Chapter 6
As she gracefully strolled down the sun-dappled avenues of Canterlot, Rarity turned her head to beam at the finely-attired stallion walking beside her. “It was so kind of Fleur de Lis to allow me to take her place as your date for the afternoon. Please do give her my thanks.”
“Of course, my dear Rarity!” Fancy Pants chuckled in reply. “Fleur de Lis was all too happy to oblige once she found out why you wanted to attend today’s little get-together. She’s quite upset about all of the headlines, you know.” He leaned towards Rarity and, with a sly wink, added, “Just between the two of us, Fleur is rather infatuated with Lady Pinkamena--I do believe she would have flirted quite shamelessly with the mare if your interest in her hadn’t been so apparent.”
Rarity couldn’t quite decide on an appropriate response to that--surprise and bemusement ranked fairly high on the list of emotions she was suddenly feeling--and ended up spluttering, in a semi-coherent fashion, “But I thought she … and that you …”
The stallion waved a hoof in the air. “Oh, no, no, no. We dated for the briefest moment, but that was ages ago. We’re just good friends now.”
“Ah. I see,” she replied absently, as she wrestled with the sudden tightness in her chest, the sick feeling in her stomach, the burst of adrenaline flooding her vein--all from finding out Fleur de Lis had eyes for her mare. Well, not Rarity’s mare, actually. Not really, anyway … surely one date wasn’t enough to establish much of anything … and yet …
And yet.
Jealousy, she realized with a start. She was feeling jealousy. It was not an emotion to which a pony as dazzling and admirable as she was accustomed to feeling. In fact, the last time she’d felt any jealousy even approaching the kind she felt now was years ago, back when Fluttershy temporarily became the darling of the modeling world.
She decided she didn’t much care for jealousy. Jealousy, as a concept and as an emotion, did not have much to recommend it. Rarity resolved to herself that she would try to feel jealousy as little as possible in the future.
“Rarity?”
She blinked at the sound of her name and, as her attention snapped back into focus, found that she was standing directly in front of the large, ostentatious mansion that belonged to the Duchess of Hoofington. A well-manicured lawn laid spread out before the house, with a towering water fountain directly in the center. She had no idea exactly how long they’d been standing here.
Turning towards the stallion beside her, she said in an apologetic tone, “I’m terribly sorry, Fancy Pants. I was … somewhat lost in thought.”
He gave her a warm smile. “No apologies are necessary, my dear. Are you ready to enter?”
Rarity took the opportunity to give herself one last look-over. She’d chosen a dress that was something between a sundress and a proper gown, pale yellow in color and simple in details. Casual but elegant, the dress was, perfectly suited to an outdoor event taking place on a crisp autumn afternoon. Rarity felt her confidence bolstered as she reflected on how fabulous she looked--a well-chosen ensemble always did that for her.
She’d tried once, years and years ago, to share this little secret with her friends, but they hadn’t seemed to comprehend the restorative powers of an appropriately glamorous outfit. Rainbow Dash had come closest to understanding, though her tastes ran more towards what the pegasus deemed “cool” and “radical” and usually involved body armor, while Applejack had openly scoffed at the very idea that the clothes could make the mare. “Like putting lipstick on a pig,” she’d called it. But then, of course, that blasted farmer would say such a thing.
Pinkie had never really given an opinion, as she’d been busy at the time with pouring punch for Fluttershy. Rarity wondered what answer Pinkie might give, if she were to ask for the pink earth pony’s opinion in the present day, and she decided to ask Pinkie Pie about it at the next available opportunity. But all that could wait until later, because right now, she had a garden party that desperately required her attendance.
Looking back up at Fancy Pants, Rarity finally returned the stallion’s smile. “Yes, darling, I believe I’m quite ready. Let’s do go in--after all, it would be terribly rude to keep the duchess waiting.”
