//------------------------------// // Deals // Story: Starting Over // by Twilight Nightmare //------------------------------// "So, let me get this straight." Rainbow Dash said as she glared at her freind. It was because of Rarity that they confronted Trixie to begin with, but it was the showmare's boastful personality and the fact the blue unicorn humilated her in fron of the entire town that fuled the pegasus's anger and dislike. "You want me to be nice to that pathetic excuse for a unicorn and her sister?" "Don't forget the little filly with them. They want to ask you to help teach the little darling to fly." Rarity sighed, a little agitated at her friend's attitude. She kind of expected it, but it still grated on her nerves all the same. "That little girl is innocent in all of this." "If they neither of them is a pegasus, then why do they have a pegasis filly?" Rainbow asked with suspicion clear in her voice. Not that Rarity herself wasn't suspicious. The mare's voice sounded somewhat familiar, but she had written it off as wishful thinking since she knew Twilight didn't have any sisters. "I don't know, but...I want to help them...if only for that darling little filly. Don't you think a child deserves a chance at the very least?" Rarity asked, not voicing the other reason she wanted to help out as much as she could. She hoped that the mare was better than her own parents seeing how much she loved her daughter despite the different races. If the cloaked mare did abandon the filly though, Rarity wanted it to be here where she could take the little girl in and care for her. "You know how I feel about foals, Rarity. I'd do anything to help one...but I don't trust Trixie." Rainbow sighed, "But...I'll give them a chance." "Darling...they don't look like they have much so please don't charge a lot if you do this. If you need more than they can afford come see me and I'll see what I can do to help." Rarity said, thankful that Rainbow would at least give them a chance. "You have to be kidding me! You know me better than that, I wouldn't charge some pony for this. I never charged Scoots...even though I failed." Rainbow said looking away ashamed. It was a shame that Scootaloo still couldn't fly even after all this time. None of them understood why since her wings were fully formed. "Look...I'll go talk to them after I return these books to the library." "And see if the new Daring Do is in yet?" Rarity asked holding a hoof over her mouth holding back a giggle. Rainbow just shrugged before flying off leaving a rainbow trail behind her. ~~~ Rose couldn't help looking up in awe at the large building in the center of town, the sign in front reading 'Sparkle Memorial Library' making the pony shake her head in amusement. Two places in town seemed to be named after her old life and it touched something deep in her heart seeing so. A part of her wondered if they really did care for her after reading about what they did to her during the royal wedding about five years ago. She had put things together after finding out about it and figured that she must have either been forced to leave or ran away to get away from them. Seeing this though made her wonder if her old self had somehow blown things out of proportion if she ran. Taking a deep shuddering breath, Rose pushed into the building and couldn't help staring at the rows upon rows of books that rivaled the library in Fillydelphia with the exception that there was no ponies glaring at her or whispering cruel things about her beinga freak. As a smill grew, she realized she could actually take her time here and enjoy things if she wasn't in a bit of a hurry. Pulling out her book list that she made with suggestions from her daughter and sister about fashion, as well as a few books she wanted to check out herself about tips for caring for pegasus fillies that was never in back in Fillydelphia, she set out to find the reception desk to get an account made so she could borrow the books. "Welcome to Sparkle Memorial Library, may I help you?" A familiar looking unicorn asked trotting up to her. It took a few seconds to recognize that the mare was the same one in the pictures of her mother. "Y-Yes." Rose said, swalloing her nervousness. "I wanted to see about making an account so I can get some books." "Certainly dear, please come this way and we can get you a card made up." Velvet said, "By the way I'm Twilight Velvet, everyone calls me Velvet though." "My name's Midnight Rose, I go by Rose though."Rose said smiling at the older mare as she pulled out some paperwork from under the counter and hovered it over to sit in front of Rose. "I'm new in town, I'm going to be staying at Carosel Botique." "So I take it you will be working for Rarity?" Velvet asked, smiling as Rose picked up a quill in her magic and started filling out the papers. "My sister and I will be running the store, but I don't know a lot about fashion so I came to see if I can get some books to study up on the subject some more." Rose said as she finished up the papers and slid them across to Velvet. "Heya Velvet, is the new Daring Do book in?" A loud voice called from the front entrance getting the older mare's attention which caused her to roll her eyes. "Please excuse me for a minute, I have to go remind some pony that this is a library and one shouldn't be yelling here." Velvet said good naturedly, before moving to go up front. Rose couldn't help but look to see who the voice belonged to. She couldn't help the drop in her jaw seeing a brash seeming pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and tail, a gem set in a necklace around her neck. She had seen the type of necklace once before when a guard came into the bookstore and told them about it being a tool to help flush out changelings. "Sorry about that, I'm just a little annoyed. That annoying Trixie and her sister is in town...and get this, they want me to help train a pegasus." Rainbow explained in annoyance. "What's weird about that, you have gotten a lot of publicity saying you are probably Equestria's best flier." Velvet asked in confusion. "Trixie and her sister are unicorns, no offense Velvet, but I know most unicorns wouldn't be with anything but another unicorn." Rainbow explained, scratching the back of her neck. "No offense dear, I perfectly understand and it is true...wait...isn't Trixie that gypsy wannabe that you told me about?" Velvet