, I’ll hold onto this end while you back out.”

        “Okay.” Fluttershy began pulling backward, her hair bunching up around her head as she backed out of the dress slowly. She lowered her front end, extending her forehooves to pull them through the leg holes.

        Rarity smiled, stifling laughter as her marefriend tried to maneuver her way out of the dress. The laughter died in her throat as a yellow rump protruded from the other end of the fabric, wiggling in the air as its owner slowly backed up. The unicorn looked off to the side, blushing furiously as she fixed her gaze on the wall. Although... Her eyes drifted back. She should be the one mare I am allowed to... admire.

        “There we g-whoa!” Fluttershy broke free of the dress, stumbling backward and falling to a sitting position. She brought her hooves to her mouth, swaying slightly as she tried to hold in a fit of giggles. “Oopsh.” She managed to get out between dainty snorts. She stood up, a playful smile on her face.“Your turn!” She chirped, trotting over and pulling at the shoulder straps of Rarity’s dress.

        Rarity held up a hoof to ward her off. “Perhaps it would be best if I took care of this.”

        “Aww...” Fluttershy sat down. “But... I jusht wanted to help.” She sat down and pouted, letting out a small whine.

        “Very well, darling. Just, please do be careful.” Rarity tried to use her magic to help, but insistent tugs on her gown kept breaking her concentration. The tugs slowly moved down the dress, causing her to startle as a hoof snaked up under the skirt. “Hold on, darling.” She gently pushed her marefriend away with a hoof, color blooming in her cheeks. “As much as I appreciate your... enthusiasm, I don’t think that pulling on the waistline of the dress is going to work. There’s a zipper on the back. Undo it for me, if you could.”

        “Oh, zhipper, right.” Fluttershy reared up and planted a forehoof on her friend’s back, leaning most of her weight on it. She fumbled around and stepped on a dress hem again, only this time it was Rarity that stumbled. The pegasus grasped blindly at the first object she found, pulling on what turned out to be a lock of the unicorn’s mane. On the second try, she located the zipper and pulled it down.

        “Thank you, darling.” Rarity’s voice was slightly strained under the sudden addition of weight. “I can handle it from here.” She held in a soft moan as the pegasus stepped down, dragging the hoof on her back. The action pulled the dress off part way, the silk sliding over her coat sending shivers through her body. With a few more well-placed pulls, the gown fell to the floor in a heap. “There we ar- ah!” She jumped as she felt a light smack on her flank.

        Fluttershy brought a hoof to her mouth, trying in vain to suppress the laughter bubbling out at the look her marefriend was giving her. “Washn’t me...” She slurred, looking around for a scapegoat. “It waaaash... Opal.” She pointed a hoof at the cat, who was laying on the other side of the room. Opalescence glared at them, clearly upset at being woken up by their drunken stumbling.

        “I am certain it was.” Rarity deadpanned, a smile tugging at the edge of her mouth. She cast an apologetic look over to her pet, who hissed in response. “Now, let’s head upstairs and we can get cleaned up.” She took a few steps toward the stairs, but paused to look over her shoulder at the two dresses on the floor. They both lay discarded on the ground, crumpled haphazardly in ways that promised significant wrinkling come morning. “Actually...” She sighed. “You go on ahead, dear. I’ll take care of the dresses and be up shortly.” She turned back to find her marefriend already gone.

        “Rarishee!” Fluttershy called from the top of the stairs. “Thish door ish locked too!” She pressed against the door, leaning all of her weight into it. Her wings fluttered in agitation. After several more pushes, she gave up, turning to look down at the show room. “S-sssee?”

        “Try giving it a pull, darling.” Rarity suggested.

        The pink-maned pegasus reached out with a hoof, pulling the door open with ease. “Oh.” She walked into the room, followed by the sound of her bumping into a number of surfaces. After a few moments of silence her voice drifted down, somewhat muted by the distance. “Wow... It’sh really... big.”

        Rarity ran through a mental list of objects in her bedroom, wondering what the pegasus could have found to elicit such a reaction. She panicked as she thought about a box hidden under her bed. Oh no. Please, please, don’t let her have found that... She swallowed and tried to keep her voice steady as she called up the stairs. “What is, dear?”

        “Bathtub.” Fluttershy yelled back.

        Rarity let out a breath. “It is one of the luxuries I have afforded myself.” She replied loudly to ensure her voice would carry. She grasped the discarded dresses in an aura of telekinesis, floating them over to a pair of empty equinniquins, opting simply drape them across the backs.

        She turned to head upstairs but a portion of her brain refused to let her leave dresses she had so lovingly crafted in such a state. She sighed and floated a pair of hangers over from a nearby clothing rack. She picked up her dress, but a shocked squeak broke her concentration, followed by a thump and splashing water. “Fluttershy?” Rarity called up the stairs, taking a step toward them. When she didn’t receive an immediate reply, she tried again. “Darling, is everything okay?” This time, when only silence drifted down to answer her, she felt the sting of rising panic and she galloped across the show room. Her hoof landed on a stray piece of fabric and slid along the tile. She fell forward, crashing headfirst into the wall. A wave of dizziness and nausea washed over her, but she shook her head to try and clear it. Darkness clouded her vision as the dizziness increased. She didn’t even made if up the first few steps before the darkness swallowed her, making her sink to the floor in an unconscious heap.

        Rarity felt a throbbing pain in her head as she came to. She brought a hoof to her forehead, gently probing the area. What was I... Fluttershy! She scrambled to her hooves and bolted up the staircase, two steps at a time. She rounded the turn into her bedroom at a full sprint, slamming into the door frame. Grunting, she galloped into the bathroom, only to see Fluttershy’s unmoving hindquarters hanging out of the tub.

        Oh, goddesses... Rarity skidded to a stop, sliding along the slick tile and banging her head on the tub. She lit her horn and carefully pulled Fluttershy from the tub. She stared at her marefriend’s still body, her mind overwhelmed with the horrific sight until a single thought pushed through the panic. The hospital! She rushed downstairs and out the front door, galloping off in the direction of the Ponyville Hospital. Buildings blurred by her as she ran. A soft light poured out the library’s windows as she sped by, the hooting of Owlowiscious calling after her. The bright colors of Sugarcube Corner, subdued in the faint silver light of the moon, came and went in an instant. The hospital appeared before her, and she ignored the burning in her lungs as she poured the last of her remaining energy into a final burst of speed. She crashed through the door of the Emergency Room, the unconscious pegasus floating behind her.

        “Help!” Rarity screamed at the shocked doctors and nurses before her. She lowered Fluttershy gently onto an empty gurney. The pegasus’ unnatural stillness brought a fresh wave of panic over her. “She fell... into the tub. She’s not... breathing. Please, do something!” Her words were broken up by heaving breaths, and her vision fogged over as tears filled her eyes. “Please, you have... to save her!”

