Waiting for Rarity
Fluttershy waited, because Rarity would come back. She always did. The spa was like a second home to her. Aloe and Lotus were one of a kind, their ministrations not found elsewhere in Equestria. They were the siren's song for her friend.
Without Rarity here, Fluttershy had nothing to listen to besides the hissing of hot water on rocks. She needed only close her eyes to hear it, feel the warm steam, smell the fragrant herb mixtures in the cooling mud packs. Maybe she wouldn't go today. Just standing here, thinking about a treatment, seemed refreshing enough.
For Rarity, they had always been an escape from the high stresses of dressmaking; for Fluttershy, simply a chance to spend time with a friend and feel pretty. And even though Rarity had escaped to Canterlot to surround herself in those stresses, Fluttershy knew she would return someday.
Applejack waited, because Rarity would come back. She always did. Even when watching her figure, Rarity couldn't resist the occasional Apple Family treat. And though they got along like cats and dogs, Applejack needed a pony as prim and proper as Rarity in her life, a reminder of what lay outside the farm.
It wasn't like Rarity hadn't done this before. It had become ritual: wish her well, then months or weeks later, listen to her tearful monologues. Her designs had been ignored; her work was too draining; she'd been mocked by ponies she respected.
Applejack liked to think that she helped keep Rarity's hooves on the ground. Chasing dreams was well and good, and Applejack truly wanted Rarity to find what she was looking for, but sometimes a pony had to take stock of what was really important. For Rarity, it was her friends, and Applejack knew that was why she kept coming back.
Pinkie Pie waited, because Rarity would come back. She always did. And every time, Pinkie got to throw her an amazingly super-ridictacular Welcome Back to Ponyville Again party!
With each permutation of pony returnation, she forged her partying plans anew, refining rough points and expanding on what worked. Rarity was a great pony to experiment on. Generous to a fault, she was unused to anypony doing things for her, and that meant she was always super grateful.
Sometimes Rarity would experiment on her, too. Fashion wasn't overly important to Pinkie, but she did enjoy looking good in the party dresses Rarity made, even the restrictive ones. There was nopony else quite like Rarity. Pinkie hoped that Rarity never stopped searching for her dream. It never even occurred to her that someday, Rarity might not come back.
Rainbow Dash waited, because Rarity would come back. She always did. Though waiting wasn't really her style; she was more poised and ready, a cat about to pounce. Like Rarity's cat, who had gone on the road with her mistress, a signal that she was serious this time.
Rainbow had never thought too highly of her most attractive friend's activities, yet she admired the dedication with which Rarity pursued her craft. Despite it being a fussy trade, despite the use of sewing machines and magical assistance, Rarity could still give Applejack or herself a run for their money when it came to being tired after a day's work.
Surprisingly, they had much to offer each other. Rainbow had found herself studying looping ribbons and whirling lace skirts, adding the patterns into her aerial stunts. She'd caught Rarity on more than one occasion mentally or actually color-matching to her mane or tail. They just had different ways of appreciating artistry. Maybe when Rarity came back, Rainbow would mention something about that.
Twilight waited, because Rarity would come back. She always did. Even though the newest letter had spoke of a "One-year appointment at the royal clothier's" and poor Spike had been heartbroken.
It was difficult to contemplate, not having Rarity around. Sweetie Belle was more than capable of taking care of the Boutique by herself, even if her poor designs wouldn't draw customers the way her elder sister's had. But where would Twilight go to discuss her latest romance novel? Who could she turn to if she wanted to look nice for a date, or needed magical inspiration? And spa time alone with Fluttershy was always so... quiet.
Rarity's absence was palpable. She was stronger than any of them. Twilight put down the letter, closed her eyes, and sighed. Would she always return? And what did it mean if she did?
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I find my emotions a bit mixed. I thought at first it was a case of Rarity vanishing or perhaps dying and the ponies trying to grieve in their own ways but when you mention in the letter it's due to her being in Canterlot it was confusing. I mean why can they not simply visit her in Canterlot? The train goes there and they've been before. Why does this fic give such a heavy implication that they can't for some reason?
2717058
Thanks for all the comments. :3 I'll reply to this one.
The idea here is that, like in Waiting for Godot, Rarity never returns. Sure, they could go and visit her, but it's the lingering sense of loss that I was trying to go for. They got used to certain things happening, and those things are not going to happen anymore. That's not a bad idea, though, if I ever wanted to revisit this (I doubt I will, it's got some bad feels for me): that they can go and visit her, but that's the only way they'll ever see her again.
2717058
It's never quite the same when friends move away. I moved a fair number of times as a kid, and this hits close to home.