Rarity awoke to her bedroom light automatically coming on as scheduled, shining brightly on her face and shocking her out of a rather wonky dream she was having where Applejack was hosting a haute couture fashion show which was being held up because someone had mixed up the decorations with the wrong breed of apple. She put her hand over her eyes to block out the light and sighed.
In her mind she summoned up her schedule for the day and was immediately waylaid when she recalled the fifth item down: confront Sunset Shimmer.
This would not be the highlight of her week, but the sooner she dealt with this issue, the sooner she could get back to what passed for normalcy in her -- and her friends’ -- life.
With a firm nod to herself she got out of bed, putting on her purple slippers, and gathering her cleaning products from her narrow closet. She had a rather organized kit of care products if she did say so herself, but it took two hands to carry, ten minutes to open properly, and about an hour to apply. As such, she was forbidden from leaving it in the bathroom by her family quite soon after she began assembling it. It was just as well, there wasn’t really enough room when the kit was in the bathroom to use the toilet.
Through her cleaning and beautifying regiment she tried unsuccessfully to think of something other than Sunset Shimmer and the demon’s ongoing campaign to corrupt all of Rarity’s friends. The one time she did manage to get her mind onto another topic, it was the upcoming deadline for the Sapphire Shores design competition and how, again, it would take a miracle for Rarity to come up with she liked something in time. She almost preferred thinking about Sunset Shimmer to that, at least she had some hope that she would be able to successfully get rid of the flame-haired girl.
With her hair cleaned and styled, her face washed and makeup applied, and her nails properly tended to, Rarity exited the bathroom carrying her kit and nearly knocked her sister in the forehead as she walked out.
“Ah, geeze, Rarity!” squeaked Sweetie Belle. “Watch out!”
“Oh my,” said Rarity, moving the kit aside and looking down. “I’m so sorry, Sweetie Belle, I didn’t expect you to be up. It’s so early!”
“I have to use the bathroom,” said Sweetie as she anxiously hopped. “Move, move!”
Rarity quickly shuffled aside. Her sister brushed past her and quickly closed the door with a slam, rattling the hinges.
Well, that was brusque, thought Rarity. Though she supposed that in a similar situation she wouldn’t have much patience for pleasantries. She usually tried to avoid intersecting with her family’s morning schedules by getting up much earlier than anyone else. She was obviously less successful on some days than others.
Heading back to her room, Rarity replaced her kit and looked at the clothes she had laid out for the day. As usual, her morning eye was a little more critical than her evening one and she moved some of the accessories around and replaced a lavender shirt with one slightly more heather. Satisfied with what she saw, she quickly slipped the outfit on and checked herself in her mirror. It was good combination, though she should have last night putting some ribbon on the sleeves instead of fuming over Fluttershy’s texts.
She peeked back out of her room when she heard the bathroom door open again. Since she shared a wall with the bathroom, she typically had to try not to hear it -- or any of the activity inside it for that matter. She saw Sweetie Belle rubbing her eyes as she walked out.
“Sweetie Belle,” Rarity called out. “Did you want me to put together an outfit for you today?”
Sweetie looked startled at the sound of her sister’s voice but quickly yawned and waved. “Nah, it’s okay , I’m gonna try and sleep a little more.” She stumbled back through her door and closed it behind her.
Rarity closed her door again and frowned. She couldn’t put together an outfit, but maybe she could whip together something nice for her sister anyway. She turned back to her closet and pulled down a basket full of hats. She quickly scanned the scraps of fabric she had and collected a few colors that complement Sweetie’s hair. She brought them over to her sewing machine and carefully folded and wrapped them together such that they looked like a flower, then sewed it into a ribbon that she would tie around the crown. A half hour later she was done and she started to hear the movement of the rest of her family waking.
She picked up her bag of books and the newly assembled hat and went out to the kitchen for breakfast. She found her mother, Cookie Crumbles, there pouring a bowl of cereal for herself. She was still in her pajamas and had her hair tied in a simple pony tail.
“Good morning, dear,” said Cookie Crumbles. “The paper is on the table.” She turned and looked at the hat in Rarity’s hands. “That looks pretty, are you going to wear that today?”
“Good morning,” said Rarity. “No, this is for Sweetie Belle.” She set the hat down on Sweetie Belle’s chair and pulled the coupon section from the newspaper.
“That’s beautiful,” said Cookie with a nod. “Would you like some cereal?”
Rarity declined and went get a bowl and a grapefruit. As she was reading the sales and carefully cutting and separating her fruit her father, Hondo Flanks, came in. He was wearing one of the three suits he had, sans-tie, and it looked more than a little threadbare. It killed Rarity to see him in such a poorly surviving outfit, but she lacked the proper fabrics to make it much better. Someday, she promised herself...
“Good morning, ladies,” said Hondo. He rubbed Cookie’s shoulder briefly and came around to kiss the top of Rarity’s head. As he moved past his daughter he took off his jacket and hung it over the back of an empty chair at the kitchen table. He then went to the cupboard and got out a loaf of bread to make a sandwich.
Rarity looked with a sigh at the jacket and noticed the buttons on the sleeve hanging loose and low. With a quick and practiced motion, she reached into her bag and pulled out a small plastic sewing kit and went to work fixing the buttons. At least this, she told herself, she could do.
Hondo looked over from the toaster back at Rarity. “That’s a nice hat,” he said. Then his eyes widened. “Oh, Rarity, you don’t have to do that.”
Rarity nodded. “Yes I do,” she said. “It’s only way I can help you.”
“Sweetheart, you just being happy helps me, don’t ever think I expect more from you.” Hondo went back to his toasting bread and got out a jar of peanut butter.
Rarity thought about Sunset Shimmer’s caustic presence, as well as her failure to come up with a design for the Sapphire Shores contest. She wondered just how far she was from being truly happy.
“Helping you makes me happy, daddy,” said Rarity with a smile. She continued working until she’d checked and secured all the buttons on the jacket as well as fixed a loose thread hanging from one of the pockets.
By that time, Sweetie Belle had come in and sat next to Rarity while their mother left to finish her morning routine. After finishing with the jacket, Rarity handed the hat to Sweetie Belle.
“For me?” asked Sweetie. She put the hat delicately on her head. “How does it look?”
“Marvelous,” said Rarity with a broad smile. She put her sewing kit back in her bag and thought for the hundredth time about what she needed to do today. “Sweetie Belle, can I ask you a question?”
“Hmm?” asked Sweetie as she ate the cereal that Hondo put in front of her.
“What do the kids in your grade think about Sunset Shimmer?” asked Rarity.
“The one who blew up the school?” asked Sweetie. She received a nod in reply. “She’s awesome!”
“Awesome?” Rarity paled.
“She caused so much damage and she’s still coming to school? She has to be an expert at getting out of trouble,” said Sweetie Belle. “Scootaloo wants to apprentice to her.”