        One of the doctors, a yellow unicorn stallion with a badge reading “Doctor Stable”, was the first to recover. He grabbed the gurney’s handle in a field of magic, pulling it across the room and down an adjacent hallway. “Nurse Redheart, get me an ECG monitor to Room 104, stat. Nurse Tenderheart, with me.” With that he disappeared down the hall, followed by one of the nurses. Rarity moved to follow, but was blocked by a large earth pony stallion with a brown coat, a white mohawk mane, and a police badge cutie mark.

        “Sorry, miss.” Vigilance extended a hoof, holding her back. “They’re taking her back to the Intensive Care Unit. No visitors allowed.”

        “You don’t understand.” Rarity looked over his shoulder to see the gurney disappear around a corner down the hallway. “I have to-”

        “Doctor Stable is going to do everything he can to help your friend.” Vigilance placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “I know you’re scared, but he and the nurses have trained for this. At this point, you would only get in the way.” He finished with a tone that suggested he was speaking from experience.

        “I... but...” Rarity stammered. The enormity and the reality of the situation caught up to her now that it was out of her hooves. Her lower lip quivered as tears pooled in her eyes.

        “I’m sorry, but she’s in good hooves.” Vigilance stepped up and placed a hoof on her shoulder, gently turning her around. “We’ll let you know as soon as we hear anything.”

        Rarity let herself be led back to the waiting room, where she paced back and forth as her mind tried frantically to erase the images of Fluttershy hanging limp in her telekinetic grasp. Time dragged on at an excruciatingly slow pace. The white mare completed her fourth circuit of the waiting room. Or was it the fifth? Sixth? Tenth? She could only guess since she hadn’t been keeping track. A hoof landed on her shoulder, startling her out of her thoughts.

        “Ma’am?” Doctor Stable was standing behind her, his expression carefully neutral. “I’m afraid... she’s... she’s gone.” He looked down at a chart floating in his magical grasp. “Her brain had been without oxygen for too long, causing her death. There was nothing we could do. I’m sorry. There was no way to save her.”

        “Gone?” Rarity breathed the word, refusing to acknowledge it. She stepped back, shaking her head. “No.... no, she... she can’t be. She-” Words failed her, and her world came crashing down around her. She turned and ran, bursting out the door and galloping down the road.

        Closer to her home, a single cloud drifted above the streets of town, on which Rainbow Dash snored. She rolled over, grumbling, as the sound of hooves striking the ground floated up to her, mixed with heaving breaths and choked sobs. She peeked over the edge of the cloud, her eyes cracking open as she saw Rarity sprinting down the road, crying. The soft cloud beneath her beckoned, pulling Dash’s eyelids down as she traced the unicorn’s path backward. Her gaze fell on the Ponyville Hospital, the only building with any signs of activity. Her mind sluggishly put two and two together. Something was seriously wrong. She stood up, stretching her legs and flapping her wings to work out some lingering stiffness. She looked back to Rarity, who was nearing her home, and back to the hospital. She knew how difficult the unicorn could be when she was emotional, and she was in no mood to deal with that at this goddess-forsaken hour. She leapt from the cloud and angled toward the hospital.

        Back on the ground, Rarity threw the door of the Boutique open, careening inside and up the stairs. She threw herself onto the bed, devolving into an endless stream of incoherent sobs. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that the physical fatigue aching in her muscles would drag her into unconsciousness of dreams, but every time she began to drift away, visions of Fluttershy’s lifeless body flooded her mind. Distantly, she heard the clock tower in chime twice, and exhaustion finally pulled her into a fitful sleep, though she tossed and turned as the events of the night replayed endlessly in her nightmares.


*


        She was awoken by the sound of shattering glass. She rolled away from the noise reflexively, landing on the floor with a dull thud that knocked the air from her lungs.

        “You!" A familiar voice shouted from the other side of the room. The unicorn scrambled to her hooves to see Rainbow Dash standing in front of the now broken window with her wings flared and trembling in anger. “How... you... when...” She had trouble putting words together in her rage. She took a deep breath, expelling it violently. “How could you let this happen? You should have been taking care of her!” She bounded over the bed, pressing her snout up against Rarity’s own. A vicious glint flashed in her eye. “Where were you?” She punctuated the last question by jabbing a hoof into the white mare’s chest forcefully.

        “I... I-I was downstairs, taking care of our dresses before heading up here to join her.” Rarity took a step back, matched by the other mare taking a step forward. “It wasn’t my fault! When I realized something was wrong, I came as quickly as I could. I slipped on a piece of fabric and hit my head. When I came to and got up here, it was too late.” She glanced over the prismatic mare’s shoulder to see dawn breaking over the horizon. Lovely shades of pink played across the scattered clouds, reminding her of Fluttershy’s mane and causing her heart to break yet again.

        “So you just left your drunk marefriend alone while you were worrying about some stupid dresses? If you had been there, you could have done something. Anything!" Dash was outright sneering now, a twitch in her eye hinting that she was inches away from losing control. She raised a trembling hoof, visibly restraining herself from lashing out. Blood was seeping from several shallow cuts, giving her a truly vicious and dangerous appearance. “Then, you didn’t even have the guts to tell us about what happened yourself! I only found out after seeing you running from the hospital!” In a blaze of motion, Rainbow struck the other mare, hitting her on the nose.

        Rarity stumbled back from the blow, feeling blood start to leak from her nostrils. “I-I don’t know what else I can... possibly...” She tried to match the pegasus’ passion, but wilted under the intensity of her glare. The pure, unfiltered rage and hatred of Rainbow’s expression hit her like a physical force, driving her back until she ran into her dresser. Her mind filled with things she could have done differently to keep Fluttershy alive. What if I had never said anything to her? What if none of this had ever happened? What if I hadn’t insisted she drink? Oh, Celestia. Why couldn’t I just leave those accursed dresses alone?

“I-I’m sorry. Is that what you want?” Tears rose unbidden in her eyes as the cyan mare stalked closer. “You’re right, this... this is all my fault, and I’m sorry.” She summoned her remaining courage and straightened up, draping a thin veneer of poise over barely-concealed panic. “I loved her just as much as you did.” Her voice dropped to barely above a whisper. “At least, I thought I did.”

        “You could have... You should have been there!” Dash yelled, her tone going from angry to hysterical. Another hoof flashed out at the unicorn’s head, almost too quick to be seen, but missed by mere inches. A dull crunch sounded as the hoof connected with the dresser, leaving a dent behind. “But no! You were too worried about your precious dresses!” She whirled around, swinging her strong legs and hitting the unicorn’s chest with a sickening crack and sending her sprawling to the side.

        Rarity took a breath and gasped as a sharp pain surged through her ribs. She slowly rose to her hooves, faltering and falling back to the floor. She took a deep, painful breath and struggled into a sitting position, taking a moment to truly look at Rainbow. The pegasus’ eyes were blazing with fury and she showed no signs of slowing her assault.

        She lifted her head, fighting the urge to cower. A few errant tears silently made their way down her cheeks as she waited for Dash’s next attack. Her body trembled as her guilt fought with her instinct for self-preservation.

        Run. Hide! Her mind screamed at her. She’s going to kill you!

