> For the Love of a Few Colours
>  by Sadie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1. Business
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carousel Boutique. 114 Hayseed Boulevard. Wedged in between the local donut shop, and one of many supermarkets, the small shop had its own charm of being one of South Canterlot’s only establishments to be run by a girl no older than seventeen. Of course, Rarity’s ability wasn’t just limited to cloth and scissors. In this case, managing the finances and supplies of her inherited enterprise weren’t as much of an unwanted burden, as they were a simple joy of a different kind. Everything balanced out to ensure that she could pursue her own designs, without jeopardizing the rest of her lifestyle and business. Ideally.

As of late, that margin of freedom had been gradually shrinking. Almost literally. A purple belt slipped from Rarity’s hand as she continued to stare at the blank mannequin in utter boredom. Such an extreme lack of inspiration following her huge success with the Fall Formal had drained every single bit of enthusiasm for new ideas from her. On a nearby chair, an unfinished crossword from The Canterlot Times took up empty space. Notably, the first unfinished clue was ‘idea’. The clock switched over to 3pm. A purple themed laptop came to life with a notification, breaking the silence. A voice soon followed.

“Hey Rare, hope you don’t mind me stopping by later. Heard you were bored because of the holiday season, I think I know how to fix that. Peace.” Rarity glanced over at her laptop. Rainbow Dash, presumably leaving a message from her mobile. She had been on one of many sporting tours for the past three months, and still hadn’t stopped by in the week since her return. And yet, Rarity made no move from her position of staring endlessly in search of some spark of inspiration. What good would it do to check up on social notifications anyway? Apart from gratifying her need for proverbial ego stroking, which as of late had been sorely starved, nothing would come of it.

A good ten minutes passed before she finally realized that she hadn’t eaten lunch that day. Her ego wasn’t the only thing that had been deprived of attention. “Well, either I wait here for Rainbow Dash to show up and go hungry. Or I go eat, and run the risk of missing Rainbow Dash altogether. At this rate, I might as well openly declare that I care very little for her sporting achievements!” Her eyes settled on the blank mannequin again, and then returned to the computer. What was I thinking? That we didn’t have access to mobiles and laptops? I’ll just text her to arrange a time. With a graceful push from her boots, the wheeled chair slid over to the open laptop.

Out 4 a while, food. Be back later. Feel free to ‘chill out’. Having to use such poor writing in order to cut back on character usage made her cringe. But at the rate her work was declining, cutting back on text messages would be the least of her problems. “Chances are she’ll get bored and leave before I get back. But that’s Rainbow Dash for you.” With a small huff, she stood up and took a moment to adjust her appearance. Boots, skirt, shirt, and most importantly hair. “I suppose I might as well ask Fluttershy to join me while I’m at it.” She leaned down to type out another message. Flutter dear; meet me @ the deli down the road. Ta.

For the first time that day, she grabbed her handbag for reasons other than swinging it about to distract herself. Once the strap was safely across her shoulder, she made her way to the door. As she reached for the light switch, her phone began buzzing. A text from Fluttershy. Sure thing. Be right there. “Well, she certainly is prompt. If only somebody else was as punctual in her replies.” The lights of the Boutique went out as Rarity’s finger finally pushed the switch. With the curtains closed, the room looked uncomfortably dark. Keys rattled shortly after the door closed. Finally, the main lock slid shut.

South Canterlot wasn’t particularly busy at that time of day. With school out, the only kids in sight were the ones who often spent their entire day at the skate park with their pants hanging far lower than Rarity would even dare look at. The few younger ones who didn’t get to go on vacation spent their time at the local park instead. And of course, there were the ones like her, who had actual jobs in Canterlot. Fluttershy had her volunteer work, and Pinkie Pie would be managing yet another party at the school gym. Applejack had gone home for harvest season, which of course left herself and Rainbow Dash. The latter of which lived off sponsorships, and more often than not one of her friends.

The deli wasn’t as desolate as the boulevard. One or two students she recognized from the formal, the rest were adults who paid little attention to her. Upon entering the deli itself, the array of salads caught her attention. “Hmm. I suppose I should’ve asked what Fluttershy wanted. Oh well, I guess I can cover it when she gets here.” The Caesar Salad caught her attention as she approached the counter. “One medium serving of the Caesar, thank you.” As an round, average size container was filled; she removed the purse from her bag and opened it. She had enough to cover her meal, but not much else.

With the container of salad in hand, she made her way back out to a free table just as Fluttershy arrived. “Oh good, I was worried that I wouldn’t get here in time. Could you mind my bag while I order?” Rarity carefully placed Fluttershy’s backpack on the side of her chair away from the road as she entered the deli. One can never be too careful, especially with those... occupants of the skate park nearby. Again, she did her best to avoid looking in that direction. Fluttershy soon returned with a green salad in hand. “So, have you had any luck with new ideas? Pinkie Pie mentioned you were still struggling when I talked with her this morning.”

Rarity tilted her hand to indicate mediocrity. “Rainbow Dash texted me about stopping by later. Right now I’ll be glad to have any sort of help in coming up with a new project to pursue.” In the depths of her handbag, her phone buzzed again. After a moment of fishing through make-up and hair ties, she retrieved it. Another text from Rainbow Dash. Nice. I’ll be waiting, big news. Have fun. She returned the phone to the bag before resuming her meal. “Well, I may just be in luck after all. Apparently, she has ‘big news’ that is worth waiting for me to return for. Of course, this doesn’t mean I have to leave right away dear.”

The half of the snow pea that Fluttershy hadn’t eaten fell back into her salad at that moment. She blushed soon after. “Wow, that sounds really good. She’s been so helpful lately with promoting the animal shelter at her soccer games.” Rarity scrunched her nose slightly at the thought. Soccer didn’t quite appeal to her as much as some other sports. But she rarely did more than throw a Frisbee at picnics. Even Fluttershy was more active in that sense. “Anyway, I guess if you really are getting desperate, I could always help out.” The offer touched Rarity deeply. Fluttershy’s volunteer work took up a lot of time, on top of her the extra work she did for an income.

“Fluttershy, that’s really sweet of you to offer. But I cannot possibly expect you to give up even more of your time, just to help me out. I’m sure I can work something out, even if it means cutting back on some of the nicer things.” Her phone was the first thing to come to mind. Out of everything else, that was the one item she could probably handle not having for a while. The entire thought process was pushed away as she took another forkful from her salad. “Enough about my problems, I’m sure that things have been far better at the animal shelter.” This time it was Fluttershy’s phone that demanded attention.