“I don’t know if that’s really what you should be thinking,” said Rarity, placing a hand to the side of her forehead.
“What do you think about her, then?” asked Sweetie Belle. She tipped her head slightly to the side.
Rarity sighed. “I think she’s a destructive influence, not just to the school building, and it was foolish for the Principal to let her come back. People could have died. People were hurt.”
“She must have had her reasons,” said Sweetie Belle.
“Yes, she cared about herself and nobody else!” said Rarity.
“I meant Principal Celestia,” said Sweetie Belle with a half-smile.
“Oh,” said Rarity, momentarily stunned. After a moment she looked away and said quietly, “I suppose.” She didn’t want to talk too badly about Celestia in front of her sister, but she knew that Celestia would forgive a deadly dictator if they showed any measure of the ability to make friends afterwards. It was both admirable and utterly insane how far Celestia would go to encourage friendship.
“She hasn’t done anything bad since then, has she?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“It’s only been three days,” said Rarity.
“Sweetheart,” Hondo Flanks stepped in and sat down next to his daughters. He was holding a small cup of coffee. “It will only ever be some number of days since the last time someone makes a mistake. Whether it's three days or three hundred, for those people it can feel impossible to get completely away from the ghosts that haunt your past.”
Rarity’s jaw dropped and she stared in horror at her father. “N-no! I didn’t mean to imply she’s anything like—“
“Sometimes we make bad choices,” said Hondo. “And it seems, even if we recognize them at the time, that maybe it’s just easier to keep making bad choices than to go back and take a new path. Someone in that situation,” he paused briefly and made a small smile. “Well, it can take something really significant for them to realize just how far they’ve fallen before they learn to change.”
“Daddy...” started Rarity.
“Now, Rarity,” said Hondo. “If this girl did something terrible but now she’s trying to do better, I think you owe it to her to give her a chance.” He put his hand on her shoulder gently. “For me, anyway.”
Rarity felt like defending herself and explaining exactly how Sunset Shimmer was different, but couldn’t find words that weren’t going to seem hurtful. Instead she nodded silently and bit her lip. This was not the conversation to have with him.
“Now you girls get ready for school or you’ll be late,” said Hondo. He took a sip from his cup, then stood up again and moved to the counter to finish making his sandwich.
Rarity, feeling a little guilty, picked up the coupons she was collecting and pushed them into her bag. She quickly ran back to her room to check her hair and make sure she was still presentable, and then headed for the door. Sweetie Belle was there already, slipping her shoes on.
“Do you want me to come with you to Scootaloo’s place?” asked Rarity.
“I’ll be fine,” said Sweetie Belle. “It’s only a couple streets over and I’m a High Schooler now!” She turned and waved. “See you later!” She cheerfully walked off.
Rarity smiled at her sister’s pride and then began walking towards Pinkie’s house.
*** ( MLP ) ***
Pinkie stared at Rarity as they walked to Fluttershy’s house on the way to school. It was a look of either utter amazement or complete incomprehension. It was really hard to tell with her sometimes.
“I think we should give her another chance,” said Pinkie after a few moments of silent puzzling. “She certainly tried very hard to help Fluttershy yesterday while the rest of us waited at school.”
“I didn’t know Fluttershy needed help!” said Rarity loudly. She sighed. “And how many chances does she get?”
“I dunno,” said Pinkie. “My mother always says try, try, and try again, which is at least three chances.”
Rarity raised an eyebrow at Pinkie. “How many of the things you say your mom says are actually true?”
Pinkie raised her eyebrows. “She says a lot.”
“Hmm,” mused Rarity. She reached a hand into her pocket and played with a thimble between her fingers, an idle motion she developed a few years back. “I’m just concerned about her sudden change of heart and whether it is destined to last. I’d love to help her get through her difficulties, of course, but it’s just not safe to get too involved with her until we know she’s going to stay good.”
“How will we know she’s good for good?” asked Pinkie, jumping around. “Do you want me to spy on her?”
“Um, no,” said Rarity.
“I can go digging into her past and see what skeletons I uncover!” said Pinkie.
“She’s from another world, Pinkie, she has very little past here that we don’t know about,” said Rarity.
“Are you suuuuuuuuure?” asked Pinkie. “Who knows where she goes when she’s not at school? Maybe she doesn’t go anywhere and turns into a flying siren who then sings to the janitors at night, entrancing them and controlling their every whim!”
“I-- no, I don’t think that’s likely,” said Rarity.
Pinkie gasped. “What if she’s still the demon and just has fooled everyone into thinking she’s a girl!”
“That’s essentially what I have been saying,” said Rarity. “It shouldn’t be a surprise to you.”
“How do we expose her then?” asked Pinkie. “Silver bullets? Garlic? Silver garlic?”
“What is—no, I’m sure she’s just a girl now,” said Rarity.
“But you said--“
“I’m speaking metaphorically, dear,” said Rarity. She took a calming breath. “She wasn’t a physical demon for years and still she destroyed our friendships, ruined our lives, pushed around the entire school, and set up events to steal a magic crown. If anything looking like a demon was a major step down in her power.”
“I don’t know,” said Pinkie, putting a finger on her chin. “Don’t you think we kinda made that way easier for her by not talking to each other and just assuming the worst of everyone? Not that it excuses her or anything, but we probably could have been better friends.”
Rarity stopped walking and stared at Pinkie. “Are you serious? It’s our fault she manipulated us?”
“That’s not—“
“It doesn’t matter if we’re the most vulnerable people in the world, it doesn’t give her any right to abuse us!”
“I don’t know if I was really abused—“ said Pinkie.
Rarity stepped up and gently took Pinkie’s hands. “We have to – all of us have to stick together now so this doesn’t happen again.”
Pinkie froze and her brow slightly furrowed. “Rarity,” she said softly. “Are you alright?”
Rarity dropped Pinkie’s hands and took a deep breath. She huffed slightly and turned to the side. “I’m sorry,” she said after a bit. She continued walking.
“Rarity,” said Pinkie.
“I’m fine,” said Rarity quickly. “But regardless, we need to keep Fluttershy safe and I think this whole Sunset business is going to hurt her if we’re not careful.”
“I suppose,” said Pinkie as she put her hands in her pockets. “Oh, there she is!”
They approached Fluttershy’s house and Rarity felt her brain scream on setting eleven. Fluttershy was standing in front of her house with her bag and books, looking pretty, her hands held lightly behind her back and a small blush on her cheeks in the cool fall morning air.
And there was Sunset Shimmer, talking and laughing with her. Rarity felt the dread rising in her.
“Good morning!” said Pinkie loudly as the approached.
“Oh, good morning,” said Fluttershy in her usual soft voice. “Sorry for making you all worry yesterday.”
“Oh, darling don’t even think about it,” said Rarity, smiling for her friend. “If anything we’re sorry you were in such a state and we didn’t know.”
