//------------------------------// // Acciaccato- Pt. 2 // Story: Where My Heart Lives // by D4ftP0ny //------------------------------// The clouds over Canterlot had not yet broken by the time Fleur and Rarity had decided to leave, but the heavy atmosphere that hung over the city had told the two mares all they needed to know about the weather that evening: the rain was coming and it was coming soon. It had been painfully obvious, even to Rarity who wasn’t particularly well versed in matters of weather, and after a brief discussion, the two had made the decision to call a taxi to get them to where they wanted to go. Their cab had appeared quickly, but when they told the driver where it was they wanted to go, he had arched an eyebrow at them as if he hadn’t heard them correctly. Rarity had waited for him to ask for clarification, but when the driver had simply shrugged and started pulling the cart along, she had decided to let the subject drop. The two mares weren’t sure how far away this club was, but Fleur had assured Rarity that any of the night clubs in the city were all within a thirty minute cab ride from her home so the designer wasn’t the least bit worried about time. Even though they weren’t expecting a long ride, the two mares had quickly lost themselves in excited speculation as to what the night had in store for them and Rarity even acknowledged that her previous trepidation about the evening was quickly falling away as they got closer and closer to their destination. However, when the cab driver finally stopped in the street next to a long, dark alleyway, Rarity’s brow furrowed into a suspicious frown. “A’ight, here’s your stop,” he said, his accent clipped and flippant. “That’ll be five bits.” Rarity blinked at the driver before turning her gaze to the city around her and, as her eyes flitted from one shadowy building to the next, she could not deny that, while Canterlot was considered one of the safest cities in the realm, she did not feel entirely comfortable in this particular neighborhood. The street they had stopped on was near the downtown district and, as such, had the large buildings and businesses of the greater Canterlot area looming over it, their dimly-lit façades fading off into the bleakness that hung overhead. The street was narrow and the buildings around it taller than the usual style in Canterlot with most of their construction made up of tall brick walls that made the whole place feel even more closed in. It feels almost the same as walking into the Everfree Forest late at night, the designer thought with a shiver. The same foreboding, the same darkness… I suppose the exception is that, in the Everfree, we know WHY it feels that way. She was certain it was just the weather looming over their heads that was turning an average night into a horror story waiting to happen, but she would be roped and branded before she would willingly walk into a horror story without some kind of preparation. “But where is the Magical Hat?” Rarity asked, turning a suspicious gaze on the driver. “We asked to be taken to the Magical Hat club, sir.” The stallion gave his head a brisk shake before turning to her and smirking. “And here y’are,” he said with a nod to his right. “315 Morrowood Drive, the Magical Hat.” Rarity blinked and followed his nod with her gaze to the buildings next to her, worry creasing her brow. I don’t like the look of this. In the light from the street lamps, she could see that there was a gap in the foreboding wall of bricks, a sliver of blackness in the gray overcoat of the street. It was an alleyway and it was so dark that Rarity couldn’t see anything past the small triangle of yellow light that the streetlamps made across its entrance. The unicorn felt her excitement and elation suddenly wane drastically and her ears drooped almost to her mane in trepidation. This is starting to seem like a very bad idea, she thought, but before she could voice her anxiety Fleur sat forward with a smile. “But where is the club, sir?” she asked. “My friend and I are used to going to clearly lit places with a sign out front, so you’ll forgive us if a dark alley seems to be a bit of a strange place for a club.” Rarity arched an eyebrow in Fleur’s direction at the forthrightness of her question. I’m a bit surprised at her – that question makes us sound like a pair of clueless out-of-towners, she thought with a frown, but without missing a beat the driver turned his head and gave a knowing grin to Fleur. “Aaah, I getcha. Sorry I didn’t explain b’fore, ladies, but it ain’t often that a pony asks to come to a club like this an’ don’t know what she’s in for.” He turned back to face the alley and pointed with his right front hoof. “The club is down that alleyway jus’ a bit, not far, but far enough that you won’t be able to see the sign from the street.” He made a vague gesture with his hoof that drifted towards the front of the taxi. “Jus’ go in there an’ about thirty feet back you’ll see a sign set into the wall on your left, glowing neon sign, can’t miss it. An’ next to the sign there’s, like, three stairs, I dunno I don’t go there, three or four stairs that leads to the door of the club.” He dropped his hoof back to the ground and turned a comforting smile back to the two mares. “Don’t you worry none about the dark, neither,” he said with a nod. “This part of the city is older, but just as safe as the rest of Canterlot. It’s mostly for the atmosphere of it, really.” “But why would they put a sign back where you can’t see it from the street?” asked Rarity, her already arched eyebrow rising higher on her head. “That seems oddly suspicious.” Instead of answering her, however, Fleur waved her hoof dismissively at Rarity before turning her smile back to the cab driver. “Thank you very much for the ride and your help, sir,” she said sweetly. Her horn lit up and she levitated a small collection of bits out of her stylish saddlebag. “This is for the ride–” five bits separated from the stack and slid into the driver’s own bag, “–and this,” Fleur said with a wink, “is for the extra information. Thank you once again, sir.” Five more bits slid neatly into the stallion’s bag and his smile became brighter as he tipped his hat to the tall unicorn. “No problem at all, ma’am. Happy to help an’ all.” As Fleur nodded to him in return, Rarity felt her ire rise and it only burned hotter as her friend turned to her and gestured towards the street with a hoof, indicating that she was to get out. I know that I’ve said it before, but I truly do HATE feeling like I’ve missed something! She thought vehemently. She frowned hard at Fleur before standing in the wagon and hopping out, her hooves clopping loudly in the nearly silent street as she took several quick steps away from the wagon to regain her balance. Moments later, Fleur joined her, the taller pony stepping gracefully out of the wagon before turning and offering the driver one last, gracious nod. The driver grinned and offered the comely unicorn a wink before giving his wagon a heave and starting off down the quiet street, no doubt towards one of the busier parts of town. Rarity watched as Fleur waved after him, her frown deepening so much that when her friend turned back towards her Fleur blinked in surprise. “Why Rarity, what’s the matter?” she asked. “You look like somepony insulted your family.” “Insulted my intelligence, perhaps,” Rarity huffed as she turned towards the alley, her shoulders tight with irritation. She stared into the darkness off the street as she gave her head a small shake. “I mean, it’s obviously a private club of some kind, but why have it off the street in such a manner? I’ve never seen it done that way in other cities.” Over her shoulder she heard Fleur sigh loudly and, to her surprise, she heard