“Oh dear, one of the bunny rabbits is feeling sick. I’m sorry Rarity, is it alright for me to go help?” Rarity carefully lifted her backpack over the table with an approving smile. “Thank you, I’ll make this up to you tomorrow, I promise.” The speed at which she departed surprised Rarity quite a bit. In just a few seconds, she had rounded the corner and left her view entirely. The taste of her Caesar salad quickly began to fade.
After stirring the plastic fork along the edges of the container for a good minute, Rarity replaced the lid and carefully rested it in the top of her bag. “It’s not like Rainbow Dash will mind, she’s probably been eating at high class establishments for the past few weeks.” The walk back down to the Boutique was quick, and quiet. The whole time was spent looking at her handbag in paranoia that the salad would spill. Right up to the door, she couldn’t shake the feeling that some sort of terrible accident would occur as a result of taking the salad with her. Her attention returned to the fact that the door was now unlocked, and the lights were back on. “Well, I’m glad she’s still there. Giving her a copy of the keys wasn’t such a bad idea after all.”

Upon pushing the door open, a rather loud ambience of music swept through to give her a nasty shock. As Rarity moved further in, she found Rainbow Dash laid back on the lounge as music blared from her own laptop. For a moment, she was tempted to shout at her for such an abuse of her property. Instead, she settled for turning the music down. “Next time, could you please consider the fact that my ears aren’t used to being blasted with sound?” She let out a relieved exhale upon setting the container of salad down beside her handbag on the table. “So, how was Griffonia? And how did the soccer matches go?”

Rainbow Dash was still wearing the Wondercolt’s soccer jersey. Lightweight polyester, dyed in the trademark blue and yellow of Canterlot’s overall sporting team. “We smashed ‘em so hard, you should’ve seen the looks on their faces when I scored three goals in a row!” She sat up after kicking the air for added effect. Rarity pulled up her own chair to avoid getting the way of any future demonstrations. “Anyway, sorry I haven’t stopped by until now. Been catching up with the team, and discussing the next sport season. This time, it’s baseball.” Rarity nodded to conceal her confusion. There hadn’t been a Canterlot baseball team for over a decade, which could only mean one thing.

“And you’d like me to design the uniform, right?” It was certainly an interesting endeavour. Designing the uniform of a very well known sports team would surely give her a much needed boost for business. “Well, it’s not like I don’t have the time. And I could certainly use the practise; it’s been a while since I’ve worked with synthetic fabrics.” Rainbow Dash stood up, looking taller than Rarity remembered. And she had a bit of a tan too. Griffonian sun presumably. “Well, I suppose I can take your measurements now and work on a prototype. Once it’s done, I’ll make adjustments for the rest of the team.”

Rarity returned her attention to the laptop. With a few clicks, some basic measurements and useful notes came up. From behind, she could hear Rainbow Dash clap her hands together. “Great, and don’t worry, they’ll be paying pretty good for this. I heard from Fluttershy that you’ve been struggling, and everybody agreed that you deserve better for all the hard work you put in.” Rarity blushed slightly. Few appreciated just how hard it was to both manage the business and continue attending school. “So, is there some sort of sample uniform I should change into or something? Jerseys are pretty loose, if you know what I mean.”

“Yes, that would help. I’ll be with you in just a moment.” She copied her notes and other important details into the one document for easier reference. Baseball uniforms were trickier than most other kits, notable due to their need for close fitting. “Now, I think I have a basic outfit on the shelf to your left...” She had turned around to point it out, only to find Rainbow Dash had already removed her jersey, and was about to remove her skirt as well. Only her sports bra and shorts would have remained, had Rarity not gone into hysteria at that moment.

“For goodness sake Rainbow Dash! This is not your personal bedroom! You may be a legal adult, but I am not! And I don’t need people thinking that I’m involved in some sort of perverted back alley business! Please change in the booth or else I’ll just have to send you out.” For most of the rant, she had one arm firmly across her closed eyes. It was only once she heard the distinct sound of curtain rings sliding along the booth pole that she lowered her arm and carefully opened her eyes. A blue arm pulled the outfit back into the privacy of the booth.

There was an awkward silence between the two, until Rainbow Dash finally spoke. “Honestly, I don’t see the big deal. Every girl in the Wondercolts has seen me like that, and a few of the guys have too. And nobody is going to think you’re in dirty business just because I took my jersey off. Relax a bit, okay?” Rarity sat back down in her chair after having jumped from it in fright. Relax wasn’t something she saw herself accomplishing easily. Sure, she probably had overreacted over the whole thing. But didn’t she have a right to be nervous about the future of her career? Especially when it was only just beginning?

Her lip almost became as pale as her skin while she bit down on it. “Dash, I’m sorry I shouted at you. But you have to understand, I value modesty very highly. And while you may not have a problem with being in your underwear in the girls’ locker room, I still feel uncomfortable with wearing anything that doesn’t cover the midriff.” The soccer jersey flew over the top of the curtain, landing on the longue. Dash’s skirt soon followed. “Fine, would you like me to wash your clothes while I’m at it?” The curtain opened slightly as Rainbow Dash peered out from behind.

“I’ll grab them when we’re done. I have a sense of decency too y’know, geez.” She sighed in contempt. “I’m trying to help you out Rarity, not trying to get you to do my laundry like some lazy sleaze. We’re friends.” She breathed in again. “Just cut me some slack okay? I got back last week for crying out loud!” The curtain closed with that. It left Rarity gripping e sides of her chair tightly as she berated herself over her rudeness. Barely a minute passed before she stood up and ascended the stairs on the left side of the building. Skipping the first floor studio and kitchen altogether, she stopped at the door to her bedroom on the upper level.

For a long moment, Rarity tried to convince herself to simply walk in and shut the door behind her. Instead, she leaned over the railing. “When you’re done, could you meet me in the studio? I just need a moment to ‘freshen up’.” It was the énsuité door that she opened instead. A modest shower and sink were opened up to her. Through another door was the toilet, which up until recently had been scented with lavender. Rarity settled for washing her hands compulsively. “What was I thinking? Accusing her of lacking modesty, claiming that she wanted me to wash her clothing on a whim. What’s gotten into you Rarity? This is hardly becoming of a lady!”

Below, the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs encouraged her to return to Rainbow Dash. It took a good amount of mental determination to cease scrubbing her hands until they were sore, and more still to dry them. The voice from below provided unknowing support. “Hey, are you okay up there Rare?” Rarity finished drying her hands and made her way downstairs. In the studio, she found her guest on the verge of using a spare mannequin head as a practise soccer ball. After a few moments of staring, it was returned to its usual spot on the hat shelf.

“Alright, now if you’ll just stand on the platform, we can begin.” Rainbow Dash was quick to oblige. Dressed in a tight grey shirt with matching pants that barely reached down below her knees, she could have easily posed as some sort of unique mime. All the while, Rarity did her best to block out from memory what had happened downstairs. “This may take a while, so don’t hesitate to tell me if you start to get tired dear.”