Sunset Shimmer shrugged. “It wasn’t that bad, we did alright.”
Rarity turned her eyes towards Sunset and tried not to glare. The girl was fashioned static, like many people their age, stuck in her leather jacket and skirt. It wouldn’t be such a big deal if not for the beating the coat took during the Fall Formal. The frayed edges and scorched zippers looked absolutely terrible. Rarity was annoyed the girl hadn’t replaced it entirely.
She pushed those criticisms to the side as be she could. “I’m surprised to see you this morning. Where do you live, anyway? Is this truly on your way?”
“My foster parents live downtown,” said Sunset.
“Oh, my, so far away,” said Fluttershy. “Why do you go to CHS?”
Sunset laughed weakly. “Why do you think? The portal. Transferred in to be close to it.”
“Wait,” said Rarity. “You walk all the way down here? You’re passing the school to get here.”
Sunset shrugged. “What else am I going to do with my mornings?”
You could stop bothering Fluttershy for one, thought Rarity. “Whatever, we should get going.” She motioned towards the school.
Sunset looked at Rarity’s outstretched hand. “After me, huh?” asked Sunset. She sighed and stuck her hands in her jacket. “All right.” She started walking... and almost immediately Fluttershy started walking beside her.
Rarity huffed and then followed. Pinkie jumped around beside her.
“This is fun, isn’t it?” said Pinkie.
“Hmm?” said Sunset in front.
“Well, the more the merrier!” said Pinkie. “It’s a shame Rainbow Dash and Applejack don’t live nearby.”
Sunset turned her head slightly. “Where do they live?” she asked. “I know Applejack lives on a farm but I could never figure out where there was a farm within the county lines. I have no idea about Rainbow Dash.”
Rarity cleared her throat. “Why is that important? Do you need to know where we all live?”
“Uh, no,” said Sunset. “I just, well, I spent some time a while ago trying to figure it out, and wasn’t able to. It always puzzled me.”
“So you don’t need to know anymore,” said Rarity.
Sunset sounded like she was growling then Fluttershy gently put a hand on her arm. The sound stopped and Sunset shook her head. “You’re right, I don’t. Forget I asked.” She crossed her arms – causing Fluttershy’s hand to fall to her side – and started walking a little faster.
Fluttershy turned and gave a look to Rarity that she’d never seen from the girl before. It almost looked like disappointment. Then she sped up to match Sunset.
Rarity shook her head again.
*** ( MLP ) ***
Rarity crossed out the design she was working on and angrily turned the page. Somehow she had failed to recognize the clashing patterns on the jacket and tights and it looked like storm of stars and leaves attacked an innocent model. Completely ridiculous! It would never even rank in Sapphire Shore’s competition.
She leaned back in her chair and breathed heavily.
“Ease off, sugah,” said Applejack from beside her. “You’re going to give yourself a stroke.”
Rarity remembered where she was and looked around. The arts room wasn’t entirely looking at her but at least half of the students were. She was sitting at one of the large drafting tables during their Senior Crafts class. Applejack had apparently walked over from the woodworking area and was now beside her. The nearby painting and pottery stations were manned by a half-dozen or so students, all of whom had looked up to watch her reaction.
Rarity held up a hand towards the class. “Sorry about that,” she said politely. After a moment the students realized there wasn’t going to be a dramatic explosion and went back to their work.
Normally Senior Crafts was the highlight of Rarity’s morning, a free form class that students who had earned enough credits in related art periods earlier in their high school years could take and just focus on creation. Students were graded on output and general improvement and nearly everyone got an A in the class if they tried at all. Today, however, Rarity felt haunted by any number of demons, not the least of which was the demon in the leather coat being friendly with Fluttershy.
“Anything you wanna talk about?” asked Applejack as she sat down close to Rarity. She had a piece of carved wood in her hands that she was very carefully working with a small blade. It was becoming the head and mane of a horse, akin to a large chess piece. It was really quite a remarkable carving. Applejack was very talented.
“It’s just this contest,” said Rarity, trying not to think of Sunset Shimmer. “The deadline is next week and there is a ton of work I need to do even after I come up with a design. If I don’t have something by Friday I don’t think I’ll be able to do the mock ups in time.”
“I thought you had all sorts of ideas with feathers and jewels and swooping sashes,” said Applejack. She motioned with the piece of wood as she said ‘swooping.’ The simplification made Rarity smile.
“Yes, I thought I did, but they’re just not good enough,” said Rarity with shrug. “They’re too mundane or not... not Sapphire Shores enough!”
“Mundane?” asked Applejack with narrowed eyes. She leaned in close to the page, her shoulder brushing against Rarity’s arm. “Have you seen how normal people dress?”
“I mean mundane for a superstar signer-slash-dancer,” said Rarity. “I’ve seen her outfits in her videos, I have to do something at least as amazing if I want to win this.”
“But doesn’t she have like an army of designers that get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to create costumes for her?” asked Applejack, straightening up again. “You can’t possibly be expected to compete with that. I thought this was more of an amateur thing.”
Rarity put a hand to her chest and leaned away from her friend. “Amateur! I couldn’t possibly create something that would be described as that.”
“Rarity,” said Applejack in her patient but slightly condescending tone. “I wasn’t calling you an amateur, I was just tryin’ to figure out what this contest was supposed to be.”
“Oh, I know, darling,” said Rarity. She settled back in her chair. “I really do, I’m just upset with myself that I can’t make these designs come to life in the way I imagine them. I don’t want to send in something that I’m not satisfied with.”
“Well, everything I’ve ever seen you do has been amazing,” said Applejack with hesitation. “Especially considering you have to gather your materials from thrift stores and clearance racks. They should offer some consideration for what you have to work with.”
“I’m afraid they’re interested in the designs themselves, not the background of the person who made them,” said Rarity. Not to mention she absolutely did not want anyone’s pity for her life. She would be recognized for her work or not at all.
“What about all those nifty designs you made for all the Fall Formals?” asked Applejack.
“Unfortunately much of those don’t fit Sapphire’s style, and almost all of them were actually copies of designs I’d seen elsewhere with just a bit of my own touch,” said Rarity. “As you said, I’m pretty good as a seamstress, but it’s as a designer that I want to be known by.”
“Well, it all looks amazing to me,” said Applejack. “Wish I were a judge on this competition.”
“I appreciate the sentiment,” said Rarity. She looked down at the blank pad. She began sketching out a simple model and then began covering it in a dress of layered greens and red with slight apple motifs across the fabric.
“Come up with something?” asked Applejack.
“No, just started imagining you as a judge at a fashion show,” said Rarity as she quickly drew out the mock-belts and ruffles of cloth to look like the bandanas Applejack wore around her neck at the farm. “Come to think of it, I think I had a dream about that last night.” She grabbed a pencil and began filling in the colors her mind had been imagining over the sketch. “It’s not really Sapphire’s style either, but it helps to keep my creativity going.”
