//------------------------------//
// Prompt #459-Visitation, Finally 
// Story: Ponywatching 
// by ThunderTempest 
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Canterlot Prison was rather pleasant to look at. From the outside, at least. Were it not for the six Royal Guards stationed in the entryway, and the slight shimmering of the air that indicated the presence of several anti-magic and anti-flight spells, Rarity would have never even known it was a prison. Of course, it was a very different story once inside. Or at least, that’s how Rarity imagined it would be. Prisons were not supposed to be pleasant, or they wouldn’t be much of a punishment.

Rarity could still remember the trial like it was yesterday, though three months had passed since Fluttershy had allowed herself to be convicted. How a careless comment from Twilight to her brother had lead to the investigation of a century in Ponyville. How Fluttershy had whimpered and in that soft, gentle tone, told Shining Armor everything. How Twilight had burst into tears at what she had set in motion, once Shining had explained what would likely happen, and her subsequent research into anything that could help Fluttershy. She hadn’t found anything, and so Fluttershy was left to her fate.

The unicorn continued to stare at the building from the outside. She lifted a single front hoof, and made to step forwards, toward the prison, but instead placed it back down to the side, turning around, and walked away. She couldn’t bring herself to face Fluttershy. Couldn’t bring herself to face her own failure as a friend. She could have done something, surely, to help Fluttershy. Some Element of Generosity she was.

*****

Rarity looked at the doors of Canterlot Prison. Totally unlike the giant, ornate and hollow metal doors of Canterlot Castle, these doors were closer to normal size, and were made of two-inch thick oak, wrapped in iron. Applejack could buck them all day, and they would refuse to give an inch. She had gotten closer to the prison this time, unlike nine months ago. But yet, everytime she made to go to enter the building, her hooves froze. It wasn’t that Rarity was afraid of the prison itself. It was what she would find inside that scared her. She would find Fluttershy, looking at her with that sad, disappointed, but understanding expression on her face. Because she would know that there was nothing that Rarity could have done for her, and that was the most terrible feeling that Rarity could ever experience.

Once more, Rarity turned away from Canterlot Prison, unable to face Fluttershy. Unable to face herself.

*****

It was Fluttershy’s Birthday today, Rarity remembered. She briefly wondered if they celebrated birthdays in prison. Maybe they did. The thought of visiting entered the designer’s mind. But she knew it would come to nothing, like every other time she had tried to visit. And yet, the thought, now lodged in her mind, refused to clear. In an effort to clear her head, Rarity put on one of her signature giant hats, and headed out for a walk through Canterlot.

So occupied with trying to clear her head, she didn’t even notice that her hooves had carried her to Canterlot Prison until she felt the faint wash of the anti-magic spell cross her horn.

[Time]

This was the closest that Rarity had gotten to the prison in the two years and four months that Fluttershy had been imprisoned. This close, and after all this time, Rarity no longer considered the building pleasant. It was imposing, if not downright terrifying. The two earth pony guards stationed on either side of the doors didn’t help matters either. Rarity made to turn away, but in an odd twist, found herself unable to. Even with her failing as a friend, Fluttershy deserved to at least be wished a happy birthday, even in prison. One hesitant step toward the prison doors turned into two. Two became three, and it kept climbing, until Rarity was trotting at a calm pace towards the iron-bound doors, and announced her intention to visit her dear friend Fluttershy.

The doors creaked open rather ominously, and Rarity walked inside, head held high, and the doors closed behind her.