*


It was quite late in the night. Almost a week had passed since Rainbow Dash had stopped by with the offer of designing a baseball uniform for her team. Rarity was laid back in bed; eyes wide open as heavy rain poured at the window. Not being able to sleep was an understatement. Worries about whether she would make it through the next day alone gnawed away at the back of her mind. Admittedly, her situation wasn’t that desperate. But it was slowly creeping towards that. Already, she had cancelled her phone subscription in favour of keeping the Boutique’s internet access.

The screen of her laptop blared into life. Pale light was cast across the entire bedroom, illuminating Rarity’s pale face at the head of the bed. “Oh for goodness sake.” If she actually had the ability to sleep, it would have simply been easier to ignore whatever had disturbed her computer’s own sleep. The constant distraction drove her to remove herself from the bed and retrieve the laptop. A video chat request, from Rainbow Dash. “What is she calling me at this hour for?”

This time when sliding under the blanket, she pulled it up over herself to form a comfortable alcove. With the laptop in front of her, she bit down on her lip when accepting the request. After a few moments of rendering, Rainbow Dash’s face appeared on the screen. “Hey Rare! Sorry if I woke you up, but I wanted to talk, and I didn’t get a chance to swing by.” Rarity could only notice the fact that Dash was wearing little more than a shirt that barely covered her waist, and tight underwear with her favourite mark on the front.

“Really darling? Dare I ask how you came by that attire?” Rainbow Dash leaned back into the comfort of her pillows. She didn’t look terribly impressed by the quip. “Fine, I’d rather not recall that embarrassing day anyway.” The folds of her own white nightgown felt rather warm at that moment. Or was it her body that had suddenly experienced an elevated temperature? “Alright, I’m here, and I don’t think I’ll be getting much sleep at this rate. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

There was a slight shuffle as Rainbow Dash moved her laptop closer to her face. “Fluttershy says things got worse after I offered you the team uniform project. Is there anything I can do to help?” Rainbow Dash? Offering to help? The notion seemed very odd, and yet she sounded completely serious about it. “I could easily get you an advance on payment if that’d make a difference. And I’m sure the rest of the team would be willing to chip in.”

Rarity’s hand rested on her chest, between herself and the mattress. This was highly unlike Dash, to the point that she couldn’t begin to describe just how touching the gesture was. “Well, I’ll have to take another look at the records. But uh...” Her lip grew as white as the rest of her skin as she bit down. “I don’t really know what to say. Even if it gives me just another month, that would mean a great deal.” Dash shrugged it off with a toss of her multi-coloured hair.

“You don’t have to get all mushy on me y’know. Technically this is a business deal, so you deserve to be paid for the hard work you put in, especially when you need the money. Things work like that.” The thought rolled across her mind. A business deal, nothing more. “But enough about that. I also wanted to apologize for not being more considerate, back that day. After three months of an all-girl locker room, you can imagine how relaxed we get about stuff like that.”

It caused Rarity to sit up at long last. The blanket slid off her hair without a single zap of static, thanks to a conditioner she would probably have to give up as well. “Oh, that was just a silly tiff of mine. Nothing to worry yourself about.” Her lip biting continued. There was something else at the back of her mind that she wanted to discuss. One particular notion that she had no explanation for. For a moment, she opened her mouth to ask the question. The inevitable awkwardness that followed finally encouraged her to change her words. “Can I talk to you about something in person, tomorrow? I’m not sure I feel comfortable discussing it over the internet.”

There was a pause as Rainbow Dash adjusted her position again. It gave Rarity an awkward close-up of her upper chest. “Anything for you Rare. Just name the place and I’ll be there. I promise.” In the moment before the video link closed, Rarity felt her heart jump. It’s nothing; she uses short names all the time. That line of reasoning alone didn’t explain why her cheeks felt warmer than before. Or why she suddenly felt very alone in her room, as rain continued to pour at the window.

“Am I... attracted to her?” It wouldn’t be that bad if that were the case. She did have a certain affection for Fluttershy after all, but not in the romantic sense. With Rainbow Dash however, she couldn’t quite make sense of the odd sensations that had overcome her. Perhaps it was just an extended gratitude for the extra work she was willing to put in to help out. A key detail jumped out at her when she closed her eyes for just a brief second.

At the moment Dash had taken her shirt off, several emotions had run through her. Shock, anger, embarrassment, even a bit of apprehension. But she wasn’t disgusted in the least. She appreciated the female form, and from the conclusion she was drawing, the form of that female in particular. “I’m attracted to her, because she took her shirt off in front of me, and then made the promise that she’d help me out of my financial situation.” It was all wrong. Those were not legitimate reasons to be attracted to a person romantically in any sense. If anything, just thinking about them in combination made her stomach turn. “No, I’m just sleep deprived, and desperate for good fortune. Nothing more.”

Her head came to rest against her silk covered pillows, made by her hand of course. It was such a stupid thing to get frustrated over. Things like that happened all the time; she saw it quite often in her customers. “But not in myself...”


*


Sugarcube Corner had become the ‘go-to’ place for their group meet-ups. Of course, many of the regular visitors remembered her terribly embarrassing outburst, months after it had happened. “One Razzle Dazzle, no sprinkles.” A tall milkshake glass filled to the foamy top with pink milk slid across the table. One solitary strawberry was skewered onto the straw. The intended pun was lost on Rarity as she carefully lifted the Razzle Dazzle off the counter. “Thank you. I hope Pumpkin Cake is enjoying the plush pony. If it’s still in one piece that is.”

It wasn’t particularly busy that day. Her favourite seat, positioned close enough to the aisle to allow her a quick exit if necessary, but near to the window so she had a nice view, waited for her to sit down. The entire table that they often sat at in fact hadn’t been touched the entire day. Not a single hint of powerful smelling disinfectant wafted up to ruin her strawberry Razzle Dazzle. As she sat down, all of the memories from months ago began to return.

First arriving there with Twilight Sparkle to plan her Fall Formal campaign. The day after the Formal, where they discussed trying to find their own Twilight. Rainbow Dash’s departure for her soccer tour. A similar time for Applejack’s last day in Canterlot before returning to the farm. Pinkie Pie’s first date that she had invited herself and Fluttershy to as well. And now, the day that could potentially change the whole future of not just her business, but her life as well.

She was about to give up on waiting and begin sipping the Razzle Dazzle when Rainbow Dash finally entered. Her path was straight to the counter. “A triple chocolate ice cream Brain Freeze please.” There was a muffled clink as she placed down a few coins on the counter. Rarity avoided making eye contact as Dash picked up the Brain Freeze. Every single thing she said had to be carefully thought about first. It was too delicate a situation to let herself be thrown off emotional balance by a stray flush of her cheeks. The moment of truth arrived as Dash slid around the table to the point that they were quite close together.