Applejack shook her head and turned to lean against the drafting table. “Dreaming about me now, are you, sugah?” She smiled and continued whittling. “See, I don’t see how you can make all that fer me in a flash but can’t do the same for Sapphire.”
“I’m not competing against anyone else for your fashion,” said Rarity with a smirk.
“Thank goodness,” said Applejack. “I don’t think I could deal with so many dresses.”
“I could make you some bedazzled overalls if that’s your preference,” said Rarity.
Applejack laughed. The two continued their work in silence for a few minutes. Rarity finished one angle on the Applejack-judge design and started doing a turn-around for completeness sake. She got halfway through a second angle when she slowed and stalled.
“I’m worried about Fluttershy,” she said, unable to keep herself from bringing it up to the one person who saw things the same way as her.
“I know,” said Applejack quietly. “But, you know, maybe she’s gettin’ through to Sunset. It might be a good thing.”
Rarity frowned. “So quickly? I don’t think so. It’s probably a trap.”
“A trap?” asked Applejack. “Why would you think that? What does she get out of it?”
“Revenge for us beating her,” said Rarity firmly. “She pretends to relent, makes a show of being sorry, targets the most vulnerable of us five, gets her to care, maybe even seduces her, and then turns the knife on her and –“
“Seduces?!” Applejack said, startled. She covered her mouth quickly after students began to look towards them again. She started whispering just loud enough for Rarity to hear. “What are you talking about?”
Rarity put down her pencil and pulled out her phone. She swiped through several screens and then showed Applejack the text conversation she had with Fluttershy last night.
“Your spelling is awful,” said Applejack.
“Ha, ha,” said Rarity, dryly. She knew she was being sarcastic. Out of all of them, Rarity was the only one to insist on proper grammar and punctuation in text messages.
Applejack frowned after a minute. “So, what? You think Sunset intended this? Seems a stretch.”
Rarity took back the phone. “Doesn’t seem like it to me,” she said. She shoved it back into her bag. “I don’t want to take the chance. We should do something.”
Applejack visibly paled. “Ah don’t know what you’re thinking, but getting in the way now might be a bad idea. What’re you even gonna say?”
“I don’t know,” said Rarity. “But I can’t do nothing.”
Applejack looked uncomfortable. “She could be being honest.”
“I want to give her the benefit of the doubt,” said Rarity, though the words curdled in her mouth as she spoke them. “But there should be contingency plans.”
“Rarity, isn’t this sort of... I dunno, scheming?” asked Applejack. “You ain’t normally this...” she trailed off.
“What?” asked Rarity. Now Applejack was driving her crazy. Was she on her side or not?
“Vicious?” ventured Applejack.
Rarity’s mouth hung open. “That’s how you think of me?”
“Not normally,” said Applejack looking anywhere but at her.
“I can’t believe you,” said Rarity. She closed her sketchbook. “I’m just trying to protect our friends.”
“Are you sure?” asked Applejack. “Because it seems like you’re trying to punish Sunset, and I’m not sure why.”
“Not sure why?” shouted Rarity. She felt her frown etching deeply into her face. She put her sketchbook into her back and grabbed her pencil box. She hefted her bag onto her back and pushed past Applejack and headed for the door.
“Rarity!” called out Applejack from behind her but she just ignored it and walked out.
*** ( MLP ) ***
Rarity was waiting at the cafeteria when her lunch period came along. She’d ducked out of her last class a few minutes early just to make sure she could be there at the right time. After the bell rang, she waited and watched as students walked past her. She occasionally took a drink from the fountain or pretended to be sorting her book bag to appear slightly less suspicious, but after a minute she saw her target coming along, flaming hair and all.
Rarity stepped in front of her before she had a chance to even get near the doors to the cafeteria.
“Rarity,” said Sunset Shimmer. She didn’t look surprised. “I don’t suppose you’re here to compliment my outfit.”
“Come with me,” said Rarity firmly.
Sunset sighed and then nodded. “Lead on,” she said. Rarity turned and headed back towards the arts room. It was typically empty during this period and thanks to the Senior Crafts class, Rarity was allowed in during lunch. Normally it was to work on her projects and use the sole sewing machine in the room, but today it afforded her a brief amount of privacy.
They entered the room quietly and Rarity instinctively walked over to the large drafting tables before remembering to turn around and face her enemy.
Sunset Shimmer wasn’t even looking at her. She was slowly walking the perimeter of the room studying the art on display. It was all works from members of Senior Crafts, both current and prior classes. Tall ceramic vases were sitting next to clay sculptures, beautiful paintings, carved wood, small pieces of furniture, and dozens of sketches in charcoal and other medium. She seemed to walk a few steps and pause then move on. She stopped entirely at the end of the row, where nine clothing designs were hung in a grid.
“These are yours,” said Sunset, turning back.
Rarity was a little startled by the recognition. “Yes, a few pieces I did last summer when I interned at a local studio.”
“You’ve already worked as a designer?” asked Sunset, her eyes were wide and strangely full of awe.
“I did some costume work,” said Rarity. “Basic sewing. These designs were not used by the studio, they weren’t even asked for.” She sighed. “But Fluttershy got a hold of them and handed them off to my teacher without asking.”
“They’re good,” said Sunset, looking up at the designs again.
Rarity sighed. “Stop, please.”
Sunset looked at her. “Stop what?”
“Stop trying to manipulate me,” said Rarity. “You can’t just compliment me to get me on your side. I’m not so vain.”
Sunset made a short laugh and shook her head. “You know, your attitude is incredible.”
“Looks who’s talking,” said Rarity. “Are you sure you feel comfortable judging me?”
“You know, you were right,” said Sunset. “When you told me I was doing this for myself. I was too caught up in my problems to realize that the rest of you had issues of your own. I listened to you. I put aside my troubles and I chose to ignore what it cost me.”
“Until something else you want come along,” said Rarity. “You have nothing, it costs you nothing to act nice. But what if that portal opened tomorrow? Hmm? Would you run through it?”
Sunset looked like a deer in the headlights. “I-- uh, I don’t want to lie to you.”
“Then don’t,” said Rarity.
“I don’t know,” said Sunset reluctantly. “I don’t know what I’d do.”
“If you are even considering fleeing this world, then I have one thing to say to you,” said Rarity. She crossed the room to look Sunset directly in the eyes. “Stay away from Fluttershy.”
Sunset blinked. “What?” she looked puzzled.
“Back off, stay away, stop being friendly,” said Rarity.
“I thought... you all wanted to be friends,” said Sunset slowly.
“We don’t need friends who are thinking of running off the first chance they get,” said Rarity.
“I didn’t say I would do it,” said Sunset.
“But you would think about it,” said Rarity. “Means you want to.”