        She ignored it, closed her eyes and waited for her fate to arrive. Time slowed to a crawl as a feeling of serenity settled over her.

        So this how it all ends? It’s no less than I deserve...

        I’m so sorry, Fluttershy... Will I see you again, I wonder?

        Her mind drifted to her remaining friends as she waited for the next blow to land. I never got to say goodbye to the others.

        At least they’ll take care of Rainbow... They won’t let anything happen to-

        Time returned to its normal flow as a hoof hit Rarity in the gut, making her double over with a pained grunt. She took in a breath, renewing the pain in her side and causing her to cough. Flecks of blood splattered the floor. Again, she sat up and raised her head in what could easily be mistaken for defiance. She wanted Dash to continue, if only for the other mare’s peace of mind. She waited for the final blow to land, hoping the pegasus would be merciful enough to give her a swift end.

        “Fare well, Rainbow Dash. I-” Rarity’s throat tightened with emotion. “I am truly sorry...” I hope that you can find somepony to be happy with. She closed her eyes and waited.

        The next hit sent her reeling, her mind to be exact. It was something she hadn’t expected: a slap.

        Opening her eyes, she saw Dash staring at the floor, her body shaking and her wings drooping as she cried. The pegasus collapsed into a heap, tears streaking down her face and mixing with the rivulets of blood from her many cuts.

        Seeing Rainbow crying hurt her more than any of the physical blows had. Rarity rushed forward, draping her forelegs around the weeping mare and pulling her close as her own tears spilled over. The calm acceptance with which she had been willing to face her punishment faded away, and in its wake, the pain of losing Fluttershy returned with a vengeance.

        “I-I know that I can never undo this.” Rarity choked out between pained breaths. “I’ll understand if you never want to see me again, but... I promise I will do anything I can to help you...” She froze, afraid that her next words would reignite the fury and hatred that had burned in Rainbow’s eyes so recently. She immediately felt foalish, remembering her willingness to give her own life for the other mare’s peace of mind. I’ll do anything I can to help her move past this.

        Rainbow Dash and Rarity sat together and cried. Neither of them knew or cared how much time had passed. When their tears finally ran dry, Rarity broke the growing silence. “The-” Her voice was raspy after crying for so long. She swallowed and cleared her throat to try again. “The others should know.” She stood up, stretching the soreness from her legs.

        Dash nodded her head, unable to respond verbally. She wiped a hoof across her face, trying to get rid of her tears, and stared at her foreleg when it came away bloody.

        Rarity looked at the other mare, and realized her physical injuries were worse than they had seemed. The cuts on her face were shallow, and mostly clotted by now, but there were several deeper, longer gashes along her sides, one of which was still bleeding. The pegasus cradled her right foreleg gingerly, not putting any weight on it.

        The unicorn trotted through to the bathroom door and up to the sink. She splashed a few hooffuls of water on her muzzle and scrubbed away the dried blood, then lifted a washcloth in her magic and soaked it in the sink. She came back into the bedroom with the wet towel, noting that the pegasus sprawled on her carpet looked nothing short of exhausted. She forced a smile and grasped the wet cloth with a hoof, gently brushing it along her friend’s muzzle to remove the drying blood trails, then repeated the process with the cuts on her sides.

         She then helped the other mare to her feet and guided her to the bed. The pegasus climbed in wordlessly and curled up as Rarity pulled the covers over her. The unicorn sat on the edge of the bed and ran a hoof through her friend’s prismatic mane. She began humming a lullaby she used to get her sister to sleep as a foal, watching as Dash’s eyes fluttered closed and her breathing grew deep and even.

        When she was sure Rainbow was asleep, Rarity slipped off of the bed and made her way out the bedroom. She tiphoofed down the staircase and exited the Boutique, locking the door behind her. Hundreds of thoughts whirled through her mind, but she pushed them away and focused on how to gather her friends. A hint of motion drew her attention down the road, where Pinkie Pie was exiting Sugarcube Corner.

        “Hiya Rarity!” Pinkie chirped, giving a her warm smile. “Is... is everything okay?”

        “Actually, Pinkie... c-could you do me a favor?” Rarity put on a smile, hoping that something about her appearance or posture hadn’t betrayed her beleaguered mood. “I need you to go get Applejack and bring her to the library. I have... some news for you all.”

        “I know!” Pinkie replied. “I was upstairs just now, and my ear twitched!” The pink pony pointed at her ear, which twitched as if on cue. “That means that somepony has news to share. Oh, ow!” She pulled her left rear leg off the ground. “Leg cramp. Leg cramp! Oh no. That means that the news is bad.” She looked at the unicorn pleadingly, and she saw a haunting look in the other mare’s eyes. Pinkie stepped forward and wrapped a foreleg around her friend. “That’s okay though, Rarity. We’ll all do our very bestest to help, no matter what it is. So smile, okay?”

        “Thank you, dear.” Rarity hugged her friend, feeling tears rising in her eyes again. “I knew I could count on you.” She pulled away from the hug and tried to smile, but it cracked and fell away. “Bring Applejack to the library, I’ll be there with Twilight.” Pinkie opened her mouth to say something, but nodded instead. She turned and galloped off in the direction of the farm.

        Rarity continued slowly down the road, passing the bakery and Town Hall, until she arrived at the library. She knocked on the door and waited for an answer. Shortly afterward, it opened without magic, revealing Applejack on the other side.

        “Mornin’, sugarcube.” The farm pony smiled briefly at the dumbfounded expression on the unicorn’s face. “Ah was on mah way into town already when Ah ran into Pinkie, who said ya had some mighty important news to share,” She explained before the inevitable question was asked. She turned and walked into the main room. “C’mon in.”

        Rarity followed her friend inside, only slightly surprised to see Twilight and Pinkie already sitting at the table. She belatedly realized that she had not spent any time thinking about what she was going to say. She took a seat at the table and stared at her hooves, wracking her mind for some gentle way to bring up the subject.

        Across the table, Pinkie shifted uncomfortably. “Are you super sure you don’t want me to go get Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?” She asked, lowering her head to try and meet the unicorn’s eyes. “It won’t be as fast as getting Applejack, but it won’t take too long, especially with Dash flying all ‘whoosh’.” She whipped a hoof through the air.

        “No.” Rarity whispered, shaking her head slightly. “Rainbow... already knows. As for F-” The departed mare’s name stuck in her throat, threatening to choke her, but she pressed on. “As for Fluttershy... Well, this concerns her.”

        “Is she okay?” Twilight cut in, a worried expression falling over her face. “Did something happen? Do we need to-”

        “Calm down, sugarcube.” Applejack reached over the table, placing a hoof on Twilight’s. “We’re all curious, but throwin’ a bunch of questions around ain’t gonna get us anywhere when we don’t know what happened yet.” She patted the other mare’s hoof and turned back to Rarity. “You were sayin’?”

