Rarity lost count of how many hoofshakes she gave out, and her throat felt dry from speaking for so long uninterrupted. But flattery was a weapon, and she still had many salvoes to launch before the meeting finally concluded—mercifully, only a few minutes more. As the last corporate executives and senior accountants left, she let out an explosive sigh and collapsed into the plush chair at the head of the meeting table, swiveling it to let her stare at Canterlot’s skyline.
“When my business finally takes off,” she told Twilight, who was organizing papers, “I really must hire a team to do all this for me. Thank you ever so much for being here to help.”
“But you did such an outstanding job!” Twilight said, placing the last of her folders into a briefcase, which she closed with a clack of hinges. “I didn’t see a single frown when they left. The gem market has needed fresh input for a while, and this will give several competitors a leg-up. All in all, it makes for a healthier economy.”
“Don’t forget my masterstroke of giving Appleloosa almost exclusive rights to supply said gems with the help of Ruff and his pack,” Rarity said as she thrust a hoof into the air. “And with the new irrigation from that underground lake…”
Twilight smiled as she gathered her quills. “Their production increases threefold, everypony—”
“Everybody, darling.”
“Everybody lives in harmony, and we all get a happy ending.” Twilight went to hold the door for Rarity, who stretched and moved to join her with a grimace.
“In general, yes. But there are some things that not even time can mend. By the way, thank you for all your help. I couldn’t have put all this together on such short notice without you.”
“I dunno Rarity, keep this up and I’ll be tapping you for the next diplomatic mission,” Twilight said, playfully bumping hips with Rarity as they took the stairs down at a quick trot; both of them wanted to be out of the stuffy building quickly.
“Oh, please spare me!” Rarity said as they reached the bustling corporate lobby and headed outside, greeted by pleasant sunshine, a large terrace covered in soft grass overlooking a busy plaza, and not a speck of sand or grit whatsoever. “There are only so many miracles I can work on a single trip! I wouldn’t dream of handling the pressure of international relations, having to shake hooves with griffons or lock horns with yaks. No, it simply won’t do.”
Her gaze slid away from Twilight, towards the balcony at the edge of the terrace. “I… have some things that have anchored me closer to home now, too.”
Twilight looked. Braeburn stood leaning on the terrace balcony, staring off into space with his chin on one hoof, spic and span in a burgundy two-piece suit and string tie. Without his hat he still managed to look very debonair as his mane shone in the sun, thanks to Rarity’s many expensive conditioners. He looked the very picture of a fish out of water, a cowpony playing at big city life.
It’s still so easy to pick him out of a crowd, Rarity thought with a smile. “Braeburn! Darling!”
He started and turned, smiling with relief. “Oh, Rarity!” he said, hurrying over to give her a quick kiss. “Miss Twilight,” he added, tugging his forelock in place of his hat. “I take it everything went well?”
“Better than well,” Twilight said, “your marefriend here knocked it out of the park. Gems mined and cut by Appleloosa Dogs Incorporated will be flooding the markets in days. Celestia herself expressed an interest in a few special orders. Not to mention the fact that your apple clients are overjoyed at your new productivity thanks to improved irrigation.”
Braeburn grinned and wrapped a hoof around Rarity’s shoulders. “Don’t expect nothin’ less with this miracle mare.”
Rarity batted his shoulder, feigning modesty. “Oh, you.”
“I think with all that and the stunning success of your relationship, we can soon expect what most ponies would call a ‘happy ending,’” Twilight said, confidently sliding her briefcase into her saddlebag.
Rarity and Braeburn looked at each other fondly, but Rarity was the first to glance away. “Yes, well, there are some rather more personal issues that have yet to be resolved. Whenever one story ends another begins, as they say. Or perhaps it’s that no story ever ends, and we merely move from one chapter to the next.”
“I can only guess that means you’re really going to try and help Bonny get back with her parents?” Twilight asked as they started the walk to the train station.