It wasn’t confronting at the least. Rarity couldn’t work out for herself if that was a good thing or not. “Thank you Rainbow Dash. I do appreciate you taking time out of your day for a friendly chat.” She took a reassuring sip from her Razzle Dazzle. Dash slouched back after taking a chilling gulp from her drink. Her new positioning put her even closer to Rarity. “Uh...” She bit down firmly on her tongue. Her mind was still turbulent with emotions, each trying to overrule the others. But the matter had to be discussed; she couldn’t continue working without knowing for sure that it was purely business.

Rainbow Dash seemed to pick up on her change of mood, sitting up again. “Sorry, bad habits and all. So, did you have anything in particular that you wanted to ‘chat’ about?” A few locks of crimson brushed past Rarity’s hand. The breath she drew was too sharp to ignore. She turned her head away out of embarrassment. Surely Dash would pick up on her obvious emotional state, she wasn’t blind to such matters after all. “Rare, is something wrong?”

The exhale that escaped Rarity’s lips was long, drawn out, and most importantly calming. “No, nothing’s wrong. Apart from the fact that each passing day brings me closer to complete financial ruin.” Her teeth came down hard on her tongue. Being short wouldn’t help matters, and Rainbow Dash deserved far better after how much help she had already delivered, with the assurance of more to come. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’m just a little on edge, is all.”

A hand rested down on her left shoulder. When she finally worked up the courage to look back, she let herself sink slightly into the comforting hold. “You have nothing to apologize for. At all in fact. If anything, I should be apologizing for not doing more.” Rarity closed her eyes. For just a moment, she was going to allow herself to enjoy the blissful comfort of having a friend so concerned for her wellbeing. Odd feelings of attraction or not, she needed somebody to hold her close. Somebody who was perfectly willing to listen to all of her problems.

“Thank you Rainbow Dash.” When she opened her eyes, she found that the arm around her had pulled tighter, to the point that Dash was now openly hugging her. By instinct, she slid her arms around to return the embrace. “I miss Twilight. She made everything better in just a few days. And... she brought us back together.” Her throat began to tangle. Given her train of thought before, she began to panic as the possibility that she had said too much.

There was no awkward look from Dash as she released the hold. No sarcastic remark about mishearing something. No comment about the way Rarity continued to hold her. “I miss her too. But, the best we can do is move on for now. She’ll be back in two years; the important thing is that you get back to what you do best.” She grabbed her Brain Freeze to take a long sip. “So, I’m going to move in with you.”

Silence. At least for the few seconds in between Rarity gawking at Rainbow Dash, and withdrawing her hands from her waist. The yelp that followed as she quite literally jumped back from her seat into the path of a passing cleaner drew the attention of the entire room in that direction. By strange fortune, the dry towels had fallen over Rarity’s face. It was all that could be done to conceal the sort of expression she couldn’t bear being made public.

“Um, you’re not really supposed to jump around like a maniac just because somebody mentions moving in with you. Besides, I haven’t actually done anything about it; I’m not stupid y’know. Anyway, I wanted to chat, and see what you thought first...” Rarity felt a hand grasp her right. Much as she wanted to escape the utter embarrassment that lay beyond the thin veil of paper towels, she found it easier to lie there in self-pity. At the very least, nothing liquid had spilled to contaminate her hair with chemicals. “Rare, come on. It was just a jump, and nobody got hurt. I’ll walk you home.”

For a moment, Rarity was ready to grab her hand and do just that. But the reality of what that meant was too horrifying to ignore. Literally walking home with a girl she had feelings for, who had proposed she move in for reasons that hadn’t been mentioned. It was a disaster just waiting to be put into motion. “No, I think I shall just get back up and finish off my Razzle Dazzle if you don’t mind. Feel free to hang out at the Boutique for as long as you like. I just... don’t feel like talking right now.”

The sight of a paper towel moving up and down as she spoke had to be comical. But there was no giggle from above. Instead, there was just the slightest of creaks from Dash’s boots as she stood back up. “Okay, fine. Sorry for startling you and whatever. If you want to be alone, I can respect that.” The words stung Rarity more than she cared to admit to herself. In a sense, what Dash said didn’t apply to just the short term. It could easily apply to the long term as well. She could easily be alone for the rest of her life if she so wished. But that was not what she wanted at all.

By the time she stood up, having removed the towels from her face, most of the other occupants of the room had returned to their activities. Rainbow Dash was nowhere in sight. Rarity made no comment to herself, slipping back into her original seat as if nothing had happened. She could barely manage a sip before the sight of the Brain Freeze, sitting next to her Razzle Dazzle, brought on an attack of tears. Rainbow Dash always finished her drinks. Always. There was still a decent amount left in the tall glass however. And there was only one reason as to why she would leave it.

This is all my stupid fault. If I had just accepted the fact I couldn’t do things alone... The amount of tears flowing began to leave a wet patch in her pale blue sleeve. She didn’t care. Little could faze her at that point. Everyone else knew to keep their distance; at least that was the excuse for their failure to care that she told herself. All alone, and that was exactly how she wanted it to be.
> 2. Success
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Rarity? Are you alright?” Rarity startled out of her zoned-out state; making just the softest of gasps. Her left hand clenched at the table before she regained her senses. 

Fluttershy timidly removed her hand from the shoulder. “Sorry, I was worried you weren’t well.” The deli was quiet at that hour, providing them with plenty of space to converse freely, and very few ways to break inevitable moments of silence. Both were content to eat with little conversation, though Rarity had barely touched her salad since purchasing it. It caught Fluttershy’s concern. “Are things okay, back home? You haven’t really talked about living with Dash much since she first moved in.”
 
An almost dreamy sigh escaped Rarity’s pale lips. Rainbow Dash. The initial offer to move in so they could share bills had ended on a very embarrassing note. Actually making it work was arguably worse. There was only one bedroom, and she outright refused to consider making Rainbow Dash sleep downstairs on a lounge. Having to share her bed wasn’t a problem in itself. It was the simple fact that she was lying mere centimetres from a girl she had a very strange attraction to, every single night. The bed was lined in silk, and Rainbow Dash often wore a simple tank top and underwear when sleeping. Everything pointed towards one terribly awkward night that could only end badly for both of them. If she didn’t watch herself.
 
“Everything is fine. She hasn’t taken her shirt off in front of me in the two months since, and there haven’t been any ‘unannounced’ parties. I’d say that I’ve been pretty lucky as far as roommates go.” 