the other pony’s light laughter float over her ears. “Well Rarity, it’s not as if you’ve shown much interest in the Canterlot night life since you’ve been here,” Fleur reminded her as she took the few steps separating the two mares and drew up next to Rarity. “Perhaps if you’d allowed me to take you out once or twice instead of locking yourself away with your work..?” Rarity’s nose wrinkled as she glared at Fleur, but after a moment, both mares chuckled softly and Rarity relaxed. “Yes, perhaps I should have,” she conceded, her hooves scraping across the stones beneath her as the pair started towards the alley. “But now that we’re out and about as you wanted, perhaps you could enlighten me, darling.” Rarity’s gaze danced over the entrance to the alley, taking in every bit of stone and mortar that she could. The stone was damp from the moisture in the air and as the two mares stepped from the well-lit street into the shadows of the alley Rarity could not help but feel as though she were stepping into a cave instead of a street. The earthy scents of moistened stone filled her nostrils, but to her surprise, that was the only smell that she could detect. There was no rotting garbage, no small animal traces, nothing other than the clean scent of wet stone reached her refined scent palate and, in spite of what the cab driver had said, Rarity felt surprise wash over her, quickly followed by a relaxing sense of relief. That means this place is well taken care of, she thought as she increased her pace, her hoofsteps echoing loudly off the bare walls in cadence with Fleur’s. “Clubs like this one are private clubs in the most extreme sense of the word,” said Fleur quietly as they walked. “Here in Canterlot, there are many high-profile ponies who are so recognizable to the public that they simply cannot get a moment’s peace even when they go out to relax. Ponies like the Wonderbolts, Hoity Toity the fashion designer, Sapphire Shores the pop singer. They all wanted places that they could go relax, have a drink or two, and listen to other ponies ply their trade for a bit. So, a few enterprising businessponies decided to put together a few clubs that were different than your usual establishment: private clubs that were not only closed to the everyday pony on the street, but that were impossible to get into without being invited by a pony who already went there.” Ahead of the pair, a bright, colorful light slowly came into view, its radiance lighting up the wall on Rarity’s right even though the source itself remained hidden. Fleur turned her head and gave Rarity a smirk. “Who did you say invited you, again?” “Vinyl Scratch,” Rarity said, her eyes riveted to the glow ahead. “She said I should come here.” “Well, let’s hope that counts as an invitation, otherwise this is going to be a very short adventure, indeed.” Rarity snorted softly and nodded, but despite Fleur’s words she couldn’t bring herself to feel any kind of trepidation. Instead, she could feel her enthusiasm beginning to bubble inside her once more as the two mares finally stepped into the bright glow that illuminated the wall and Rarity was forced to blink a few times as she peered eagerly towards the light source. It was a neon sign, just as the driver had said it would be: bright white lights made up the outline of the top hat from the card Vinyl had given Rarity while a square of deep purple lights served as the band across it. The entire hat sat atop three words that blazed magenta in the darkness, three words that made Rarity’s stomach flip with excitement: The Magical Hat. The unicorn’s eyes widened as she stared at the sign, its brilliant colors dousing her with its multi-hued light and washing her normally pristine white coat a faded shade of purple. Here it is, she thought almost reverently. Finally, I’ll unravel Vinyl’s little mystery game and find out why she wanted me to come here! She could feel her hooves bouncing against the cobblestones as anticipation rose up and mingled with her eagerness and, as her eyes darted from the sign to the door next to it, she felt as though she were no longer standing next to Fleur but rather floating alongside her in the damp air. A few moments passed as Rarity stared at the sign and the bright red door next to it, her mind racing with all of the thoughts and feelings that had been buried by the avalanche of her earlier revelations about Octavia. She continued to stare until she felt a gentle, yet insistent, nudge against her left side. The unicorn blinked and shook her head briskly before turning her gaze to her companion, who arched an eyebrow at her. “Is everything all right, Rarity?” asked Fleur with a smirk. “Or am I going to have to carry you into this club?” Rarity’s nose crinkled as she rolled her eyes at her friend. “You most certainly will not be doing that,” she said firmly. “I’m perfectly capable of moving myself, thank you very much.” “Then why don’t we get inside before the rain starts, hmm?” The tall unicorn nodded towards the door. “I’ll even let you go first, since the pony that invited us is your friend.” “But why would that matter?” Rarity frowned as she took Fleur’s advice and moved past the neon sign towards the door that led to the club itself. The door sat recessed into the brickwork of the building a good pony-length and lower than the street by three whole steps, giving the impression that one was entering into a burrow or another passage in the cave of the alley. “Trust me, Rarity,” Fleur said as the pair descended the stairs to the landing below, “In a club like this, the pony who sent you matters.” “I see.” Rarity felt a thrill of trepidation flash up her spine as she approached the door, causing her head to spin slightly. “Well, I hope that her name is enough, then.” She took a deep breath, lifted her right front leg, and wrapped her hoof around the doorknob, but just as she was about to turn it, she turned back to Fleur with a broad grin. “I wonder what kind of club this is going to be,” she whispered excitedly. “I mean, I guess I really didn’t think of it before now.” Fleur smiled ever so slightly and rolled her eyes, but her voice held none of the sarcasm that Rarity had expected from her. “Well, what kind of mare is your friend Vinyl?” she asked, shifting on her hooves to stand closer to Rarity. “What kind of a club would she like, do you think?” Rarity’s eyes widened as a vision rose unbidden into her mind: a vision of hypnotically flashing lights, mind-jarringly loud music, and eagerly gyrating ponies on a glowing, iridescent dance floor. “Oh my… I suppose I didn’t think of it that way,” she muttered, her brow furrowing. Next to her, Fleur let out a loud sigh, but the smile she gave Rarity wasn’t tense or irritated in the slightest. Instead, the smile that the taller unicorn offered her was the same kind of smile that Rarity gave to Twilight when she was over-thinking something – the gentle, encouraging smile that suggested action over deliberation. Rarity knew that smile well and, with a soft chuckle, she gave Fleur one in return. “You’re right, Fleur,” she said firmly. “Enough of this – let’s go in and see just what kind of mess that disc jockey has gotten us in to!” Her hoof tightened on the knob then twisted it firmly and, after taking a deep breath, Rarity stood up straight, put on her best no-nonsense face, and opened the door. Instead of the pounding, head-throbbing music that she was expecting to hear, Rarity was more than a bit surprised when a gentle piano solo washed over her, its notes calm and melancholic in the darkness of the interior of the building. She blinked as she released the doorknob and stepped forward, allowing Fleur to follow her inside and close the door behind them. The whole room was dark, though Rarity noted