        “Thank you, dear.” The alabaster mare took a deep breath. “Y-You see, last night... Fluttershy and I... she...” She felt her emotions threatening to overtake her yet again. “W-We were a-at the Boutique, a-and...” The next words lodged themselves in her throat, refusing to pass her lips. What if they blame me like Rainbow did? What if they all hate me? Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her once again. No. They... deserve to know. Whatever comes of it, I will accept. The same sense of calm from her encounter with Rainbow Dash returned and made it easier to speak.

        “What happened, sugarcube?” Applejack leaned over and placed a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “Ya can tell us, we’re here fer-”

        “She’s dead.” Rarity said the words flatly. Her calm demeanor shattered as tears flowed once again, matting the fur under her eyes. “I-It was an accident, I swear. Sh-She fell into the bathtub and...” The rest of her words were lost as sobs shook her body. The room grew quiet, her crying the only sound any of them made.

        After over a minute of stunned silence, Twilight ventured to speak. “D-Dead?” She breathed the word. “F-Fluttershy is...” She could not complete the sentence, but a nod from Rarity made the last word unnecessary. “H-How?”

        Rarity took a moment to compose herself before answering. She sat up, trying to portray a real serenity, even though tears continued to stream from her eyes. She briefly wondered where her tears kept coming from, she thought she would have run out long ago by now. “She drowned.” Her voice wavered, but she managed to speak without pausing or stammering. “We went out to dinner, and we had a few drinks. We ended up back at my home and went to take a bath. I heard her fall from downstairs, but in my rush to reach her, I slipped on a bit of fabric and hit my head. When I woke up, I got upstairs as quickly as I could, but... I was too late. I took her to the hospital, but there was nothing they could do.”

        The other three mares sat quietly, letting the news sink in. The only movement came from Pinkie, as her mane deflated slowly down to its straight, depressed state. No one dared to speak, or even breathe, fearing it would somehow make the situation real. Applejack took her hat off, holding it to her chest.

        “Y-Ya said Rainbow already knows?” She asked, keeping her voice as steady as she could manage. Rarity nodded. “How ‘bout her parents? Anyone gotten a hold of ‘em yet?”

        “I-I don’t know.” The white unicorn replied. “Wh-When the doctors told me, I... Oh, Celestia, I ran away.”

        “No one’s blamin’ ya, sugarcube.” Applejack scooted around the table and put a foreleg around her friend, who shied away from the contact for a moment. “Any one of us woulda done the same. It’s... it’s a lot to hear.” She hesitated, taking a deep breath. “We need to let her parents know. Does anypony know where they are? Where they live?” She looked around the table. Pinkie stared at her hooves, muttering incoherently under her breath.

        She... doesn’t blame me? Rarity let her gaze drift over Pinkie Pie and Twilight, both of whom appeared to be in shock, but not angry. None... none of them blame me? They’re trying to... help me. Her heart swelled painfully, forcing yet another wave of tears to cascade from her eyes. Oh Celestia, I... I don’t deserve you all as friends. She leaned into Applejack’s side to ride out the latest wave of emotion.

        “No, sorry.” Twilight rubbed a hoof against her temple. “It shouldn’t be too hard to find them, though. All we need to do is take their names to... Does anypony know Fluttershy’s parents’ names?” She looked around the table as each of her friends shook their heads. The lavender mare stood from the table, a look of thoughtfulness on her face, and walked over to a stand with ink and a quill on it. “I’ll send a letter to the Princess, she can help us find them.”

        “Good thinkin’, Twi.” Applejack interjected. “Ah’d write this one yerself though, we’ll need to be gentle breakin’ this to Spike.” She looked back down to Rarity, surprise registering on her face. “What happened to yer nose, Rare?”

        “Hmm?” The unicorn pressed a hoof to her nose, which came away bloody. “Oh. It’s... nothing, trust me.” She glanced around the room and levitated a box of tissues over to her, grabbing one in a hoof and pressing it to her nostrils.

        Twilight looked over from her podium. “Ponies don’t start bleeding from their noses for no reason. Did you run into something?”

        “Really girls, it’s nothing.” Rarity grabbed a fresh tissue, wiping under her eyes before swapping it out with the one on her nose. “I’ll be fine.” She got a look from Twilight that said ‘I’m not buying it’. “Fine. My nose is bleeding because... Rainbow Dash punched me.”

        “She what?” Twilight and Applejack said in unison while Pinkie continued muttering to herself.

        “I assume she saw me leave the hospital crying and went to see what had happened. She broke into my bedroom through a window and had some... choice words for me.” A terrified shiver ran through her body as she remembered thinking that Dash would kill her. “It was nothing I didn’t deserve.”

        “And just why in Equestria would you deserve something like that?” Twilight asked.

        “Because it’s my fault that Fluttershy is... dead.” For once, tears did not start running from Rarity’s eyes at the thought.

        “It most certainly ain’t.” Applejack held her friend tighter with the hoof draped over her shoulders. She paused to sniff and wipe away the tears from her eyes before they could fall. She leaned her head down to nuzzle the alabaster mare. “Ya did nothin’ wrong, and ya did everythin’ ya could to save her. This ain’t anyone’s fault. It was an accident.”

        “I-If I had been there...” Rarity whispered.

        “Don’t do that to yerself, Rare.” Applejack used her free hoof to bring the other mare’s head up and look in her eyes. “Don’t go torturin’ yerself with ‘what if’s’. It ain’t worth it.” Her voice grew hoarse as she spoke, but she held herself together. Rarity nodded, shutting her eyes against tears that her eyes could no longer produce. Applejack turned to Pinkie Pie, eyeing her nervously. She walked around the table and pulled the pink pony into a hug.

        “Huh?” Pinkie looked up, blinking in surprise. “Oh, don’t worry about me, Applejack.” She patted the farm pony on the back and pulled away slightly. “I... I’m fine, really.” She smiled, a fake and glassy smile that looked as though it would shatter at the slightest word.

        “No, Pinkie.” Applejack’s voice was tight with emotion, and she wiped a hoof across her eyes again, forestalling any tears. She put her hooves on the other mare’s shoulders. “Yer not fine. None of us are, but it’s okay to be sad or scared at a time like this. We’re all here fer each other.”

        Pinkie slowly brought her forelegs up and returned the embrace. Her smile faltered and cracked, giving way to flowing tears and sobs. “I... I didn’t get to... say goodbye.”

        “Ah know.” Applejack stroked a hoof down her friend’s back. “None of us did.”

        Pinkie broke away, dragging a hoof along her nose. “Hey, um... would you guys mind if I planned her fu-” She stopped, as though the word were physically painful to say. “Her farewell party?”

        “No.” Applejack spoke with such force that even Twilight looked up from writing her letter. “Don’t do that, Pinkie.” She shook her head. “Ah know it hurts, but ya can’t do things like that. It’ll only make it worse in the end.” Her eyes filled with moisture, but not a drop fell.

        Rarity mastered herself enough to speak again. “Yes, dear. You can plan her... her funeral.” A renewed wave of grief washed over her as the last word passed her lips. “I... I think she would like that.” She sat up straighter. “Is there anything I can do?”