Fluttershy bit down on a piece of lettuce. The crunch seemed louder than usual.

Rarity shuddered. “Fluttershy, you know that I trust in your discretion fully. I can assure you that there is no relationship between myself and Rainbow Dash. And before you ask, that look of ‘Is my friend doing something she’s hiding from me?’ is plastered all over your face. It’s not a nice look dear.”
 
A lettuce leaf dropped back into the container. Fluttershy sat back against the seat in surprise at her statement. “Oh, I didn’t mean to imply anything. Really.”

Rarity watched as her friend sank further down into the seat.

“Please, don’t be mad.” Rarity sighed, firmly taking hold of Fluttershy’s hand to pull her back up.
 
“Fluttershy, I’m not mad. I shouldn’t have been so blunt with my point. What matters is making sure you’re not constantly worrying about everything. Alright?” It took a while for Fluttershy to resume eating. Rarity continued to stare down at her own Caesar salad. It didn’t hold quite the same appeal as it had before. “I feel like our lunches together are doomed to interruption; sorry, Fluttershy.” With one hand, she placed the lid on her salad. The other hand reached for her phone, saved from being returned to the store by the grace of bill sharing. “I’ll be by the animal shelter tomorrow. And you will come to the party preparations next week, won’t you? Pinkie Pie is looking forward to it already, nevermind the party itself.”
 
Fluttershy nodded, picking up her backpack and sliding it on. “I would never miss your eighteenth birthday party. Will there be... hard cider?”

Rarity shook her head.

 “I know it’s a silly question, but...” She breathed out as Rarity took hold of her hand gently.

“No hard drinks of any kind, I promise. I’m not afraid to admit that I expect a certain level of decency from party guests. Pinkie Pie agrees with me on the matter anyway, so you need not worry.” Rarity returned her attention to the phone. Among the text messages waiting for her, a note from Rainbow Dash stood out. She was home, apparently waiting to discuss something with her. “Anyway, it seems that my presence is desired back home. Again, I apologize for breaking this lunch date off.”
 
“It’s alright, Rarity. We got to talk at least, and that’s the important thing.” Rarity hugged Fluttershy gently. It was a great comfort to have someone she could confide in so easily. As they released each other, she held onto the soft hand a little longer. “Oh, could you tell Dash that I can make it to the baseball game on Friday. I got the day off from work, and I haven’t gotten a chance to tell her in person.” Rarity released her hands, bending down to pick up her handbag.
 
“I will. Tomorrow at the animal shelter, Friday at Canterlot Baseball Stadium, and Monday at school for the party preparations. What a busy week.” Rarity departed with one last smile at Fluttershy, who was headed in the opposite direction. “Do take care, Dear!” She turned back to make the short walk back to the boutique. A few cars passed by, as well as a motorbike. The latter in particular encouraged her further away from the roadside through painful noise.
 
The bell rang as she entered her shop. “Just me. No need to hurry downstairs to try pretending you actually know something about clothes.” She set her handbag down beside the main lounge, slipping onto the soft surface once her shoes were removed from her feet. Her appropriately themed laptop was retrieved from a table in front of her. There wasn’t any sound from upstairs to suggest Rainbow Dash was heading down. “Probably having one of her usual naps. How typical.” Before she could begin checking up on emails, something passed between her and the main light of the room. “Rainbow Dash, I hope you realize I meant no offence with that silly remark about your naps, right?”
 
Rainbow Dash looked down at her for a long moment. “Rarity, mind standing up?” Rarity looked up at her as she set the laptop to the side, confused. Loose blue shirt, dark training shorts, nearly knee length white socks. A little different from her usual choice of attire. “Now, when you’re done checking me out, repeat after me.”

That made Rarity wrinkle her nose.

Before she could protest, Dash continued. “I, Rarity, do not deserve anything less than half of everything we have. I pay for half of everything, and I will not cut back on what I use because I feel guilty. And Rainbow Dash is awesome.”
 
The speech was met with a long eye roll. “Don’t you think you’re getting a little egotistical there?” 

Rainbow Dash poked her in the rib.

“Ow. Fine...” She poked her back before starting. “I, Rarity, do not deserve anything less than half of what we apparently have together because of some agreement I don’t remember making. I pay for half of everything, and I will not cut back on what I use because Rainbow Dash poked me in the ribs. And while I love her with all my heart, she can be one of the most annoying roommates I have ever met.”

Rarity sat back down. Dash attempted to sit on her, without a great deal of success. Instead, she sat on the other side of the lounge and continued. “Seriously, though, I really don’t want to be worrying about you with the baseball game coming up. But if it comes to it, you’re my friend, and I’d much rather spend the whole day trying to cheer you up than go to the game.”

Rarity’s cheeks flushed. With the way Dash was sitting, it was impossible to hide. No giggles came. Not even a single teasing remark with another jab to sound it off followed. “Come on, Rare, I am serious. Well, sort of. You’ve got me around now, and I’m awesome. Anybody else would be excited to have me for a roommate.”
 
It stuck deep into Rarity’s conscious thoughts. Things could have been far worse, and she was very lucky to have Rainbow Dash for a roommate. Their other friends all had their own places and occupations to take care of on a daily basis. But athletes had a very different schedule.

“You’re right; I haven’t truly come to appreciate just how lucky I am to have you. Around, that is.” For once, she had no hesitation in wrapping her arms around Rainbow Dash to hug her tightly. The hug itself brought a warm feeling  that she sorely missed. The sort of comfort she had often felt before the constant paranoia of getting too close to Dash. One moment of peace in an ever-turbulent life.


*

 
Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Fluttershy were leaning right over the edge of the guest box to congratulate the Wondercolts as they walked past, victory on their shoulders. Rarity was waiting outside the team area entryway, visibly nervous from the trembling in her knees, and the shaky hands she kept tightly pressed against her collarbones. Tension was high. One by one, the Wondercolts passed. Spitfire, Fleetfoot, High Winds, Soarin’, Lightning Dust, Rapidfire, Surprise, Misty Fly, and...
 
“Rainbow Dash.” She watched silently as Dash was released from a trio of embraces. The dry feeling forming in her throat began to spread to her mouth. Despite self-reassurance about remaining calm, Rarity could feel her whole composure was deteriorating.
 
The moment arrived. Dash had stopped just in front of her, blinking once as their eyes met. A few traces of sweat were clenched tightly in Rarity’s hands. “I just wanted to... congratulate you.” Her lips trembled. So much emotion was building up. A simple congratulations for winning the game wasn’t nearly enough to repay Rainbow Dash for saving her livelihood. “And, uh...” The fierce throbbing in her chest grew wild. Out of the blue, she lunged forward,, grabbing hold of Rainbow Dash’s uniform to pull her in for an abrupt kiss.
 