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Rarity stood by the long table of refreshments that was filled with countless platters of tiny little sandwiches and took occasional, distracted sips from her glass of punch. She was used to being the center of attention at just about any and every affair, but right now, all of the ponies milling and chatting in the garden were very studiously avoiding her. It wasn’t a proper, thorough snubbing--there were no sideways glares or upturned noses--but it made things awkward nonetheless.
She’d anticipated this, of course. The Duchess of Hoofington would be displeased to see her, and all her little minions would naturally take up the duchess’ side of things. On the other hoof, none of them would dare be openly nasty to the very good friend of a pony such as Fancy Pants. That left very few options available, and almost all of those gathered chose to simply pretend that they didn’t see Rarity standing there.
Again, all very predictable, very foreseeable. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t maddening all the same.
Just then, coming from seemingly nowhere, Fancy Pants appeared by her side, wearing a small, gentle smile. “Are you certain you’re doing all right?” he asked quietly, his tone solicitous.
“Oh, yes, quite.” Rarity forced out a light little laugh. “Please don’t feel as though you must hang around the refreshments table simply to keep me company.”
“Ah, but I rather enjoy your company, my dear Rarity! Besides, a true gentlepony never abandons his companion for the evening.”
Rarity reached out and laid her hoof along his shoulder. “I appreciate the sentiment--I appreciate it very much, I assure you--but it simply wouldn’t be right to drag your name through the mud along with my own. I won’t do that to you, Fancy Pants.”
The stallion turned to thoughtfully gaze out at the expanse of lawn before them. The gardens at the Hoofington manor really were lovely and lush--even Rarity had to admit that. After a moment, he replied, “I have been, and always shall be, your friend. Please remember that.”
“And the same is true for I, as well.”
Fancy Pants gave a brief nod. “Well, then! I suppose I’ll absent myself and perhaps ask Lady Seabreeze about her petunias. She does love talking about those petunias.” He glanced over to the mare beside him. “Proceed with caution, Rarity … and, as the saying goes, mind that you don’t become what you hate.”
“I’ll do my best, darling.”
With that settled, Fancy Pants trotted off and melted back into the crowds of ponies. Rarity sighed once he’d gone, and she took another sip of punch. She suddenly wished she could have some sarsaparilla instead. Sarsaparilla was terribly inelegant and completely ill-suited for a soiree such as this, of course, but the drink wasn’t without its merits. Sarsaparilla tasted like parties at Sugarcube Corner and late nights at Twilight's library and Iron Pony competitions out at Sweet Apple Acres. Sarsaparilla tasted like a hundred different memories, most of them happy and all of them filled with the faces of five ponies who were the very best friends any mare could hope to have.
But mostly? Mostly, sarsaparilla tasted like home.
“Lady Rarity! It is so good of you to come to my little get-together!”
Rarity’s head snapped around, and it took all of her willpower not to gasp aloud. The Duchess of Hoofington herself was heading directly towards her, a thin, predatory smile stretched across her face. Immediately, all conversations in the garden went dead, and silence hung in the air like an ominous thundercloud.
Rarity took a deep breath and returned the duchess’ smile. “Thank you for having me, Duchess.”
“Of course, of course. It wouldn’t be a party, after all, without Canterlot’s favorite fashion designer.” The duchess’ eyes were dark, glittering, dangerous. “Though I must admit I was a bit surprised to see that you came with Mr. Fancy Pants. He’s a charming stallion, to be sure, but I’d thought your attentions were claimed by another?”
“Indeed, they are,” returned Rarity, while keeping her smile perfectly in place. “Unfortunately, Lady Pinkamena is otherwise engaged for the afternoon and was unable to accompany me.”
At hearing Pinkie’s name, the duchess’ face twisted, and the other unicorn said in a tone just shy of a snarl, “Are you actually in love with that mare?”
The question was a sneer, a slur, a challenge. Rarity could instantly feel every eye in the vicinity directly upon her, the other ponies' gazes intense, waiting. A few scandalized titters spread through the crowd. Instinctively, she knew she had a very important decision she had to make, right now and right here, and that making the wrong decision would cost her dearly.
