Unfinished Business

by 1Bit

Chapter 5 - Rarity

No matter which pony they asked, they were still no closer to finding the unicorn. The ever-increasing rows of workstations ahead of them also did little to qualm their worries on just how long this was going to take. It also began to become painfully clear the further they went into the workshop, the worse the ponies looked. Their manes were completely frazzled and their coats seemed to hang to their figures through a combination of sweat and tears. Their machines faired no better, some rattling uncontrollably from overuse. Some even looked like they would break apart any second. The same went for the ponies working at them.

There were times Twilight questioned whether Princess Celestia even ruled over Equestria anymore, judging from Manehattan alone. Starlight was equally appalled by the state of the workers, but more because she saw stark similarities between the rows upon rows of workers and the vision of Equestria she once tried to build. All the ponies were the same, wore the same, completed the same tasks at the same quality...but there was no joy, no friendship. Only horror and decay. Even after her reformation, Starlight still clung on to many of her old beliefs; equality, in her mind, still provided an escape from so much heartache for her. But what she saw in the confines of the workshop was so much worse than she could have ever believed. Tears tried to force their way out of their ducts, but Starlight shook her head repeatedly in desperation. She would not cry. She would not allow herself to.

Twilight could have sworn they'd been walking for hours. The frustration continued to build up inside of her, as it often did when she could not complete a task with ease. From outside, the building looked big, but this was beginning to get ridiculous in her eyes. Her head seemed to lower with each unsuccessful stop at a workstation and her eyelids fought to close themselves.

"Rarity?" She repeated again, no reply.

"Rarity?" Another workstation, another blank face.

"Rarity?" Twilight's voice was quiet and weak, beginning to lose hope. An earth pony stared up at her and cocked her head. "Never mind." Twilight kept walking forwards.

"Did somepony say my name?" The voice was distant and monotone, but Twilight's ears instantly perked up and she desperately searched for the source of the voice. A few rows down, a mare was looking straight up at her with a curious look on her face.

"Rarity!" Her outburst caught the mare by surprise and she edged away from the oncoming purple unicorn, who was oddly happy to see her.

"Um, yes?" She smiled, but quite awkwardly. "Should I know you?"

"Oh, right." Twilight blushed. "I shouldn't expect you to know me, I'm Twilight Sparkle." She extended a friendly hoof, but no hoof joined it. Rarity timidly looked at the purple hoof in front of her, just...staring at it. Twilight frowned. "N-never mind." Twilight retracted her foreleg awkwardly. Well this is going well so far, she muttered to herself internally.

"Well uh, what can I do for you?" Rarity asked, still smiling sheepishly. "I'm certainly not used to ponies stirring up conversation around here."

Twilight looked thoughtfully at the ground, before it all clicked in her mind. "Well, I don't know if you noticed-" Twilight fluffed up her wings a little and her eyes looked up towards her horn.

"Oh my goodness! I-I didn't see!" Rarity's mouth was agape and she quickly knelt before her. "Forgive me, your highness."

Twilight was a little taken aback by the response. "No no, it's fine. You don't need to kneel or anything." A crimson blush began to form. "But anyway, it's my royal duty to look out for certain ponies who, um..." It was painfully apparent to Starlight that Twilight was making everything up as she went along. Luckily, Rarity still seemed to be too shocked to be talking with an alicorn to notice.

"Certain ponies who display, uh, certain...gifts!" Starlight chipped in, giving Rarity a painfully forced smile.

"Yes! Gifts! Uh...magical ones?" Twilight shrugged and Starlight slapped her face with a hoof.

"But surely, I could not be such a pony that you seek?" Rarity looked up at the two. "There's nothing special about me, I just make, rather drab, work outfits for the masses."

"Well we can find out for sure if you choose to come with us." Twilight smiled again, looking between Rarity and Starlight.

Rarity's eyes flickered, but for the most part she looked stoically at the ground. "It's a wonderful opportunity, but honestly I think you have the wrong unicorn. And anyway, here, I at least know for sure that I can help ponies without going on some theories that I could, maybe have some special gift." She sat back down at the workstation and paused for a second. "But thank you for the offer anyhow, uh, Princess, is it?"

"Now Rarity, don't make the same mistake I did."

All three heads snapped to where Applejack suddenly stood behind them, leaving Twilight especially in a state of confusion. "Um, how long have you been standing there?"

"Eh, quite a while but I had to wait for the right moment for dramatic effect." She chuckled, but her expression quickly became more stern. "Now look Rarity, I know it might sound a lil' far fetched what she's sayin', but I think she's tellin' the honest truth. That's my gut feelin' anyway." She briefly looked away from Twilight. "I couldn't bear the thought I might be missin' out on doin' some real good things by stayin' behind after you left, so I jumped on the train just as it was leavin', followed you here."

Twilight beamed. "Thanks Applejack. It really means a lot. Now Rarity, I know it sounds crazy, but you've got to give us a chance to explain everything." She once again extended her hoof to the unicorn.

"Well alright, I suppose." She rolled her eyes. "I mean, you're not leaving without me, are you?" The sheepish grins were the only answer she needed. "Still, I'm surprised Applejack is being so friendly now."

"What in the hay is that supposed to mean?"

"Well back in Ponyville, you called me a good-for-nothing pushover."

"Yes, but-"

"And a childish, prissy mess."

"I know, but-"

"And who could forget the time-"

"WE GET THE PICTURE!" More than a few heads now looked to Applejack, her voice still echoing down the building. "I-I mean...I was an awful friend to you back in Ponyville, b-but I want to make it up to you, if I can. I'm awful sorry." She brought her Stetson down to her chest; A Stetson that Twilight hadn't even noticed she'd started wearing.

Rarity smiled at Applejack and gave her a long hug; an embrace which was returned by Applejack. "That's all I needed to hear." Rarity replied. "Now how about we start discussing what exactly your roping me into here, Miss Twinkle."

"Sparkle."

"Oh, uh, yes- ahem, sorry."

Comments

[Skye Mist]

Two ponies down, three more to go. Wonder where Flutters is since we know RD and Pinkie are in the military.

[Hoof of Approval]

Well done... I will be watching you.

[Switch Swap]

Please notify me whenever a new chapter comes out.