Immediately after making contact, Rarity stumbled back into the wall, her sweaty hands slipping off Dash’s equally sweaty jersey. Apologies struggled to make it past her mouth. In that moment, she was actually hoping Rainbow Dash would slap her for being so forward, if only for a way of regaining her senses.

“Well, that’s one way of congratulating a girl. Not bad.” Spitfire nudged Dash’s shoulder lightly.
 
“Come on, Spits, you know as well as the others there’s nothing between us. I did her a few little favours, nothing special.” 

Rarity blushed quite heavily. It wasn’t like Dash to play down things at all, quite the opposite in fact. Modesty wasn’t a word anyone would use to describe her in any context. 

“Anyway, I promised her a tour of the place. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Dash was met with a smirk from Spitfire, who departed for the locker room afterwards. “Rare, you’re really going to struggle in life if you get knocked flat over one kiss that you give. Chill out already. Besides, I do need to change.”

For the next minute, Rarity followed Rainbow Dash all the way to the locker room without much conscious thought. It wasn’t until they were greeted by a chorus of ‘oohs’ that she finally noticed Dash’s arm around her waist. “One: she’s mine. And two: she’s mine platonically. Oh, and yes I do know big words.”
 
“So, you’re just carrying her through the day then?”

Spitfire snickered while taking off her jersey.

Lightning Dust leaned against her locker. “You’re living together, you eat together, and I’m going to take a guess that you technically sleep together. Are you sure there isn’t something else going on?”
 
Rainbow Dash squeezed Rarity’s waist gently. “You know me; I’m pretty easy going with that sort of stuff. Besides, if Rarity actually had a crush on me, I know for a fact that she’d be up front about it. She doesn’t keep secrets like that.” 

Rarity’s stomach turned at that moment. It had to be some sort of trick to get her to admit what had been weighing on her mind. So lost in the overwhelming guilt, she didn’t even notice as Dash nudged her again, this time out of concern. “Hey, Rare. You okay? No offence, but you’ve been a bit spaced out.” She paused to think. “Did my lips taste funny? Or do I just suck at getting the right amount of smoochy stuff?”
 
Rarity finally regained control of her body. All of the female Wondercolts were staring at her. Dash was standing in front of her. Words began to stumble out. “I’m... fine.” Her eyes wandered around the room. “Sorry, the steam is a bit much for me. I think I’ll go outside for some fresh air.”
 
Every clap of her heels echoed in the corridor. The ambience hit her as she exited the building. It was hardly the refreshing breath of air she had been hoping for.
 
A few minutes passed, another set of footsteps their way to the opening. Rarity watched Rainbow Dash pause at the doorway, bite her lip, and finally clench her right hand before exiting. At last, she circled around. “What happened back there? All you had to say was that you didn’t want to come in, and that would have been fine. I’m not going to start crying because you won’t go into a locker room.” She chewed her lip for a moment as she reconsidered her words. “I just want to know you’re alright. I know turning eighteen is intimidating, it was for me at least, though don’t tell anyone I said that.”
 
Rarity kept her gaze focused on the ground. The small lumps in the wall behind her dug into her hands as she pressed them firmly into the hard surface. “I...” She looked up at Dash again. “I never told you... just how much it means to have someone who really cares that much. After that whole incident years back...” The words began to stumble in her throat, catching with each breath. “I didn’t think I’d ever get over Sunset, especially after what she did.”
 
There was another long period of silence. Rainbow Dash leaned back against the wall beside Rarity. “I tried calling her before the game, Fluttershy too. She didn’t call back, so we decided to give her time. But if you like, I’ll drive you to her place.”
 
Rarity inhaled, another shudder rolling through her body. She had been in a close relationship with Sunset Shimmer before the Spring Fair, and it had hurt deeply for some time. And now, she was using Sunset to avoid questions she didn’t want to answer. “Tomorrow. Right now, you’ve got the Canterlot Times to meet.”
 

*


It was raining. Rarity didn’t have the nerve to face Sunset the following day. In fact, she hadn’t gone by the day after either. Now it was Monday, the day of the party preparations.

Rainbow Dash had parked them outside Sunset’s place twenty minutes earlier. Neither of them spoke for most of that time. Eventually, she decided to give the necessary prompt. “I’ll be right here. Besides, if we take too long, people might get ideas.”

Rarity took hold of Dash’s hand, gripping it tightly for a moment to reassure herself. “Alright. I think I’m ready.” With a breath of determination, she pushed the door open. Immediately, rain began to seep into her hair.

“Good luck.”

The door closed with a soft thud. So much rain had fallen earlier that the lawn was in danger of drowning. Worse, the likelihood of getting her shoes muddy was much higher than she would have liked. The place itself wasn’t exactly welcoming; curtains were drawn, paint was starting to peel, dirt had begun to collect in the corners. Even the porch light flickered as she stepped up to the faded door. After a quick whisper to herself, she pressed the doorbell
 
Tedious minutes of silence passed before the door opened. The footsteps had ceased after three. Sunset had a loose magenta top and dark jeans on. Her hair looked unwashed, heavily tangled, and dull.

Rarity bit her lip. “I just wanted to talk. And you don’t have to let me in, what I have to say is brief.” Sunset leaned against the doorway, contempt. “I realize it’s been nearly six months since… that whole incident with Twilight Sparkle, and I am sorry that I haven’t been here to help you recover. But that’s only because of personal problems I’ve had to overcome.”
 
The silence she received in return put her on edge.

“What happened years ago wasn’t nice, but I’ve come to accept that it shouldn’t stop us from moving on.” Sunset’s half-painted fingernails tapped against the doorframe. “Sunset, can we at least go back to being friends? Now that things have finally turned around for me, I want to know that things will get better for you as well.”
 
Again, she was met with a long silence. 

Sunset flicked her hair back, glaring at Rarity once her face was clear. “So, that’s it? Don’t talk to me for months, don’t invite me to the Wondercolts game, don’t even call to see how I’m doing, and then walk up here to say ‘Hey, my life is much better now, can I make yours better too?’” Her lips pressed firmly together.
 
“Yes, I’ve been self-centred. Can you blame me when I was in danger of losing everything though?”

Sunset stood up again, stepping out from the warmth of her home.

“You hurt me pretty bad at the Spring Fair, and look where that got both of us. I was left miserable, and you had no one to tell you when enough was enough.”
 
“Oh, so now I’m the one who needs your charity, because you’re all guilty about sucking up the money the Wondercolts gave you, is that it?” Sunset yanked the door shut. “But I forget, you’re the Element of Generosity. Or have you forgotten that I don’t even belong here, that I don’t give a crap about your stupid problems!”
 
