cherish

by shortskirtsandexplosions

cherish

It was faint at first. Just a flutter.

Rarity stirred in bed. With a kittenesque trilling sound, she turned over, swaddled in layers of silk and satin. The duvet cocooned her, and she delighted in the drowsiness as she submerged once again into slumber.

Then, the flutter happened again.

A pale ear twitched, followed by the other. Fuzz and more fuzz. Rarity's soft muzzle scrunched.

“Mrmffff...”

With an uncomfortable exhale, she wriggled herself loose from the comforter and sat up in bed. A tired hoof fumbled to grip her laced sleeping mask—ultimately lifting the article up. The fashionista's sleepy blue eyes batted against the blackness of her bedroom. She searched and searched, teetering.

“Wha...?”

This time, she knew she heard it: a knocking sound—rhythmic and deliberate—from the first floor below.

Rarity's heart started. She tilted her head to the right. Light snow and frost clung to her second-story window, but all beyond it was darkness.

With a nervous lump forming in her throat, Rarity shuffled out of bed. She slid her hooves into her pink slippers and wrapped a terry cloth robe around her dainty figure. Summoning a faint glow to her horn, she shuffled her way down the steps and into the empty black haze of her boutique. A miniature halo of blue light followed her.

Rarity lingered at the bottom of her stairs. Across the way, the front door rattled with hoof-knocks. They were even fainter than Rarity had first thought, which only served to alarm her further.

“H... hello?” Rarity bit her bottom lip, craning her neck. “Who's th-there?”

Silence. Or—at least—Rarity thought she heard a squeaking noise, but she couldn't tell for certain. After a determined breath, she marched forward, unlocked the door, and bravely swung the thing open. A gust of cold, wintry air billowed in, but a demure silhouette blocked her view of the pale snowfall outside.

“Why...” Rarity gasped. “Fluttershy!” She gasped again. “What are you doing outside in the dead thick of night?!” Fully awake now, she waved desperately. “Come! Come inside this instant! Before you catch cold, darling!”

Fluttershy obeyed... albeit in a noticeable slump. On limp wings, she carried herself across the threshhold. Her head was bowed the entire time.

Teeth chattering, Rarity shut the door close. “Brrrrrrrr...!” She wrapped the terry cloth robe tighter around herself and shook errant flakes of snow off her well-manicured fetlocks. “Now now... Fluttershy, my dear...” She trotted over with a sympathetic expression. “What has gotten into you? You should at least wear a thick sweater if you're going to go traipsing about at... n-night...” Her words trailed off.

Fluttershy lingered in the penumbra of Rarity's glowing horn. She pawed the tile floor of the Boutique, sighing melancholically into the shadows. In the stark contrast, Rarity realized just how pale Fluttershy looked... how frail and how positively pallid.

“Why... you're white as a sheet, darling!” Rarity crossed the distance between them. With a tender hoof, she lifted Fluttershy's chin. “Please... you must have come here for a reason. Do tell me what's bothering you...”

Fluttershy gazed deadpan at her friend. Snowflakes clung to her bangs and lashes. “Sometimes, Rarity...” She murmured breathily. “Mmmm... I-I wake up in the middle of the night... and all I can think about is death.”

Rarity gazed at her.

“Everything we're used to... everything that we feel and see and touch and taste...” Fluttershy gulped hard. “Everypony we love and all the things we strive for. Someday it will all end and there's nothing we can do about it, Rarity.” Her ears drooped as she sniffled. “I don't know how... I manage to c-carry on in the daytime without thinking about it so much. But... at times like this... I'm scared, Rarity.” The tiniest of whimpers. “I'm scared to... not be.”

Silence.

Rarity took a deep breath. And she smiled.

The mare took Fluttershy's fetlock, gently squeezing it. Wordlessly, she led the mare over to a couch, then gestured for her to sit down.

Trembling, Fluttershy did just that. She curled up on the sofa with a sniffle or two, watching as Rarity trotted away... vanishing from her peripheral.

The pegasus lingered in darkness. The shivers took hold, and she hadn't the strength to whimper.