The truth of the matter was that Rarity wasn’t in love with Pinkie. She loved her dearly as a friend, as family, to be sure. And certainly things had changed between the two of them since Pinkie had first set hoof in Canterlot. But it was still too new and too soon to call it romantic love.
Be that as it may, though Rarity knew she wasn’t in love with Pinkie Pie, she also knew that someday she could be. Perhaps even would be. At any rate, she knew that the idea of falling in love with Pinkie Pie, as strange as it had first seemed, was an idea that intrigued her greatly.
So it was that Rarity lifted her chin ever so slightly and replied in a quiet, firm voice, “I am not sure I understand how that is any of your concern. However, what if I were in love with her? What of it?”
Immediately the snickering from the other ponies faded away.
But the Duchess of Hoofington only seemed to grow more enraged. “What of it? Do you really pretend not to know? That pony is utterly ridiculous! The laughingstock of all of Canterlot!”
Rarity set her jaw. “That pony is a very dear friend of mine, and I will thank you to not speak of her in such a way.”
“Surely you see it, too,” the duchess continued, as if Rarity hadn’t said anything at all. “Surely even being love struck hasn’t blinded you to the truth. She has the manners of a mule and the intelligence of a simpleton. It’s couldn’t be more obvious that she was born and raised on a rock farm.”
“Lady Pinka--” Rarity stopped herself and reconsidered. “Pinkie is a generous and kind-hearted mare, with nothing but love and tolerance for every pony she meets, and with no greater desire than to bring a smile to those without laughter in their hearts.” She allowed the phrase “such as you” to remain implied, to hang in the air silently and accusingly.
“She is a--”
But Rarity wasn't finished. Far from it. “Did you know that Pinkie single-hoofedly removed an entire parasprite infestation from the town of Ponyville? Not only that, but she helped save the world not once but twice from the forces of chaos and darkness. In addition, she has composed more music than any other pony of my acquaintance, including an entire concerto for accordion and slide whistle.” Rarity’s voice had grown louder and louder during this entire speech, but it dropped to little more than a whisper as she finished. “But most importantly, my dear Duchess? Pinkamena Diane Pie is ten times the pony that you ever have been or ever will be.”
The Duchess of Hoofington just stood there, speechless, her jaw hanging open.
And with that, Rarity carefully set down her punch glass, whirled on her heels, and began walking away with her head held high and proud. She ignored the looks and whispers that followed in her wake, keeping her eyes trained on the gate to the garden. She could feel her heart beat wildly in her chest with every step she took. Then, at last she reached the edge of the lawn and passed through the gate, out of the Duchess of Hoofington’s mansion and into the sweet freedom of the street beyond.
But the unicorn’s relief didn’t last long. She hadn’t taken more than a dozen steps before she was met by an all-too-familiar pair of large blue eyes, which shimmered like ocean waves as a complex mixture of emotions roiled beneath the deceptively calm surface.
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“You … you heard?”
Pinkie Pie simply nodded.
Rarity swallowed. She could still feel her heart pounding away. “You heard.”
“Yeah,” the earth pony whispered. “You … you really shouldn’t have yelled at her like that, Rarity.”
“I wasn’t yelling.”
“You kinda were, by the end. And the things you said were pretty mean.”
Rarity had to look away from those terrible blue eyes. “She has … she’s done unforgivable things, Pinkie. To you. To both of us. You might not have seen today’s newspapers but--”
“Um, I did, actually. Snips showed me the papers after I asked where you went.”
“Then surely you must understand.”
Pinkie let out a sniffle, and Rarity glanced back over in confusion.
Shaking her head, Pinkie sadly replied, “It’s my fault, Rarity. All of this. It’s my fault.”
That gave the unicorn pause. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting from this conversation, but this certainly wasn’t it. “Don’t be silly, darling. You’ve done absolutely nothing wrong here.”