Rarity didn’t recall ever letting anger get the best of her before in her life. But it was definitely anger that caused her to grab Sunset’s arms and shove her back against the door. “Like it or not, we were girlfriends once. And that may not mean much to a stuck up pony-princess-wannabe in a human body, but it really means a lot to me!” The fierceness of the moment faded, leaving determination behind. “I want to move on, but I can’t until I am sure you will be absolutely fine.”
 
A thunder crack broke the tension of the moment. Sunset finally breathed out. “You know what... fine. I’m not ready to turn around and apologize for what happened, but if you’re serious about making things right… Then what do I have left to lose?”
 
The sigh of relief from Rarity “Tomorrow night is my eighteenth. I’ll pick you up at eight. Otherwise, call me and I’ll work something out.” Her lip tightened. “I’ll admit, I did have a small hope that you would come, even before today.” 
 
Sunset looked down before embracing her warmly, pressing tighter than Rarity would have preferred. “I’ll come.” 

Rarity was first to release the hold, staring at the door while she waited for Sunset. As her arms moved back, she felt something odd on Sunset’s wrists. A quick glimpse allowed her to see scars, roughly hatched across the skin.

“I forgot what it was like, letting go of petty differences years back. Thanks for helping me remember.”

Rarity forced herself to smile. The scars had her worried, but trying to talk about them could easily cause Sunset to return to her apathetic mood earlier. It was harder still to remain quiet as her lips were suddenly in contact with Sunset’s mouth. A peck.

“Take care of yourself.”
 
The walk back to the car left Rarity visibly shaking, and not just because of the rain pouring down her back. It didn’t help one bit to hear Rainbow Dash joking about the kiss as soon as the door opened.

“Two for two ain’t bad. Though you might wanna cut back on exploring other girls’ mouths; people might get ideas.”

Rarity didn’t have the determination to nudge Dash. At the forefront of her mind, the idea that Sunset Shimmer had gotten the wrong impression just then was eating away at her. And yet, she didn’t have the determination to go back and clarify things either.
 
“So, are you hooking up with her again?”

Rarity stared out the window as the car hummed into life again.

“Come on, you’re a cute couple. And besides, it doesn’t mean we have to stop being roommates, right? I like what we’ve got going, and it’ll give you more time with her.”

The guilt pang started up in her stomach again, a low pain that liked to make her insides scrunch up. Resolving her differences with Sunset had helped alleviate them, until then.
 
Her eyes peeled away from the window to look at Dash. “No. But maybe... she thought differently.” They reached a set of traffic lights. The rainfall had picked up again, obscuring her view out the window. “I really don’t think I could rekindle my relationship with her. We’ve both changed too much. Now I’m worried that she isn’t thinking the same way.” The car lurched forward with enough suddenness to make her yelp.
 
Rainbow Dash didn’t say much. Her concentration was on the road, obvious by the way she barely blinked, and gripped the wheel tightly at every turn. She relaxed at the tunnel. “If you’re really that worried, you should tell her in person tomorrow. It’s not gonna end well if you’re not honest with her.”

A cough came from Rarity’s direction as she squirmed in her seat. Yet again, it felt like everything was guilting her into coming out with the truth, and not with Sunset either.

Rain was flowing down either side of the car park awning above their heads. “Come on, Rare, we’ve got a lot of stuff to do. And from the looks of it, Pinkie and the Cakes are already here.” The pink catering van was backed up to the gym doors. Dash looked back at her after receiving no reply “On the other hand, if you’d like to nap, I’ll just let them know, okay?”
 
Rarity moved her hand to let Rainbow Dash do just that. With a tap on the wet roof, she headed on to the open doors. “Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I’ll tell her, and I’ll tell you. I promise.” Her eyes closed, picturing the scene. Sunset was a tough girl, despite her earlier moment of softness. She would understand, and Rainbow Dash had said herself that having romantic feelings were nothing to be ashamed of.


*


The novelty of the effects strobing lights had on Rainbow Dash’s hair was lost in the flurry of movement that filled the main floor. On the right side, Applejack was doing her best to coax Fluttershy into joining in with the dance.

“Come on, Flutters, you danced in the cafeteria with us, and then at the Fall Formal. Besides, it’s Rarity’s birthday.” Fluttershy clutched the chair. 

Rarity knelt down to take her turn at persuasion. “Fluttershy dear, you’ve been sitting here for the past half hour, looking quite sad. I want you to enjoy yourself.” She looked up as Rainbow Dash joined them.

“Pinkie Pie has balloon animals over by the stage. And I’m pretty sure she knows how to make one into a bunny…” Fluttershy’s face lit up right before she hurried over to Pinkie Pie. Applejack soon rejoined the dance.

“Thank you, Dash.” Rarity folded her arms, grateful she now had a brief moment with Dash to herself. “I’m still worried about Sunset. It’s been over an hour since we stopped by, and I still haven’t seen her here.”

She looked around the hall, standing right up on her toes to little avail. “For that matter, Miss Cheerilee and the girls haven’t turned up either.”
 
A phone message beep interrupted Dash before she could speak. It was quickly removed from her back pocket, the dim light of the screen casting a glow on her face. “Sunset. She’s on her way from the psychiatrist. Seems like your little chat made her feel a lot better about life. Nice work.” 

Rarity winced as Dash nudged her in the side again. Her already fluttering stomach felt worse as she continued to ponder how exactly to explain herself.

“I’m gonna grab some punch before Pinkie downs the whole thing herself. Want one?” She nodded, grasping her left elbow. Dash didn’t seem to notice the trembling in her arms before moving over to the drinks table.
 
“It’s simple, Rarity. Just tell her that you were hesitant about admitting you had a crush, because of Sunset, and now that’s resolved, you’re free to pursue a relationship. No need to bring up the silly business about being too young.” There were two cups of punch poured out when she arrived at the table. “Sunset will understand. I made it clear that we had to move on, not get back together.” Her eyes followed the return. “Whatever happens, happens.”
 
She took the cup that Rainbow Dash offered, taking a long sip. In her usual way, Dash knocked back the whole drink in one go. “Rainbow, darling...” Rarity took another sip. It did little to quell her unsettled stomach. “I’m afraid to say that I haven’t been quite as honest with you as I should have been.” The ambience of the party began to blur. Her stomach churned on itself, causing a small cough to emerge. “I was scared of admitting this before, partly because of Sunset...” She bit down on her lip. “And partly because I was worried about how you would react.”
 
Dash folded her arms. “Rarity, you have got to be the only person I know who takes a full minute to just get around to admitting she has a crush. And no offence, but you really had me fooled this whole time. Is liking me really that bad to you?”
 