“Now that’s not fair,” said Sunset angrily. “I have not had the greatest week! I’m doing the best I can but it’s been days, Rarity, since the Fall Formal. Don’t I get some sort of a grace period?”
“You tell me,” said Rarity. “You were the great manipulator, does it matter how long someone is kind to you before sudden cruelty has an effect?”
Sunset looked uneasy. “You don’t have to say these things.”
“I do, because my friends are at stake,” said Rarity.
“I-I don’t want to hurt them,” Sunset stammered. “Not-- not anymore.”
“You’re unpredictable, unreliable,” said Rarity. “You don’t have to want to hurt anyone to do it. You’ll do it just by being yourself. How many times have you made some snide remark at Fluttershy’s expense without even thinking?”
Sunset looked stunned.
“You can’t help yourself,” concluded Rarity.
Sunset swallowed visibly and started blinking rapidly, looking away. Then she coughed and breathed out with a throaty chuckle. “You know, this is exactly what I would have done to get rid of somebody.”
Rarity was disgusted. “Don’t even try it.”
Sunset sniffled. “The crazy crap that Trixie is doing is amateur hour. Stuff you see in novels, melodramatic as all get out. She doesn’t know what she’s doing.” She rubbed her eyes. “But you… you know.”
“Don’t you dare compare me to you,” said Rarity.
Sunset turned to face Rarity and she saw her eyes were wet. “You know, though, what I realized recently? All that stuff I used to do was rooted in how much I hated myself. I realized how much being denied by Celestia made me feel worthless and alone. It made it so easy to figure out how to hurt others.” She was barely keeping herself from crying now. “So what’s your demon, Rarity?”
“Shut up!” said Rarity.
“What makes you hate so much?” said Sunset as she rubbed her eyes again.
“I am not like you!” said Rarity. “I never hurt my friends!”
Sunset looked away, unable to keep Rarity’s gaze. She was rubbing her eyes still. “Well, be happy. You’re right, I don’t know what world I want anymore. I might just leave. I might… hurt Fluttershy again. She’s probably better off without me around.”
Sunset stumbled slightly then ran out of the room.
Rarity watched her go, boiling over with rage. How dare she even try and compare them? Rarity was a refined girl. A generous girl! She protected the people she cared about. She had nothing in common with that demon who hurt everyone and anyone who stood between her and a stupid crown! Rarity would never do that. She would rather hurt herself instead of let harm come to her friends.
It was absurd. She had no demons. She didn’t hate herself. She didn’t!
*** ( MLP ) ***
Rarity said nothing at first. She remained silent at lunch while her friends commented on Sunset’s absence. Even when Flash Sentry came around she focused on her food. She let them ponder and postulate while she said nothing.
It worked fine at first. She had no real idea of what Sunset was doing or where she was, so it wasn’t like she could explain her whereabouts. It was a fine line to walk, but one that seemed sensible.
It started to seem more like lying as the day went on and it became apparent that Sunset hadn’t just skipped out on lunch but had instead fled the school. She hadn’t shown up to her afternoon classes, again, trying the nearly infinite patience of the principal. Her friends asked with more worry, and Rarity’s silence started to feel criminal.
And Fluttershy kept looking at her expectantly.
At the end of the day, the normally shy girl was standing at her locker, and she did not look timid at all. Sunset’s bad influence no doubt.
“You haven’t said anything,” said Fluttershy instead of a hello.
Rarity licked her dry lips, trying out the various excuses in her head to figure out which one was best. All of them felt bad. Worse, they felt slimy. They felt like things Sunset would say.
“Forget about her,” said Rarity. “She’s dangerous.”
“What do you know?” asked Fluttershy calmly. She was seriously, unambiguously angry, and yet still practically whispering her words in the same voice she always used.
“It was only a matter of time before she hurt you or someone else,” said Rarity.
“You talked to her, didn’t you?” asked Fluttershy.
“She’s too selfish to change, she’ll always be that demon inside,” said Rarity.
“You told her to leave?” Fluttershy said more than asked.
“She was going to hurt all of us!” shouted Rarity before she realized how loudly she was speaking.
Fluttershy stared at her with that disappointed look again. It was painful to see and made Rarity’s heart ache.
“So you decided to beat her to it,” said Fluttershy.
Rarity’s mouth went dry and she struggled to respond. Fluttershy turned away and walked off before another word could be said.
“No,” she said quietly. “No, no, no.” She dropped her bag and ran after Fluttershy, pushing through the throng of students in the hallways until she got through the back door of the school onto the blacktop. Hundreds of students were milling about but she searched for the familiar pink hair of her friend.
She found her standing with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie. They were all looking at her with surprised stares. Applejack’s mouth was hanging open. Pinkie Pie said something and they all turned to look at Rarity.
She could read their expressions clearly. She’d seen them before.
Rarity turned away before anything could be said and ran home. She barely registered the world around her as she ran. She didn’t really know why she was running. Home was a vaguely comforting concept and she needed it right now. Streets blurred into each other but her instincts and habits burned into her mind for three years got her back.
She ran into the empty house -- Sweetie Belle would be with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom no doubt -- and went right into her room, closing the door behind her. She put her back against the door and tried to repair her psyche.
They were crazy to be angry with her, she rationalized. Sunset had shown her true colors last week and for all her remorse, it was likely to be temporary. People just didn’t give up on things they desired just because they didn’t get them. If that was the case, Rarity would have stopped trying to enter contests after failing to get into the--
No, no, she shouldn’t compare herself to Sunset. That was the real crazy thing to do. They were not alike, in any way. Apart from their ages, of course, and their general cool disposition. Though both of them tended to break down in spectacular--
Okay, she had to stop with that.
Rarity held her knees against her chest as she sat and tried to clear her mind. She did the right thing. She was sure of it. It was going to hurt a little, because it was a sticky situation, and someone had to step up and rip the bandaid off. If she didn’t do it now, then Sunset was going to do it later. It was better that it was Rarity and not Sunset who got everyone… hurt?
That wasn’t where she was going with that. She was sure of it, though her justification had slipped her mind she was positive it was better than that. It had to be. The alternative was that she wanted to hurt her friends, which was absolutely, undeniable untrue.
Except for Sunset Shimmer. But she wasn’t really a friend. Just like they weren’t really Sunset Shimmer’s friends. They were just pretending to be friends because Twilight asked them to.
But Fluttershy had to go and get too absorbed in the play and started to really care for Sunset. That was a mistake and Rarity was just trying to protect her by… driving away… her friend.
Rarity started to cry. There was a rational explanation for what she did. There was! She had to remember it because it was clear as day and then it wasn’t. She knew it was there, somewhere, she just had to reconstruct the chain of thoughts that led to it. Then she wouldn’t feel so crazy.
