Enter: Fluttershy

by Kirbster

Exit: Rarity

I guess wishing for a whole month's worth of suffering to disappear in one night was a bit too large of a request. Don't know what convinced me it was even possible, but I laid awake for at least an hour, if not more, praying. Praying that this would all be over. That life could just go back to the way it was. Back to happier times where everypony was here with me, in stupid old Ponyville. Happier times where the six of us hung out. Played games. Solved problems. Caused problems. Whatever. Just something. Anything.

Alas, that was all nothing but wishful thinking. Wishful, selfish thinking. With the exception of Applejack, they're all doing things they've always wanted to do. Be a Wonderbolt. Become a big-time fashion designer. Make everypony smile. Teach the wonders of magic. If I were a good friend, would I want to tear that away from them? Would I want them to stop living their dream and come back to this dumb old town with me? The answer is no. I shouldn't. I should want them to be the best they can be. Live life to the fullest. Reach for the stars. I should. I don't. Why not?

This again. It always comes to this. Why do I feel the way I do? Why can't I help but feel this way? Have I stooped so low? Question. Question. Question. It just never ends.

I need to change the subject. But what to? I refuse to speak about that dream. The only feelings it evokes are negative, and I can't begin to understand why. Whatever the explanation could be, I will not make myself have to suffer through that. I've done more than enough crying recently.

But I guess I can't really win in this case, as the only other subject is my friends, and the next would be Rarity.

So, Rarity. Lovely, generous Rarity. She's off being a fashion designer in Canterlot. How wonderful.

I can't keep up that facade. Trying to pretend that I'm happy that I have no friends anymore doesn't work. I may as well let it all out. It's not like I'm hurting anypony with my contained bitterness.

Rarity left in the biggest 'blaze of glory,' I guess you could say. At least she gave the remnants of her friends something to remember her by. I guess that's why she's the element of generosity. Points to her for sticking to her guns to the end. Still, why did she need to go over to Canterlot? I've never been a businesspony, so I can't say I know how the process works, but she's never seemed to have trouble with shipping her clothing elsewhere from Ponyville. Perhaps she just wanted out. I don't blame her.

Whatever the case, she's gone. Whatever she did before she left doesn't lighten the blow or change the fact. She's gone. Just like everypony else. She's off designing for the higher class of Canterlot. The ponies she's always wanted to be with. The type of pony she's always wanted to be. Good for her. Does she even care about her Ponyville friends anymore? Should we even be a speck on the radar of some big-time fashion designer in Canterlot? Would we just tarnish her reputation?

In reality, I'm the only Ponyville friend anymore. She could brag about all her other friends. The truth would require a tiny bit of bending in Applejack's case, but I'm sure you can make "business affairs" sounds good when cut some way. She knows a Wonderbolt, a professional party planner, an assistant to the Princess herself, and some stupid, talentless pegasus in Ponyville who looks after her cat. Why couldn't she just take Opal with her? She did on her last trip to Canterlot. Perhaps she feared she would be too busy to look after her. I guess Opal is better off with me, anyway. She never really did seem particularly enamored with Rarity. That's something I've got on her, I guess.

There's not really much use trying to scrounge up any ways in which I could be, by any stretch of the word, "superior" to my friends. It's quite apparent now that that isn't the case.

Enough self-depreciation for now. Onto Rarity's story of departure:

“Mail!” cried a shaky male voice, squeaking and cracking as it tried to find its bearing, as Rarity added the finishing touches to a formal gown she had been working on for her own amusement. “I wonder what that could be for,” she said as she walked toward the door, opening it delicately. The young earth pony mail carrier stood with a wide smile, holding the mail outward to the white unicorn, batting his eyes lightly and staring at the unicorn with a flaring admiration. Awkwardly, but politely, Rarity smiled back at the young stallion, meeting eyes in a friendly, but no more, way. Rarity took the card using simple levitation magic and began to walk back toward her work.

As an afterthought, Rarity laid the letter down lightly and grabbed a few bits using similar magic. The young stallion was walking away slowly, so he was easily in earshot. She half-shouted "For your troubles, sir," and tucked the bits in the mail carrier's saddlebag. He turned quickly, mouth agape in a manner that Rarity was not too unfamiliar with. She simply waved and smiled before closing her door and getting back to work.

Due to the handsome gold-tinted embroidery that lined the letter's envelope, Rarity thought to leave it for after finishing her gown. If it was as important as the overly fancy envelope made it appear, it would serve as little more than a distraction for the time being. “Done!” she sang, admiring her handiwork, “I must say, Rarity, you have outdone yourself.” Content, Rarity stroked her mane lightly before turning her attention to the letter she had received. Making sure to not damage the envelope, Rarity gently opened the letter. After completing this simple task, she tucked the envelope away for admiration at a later date. She then began to read the letter.

Upon finishing, the words on the page set in, causing the letter to drop the floor and Rarity's eyes to widen. “Fancypants...” she stuttered, trying to find some type of grasp on the words that she had just read “he... he got me discovered?! I can't believe it!” Rarity then proceeded to bounce around her boutique in a way that did not match her maturity or composure. “But-” she began, “what about my friends? I can't just leave them...” Rarity pondered how to break the news to them, gently. An opportunity like this was not one she could simply pass up. “Well, if I'm going to go away, I might as well go off with style,” Rarity said, reaching a conclusion. “I'll do what I do best. Their Gala gowns are just so out of date. There's a whole new style, after all. I'll make them all new dresses!” With this, Rarity got to work at speeds that astounded even her.

“There!” she said, “Done!” Rarity stood, marveling at the sheer beauty that she had just produced. “I stand corrected, Rarity. This has got to be your best work yet!”

