Chapter one
A letter.
That's all it was really. Tree pulp smashed together, its fibrous skin dry and brittle stained with tear soaked ink.
Rarity knew how it was made of course. Being a fashion designer, who hadn't tried to revolutionise the industry with paper clothes? Its cheap, easy to manufacture and so versatile. Even if it wasn't pretentious fashion idea numero uno Twilight would have went over it at some stage.
Twilight was there with Rarity in her bedroom surrounded by all her friends. How scandalous some distant part of her thought. Sweetie belle must have fetched them. Or maybe they came of their own volition. They seemed to be trying to talk to her but she did not seem to hear them. She didn't even rock her head in their general to see what they wanted. But she knew they where there yet somehow it didn't seem to matter. Right now all that mattered was the paper.
Paper she thought was something that ponies never really thought of did they? It was such a lovely thing. A plain colour yet filled with such potential. Any scrap of paper could have the next big thing on the fashion sketched upon its surface, perhaps it could hold a love note desperately proclaiming the writers undying affection. Oh how dramatic, how lovely.
Every piece of paper has the potential for this she mused sullenly yet this one.
She doesn't finish the thought as a magical aura tries to rip it from her grasp. Subconsciously her own magic flares to life listlessly countering the telekinetic spell upon the paper. A gasp is heard. Most likely from Twilight she supposes but she doesn't care. No all that matters was the paper.
It was such an innocuous little thing.
Barely the size of your average leaf of paper.
It lay outside her house this morning when she went to pick up her letters. She was dressed in her favourite housecoat and matching slippers. Even in the morning a sloppy appearance was no excuse. It was just there on her doorstep as if it had fallen from giant paper tree and landed just by happen-stance. A huge cosmic coincidence of wind and fortune.
Floating it up in her magical she noticed other letter strewn about beside though none as odd this one.
It must have something important in it. Fate made it land that way she thought naively at the time. Such a small thing. Yet small things lead to big adventures.
Back inside she trotted, a little skip to her gait.
Making a sumptuous breakfast her mind kept thinking back to the paper. There was only her name on it. Oh how she loved the drama of it all. It must be from a suitor. She thought her insides bouncing with glee. A passionate reveal of feelings held secret by someone very close to me no doubt. Every shred of her being was taut like paper across a drying mat, stretched so tightly and aching for the waiting to end.
Yet wait she did. She had her breakfast to make first and what with Sweetie Belle staying while her parents were out of town the little filly's needs came first. It would just have to wait.
After tortuously waiting till breakfast was made and her little sister was fully fed she made her own light breakfast before placing it all on a tray with the paper. Floating it just ahead of her barely two hoofs in front teasing her as she made her way to her boudoir. No better place to read a hearts reveal in her opinion. But she would wait till after her little breakfast in bed.
She delicately slide in between the covers and looked at what lay before her. A breakfast of sautéed vegetables and a little something sweet to satiate her own sweet tooth. A cupcake. She may not be the baker Pinkie was but a little treat wasn't beyond her ken.
And of course the paper was there. Staring at her almost forlornly she imagined.
Maybe its because of this or perhaps it was the waiting that she already endured that forced her to eat her food a little too quickly to be ladylike.
Tink.
Her fork hit the plate a little too loudly as she could no longer not look at the paper.
Floating away the tray yet still holding on to the paper in her magic she turned her head eyes closed, to feign disinterest with its contents, languorously batting the bottom curl of her mane the way her cat often did.
Slowly her left eye opened staring at straight at where she knew the paper would be. Almost lazily she floating the paper closer to her, its tendrils opening the note as she coughed softly into her hoof as she leaned forward to read.
Dear Miss Rarity it said.
She quickly skimmed the rest in a blur wanting to soak in every syllable of it. Yet Before she got two words her eyes kept darting back to the top. It struck her as odd that a love letter would start in such a way. Would they not say 'My dearest Rarity'? Or ' My Rarity' etc. They would start tenderly not like this. 'Miss Rarity.' It was so cold. So Clinical.
She read the rest of the paper now. Going over it again and again. Rereading it would not change what was written.
Miss Rarity she kept thinking feverishly. Miss Rarity.
Miss Rarity
Miss.
Rarity.
Miss.
“Rarity.” A voice cried out as she shook Rarity's slumped form. “Rarity. Speak to me Darlin'.”
Applejack held Rarity's shoulders in her hoofs as her face tried to look into Rarity's eyes.