“But I did!” Pinkie’s eyes were huge, pleading. “Do you know why the Duchess of Hoofington gave you my business card? It’s because she wanted me to … to see if I could get you to agree to go on a date with her. ‘Cause me and you have been friends for so long, y’know?”
Rarity could only gape in astonishment. Definitely not what she’d been expecting.
Pinkie flinched but bravely pushed onward. “And I didn’t make any promises that I would--I would never break a Pinkie promise, you know I wouldn't--but I kinda sorta said I’d see if I could help. But then you started taking me places, and it felt really nice, and I was so happy just being with you. And I already liked you lots as a friend so it wasn’t hard to start liking you as more than a friend …”
“Pinkie …”
The pink mare sniffled again and looked as miserable as Rarity imagined she must have looked as a little filly out on the Pie family’s barren rock farm. “And now she’s mad at me, and I ruined your chance to go out with a duchess, which isn’t as good as a prince but is still pretty good, so you’re gonna be mad at me too, and everything’s all my fault!”
It was … a lot to take in. Perhaps too much to take in. So instead of trying to process it all, Rarity chose to ignore the larger picture for the time being and focus on one single element: Pinkie was crying. Pinkie was crying, and that was simply an unacceptable state of affairs.
The unicorn stepped forward and gave the other mare a nuzzle, pressing their cheeks together and feeling the warmth of Pinkie’s tears against her face. “Shhh,” Rarity whispered, softly, tenderly. “It’s all right, darling. Nothing is ruined. I promise you.”
“But … but …”
“I do wish you’d informed me that you were in town with, ah, ulterior motives, shall we say? But what’s done is done.” She drew back a bit so that she could look into Pinkie’s eyes. “And even had I known of the Duchess of Hoofington’s intentions ... I would have told her no. I would have chosen you.”
Pinkie smiled. It was small and trembling, utterly unlike her usual broad, beaming grins, but it was a smile.
“I have not the slightest regret, Pinkie, and I hope you don’t have any regrets either--at least, not any regrets regarding what happened last night. In fact, I was hoping that you would--”
Whatever else Rarity might have been about to say was lost forever, as Pinkie chose that moment to lunge forward and kiss the unicorn hard on the mouth. The kiss was fierce, passionate, devouring. Overwhelming to all thoughts and senses. When the pink pony finally pulled back, Rarity could only gasp desperately for air and wonder if this was what it felt like to get hit by a runaway train.
“We should go eat!” chirped Pinkie, back to her normal state of cheeriness. “I found a great diner earlier today that has the bestest hay burgers and fries. You wanna go?”
Without waiting for a reply, the earth pony began hopping down the street, presumably in the direction of the aforementioned restaurant. Rarity felt as though she had no choice but to stumble along after Pinkie in a pleasantly befuddled daze. Once she caught up the bouncy mare, Pinkie Pie glanced over to her with laughing eyes.
“And after we eat,” Pinkie rambled on happily, as though there had never been a break in the conversation, “we should totally plan a ‘We’re Sorry For Making You Sad, Duchess of Hoofington!’ party for the duchess.”
Rarity opened her mouth to ask if Pinkie was serious about that, but then she thought better of it. Of course Pinkie was serious. Pinkie was always deadly serious when it came to the subject of parties. With a sigh, Rarity replied, “I am not at all certain that the duchess would appreciate such a party.”
Pinkie frowned a bit. “You were pretty mean to the duchess, Rarity. I kinda think you owe her at least one party. Maybe just a little one? With just a few itty, bitty streamers?”
“I will … consider it.” Rarity resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “That’s all I can promise.”
Pinkie Pie appeared to think this over carefully, before finally giving a brisk nod. “Okie dokie lokie! Good enough for me!”
