Chapter 14 - Heart-Shaped Box
She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks
I've been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap
I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black
All Rarity got as an answer was a faint whimper. Fluttershy looked up at me with uncertainty and more than a little bit of
confusion.
"Uhhh...Rarity, this is Fluttershy. I...'met' her yesterday." I said to the porcelain unicorn. "And Fluttershy, this is my friend, Rarity." I gave the most assuring smile I could muster to the yellow pegasus.
"Charmed." Rarity said with a smile to the pink-maned filly. Fluttershy just nodded silently. "Anyway..." Rarity turned to look up at me. "I was hoping you could help me out with something."
"What d'ya need?"
Rarity pouted and kicked the floor with a hoof. "All my luggage is still at the train station." Her eyes grew unnaturally large and shiny. "And I was hoping that I could find someone nice and strong to carry it for me."
I smirked. Classic Rarity, even at foalhood. "Sure thing but what d'ya mean 'luggage'?"
She grinned. "I'll show you when we get there~" She sang, already skipping off to the door. "C'mon, follow me."
I held up my hand. "Hang on, lemme check in with Cup first." I turned and started for the kitchen, noting that the quiet yellow filly was scampering in tow. I poked my head around the archway, finding the cerulean mare flattening away a slab of dough with a rolling pin. "Hey, Cup?" I called out to her. Her head shot up and spun to face me with the sort of look a deer would have if it were caught in a car's headlights. Though, when she took note that it was me, her expression softened and a small smile graced her muzzle.
"Yes, Kyle?" She asked.
"Remember that filly that sorta went missing the day after yesterday?"
"Mmm? Oh! Yes, I did read something about that in the paper yesterday, they had to postpone the school play because of it, right? Weren't you friends with her? What was her name?"
"Rarity and yeah, we're pretty decent mates."
"It's still hard to hear you say that and mean 'friends'." Cup commented with a giggle.
I scratched the back of my head. "Uhhh, yeah."
"Why do you ask all of a sudden?"
"'Cause she's here."
Mrs. Cake stopped idly using her rolling pin and stared at me for a full beat before she beamed widely. "Oh! They found her, did they?" She asked brightly.
I chuckled. "Actually, I reckon she found her own way back." That managed to change her expression to an inquisitive one. "Ya see, she wasn't necessarily 'taken'. From what I could gather, it was just some unicorn magic gone astray." I explained.
"I see...well, then what is she doing here?"
"That's what I wanted to tell you." I began. "Lass needs some help with something, so I was wondering if it was okay to step out for a quick while."
Cup's eyes narrowed slightly into a very bemused stare.
"Look, I know I slacked off yesterday but that was for a good reason." I started. "I'll be back in no time, I promise. Thirty minutes tops."
Mrs. Cake put a hoof to her chin and glanced down at the dough on the counter for a moment, looking very contemplative. Finally, after what felt like hours and a single bead of sweat ran down my head, she spoke. "Okay."
"Okay? Awesome, I'll be right-"
"But don't make this a habit of yours, alright?" Cup gave me a stern gaze, which was enough to make me gulp absentmindedly.
"Aye, Cap'n." I whipped around the archway and found Fluttershy sitting there patiently, looking up me with the large teal eyes of hers. I knelt down and smiled at her. "I gotta go help out Rarity now, Fluttershy." I said, she casted a forlorn look to the ground at that. "I don't wanna leave you along though, so do you wanna come with me?" She looked aside, hiding her face away from me with her mane.
After a minute, she turned back around and regarded me again with her eyes.
And nodded, the faintest of smiles growing on her muzzle.
I grinned and stood up, noticing that Rarity was waiting by the door with a rather impatient look on her face. Can't be helped I suppose.
"Are you quite finished?" She asked with a irritated groan.
I just nodded. "Alright, Rarity. Show us whatcha got."
"Here we are~! Now if you would be so kind as to..."