With a heavy heart, Rarity called what remained of her group of friends to her boutique to give them the news. A large curtain was used to conceal the dresses that she was to give to her friends.

“Girls,” Rarity began, trying to hide the pleasure she held deep down, “I regret to inform you that I must make my leave to Canterlot.”

“What for?” Pinkie inquired, in a tone that seemed almost impossibly sad to come out of such a pony.

Rarity, suddenly overcome with much more guilt that she had been feeling moments ago, continued “You all remember Fancypants, yes?” They nodded, “Well, you see, he has a friend that's large in the designing business. He showed some of my work to him, and he was was so impressed that he demanded my designs to be in his new line! He even said that he's going to want my assistance with his future lines! Can you believe it?”

“Oh, Rarity, that's...” Twilight began, matching Pinkie's level of sadness, but hiding it with a tad more finesse, “that's great! I'm so happy for you!”

“Now, I don't want to just leave you guys without something to remember me by, so I made you all...” Rarity then pulled the curtains apart and said “These!”

Excited chatter came from the three friends that remained, “They look great!” Twilight said, “That's so me!” screamed Pinkie.

“I'm so glad you love them, I worked so hard on them. I'd hate to just leave without giving you anything. And don't worry, I will never forget to write to you girls,” Rarity said, a faint grin creeping itself, slowly, across her face. The guilt still laid in her heart, but she pushed it away so that she left her friends with a smile. Pinkie, yet again, jumped into the middle of the remaining ponies and stretched her forelegs out for another group hug. When tears threatened to escape from Pinkie's eyes, she slammed them shut, and put on a smile.

Rarity levitated her excessive amounts of luggage and made her way off to Canterlot, the tears coming from her eyes ruining her masterfully applied eye make-up. Not once did she look back. The only thing she left behind was her pet cat, Opal, who was currently sleeping in Fluttershy's cottage.

Thank you ever so much for the dress, Rarity. It's lovely, it really is. It's too bad I'll likely never use it. What events could I possibly go to? After the catastrophic failure that the Gala was, we're probably not going to be going to any others. What other events would I possibly ever attend? And not to be unappreciative, but it tugs rather awkwardly at the waist, and doesn't allow for very much movement.

But I guess that's what Rarity's all about. Flare over practicality. Style over comfort. Maybe that's what ponies like. Maybe that's why she's in the big time now. Canterlot upper-class and not, in her words, a "little Ponyville folk."

Maybe I could become her right-hand-pony. I was always decent at sewing, after all. According to Applejack I possess a "freaky knowledge" of it. But then I'd be leaving these stupid pets, and they'd probably all get upset that I wasn't doing my "duty as a good friend" or something riddled with an equally disgusting amount of double-standards.

Speaking of stupid pets, I have decided to care for Winona in her sickness with genuine concern, as I have decided that Applejack is now my favorite friend. She did leave unwillingly after all, and isn't necessarily gone for any definition of the word forever. The only thing I'm missing from her would be a letter.

Now that I think about it, I did receive a letter from Rarity. I guess that gives her a few more points. I should tally those up and decide who garners my sympathy the most. To make up for lost time, Rainbow Dash gets one point for being somewhat hesitant about leaving, one point for establishing the fact that she'll make plans to come back when she has free time (whether or not she will follow through has yet to be seen), and half of a point for sending a letter (more would have been given if the contents weren't miniscule). Applejack gets one point for not choosing to leave, one point for attempting to soften the blow of the news with a lie (still bitter about the fact she did so in the first place), and one point for not leaving to do anything "higher." Rarity gets one point for giving us stuff as we left, and one point for sending a letter. That leaves the current tallies at: Rainbow Dash: Two and a half. Applejack: Three. Rarity: Two.

I'll make this a game. It'll be the closest thing to fun that I've had since everypony left.

Anyway, onto Rarity's letter:

Dearest Fluttershy,

A million apologies for the lack of letters I have sent you, I've just been so busy that I haven't found time to send you any. But do not worry your pretty little head, there hasn't been a single moment that I wasn't thinking about my friends. I do hope you're in good spirits. Have you all been doing well in Ponyville since I left?

Sincerely, Rarity.

P.S. I apologize for any troubles Opal may be causing you. She can be quite the handful.

She wrote that she's been thinking of us, but I can't even begin to believe that for a single moment. Does she recall the time that she got caught up in Canterlot during Twilight's birthday? This is no different, except only this time, there's nopony to go over there and slap her back into reality like there was last time. Thank you kindly for complimenting the prettiness of my head, that's why I was the one who was taken to "shine all across Equestria." One more thing I can hold over my friends. It's too bad I hated that more than Rarity hated seeing me get more attention than her. Just have to take what I can get, I suppose.

I received this letter rather recently. Three days ago, if my memory serves correctly. I guess no one informed her that there is no "you all" anymore. It would just be "you." So, I guess they're not keeping in very good touch. If they are, they're not listening very well. That doesn't make me feel any better. If they're drifting apart, what's the likelihood things could just seamlessly flow back to the way it used to be?

I'm going to tuck the cynical part of me away and take a nap after I check up on Winona. The soothing embrace of sleep is the only thing I enjoy anymore.

Comments

[Twilicorn]

...somepony's depressed.

[Kirbster]

The surprisingly large amount of typos in chapter 4 has been greatly reduced.

Writing next memory, just got to think of names.

[ravenandkuba484]

I know what Fluttershy is feeling. All I have are my animal friends. I love them but i'm so lonely and sad. Sleep, booze and among other things are my way of getting through the loneliness.