Rarity smiled. She was glad that was settled, and she was even gladder that she and Pinkie seemed to still be on good terms with one another and that their romance remained on track--well, as on track as any romance involving Pinkie Pie reasonably could be. It didn’t hurt that she’d be spending another evening in the bubbly pony’s company, either. In fact, she was quite looking forward to going out with Pinkie to the--
“Darling, wait! You’re taking us to a diner?”
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Author’s Notes: Hey, didja know that there are, in fact, SIX bearers of the Elements of Harmony? Who knew, right? What say we go visit the other four next chapter and see what they’ve been up to?
Glorious chapter- Precisely what I had been hoping to see. Also, I can honestly see Rarity finding her way to be at-ease in a diner-- They're very much a purpose-built kinda place, somewhere that it's easy to relax and not be noticed. The food equivalent of a hole-in-the-wall dive bar, really.
Next chapter is hotly anticipated already.
Rarity swallowed. She could still feel her heart pounding away. “You[ heard.”
Did you mean to use italics at that part, or something? Other than that, there's really nothing for me to point out. Nice twist too, it's good to see that this "antagonist" could be further fleshed out. Also looking forward to seeing the rest of the Mane 6 in the next chapter.
*looks at author's note*
... NAH!
It's kind of funny how in an entire non stop chapter of things that made me happy and that i've been looking forward to and hoping for can be overshadowed by one line that I don't really have a reason to like. This confuses and befuddles me. But I declare this line:
Jealousy, as a concept and as an emotion, did not have much to recommend it.
A wonderful, wonderful line that people should take to heart and which sums up a lot about Rarity in very few words. Also note that you get bonus praise for this line - any praise afterwards is magnified for this line because I love it so much.
That said, this chapter is awesome - I think you've actually succeeded in making Rarity one of my favourite characters. Or at least my fourth favourite, since you've already cemented Gummy as best ever character and Pinkie and Dash are best ponies. I think you capture the characters just perfectly and I have to give you a lot of credit - for all you show the Duchess of Hoofington's (i'm using the full name every time because it amuses me to type) prejudice, nastiness and general horriblepersonishness, in this chapter you managed to suddenly make her human, and relateable, just with Pinkie's confession.
Sure, she's vindictive and hateful but as far as she's concerned Pinkie stole Rarity from her - The Duchess (of Hoofington) had a plan to woo the girl she had started to like and the pony she trusted to help her with it - in her eyes - stabbed her in the back. And she doesn't know whether Rarity knew or not, so she doesn't actually know that she's been rejected. I still don't like her as a person - but she's definitely a very interesting character, and in her own story she'd be far from the villain of the piece I think.
Ahhh. You see what happens DB? Seriously - you need to stop making me like characters I didn't before. It forces me to look at things more deeply and consider the motives and personalities of the character, instead of taking them at face value and then I have to write in depth comments noone enjoys reading and really the whole thing is just a pain for everyone. Except me. I rather enjoy it, so thank you for that.
I hope Rarity helps Pinkie throw the Duchess of Hoofington a party - not because she deserves one per se, though I can see how she does - but because I think it'll keep eating Pinkie up just a little until she puts a smile of the Duchess of Hoofington's face. Plus, Rarity is now - thanks to you - one of the ponies I can see coming to agree with Pinkie's 'everyone deserves to be happy' philosophy. Whether she will or not...well, I can't wait to find out.
Short version? Your stories are still amazing, well done! Yay you!
330872 I... I second that comment. I was going to write a long-winded comment about how awesome this was, and how you made me want to see the Duchess actually have a party, etc. etc., but I lose again I see.
Next time!
But there is one thing Piggy didn't mention- I was thinking about how Rarity viewed the relationship she may or may not have with Pinkie, how calculating it was, the way she sort of dissected it in her mind. It kind of... creeped me out. I don't know, it just seemed a little, impersonal? Like it was a trail she could walk, instead of another pony. Don't take it out, though- sometimes the characters in a story aren't the paragons of virtue as presented in the bland stories that clutter the shelves of libraries and bookstores alike. Real characters are flawed, and their trains of thought can be weird(it's not as if they have to present them to anyone, so why should they make them presentable?). Maybe considering how at the beginning she thought of Pinkie as basically a mannequin or an accessory(to be used for her advantage), instead of a friend, it fits. Maybe she'll change her mind's mechanisms, or maybe that's just how she is. Who knows?