It was she who had gotten the girls together after trying to visit Rarity. She had planned it for weeks now. Down to last detail. She knew Rarity would like the attention to detail. If there was one thing that mare likes its attention and detail. she had chuckled to herself earlier in the day.
She had brought a picnic basket with a little note bearing Rarity's name in fancy cursive having pride of place on it. Nothing fancy just a humble piece of paper she thought. But the contents that’s what’s important. No use prettifying it up if what’s in it ain't worth the paper its written on. Paper is kinda like ponies that way I reckon. No good looking like a knock out if you don't got a heart. And boy am I going after the biggest heart in Ponyville.
Course her looks don't hurt none. she mentally added after a beat.
With the basket in her mouth she knocked proudly on the door. It was time. No nerves now she was here. It was all or nothing.
Nothing happened. No stirring of anypony at home, no demure voice trilling out “Just coooooooooomin'” instead it was silence.
Applejack knocked again a little more rough this time. She hadn't gone through all this just to back out now.
The door swung open and inside the boutique was in darkness.
“That’s odd” Applejack mused aloud as she stepped inside. “Sweetie Belle must of left the door open on her way to school.” But if that’s just the case why is the curtains still drawn?Why hasn't Rarity come down to start work? “Must of slept in.” She said trying to convince herself. It wasn't working.
Something was off and she was going to find out what.
Climbing the stairs almost stealthily Applejack reached Rarity's bedroom. She nudged the door open to see Rarity lying in bed , a tray of empty dishes beside her. She smiled at the sight.
Shes just having a breakfast in bed dummy she mentally chastised herself Nothing wrong here... She froze in mid-thought spying a piece of paper in Raritys right hoof.
At that her face falls. Another love note. Berating herself for not revealing her feelings sooner she turned to leave. Except she hears a small sound. So silent you would easily believe it didn't happen. But Applejack heard it. Just a small sniffle.
Rounding back she heads straight to her ivory friend.
She looks at the note clenched in Rarity's hood but can only make out the first two words. Miss. Rarity.
She recognises the watermark though on the page. She’s seen it once before and she knows shell never forget it.
Running down and out the door she fetches all the girls. Trying to explain that something is wrong with Rarity through tear soaked words.
They all made it here in the end. Everypony tried to talk to her but it was like she was one of them little origami figures. Still and silent.
Twilight had called it a state of shock.
It hit Applejack most of all though she tried to hide it. She knew Rarity was a drama queen. The best at whining and screaming about the worst possible thing ever! But somehow this was worse.
After hours of her friends trying to rouse Rarity and even one attempt by Twilight to grab the paper held so tightly in her hoofs Applejack had had enough.
She asked them to leave. Maybe not in so many words but that’s what she wanted. Asking them to look up ways to help Rarity in books or to go fetch Sweetie Belle but the implication was clear. Give me sometime with her.
They cleared out awkwardly casting looks back to Rarity’s still form, worry etched across each of their faces.
Applejack grabbed Rarity by the shoulders and shouted for her.
All her longing for this mare and she was going to mentally cash out before I can say it? No siree her mind determinedly thought.
“Rarity” she hollered. “ Rarity don't you dare leave me here alone. Rarity!” with that Rarity stirred.
She slowly raised her head to look Applejack in the eyes. Both of them were reddened through tears.
“Sugarcube don't you scare us like that ya hear?” her voice hitched a little but her happiness was still palpable. Even if it carried a tone of worry through it.
“Paper. We are just paper.” Rarity said like a mantra.
Reaching over Applejack holds Rarity close to herself. In a tight embrace she’s dreamed of on so many lonely nights. But never like this.
Rarity sobs loudly now burying her head into Applejacks mane, thowing her hooves around her and finally letting go of the piece of paper as it floats to the ground.
Applejack can't help but look but she knows what it says. Her reading it won't change what she knows is written on that paper.
That watermark indented on the page she still recognises.
She got a similar letter not too long ago.
“They're gone Applejack..” a sob escapes Rarity's lips “ Gone. And all that's left is some paper.”
She held her as close as she dared. Keeping her own feelings in check and trying to be strong. She was an apple. And they were made of stronger stuff.
Rarity for her part sobbed into the hooves of that which held her. Knowing that no matter how much she wished it so, despite all the longing for someone as beautiful and as smart as Applejack would hold her, that these where not the hooves she wanted to hold her tonight. No.
Those hooves held each other as they would do forever in a cold passionless embrace.
Her parents would never hold her again when she cried.
Despite what her friend thought as she held her she knew that ponies were not as strong as Applejack supposed. No. She knew that paper like ponies is fragile.