        “Ah don’t think so, not right now.” Applejack gave her a small, warm smile, but her eyes seemed haunted. “Get some rest, if’n ya can, sugarcube. Ya had a rough night. We can handle things fer now if ya wanna grab a few winks. I’m sure Twi would let ya use her bed.” Twilight nodded her ascent, not looking up from her podium.

        “Thank you, but no.” Rarity stood, taking a moment to stretch her legs. Her mind flashed back to Rainbow Dash at her house. “Actually, I should be heading home. Rainbow is still there,and I can’t very well leave her by herself. I’ll go and let her know how things are going over here.” She trotted over to Twilight and nuzzled her, then did the same with Applejack. She walked over to Pinkie Pie, who pulled her into a tight hug.

        “I love you, Rarity.” Pinkie whispered, tears still running freely down her face.

“I love you too, Pinkie.” Rarity returned the hug, holding it for a few heartbeats before pulling away and making her way out the door. She walked back in the direction of Carousel Boutique, her eyes wandering as her hooves followed the path she had walked countless times before. All around her, the residents of Ponyville were stirring to life and going about their daily business, completely unaware that one of their peers was no longer among them. She passed by Lyra and Bon Bon’s house, where an upbeat tune from the former’s lyre floated out. Something in Rarity wanted to burst into the house, screaming hysterically that Lyra stop playing, but enough of her rational mind had returned that she knew they wouldn’t understand. She plodded down the dirt road until the notes were lost on the wind.

        When Rarity finally reached her home, it was quiet. She tiphoofed up the stairs, unsure if her chromatic friend was still asleep. She opened the bedroom door and peered inside, spying the gentle rise and fall of Rainbow’s chest under the covers. The unicorn stepped into the room and shut the door silently. She made her way over to the bed and slid under the covers, next to Dash. Though she was totally exhausted, her mind continued to buzz with activity. She lay in bed for hours, tossing and turning as images of Fluttershy hanging limply in the air floated inside her eyelids. She eventually gave up and dragged herself out of the bed and back down to the show room.

        She did the only thing she could think of to stave off her lingering thoughts of the previous night. She grabbed a roll of black fabric in her hooves and began draping it across a blank equinniquin. She poured all of her focus into the project, using her hooves instead of her magic simply for the distraction. Occasionally, she noticed the light coming in the windows had shifted in color, but she never deigned to look at a clock to see the time.

        After a time, her exhaustion got the better of her, and she found her eyelids growing heavier. A yawn forced its way out of her mouth and she placed the last pin in the fabric, dropping the pincushion in her hoof. She trudged over to the stairs and up to her bedroom, throwing open the door. She looked to the bed, surprised to find it empty. I hope she’s okay. She flopped onto the bed, sinking into the blissfully soft mattress. She closed her eyes and fell into a restless, fitful sleep.

Rarity awoke the next morning as sunlight streamed through the broken window. She rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, but it eluded her once again. She sighed and got out of the bed, making her way down to the show room. She lit her horn, bringing her sewing machine to life. She carefully removed the dress from the equinniquin and brought it over to her work table, feeding a pinned seam into the sewing machine. She sat in front of the machine, watching the needle run through black fabric. She focused on the rhythmic thrumming of the machine, letting it drown out her thoughts. The fabric ran all the way through the machine, leaving it clicking against air for a time before the unicorn realized it. She let go of her magic and the sewing machine slowed to a stop. She held up the fabric in her hooves, inspecting the simple black dress one last time with a dispassionate, professional eye before its purpose came rushing back to her. She levitated a small pair of scissors and cut the thread hanging from the recently sewn seam.

        A simple black dress. For a funeral.

        Fluttershy’s funeral.

        A wave of irrational fury washed over her, and she ripped the dress to shreds, dumping it into a nearby trash can. Tomorrow. I’ll make the dress tomorrow. A noise from outside grabbed her attention as she slid the trash can under a table. She trotted over to the door and pulled it open with a faint pulse of magic, just in time to catch the end of an argument between a light grey pegasus stallion and another pony she could not see yet.

        The stallion trotted after the other pony, trying to talk to them. “-but, boss... The schedule says-”

        “I don’t give a flying feather about the schedule!” Rainbow Dash whirled around to face the other pegasus. She grabbed a piece of parchment in his hoof and ripped it in half, then ripped the resulting pieces again. “It is not going to be sunny on Friday! Overcast. Rain, but no lightning. That’s final.” She turned and resumed walking away.

“B-But...” The stallion faltered for a moment before following her. “W-We don’t have enough clouds for that! That’s why it was scheduled to be sunny all weekend. We used up too many clouds during last week’s storm, there are barely any in the storage lockers as it is.”

        “Then get more!” Dash yelled, turning back to face him. “I don’t care how, just do it. Write to Cloudsdale and request more. Borrow some from the system heading out to Baltimare. I don’t care if you have to go all the way up Princess bucking Celestia to do it, just get it done!” Her wings ruffled in agitation. “But so help me, if it’s sunny on Friday, I will fire every last one of you!” The stallion took a step back, his mouth working without any words forming. Eventually, he just nodded and took off, flying away as quickly as he could.


*


        Fluttershy’s funeral arrived sooner than anypony had expected or would have wanted. Rarity stood in the cemetery, watching her lover’s casket slowly lower into the ground as rain pelted her. Tears ran down her face, mixing with the rain water. Rainbow Dash stood next to her, a wing draped over her back. They did not say anything, leaving only the soft patter of rain hitting their coats to break the deafening silence. The rest of their friends stood slightly off to the side, trying to give the pair a modicum of space.

        “Fluttershy was...” Twilight tried to say something, but words failed her momentarily. She took a moment to gather herself and tried again. “Fluttershy was a kind and loyal friend. One who would stand up for those she cared about, those who needed her, even in the face of danger.” She looked over to Rarity and Dash, but neither of them met her gaze. “Sh-She knew that... that-” She stopped again, unable to say the words she had written beforehoof. She had worked tirelessly on preparations for days on end to make sure that everything was perfect. Now that there was nothing left to plan or organize, the emotions she had worked so hard to avoid finally caught up with her. She began shaking as her tears made themselves known.

        Applejack moved to stand next to the lavender mare, clutching her hat to her chest as she allowed her tears to fall for once. Throughout the planning, the farm pony had remained strong and held her emotions in check. Now, she gave in to her grief, crying openly and leaning on Twilight for physical, as well as emotional, support. The farm pony nuzzled against the unicorn, trying in vain to comfort her. Behind them, Pinkie Pie sniffed, brushing her straightened mane out of her face.

        Pinkie watched the casket descend into the ground, muttering under her breath. Every few seconds, she would smile. They were wooden, fake smiles that crumbled and faded quickly. She slowly drifted away from the grave site without saying anything. Twilight and Applejack followed her, stopping to offer some small words of encouragement or condolence to Rarity and Dash. Rainbow did not acknowledge the words of their friends, and Rarity offered only token, mechanical responses. They stared down into the hole in the ground. Soon, they stood alone in the cemetery, and Rarity finally broke the silence between them.