Everything slowed down around them. At last, Rarity closed the distance with a close hug. “I didn’t want to take advantage of just how much you’ve done to turn my life back around. I wanted to be sure it wasn’t just some passing fascination.” She leaned into Dash’s chest, staring at her pink eyes. “There isn’t really any way I can say just how happy I am to have you in my life.” With just a moment of hesitation, she leaned in closer. “It’s a bit early to propose, so… Girlfriends?”
 
For a moment, Dash pondered the question. “Hmm, I dunno...” The entire room inhaled. Panic crossed Rarity’s face. “Sure, why not.” She proceeded to enact the one thing Rarity could have hoped for: being literally swept off her feet for a passionate kiss. In stark contrast to their previous encounter, there was no build-up of nervousness, no regrets, and especially no embarrassment. Pure bliss, just like she had always wanted her first true kiss to be like.

Rarity found herself being pulled back up unexpectedly. The first thing she noticed was the undeniable look of worry on Rainbow Dash’s face, one shared by many of the onlookers. “What’s wrong?” Her eyes trailed around the room until she had turned a half circle. At that moment, her heart jumped. Sunset had a bouquet of roses clutched tightly in her right hand. “Sunset, I thought I made it clear...” She expected to have the flowers thrown in her face, or a violent outburst.
 
Sunset started crying, the very emotional, tear-flowing type of crying. The bouquet fell from her hand to hit the floor with a crunch of plastic. The pounding in Rarity’s chest grew fierce as panic overwhelmed her whole body. She took a step forward. “Before you—” A very loud thunderbolt cracked overhead, blowing out most of the hall lights, and leaving the rest in a rapidly blinking state. In the confusion, a door opened and closed to the outside.
 
“Come on, Rare!” Someone grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the nearest door. After struggling through panicking teenagers and the frantic directions of Mr Cake, Rarity found herself in the rain with Dash.

Water sprayed everywhere as Sunset rushed past in her car. A passing car screeched, then beeped loudly as she cut him off with a hard exit.

“She’s gonna have an accident, come on.”
 
Even more muddy water splashed up Rarity’s legs as she did her best to run to Dash’s car. Through the pounding that had migrated up to her head, she could barely hear herself spouting apologies and regrets. “This is my fault.” The click of her seatbelt cut through. “I should’ve made sure that she was alright first.” White noise from the radio spurted back at them. “Why? Why did I have to be so sure of everything?” A hand grabbed hers again, bringing an end to the trembling.
 
“This isn’t your fault. Whatever happens, things are gonna work out.” Dash turned her attention to the car’s clock. “9:12. Keep an eye on the time; we may have to recall the time stuff happened if cops get involved.” Rarity yanked her shoes off as the warm air began to flow down over them. Rainbow Dash eased out of the car park before accelerating to gut-wrenching speed. “Start calling her, and if you get through, try to calm her down. I doubt she’s gonna pull over though.”
 
9:20
 
“Sunset, I know you’re there. Pick up before you get into a serious accident, please!” They rushed past the Boutique. Rarity dropped the phone into her lap with a huff of frustration. “That’s the ninth call, and she still hasn’t picked up.” Rain continued to belt down at the windows. The wipers had trouble enough keeping up against the onslaught.
 
“Give it a few minutes then. Hopefully somebody will stop her, because I really don’t know how we’re going to catch up.”
 
9:29
 
The late night shops of North Canterlot crawled by. Dash’s patience was clearly wearing thin as she tapped the wheel quite firmly. “Come on, this is the worst time for a traffic jam.”

Rarity gripped the phone in her hand tightly. Over twenty calls, and no response. Spending a good two minutes stuck behind the one particular car hadn’t helped her nerves at all. 

“Look, Rare, while we’re stuck here, we might as well discuss the long term plan. I really don’t have a problem with you having a relationship with Sunset, even if it means we stay friends.”

Rarity barely held back her horror at the proposal.

“I know it’s not what you wanted, but it’s gotta be better than Sunset doing something really stupid. And it doesn’t even have to be permanent. Maybe she’ll get better on her own.”
 
“I really cannot believe that you’re proposing this at all.” The mere thought of spending time with Sunset just long enough for her to get better was horrible. Every moment would be spent silently waiting for the day she would be free of the burden. Sunset deserved far better than that. “I really don’t think I can go through with it. I’m not going to lie to her, not after tonight. We’ll just have to help her work through things like we should have from the start.”
 
The cars ahead moved forward again, clearing the view of several police cars and an ambulance. Paramedics had already wheeled someone into the back of their vehicle before Rarity could catch a glimpse. Her heart hit a low thud as she reached a dark connection. “You don’t think...” The very moment they were clear of the scene, Dash sped right up along the road.
 
9:33
 
“If they send her to jail, she’s not going to last long. Not in her state.” Her white knuckles were strained further from gripping the door handle very tightly.
 
“They’re not going to send her to jail. Hell, if they really wanted to, they would’ve already. She did blow up half our school after all.” Rain continued to pour, though not as bad as earlier on. They could see a good few metres ahead now. Drenched grass stood either side of that section of road, the left in particular dominated by the towering golf fence. “I don’t see anything up ahead.” They were nearly past the golf course when the brakes were shoved on again. A car was wrapped around a tree, having come from the opposite direction. Police and another ambulance had only just arrived.
 
Panic continued to rise. Rarity started clutching the door handle harder. “Hurry, please.” Very little attention was paid to them as they left a wide curve around the crash site. Yet again, they couldn’t catch a glimpse of the driver as they passed, the view obstructed by desperate attempts to free whoever it was. Potentially a second victim of a tragic mistake, that was ultimately her own.
 
9:40
 
The road was dark. They were outside North Canterlot now, close to the highway to Vanhoover. Once again, Rarity felt panic rise as she checked the phone once more. “Her signal is completely gone. I’m worried.” She didn’t need a response from Dash this time.
 
Eventually they slowed as a road sign passed by. “The t-section’s up ahead. Maybe she went north-east to get away from...” Both Rarity and Rainbow Dash went quiet as the headlights illuminated the road ahead. The rain had lightened up enough to give them a good look at what had happened. “Oh, shit.” She was quick on getting out of the car, despite the rain. Rarity followed. The one thing she noticed as she moved around was a faint pair of skid marks, leading right to a hole in the barrier.
 
“No, please no. She couldn’t have...” Dash grabbed her hand firmly, gradually walking with her to the gaping hole. Beyond, the rain pattered lake stretched out for a good distance. It was the rear end of Sunset’s car quickly sinking into the water that caused tears to begin joining the rainfall. Through the water soaked into their clothes, Rarity hid herself from the sight in Rainbow Dash’s hold. Her inconsideration had offered Sunset a new life, only to snatch it away. And this was the result of her selfishness.