“Of course,” Rarity said. “A promise is a promise, and these things aren’t just sorted out with a song and dance.”
“But we aren’t gonna rush it,” Braeburn added quickly. “Only when Bonny’s good an’ ready, an’ little Rusty Hinges has warmed up to the idea. We’re all gonna stop by in Ponyville for a spell first of course. Think it’ll do Bonny some good, Rusty too.”
“Well, I think it’s very brave of you to do that,” Twilight said with a firm nod. “More ponies need someone to push them to confront their insecurities.” She looked ahead, staring into the horizon as if she could already see distant Ponyville. “I know I did.”
Rarity said nothing. But that was only because she already knew.
———
The train ride back home was short without being rushed, leisurely without producing languor; a welcome respite from the bustle of several business meetings back to back. Rarity and Braeburn shared a private room, allowing Twilight to snore her nose off in the one next to them.
“I know she approves of you,” Rarity said, leaning on Braeburn’s bare chest. He had slipped out of his fancy duds at the first opportunity. “Twilight, I mean. I can tell by the way she looks at you.”
“I’m easy to approve of,” Braeburn said with a smirk, idly stroking her mane as he looked out the window.
“You know you didn’t have to come all the way with me,” Rarity said. “I wouldn’t have minded a bit if you stayed in Appleloosa, really.”
“I needed to stretch my legs. See Applejack an’ the folks again. An’ let the townsfolk know that it wasn’t just some snooty city pony bein’ the face of our town.” He gave her a playful poke. “And… you know. I wanted you to know I’m there for you, Rarity. All the time, every time.”
Rarity closed her eyes and snuggled in tighter. “I know. It’s one of the many things I’ve come to love about you.”
They hadn’t yet spoken about many other things that waited in the future. If and when one of them may move, what would happen when their respective businesses took off, how being a whole train ride apart might put stress on them. But they would speak of these obstacles eventually. If a Dust Devil and an angry town couldn’t pull them apart, then the rest would be little more than stepping stones. They had time.
“Braeburn,” Rarity said, suddenly raising her head and looking him in the eyes. “Whatever happens… let’s promise. Promise that we won’t just let it end. That we’ll fight for each other like we did in Appleloosa.”
Braeburn tilted his head, confused. It reminded Rarity of a puppy. “Of course,” he said, like they had already had this conversation. “Of course we will. You don’t think that after baggin’ the absolute finest filly in all Equestria I’m gonna just let her go? Rarity, I’m a silly pony sometimes. I’m a downright fool others. I don’t like conflict an’ arguments an’ sometimes I smile when I should frown. Sometimes I frown when I should smile. But you came an’ showed me these things about myself. You were so… different when we met. You were strange an’ pretty an’ polite to a fault. You could suss out a matter just by lookin’ at it, like it were nothin’ more’n finding a fault in a dress. It scared me, how strange you were. But that was just what we needed.”
He put his hoof under her chin and lifted it. Her mouth hung open just barely, quivering as she felt his words wash over her. His eyes were solemn, unblinking, and so devastatingly handsome she almost fainted.
“You showed all of Appleloosa what we weren’t,” he said, starting to smile. “What I wasn’t. An’ in doing so, you showed us all what we could be.”
Rarity swallowed hard. Her mouth went dry and her face flushed with heat. She felt delightfully delirious. “Braeburn,” she whispered, “don’t look now, but I think I might be falling for you.”
“Oh, I fell a long time ago,” Braeburn replied, grinning. “Then a pretty little pony marched over and set me straight.”
Rarity gave a coy smile. “Prettier than a princess?”
“You’ve always been a princess,” he said.
“Oh.” Rarity shivered as she leaned in for a kiss. “Then that would make you my-…”
She didn’t finish that thought. Or the one after. There was nothing she could say that would match what they felt, and when they fell into each other everything else was blown away like dust, and Rarity was soon happy to forget silly things like talking altogether.