that it was a great deal more brightly lit than the alleyway outside. Perhaps that’s why there are no lights on the outside of the building, she realized. That way when you come inside, it immediately looks brighter. To her left, there was a large partition, a high dark wood obstacle that reminded her greatly of the large panels that had been used in the White Lily and, to her right, stood the inner wall of the building, its dark red bricks dry and handsome-looking compared to their damp cousins in the street. Her eyes roved the wall upwards, her gaze tracing the bricks as they climbed halfway up the wall before they stopped in an abrupt line and became a soothing off-white plaster. From there, the plaster climbed the rest of the way to the ceiling and spread out over the rest of the room, its far reaches hidden from view by the wooden barrier. That is its function, no doubt, Rarity thought with the quirk of a knowing smile. If what Fleur said is correct, then the owners of the Hat would no doubt be very particular about the privacy of their clients and this simple, easily assembled faux-wall ensures that, even if some random pony enters their club, they cannot catch a glimpse of some famous pony or other for use in their tabloids or whatever else they may do with that information. The piano tickled Rarity’s ears again and, in spite of herself, her smile broadened. A classy establishment indeed! She let out a sigh and turned her eyes back to the narrow path before her and, as her gaze settled onto the broad shoulders and impassive face of the most enormous earth pony she had ever laid eyes on, her smile flickered and died out like a flashlight with dead batteries. Ah yes, I forgot that classy establishments usually have bouncers, she thought weakly. Her ears slowly flattened themselves against her head as the earth pony approached them, his mere presence seeming to press Rarity down towards the floor. His coat was deep chocolate brown, his mane was charcoal black, and he had eyes that were the most intense blue that Rarity had ever seen. He was perhaps the most intimidating presence she had ever felt and he stopped mere feet from the two mares, his eyes darting from Rarity to Fleur and back again as his lips pressed into a thin line. “Welcome to the Magical Hat,” he said, his voice deep and strong. “Can I help you?” Rarity opened her mouth, but even as the words rose in her throat she stopped herself before speaking. Hold on a moment, Rarity. If this club is of the caliber that Fleur claims it is, you’re not going to get in bowing and scraping like a servant. Stand up straight! She raised her head and shifted her hooves so that her shoulders realigned properly. Look confident! She took a deep breath and forced her expression to become neutral and businesslike as her ears popped back upright. Now – tell this stallion how he can help you! “I certainly hope that you can help me,” she said with a toss of her mane. “A friend of mine recommended this club to me and I was hoping to find a seat.” The stallion’s eyes narrowed slightly. “The Magical Hat is an invitation only club, ma’am,” he said quietly. “I’m afraid it’s not open to the public.” Rarity stood up even straighter, trying her best to look the stallion squarely in the eyes despite being a good head shorter than he was. “And one of your patrons invited me,” she said confidently. “That does count as an invitation, does it not?” “Hmmm…” The bouncer leaned down and peered at her closely, “and the name of your friend, ma’am?” “Vinyl Scratch,” said Rarity as she met his gaze unblinkingly. As soon as she said her friend’s name, the stallion’s entire demeanor changed: his eyes widened and he immediately took a step back and, as he did so, Rarity felt the pressure in her chest ease as if his mere presence truly had been pressing her down. “Oh, Miss Scratch invited you!” He said, his voice suddenly much less intimidating than it had been moments before. His deep tones shifted from a threatening blanket of thunderclouds to the warmth of a thick down comforter in a matter of seconds as he smiled. “That must mean that you’re Miss Rarity!” The unicorn felt a swell of pride in her chest at the way he said her name and, after a moment, she tossed her mane importantly. “Indeed I am,” she said with a dazzling smile. “She mentioned me, did she?” “Oh did she ever!” the stallion said with a deep, warm chuckle. “Ever since you came to Canterlot three weeks ago, you’re all she could talk about! She’d just go on and on and…” His eyes widened slightly and, after a moment, he raised his hoof to his muzzle and coughed lightly. “Well anyway, she mentioned a few days ago that you might be coming, so she told me to keep an eye out for you.” He extended his hoof towards her, his broad face splitting into a grin. “The name’s Bulwark, ma’am – it is such a pleasure to finally meet you.” Rarity blushed at the earnest enthusiasm in his voice as she reached out her right hoof and shook Bulwark’s firmly. “A pleasure to meet you, sir,” she said with a smile. “So am I to assume that I am allowed in?” “Of course, Miss Rarity! I’ll even show you to your table myself.” He lowered his hoof and his gaze flickered to Fleur. “Of course, we may have to have a word about your friend, unless she was invited by Miss Scratch as well?” Rarity opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Fleur stepped up next to her, a confident smile on her lips. “I was not, but perhaps you could admit me anyway, Bulwark?” The large stallion frowned, and suddenly his presence filled the hallway again as he took a step forward. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, ma’am,” he said quietly. “Not unless you are–” “–somepony worth admitting?” Fleur finished with a grin. “Perhaps you could ask your boss if you’re allowed to admit Fleur de Lis.” Rarity glanced at Fleur, her chest suddenly tight from the tension in the air. Oh Fleur, please don’t be doing something stupid, she thought frantically, but to her everlasting surprise, Bulwark’s eyes widened again, so much that she felt certain they would pop out of his head. “F-F-Fleur de Lis?!” he whispered sharply. “Oh wow, ma’am, I… I am so sorry I didn’t recognize you!” He cleared his throat and straightened his neck, his face once again businesslike and confident. “You’re definitely on our list of ponies to admit, Miss de Lis.” He bowed his head slightly, then turned in the confined space and gestured towards the opening at the end of the partition. “Please, this way.” The two mares nodded as one and, together, the three ponies headed towards the rest of the room. As Bulwark pulled ahead of them, Rarity turned her head and arched a suspicious eyebrow at her friend. “And how is it that your name just happens to be on a list of ponies admitted to an exclusive club?” she asked quietly, her mane bobbing with her movements as they walked. Fleur smiled secretively and gave her own mane a self-satisfied toss. “There are a great many things you still don’t know about me, dear Rarity,” she whispered as Bulwark stopped at the gap in the faux-wall. “Maybe one of these days I’ll tell you all about it.” She winked as the pair reached Bulwark and, with a silent sigh, Rarity turned her attention back to the stallion. He smiled and nodded before stepping out into the main room and, as Rarity’s gaze followed the stallion, she finally got to see the thing that had plagued her imagination for days: the interior of the Magical Hat. The club was, in Rarity’s opinion, the very definition of minimalistic style and class. At the center of the far wall sat a low stage where a gray stallion played the piano, the stage’s lights the only great source of illumination in the entire room. Deep, wine colored curtains hung to either side of the