Maybe you do.
And I really, really, really thought it was going to end right here, and I was worried. This is the second time, DB! You keep making it seem like the story will end, and it doesn't!
Well, I guess it keeps things interesting. (And, as it turns, I did write a long comment! Whoopee! )
331701
Aw, i'm sorry. Next time I will wait a day before posting a comment so that you can beat me to it.
I think her thought process fit really well, and I agree it shouldn't be changed - it didn't strike me as creepy, just sad for her. I think it shows that that's how Rarity has been living for a long time - she has to analyse and consider everything she does and it's affected the way that she thinks about everything. I could be wrong - but that's how I take it. Maybe she will change - but I think that she chooses Pinkie was a sign she's not just using her
And it was a long comment - and a good one, too. Well done.
+10 credits for this chapter alone. your balance is 19.9 pony deaths or 199 injuries.
I love it! Rarity was full of awesomeness, as usual, and the confrontation was well done. I'm looking forward to seeing how you handle their relationship in the future, because that was brutal.
Pinkie surprised me in this chapter, but in a good way. Making things more complex with her was definitely the right move. I will say that the interaction between the main two ponies seems awkward at times, and there's not enough of it. I hope this is going to change next chapter. Or the chapter after next if you're just focusing on the mane six for the next one.
Looking forward to the next chapter.
You know, the headline that so offended Rarity "Beauty and the Beast" becomes even more appropriate when you realize the person behind it has a crush on Rarity and thinks Pinkie is a backstabber. I had noticed that there was a definite trend towards attacking Pinkie over Rarity, but put it down to the difference in social standing. So, I'm pleasantly surprised to see the Duchess is less shallow than she appears (though as I said, escalation makes the whole thing a lot more reasonable than it first seems, since the start of the matter was some extremely minor insulting remarks followed by overreaction met by overreaction), in a twist I didn't see coming.
Not to say her actions are right or even only as wrong as Rarity's, but one can see why she'd want to break the two up and/or denigrate Pinkie. And of course, she can't say the real reason she hates Pinkie, which has little to do with social standing (I did say it made her a bit less shallow) and everything to do with jealousy and betrayal. The latter is important because she's not just jealous she has a real reason to think Pinkie is a horrible person. They had an amiable working relationship and then the one time she asks for a favor getting something she wants, Pinkie takes it instead of helping the Duchess like she said she would. If she'd mentioned that reason, Rarity might even have been somewhat understanding. But if she had the confidence to approach Rarity on such matters directly, she wouldn't have needed Pinkie's help to begin with. I wonder if moving in the circumlocutious Canterlot high society has made it hard for the Duchess to take things head on.
So, yes, good chapter. The Duchess is less outright nasty than she seems, Rarity and even Pinkie are flawed, but the protagonists are still slightly nicer than the antagonists. Admittedly, it's perhaps easiest to see Rarity's flaws since she's the viewpoint character and for all the extra sympathy that generates, people's private thoughts aren't always nice (how nice you are is measured by deed and word, not thoughts you never express) but it would have perhaps too easy to leave Pinkie's hidden.
331701 Honestly, I think that's just how Rarity is. She's a little too calculating when it comes to personal relationships, but her affection for those she loves and her friends is real. You can tell she really cares about Pinkie when her first concern is to stop her from crying because it was something she didn't see as belonging to Pinkie.
Eeee! I really love this story. The chapters are short, but they get the tale across so well there's no way I can complain. Of course, maybe I'm thinking they're short because of how awesome they are, and I just don't want them to end. More please!
So, uh, does this mean that Fancy Pants is going to die repairing the main warp core reactor?