        “I... I’m so sorry.” She whispered, her voice tight with emotion. “I know it doesn’t change anything, but... I am, truly.” She leaned over to nuzzle Dash, who tensed up at her touch. She pulled back, a knot of fear building in her chest. She looked over to see the pegasus looking away slightly, her eyes clenched shut. “R-Rainbow...” She reached out to hold the other mare’s hoof, but it pulled away.

        “I can’t...” Dash paused, wiping a hoof across her eyes. “I’m sorry, Rares. I just... I need some time.” She turned to leave, but stopped in her tracks as her friend jumped in front of her.

        “Please, don’t do this, Rainbow.” Rarity pleaded, her voice shaking. “Don’t... don’t push me away.” She felt a wave of fresh tears pour out, but they were lost among the raindrops. She... she still blames me. “I... I don’t think that you should be alone right now.”

        The prismatic pegasus smiled, but it was a cold, sad smile. “Don’t worry about me, Rares.” She reached up to stroke the other mare’s cheek, but even that small action felt distant and forced. “Like I said, I just need a little time... alone.” Her voice dropped to a barely audible level. “It... it’s all my...” She shut her eyes against a renewed stream of tears. “I-If only I... I had listened instead of yelling...”

        “No!” Rarity lifted the prismatic mare’s head to look in her red-rimmed eyes. “This was not your fault. I was the one who made the mistake, you can’t blame yourself for it.” She felt her own emotions rising as she looked into Dash’s haunted eyes. Please, don’t make me carry that as well. The fear in her chest fought against a reborn wave of self-loathing. “I just wish we could have realized our mistakes before...” The rest of her words trailed off into silence.

“I... I’m sorry, Rares.” Dash’s voice broke as she muttered the words. “I-I’ll see you around.” Before the unicorn could respond, Rainbow stepped around the other mare and strode away, leaving Rarity alone with Fluttershy, just as she had been on that fateful day.


*


        Rainbow Dash changed after that day. No longer was she bold, daring, and full of reckless energy. Instead, she spent more and more time in the clouds, staying away from Ponyville, and away from her remaining friends. Days passed without the familiar sight of Dash’s prismatic mane and tail hurtling through the skies. Her friends questioned the local weather pegasi, who reported only fleeting encounters with the estranged mare after she resigned as the weather team leader. It also seemed to rain more often, to the bafflement of the weather team, who could never figure out where the clouds had come from, even though they knew who brought them there.

        It became harder and harder for Rarity to watch, until one overcast morning she pulled the prismatic pegasus down from one of her clouds and dragged her into the Boutique. She wheeled on her friend, ready to deliver a verbal tirade about how her behavior was not what Fluttershy would have wanted. The harsh words died in her throat as she saw the haunted expression in Rainbow’s eyes. The unicorn bit her lip, wracking her brain for a gentler way to phrase her concerns.

        “Rainbow, darling, this isn’t what...” Her departed friend’s name stuck in her throat, but she forced herself to continue. “This isn’t what Fluttershy would have wanted. Isolating yourself, distancing yourself from the rest of us.” She reached out, lifting Dash’s chin to see tears in her eyes.

        “Yeah...” Dash whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what...” She paused, swallowing. “What ‘Shy wanted. We messed up, Rares.” Tears started running down her cheek. “Y-You should have been there with her.”

        “Rainbow Dash, I’m so s-” Rarity’s words were cut off by a hoof pressed to her mouth.

        “I... I should have been there.” Dash’s voice was barely audible.

        Rarity swatted the hoof away. “I am not going to stand here and lis-hmph.” The hoof returned.

        “She was right, ya know?” Dash stared at the floor, and all the frustration Rarity felt at her friend's behavior melted away as she tilted her head in confusion. "She wanted you and me. Not just one, both of us. None of this would ever have happened if we'd both been there." On the floor below Rainbow, a pool was forming, fueled by the steady stream of tears the pegasus had been feeding it. The hoof she held against the unicorn’s muzzle fell to the floor.

        “I... you’re right.” Rarity stepped forward and leaned down to nuzzle against Dash, who was shaking. She sat down on her haunches, wrapping her forelegs around the pegasus and pulling her friend into an embrace.

        Rainbow succumbed to her grief, breaking down into heaving sobs as tears continued to pour down her face. “I’m... so sorry...” She choked out between sobs. They sat like that for a time, Dash cried into the other mare’s shoulder while Rarity simply held her and stroked her mane. After what felt like an eternity, Rainbow’s sobbing slowed, and she pulled back from the embrace, looking up with an expression the fashionista couldn’t quite place.

        “Rainbow? Wha-hmmph!” Rarity’s words were cut off as Dash leaned forward, closing the distance between them and pressing their lips together. The kiss did not move any deeper, staying just a light brush of contact, but the pair let all of their hurt and anger, directed both at each other and themselves, drain away. Rarity felt a massive burden lift from her chest, and she felt Rainbow push a little further into the kiss, extending her tongue to brush Rarity’s lips. She let her mouth open a small amount at the contact.

        Dash responded eagerly, sending her tongue into the unicorn’s mouth to dance. A soft moan escaped her, and she pulled the other mare up to stand on their hind legs, flaring her wings for balance. A blue hoof trailed down the alabaster mare’s ribs, sending shivers through her body, but stopped just above her flank. Rainbow felt the need to say something, anything, but knew that words were not needed.

        Rarity lost herself in the kiss, not knowing or caring whether seconds or hours had passed. She pulled away reluctantly after a time, drawing a disappointed whine from the cyan pegasus. They locked gazes, each of them trying to wordlessly express their feelings. “Bedroom?” Rarity offered.

        A predatory grin spread across Dash’s face as a long-lost spark lit in her eyes. “Bedroom.” She replied breathlessly. They raced up the stairs, unable to contain themselves as they reached the soft, comforting embrace of the bed. The pair dove into the silken sheets and turned to face one another, laying side by side, their breathing labored.

        Rarity waited for Rainbow to make the first move, as she had downstairs, and she didn’t have to wait long. The reckless bravado that had reignited in Dash’s eyes burned brighter, and the pegasus leaned in for another kiss. Rarity lay back on the bed, more than content to let her friend take the lead.

        She shifted her position, allowing the other mare to climb on top of her. She broke the kiss, planting a line of soft, light pecks down the pegasus’ neck. A moan broke free from her as Rainbow trailed her tongue along her ear, but it became a sharp intake of breath as the languid lick ended with a quick nip on the sensitive appendage. She reciprocated, mixing an occasional nibble into the kisses along the light blue fur. She was rewarded with a throaty purr that vibrated through the skin below her lips. Another bite landed on her ear, firmer than the first, that sent a shiver of pleasure racing down her spine.

        Rarity gasped as Dash shifted on top of her, the feeling of their coats sliding together was like a thousand tiny caresses across her chest and stomach. Without warning, a bolt of unbearably intense pleasure coursed through her body, racing from her horn, down her back, and out to her hooves. She recoiled from the other mare, letting out a sharp hiss of discomfort.

        “Sorry... sorry.” Rainbow lifted herself up, a worried expression on her face. “You okay?”