It didn't take us that long to reach the train station from The Corner but it was still a decent walk. The whole time, Rarity and I shared idle small-talk, catching up on what had transpired between today and when she dissapeared. I told her that I managed to get the play to be postponed, which seemed to absolute elate the porcelain unicorn with joy. Rarity then began to tell me what exactly happened when her horn took her off to God-knows-where. She apparently had the most convaluted odyssey, her horn managed to lead her through forests, towns, deserts and ended her up on a cliff edge.
It goes without saying that it all very believable and I had a shit-eating grin on my face the whole time. To which, I don't think she noticed.
Of course I began to tell her the story of how I managed to 'save' Fluttershy. The admiration in Rarity's eyes was truly heart-warming when I got to the part about catching her and taking her in.
All tears were exempt, obviously.
Fluttershy remained mostly quiet, only her hooves patting against the grass was the only sound she made. I frowned a little at that, it would be nice to hear her speak up every once in a while but I suppose she just didn't know what to say.
Rarity noticed what I said about the Sonic Rainboom and her smile grew. She was about to say something else but then noticed that we had already arrived at the station and then proceeded to present her 'luggage' to us.
Rarity's young voice went all but unnoticed to me as I took in the sight that she brought the yellow filly and I to. She waved a hoof presentingly at stacks...literal stacks of bags. It didn't matter that they were all different, shape and style wise, sitting there on the train platform with ponies idly ignoring it and going about their business, what did matter was what was inside them. Everywhere your eyes would travel down any particular bag, one could notice the jagged protrusions in the material from within, each one more filled-to-the-brim than the last. In fact, in a few of them, I could see the faintest shine of coloured rocks bouncing away the sunlight and sparkly majestically.
Gems.
An absolute fortunate in gemstones and jewels.
I knew that there'd be alot of the damn things but this...this was just ridiculous. Rarity was probably the richest pony in town and she was still only a filly!
Truth be told, I was sort of jealous and very...very thankful that nopony had decided to steal a young unicorn's treasured findings.
"Kyle? Hello~? Kyle?"
I turned to her, mouth nearly hitting the ground. "R-rarity...How?"
"You weren't listening, were you?" She deadpanned.
"Sorry but do ya mind explainin' all...this?" I gestured to the stack.
She gave an upturned, closed-eye smile. "Well, that explosion that you mentioned, I witnessed it aswell." She began. "Quite the extraordinary occurence, if I might say. It was capable enough to split the rock my horn lead me to in two." She opened her eyes and grinned, her sapphire pools sparkling with joy. "When my horn finally stopped dragging me, I knew that it had led me to my destiny! Sure, I was a tad confused and more than a little bit angry that it brought me to a rock, of all things."
I chuckled. "Yeah, I'd imagine."
"But then I saw the jewels inside and knew that I was right! Fortunately enough, there was a small town not too far from the cliff, so I took whatever I could carry, bought all these bags and the kind ponies I met there were helpful enough to send me on my way with them."
I stared at her for a long moment then back at the bags and scratched my neck. Trying to imagine everything I just heard.
"Well...I guess that makes 'nough sense." I shrugged. "I'm just glad ya didn't run into trouble 'cause o' this little pile here."
"It was rather fortunate, wasn't it?"
"Yeah."
"Well, then, hop to it, let's go."
"What?"
"You're carrying them."
My jaw dropped, I gave a quick glance to the bags and let out a hopeless chuckle. "You're kiddin', right?"
Rarity just smirked. "That is why I asked for your help."
I counted the bags, about twelve in total. I groaned and tested a relatively small saddlebag filled with gems for it's weight. Not too heavy, reckon I could just swing this over like a backpack. I thought, grabbing another and trying to keep in it a vice-like grip under my arm. Seemed to be efficient enough.
"Rares? Mind if we make another trip there and back, I can only carry so much." Which was then when something came to mind. "Wait, if you just can't use magic to lug these around...how did you manage to get them on the train?"
Rarity stared blankly at an upturned hoof, as if a woman checking her fingernails. "I had some help." She stated simply before she then grinned up at me. "And now, you're the help." She added wryly.
I just groaned, she was gonna owe me for this.
And I just knew somehow that I'll never get around to collecting the debt.
"RARITY!!"
"Mother!"
