When was the last time I did not mind getting myself soaked in the rain? Was I truly feeling that detached? My heart was still weeping. The shock had passed, but the grieving had not. I am not even certain if the grieving in my heart will ever truly end.
I stood outside the door to my home. And for once, I was dreading stepping inside. Mitta was likely there. And she… What was I going to tell her? That her savior has fallen and that I had a hoof in his demise? I gently lifted the sign from my door’s handle and pushed it open. The sound of a bell chimed above my head. My workroom was just as I left it yesterday. A few mannequins and unfinished dresses here and there, though the room was mostly open and bare. And sure enough, somepony entered the room from the far end. “Good afternoon. I’m sorry, but we’re currently closed until… Oh, Rarity!”
Sure enough, it was Mitta. My dear gray and crimson assistant. She trotted over to me with a welcoming smile, but it quickly turned into a gaze of concern. “Are you all right? Why are you soaked like this?”
I sighed while looking myself over. My beautiful mane and tail were completely weighed down by the rain, which was pooling in a puddle around my hooves. “Well, I certainly was not expecting such a downpour. If I had known it would’ve been like this, I would have brought a parasol. But how have you been holding up? I trust everything is well? Has little Opal been good for you?”
Mitta looked around at our surroundings, my work environment being completely unchanged from when I left the house to meet my friends at the train station the previous day. “I watched the place like you asked. I didn’t touch anything in here and did a little inventory check while you were gone. And Opal’s been fine. Still doesn’t like me that much, but that’s OK. But…are you sure you’re all right? You don’t…look so good.”
There was no hiding the truth by then. But…I had to think of how I was going to break the news to her. Mitta and James were always close. It was he who rescued her from the cursed confines of… What was the name of that town in the Everfree Forest he mentioned? It has been quite a while. Sunny Town? That sounds about right. Mitta has always looked to him for support. I have done all I can to help ease her into life in Ponyville, but he has truly been her pillar of support.
I began to walk slowly towards the stairwell next to the hall, my soaked hair leaving a trail of water in my wake. “No, Mitta… I am not all right. I have never been less all right in my entire life… The worst possible thing has come to pass…”
I did not get much further. I felt my body give out from me once again. My vision became blurred with tears. But Mitta was quick to rush to my side. “Hold on. Let me get you upstairs. A warm shower should help.”
That sweetheart carried me right upstairs and into my own bathroom. And by Celestia’s crown, did that shower feel good. The chill from the rain was gone. But the tears… They did not stop. Even under the torrent of warm water, I could feel the tears flowing free and merging with it. I did not even bother completely washing myself. I just needed the heat to perk me up. “Towel, please…”
Mitta held a towel just outside the shower door, allowing me to grasp it in a levitation spell. I dried myself off as thoroughly as I could, my tail and mane quickly regaining their lovely curls. Once I stepped out of the shower, Mitta was there to greet me. “Are you all right now? Would some warm tea help? We have plenty of chamomile.”
Sweet dear Mitta. Always trying to be so supportive. The offer of warm tea certainly sounded inviting. “I would appreciate that… If you may, could you bring it up to my room? There’s something in there that I must tend to.”
“All right. I’ll bring it up as soon as it’s done.” Mitta departed quickly. Perhaps she could see how distraught I was. Regardless, I entered my bedroom and closed the door behind me. There were only a few bare mannequins in the room aside from my wardrobe, secondary workstation, and luxurious bed. However, what I was searching for was nearby. One of my most important projects.
It stood taller than me, a curtain hanging from the wall set up around it. And with a magical pull, the curtain parted. Standing before me was a mannequin crafted in the visage of a human. And adorning it was an incomplete ensemble. At the bottom lay a pair of polished black shoes with brass buckles. The trousers were as white as the purest clouds. And the white jacket… Oh, I put my all into getting the design just right! A design that is both spectacular, yet comfortable for the wearer. With twin tails much like those of a swallow hanging from the back. And on the upper arms… Sewn into the fabric was a pair of patches. Each designed to resemble a pair of doves, talons locked with wings spread… His cutie mark…
No… It was not the time for tears. It was near completion and his funeral is only a week away. You must be strong, Rarity. Finish it. Do it for your beloved! If not to be worn to every Grand Galloping Gala from this day forward, then it will be the last thing he ever wears!