Two anxious minutes later, Rarity returned—along with the light. She levitated several things by her side: two fluffy comforters, two bowls of vanilla ice cream, and a single candle. With unicorn finesse, she lit the candle's wick, then placed it gently on the coffee table before them. Then—without saying a word—she crawled up onto the sofa next to Fluttershy, scooching up real close. She draped the first comforter over the two of them... then the second. The two ponies' collective body heat swiftly melted away any residual snowflakes clinging to Fluttershy's tender coat.

“Hmmmm...” Rarity melodically hummed. She took a dainty bite of ice cream, then offered Fluttershy a spoonfull of vanilla. She waited patiently, smiling.

Fluttershy fidgeted slightly. At last, with a defeated sigh, she leaned in and took a bite. Then a second.

Rarity bore a contented grin. Placing the bowl down, she exhaled as she drew a hoof around Fluttershy's shoulder, holding her close. “Now...” Her humming voice resonated beneath the warm blankets. “...do you still feel scared?”

Fluttershy gulped. “Yes.” A shuddering breath. “But... this is still nice.”

“The nicest,” Rarity said with a wink.

Fluttershy's lips curved ever so slightly. She sniffled, and her eyes moistened.

“Shhhh...” Rarity nuzzled her friend dearly in the candlelight. “Cherish.” She kissed Fluttershy's ear, then nuzzled her again. “Cherish,” she breathed.

Fluttershy did. Her eyes closed, and the tears vanished amidst the warmth.

The two huddled side by side under the blankets. Cold and darkness lingered beyond the tiny glow.

The night passed. When the light of the candle went out, nopony could tell.

Comments

[Majin Syeekoh]

This was pretty cute.

[RoboRed]

s3.amazonaws.com/static.carthrottle.com/workspace/uploads/comments/2015/05/jeremy-clarkson-quite-likes-th-556b5d4fece9c.jpg

[Zaid ValRoa]

"Go on, dear. Let the ice cream fill the existential void within you."

[Skeeter The Lurker]

That's... Wow, Fluttershy, helluva thing to open with.

Spot on with Rarity's reaction, though.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[Scorch215]

Well then....that was not what I had expected Fluttershy to be there for.

I like Rarity's reaction to it as well, definitely a good friend thing to do in that moment.

[DaisyAzuras]

This is a perfect December story.

[Maddiepink5]

The reason this story works so well despite there being so little there... Well, I think we've all been there, haven't we? Rarity certainly has. Sometimes, it's best not to over think things.

Beautiful story... Especially since I'm dealing with one of my many bouts of insomnia right now too.

[B_Munro]

Well, she's scared of everything else, so why not the concept of Death itself?

[B_Munro]

7490687

Internet porn helps too.

[pahnazd]

Aww, that was sweet. A single gesture with just the right single word can make a huge difference. Lovely.

[Von Voctavia]

Someday it will all end and there's nothing we can do about it, Rarity.
Yes, dear. That's why we focus on the frivolous and the fabulous. Those tiny moments of joy a lover brings. None of us are here long, it's pointless to waste it on being scared. No matter what you do, win or lose, we're going to die either way.
What can we do?
Sex and ice cream, Fluttershy. Sex and ice cream.

[Pancakes0708]

I love these little things you make. So gently beautiful, so wonderfully small, so touching and insightful but so simple in their ways.
They're perfect.

[Royal7]

And then Clop!

[Kryssi]

Sweet and comforting. Did you get ideas from Mono? (Rarity)

7491174

[FanOfMostEverything]

All things end. The tyranny of the second law of thermodynamics is all-encompassing. But there's nothing you can do about it, so why let it keep you up at night? Embrace the time you have, in this wonderful age of friends, ice cream, and baryonic matter.

[Dafaddah]

That was beautiful! Again, you present that wonderful, intelligent, together mare from season one: Rarity, and she again demonstrates the true meaning generosity and the power within us all to shape our own realities.

7491226
That's why we live in the present, each one a quantum of being, awareness and solace.

[Spectral]

I've had more than my fair share of panic attacks induced by existential dread. Still happens, but not too often anymore.

That said, this story didn't really do anything for me. Been there, done that, you know?

[Harmony Pie]

Aww, this was wonderful.

[PatchworkPoltergeist]

[Leonzilla]

Heart warming.

When anxious, comfort.

That's a wonderful way to handle a troubled friend.

It wouldn't work every time of course, there is not a solution that could be applied for everyone or every case when someone is troubled since everyone is different.