        “I am... quite alright.” Rarity took a deep, calming breath, letting the residual waves of stimulation fade. She gave her best seductive gaze. “Now, where were we?” She asked, batting her eyelashes.

        “Oh, you know...” Dash broke out in another predatory grin. “Right about here.” She leaned back down for another kiss, fiercer than any of the previous ones. Rarity met her lips eagerly, parting her lips to allow the other mare’s tongue into her mouth. Unnoticed by either mare, the room slowly brightened as sunlight broke through the clouds and poured in the window. The pair fought back and forth, content to let the outside world pass them by. The movement of their coats against one another grew progressively slicker as both of their coats were matted with a light sheen of sweat. The silence was broken only by occasional moans and gasps as each mare’s wandering hooves found sensitive spots. They were eventually drawn out of their reverie by a far-off rumble of thunder.

        “Huh?” Dash pulled away, resulting in a disappointed whine from the unicorn under her. She glanced around the room in a sudden panic. “Shoot, what time is it?” She grabbed a clock from the nightstand. “Ten thirty? Oh no oh no oh no.” She jumped off of the bed and bounded over to the window. She threw the pane of glass open and looked back over her shoulder. “Sorry, Rares. I’m late for work. I’ll... swing by later, okay?” She smiled nervously.

        “That sounds lovely, dear.” Rarity replied before watching the chromatic mare leap out the window. After her friend disappeared from sight, she lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling as the events of the morning replayed in her mind. She still felt the icy stab of grief in her chest from losing Fluttershy, but now it was countered by a pleasant warmth. She knew that while she missed the pink-maned pegasus, and would for the rest of her life, she and Rainbow Dash had grown closer in sharing the burden of the departed mare’s death. If only it hadn’t taken such a horrific event for us to realize it. She thought. A knock drifted up from the show room, pulling her back to reality. Ten thirty? The store. It’s still closed. I should have opened hours ago. She scrambled out of the entangling silk sheets of the bed and raced out of the room. “One moment, please!”


*


        Rarity and Rainbow Dash walked down the streets of Ponyville, the sun passing directly overhead as they headed for toward the center of town. “Are you sure about this?” The former asked yet again. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

        “For the last time, yes, I want to do this.” Dash replied, rolling her eyes. “You’re the one who’s been asking for us to do it. What’s the matter, having second thoughts?” She stepped over and bumped into her marefriend’s flank playfully.

        “Of course not.” Rarity feigned offense, sticking her nose in the air. “It is simply that you have requested time and again that we keep our relationship secret, and now you want to tell Pinkie Pie. Pinkie. Pie.” She reiterated the last words. “You realize that if we tell her today, then by tomorrow everypony from Manehattan to Los Pegasus will know about us.”

        “I know.” Rainbow looked off to the side for a moment. “But it’s been nine months, and I can’t-” She stopped mid-sentence and cleared her throat. “Ahem, I mean... I think our friends deserve to know about us... even if everypony else gets invited to the party.” She looked up as they approached Sugarcube Corner. She laid a hoof on the door handle and took a deep breath. “Well, here we go.” She pushed the door open and stepped inside.

        “There y’all are.” Applejack called as the tinkling of the bell over the door died away. “We were startin’ to get worried.” She leaned back in the booth she sat in. A plate in front of her held the last few remaining bites of an apple fritter. Twilight sat across the table her nose buried in a book. Her horn flared briefly as she flipped the page.

        “Whatever for, dear?” Rarity asked, her head cocked to the side in confusion.

        “Oh, uh... no reason.” Applejack threw the rest of the apple fritter into her mouth, forestalling any more discussion.

        “It’s just that Rainbow Dash doesn’t exactly have the best history with punctuality.” Twilight offered, never looking up from her book. “She’s even just not shown up on occasion, although... she does seem to have gotten better about that in the last few months or so.” A twitch of a smile flashed across her face for the briefest moment. She lit her horn again, placing a bookmark and closing the tome in front of her.

        “So she has.” Rarity eyed her marefriend, who trotted over to the booth with a forced casualness and sat next to Applejack. She followed suit and sat next to Twilight, who bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling. She turned to Applejack, who stared out the window as she swallowed the apple fritter in her mouth. Finally, her gaze fell on Dash, who gave her an artificial smile. “You’ve already told them, haven’t you?”

        “No, of course not.” Rainbow replied with a smile that screamed ‘blatant lie.’ She held the smile for several seconds before dropping her gaze to the table and speaking again. “Okay, yeah, I did.” She peeked up to see her marefriend’s reaction.

        Rarity sighed, shaking her head. “After all the resistance, you went ahead and told them without me.” She reached across the table and gave the pegasus’ hoof a light squeeze. “Very well, if you’ve already told them, why are we gathered here today?”

        “Hey, all of that was real.” Dash shot back, visibly relaxing at the contact. “I only told them a few weeks ago.”

        Pinkie Pie interrupted the discussion, coming out from behind the counter with a plate in her teeth. “Here yu guh.” She dropped the plate on the table in front of Rarity. “Made it just for you.” She looked over at Dash and winked. The fashionista stared at the pastry, her mouth agape. It was a cupcake, but a monstrously huge one. It was at least a foot across and just as tall. The base was made of chocolate with white frosting, complete with three blue diamonds resembling her cutie mark.

        “What are these made of, Pinkie?” Rarity poked at the blue diamonds with a hoof. “They are not actual gemstones, are they?”

        “Of course not, silly.” Pinkie patted the unicorn on the head. “They’re made of sugar glass. Looks just like glass or crystal, but it’s a lot tastier.” She reached behind her back and pulled out another sugar crystal, this one in the shape of a balloon, and popped it in her mouth, the sweet treat crunching loudly as she munched on it.

        “How intriguing... Even so, this is far too large for me to eat alone.” Rarity looked around the table. “Would any of you like a piece?”

        “Sure.” Twilight chirped, her smile a little too big.

        “No, thanks.” Applejack waved a hoof. “Ah just had a bite to eat.”

        “Um... yeah, sure thing, Rares.” Rainbow replied, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

        “Very well...” Rarity arched an eyebrow at her marefriend. “Does anyone have a-”

        “Knife?” Pinkie finished the question, pulling a knife from behind her back. “Oh, and yes, please.”

        “Thank you, Pinkie.” Rarity took the knife in her telekinetic grasp and hovered it over the cupcake. She lowered it into the pastry, slicing it in half. As the knife neared the bottom, it met resistance. She looked quizzically at Pinkie, who appeared to be fighting a head-splitting smile and vibrating slightly, then across the table at Dash, who shifted uncomfortably. The unicorn cut the cupcake around the resistance and pulled the two halves apart, revealing a long black box in the bottom. She shifted her magic and hovered the box in front of her. She heard her heart rate speed up and begin to roar in her ears.

        “Pi-Pinkie Pie.” Rarity’s voice shook slightly. “Wh-What is this?” She looked to the party pony, who shook her head and kept her mouth shut tight. She turned to her marefriend. “R-Rainbow Dash?”