I have a terribly bad habit of reading these while too exhausted to think straight. As a result, it severely limits my ability to write anything of... well... value. I promise I will write a real comment one day! I promise! D:
In the mean time, have this: I feel it sums up my feelings about this story rather nicely.
Onwards and upwards, my friend. Onwards and upwards!
Well then.
321083
There's my second comment on the last chapter for posterity. I don't know what is more surprising: that despite predicting the first three-quarters of this chapter, I still felt a solid punch to the gut when Pinkie showed up and said that she'd heard Rarity; or that this chapter pushed on past what I predicted and found that happy plateau again, lifting my heart. I had obviously forgotten just how quickly Pinkie can forgive, but you never forget anything, DB. It's one of your many strengths as a writer.
There were other surprises as well; I'd thought that Pinkie would know some secrets concerning the Duchess of Hoofington, but could've never predicted that it was that she had a crush on Rarity. It wasn't quite the same situation, but the Duchess was tearing down Pinkie to help along her love of Rarity, just as Rarity was tearing down the Duchess to protect her love of Pinkie.
And Fleur de Lis and Pinkie Pie! I want to call it a crack ship, but with Fleur having no canon personality traits beyond "likes to strike sexy poses," I guess it works as well as you want it to. It's nice to see, though, that while Rarity can definitely be prone to bouts of greed and selfishness, the darker cousin to those emotions, jealously, is something she has learned to identify and quash as soon as it rears its ugly head. Bravo, Rarity, bravo!
330712
Aww, thanks! I think Rarity can indeed find a way to gracefully occupy any space she enters ... but I am not so sure how she'll deal with diners' notorious lack of hygiene.
330731
Thanks for the catch! Yeah, it was when I was going through and adding the italics. 'Tis fixed, now.
330846
TOO BAD, SUCKA! We're going to Ponyville next chapter! *insert maniacal laughter here*
330872
331701
332448
That something I wrote has inspired this kind of conversation is ... enormously flattering and gratifying. I do hope I'm doing all right by Rarity, as always, but as is probably clear in this chapter, I do see her as a rather complicated character. And while hopefully I've developed her over the course of the story, I do think most individuals can only change but SO much. Some aspects of ourselves become ingrained; some things remain constant.
Anyways! Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad y'all liked the chapter and its plot twist.
331740
Yay! As always, all of my points will be used to either kill off Pinkie or Dash, or to break Rainbow Dash's wings.
332052
Glad you liked that part! There will be more on the Duchess and Rarity in future chapters. The next chapter should have Rarity and Pinkie together for almost the entire chapter, as well, and I'll be extra mindful of their dialogue. (To be sure, at least some of the awkwardness in this chapter was intentional, but I suspect you're seeing more awkwardness than I intended there to be.)
332323
Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! And it's been said, and I believe it to be true, that we're all the heroes of our own life's story. Not that everyone is equally good or equally sympathetic ... but often, who is the hero and who is the villain depends on whose perspective you're inhabiting.
332526
Yeah, but he'll come back to life in the next movie, so don't worry too much about it.
333087
You're always welcome to leave comments as short or as long as you'd like--or, of course, to leave no comment at all, though I DO like getting them. Glad to hear you're still liking the story!
336284
Yup, you predicted a heck of a lot of this chapter. For the record, though, I forget LOTS of things, and I'm constantly slapping my forehead when I go back to look at previously written stuff and think of things I should have added. And you wanna know a secret? I actually tweaked this chapter a bit in light of your comment from last chapter--the bones were already in place (the Duchess vs. Rarity confrontation was one of the first things I wrote when I began this story, actually), but you helped me flesh out the Pinkie/Rarity aftermath stuff.
And yeah, Fleur de Lis is kind of a blank slate. I find her ... mischievous. Just based on what little we got of her from the show. And I think she might be attracted to Pinkie for no other reason than she'd know she wasn't SUPPOSED to be attracted to Pinkie. I dunno.