She knew Sunset was a threat because… because she’d always been a threat. She drove them all apart for over two years and that was bad. Rarity knew it was bad because it hurt so much not to have her friends there when she--
When she needed their support. Back for the first contest she wanted to enter after the fashion show they put on in their last year of middle school. She was supposed to pick three designs and send them to Canterlot University’s young designers competition. But she couldn’t decide on which three and she didn’t think any of them were really good enough to win a competition. She wanted her friends to help her decide but they had abandoned her and she was sure it was because she wasn’t good enough so she…
She never entered the contest.
Actually, for all her talk, she’d never entered any contest. She never thought any of her work was good enough and always gave up right on the submission date. She wasn’t good enough to live her life’s dream of being a designer.
Sunset was the reason she wasn’t living her dream.
But… that wasn’t any more reasonable than her earlier arguments, was it?
Sunset couldn’t be the reason she was a failure. She was a bully but she couldn’t steal her talent. No, that wasn’t right.
But if that wasn’t right, that meant nobody had stolen her talent. It meant…
Rarity got up from the door and rubbed her red eyes. She put a hand on her nightstand to help steady her as she felt fragile enough to be blown away in a breeze. She walked over to her desk which was covered in her work. Designs, color swatches, fabric choices, patterns, decals, accessories, all the tools to make designs.
Worthless. Because she was the one who had no talent.
She picked up her most recent designs for Sapphire Shores’ contest. They disgusted her. She tore them up. Then she picked up the designs beneath them. They were worse. She tore those up too.
She found more work that wasn’t good enough for anyone to see and destroyed those. She threw scraps of fabric she’d collected into the trash. Partially assembled blouses were shoved into bags and then shoved into the overflowing wastebasket.
Then she overturned her worktable. None of it was worth a thing. Her sewing machine fell to the ground a broke into several pieces.
She stared at the wreckage in her room and cried loudly. Then she collapsed on her bed and cried into her pillow until she passed out.
*** ( MLP ) ***
Rarity woke up when the light on her nightstand turned on, brightly shining on her face. She sat up quickly and looked around her room, witnessing the destruction around her. She then turned the lamp off and removed the bulb for good measure, placing it in the drawer of her nightstand.
She rolled over and went back to sleep.
*** ( MLP ) ***
Rarity woke up again when her father was gently shaking her. She stared, bleary-eyed at him, as he looked at her with a deeply concerned expression. He asked her what happened and she told him she didn’t want to talk about it. Her father, always the patient one, didn’t ask again. He did tell her, though, that if she didn’t have a story to tell him, she had to go to school.
Reluctantly, Rarity got up and pieced together just enough makeup and clothing not to be considered a vagrant. She went to the bathroom, joylessly showered, and got herself ready for the outside world. She wished she had armor, or possibly an invisibility cloak. Instead all she had was her clear complexion, her well curled hair, and a pair of sunglasses to hide her red eyes. She skipped breakfast since she wasn’t sure she was going to be able to keep it down.
She planned to look at nobody when she got to school and just go to her obligated classes as required to reach graduation and the vanish into oblivion. That plan got as far as the school grounds because she was shocked to find Sunset Shimmer there, standing with Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack.
Sunset didn’t look all that happy, but she was there and talking with the rest of them. Fluttershy was trying to force a smile and had a hand gently on Sunset’s arm as she talked. Sunset was nodding in accordance to whatever Fluttershy was saying.
These were her friends. Were.
Rarity turned to the side and headed into the school before they even noticed she was there.
*** ( MLP ) ***
Rarity wasn’t sure what happened that day in class. She was there, she attended every one of them, but she wasn’t paying attention. She wasn’t even thinking about anything else in particular. She tried to think of nothing. She especially thought of nothing in the classes she shared with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie.
Before any memories could be made, it was the end of the day. Not just any day, either. It was Friday. The weekend awaited. A weekend so devoid of activity as to be worse than the the school days it was supposed to be a reprieve from.
Eager to avoid the start of such a long march of solitude, Rarity found herself walking into the arts room after the last bell. On a Friday, it was rare anyone -- normally including Rarity herself -- stayed after school to work on their crafts, especially this early in the school year. Once again, she found herself alone in that room. She slowly went through the designs she kept there, dropping each one onto the floor as she judged it unworthy.
When she was done she looked up at the wall and saw her designs there too.
What a joke. What was the idiom? Big fish in a small pond but a small fish in the ocean. Rarity could very well be the best designer CHS had ever seen, but compared to the real talent out there, she was nobody.
She pulled out the ladder and climbed up to reclaim her work. It was hers by right and she could take it down if she so desired. She carefully unclipped the nine pictures from the threads that held them aloft and neatly stacked them by the trash can.
It was then that Sunset Shimmer walked in.
The two girls stared at each other, neither happy to see the other, neither sure what was supposed to happen next. Sunset was carrying a broom and a dustpan and so Rarity commented upon them.
“You’re here to clean something up?” asked Rarity.
Sunset nodded. “Vice Principal Luna wants me to sweep up the pottery area. She says a lot of clay dust and chipped ceramic end up on the floor.”
Rarity nodded back. “She’s right. It turns into an awful mess that students accidentally track all over the halls.”
“Yeah,” said Sunset.
They stared at each other again. Rarity weighed her awful weekend and the awful person in front of her and struggled to figure out which was worse. To her surprise, the weekend won out.
“I can help you,” said Rarity, rolling up her sleeves. “The pottery wheel is a nightmare to move and the kiln has to be properly opened and disassembled to be cleaned.”
Sunset looked as if she’d just seen a UFO. “Okay?” she said experimentally.
Rarity turned and grabbed a smock out of the painting cabinet. She tied it on and headed to the kiln to begin the cleaning.
Sunset joined in and began sweeping and scrubbing. They worked together to clean the kiln and the wheel, and then Rarity held the dustpan as Sunset swept up the rest of the room. Then they cleaned up the discarded paints, put away the spare canvas materials, and wiped down the desks.
Finally, Sunset wheeled in a large trash bin and began collecting the wastebaskets from around the room. She stopped at the large one by the door and stared at the designs that were stacked on top of it.
“Are you throwing these out?” asked Sunset.
“Yes,” said Rarity, preferring brevity to any lengthy discourse.
“Why?” asked Sunset.
Rarity shrugged. “They’re worthless.”
Sunset shook her head. “They’re great, I don’t know why you’d say that.”
“You don’t have an eye for fashion, darling,” said Rarity. “Just look at that coat you’re wearing.”
Sunset shifted her weight as she looked at the papers. “Maybe not, but this still looks amazing to me. You shouldn’t throw it away, they might be useful for like a portfolio or something.”
Rarity frowned and walked over. “I don’t want to look at them anymore,” she said. Then she snatched the papers from Sunset and shoved them into the large trash bin. “They’re just the last in a long line of failures.”
“I thought you did these for fun,” said Sunset.