There might be instances where appealing to ethos might be impossible and appealing to logos prove too difficult, but one can always appeal to pathos when the issue relates to feelings.

Well at least that's what I got from the story.

Lovely to see a pony caring for another pony.

Have a mustache.

~Leonzilla

[Swan Song]

Sometimes the only cure to overwhelming existential dread is to remember the little joys in life that make it worth living.

derpicdn.net/img/view/2014/4/26/610509.gif

[DrEggnog]

1,000 words wasn't really enough for me to get sucked into a shipfic/ fear of death combo. Sorry.

[Jern]

I really enjoyed this one. It was short, sweet and to the point.

It never ceases to amaze me how it's so often the tiny things like a laugh, smile, hug, or even just a few moments with a friend that end up being the most profound.

[Royal7]

7491204 I regret nothing!

[Alondro]

Rarity is actually as white as a marshmallow...

Maybe her existential dread arises from the concern that she actually is just a marshmallow. A sweet tasty treat somepony will gobble up one day. Or maybe she finds that hot and hopes it's Spike...

Rarity, you got issues!

Unlike me! I'm perfectly insane!

[LunaoftheNight]

Why was it so short , I couldve read loads more!

[Myrandall]

When the light of the candle went out, nopony could tell.

Because in the night they had both DIED!

[UniqueSKD]

She's white as a sheet.

But Rarity already is white. If she was any whiter she'd be Eninem.

[UniqueSKD]

7492676 Or because they were asleep, or because it was too dark, or because nopony cared if the light went out, or...

[UniqueSKD]

7492542 Cut the author some slack! It's hard trying to be original what with the over-saturation of clopfics and cutesy stories on this site, man. Calm thy man titties down. Maybe jiggle them around a tiny bit, I've had a rough day and women aren't speaking to me.

[Myrandall]

7492689 woosh

[Olden Bronie]

I really love these types of stories and really do them so well! I really liked the point you made...not many words, a few small actions, a very large point: all you ever need, really, is Friendship. Bravo!

[insertfootinmouth]

7490687 Not bad.

[UniqueSKD]

7492702 Wow. Downvote on my comment and on the author's good story. How original.

[Daemon McRae]

I read the description in reverse and my first reaction was "Well duh, she's a marshmallow."

[Benceladus0]

Reminds me of a video Kurzgesagt made about the limits of humanity.

[Writer Guy]

7492730 Why is being downvoted such a big deal, bro?

[UniqueSKD]

7492859 What do you mean? I was just saying how 'original' it was.

[Writer Guy]

7492871 That was obvious sarcasm...

Anyway, I doubt the author would care if he got another downvote, he's likely to act like a big boy, and move on. As for calling out him for downvoting you, kinda no point there, kinda makes you seem like you're playing a victim of some kind.

There's also the possibility of you just trolling, and no point for me even explaining this.

[UniqueSKD]

7492882 Victim!? Of what? Downvotes on comments? Dude, I get raging boners off that stuff. And anyway what's it got to do with you? Make a nice comment on this story because it deserves your attention more than I do.

And seeing how strange you're acting about this your attention is probably something I wouldn't want right now.

[Writer Guy]

7492907

Make a nice comment on this story because it deserves your attention more than I do.

I'd agree, if it weren't for the fact you lashed out like a cornered dog. Can't let a wrong stay a wrong, after all. Anyway, this is clogging up the comment section, so I'd suggest we cut this to a end here.

[UniqueSKD]

7492912 I made a wish and it came true. In the words of Mario; so long, gay Bowser!

I liked that guy's mustache...

[UniqueSKD]

7492912 Also, 'lashed out'? I lash out at clopfics, not on competently written stories.

And at Mandopony. Dumbass never sent my t-shirt.

[Chaotic Note]

7492542 Some stories are better when short.

[BlabideeblahMLP]

I feel ya, Flutters.

I feel ya all too much.
7492686

[fastnbulbous]

Good, but I can't help but feel like it could've been more.

[UniqueSKD]

7493041 Okay maybe not THAT white...XD

[BlabideeblahMLP]

7491226 It keeps me up at night becuase there's nothing I can do about it.

[Lavalier_Mike]

7491174
>so, basically:
i.imgur.com/ellqEK9.png

[The Dead Account]

Fluttershy visits Rarity in the middle of the night. She's white as a sheet.

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