337203 I joke, but I hope you get the implication behind the numbers game, your work makes me so happy I could watch you kill 20 ponies or injure 200 and still be happy.
337203
Oh. Oh my. Well, if my comment helped flesh out the story, I'm glad I took the time to write it.
And those dead Pinkies don't have to be exclusively parts of RainbowPie stories, do they? Because we could use a TwiPie where the Pie dies, because sometimes it's fun to have your heart ripped out of your chest by something you read.
337239
I love that last line there a lot. With your permission i'm going to steal it and use it whenever possible.
337239 now i cant help but think about my books trying to kill me
Ponyville here we come!
337683
Then Celestiaspeed, my good professor! May my slogan supporting sadness aid you wherever there is a need!
337870
You think that's bad? Twilight got that thought into her head randomly as a filly. She couldn't read for a month, lest she have nightmares.
338418
I'm honoured, good Krizak. I shall strive to bring honour to your name and carry your slogan across the land.
Does this count as comment section deterioration? Am I cool like AbsoluteAnonymous yet?
Don't actually answer that, anyone.
337210
I do, I do, I promise. And thanks for saying that.
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It did! Thank you very much for taking the time to share it.
And nope, the dead Pinkies don't have to come paired with RainbowPie--I'm an equal opportunity heart-breaker. Also, this probably isn't exactly what you had in mind, but you might like it regardless: Twi Pie ish angstish stuff.
i have come to the conclusion that this is one of the most amazing fics i have read in a while. i love it
also that fancy pants is Good Guy Greg in pony form
Go Rarity. Cattiness employed in the service of good can always be forgiven.
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Oh gosh, thank you! That's such a huge compliment. Also, I was not aware of Good Guy Greg, but after the magic of Google, now I am! And now that I am ... yeah, I think I do see Fancy Pants as basically Good Guy Greg, heh.
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I tend to think so too. (Shhhh!) But then, I am kind of a bad person.
“I have been, and always shall be, your friend."
And then Fancypants died of radiation poisoning.
Keep meaning to come back and say something about how awesome this is, then realize I've nothing more to say than it and back out. Over and over.
Now I have an excuse. I blame you for this, Donny:
i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii640/Mo-Go/CurseYouDB.png
Nightmares now planted, I get to say that this is a freaking amazing chapter. This is how you do petty socialite squabbles: you give them meaning. And I find that I actually do care to see the cattiness play out, which is a serious break of character for me. You escalated the Duchess from an obnoxious, antagonist puppet into a potentially sympathetic character without me noticing, and I'm still kind of reeling.
Wow. One line from Pinkie, and suddenly Rarity's awesome telling-off turns into a chainsaw to the heart. I mean yeah the Duchess is a bitch, but...ouch, that's nasty taken in perspective.
Wow. That particular revelation really caught me by surprise!
First you spend most of the story setting the Duchess up as the baddie, and then you throw a curve ball like that and now I feel sorry for her. She's been acting horribly, sure, but from her perspective she certainly has a reason to be mad with Rarity and Pinkie!
I'm in the process of reading this story in one setting where I will say my opinions of it on the latest update(I think it's fucking genius, to be blunt). But I just have to say, WHOA. . . whoa. . whoa The Duchess was into Rarity?
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But then he comes back to life in the next movie and everyone is happy.
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I'm glad I'm not the only one that caught this.
Mother of plot twists.... Shit got real on so many different occasions. I love this!
Silly Rarity. Pinkie doesent even know How to stay on railroads.
Overall, a msgificent Story so far.
Also, Fancy Pants is as Awesome as ever. Like the red mage of ponys or sonething.
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And then he gets a funeral so completely cliched that it manages to form a cliche singluarity and retroactively become awesome .
Man how did I miss The Pants of Khan the first time through this story? <tswift>Shame on me yeah</tswift>!
Rarity is such a hypocrite here!. She had ulterior motives for inviting Pinkie to be her +1