My resolve strengthened for the moment, I set about completing my project. I locked my door and gathered my supplies. While my equipment floated within hoof’s reach, I placed my magnifying spectacles upon my nose. Were the tails on the jacket too short? Are the cutie mark patches at just the right height? Buttons or zipper… Oh, certainly brass buttons! Is that a seam on the trousers that has not been closed? I circled and circled and stitched and cut and sewed. Not a single flaw escaped my gaze. And finally… It was done.
I stood before the finest attire I had ever crafted for a human. Beautiful… Simply beautiful. Tears of sorrow and pride flowed from my eyes. It was fantastic. Princely, even. I could already see him standing before me in it. Casting such a warm and thankful smile towards me. He dropped to one knee, taking my hoof in hand and placing a tender kiss upon it. His words… Asking if he may be my knight for the evening… Oh, Sir James… I would gladly be yours for the evening…
“Rari…ty? Uh… Are you OK?” I heard a voice speak from the doorway, bringing me out of my trance. I froze. My hoof was extended toward the… Oh dear, how embarrassing. I must have forgotten to lock the door when I closed it. I pulled my hoof away instantly while trying to smile, my hoof wiping my tears away. I do not think anypony has ever walked in on me having one of my fantasies before. Well, except for the time where Rainbow Dash crashed into my window while I… That is a story for another day.
One look at the doorway revealed the speaker to be Mitta. And resting upon her back was a tea tray carrying a teapot and a pair of tiny cups. She seemed both baffled and concerned for me. Rightfully so. “Um… Why were you posing like that? And… Oh, it’s finished?!”
She trotted over to me and beheld my latest masterpiece. “It’s…beautiful! Is this what you were talking about? James’ new Grand Galloping Gala attire?”
“It is… The previous one, while spectacular with real gold thread woven in, felt…off. But now that I have a much stronger grasp of his true nature, I wove something to project the real him. And…it turned out fabulous.” I spoke softly while still basking in its beauty. Of course, it would never see the Grand Galloping Gala now… In a mere week, it would be buried in the ground never to be seen again.
I proceeded to pull over a spare round table and a pair of stools for us. Once the tray was set out before us, I used levitation to pour us both a steaming cup of tea. The faint scent of honey wafted from the golden fluid. Truly the unmistakable aroma of chamomile tea with some extra honey added in. “Many thanks for the tea, Mitta…”
“It’s no problem… But… Do you want to talk? I’ve never seen you this…upset before. Well, actually… I’ve seen you about this upset before when something really wasn’t going your way or you were stressed from a heavy workload, but…this feels different somehow.” She replied softly while sipping her tea. I could see it in her crimson eyes. She knew something was amiss.
I dreaded what would happen if she learned the truth. Of course, I could not hide it forever. “Mitta… What I am about to say… It is not easy for me, all right? It involves our friend.”
She seemed confused at first. But after a second of silence, she glanced over at the beautiful attire I had just woven. “You mean James? He went to Canterlot with you just yesterday, right? How did that go?”
“Well… We accomplished what the princesses asked of us… So I suppose you can say it was a success…even if it came with a heavy cost.” I was terrified to speak the truth. There had to be a way to ease her into it. I know Mitta values James highly. The first friend she had gained since…however long ago that curse was placed upon her. It was he who went back for her. Braved the dangers of the Everfree Forest. And entirely on his own. Just to bring her to the princesses of the moon to purify her.
“Heavy cost? What was it? The castle wasn’t damaged, was it?” She asked in return, still completely ignorant to the nature of the sacrifice we had endured… I turned my gaze to the attire covering the human mannequin nearby, which Mitta soon did as well. “It really is lovely, Rarity. I can’t wait to see him wear it to the Grand Galloping Gala.”
It was then that I decided to relay the truth to her. My heart heavy, I spoke quietly. “No… It will never see the Grand Galloping Gala now. The only time it will be worn is during his funeral.”