stage area and, as Rarity’s gaze darted around the room, she noticed that the theme of dark wood and deep red were repeated everywhere in the Hat – the chairs and tables in the center of the room near the stage mimicked the color scheme as did the woodwork along the booths set into the walls. Deep crimson curtains hung to either side of most of the booths while some were drawn closed and, as the trio moved along the edge of the tables at the room’s center, Rarity realized that those were privacy curtains. When combined with the soft lights that illuminated each booth from the inside, the ponies who sat in the booths along the edge of the room would appear as silhouettes, at best, even if they decided not to draw the privacy curtains. All in all, it was clear that a good deal of thought had gone into privacy at the Magical Hat. They must have some prestigious clients, indeed, if they feel the need to hide even when here, she thought as she followed Bulwark deeper into the building. The thought of the Hat’s patrons wrenched Rarity’s attention away from the building’s décor and forced it towards the various ponies who sat throughout the room. It did not seem to be a busy night for the club and Rarity estimated that a good deal less than half the seats in front of the stage were full, but taking Bulwark at his word, she knew that each of these ponies was an individual she would call “the type of pony everypony should know”. I wonder if there’s anypony I know here tonight. Her eyes darted to and fro across the scattered crowd, their low murmured conversations creating a gentle thrum of noise that nestled itself beneath the piano player’s lonesome melody as if it were a warm blanket on a cool autumn evening. She kept her gaze moving steadily as the trio moved towards the booths directly opposite the stage, ensuring that she didn’t stop and stare at anypony for a length of time that would seem inappropriate, but it was a difficult thing, she had to admit. Seated near stage left was a light blue Pegasus mare that Rarity recognized despite her stylish sunglasses hiding her eyes. No matter what she was wearing, Fleetfoot was not a pony that was easy to forget, especially with her shocking all-but white mane and cool demeanor. Rarity’s gaze shifted from Fleetfoot to one of the booths along the wall behind the Pegasus where she could see Hoity Toity relaxing with his signature sunglasses off for a change, his smile calm and peaceful as he sipped at a glass full of a deep red liquid. I can’t remember ever seeing him so at ease, she thought with a smile. It’s nice to see that he does have a haven where he feels so comfortable. She allowed herself a small, breathy chuckle as she turned her attention back towards her companion, but as she did so, her eyes caught movement in one of the booths that flanked stage right – a shimmer of ethereal blue that glimmered like a thousand stars nestled in the bosom of space that quickly tucked itself back into the privacy curtains drawn about the booth. The unicorn blinked and paused in her walk, her brow furrowing. Was that..? She squinted at the booth, hoping that whatever it was would make a second appearance, but after a few moments she gave her head a shake and smiled even as her ears drooped slightly. Oh come now, Rarity, don’t be silly. You’re just seeing things. She snorted under her breath and hurried after Fleur. Finally, Bulwark turned once sharply and stopped next to one of the curtained booths, his smile just as friendly as it had been before. “All right, ladies, this is your booth for the evening. Miss Scratch requested that we give you her own personal seat directly across from the stage.” His smile became a grin. “We love Miss Scratch, but we all know she only shows up for the music so this seat was really the natural selection for her.” He gestured with his hoof and dipped his head politely. “Please enjoy yourselves and Dawn will be over shortly to take your orders if you’d like something.” “Thank you very much,” said Fleur with a gracious nod as she stepped up to the booth. “Yes, thank you,” Rarity echoed as she moved to stand next to Fleur. “And if I could bother you for the time, please? Vinyl told me that I should try to be here before eleven, though I have no idea why.” To her surprise, Bulwark’s eyes narrowed and his grin became broad as the two mares slid themselves into the seats of the booth. “Oh, is that why she sent you?” He nodded slowly, as if everything that had happened in the past five minutes had all been the pieces of a huge puzzle and Rarity had just given him the final one. “Yeah, one of her favorite bands is playing tonight at eleven. They’re only here two nights a week and, as far as I know, Miss Scratch hasn’t ever missed a performance. Until tonight, that is.” His brow furrowed slightly as the realization hit him and Rarity could not help but frown herself as he gave his head a shake and smiled once more. “Anyway, the band is called ‘Nothing But Treble’ and they’ll be on stage in about five minutes. I hope you enjoy, ladies.” Without further ado, the large earth pony inclined his head to Rarity and Fleur before turning and hurrying back towards the entry way. Rarity watched him go, her frown still creasing her features. If she never misses a performance, then why isn’t she here? She wondered as her gaze flickered to the stage where the gray stallion, who had been playing the piano, finished his piece. He rose from the instrument and bowed once to a warm round of applause from the audience before hurrying off stage. And what’s so special about this particular band that she makes sure that she is always here? Rarity watched as a few stage ponies hurried out from behind the curtain and pushed the piano a few feet to the left so that it dominated stage left while two more crew ponies brought out two microphones and a drum set on a small cart. “This is a beautiful club,” Fleur commented, her voice drawing Rarity’s gaze from where the crew ponies were setting up the drums back to the table. “I just might have to make this a place I frequent, especially if the music continues to be as good as that last stallion.” The other unicorn stretched and settled herself comfortably into the seat, her right hoof reaching out and dragging one of the menus left on the table towards her. “And it will also matter just how good their drinks are.” “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” said Rarity with a half-hearted smile as her eyes darted back to the stage. “Though, I have to admit, the whole thing is turning out to be a bit more mysterious than I’d first thought. Why wouldn’t Vinyl simply come here with us if she always comes to see this particular group play? Why would she give us her seat and then not show up herself?” The ponies on stage finished setting up the drums and cleared the area as two more ponies shuffled out from behind the curtains carrying a stool and a standing bass. “It just doesn’t make sense.” “Well, the logical explanation is that she wanted you to see this show specifically and knew that, if she gave you her seats, you’d have the best view for it.” Rarity sighed and turned back to Fleur, her expression melancholic. “But that still doesn’t explain why she didn’t come with us,” she said with a sigh. “There’s plenty of space here for the three of us. Why wouldn’t she come, too?” The murmuring of the club filled the silence between the two mares as the stage ponies finished their changes and hurried away into the unseen world behind the curtains, but before either of them could find a satisfactory answer, four ponies entered from stage right and the crowd’s muttering fell away into silence as one of the quartet moved towards the microphone at the front of the stage, her crimson sequin-covered