        Rainbow got out of the booth, her wings fluttering in anxiety. She reached up and grabbed the box out of mid-air. “Well... i-it’s a gift, f-for you.” She sat down and opened the box with a hoof. Inside was a single cyan pinion, a flying feather. Rarity clapped a hoof to her mouth in shock. “I-It means-”

        “I-I know what it means, Rainbow.” Rarity cut her marefriend off, worry in her eyes. “Are... are you sure?”

        Dash smiled, reaching out to hold the other mare’s hoof. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” A hint of uncertainty flashed over her features. “What do you say?”

        “Yes!” Rarity blurted the word. “Yes, yes, yes! A thousand times yes!”

        In a blur of motion, Rainbow stood and swept Rarity up in her forelegs and leapt into the air, flying a quick circuit around the interior of Sugarcube corner before stopping to hover a few inches above the floor. “Y-You mean it?” Her voice wavered slightly.

        “Of course I do.” Rarity’s spirits soared as she floated in the air, held aloft by only the hooves of the mare she had come to love so dearly. She’s... getting better. She leaned in for a quick kiss. When she pulled back, she saw an all-too-familiar pain in her marefriend’s beautiful eyes, but it was softer than before. She idly wondered if that same pain was present in her own gaze.

        “I love you, Rarity.” Tears glistened in Dash’s eyes.

        Rarity’s heart swelled, just as it did every time she heard those words. “I love you too, Rainbow Dash.” She briefly thought back to the first time the pegasus had said those words to her. Dash, normally so confident and sure of herself, had stuttered and blushed for nearly three minutes before she managed to get them out.

        “Oh my gosh, I’m so happy for you two!” Pinkie Pie nearly exploded in excitement, jumping onto the floating mares and dragging them slowly back to the ground. She somehow wrapped her hooves all the way around them. “When Dashie told me about what she was planning I wanted to throw a party about it soooo badly, but she made me Pinkie Promise not to say or do anything until she asked you. Now she has and I can say ‘Congratulations!’”

        “Ah’m mighty happy fer ya, sugarcube.” Applejack patted both mares on the back before joining in on the group hug. Twilight piled on to the group hug, not saying anything but letting out a small squeal of excitement. Rarity and Dash merely looked into each others eyes as they filled with tears once again. For once, they were tears of joy.


*


        The weeks and months leading up to the wedding blurred by in a haze of preparations, and before she knew it, Rarity was standing next to Rainbow Dash in the Grand Hall of Canterlot Castle. She looked down, taking one last chance to admire her exquisite white dress, which she made herself, of course. Beside her, Dash was dressed in a gentlecolt’s tuxedo. She ran a critical eye over the tuxedo, smiling as she noticed Dash had finally remembered to make sure her tie was straight, something she had constantly had trouble with in the weeks before. Princess Celestia stood before them, flanked by the rest of their friends. Applejack, wearing her hat despite strenuous objections from Rarity, stood proudly to one side as Rainbow’s best mare. On the other side, Twilight and Pinkie Pie stood as Rarity’s bridesmares. The princess smiled warmly, brightening the hall before speaking.

        “Mares and Gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to bear witness to the union of Rarity and Rainbow Dash in marriage.” She looked out among the crowd. “If anypony has a reason that these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

        “If anypony has an objection...” A dreadfully familiar voice sounded in the silence. “It should be the groom... or one of the brides in this case.” All eyes turned to the source of the disturbance. At the end of the front row stood a white unicorn stallion with a blond mane and a compass rose cutie mark. He smirked as everyone in the Grand Hall turned to stare at him.

        “Honestly, Rainbow Dash, what were you thinking?” Prince Blueblood asked mockingly. “Asking such a low-born, commonplace pony to marry you? Hardly befitting of a future Wonderbolt.” He took a step forward, moving away from the rest of the crowd. “Even worse, you chose to marry the very mare who is responsible for the death of somepony you professed to love. That pretty little pegasus, what was her name? Flut-”

        “Don’t you dare say her name!” Rainbow Dash leapt from the dais, flaring her wings to glide and land in front of the prince. She jabbed a hoof into his chest. “And don’t you dare say another word against Rarity! It wasn’t her fault, it was a mistake!”

        “Of course, a mistake.” Blueblood sneered, towering over Dash. “Just a little slip up that happened to kill your best friend. Something like that...” He paused, making a tsk sound. “It seems unforgivable.”

        “You think she didn’t lose just as much as I did?” Rainbow reared up on her hind legs, extending her wings. “You think she didn’t blame herself for it? That she didn’t spend nights crying her eyes out and wishing that somehow, someway she could take back what she did?”

        “Oh, but she can’t, can she?” Blueblood poked a hoof in the cyan mare’s chest, knocking her back onto all four hooves. “No one can. She’s gone forever, and there’s nothing you can do to change that.”

        “I don’t care!” Dash bellowed, a feral snarl on her face. “I love her, and that’s all that matters!” She stalked closer to the prince. “And I swear, with Celestia, Luna, and Cadence as my witnesses, if you say one more word against Rarity, I will buck your teeth in.”

        “Is that so?” The stallion smirked. “Well, I-”

        “Blueblood.” Celestia broke in, unleashing the full power of the Royal Canterlot Voice. Every eye in the hall turned to face her. A twitch at the corner of her mouth was the only indication that she was upset. “I believe it is time for you to leave.”

        “Of course, Aunt Celestia.” Blueblood gave an exaggerated bow and made his way slowly to the exit. Rainbow Dash trotted back up to the dais, taking a moment to smooth her ruffled feathers and mutter under her breath.

        “Rainbow...” Rarity whispered, her voice thick with emotion as tears filled her eyes.

        “Sorry about that, Rares.” Dash looked over her shoulder to where Blueblood had left and snorted.

        “You-” Rarity cut off her response before her emotions overtook her. She simply leaned over and kissed her soon-to-be wife on the cheek.

        “Ahem.” Celestia cleared her throat quietly. She leaned down. “I do believe you’re getting ahead of things. You’re not supposed to kiss her until after I pronounce you married.” She whispered with a wink.

        “My apologies.” The alabaster mare felt her cheeks flush with color.

        “No no, it is I who should be apologizing, but there will be time for that later. For now, let’s get this show on the road.” Celestia stood up, flaring her wings and speaking so her voice would carry. “Now, for the vows.” She turned to Rarity. “Do you, Rarity Belle, take Rainbow Dash to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for all the days of your life?”

        “I do.” Rarity felt a warmth spread through her chest as the words passed her lips.

        Celestia turned to Dash. “And do you, Rainbow Dash, take Rarity to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for all the days of your life?”

        “You bet I do.” Rainbow said, a huge grin spreading across her face.

        The solar princess smiled beatifically. “Then, by the power vested in me as ruler of Equestria, it is my great honor to pronounce you mare and wife. Now, you may kiss the bride.”

        The couple turned to face one another. They leaned in, sharing a simple, chaste kiss. Rarity felt a joyous tear run down her cheek. This is... perfect.






















Love you, Rarishee...