“I did them to be noticed,” said Rarity. “But I should have known better. I’m not worth it.” She shook her head. “You of all people should appreciate how pointless it is to fight against your fate.”
Sunset picked up the smaller bin and slowly dumped it into the large can, watching the designs get buried in soiled paper towels and discarded paints. She sighed and then slowly pushed the bin out of the room.
Rarity waited for a couple minutes and then realized Sunset wasn’t coming back. Her delay tactic for the weekend had evaporated and she didn’t have anything left to focus her attention on. She eventually packed up her things, taking her pencils and card stock that she normally left behind in the room, and then headed for the back exit of the school.
The sun was setting on the horizon when she stepped out into the cool fall air.
And Sunset Shimmer was standing there.
“This is getting stalker-ish,” said Rarity.
“Why’d you do it?” asked Sunset. “Why’d you come after me?”
Rarity looked up at the darkening sky. “I don’t know for certain anymore.” She had a pretty good idea, though. It still made her uncomfortable to think about it.
Sunset shuffled her feet. “They don’t hate you, you know.”
Rarity turned her head towards Sunset.
“Your friends. They’re more worried about you than anything.” Sunset crossed her arms.
“And you?” asked Rarity.
“Oh, I hate you,” said Sunset.
“Well, at least that’s normal,” said Rarity.
Sunset shook her head and unfolded her arms to hang by her sides. “No, I don’t mean that,” she said after a moment. “I hate how you made me feel. Insignificant. Helpless. I hate how much that hurt me because I thought I was above it.”
Rarity could imagine how she might feel and it pained her deeply. “I hate how similar we are,” she said quietly.
Sunset stared at her. “Yeah,” she said.
They looked around the school grounds awkwardly as minutes passed. Then Sunset finally spoke up.
“Come on,” she said. She put her hands in her pockets and started walking.
Rarity, with little else to occupy her, just went along. Occasionally, they talked.
“You came back to school,” Rarity said at one point.
“Fluttershy came to get me,” said Sunset. Rarity winced at how much she must have burdened Fluttershy with her actions. “She convinced me to return.”
“How?” asked Rarity.
“With a… convincing argument,” said Sunset Shimmer.
Rarity raised an eyebrow at that, but Sunset only looked away and said, “You’ll have to ask Fluttershy about it.”
Rarity wondered if she’d get the chance.
“You giving up on your designer dream?” asked Sunset.
“Yes,” blurted Rarity. Then she frowned. “No. I don’t know.”
“Pinkie said you wanted to go to a fancy fashion school in the big city,” said Sunset. “I suppose you were hoping for a scholarship.”
“Sort of,” said Rarity. “Not really. That school was never going to happen.”
“Because of money or skill?” asked Sunset.
Rarity said nothing.
Eventually as the sun got close to falling beneath the horizon, they stopped walking in front of a vacant office building. Rarity looked around but saw nothing but other office buildings in all directions.
“Where is this?” asked Rarity.
“This is where I spend most of my time,” said Sunset. She led them in through a door with padlock she had a key for and up a flight of stairs. The further into the building the less it looked like an office and more it started to look like an apartment complex. Doors were open and inside were simple, but complementary decorations and window dressings.
“You live here?” asked Rarity.
“Most of the time,” said Sunset. She continued past the smaller offices until she reached a larger, corner office that had been fully furnished with a bed, bookshelves, stacks of paper and various toys and a couple instruments.
“You did all this yourself?” asked Rarity.
Sunset nodded. She put her bag down next to a stack of textbooks and then collapsed into a reclining chair that looked out the large windows into the twilight. “I couldn’t stand my foster parents originally, so I build this place piece by piece to get away.” She reached out and picked up a guitar that was leaning against the wall. She plucked gently at the strings in a casual, melodic way.
Rarity listened for a few minutes then leaned against the desk by the window. “Why did you bring me here?” she asked.
Sunset’s plucking slowed and stopped. “I built all this because it was necessary to my plan, my obsession to prove... something. It drove me on to the point that nothing was too big or too complicated as long as it was in service to the plan. I did some great things lying to myself.”
Rarity wasn’t sure about the word ‘great’ in that sentence, but said nothing.
“I can’t afford to fool myself anymore,” said Sunset. She looked up from her guitar to watch Rarity. “You were right, about the demon.”
Rarity eyes widened.
“It’s always there,” said Sunset. “Offering me the choice between power and friends. Making the easy way out seem enticing. I can’t get away from it. So I have to learn to ignore it. Because it’s a liar. It only seems easy, it only looks like power. It all falls apart as soon as it comes together.”
Rarity looked down.
“And I think you’re more than a little familiar with that voice too,” said Sunset.
With a grimace, Rarity looked back at Sunset. “What is she like?”
Sunset frowned. “Who?”
“The other me?” asked Rarity. “The one who lives in that world of ponies.”
Sunset bit her lip for a moment and she looked off into the distance. “I only know what I saw through the portal, but she’s a friend of Twilight and Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash and all the others you’re friends with here.”
Rarity nodded.
“She owns and is the sole worker at the Carousel Boutique in Ponyville,” said Sunset. “I understand she is quite well known across Equestria for her designs. I’ve seen more than a few of them though the portal, and I have to say they’re quite nice. Cut for ponies, of course, not humans.”
“She’s that successful?” asked Rarity.
Sunset shrugged. “Seems that way. Though she’s a celebrity for other reasons too, specifically because she’s the Element of Generosity.”
Rarity studied her hands. She felt like she could be famous too if only she could get them to do what she wanted.
“Why are you giving up?” asked Sunset.
Rarity bristled again at that phrasing, but quickly calmed herself. It wasn’t incorrect, she was just used to couching her failures in other words that seemed less harsh. But she was right. She was giving up.
“I’m not as good as that other Rarity,” said Rarity. “I’m not going to make it as a designer.”
Sunset seemed annoyed. “Is that what your voice tells you?”
Rarity opened her mouth to protest but stopped herself again and tried to think about what she was saying. Was her voice the one who told her she could succeed, or the one telling her nothing she did was good enough?
“That seems like a yes,” said Sunset. “Maybe you shouldn’t be listening to that voice either.”
It wasn’t that easy, Rarity said to herself. She couldn’t just go against her own thoughts. But then again, everyone was expecting Sunset to do that and it seemed, at least until Rarity ripped into her yesterday, that she was starting to succeed.
If Sunset Shimmer could do it, couldn’t Rarity? It wouldn’t be easy, that was for sure, but it could be done.
What did she have to lose by trying? She could be embarrassed, of course, and that was a scary prospect. She didn’t want to be shown to be a hack in public, she would just die. Well, figuratively, anyway. She wouldn’t die literally. One she could get over, the other was slightly more permanent.
Which, she guessed, meant she wouldn’t die and embarrassment was possibly not such a terrible as she had been imagining. So, why not give it one more try? Or maybe more than one?