dress shimmering in the stage lights as she sauntered forward. Rarity’s eyes widened at the mare and it was all she could do to keep her mouth from dropping open in surprise as the soft gold mare stopped before the mic and gave her pink and red mane a toss that caused it to drape spectacularly across the left side of her face. “Good evening, beloved patrons of the Magical Hat,” she purred into the mic, her clear blue eyes sweeping the building as her full red lips pursed into a coy smile. “Thank you all for braving the impending downpour just for us.” The crowd’s silence broke into a smattering of laughter and applause that caused the mare on stage to giggle tantalizingly. “Oh stop it, all of you – you’ll make me blush!” Her grin widened. “But wait, I already am.” Behind her, the three other members of the group groaned in exaggerated fashion and, for the first time, Rarity’s eyes were able to focus on anypony other than the mare at the front of the stage. They were clad in wide-brimmed black hats with gray bands as well as dark gray trench coats that hid their features so completely that Rarity couldn’t even tell if they were unicorns, Pegasi or earth ponies. Part of their gimmick, no doubt, she thought as she shifted in her seat, turning her body so that she could better see the show. She was able to note, however, that it seemed to be an all-mare ensemble. That, at least, no mere coat can hide. One of the mares moved to the drum set and, even beneath the hat, Rarity could see the smile on her face. The other two mares remained carefully anonymous as they moved about, one moving to the standing bass while the other pulled a trumpet out from her case. The only thing that they gave away was the race of the trumpet player who shifted her coat and brought out two soft blue wings to play her instrument. Out of the corner of Rarity’s eye, she saw the shimmering blonde mane of the pony who must have been their waitress arrive, but she wasn’t interested in drinks. Her gaze was riveted to the band. I’m certain that Fleur will be able to take care of herself, she thought. The mare on stage giggled again and waved a hoof at her band mates before turning back to face the audience again with a seductive grin, her hoof wrapping around the mic stand. “That’s right, everypony – my name is Strawberry Blush and we are Nothing But Treble.” As soon as the band’s name left Strawberry’s lips, the drummer sprang into action, her sticks kissing the cymbal on her drums before starting a gentle beat that filled the room like the pounding of a heart. The standing bass player joined in next, her hooves plucking the strings expertly as the trumpet player’s head bobbed in time, her instrument held at her side as she waited for her cue. The beat slipped into Rarity and, before she knew it, she was tapping her hoof along with the rest of the ponies in the room. After two cycles of the repeating melody, the trumpet player raised her horn and blew her crisp, clear notes through the foundation laid by the bass and drums, her counter melody winding around and around in a whimsical fashion until, finally, with a look through her bangs that would have made even the staunchest stallion melt, Strawberry Blush began to sing. I can catch you with my smile, and melt you with my eyes. With a voice like honey, and lips of burning red. But I’m like a Changeling, all of this is a disguise, and once I’m done with you there’s only one thing to be said. Her words poured out over the club and even Rarity felt her cheeks begin to flush at the passion the red-haired mare poured into her song. She’s got the spirit for this kind of a show, that’s for certain. Strawberry shifted and gave her mane a toss as the drum, bass, and trumpet rose around her in a crescendo. You’ll say I’m trouble I wear hearts strung in my mane. Yeah, you know I’m trouble, but you’ll love me just the same. The trumpet rose over the group as Strawberry took a step back from the mic and, as the Pegasus proceeded to play her solo, Rarity felt a hoof on her leg. She gave a start and turned towards Fleur with a jerk, her eyes wide. “Are you going to be all right there, Rarity?” the other unicorn asked with a grin. “You seem a bit lost.” “Oh, I-I’m terribly sorry, Fleur, I–,” before Rarity could even finish her apology, the other unicorn slid a drink across the table to her, a smile on her lips. “No apologies, Rarity,” she said with a wink as she lifted her own glass that was full of a beautiful honey-colored liquid. “Just music and drinks tonight, enjoy.” The designer glanced down at the drink before her and smiled. The drink was one of the frozen, multi-colored fruity slush drinks that any socialite knew just barely contained any alcohol and was, therefore, the perfect choice for a night when one did not wish to get completely drunk, but still wished to have a good time. “Thank you very much,” she said with a smile to her companion. “You really didn’t have to buy me a drink, you know.” “I know I didn’t,” Fleur said as Strawberry resumed her singing. “But you were so enthralled by the band that poor Whiskey Dawn couldn’t get your attention, so I thought I’d take the liberty.” Rarity rolled her eyes sheepishly before leaning down and sipping at the drink through the straw poking out of it and, after a moment, she sat up with a grin. “Strawberry and mint – oh Fleur, how did you know?” The other unicorn winked over her own glass. “It’s my favorite drink too. Well, when I can’t get a good whiskey, that is.” Rarity shook her head at Fleur as the music on stage grew louder once again, drawing the mare’s eyes back to the center of the room where Strawberry Blush held the mic tightly in her hoof. You found some trouble and you’ll never be quite the same. I left your life in rubble, but you’ll sigh when you hear my name: You’ll call me Trouble~ The room filled with cheers even before the music had stopped and, as the applause washed over her, Strawberry all but glowed with pride as she took a deep bow. Rarity’s hooves clopped together eagerly along with the rest of the crowd, a happy smile on her lips as the lead singer wiped a hoof across her forehead and stepped back up to the mic. “Thank you all, so much,” she said after a moment, gesturing for the crowd to quiet down. Rarity fell silent along with the rest of the room as Strawberry smiled out at them in dazzling fashion. “If you’ve heard us play before, you know very well that I’m not just the lead singer – I also play the piano.” She gestured to the unoccupied instrument at stage left, which had, Rarity noticed, been rigged with its own microphone so that whoever was playing it could also sing. “And, if you’ve heard us play before, you know that the singing isn’t just left up to me.” Her smile became brighter, if that was possible. “It’s not often that she does it, but our bass player Lilac Mist has quite the voice. You’re all in for a treat because she has a song that she’s been dying to perform and tonight is the night!” The crowd murmured excitedly and, after a moment, the sequin-clad mare turned and gestured behind her with a hoof. “So please join me in welcoming the beautiful and talented Lilac Mist to the mic!” Rarity clopped her hooves together enthusiastically as the vibrant Strawberry stepped away from the mic and gestured for the bassist to approach, her long, luxurious mane bobbing boisterously as she did so. The mare at the bass hesitated, her hat still pulled down so far that Rarity couldn’t see her face, but after a little encouraging from Strawberry and the trumpet player, the mare’s shoulders sagged and she dropped to all four hooves. Strawberry giggled loudly enough to be heard even without the microphone and, without waiting another moment, she hurried to the piano as the pony she