I stood back and watched with the unicorns haul, taking in the sight as the rounded pink mare dashed over to Rarity and crushed her in a bone-destroying hug. I'm pretty sure I even heard one snap under her embrace but that was probably just my imagination.
"Oh, I was so worried!" She cried. Trickles of tears streaming down her muzzle as she held her daughter. All too suddenly, did she break away and take hold of her shoulders in both hooves. "Don't you ever do that again!" She barked. It wasn't to last as her expression melted into another tear-filled joyful face. "Oh, I'm so glad you're safe." Garden hugged her again.
Rarity said nothing, just simply content in hugging her mother back, albeit with much less force. Despite the weight of the bags increasingly making my arms tired, I watched the spectacle with a closed-in smile. I glanced down and spied Fluttershy watching it with a tiny frown, her ears splayed back suddenly and her bottom lip trembled slightly. Poor lass.
I set the bags down, making a rather noisy collective jangle and knelt down beside the pegasus. She looked up at me and I could see the tears brimming in her eyes, I frowned sympathetically at her, I knew what was making her sad.
Without any hesitation, I tentatively brought Fluttershy into a hug. I let out a soft chuckle, I barely made it to her when I began to open my arms, she gave a quick pounce and she leapt up into the embrace. She sobbed quietly and all I could do was stroke her mane softly. I'm so useless.
"Hey, it's okay, sugar." I soothed. Trying to keep my voice low so that the others couldn't hear me. "I'm gonna do everything I can to get you back home, I promise." She looked up at me and I nearly cringed at the practical rain falling from her sparkling eyes. "Alright?"
She didn't answer me right away and instead went to cast one last look at Rarity and her mother, Garden Wishes. I thought she was going to burst into tears again but was genuinely surprised.
I watched as her mouth slowly but surely twitched and curled up into a smile.
I wasn't completely sure what was going on in her head but I found comfort to see that bright beam on her face.
I gave her coat a quick rub and she turned to look up at me and flashed a toothy grin, still watering at the eyes. There were no words, I don't think there really needed to be, I think on some level we understood eachother just fine, like we'd known eachother all our lives.
In that moment, I loved the little yellow pegasus as if she were my own flesh and blood.
And I could only hope in time that she would do so aswell.
But that was not for the present to think of.
I looked up and found that Garden and Rarity slowly pulled away from eachother, I found this to be an appropriate time to speak up. "Uhh, Rarity?"
The white unicorn rotated her head to face me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Yes, Kyle?"
I didn't reply straight away and instead thought better to bring in the current load inside, the look on the rounded light purple unicorn was priceless. I set them down in the foyer and pulled off the most shit-eating grin I could muster."Where ya want the first lot?"
Rarity giggled. Garden nearly fainted.
After making another trip to the station and back again, Rarity explained everything that had transpired to her mother and eventually her father, who apparently was taking a nap in the other room while we were bringing in possibly the greatest fortune this family may see.
Rarity didn't accompany me on the second but instead stayed with Garden to do so. When Fluttershy and I came back, I couldn't help but chuckle at the abundance of blatant disbelief on the white stallion's face.
The yellow pegasus and I didn't quite exchange on the return trip but she wore a new serene smile that nearly my heart explode whenever I glanced at her.
Garden and...I think his name was Straw? Straw something or other...
Anyway!
Rarity's parents kindly invited myself and Fluttershy into the next room, there they insisted we sit down.
There were biscuits, so I obliged. She seemed to like them too, tentatively nibbling at the ones I'd hand over to her, she'd give me a quiet 'thank you' whenever I would.
Garden began. "Well, this is all quite overwhelming." She sighed. "But I think it's time to decide what we're going to do with all these." She gestured to the horde.
"It's already been decided." Rarity piped up gleefully. "I'm going to incorporate them into my ensembles for the show!" She stated, proudly. I grinned at her exuberance.