asked, her voice growing icy, "Would Trixie's sister be a mare wearing a cloak named Rose?" "I think so...why?" Rainbow asked as she followed the hate filled glare of velvet who turned to look at Rose who took a step back in shock at the look in the older mare's eyes. "Where did you get the filly?" Velvet demanded as she took an angry step forward towards Rose. "What are you talking about?" Rose asked, her breathing increasing as she started growing scared by how the mare before her was getting so worked up. "Don't play stupid with me! I shouldn't have been naive enough to think you had a reason for the cloak other than being a little thief!" Velvet growled as her horn lit up with magic. "Now tell me where you foalnapped that little filly from!" "What...Summer is my daughter..." Rose said, shocked that anyone could accuse her of that. Sure she had been accused of many things before, but never a foalnapper. "Then why do you know nothing about pegasi if you were with one? I know your kind, you are all a bunch of lying, foalnapping trash!" Velvet roared, even scaring Rainbow a little before the pegasus backed her up flanking her and advancing on Rose. "If you foalnapped her, you better just come clean." Rainbow said, though she seemed a little unsure as Rose began to shake and a few tears drop from under her hood to splash on the ground as the list she had fell to the ground. "It isn't my fault my family and friends didn't want me and I had to leave to get attacked! Was it my fault the beat and cut me up? Is it my fault they made me a scared up freak who has to hide unter this constantly? Is it my fault the beat me and raped me and left me for DEAD? IS IT!!!?" Rose seethed, sobbing now as she stormed between the two shocked ponies before stopping to look over her shoulder. "My sister told me this was the nicest and most accepting town she had ever been to...guess she was wrong. Since...Since we aren't wanted we'll leave. Don't worry...we will be gone by morning." "Do you feel as bad as I do?" Rainbow asked, her own eyes watering as she hung her head in shame. "Worse..." Velvet croaked out, her own head hung in shame. "Do...do you think she was telling the truth." "I hate to say it, but I don't think anyone can fake that." Rainbow sighed, "I'm going to go talk to her." "I will to...but first I want to do something..." Velvet sighed, "Please flip the closed sign on your way out..." ~~~ "Forget about unpacking...we're leaving." Rose sniffed as she slowly walked into the botique, happy that Trixie was there but Summer not being in sight meaning that she was probably upstairs playing or reading. "What happened?" Trixie asked with worry. "I was stupid to think this would work!" Rose snapped, "To think anyone would accept me...Summer would be better off if I was dead!" "Don't you dare say that! Don't you dare!" Trixie hissed angrily, keeping her voice down so not to draw the young filly's attention from upstairs. "You are that little filly's world." "It's my fault that she's shunned the way she is." Rose cried as Trixie hugged her tightly. Fooffalls coming down the steps alerted the sisters to Summer comig to see what was going on making Rose pull back and wipe furiously at her eyes under her hood. "What's going on?" Are you okay, mamma?" Summer asked softly, but was interupted by a knock on the door. Looking over they saw that the door must not have caught when Rose tried to slam it shut on her entrance to see a rainbow maned pegasus looking uncomfortable. "Hi...sorry to interupt anything, but I was told that there was this really awesome little filly who could use a flying tutor." Rainbow said rubbing the back of her neck guiltily with a hoof. "Oh wow, you're Rainbow Dash! Can I please have your autograph?" The filly asked excitedly as she looked up at Rainbow with wide, adoring eyes. "Sure thing squirt, but first I need to talk to your momma about a few things." Rainbow said as Trixie sent her a hateful glare making Rainbow shrink back a little. "Let's go outside." Rose sighed, giving Trixie a slow nod toward Summer indicating she should distract her. Rose led Rainbow outside before sitting down, her head hanging a little waiting to hear what the pegasus had to add to what was already said back at the library. "I'm...sorry." Rainbow sighed, "I shouldn't have judged you like I did. I want to offer my services to help train your little filly however you need. All free of charge of course...except for one thing." "Wh-What?" Rose croaked out, not looking up as she wasn't sure what to think. "Don't ever think that she would be better off with you dead ever again." Rainbow said as a few tears escaped realizing that both Velvet and herself had pushed this cloaked mare into contemplating it despite obviously having some previous issues. She leaned down and nuzzled the cloaked form of Rose. "From what I saw you really must love her...and I think she must love you to." "She's...she's my baby...if it wasn't for my sister and her I don't think I'd have a reason to go on." Rose sighed truthfully. "I guess I'll need to rethink my opinion on your sister then...she sounds much deeper than she seemed when she was here." Rainbow admitted, though she couldn't get over the thought that this mare was familiar. Her voice did sound slightly familiar, in a way a little like Twilight, but it was doubtful seeing how she was related to Trixie. "As do I." Velvet said startling them both lowering a small stack of books and magazines in front of Rose. "I'm sorry I hurt you like I did...it must have been horrible to deal with the things you have." "It was worth it." Rose sighed, "Summer makes it worth it." "Will you please give us another chance and stick around for awhile?" Rainbow asked softly, "I would love top get to know an awesome little pegasus like your daughter if you would let us." "I...guess...as long as you don't hurt my little girl in any way." Rose said, her voice a little sharp despite wanting to just forget what happened. She was hurting over what they said and accusd her of...but they were trying to make amends. She also wanted to have a place where they could actually be happy and not have to deal with everyone treating her like a monster. The two hugged her and though she struggled for a few moments she couldn't help melting into the embrace. She had to admit it felt nice and warm as well as safe. It had felt...good.