had called Lilac Mist made her way slowly to the front mic. “I wonder what kind of song she’ll sing,” Fleur mused aloud. “That last one certainly set a tone for the evening.” Rarity shrugged without glancing at her friend, her eyes glued to the figure approaching the microphone. Lilac Mist stopped in the same place that Strawberry had stood, her hat still pulled down low over her gray face and, as Rarity’s eyes got a better look at the bass player, she noticed a few strands of charcoal mane poking out between the coat and hat, a color that struck deep into the unicorn’s heart. No, she thought as her heart started to pound. That’s… that’s not possible. I mean, she would have told me if– The trench coat clad pony reared up onto her hind legs, allowing her long, flowing tail to pool on the floor around her as she allowed the coat to fall from her body and, as “Lilac Mist” kicked her coat back towards the trumpet player, Rarity’s heart swelled in her chest until she felt she might burst because standing at the front of the stage was Octavia in all her beautiful glory. Rarity was dumbstruck. Every sound in the club seemed to fade away as she found herself staring at the object of her affection far sooner than she thought she would be and, in the perceived silence, all of the puzzle pieces suddenly clicked together in Rarity’s mind. That’s why Vinyl always showed up here on nights when Nothing But Treble played – Octavia is in the band! And… and THAT’S why she wanted me to come here without being here herself – to avoid any awkward situations. Oh Vinyl, you sneaky thing. In the back of her mind, she heard herself wonder why Octavia was using a different name here in the Magical Hat, but at that exact moment, the rest of her brain just couldn’t be bothered with such trivial questions. The stage lights shimmered across Octavia’s coat as she dropped back to all four hooves and her eyes were alight with a deep fire that Rarity had never seen in them before as she pushed her brimmed hat back with her left hoof before using it to grab the mic stand. “Thank you, Strawberry,” she said, her velvety voice causing Rarity to gasp. “This is a song I’ve been working on for a very long time and I hope you enjoy it.” She pointed to the drummer and without hesitation she counted off the beat with her sticks before leaping into the next song. Without the bass to back up the drums, the song sounded different, a little more hollow and empty than it had before, but as Strawberry Blush joined in on the piano, it surged and filled out into a slow, winding melody that made Rarity’s excitement wane just slightly. It sounds so sad, she thought in surprise. The trumpet player relaxed near the back, her horn at the ready as Octavia’s body began to sway back and forth in time with the music, but even as she did so, Rarity could tell that it wasn’t out of joy or an attempt to be seductive as it had been with the first mare. She’s not trying to be some dolled-up hussy out there, Rarity thought with a hint of pride, but before she could even begin to speculate about Octavia’s mood, the piano circled around again and the mare she loved began to sing with Strawberry backing her up from where she sat playing the piano. Her voice was as smooth as glass and as beautiful as her cello playing and Rarity found that she was so mesmerized by the sound of Octavia’s song that she had to force herself to listen to the words: The winter moon shines down on me and fills the fleeting night, caressing my lonely heart with cold hard silver light. The sparkling shine of champaign plays its echoes in my head, I hear her come into the room, but not a word is said. My ears are ringing loudly with the words I’ve heard all day, so many ponies speaking, with not a lot to say. Yet even in this storm of mine there’s a pocket of despair, and my longing sighs escape my lips and filter through the air. Because no matter where I try to go and what I try to do, there comes a time least once a night where all I can think of is you. Slowly, the music rose around Octavia and the mare closed her eyes, her calm, silky voice slowly filling with desperation and passion as the trumpet player joined in, her soulful brassy notes playing the perfect counterpoint to Octavia’s rising tone. My heart is filled with questions, my soul with endless need! I cross my hooves and wonder when I will be freed. Her mane is bright with loving and a scent that is divine, but all I can think of, baby, is ‘When will you be mine?!’ I can’t believe I have to live this way, can’t believe I’ve given in! I lie and cheat and steal to live, wake up and do it ‘gain. I have someone who loves me true, and makes me feel so right, but my eyes see past her every time I stare into the night! Oh baby don’t you see…! The gray mare took off her hat and threw it to the stage next to her, allowing the lights to touch her face for the first time that night as the trumpet, drums, and piano slowly faded away around her leaving just her heart-wrenching, desperate voice to fill the room. That no matter where my heart may go or who it tries to love… There comes a time once every night, when you’re all I’m dreaming of~ The drums cascaded down as the song’s last notes faded away and, immediately, the club burst into woops and cheers of adulation that drowned out Octavia’s final words of thanks. Strawberry Blush turned on her piano bench and clapped her hooves as loudly as any of the other ponies in the club and, from the seat next to her, Rarity heard Fleur cheer noisily into the cacophony, but Rarity couldn’t cheer. She found herself riveted to her seat, her eyes glued to Octavia as she moved towards the back of the band to assume her position at her bass once more, her cheeks flushed and her smile modest. Rarity had felt the flames of her love calm when she’d left the house with Fleur and she had been certain that a trip out to this club would be the perfect distraction from her feelings and desires as far as Octavia was concerned, but seeing her here had fanned the fire inside of Rarity even brighter and, even as Strawberry announced their next song, Rarity could not take her eyes off of Octavia. She… she was incredible, the unicorn thought as she watched the earth pony put her hat back onto her head. I didn’t know she could sing that way... and that song – so sad, so desperate… The rest of the band’s set went uneventfully for Rarity and, when asked afterwards, she realized that she really couldn’t remember any songs other than the first two that had been played. The rest of the hour set had been spent with her eyes glued to Octavia, her mind racing with the lyrics of the melancholic song that the gray mare had written and the feelings that had been stirred up into her heart by Octavia’s appearance here. If the fire in her heart had been contained before, the other mare’s presence allowed it to spread like a wildfire, consuming Rarity in a way that she never thought she could be. Every moment she sat apart from Octavia seemed like an eternity and, whenever one of their songs ended, she felt her muscles tense, ready to leap from her seat at the first sign of their set ending. I have to talk to her. The thought was repeated in her mind time and time again until it echoed in her head. I have to talk to her. I have to make her feel better, somehow. I have to. I have to! Finally, after a particularly spirited song about loving a stallion who was already taken, Strawberry Blush made a very distinct hoof gesture to her band mates before turning back to the crowd with another dazzling smile. “All right, everypony – it’s time for our break! We’ll be back in twenty minutes, so take this time to get a few drinks! If anypony needs us, we’ll be outside getting a little fresh air!” She winked at the crowd before turning away and as one the band left their instruments and hurried off stage. Rarity forced herself to blink for the first time in twenty minutes and gave her head a shake before turning back to Fleur, her ears perked up excitedly. “Fleur, I’m going to go after Octavia,” she whispered, her eyes glittering in the low light of the booth. “I have to talk to her again tonight – I can’t stand any more of this waiting!” Fleur arched an eyebrow at her from over her latest empty glass, her expression carefully neutral as she twirled the leftover ice in the bottom of the wide tumbler. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Rarity?” she asked quietly. “I mean, it’s wonderful that you got to see her here and all, but do you really think this is the best time to go running off after her?” “Oh don’t be silly, Fleur,” Rarity scoffed as she pushed her untouched, now-thawed drink towards the middle of the table. “She’ll be delighted to see me and when I tell her that I–” she felt her cheeks flush “–when I tell her that I love her, I’m sure she’ll be even happier to see me!” Fleur’s eyes widened and she sat up with a jerk. “Wait, you’re going to tell her now? Tonight?” she asked incredulously. “But… but what about your plan? Waiting ‘til the two of you were at the Boutique? The necklace you made for her?” “Complications and nonessentials, my dear!” said Rarity as she slid out of their booth and onto her hooves. “Fate has handed me the perfect opportunity to tell her tonight and I MUST see her, TELL her!” The unicorn gave her companion a giddy smile before darting away towards the entrance, her hooves moving deftly across the floor despite having to dodge a few ponies who were rising from their seats. She darted through the small gap in the wooden partition and towards the door where Bulwark was standing guard, and when he saw her his face lit up. “Miss Rarity!” he greeted with a smile that was wider than Rarity’s entire head, “How are you enjoying the show tonight?” “Everything has been wonderful, thank you, Bulwark!” she gushed, grinning. “But I have to ask you, where is it that the band goes if they are outside? Do they go back through this entrance, or…?” “What? Oh no, Miss Rarity,” he said with a chuckle. “There’s a separate entrance along the other side of the building. It’s in another alley, but if you go out through this door,” he gestured to the door behind him, “take a left once you’re outside and turn left at the end, you’ll be able to see the performer’s entrance.” Rarity felt her heart leap, and she let out a squeal of delight. “Oh thank you, Bulwark! You truly are the master of this establishment!” The large pony blushed at her compliment, but before he could respond, the unicorn darted past him and out into the cool, moist air of the alleyway. After the warmth of the club, the night air seemed almost cold, but it felt amazing against Rarity’s coat as she ascended the stairs in one large leap and hurried deeper into the alley. As it turned out, the entrance to the Hat wasn’t very far from the end of the alleyway and, within a moment, she was hurrying around the corner, but as her eyes lit upon the small knot of ponies standing thirty feet down the tight street, she skidded to a halt, her hoofsteps skittering loudly in the stillness. The sound caused the ponies ahead of her to turn their heads her direction and as her eyes began to adjust to the low light, she realized that they were, indeed, the members of Nothing But Treble. Even so, her ears flattened against her head in embarrassment as she lifted a hoof tentatively towards them. “Um, excuse me,” she began softly. “I, ah, hate to bother you lovely ponies, but I was hoping I could have a word with–” she paused to take a breath and, before she could finish her inquiry, she saw Octavia step out of the group. “Rarity?” Her voice was confused, but not unhappy and, at the sound of it, Rarity felt her heart flutter in her chest. “O-Octavia,” she whispered. “Y-yes, could I have a word with you, please?” The other mare cast a glance back at her group and, after a moment, Strawberry Blush waved a hoof with a grin. “Go on, talk to the lady,” she said. “She knows who you are, so no worries.” Octavia’s shoulders tightened ever so slightly, but she gave the lead singer a nod and, after a moment, she turned away from the group and hurried forward to meet Rarity. The unicorn’s heart pounded almost uncomfortably in her chest as the earth pony approached and, in spite of her attempts to cool off and think with a clear head, every last one of the excited, giddy feelings that Rarity had experienced at the Concert Hall earlier that day surged back with a vengeance, filling her to the brim until she felt as if she might explode at the slightest provocation. I can’t believe I’m going to do this, she thought breathlessly as the other mare’s pace slowed until she stopped less than a foot away. Octavia had apparently discarded the hat and coat inside the club for she wore neither at the moment, no doubt so that she could cool herself off before going back into the warm environment of the Magical Hat, and her silhouette against the streetlights in the distance made Rarity’s throat tighten. “Rarity?” Octavia repeated more quietly as she came to a halt. “What… what are you doing here?” Her voice carried more than a hint of surprise and, in spite of herself, Rarity grinned. “I’m watching you play in an amazing jazz group, that’s what I’m doing here!” she responded cheekily. “And you sounded incredible, especially that song that you sang. You were amazing.” She couldn’t see the other mare’s face very well in the semi-darkness, but the way Octavia’s hooves shifted slightly closer together and the way that her ears flicked back slightly told Rarity that, even though she couldn’t see it, the other mare was blushing. “Th-thank you, Rarity,” she said after a moment. “But I guess I just,” she let out a small sigh and gave her head a shake. “How on earth did you find me here, Rarity? I… please don’t take offense, but I wasn’t aware that you were one of this club’s patrons.” The unicorn giggled lightly and took a slight step closer to the earth pony, her desire to be closer to Octavia slowly overriding her sense of propriety in a public place. “Well, normally you would be right, but a mutual friend of ours recommended this club to me and told me to be here today.” She stood up straighter and smiled broadly. “She obviously wanted me to see you play and I am so very thankful that she did.” “A mutual friend..?” Octavia repeated slowly and, after a moment, she frowned. “But I haven’t told anypony that I play here.” Now it was Rarity’s turn to frown. “You haven’t told anypony? But darling, why NOT? You and your group sound incredible and if Vinyl and I hadn’t gotten to talking about you I never would have–” “Vinyl..?” Octavia interrupted. “You… you spoke to Vinyl? About me?” “Well, yes, I did. Or rather, you came up in conversation.” Suddenly, Octavia’s body language changed dramatically in the shadows: her shoulders tensed, her head shot up, and her ears piqued forward aggressively as her hooves slid apart just slightly and the motion was so abrupt that Rarity herself took a quick step back from her companion. “And what were you doing talking to my ex-marefriend, hmm? I wasn’t aware that the two of you knew each other.” Rarity’s eyes widened at the tonality in the earth pony’s voice – it was not surprise that colored her words or a teasing sense of irony, but rather it was something sharper, something a good deal bitterer than surprise. Rarity’s eyes were finally adjusted to the lower light in the alley and now she could see Octavia all but glaring at her, the amethyst eyes she loved so much staring at her intensely. In spite of