//------------------------------// // 4: The Withering Leaves // Story: Obsolution // by not plu //------------------------------// ...all in all, I’d have to say that my inspiration for this line comes from the dedication that citizens of Equestria have to their craft. I can walk through the streets of Ponyville and witness first hand how hard these ponies work, and how much they love it. And of course, being based in Ponyville, I am so especially grateful for this wonderful opportunity... Just a few more stitches, maybe some additional sequins, and Rarity would be done. Of course, if it looked good enough. Which was doubtful, considering she’d been ‘almost finished’ for weeks now. And Sweetie Belle had been standing in the doorway to her sister’s workshop for what felt like hours now. She felt the urge to remind Rarity that they had a train to catch soon, but she had a feeling that she was well aware of that fact. Not to mention the fact that Rarity had barely even acknowledged Sweetie’s presence since... since she went to that meeting at Twilight’s last week. Not to mention how she treated Rainbow when she came to say goodbye. Not that it was said. “Rarity.” She didn’t answer. “Rarity.” She still didn’t answer. But she turned and glared at her sister. “We have a train to catch.” She turned back to her frantic work. “I have a train to catch.” “What?” “You’re not going to Manehatten.” “Why?” “I only got one ticket.” It isn’t fair. Normally, Sweetie would’ve fought back. Or at least gotten angry. But it had been a long week. A long week of screaming, and slamming doors, and... almost apathy from her sister. So she walked away, quietly locked the door to her bedroom, and started to cry. It isn’t fair. It wasn’t like she’d always been like this. Definitely not. As much as they disagreed sometimes, Rarity was a really good sister. Yeah, she always got a little snippy when stressed out, but who doesn’t? Sweetie Belle was overwhelmed. She didn’t know what was happening to her sister, but more importantly, she didn’t know why it was happening. Rarity hadn’t told her what Twilight had said at that meeting, but suddenly all of Rarity’s friends were leaving Ponyville... “Sweetie!” Rarity screeched from the other side of the door. Sweetie hastily wiped the remaining tears from her face and ran back to Rarity’s studio. “What is it?” I am so, so incredibly sorry, Sweetie, for being so rude to you this past week. I’ve been so stressed that I’d forgotten what really matters: my friends and family. I love you so much and I am so grateful that you have tolerated me thus far. And to make it up to you, I was able to get another ticket, and we can both go to Manehatten, together. “I need you to carry some stuff downstairs.” “Oh. Okay.” Sweetie Belle complied and followed Rarity downstairs and outside, to where a coach was waiting for her. She loaded everything onto it. Rarity climbed into her seat and looked down at her sister. And for a moment, one glittering moment of hope, Sweetie Belle saw something in Rarity’s eyes that she hadn’t seen in far too long. But it vanished all too quickly. “Goodbye, Sweetie Belle.” “Goodbye, Rarity.” Cordial. Standing at the train station, waiting for her train to arrive with her cushy private cat at the end, Rarity was staring at her work. She was unhappy with it. Of course, she was unhappy with it. But it was too late. She needed to stop. Well, she could make some adjustments before the show... No. I’m finished. It’s fine. It has to be. She took a deep breath, the first one in weeks. And she thought of Sweetie Belle, for the first time in weeks. I’m a bitch, aren’t I? She wanted to cry. She desperately wanted cry, to finally release control of her emotions, curled up inside her for too long. But she couldn’t. There were dozens of other ponies on the platform that would judge her, for one. She straightened out one of the dresses on the rack, fidgeting with herself. It wasn’t perfect. Nothing she’d done had been perfect since she lost her Element, and now she was jetting off to Manehatten with a collection she felt awful about. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, which she was absolutely incredibly grateful for. Yes, it had cost some part of her sanity, but there can’t be beauty without a little pain, right? Rarity was overwhelmed. She’d been training, hoping for her life to go in this direction, and now the train was slowly pulling into the station, ready to whisk her off to a brand new life. As she stepped on the train, ticket in hoof, she didn’t regret the fact that Sweetie Belle wasn’t by her side. But she was conscious of it. Once the train started its slow acceleration down the tracks, Rarity crossed to where her precious pieces were safely hanging. And in that moment, all she wanted was to destroy them. She hadn’t ever been that good at magic, not like Twilight was, because she didn’t need to be. But Rarity knew enough spells to destroy every single one of her dresses and hats and scarves, so all the stress and hard work, and fractured relationships would be for naught. And she wanted to. Sweet Celestia, did she want to. Almost afraid of her own power, she took a step backwards and closed her eyes. No. She forced herself to sit back down in her seat. Her eyes were sealed shut all the way to Manehatten. Rarity looked over tomorrow’s schedule, neatly printed on cardstock, one more time. It had already been carefully laid on the gorgeously extravagant bed in her hotel room when she entered, and now that she had unpacked all her outfits, she could really take it in. It looked like she was going to be incredibly busy tomorrow. But I can handle it, can’t I? She needed to sleep. If she’d been in a good enough mental state to calculate how much sleep she’d gotten in the past week, she wouldn’t’ve had to to count too high. But that collar on the forest green piece was too bold of a colour choice, wasn’t it? And the asymmetry in the gold sequin pattern was looking a little too symmetrical. And that December outfit really could use a hat. And Rarity needed to sleep.