Two Worlds; One Family

by MrEnter

Chapter 7: Forgiveness is a Rarity

Rarity spent the next few days feeling awful. Nopony would talk to her, not even her closest friends. She stayed inside for the most part. She knew why. It was because she insulted that thing, that thing that Fluttershy called her son. She was crazy, she just had to be. There was no way around it. Rarity loved her cat, but if she went around claiming that Opal was her daughter than ponies would think she was crazy. Why did Fluttershy get a free ticket on the insanity train? Because it was her job to take care of animals? What would happen if she tried to claim that she was raising fabrics as her own?

Rarity decided to shut down Carousel Botique for the day—nopony was coming in anyway. She stayed in a hooded cloak as she strolled about Ponyville, even though she was pretty sure that the majority of the townsponies had either forgotten about the Nightmare Night incident, or they just didn't care. The only ponies she knew wouldn't forget about something like this were the ones she wanted to forget the most: her friends. Twilight wouldn't forget something like this, and Fluttershy was probably crying herself sick. But maybe Twilight was the pony that Rarity needed to see.

"What are you doing here?" Twilight demanded.

"I want to know what I did wrong," Rarity spoke up. Twilight looked at her with a sneer for a moment, but then the sneer faltered.

"By Celestia, you really don't know, do you?"

Rarity shook her head and Twilight beckoned her inside. Twilight told Rarity to wait a moment; she was busy working on very volatile chemicals and had to give them near-constant attention. She told Rarity to sit by a table with a book and several photographs on it. Rarity did as she was told and waited for Twilight to return before her attention was turned to the photographs.

There were near two dozen of them, the newest ones must have been taken a few days ago because the first thing she noticed was Fluttershy with that weed still on her head. And she wasn't quivering in fear like when Rarity had first bumped into her, nor was she crying her eyes out. Fluttershy was smiling... on Nightmare Night. Then Rarity noticed the white blob that took up the other half of the photograph.

Rarity looked through all of the photographs. They were either of Harry and Fluttershy, or just Harry alone. And both of them were happy. Harry didn't even look as grotesque as he once had; he looked tolerable, at least more tolerable than she had imagined. And the things that Rarity saw the two of them doing together: playing together, taking care of animals together, and just having a good time, almost like the moments Rarity had with her own parents. Rarity felt like a monster.

"I can't talk too long," Twilight said, walking down the stairs, "or the whole tree house is going to be on fire."

"I'm so sorry," Rarity said, at Twilight's hooves.

"Um what?"

"I saw some of those photos. The way that Fluttershy... and Harry were. You were right. Fluttershy was right."

"Oh, that's where I put it," Twilight said, face-hoofing. "Always the last place you look. Wait, what was I right about?"

"What I said on Nightmare Night, and what I've been doing to Fluttershy. They've been totally uncalled for. All of those photos in the scrap book—"

"That's not a scrap book," Twilight said, picking it up. "It's a research notebook. Harry is definitely a fascinating case. He's growing almost exactly like a pony would. It's amazing. Wait, what were you talking about?"

"I need to get Fluttershy to forgive me for what I've been doing. What do you think I should—" Rarity managed to say before she was cut-off by an explosion.

"Can't talk. Gotta go. I'll talk to you later," Twilight said, racing up the stairs.

Rarity left the library, feeling worse than before. She thought of all the times she closed her shop just because Fluttershy was walking by. She thought of all the times she ducked behind a barrel or down an alleyway because she thought that Fluttershy was coming by. And then she thought of Harry. He didn't deserve somepony like Rarity in his life. And neither did Fluttershy. Rarity thought of how she could make it up to Fluttershy when a downpour of rain landed on her head.

"That's what you get for yelling at Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash said, from on top of a gray cloud.

"I'm sorry okay!" Rarity shouted up to her. Rainbow swooped down, unbreaking from that old familiar sneer.

"So what are you gonna do about it?" Rainbow said, narrowing her eyes.

"I—I don't know."

"Why don't you just talk to her, or are you too disgusted by Harry? You know, Harry is a nice kid. You'd like him if you got to know him."

"I'm sure he is. It's just that I screwed up so badly..."

"You know Fluttershy. Just ask and she'll forgive you. Maybe."

"I know, but it'll be a cold day in Tartarus before I manage to forgive myself. Rainbow, what have I done?"

Rainbow stared at her for a minute or so. Her expression of anger had long vanished. She seemed as lost to the answer as Rarity was herself. Even though Rainbow couldn't find an answer, she still managed to come up with something.

"Come on, we'll walk to Fluttershy's together."

It wasn't much, but it was something. The two of them stayed silent the whole way there. They just looked onward, almost avoiding looking at each other. They instead focused on the multicolored leaves and the air that was chillier than the day before. Even walking as slowly as they had it wasn't long before they had made it to Fluttershy's cottage. The two of them walked up to the door and Rainbow knocked on it.

"Hello Rainbow," Fluttershy said with a wide smile. "What brings you here today?"

"I got somepony who wants to talk to you," Rainbow said, opening the door wider to reveal Rarity.