herself, Rarity felt her ears droop against her head. “We met a few years ago,” Rarity said after a moment, her eyes narrowing in confusion at Octavia’s vehement words. “And we became friends after Princess Cadence’s wedding.” She gave her head a shake and raised a hoof in confusion. “Why does that matter?” Octavia sighed sharply and, farther down the alley, Rarity saw the other members of Octavia’s jazz group scuttle through the door and back into the club as the earth pony stood up straighter, her eyes narrow and her lips tight. “The fact that you know her doesn’t matter, Rarity,” she said, “but the fact that I was your topic of conversation DOES matter.” “What… and what does that mean?” Rarity asked, irritation flaring brightly amid the crashing waves of her love and adoration. She’s making telling her that I love her quite difficult. “It means, Rarity, that I am a mare who values my privacy.” Octavia took a slow step to her left, circling out away from the wall as she spoke. “I do my level best to stay out of any kind of public eye, especially when it comes to the things I do in my personal life and with my personal time. I do everything I can to keep any gossip about me to a minimum and that becomes very hard when a pony such as yourself starts gossiping about me.” Now Rarity’s irritation flared brighter still, flash-boiling her roiling emotions into steaming anger. “I was not gossiping,” she said sharply. “I was simply speaking to Vinyl about what we had been doing in the past weeks. I told her about you and she confessed to having been your marefriend.” She closed her mouth, but in the space of a moment, it shot open again as her anger rose into the place behind her eyes and forced more words out. “And even when I asked other ponies about you I wasn’t gossiping.” Now, Octavia’s eyes became wide and the anger inside them was plain to see, even in the dark alley. “You… you asked other ponies about me?” she growled. It was clear to Rarity that Octavia was angry and growing more so with each passing moment. It was obvious to the unicorn that a bit of diplomacy coupled with a strategic apology here or there would soothe the situation and no doubt end this evening the way that Rarity had wanted it to end, but at that moment, Rarity’s mind was a maelstrom of love, anger, embarrassment, outrage, and regret, all clashing together until bolts of angry lightning flashed down her spine and to her mouth. It was one of the situations she had trained herself to avert, but the entire day had been such an emotional drain on the unicorn that she simply did not have the self control left to tell herself no. “I did, as a matter of fact,” Rarity said with a toss of her mane. “After our first meeting I decided that I wanted to know more about you, so I asked all of my clients if they knew anything about you.” “…all of them?!” “ALL of them.” Octavia’s mouth opened in absolute horror, and after a moment Rarity arched an eyebrow at her. “Of course, if you hadn’t been so close-mouthed about the whole situation and simply answered my questions I wouldn’t have had to resort to asking the general populace.” “My LIFE is not the business of the general populace!” Octavia snarled, her voice rising in the alleyway until it echoed and filled the space. “My life is MY BUSINESS and it is mine to share when I feel ready to!” Her eyes narrowed until they were mere slits of blazing violet in the shadows of the alley. “But I suppose YOU wouldn’t know about that kind of privacy, would you, Rarity?” she hissed. “You’re glad to live in the spotlight, always ready and willing to be the center of attention.” Her eyes narrowed even further, if that was possible. “Just like my mother,” she whispered. “Just like Snow Blossom…” Rarity felt the insults like a physical blow and that angered her even more. “Oh is that so?” she hissed in return. “Well perhaps if you weren’t so concerned with keeping your life PRIVATE you could actually have FRIENDS!” She took an aggressive step towards Octavia. “PERHAPS if you weren’t so tight-lipped about information about yourself you could actually SEE WHEN PONIES ARE TRYING TO GET TO KNOW YOU!!” She took a final step towards the earth pony, her eyes blazing with furious anger. “AND PERHAPS if you were more like your sister Snow Blossom YOUR FATHER WOULD LOVE YOU MORE!!!” Silence fell in the alleyway as Rarity felt her anger burn brighter than she could ever remember it having burned before and so hot were the flames of her fury that her eyes felt warm. The echoes of her insults slowly faded away into the night and, as she glared at the earth pony before her, she watched Octavia’s face fall from anger to disbelief and every emotion in between until finally it closed to her completely, just as it had the very first day she had met Octavia. Every ounce of emotion that had been in the cellist’s eyes moments before simply vanished in an instant and, as she watched, Rarity again felt as if a door had been shut in her face, but this time she had seen what lay within and she felt its loss as keenly as a knife in her chest. Finally, Octavia nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving Rarity’s face and, without a word, she turned and made her way sedately up the alleyway to the performer’s entrance to the Magical Hat, her hoofsteps echoing forlornly in the silence. Rarity’s anger faded as the other mare retreated, slowly cooling and dying away as Octavia opened the door. She glanced back at Rarity once then, without a word, she went back into the club and shut the door behind her. As soon as she was out of sight, Rarity’s ire faded and the unicorn gasped aloud as the cold of the night wrapped its tendrils around her. “What… what did I just do?” she whispered incredulously. “I… I was going to tell her that I loved her, but…” Her eyes darted to the stage door and, for a moment, she considered running after Octavia, but the other mare’s eyes returned to her sight and, again, she saw nothing in their depths. No happiness, no laughter, no nothing. The unicorn’s fiery anger inverted itself and seemed to shrink into a dark pit in her stomach, sucking in everything that she had felt in the past day until all she was left with was a blanket of horrible, unearthly despair that wrapped itself around her and so heavy was it that she sat down hard in the alley, her eyes staring unblinkingly at the door. “Octavia… I…” But it was too late and she knew it. A sound behind Rarity drew her attention and, as she slowly shifted on her rump, she turned to see Fleur standing behind her, her eyes sad. “Is… is everything okay, Rarity?” she asked quietly, but Rarity could hear the truth in Fleur’s words. She knew that Rarity wasn’t okay, but she was giving the other unicorn a chance to choose how she was dealt with right then. The designer took a deep breath and somehow managed to put on a shaky smile for her friend. “Y-yes, Fleur, I’m fine,” she lied. “But… but I think I’m done being out for the night, if that’s all right with you?” To her relief Fleur smiled and nodded before gesturing with a hoof back the direction they’d come. “Sure, Rarity, let’s go home for the night.” Rarity nodded, causing the curl in her mane to bounce. After a moment, she took a deep breath and managed to haul herself to her hooves. She made her way to Fleur who smiled again and turned to walk with Rarity and, as they passed the door to the Magical Hat, the rain that had been forecast all day long finally came – huge, fat raindrops began to fall in an ever-increasing rhythm as the two mares made their way towards the end of the alley and a ride home. She normally would have been irritated at having to be out in a rainstorm, but for once, Rarity was glad to have it because at least she could blame her tears on the rain.