Rarity felt her heart beat a little faster. Could it ever be different?
“Why are you trying to help me?” asked Rarity through a daze.
Sunset leaned forward, resting her elbows on the guitar on her lap. “Because your friends still care about you. Fluttershy is worried about you. If I can help you back to them just a little bit, then she’ll be less worried, more happy. That seems like a good thing to me.”
Rarity was stunned by this simple explanation.
“And I believe helping someone else instead of myself was the criteria you gave to me on Tuesday to be able to apologize to you,” added Sunset.
Rarity trembled as she realized just how wrong she was, not just about Sunset but about how similar they were. While she was standing still and pointing back at the past, Sunset was rushing past her and heading towards the future. Rarity realized she had things to learn from Sunset now.
“I was the selfish one on that day,” Rarity said. “Towards you. Towards all of my friends, really. I was upset at myself for… well, for a long time now, and I took it out on you.” She stood up. “But I don’t want to hear your apologies, because I don’t deserve them. We both have a lot of growing to do, and it’s better we don’t waste time competing.”
Sunset stood up and gently placed the guitar on the ground next to the chair. She came over to Rarity and held out a hand.
“Maybe we start again, then?” asked Sunset.
Rarity look at the hand and slowly reached out to shake it.
“Nice to meet you, Rarity,” said Sunset.
Rarity looked up at this girl from another world. “You too, Sunset Shimmer.”
*** ( MLP ) ***
Hondo Flanks said very little to his daughter as he drove her back home from the industrial park he picked her up at. Rarity was relieved at that, as she wasn’t quite sure what to tell her father about Sunset’s illegal abode. It seemed as though nobody had cared for several years that she was living there, but that didn’t mean someone wouldn’t start to care if it was brought to everyone’s attention.
The car ride was short, regardless, and Rarity had gone through the usual pleasantries about school and the weekend and who was Sunset Shimmer. She had carefully picked her words in light of their conversation yesterday morning so as not to invite more questions.
They arrived home fifteen minutes later and Rarity did her best to act normal, greeting her sister and mother, and dismissing the concerns about her room. She said she would clean it up and it would be fine. At that, she headed back to her bedroom and opened the door.
It really was a mess. The pieces of her sewing machine were everywhere, mixed with torn fabric and paper, stained from water colors and markers. The effort to get this back to any sort of sensible organization was practically not worth it.
Hondo reappeared behind her while she surveyed the wreckage.
He whistled calmly. “Looks like a hurricane hit in here.”
“Yes, not one of my finer moments,” said Rarity.
“One I hope we won’t be repeating anytime soon,” said Hondo.
Rarity shook her head. “No,” she said. “I feel better now.”
“Better enough to talk about it perhaps?” asked Hondo.
Rarity turned and smiled expectantly at her father.
Hondo put up his hands. “All right, all right, far be it for me to be interested in the lives of my daughters.” He smiled and started to walk away.
“Daddy,” Rarity said quickly. Her father paused and smiled as he turned back.
“What is it, sweetheart?”
Rarity tried not to look as uncomfortable as she felt. “Do you-- I mean, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but I was just wondering if, you-- you ever think about having a drink again?”
Hondo looked kindly down at his daughter. He then got on his knee so he was looking up at her instead of down, and took a slow breath. “All the time,” he said. “That’s not really going to change for me.”
Rarity felt awful for even discussing this, she even felt tears well up at the hopelessness of constantly fighting back an urge you can never, ever, indulge in. “How do you not?” she asked.
Hondo put his hands gently on Rarity’s arms and smiled at her. “I remember there are people who love me that I’d be letting down if I did, and then I make the right choice.”
Rarity tried to smile but her lip was trembling and she felt herself tear up.
“Don’t cry for me, sweetheart,” said Hondo. “Doing the right thing for you and Sweetie Belle is better than any drink I’ll ever have.”
Rarity closed her eyes and nodded.
“Do you need some help with your room?” asked Hondo.
Rarity shook her head.
Slowly, Hondo’s hands left her arms. A moment later she felt his lips press against her forehead briefly. “If you change your mind, I’ll be here.”
She heard his steps drift away. She stepped back into her room and closed the door before finally opening her eyes. She looked at the mess again and sniffled once, then smiled.
She picked up her table and put the pieces of the sewing machine on top. She opened a drawer in her nightstand and pulled out a small case of screwdrivers. Righting her chair, she sat down in front of the table and got to work.
*** ( MLP ) ***
Just over a week ago, she was a defeated demon that had been effectively banished to a dimension where her greatest strength was essentially useless. Still, it seemed like Sunset Shimmer had fewer concerns then than she did now.
The weekend was slow and uneventful, but that was actually preferable to the alternative. Her Saturday detention was brief but boring, as she was asked to make up all the work done in the classes she’d missed. Fortunately, she hadn’t actually missed anything she didn’t already know.
On Sunday, she spent the day with her foster parents at the flea market. It was a fascinating event full of tables and crafts, and second hand goods for sale. She wished she’d gone earlier when she was still decorating her place at the industrial park. She could have found far more of the things she was looking for at prices only slightly higher than free.
Her foster parents even managed to be kind and entertaining, and they ate out for dinner at a reasonably nice tavern. She may have even promised to start bringing her stuff over from her squatter space on a slightly more permanent basis.
Then Monday rolled around it was time for school again. She headed out early, as usual, and made her way to Fluttershy’s house. The girl was cheerful as always, and even teased Sunset on her unchanging clothes, asking if she needed someone to shop for her.
Sunset was protesting the need for a variety of clothes when Pinkie Pie and Rarity appeared, the former looking peppy and grinning madly, and the latter was clutching a bundle of rolled up papers and had bloodshot eyes. She was smiling, too.
“Good morning,” said Sunset, experimentally.
“Good morning,” Pinkie and Rarity said in unison. They then laughed at the coordination.
“You don’t look so good,” said Fluttershy carefully to Rarity.
Rarity laughed. “Oh, believe me, darling, I feel worse, but I couldn’t spare a wink if I was going to finish these on time.”
“These?” asked Sunset as she looked at the rolled up papers.
“Uh-huh,” nodded Rarity. “I have sketches and mockups for five designs and I’d like you all to help me decide which ones to send to Sapphire Shores’ contest. I think they’re some of the best work I’ve ever done, but I could always use an outside opinion.”
“Oh, we’d be happy to help,” said Fluttershy.
“I’ll show you all at school,” said Rarity with a smile. She charged on ahead. “Let’s go!”
Sunset watched as Rarity marched forward with Fluttershy beside her laughing and Pinkie hopping along. She smiled at the fashionista, and hoped this would last at least a little while and give her some time to relax.
Though her smile faltered slightly.
“Five designs,” she said under her breath. “Not six.”
One step at a time, came the voice of Star Swirl the Bearded.
Sunset only shook her head in response.