The three of them didn't move for quite some time. None of them really could. They all had so much they wanted to say that the words got clogged on the way out and nothing came out. The only thing to break the silence was Harry asking who was there.

"Tha—that's a lovely son you have there Fluttershy," Rarity said. "Wow, he's gotten so big."

"Um what?" Fluttershy asked. She blinked.

"Can we come in?" Rarity asked. Before Fluttershy could say anything, Rainbow made her way in and occupied Harry. Fluttershy decided that there was no use in saying "no" now.

"Fluttershy," Rarity said, sitting on the couch. "The first thing I want to say is sorry. I want to say sorry for everything that I've done since Harry came along. I never should have—"

Fluttershy put a hoof on Rarity's shoulder. Rarity looked up to see Fluttershy smiling. "It's okay, I forgive you."

Rainbow had taken Harry outside to play so the grown-ups could talk, although they weren't doing much of that. Fluttershy and Rarity sat in silence, just thinking of the next thing to say. Then Rarity noticed a book like the one at Twilight's. Even though it had the same photos, this one was definitely a scrap book.

"That picture from Nightmare Night. You looked so happy in it," Rarity said. "Did kicking me out of your life really make you that happy?"

"Rarity, I cried that night. I didn't want to upset Harry on his first Nightmare Night, so I tried my best to enjoy myself until he fell asleep. A child should never see their mother cry."

"I... I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything."

Comments

[Dragaen]

that was beautiful... *tears* these tears are full of joy to see that she has finally looked past harry being some kind of freak of nature or something.

[Dragaen]

one last thing, is there a chance u might have like some pictures of something like this in the story I mean?

[soulknight13]

awwwwwwwwwwww that is so sweet my they become a great family now the mane 6 are whole

[Golden Sax]

feel.livelyblog.com/files/2012/08/battlefeel.jpg

[Tyrant]

Hmm... though I think plot wise if Rarity had suffered a bit more would have made the story more dramatic, far be it for me to tell an author what to give his readers. It felt rushed, though I can say it is Fluttershy's nature to forgive her friends quiet easily. As it would be for Rarity to see the error of her ways, I just can't see her Rarity giving up so easily from some photo's.

I guess I should re-watch some episodes or something, I always have a hard time finding Rarity's character traits. Ah well, though it felt rushed it is good that the objective came across. I shall continue to watch.

[APoeticHeart]

I knew Fluttershy would forgive Rarity right away, Rarity just had to come and talk to her. Now, I hope Rarity can have a friendship with Harry.

[jpony]

I know what to say
Dawwwwww!

[Sonson-Sensei]

Yeah I have to agree with the being rushed feeling from this chapter. Rarity was absolutely horrible towards Fluttershy and Harry, such conflict shouldn't have been resolved so easily.

[gear crash]

do not cry .. 'tears' ffffuuu ok man you put the scale so high with this one

[shirotora]

This was the second time today I cried manly tears.

[SpikeintheHole]

2401076
You mean liquid pride

[Pyromaniacal Panda]

[websterhamster]

Rarity should be really ashamed of herself. Fluttercry is a sin!

[SmileyRat]

"Rarity loved her cat, but if she went around claiming that Opal was her daughter than ponies would think she was crazy."

I doubt that. They might think it a little odd, but that is it. Lots of people in reality see their pets as children. No one really seems to care. And there are lots of stories where elves raise human children or other such mach-ups. Actually believing your pet is your child is different. But this creature is a sentient being and not a pet. So that dose not give Rarity and excuse to think badly of Fluttershy.

I don't get It. To begin with, I don't think this is within Rarity's character. But more than that, I just don't understand the objection. It seems like it should be logical. If not for Harry speaking, it could still be seen as logical. But she knows Herry is not just an animal and persists as if there is something wrong with Fluttershy for treating a sentient being as if it is sentient.

I doubt any good person would turn out a MLP pony or say it is wrong to see one you raised as a child as your child. Why would Rarity, the element of generosity in a multicultural, multiracial, tolerant world, be the one to reject a being in need? It does not even seem like irrational racism. It just seems like a "flat" argument and thread thin logic. It feels hollow and fake. It's as if she is reciting lines, not because she really believes them, but because she has to or is supposed to.

This whole aspect of her falls flat to me. I will still read this story. The Problem with Rarity is not a big enough issue yet.

Continuing the story,
The Smileyrat

P.S. A number of ponies do seem to treat their pets as family. Rarity is one of them.

[SmileyRat]

Did you really spend the chapter showing rarity repenting? The entire chapter? It was a weak sub-plot to begin with. What was the point? It was hard to feel anything about it and hard to believe. But you could have at least done something with it.

Meh. Whatever. It was a "meh" subplot. Might as well have a "meh" resolution. At least there is symmetry. Moving on.

[Typist Gray]

That all seemed to resolve itself a little too easily.

[Drakalian]

Ok, this chapter fixed a bit of one of the issues that I was having, glad to see that, and hope it's all uphill for Harry.

[DerpTape]

Fluttershy put a hoof on Rarity's shoulder. Rarity looked up to see Fluttershy smiling. "It's okay, I forgive you."

"But I will never forget."