Mitta immediately turned her head to face me, her expression of bewilderment slowly turning into one of horror. “At his funeral? Why would… Wait… Rarity, you don’t mean… He’s not…?”
I bowed my head. The tears swiftly returned to me as I spoke the truth. “A grave crisis grew shortly after our arrival. James got swept up in it and… He fell in battle against the Spirit of Chaos… He’s gone, Mitta… Gone and there wasn’t a thing we could do to save him…”
Her stare was blank. She did not speak at all for a moment. At first, I thought she was in shock. However, she then began to speak quietly. “You’re serious…? He’s…dead?”
I nodded solemnly. “He is… I saw him lie dead before me. And even at the hospital, I was the one the doctor relayed the news to… I wish it was all a lie, but…”
Mitta turned her gaze to the cup of tea. Her eyes… They did not shed tears. They seemed…troubled, but also confused. As if she was uncertain of how to process what I had just said to her. Could it be that being trapped out there in that cursed town for centuries had dulled her ability to respond to certain events? I finally spoke up in concern. “Mitta… Darling, are you all right?”
“I don’t know, Rarity… I’m not entirely certain of what to feel… I know you wouldn’t lie to me, but…I’m not sure if I believe you.” She quietly said in return. She then lifted her gaze until she was looking at me with such a…conflicted stare. “It’s been so long since I last felt loss… It was different with Ruby. I never forgot about what happened with her, but…it just dissolved into a state of depression and self-loathing after a while. I… I just don’t know what to think of this. I feel a sting in my heart, but…”
I saw a tear fall from her cheek, so I lifted a napkin to it to dry her coat. “I know… I… I still am having difficulty coming to terms with the loss myself… His funeral will be held in exactly one week, Mitta. Maybe then you will understand how to feel. It will be our last chance to say goodbye…”
“Thank you for telling me, Rarity. I’ll be sure to attend… Uh… May I be excused? I… I just need some time to get my thoughts together…” I could not refuse her request. With a nod, I gave her permission to depart.
Once again, I was alone. And soon, I stood before the final ensemble I had ever crafted for my beloved. I know his heart belonged to another, but my heart still pined for him. Such is its nature. I reached out to it, hoping to maybe feel him through it. But as I did, I saw it on my hoof. The bracelet. That silver band lined with opals. I had all but forgotten.
I could still remember… Mere days after his arrival. I saw when we first met how he had nowhere to go. It would not do for a newcomer to have nowhere to stay for the night. And I had to make it up to him after smashing his forehead into my doorway by accident… He was so modest. Almost as if he was unwilling to accept all my aid. But I had to do something for the wayward soul. And then…after weaving for him that gorgeous robe to be worn to the Grand Galloping Gala, he bestowed upon me that wondrous gift. I saw it within him then at that moment. Such generosity. The same as mine… And now…the one who gave me this lovely band is…
Tears once more clouded my vision. A new wrath filled my heart. Not towards anyone else, but towards myself. He gave me this gift, and I threw him away without ever once thinking of it. I rushed to the window, pushing it open before sliding my bracelet off. “I am not worthy of this… For what I did to you, I do not deserve this gift!”
Using the levitation spell, I hurled it out the window. I lowered my head. It was gone. That lovely gift, but…I did not deserve to keep it. However, I soon turned my head up. I had heard something. The tree just outside my home. At first, I could not see anything through the rain. But with the next flash of lightning, I saw it. The bracelet had not fallen to the ground. It had become snagged on the tip of a branch. It hung there, forlornly. As if mocking me for my failure. No matter how the wind blew, it did not fall.
I looked down at my ankle. For the first time in a year, it was bare. I never removed it. I always kept it close. A gift that was not requested, yet given it was. I turned my gaze to the bracelet hanging outside my window. I could have removed it with levitation and cast it again, but… I did not. I felt that would be the best place for it to stay. A permanent reminder of what I have lost. A reminder of what the last things I did and said to him were…
No more… I cannot continue writing. My eyes are so tired… So painful. I must sleep. I need to deliver that attire to Canterlot in the morning.