Romance and the Fate of Equestria

Now's as good a time as any to mention that, since I began this story at the end of season 2, I will be ignoring everything that happens in season 3. Simply because I've already built up most of the story arc. It's a pretty flexible universe, so I don't think I'll run into too many problems.

Chapter Eight

It was a Saturday afternoon at Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie was behind the counter, Fluttershy and Big Macintosh shared a table and gazed at each other lovingly, and Gilda and Rainbow Dash pored over a series of plans for the first Golden Thread store.

Apple Bloom walked by and examined the doting couple. "Hey!" she barked.

Fluttershy and Big Mac tore their eyes away from each other and smiled at Apple Bloom expectantly. Apple Bloom's eyes darted from one to the other, until she was satisfied she had their full attention. "Just checkin'," she muttered.

"So, we gotta be careful," Gilda was saying. "With what we're selling, somepony might think our stuff is just for big butch guys. Check out this design schematic: divided down the middle, big muscles on one side, pretty and practical on the other."

"Hmm, okay," Dash pondered. "Um, be careful with the font on that sign, though. Too femmy. We need a more gender-neutral font."

"What? That's totally neutral!" Gilda protested. "You're seriously looking at that and suggesting it won't bring in girls and guys?"

"Um… yeah," Rainbow said. "Did we not go to the same flight camp? I know how to attract ponies from both… you know. Camps. Of flight."

"Ah, right, Dash, we all know how depraved you were," Gilda said, smirking.

"Since when do you use words like 'depraved'? It's like all of a sudden you're smart or something."

Gilda chuckled and shrugged. "Come on, I'm not that smart. I haven't applied Golden Thread to my brain yet, and I'm kind of scared to try."

"Yeah, probably not a good idea."

Pinkie Pie brought drinks to Fluttershy and Big Mac. "Here's your usual, guys," she said. "You know, you two've been in here almost all day, every day this week."

"Uh-huh," Fluttershy said absently.

"Eeyup."

"Well, um," Pinkie said, "I don't want to dampen anypony's spirits, 'cause I love you guys, but didn't you two used to have jobs or something?"

"We still have jobs," Fluttershy said, not looking away from Mac. "We've just been starting late, and cutting out early, and taking extra-long lunch breaks this week." She was silent for a moment. "We should go to work."

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh agreed. They both backed away from the table.

"Let's see, I haven't cleaned the vegetables recently," Fluttershy said to herself. "And we—oh." Fluttershy halted, surprised, at the goat who had appeared suddenly to block her path. "Um, hello."

The goat offered Fluttershy a sealed envelope, which she took. She watched him for a moment, awaiting an explanation, but he quickly darted out the door.

"Well, that was odd," Fluttershy said.

"What is it?" Big Macintosh asked.

"Well, let me see," Fluttershy said, opening it. "Ooh… tickets to an Iron Will seminar in Canterlot?"

"Iron Will?" Gilda said, perking up. "I love that guy."

"That would explain it," Fluttershy said absently.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gilda demanded of Rainbow Dash.

"Let it go," Dash advised.

"There's a letter for me," Fluttershy said. She read it aloud: "To Fluttershy: The mighty Iron Will requests your presence at his upcoming seminar in Canterlot. You and a friend will get the rare opportunity to attend this lecture for free. Afterwards, Iron Will himself would like to see you, Fluttershy, backstage—there are urgent matters that you and Iron Will must discuss. Signed, Iron Will."

Pinkie Pie snorted with laughter.

"Hmm," Fluttershy said, frowning. "I don't get it."

"Well, it's funny 'cause the whole letter talks about Iron Will in the third person, and then it's signed Iron Will," Pinkie said helpfully.

"No, I got that," Fluttershy said. "What urgent matters would Iron Will want to discuss with me?"

"I guess you made an impression on him!" Pinkie said brightly. "You stood up to him. We can all respect that, you know. Dude's scary."

"I guess we'll have to wait and see," Fluttershy said, shrugging. "Next week? Yeah, I can do that, hop a train, and then… hmm. Who should I take? Big Mac, you wanna come to Canterlot with me?"

"Can't," Big Mac said apologetically. "Harvest time."

"Oh," Fluttershy said sadly. "That's… that's too bad. Well… I'll find somepony else to go with, then. Walk you out?"

Big Mac nodded and smiled, and they began to stroll out. At the doors, they crossed paths with Rarity and Twilight.

"Oh, Twilight!" Fluttershy said excitedly. "Look, I got free tickets to an Iron Will seminar in Canterlot… for some reason. You wanted to present your findings to the princess in person, right? This could be the excuse you needed!"

"Sounds perfect," Twilight said, pleasantly surprised. "Okay, let's do it. Hi, Big Mac."

He nodded to them, and departed with Fluttershy. Rarity gazed after him sadly.

"Put this on your record, Twilight: never have a meaningless fling," Rarity said. "You may think that having no stake in it means no heartbreak, but it's hard to live with yourself. I can never forget it, because Big Macintosh hasn't said two words to me since that night…"

Twilight blinked. "Rarity, Big Macintosh never says two words to anypony."

"I'm just saying."

"Right, right. No meaningless flings: got it." As she sat down at her table, she scratched her chin thoughtfully with a hoof. "It's funny; I've been getting constant anecdotal advice since I started this subject. It never happened when I was just studying friendship."

"Hmm, well, that makes sense," Rarity said. "Friendship is easy, usually, when you get right down to it. Love is a constant uphill struggle. Constant."

Twilight looked at her friend sympathetically. "I think you're a bit jaded, Rarity. I don't think giving up is the appropriate response."

"I disagree," Rarity said. "Since I stopped concerning myself with my unrealistic and shallow notions of fairytale love, I have never been happier."

"Mm-hmm," Twilight said suspiciously.

"Not that I'm putting down your pursuits! It looks good on you, darling."

"Thanks."

"But do you have any idea," Rarity said, abruptly pounding the table with a hoof, "of the leaps and bounds I could make in my career if I maintain this newfound level of focus?"

"Rarity…"

"What?" she demanded.

"If you must lie to yourself, go ahead, I can't stop you," Twilight said seriously. "But don't lie to me."

Rarity breathed in heavily, then sighed. "Very well… do you believe in tempting fate?"

Twilight shrugged. "I've learned to believe in stranger things. Why?"

"I spoke to Fancypants at your brother's wedding," Rarity explained. "He showed me some of his inside connections. Just… a lot of those Canterlot fashion designers are just plain better than me."

"A lot of them are worse than you, too," Twilight countered.

"But what I realized is that… as some other ponies might say, I have a really good thing going," Rarity said. "Do I really need more? More connections, more success, more fellows who want to 'do' me? I have enough of all that. Why aim for the stars when I can be perfectly content where I am?"

"If you don't aim for the stars, you'll never, ever catch one," Twilight said solemnly.

"And if I do," Rarity said bitterly, "I might snag on something and bring the whole sky crashing down on top of me."

Twilight blinked. Were they still on the same drawn-out metaphor? "…I've lost sight of what we're talking about," she confessed.

"Tempting fate," Rarity said simply. "If I ask for something beyond what I deserve… like true love… then I might lose everything. Maybe it's just superstitious of me, but it's a good enough rationale for… for…"

"Fear of failure and disappointment?" Twilight guessed.

"Besides," Rarity said, forcing a smile, "I'm going back to basics. For somepony who's allegedly the earthly vessel for the spirit of generosity, I—as, again, others might say—kind of suck at it. I should try spreading it around a bit."

Twilight smiled back. "Well, that's always a worthy pursuit."