Straw and Garden glanced at eachother briefly. I frowned a little, I'd seen that look before. "Rarity." The stallion began. The filly's face suddenly began to fall on each word that he spoke. "I don't think that's a very good-"
"I think that's a great idea, Rarity." I said quickly, cutting him off. Everyone in the room looked at me in surprise. Rarity, in hope. "I mean, this is what was missin', right? Ya always said that something was just not right 'bout the costumes, didn'tcha? That they needed to be, oh, how'd ya it...?"
"...Fabulous." Rarity breathed.
"Yeah, there it is and now you're sittin' on a fortune of diamonds." I smirked. "Ya know, it's kinda admirable. Anyone else would've just pawned them in...but you, Rares. You would shoot down that selfish notion and instead use your wealth to give joy to others, doesn't matter how you do it, you just do it."
The white unicorn filly had the beginnings of tears in her eyes...even a slight blush on her cheeks.
"And I reckon this is a golden example of just how generous you are." I grinned. "So, to Hell with that." I turned to the couple whose mouths both had fallen agape during my little speech. "Whatd'ya say you scurry off to ya room, I bring your jewels up, you sew 'em into your bloody food-costumes and I can go tell the school that you're back, the show's back on and you're gonna blow all our fu-friggin' minds, huh?"
She was silent for a long while after my little episode there.
She was also silent as she leapt from her seat and slowly trotted over to me.
Rarity tilted her head up, her sapphire eyes glimmering.
I let an 'oof' as she wrapped her hooves around my legs in a soft hug. I chuckled and bent down, she released me only for a second so she could envelope them around my shoulders. I pulled one arm over her and gave gentle squeeze. She sniffled. "Y-you really think I-I can?"
I pulled away and stared back into her eyes. All I could think to say was an old quote...but it did her justice.
"You listen to me, Rarity. Ya got the makin's of greatest in ya but ya gotta steer the helm and chart your own course. Stick to it, no matter the squalls...and when the time comes for you to really test out the cut of your sails and show whatcha made of...well, I hope I'm there, catchin' some of the light comin' off ya that day."
The young unicorn just stared up at me in awe, the flow of tears seemed to just everlast. I just smiled at her, staring at her through the ebony tendrils of my hair. I brushed them aside so I could see her as she should. Pure.
I snuck a glance at her parents, they now sat where they used to stand, Garden leaning on the stallions shoulder as he had a hoof on hers. They both seemed on the verge of tears, Straw less so but he couldn't conceal it nor could either of them hide their proud smiles.
I looked back at Fluttershy, she faired no better, simply choosing to stare at me with glassy eyes and that same glowing beam on her face.
I gazed back down at Rarity just as she limply buried her head into my chest. I chuckled again and gave her coat a soft rub.
It was silent for what felt like forever after that.
It was only when I realised that I had some news that needed giving that I gently pulled away from the small unicorn. Clearing my throat, I spoke. "Now, Rarity, heh...Howzabout those damn suits, ay? C'mon, I'll me-"
She cut me off by planting a quick and appreciative peck on the cheek.
Rarity pulled back and grinned with now a massive blush burning from her face. "Thankyou." She spoke quietly. In an instant, she turned and head for the stairs that led to her room. I just shook my head, letting out yet another brief laugh and went for the first group of bags.
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That scene with Rarity was adorable. I think she'll join Lyra, AJ, and Shy in the future "we love Kyle" fanclub. BTW, great Treasure Planet reference. Man, I love that movie.
I Love You. i have always wanted to see a story with this quote in it in some fashion. you are my favorite person right now.
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I fuckin' love that movie, personally, I reckon Silver's the greatest Disney character since Mufasa
Another awesome chapter, well worth the wait!
That was an overdose of d'waaa, that.
I can not wait for AJ to come back.
You won't leave us hanging will you?
Soonish I hope?
This is a delight to read. 'Specially the cute little heartattacks you keep inducing.
Keep up the awesomeness.
~Adjier
I'm just waiting to see how he'll subtly nudge Flutters towards her destiny.
That speech sounds familiar...
I love this movie. My favorite interpretation of Treasure Island
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Wait for a cloud of butterfly's to gather and chuck her at them?
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...Hahahaha!
This is a great story! Keep it up! Can't wait for apple jack!
Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
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